title: New Orleans Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms Offense

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LaMICHAEL JACKSON (“JACKSON”) , age 26, was sentenced on May 8, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to thirty-nine (39) months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). According to court documents, New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) officers on patrol in Hollygrove saw JACKSON crossing the street holding a Palmetto State Armory Model PA-15 pistol. JACKSON fled in a vehicle before being cut off by an NOPD patrol car. Inside the vehicle, officers recovered a second gun belonging to JACKSON , a Glock Model 43x, nine-millimeter handgun. Both firearms were loaded when they were recovered. JACKSON is prohibited from possessing a firearm by prior felony convictions for aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the New Orleans Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Mexican National With Two Prior Deportations Sentenced To Prison For Illegally Reentering The United States

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national was sentenced Monday by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva to 17 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after being removed from the country on two prior occasions. According to court documents, Cristian Alberto Nunez-Hipolito was found by immigration officials on September 29, 2024, after he was previously deported on or about September 17, 2018, and January 10, 2020. Nunez-Hipolito came into ICE custody on September 30, 2024, from the Clark County Detention Center on an immigration detainer after being arrested by state law enforcement on unrelated charges. Nunez-Hipolito pleaded guilty to one count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. This was his second such conviction, as he was convicted in 2019 in the Southern District of Arizona for the same crime. Nunez-Hipolito also has a 2017 Robbery conviction out of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angels. United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Director Michael Bernacke made the announcement. The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case. Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form . ###


title: Pittsburgh-Area Nursing Home Companies Ordered to Pay More Than $15 Million in Restitution for Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Companies operating two Pittsburgh-area nursing homes have been sentenced in federal court to pay a total of more than $15 million in restitution for their convictions of making false statements in connection with the payment of health care benefits and for the purpose of obstructing and impeding the investigation and proper administration of a matter within the jurisdiction of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Comprehensive Healthcare Management Services, LLC, d/b/a Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center (Brighton) and Mt. Lebanon Operations, LLC, d/b/a Mount Lebanon Rehabilitation and Wellness Center (Mt. Lebanon) were found guilty on six and four counts, respectively, by a federal jury in December 2023 (read the verdict news release here ). United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentences, ordering Brighton to pay $12,629,257.46 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in addition to serving five years of probation and Mt. Lebanon to pay $2,721,312.10 in restitution and to serve one year of probation. “Protecting the health, safety, and dignity of the residents of these nursing facilities and ensuring adequate staff to care for these vulnerable resident populations has been our office’s primary focus and objective throughout this prosecution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Rivetti. “Choosing to prioritize profits over patient care, these facilities lied and falsified records regarding meeting minimum requisite staffing levels to avoid sanctions and to continue to receive federal funding, all the while failing to provide residents with the level and quality of care they deserved.” “Families counted on these facilities and their operators to care for their loved ones with honesty, integrity, and compassion. Instead, these facilities put profits over people,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek. “Nursing home operators who lie to the government agencies providing oversight and keeping watch endangers lives and erodes public trust. These facilities failed their residents, and today’s outcome is a step toward justice.” “Safeguarding residents from harm and ensuring nursing facilities comply with CMS staffing levels is a top priority,” said Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, for the Department of Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Healthcare providers are required to provide accurate and truthful information, and false claims to CMS for healthcare services will not be tolerated. HHS-OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prevent patient harm and fight fraud, waste, and abuse in federal healthcare programs.” Evidence presented at the December 2023 trial established that, acting through high-level personnel and other employees, Brighton and Mt. Lebanon falsified staffing information provided to the Pennsylvania Department of Health and CMS to show that the facilities were in compliance with the conditions of participation in Medicare and Medicaid. The false certifications—which included, for example, various employees adding the names of individuals who were not actually working, not providing direct patient care, and, in some cases, not even in the building, to staffing sheets to make it appear that the requisite minimum staffing ratio was being met—enabled the corporations to evade penalties for failing to provide sufficient staffing to meet the needs of the residents. Testimony also established that the facilities continued to push for new patient admissions despite low staffing levels and nurses at the facilities advising that they could not adequately care for additional residents. Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Colville heard testimony and received impact statements from family members of several former residents of the facilities, including a female resident who was seriously injured from a violent physical assault by a male resident when no nursing home staff were present to prevent the abuse or come to the victim’s aid. These family members described a significant decline in staffing following acquisition of the nursing homes by the defendant companies and detailed how decreased staffing levels negatively impacted their relatives’ care, treatment, health, well-being, and hygiene. In imposing sentence, Judge Colville described the defendants’ actions as “a tragic set of events” that not only increased the risk of inadequate care for the facilities’ patients but also impacted the lives of the facilities’ employees and the general public, who expect that health care facilities will operate lawfully. Judge Colville noted that the nursing facilities’ actions resulted in the government and taxpayers being defrauded and the loss of care to patients. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole A. Stockey and Jacqueline C. Brown, along with Special Assistant United States Attorney Aaron McKendry, prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Health & Human Services–Office of Inspector General, the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of the facilities.


title: 13 Members and Associates of Rival Armenian Syndicates Arrested on Federal Complaints Alleging Attempted Murder, Kidnapping, Theft

