title: Five Indicted in Feeding Our Future Jury Bribery Scheme

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – Five defendants have been indicted for their roles in a conspiracy to provide a $120,000 bribe to a juror in the Feeding Our Future trial, announced U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to court documents, on April 22, 2024, seven defendants went to trial before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. During the trial, Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, 35, of Savage, Abdimajid Mohamed Nur, 23, of Shakopee, Said Shafii Farah, 42, of Minneapolis, Abdulkarim Shafii Farah, 24, of Minneapolis, and Ladan Mohamed Ali, 31, of Seattle, Washington, conspired with each other to provide a cash bribe to one of the jurors in exchange for the juror returning a not guilty verdict in the trial. As part of the scheme, the conspirators decided to target Juror 52 because she was the youngest juror and they believed her