component: USAO - California, Central

body_text: LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement officials in California and Florida today arrested 13 alleged members and associates of Armenian organized crime syndicates who are charged in five federal complaints with a series of crimes – including attempted murder, kidnapping, tens of millions of dollars’ worth of thefts of online retailer shipments, and illegal firearm possession – to expand and maintain their control in the San Fernando Valley. Among the defendants charged are Ara Artuni, 41, of Porter Ranch, who is charged with attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and a rival, Robert Amiryan, 46, of Hollywood, who is charged with kidnapping. The defendants arrested today in California are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon and tomorrow afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Vahan Harutyunyan, 49, of Hollywood, Florida, made his initial appearance earlier today in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and was ordered detained. Two of the remaining defendants, Levon Arakelyan, 45, of Las Vegas, and Ivan Bojorquez, 33, of Gardena, are presently detained in state custody on unrelated matters. Law enforcement is still seeking one defendant and seized approximately $100,000 in cash, three armored vehicles, and 14 firearms during today’s operation. According to affidavits filed with the criminal complaints, Armenian Organized Crime, a Russian mafia-affiliated transnational criminal organization, has made Los Angeles County a center of U.S. operations. Since 2022, two local leaders within the organization, also known as avtoritet , which in Russian means “authority,” allegedly have engaged in a power struggle for control in their territory, resulting in multiple murder attempts and a kidnapping. Artuni, an avtoritet , is charged with ordering the attempted murder of Amiryan during the summer of 2023. In retaliation, Amiryan, also an avtoritet , allegedly conspired with members of his own criminal organization to kidnap and torture one of Artuni’s associates in June 2023. In addition to attempted murder, Artuni and his criminal enterprise has, since at least 2021, allegedly committed additional crimes, including bank fraud, wire fraud, and “cargo theft” targeting online retailers such as Amazon.com Inc. Artuni Enterprise members and associates enrolled with Amazon as carriers, contracted for trucking routes, and then, while transporting the goods, diverged from the route and stole all or part of the shipment. To date, the Artuni Enterprise has allegedly stolen goods from Amazon worth more than $83 million, according to estimates provided by Amazon. The Artuni Enterprise also ran a “credit card bust-out” scheme in which they charged various credit cards to a sham business then drained the business account before the credit card companies could collect the to-be disputed funds. “Today’s arrests reflect that my office and our law enforcement partners are committed to keeping America safe by dismantling transnational criminal organizations,” said United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Let today’s enforcement action be a warning to criminals: Our communities are not your playground to engage in violence and thuggery.” “This transnational criminal organization operated with the structure and brutality of an international cartel, inflicting significant harm on public safety and causing substantial damage to legitimate commerce and supply chains,” said HSI Los Angeles Acting Deputy Special Agent in Charge Dwayne Angebrandt. “Dismantling transnational criminal organizations is at the core of HSI’s mission, and through close collaboration with our law enforcement partners, we are holding these perpetrators accountable and disrupting their criminal enterprise at every level.” “Our commitment to public safety is strengthened through collaboration,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “By working hand-in-hand with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we are united in our mission to identify, apprehend, and bring violent criminals to justice. Together, we are sending a clear message: violence will not be tolerated in our communities.” “Investigators from the Burbank Police Department spent hundreds of hours investigating these heinous violent crimes,” said Burbank Police Chief Rafael Quintero. “The Burbank Police Department is grateful for the assistance from its law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office for their work in holding these individuals accountable for their actions.” A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. If convicted of all charges, the defendants will face statutory maximum sentences ranging from 10 years in federal prison to life imprisonment. The Los Angeles Police Department Major Crimes Division – Transnational Organized Crime Section; the Burbank Police Department; Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) Northridge and Ventura offices; the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); IRS Criminal Investigation; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Lyndsi Allsop and Kenneth R. Carbajal of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Tara B. Vavere of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section are prosecuting this case. The Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section provided substantial assistance. These cases are 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.


title: New Orleans Man Caught on Video Firing Gun and Driving Stolen Car Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Machinegun and Drug Trafficking Crimes

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RENARD SANTIAGO (“SANTIAGO”) , age 19, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to fifteen (15) years in prison, followed by four (4) years of supervised release, along with a mandatory $400 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy, and possession with the intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2). According to court documents, in 2024, SANTIAGO was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New Orleans Police Department. Specifically, an arrest warrant had been issued for SANTIAGO for an armed robbery committed on October 10, 2023. On December 25, 2023,he was captured on surveillance video firing a handgun with a drum magazine attached and then driving away in a stolen SUV. During their investigation into his whereabouts, law enforcement officers saw stories on SANTIAGO ’s social media account showing SANTIAGO in possession of a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, posing with large amounts of cash, and advertising the sale of marijuana. The next day, officers executed a search warrant at SANTIAGO ’s residence. SANTIAGO hid in the attic for four hours before he was finally forced out of the house. Inside the attic, officers found SANTIAGO ’s handgun, with the machinegun conversion device still attached, a distributable quantity of marijuana, and over $400 in cash. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.


title: Missouri Man Admits Contacting Minor Online

body_text: ST. LOUIS – A man from Jefferson County, Missouri on Tuesday admitted sending sexual messages to an FBI special agent pretending to be a 13-year-old girl. Jamal W. Kimball, 31, of Jefferson County, Missouri pleaded guilty to one count of transferring obscene material to a minor. Kimball contacted an undercover FBI special agent posing as a 13-year-old girl on Kik Messenger, and the two communicated between December 2022 and May 2023. Kimball sent sexual communications and images of his genitals to the agent. The Kansas City office of the FBI alerted the St. Louis office in July of 2013, and a court-approved search of Kimball’s home found his cellular telephone and other electronic items. A search of the phone revealed that Kimball had solicited and received child sexual abuse material from a 15-year-old in Ohio via Snapchat. Kimball is scheduled to be sentenced on August 20. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Brazilian Man Pleads Guilty to Reentry After Deportation

component: USAO - Maine

body_text: BANGOR, Maine: A man from Brazil pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to re-entry after deportation According to court records, Americo Lopes-Da Silva , 37, was a passenger in a van stopped by the U.S. Border Patrol in the Rangeley, Maine area. During a field immigration inspection, Lopes-Da Silva indicated that he was from Brazil and had no legal status to be present in the United States. Subsequent processing at the Rangeley Border Patrol Station revealed that Lopes-Da Silva had been removed from the United States in 2021 after illegally crossing into the country in Texas. Lopes-Da Silva faces up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. ###


title: Three White Supremacists Sentenced in Prison Racketeering Conspiracy, Two to Serve Life in Prison for Murder

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: FRESNO, Calif. — On May 19, 2025, a federal judge sentenced three members of the Aryan Brotherhood prison gang who were convicted at trial of a racketeering (RICO) conspiracy that included multiple murders, drug trafficking, fraud, and robbery. Francis Clement, 58, was found guilty by a jury in February 2025 of RICO conspiracy and five separate counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Allan Roshanski, Ruslan Magomedgadzhiev, Michael Brizendine, James Yagle, and Ronnie Ennis. Each of these murders was committed while Clement was in state prison. Clement was sentenced to life in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. The jury also found Kenneth Johnson, 63, guilty of RICO conspiracy and two counts of murder in aid of racketeering for the murders of Roshanski and Magomedgadzhiev. Johnson was also sentenced to life in prison. A third defendant, John Stinson, 70, was found guilty of one count of RICO conspiracy. Stinson, who was already serving a lengthy prison sentence in the California state prison system, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in federal custody. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2016 and 2023, Aryan Brotherhood members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, including murder, conspiracy to murder, fraud, robbery, and drug trafficking crimes. Johnson and Clement, who both held leadership roles in the gang, directed crimes committed by Aryan Brotherhood members both inside and outside of prison using cellphones that had been smuggled into prison. Because of his rank in the gang, Clement received a cut from the illegal drug sales and fraud schemes the Aryan Brotherhood committed. According to trial testimony, the Aryan Brotherhood regularly smuggled drugs, including methamphetamine, into prisons throughout the California prison system, which defendants and other gang members then sold to inmates. In October 2020, Johnson and Clement together ordered the murder of Roshanski, during the execution of which Magomedgadzhiev was also killed. Johnson and Clement also ordered the murder of Brandon Lowery, who was subsequently killed. It was further proven at trial that in February 2022, Clement ordered the murder of Michael Brizendine. The following month, in March 2022, Clement ordered the murders of Ronald Ennis and James Yagle. For each murder, the killings were ordered because defendants believed the victims either violated gang rules or owed the gang money. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Stinson was a high-ranking leader of the Aryan Brotherhood and had substantial authority over the enterprise, including sponsoring multiple individuals for membership, resolving disputes among members, and approving the murder of current and former members. During the investigation, Stinson used a contraband cellphone within his prison cell to conduct business on behalf of the Aryan Brotherhood. The jury heard some of these communications from Stinson through court-authorized wiretapped conversations. Evidence was presented that Stinson also engaged in drug trafficking, and that, given his position within the gang, he received a cut of illegal drug sales that took place in prison and out on the street. “The convicted defendants led a notorious prison gang that committed ruthless murders, widespread methamphetamine trafficking, and perpetuated a culture of mayhem, fear, and disorder within the prison system that bled into the outside world,” said Matthew Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Organized crime within the prison system, enabled by the use of contraband cellphones, endangers American neighborhoods by flooding streets with dangerous drugs. The Criminal Division will continue to pursue crime syndicates, like the Aryan Brotherhood and their facilitators, to ensure they go to prison and the harm they inflict on society ends once incarcerated.” “Today’s sentences are yet another blow to the leadership of a violent criminal enterprise run from inside California prisons and spanning multiple counties and states,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “The Aryan Brotherhood has maintained its deadly influence over members, associates and others both inside and outside prison. We are committed to doing everything we can to stop these violent inmates from orchestrating their criminal activities from inside prison walls.” “These sentences send a clear message: the walls of a prison do not shield violent gang leaders from justice,” said Acting Director Daniel Driscoll of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “The Aryan Brotherhood’s leadership operated a brutal criminal enterprise from behind bars — ordering murders, trafficking drugs, and fueling violence in our communities. ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent gangs wherever they operate and hold their leaders accountable, no matter where they try to hide.” The indictment in this case charged 11 defendants with RICO conspiracy and other crimes. There are five defendants awaiting trial and the three defendants have pleaded guilty. This case was the product of an extensive investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Office of Correctional Safety (CDCR), the U.S. Marshals Service, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Pomona Police Department, the Torrance Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Stokman and James Conolly of the Eastern District of California and Trial Attorney Jared Engelking of the Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case. The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi‑agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.


title: U.S. Attorney’s Office Hosts Elder Fraud Prevention Forum

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida hosted a public outreach event and interactive discussion, in partnership with the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), focused on preventing crimes against senior citizens on May 15, 2025 at Century Village in Pembroke Pines, Florida. Participants included the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Florida’s Office of Financial Regulation, Broward State Attorney’s Office, the Wilton Manors Police Department, and AARP Florida. The program discussed common schemes affecting senior citizens, investment fraud, lottery, and inheritance fraud, along with a local law enforcement panel with local fraud and abuse case examples. This program is part of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida’s Elder Justice Initiative. For more information about the Justice Department’s efforts to help American seniors please visit the Elder Justice Initiative webpage at justice.gov/elderjustice and for information regarding how the FBI can help the public, visit https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud . To report an elder fraud scam, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI, submit a tip at https://www.ic3.gov/Home/EF , or contact your local field office. The National Elder Fraud Hotline is also available for reports at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls . ###


title: Worcester College Student to Plead Guilty to Cyber Extortions

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A student at Assumption University in Worcester, Mass., has been charged , and has agreed to plead guilty, in connection with hacking into the computer networks of two U.S.-based companies and extorting the companies for ransoms. Matthew D. Lane, 19, of Sterling, Mass., has agreed to plead guilty to one count each of cyber extortion conspiracy; cyber extortion; unauthorized access to protected computers; and aggravated identity theft. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. “Cyber extortion is a serious attack on our economy and on all of us. As alleged, this defendant stole private information about millions of children and teachers, imposed substantial financial costs on his victims, and instilled fear in parents that their kids’ information had been leaked into the hands of criminals – all to put a notch in his hacking belt. The alleged ransoms that this defendant and others like him demand hurt victim companies and their innocent customers whose data the companies are entrusted to hold,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Matthew Lane apparently thought he found a way to get rich quick, but this 19-year-old now stands accused of hiding behind his keyboard to gain unauthorized access to an education software provider to obtain sensitive data which was used in an attempt to extort millions of dollars. He also allegedly conspired to extort more money from a telecommunications provider over its confidential data,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This alleged scheme has resulted in serious consequences and highlights the FBI’s ongoing commitment to bringing cyber criminals to justice, no matter what their motivation is for willfully breaking the law.” According to court filings, between April 2024 and May 2024, Lane agreed with others to extort a $200,000 ransom payment from a telecommunications company by threatening to publicly disseminate customer data that had previously been stolen from the company’s computer network. When the victim company questioned whether a ransom payment would in fact end the threat of its customer data being leaked, Lane allegedly responded, “We are the only ones with a copy of this data now. Stop this nonsense [or] your executives and employees will see the same fate . . . . Make the correct decision and pay the ransom. If you keep stalling, it will be leaked.” It is further alleged that Lane used stolen login credentials to access the computer network of a second victim company – a software and cloud storage company that served school systems in the United States, Canada and elsewhere. Lane allegedly caused personally identifying information (PII) of students and teachers stored on that company’s networks to be transferred to a computer server that Lane leased in Ukraine. Later, the second victim company and others received threats that the PII of more than 60 million students and 10 million teachers – including names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, medical information, residential addresses, parent and guardian information and passwords, among other data – would be “leak[ed] . . . worldwide” if the company did not pay a ransom of approximately $2.85 million in Bitcoin. Members of the public who have questions or concerns as to whether a particular student and/or teacher’s information was compromised should contact their local school district. The charges of cyber extortion conspiracy, cyber extortion and unauthorized access to protected computers each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison, consecutive to any sentence imposed on the computer fraud charges. 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. U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI Acting SAC Milka made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Assumption University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Director of Mobile Medical Diagnostics Company Agrees to Plead Guilty to Kickback Scheme

body_text: BOSTON – A New York-based director of operations and sales for the Northeast region of a mobile medical diagnostics company has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to conspiring to provide kickbacks to doctors in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans. James Rausch, 57, of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., has been charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. According to the charging documents, from approximately March 2015 through September 2020, Rausch conspired with others, including two managers for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to enter into kickback agreements with various doctors. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain. It is alleged that Rausch and his co-conspirators agreed to offer and pay doctors kickbacks, some in cash and others by check, based on the number of TCD ultrasounds the doctors ordered. Rausch and his co-conspirators allegedly created purported rental and administrative service agreements that, on paper, made it appear as if the doctors’ practices were compensated for the TCD company’s use of space as well as for administrative costs associated with processing each order – based on fair market value, not based on the volume or value of referrals. It is alleged that these agreements were shams that hid the true nature of the payment arrangement for each test. It is alleged that the scheme as a whole resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $70.6 million to Medicare. Medicare paid approximately $27.2 million to the TCD company for the fraudulent claims. The charge of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Kelly M. Lawson, Acting Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case. 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: Rice Lake Man Sentenced to 7 ½ Years for Possessing Methamphetamine Intended for Distribution

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that David Anderson Jr., 34, Rice Lake, Wisconsin was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 7 ½ years in prison for possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution. The term of imprisonment will be followed by 7 ½ years of supervised release. Anderson pleaded guilty to this charge today. In April of 2024, law enforcement used a confidential informant to conduct two controlled buys of methamphetamine from Anderson. After the two controlled buys, law enforcement searched Anderson’s home and seized over 200 grams of methamphetamine prepackaged for distribution in different quantities. At sentencing, Judge Peterson emphasized the seriousness of Anderson’s crime. Judge Peterson balanced Anderson’s conduct and criminal history with his difficult upbringing and periods of Anderson’s life when he was law abiding. The charges against Anderson were the result of an investigation conducted by the Barron County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.


title: Bradford County Man Sentenced To 168 Months In Prison For Child Exploitation Crime

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jay Holloway, age 37, a resident of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 168 months’ imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann, for distribution of child pornography. According to the Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, on May 17, 2023, members of both the Pennsylvania State Police and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General served a search warrant at Holloway’s residence in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. Pursuant to the warrant, agents seized and later analyzed multiple digital devices, including cellular phones and computers. The forensic analysis uncovered approximately 3,369 images and 965 videos of child pornography on Holloway’s devices. Further, it showed that Holloway distributed child pornography to others via Telegram, a cloud-based encrypted messaging application. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations– Philadelphia Division, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section, and the Pennsylvania State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . # # #


title: Mexican National Arrested in Waco for Fraudulent Permit, Failure to Notify Change of Address

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: WACO, Texas – A Mexican national was arrested in Temple on criminal charges related to her alleged possession of a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card and failing to report her change of address. According to court documents, Juana Maria Garcia-Rosales, was found in Temple on May 15, after Temple Police executed a search warrant at her residence. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Fugitive Operations Officers subsequently arrested Garcia-Rosales for being in possession of a Permanent Resident Card with an Alien Number that had not been issued. A criminal complaint alleges that Garcia-Rosales admitted to purchasing the card from someone in Florida via social media. Further investigation revealed that Garcia-Rosales was previously admitted into the U.S. with a Border Crosser Card in July 2012 and the Form I-94 documenting her arrival listed her address as a location in Bryan—not Temple. Garcia-Rosales is charged with one count of possession of a fraudulent Permanent Resident Card and one count of failure to notify of change of address. If convicted, she faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. ICE is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Frazier 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). A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Federal Indictment Charges Rockford Man With Arson

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

body_text: ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly maliciously destroying - by means of fire and explosive materials - a building at 201 15th Ave. in Rockford. JAMES PURIFOY, 50, committed the arson on Jan. 22, 2023, according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Rockford. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled. The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Fire Department and Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus. The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The minimum sentence for the arson count is five years in federal prison, while the maximum sentence is 20 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. purifoy_indictment.pdf


title: Honduran National Sentenced To 15 Months In Prison For Illegal Reentry

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Brian J. Davis has sentenced Kevin Vasquez-Hernandez (33) to one year and three months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. Vasquez-Hernandez entered a guilty plea in February 2025. According to court documents, Vasquez-Hernandez is a native and citizen of Honduras, and had been granted voluntary removal in 2012 after it was determined he was illegally in the United States. In 2014, he was encountered by law enforcement in Virginia and deported to Honduras in 2015. In 2016, Vasquez-Hernandez was again encountered by law enforcement in Texas and deported to Honduras. In 2019, he was encountered by law enforcement in North Carolina and convicted of illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. In 2020, after his release from federal prison, he was again deported to Honduras. In December 2024, Vasquez-Hernandez was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol Agents when they conducted a traffic stop on the car he was driving. During the stop, Vasquez-Hernandez provided agents with a fraudulent identification card. After confirming Vasquez-Hernandez’s identity, he was arrested. Vasquez-Hernandez admitted to law enforcement that he had again unlawfully reentered the United States in 2022. This case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Elisibeth Adams.


title: Husband Sentenced to 24 Years for Gunning Down Wife in D.C. Parking Lot

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Wyatt Swan, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 24 years in prison for the 2024 murder of Teresa Francisco, 52, in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department. Swan pleaded guilty on January 24, 2025, to second-degree murder while armed. Honorable Jason Park of the D.C. Superior Court ordered Swan to serve five years of supervised release. According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 1:00 p.m., on October 1, 2024, Swan shot and killed his wife, Teresa Francisco, in and around their apartment complex in the 900 block of Eastern Avenue, Northeast. The defendant first shot his wife with a pistol in their shared apartment. When she ran for her life and hid in a nearby work van, Swan pursued her and fired numerous shots into the van, killing her. The defendant then fled the scene, evading police. Swan was arrested on October 2, 2024, with the assistance of the Prince George's County Police Department. In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office and expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Prince George’s County Police Department. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Evans, who prosecuted the case.


title: Missouri Man Sentenced to 230 Months in Prison for Transporting Minor for Sex

body_text: ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Henry E. Autrey on Tuesday sentenced a man who admitted transporting a minor across state lines for sex to 230 months in prison. Scott M. Arnold-Micke, 48, of Rolla, Missouri met the 17-year-old victim in 2021 and took him to Chicago, where they used drugs and engaged in sexual acts. Arnold-Micke engaged in drug use with the victim on an almost daily basis after Arnold-Micke moved from Sullivan, Missouri to Rolla. Arnold-Micke, 48, pleaded guilty in January to one count of transportation of a minor to engage in a criminal sex act. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Rolla Police Department with assistance from the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case. “The FBI is unrelenting when it comes to protecting children,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “I commend those who brought this crime to light in order to get this child predator off the streets and in prison where he belongs.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc .


title: Connecticut Company and Owner Settle Liability for False Claims Related to Violations of Buy American Act and Trade Agreements Act

component: USAO - Connecticut

body_text: David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that LED Lighting Solutions, LLC and its owner, Thomas DeSantos, of Berlin, Connecticut, have entered into a $300,000 civil settlement agreement with the United States to resolve allegations that they failed to comply with the requirements of the Buy American Act (“BAA”) and the Trade Agreements Act (“TAA”) by selling foreign end products to several government procuring agencies, including by shipping products directly from China to a procuring agency, in violation of the False Claims Act. The TAA generally bars government procurements of end products from foreign countries that have not entered into trade agreements with the U.S. The BAA creates a preference for the government to acquire domestic end products. In 2013, LED Lighting Solutions entered into a Multiple Award Schedule contract (“MAS”) with the General Services Administration (“GSA”) to supply LED lights and lighting products, which required compliance with the TAA. Before entering into the GSA MAS contract, LED Lighting Solutions provided GSA with a “letter of supply” attesting to its supplier’s compliance with the TAA. LED Lighting Solutions certified compliance with the TAA and failed to identify any foreign end products on its product list each year. The Air Force, Coast Guard, GSA, Department of State, and USDA each ordered products off of LED Lighting Solutions’ GSA MAS contract. The government contends that LED Lighting Solutions and DeSantos falsely certified that they were providing these agencies with TAA-compliant end products under seven contracts/delivery orders when, in fact, some of the end products were manufactured in China, which has not entered into a trade agreement with the U.S. This included at least one contract for which LED Lighting Solutions and DeSantos arranged to have products shipped directly from China to the procuring agency. LED Lighting Solutions also entered into eight contracts/delivery orders with the Air Force, Army, and FEMA, which required compliance with the BAA. The government contends that LED Lighting Solutions and DeSantos falsely certified that they were providing these procuring agencies with domestic end products when, in fact, some of the products were foreign end products. In addition to making payment under the civil settlement agreement, LED Lighting also agreed to withdraw, with prejudice, two appeals pending before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (“ASBCA”) for termination of an Army contract for which LED Lighting Solutions supplied foreign end products in violation of the BAA and the False Claims Act. This investigation was conducted by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Contract Audit Agency Operations Investigative Support Division, the GSA Office of Inspector General, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigative Division, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of Justice Office of Inspector General. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Gruber and Richard Molot. The ASBCA case, Appeal of LED Lighting Solutions, LLC Under Contract No. W50S6T22P0011, ASBCA Nos. 63425, 63546, was handled by Maj. Danielle C. Naser and Mr. John C. Degnan.


title: Virginia Man Charged with Conspiracy in Smuggling of Honduran Minor

component: USAO - New Mexico

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Virginia man has been charged with conspiracy to transport an illegal alien after he arranged and paid for the smuggling of a 17-year-old Honduran minor into the United States. According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended a 17-year-old unaccompanied minor from Honduras near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, after she unlawfully entered the United States. The subsequent investigation revealed that Luis Alonso Argueta-Diaz , 35, of Virginia, had arranged and partially paid for the minor’s smuggling into the country. When questioned by agents from Homeland Security Investigations , Argueta-Diaz admitted to coordinating and financing the minor’s journey with the intent for her to live with him and assist in caring for his children. Argueta-Diaz is charged with conspiracy to transport an illegal alien and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Argueta-Diaz faces 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, made the announcement today. Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ERO Richmond, FBI Richmond Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Virginia State Police, and the Henrico Police Department. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico is prosecuting this case as 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). View the Criminal Complaint (Argueta-Diaz).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: International Stock Manipulator Sentenced To 20 Months For Pump-And-Dump Scheme

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced today that RONALD BAUER was sentenced to 20 months in prison for manipulating seven different stocks in a “pump-and-dump” scheme designed to fraudulently inflate the value of BAUER’s own shares in those companies. BAUER pled guilty on November 4, 2024, before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, who imposed today’s sentence. “From overseas, Bauer manipulated stock prices to enrich himself at the expense of unsuspecting investors,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message: those who seek to manipulate U.S. markets from outside the United States will face justice. We thank our domestic and overseas partners and will continue to work with them to keep our markets fair.” According to the Indictment, public filings, and statements made in court proceedings: BAUER, a Canadian-UK citizen, orchestrated multiple “pump-and-dump” schemes after previously being sanctioned by the SEC in 2006, when he received a five-year ban from serving as an officer of public companies or participating in penny stock offerings. In his guilty plea, BAUER admitted to securities fraud involving seven issuers. His sophisticated scheme involved gaining controlling interest of unrestricted stock, then concealing ownership by distributing shares among nominee entities through a Swiss corporation called Blacklight, S.A. While maintaining behind-the-scenes trading authority and significant influence over company management, BAUER and his co-conspirators orchestrated purposeless “match trades” — i.e. , placing buy and sell orders in the same stock on the same day—and funded promotional campaigns without disclosing their controlling interest or intent to sell. They took deliberate steps to hide that nominee entities were funding these promotions. During or shortly after generating market interest, BAUER sold large percentages of holdings and collected the proceeds through the elaborate network of nominee entities he controlled. * * * In addition to his prison term, BAUER, 49, of London, United Kingdom, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit approximately $4,377,228.74. Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He further thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division, as well as authorities in the United Kingdom, in particular the Crown Prosecution Service and the National Crime Agency’s National Extradition Unit. Finally, Mr. Clayton also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which separately initiated civil proceedings against BAUER. The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Richman, Matthew R. Shahabian, and Vladislav Vainberg are in charge of the prosecution.


title: Foreign National Sentenced for $3.2 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme

component: Criminal Division

body_text: A foreign national was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud Medicare of more than $3.2 million through a sham durable medical equipment company. According to court documents, Julian Lopez, 55, a citizen of Cuba who resides in Miami-Dade County, Florida, obtained Medicare beneficiary identification cards and sold Medicare beneficiaries’ personal information to a durable medical equipment company, One Medical Services. Lopez knew the Medicare identification cards he obtained would be used to submit fraudulent claims to Medicare. One Medical Services used the information from Lopez to bill Medicare for orthotic braces that were never provided to the Medicare beneficiaries. In connection with the scheme, One Medical Services submitted and caused the submission of over $3.2 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary DME. Lopez pleaded guilty to two counts of health care fraud in February 2025. At sentencing, he was also ordered to pay $1,496,412 in restitution. Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jesus Barranco at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement. The FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Assistant Chief Emily Gurskis and Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. 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 nine 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 HHS-OIG, 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: Justice Department Files Religious Liberty Lawsuit Against Troy, Idaho for Discriminating Against a Small Christian Church

component: Civil Rights Division

body_text: The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho alleging that the City of Troy, Idaho, violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied a conditional use permit (CUP) application sought by Christ Church, a small evangelical church. The lawsuit alleges that Christ Church had outgrown the space where it had been worshipping and was unable to find a space to rent. It then sought a CUP to operate a church in the City’s C-1 zoning district, where nonreligious assembly uses such as clubs, museums, auditoriums, and art galleries were allowed. Local residents vociferously opposed the Church’s CUP application, and many of their written and verbal comments reflected animus against Christ Church’s beliefs. In its denial of the Church’s CUP application, the City cited the fact that the public was “heavily against” it and that the “great majority of the city residents” opposed granting the CUP. “RLUIPA unequivocally forbids local governments from deciding zoning matters based on their dislike of certain religious groups,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that discriminate in land use matters on the basis of the applicants’ religious beliefs.” The lawsuit alleges that the City’s denial of the CUP imposed a substantial burden on Christ Church and was based on the community’s discriminatory animus against the Church. It also alleges that the City’s zoning code treats religious assembly use worse than nonreligious assembly use. The lawsuit alleges violations of RLUIPA’s substantial burden, equal terms, and discrimination provisions. RLUIPA is a federal law that guards individuals and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s work can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage . As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal . More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php .


title: Shiprock Man Charged with Assault in Shooting

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon following a shooting incident outside a restaurant. According to court documents, Navajo Nation Police responded to a 911 call reporting that an individual was shot in the hand in front of the Little Caesars Restaurant in Shiprock. Officers located the suspect, identified as Terrold Tyler , 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, near the scene carrying a black backpack that contained a homemade firearm and five live shotgun shells. Tyler was detained without incident. Investigators determined that Tyler and the victim were involved in an argument behind the restaurant prior to the shooting. Tyler allegedly produced the homemade shotgun and shot the victim in the left hand. Paramedics responded to the scene, but the victim declined medical treatment. A social media video depicting Tyler with the firearm was also recovered as evidence. Tyler is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Tyler faces up to 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Tyler).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


body_text: WASHINGTON — The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho alleging that the City of Troy, Idaho, violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) when it denied a conditional use permit (CUP) application sought by Christ Church, a small evangelical church. The lawsuit alleges that Christ Church had outgrown the space where it had been worshipping and was unable to find a space to rent. It then sought a CUP to operate a church in the City’s C-1 zoning district, where nonreligious assembly uses such as clubs, museums, auditoriums, and art galleries were allowed. Local residents vociferously opposed the Church’s CUP application, and many of their written and verbal comments reflected animus against Christ Church’s beliefs. In its denial of the Church’s CUP application, the City cited the fact that the public was “heavily against” it and that the “great majority of the city residents” opposed granting the CUP. “RLUIPA unequivocally forbids local governments from deciding zoning matters based on their dislike of certain religious groups,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice will not hesitate to file suit against jurisdictions that discriminate in land use matters on the basis of the applicants’ religious beliefs.” The lawsuit alleges that the City’s denial of the CUP imposed a substantial burden on Christ Church and was based on the community’s discriminatory animus against the Church. It also alleges that the City’s zoning code treats religious assembly use worse than nonreligious assembly use. The lawsuit alleges violations of RLUIPA’s substantial burden, equal terms, and discrimination provisions. RLUIPA is a federal law that guards individuals and religious institutions from unduly burdensome, unequal, or discriminatory land use regulations. More information about RLUIPA and the department’s work can be found on the Place to Worship Initiative’s webpage . As part of this initiative, the department distributed a letter to state, county, and municipal leaders throughout the country to remind them of their obligations under RLUIPA, including its requirement that land use regulations treat religious assemblies and institutions at least as well as nonreligious assemblies and institutions. Individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination in land use or zoning decisions may contact the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section at (833) 591-0291 or may submit a complaint through the RLUIPA complaint portal . More information about RLUIPA, including questions and answers about the law and other documents, may be found at www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/rluipaexplain.php . ###


title: Missouri Registered Sex Offender Charged with Distributing and Receiving Child Pornography

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges related to child pornography. According to an indictment returned this week, Jeffrey Lynn Petrie, 40, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged with one count of distributing child pornography over the internet in May 2024, and one count of receiving child pornography from Dec. 9, 2024, to Dec. 10, 2024. The indictment replaces a complaint originally filed on Friday, April 25, 2025. According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers received a Cybertip reporting that a user, “kinkypopper69,” was uploading video files depicting child sexual abuse materials. Petrie was later identified as the user “kinkypopper69.” On April 24, 2025, the FBI conducted a search at Petrie’s residence and seized a cell phone and other electronic devices. Petrie is a registered sex offender in Missouri based on prior convictions for child molestation in the 2 nd degree. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, if convicted of distribution and receipt of child pornography, a prison sentence of not less than 15 years and not more than 40 years and a fine of up to $250,000 is authorized on each count. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Teresa A. Moore. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Franklin County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Shiprock Man Charged in Connection to Stabbing Incident

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon after he allegedly stabbed a man multiple times during an altercation near Shiprock. According to court documents, on the night of April 19, 2025, Navajo Police Department officers responded to a 911 call reporting a stabbing in Shiprock, New Mexico. Officers located the victim who had sustained three stab wounds to his upper and lower back. The victim was transported to the hospital for emergency treatment. An investigation led by the FBI and Navajo Nation Criminal Investigators revealed that Matthew Charley , 29, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, approached the victim and two witnesses. After a brief verbal exchange, the witnesses left the area, leaving Charley and the victim alone. When the witnesses returned a short time later, they found the victim had been stabbed. The victim identified Charley as his assailant. Law enforcement collected witness statements, obtained video evidence, and reviewed surveillance footage that corroborated the description and movements of the suspect. Screenshot of video showing Charley Charley is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, Charley faces 10 years in prison. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today. The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case. View the Criminal Complaint (Charley).pdf A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Member Pleads Guilty for Armed Assault and Attempted Assault Against Rivals

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in an armed assault and an attempted armed assault against members of rival motorcycle clubs. Jeremiah Z. Hahn, also known as “Pass Out,” 42, of Cameron, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, one count of attempting to commit assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. On May 30, 2022, Hahn and other members of the Pagan’s and their support club, assaulted a lone rival motorcycle gang member at a business in Grain Valley, Mo. In addition to fists, Hahn used an axe handle during the assault, causing physical injury to the victim. On Sep. 3, 2022, Hahn and other members of the Pagan’s and their support club, travelled to Topeka, Ks., to carry out a revenge attack against another rival motorcycle gang. The plan was to “catch a stray” and “smash on sight” any rival member they saw. The Pagan’s were aware that the rival motorcycle gang were having an event in Topeka that day, and the plan was to use either an axe handle or a gun on one of the rival gang members. After arriving in Topeka, a rival member was spotted in a hotel parking lot. As Hahn, who was armed with a gun, prepared to shoot the rival, a disagreement occurred among members, and the group returned to the Kansas City area. Following both events, Hahn and others present were awarded patches for their participation. On May 3, 2023, Hahn was stopped by a Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper on eastbound Highway 36 in Dekalb County, Mo., for speeding. Hahn, who was riding a black, 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle, had passed the trooper, traveling 98 mph in a 65-mph zone. Initially, Hahn attempted to flee the trooper and reached speeds ranging from 100-102 mph before stopping. Following Hahn’s arrest, the trooper discovered a Smith and Wesson, model M&P Shield, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, in Hahn’s front pants’ pocket. Hahn, who had felony convictions out of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri, stated that he had stolen the gun approximately a week and a half earlier from a member of a rival motorcycle club in St. Joseph, Mo. Under federal statutes, Hahn is subject to a sentence of up to twenty years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department. Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF .


title: Former Postal Worker Sentenced For Stealing $1.9 Million In Business Checks From Post Office In Bank Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Dontavis Romario Truesdale, 28, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 27 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for financial institution fraud, after he stole $1.9 million in business checks from the post office where he worked, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Kathleen Woodson, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General (USPS-OIG) for the Mid-Atlantic Area Field Office (MAAFO), Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which oversees Charlotte, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement. According to court records, from November 2022 to April 2023, Truesdale worked as a processing clerk at the Ballantyne Post Office in Charlotte. Court records show that Truesdale used his position and access to steal hundreds of checks of businesses that maintained post office boxes at that location. Truesdale then sold the stolen checks to other co-conspirators who committed bank fraud. Over the course of the scheme, Truesdale stole more than 200 checks with a total face value of over $1.9 million. Following the sentencing hearing, Truesdale was released on bond. He will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked USPS-OIG, USPIS and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Smith with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.


title: KC Man Charged with Hobbs Act Robbery and Firearm Violations

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for robbing fourteen convenience stores at gunpoint. He also faces charges for attempting to rob another convenience store and illegally possessing a firearm. Marquise L. North, 31, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged in a thirty-one count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo. Today’s indictment charges North with fourteen counts of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, fourteen counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The federal indictment alleges North committed the robberies between July 26, 2024, and Sep. 21, 2024. North is alleged to have brandished a firearm during each of the robberies. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. North has a prior felony conviction for unlawful possession of a firearm. The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. Under federal statutes, North is subject to a sentence of up to life in federal prison without parole. Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Jennings. It was investigated by the FBI, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, Raytown, Missouri Police Department, and Independence, Missouri Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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: North Fort Myers Man Charged With Illegally Possessing Firearms As A Convicted Felon

body_text: Fort Myers, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the filing of a criminal complaint charging Jessie William Korff (30, North Fort Myers) with being a felon in possession of firearms. If convicted, Korff faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. According to the complaint, Fort Myers Police Department (FMPD) officers responded to a Fort Myers residence, where they declared a suspected hostage situation. Officers entered the lanai of the residence and saw a firearm appear during a scuffle with a male and female. Officers separated the male from the female and tried to detain the male. The male was later identified as Jesse William Korff. Officers observed what appeared to be a bomb on Korff’s person when trying to detain him. Korff spontaneously said, “I have bombs” when being detained. In addition to the firearm, officers observed a bulge with wires coming out of Korff’s pocket and another object next to Korff, along with loaded magazines. A federal warrant was obtained for Korff’s vehicle and agents located an AR-style firearm, multiple suspected silencers, ammunition, and a tactical-style vest. Korff was previously convicted on February 19, 2015, of multiple felonies, including the transfer and possession of a toxin for use as a weapon, smuggling toxins from the United States, and conspiracy to kill, maim, or injure a person in a foreign country. Therefore, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law. A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan. 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. Criminal Complaint


title: Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 17 Years for Role in Violent Armed Robbery and the Planning of an Attempted Armed Home Invasion

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Eastern

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Willie Singletary, aka “Woo,” 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Cynthia M. Rufe to 17 years in prison and 3 years’ of supervised release for his role in a violent armed robbery and the planning of an attempted armed home invasion. The sentence will run consecutive to a 10 to 30 year sentence the defendant is already serving in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In October of last year, the defendant pleaded guilty to a four-count information charging him with conspiracy to commit robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), Hobbs Act robbery, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, on November 20, 2019, Singletary, Shaquan Brown , and another co-conspirator set out to rob a Philadelphia laundromat and the attached residence. At about 7:30 that morning, the three offenders, each armed with a firearm, encountered a laundromat employee. At gunpoint, they forced him inside the business and downstairs into its basement. At least one of the robbers repeatedly punched the victim, still at gunpoint, while the victim screamed for help. One of the offenders restrained the victim, tying his hands together behind his back. Singletary and Brown then went upstairs into the laundromat owner’s residence. Upon encountering the owner, the defendant repeatedly punched him, and Brown assaulted a female victim who was also upstairs. The robbers stole approximately $30,000, which was to be used to renovate the business, then fled the scene. Singletary subsequently provided information to Brown about an individual whom the defendant believed had substantial amounts of cash. Singletary instructed Brown to install a GPS tracker on their intended victim’s vehicle, to figure out where he lived, and Brown did so. The defendant directed Brown that Brown shouldn’t be afraid to get “grimy” and that “nothing is off limits” during the robbery. On the morning of January 3, 2020, Brown and another person attempted to break into their target’s Chester County, Pa., residence to commit an armed home invasion robbery. When the home security alarm system went off, the police responded and arrested Brown after a foot chase, recovering duct tape, zip ties, and a firearm from Brown’s backpack. “What Singletary and his buddies put their victims through was terrifying,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Being menaced at gunpoint and then physically assaulted is something they’ll likely never forget. All because the defendant would rather steal other people’s money than make an honest living of his own. As this case shows, we simply will not permit criminals to terrorize innocent people for profit.” “Willie Singletary led a vicious robbery of a Philadelphia Laundromat, threatening their victims’ lives at gunpoint and brutalizing them,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Having directed a further attempted robbery, Singletary is now going to federal prison where he will no longer endanger his neighborhood. ATF Philadelphia Field Division’s has a long history of partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and U.S. Attorney’s Office, and we will continue to work tirelessly together to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer.” This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. The case was investigated by the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony J. Carissimi and J. Jeanette Kang.


title: Guthrie Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $377,000 from Nursing Home

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Western

body_text: OKLAHOMA CITY – JESSICA DAWN BURTON , 53, of Guthrie, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud while employed as a bookkeeper for a nursing home in Hydro, Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. On May 14, 2025, Burton was charged by Information with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to the Information, from August 2022 through November 2023, Burton was employed as a bookkeeper for a nursing home in Hydro. The Information alleges that Burton used her position to issue checks from the company’s bank account to enrich herself and three other conspirators, utilizing the owner’s signature on the checks without the knowledge or consent of her supervisor or the owner. In all, Burton issued 223 unauthorized checks totaling $377,443.45. Burton pleaded guilty to the Information on May 19, 2025, and admitted she used her position to write checks from her employer’s bank account without permission, and that she knew she was stealing the money from the nursing home. At sentencing, Burton faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackson D. Eldridge is prosecuting the case. Reference is made to public filings for additional information.


title: Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Money Laundering Schemes

body_text: PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Zaven Yeghiazaryan, 44, of Newtown, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before the Honorable Gerald J. Pappert to 13 counts of an indictment charging him with conspiracy, health care fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with his execution of a variety of schemes. The charges arose from the defendant’s commission of fraud offenses targeting, among others, government programs, including through the use of shell companies and false identities, between January 2020 and April 2024. The defendant’s fraud offenses targeted two government programs which offered relief during the Covid-19 pandemic: the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. In addition, the defendant admitted that he participated in a scheme to defraud the Medicaid program. Based upon his guilty pleas to the 13 counts, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 230 years in prison, a three-year period of supervised release, and a $3,250,000 fine, restitution of $334,905 and forfeiture. Sentencing is scheduled for September 4, 2025. The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General, the United States Department of Labor – Office of the Inspector General, the United States Department of Transportation – Office of the Inspector General and the State Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mary E. Crawley and Special Assistant United States Attorney Megan Curran.


title: JACKSON COUNTY MAN PLEADS GUILTY EXTORTING STATE PROBATIONERS AND WITNESS TAMPERING

component: Department of Justice

body_text: Gulfport, MS – An Ocean Springs, Mississippi man pleaded guilty today to extortion by official right and witness tampering. According to court documents, Steven Wood, 64, used his position as a Mississippi Probation and Parole officer to extort drugs, sexual photos, and sexual services from multiples state probationers. The investigation was initiated when a probationer reported to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) that Wood was having her bring him methamphetamine. Subsequent investigation including additional witness interviews, and the forensic examination of Wood’s phone revealed that he solicited methamphetamine, sexual photos, and videos from multiple probationers. Wood took official action on those probationer’s behalf by not reporting their use, possession, or transfer of illegal drugs, not requiring them to report for their probation visits, not requiring some of them to pay their probation fees and writing at least one letter to be submitted by a probationer in a child custody dispute. During the course of the investigation, Wood contacted multiple probationers, and he told one probationer to lie about her relationship with Wood and to hide evidence. Wood pleaded guilty to one count of extortion by official right in violation of the Hobbs Act and one count of witness tampering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2025. He faces not more than 20 years of imprisonment for both the Hobbs Act and Witness Tampering offenses. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick A. Lemon of the Southern District of Mississippi and FBI Special Agent in Charge, Rob Eikhoff, made the announcement. The FBI, with assistance of the Mississippi Department of Corrections and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner is prosecuting the case.


title: Lexington Attorney Agrees to Plead Guilty to Embezzling More Than $3 Million From Companies and Relatives

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Lexington, Mass. attorney has been charged and agreed to plead guilty in connection with alleged schemes to defraud Massachusetts victims, including two of his own relatives. David Smerling, 75, has agreed to plead guilty to a Superseding Information charging him with four counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering and one count of aggravated identity theft. Smerling was previously indicted in January 2025 on charges of embezzling from a business partner. “The alleged multi-million-dollar embezzlement that Mr. Smerling was originally charged with was, unfortunately, just the tip of the iceberg. Today’s charges allege that Mr. Smerling also preyed on a family member with special needs and another with dementia, allegedly stealing money these victims needed for their own care,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “For anyone with elderly and vulnerable loved ones, these are frightening allegations,” said Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “David Smerling allegedly betrayed the trust of his victims and took full advantage – embezzling from them to line his own pockets while trying to cover up his crimes. The FBI will never stop working to protect the public from criminals like this, and we’re gratified to see him brought to justice.” According to court filings, between January 2016 and May 2020, Smerling embezzled more than $2.5 million from three Massachusetts companies for whom he worked as a bookkeeper. Specifically, it is alleged that Smerling transferred funds from the victim companies into a separate bank account that he controlled, before moving the money to bank accounts in his own name or directly from the companies’ accounts to bank accounts in his own name. Smerling allegedly concealed his scheme by changing the mailing address on victims’ bank statements to his home address and refusing to share the online banking password for the victims’ accounts. Court filings further allege that, between May 2020 and August 2021, Smerling embezzled more than $470,000 from a trust established for the benefit of a relative with special needs for which Smerling served as the trustee. Smerling allegedly transferred trust funds to bank accounts he controlled before sending the funds to bank accounts in his wife’s name or using the funds to pay for personal expenses. It is alleged that Smerling concealed his scheme by making lulling payments to the beneficiary so he would not discover the trust had been depleted. Court filings also allege that, between May 2023 and April 2025, Smerling embezzled more than $150,000 from a relative with dementia for whom Smerling served as the financial power of attorney. Specifically, Smerling allegedly transferred funds from the victim’s accounts to accounts he controlled, used a credit card in the victim’s name for personal purchases and took out a loan in the victim’s name. To conceal this scheme, Smerling allegedly misrepresented the purpose of the transfers to the financial institutions in which the victim’s accounts were held. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutive to any sentence imposed on the wire fraud and money laundering charges. 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. U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley and FBI Acting SAC Milka made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. 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: Prior felon pleads guilty to new child pornography charge

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Nicholas Mangione, 44, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession of child pornography following a prior conviction, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of 20 years, and a fine of $250,000. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who handled the case, stated that in April 2013, Mangione was convicted of possession of child pornography and sentenced to serve 48 months in prison. On August 15, 2024, a federal search warrant was executed at Mangione’s residence after it was discovered he uploaded a file containing child pornography to the Snapchat server. During the search, Mangione’s cellular telephone was seized. An examination of the device uncovered approximately 20 images and 52 videos of child pornography. It was also determined that Mangione distributed child pornography to other individuals using the Telegram application in exchange for other child pornographic files. On August 16, 2024, the defendant was arrested on New York State charges and was found to be in possession of an additional cell phone, which also contained images and videos of child pornography. Some of the child pornography possessed by Mangione depicted the sexual exploitation of an infant or toddler and depictions of violence against children. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto. Sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo. # # # #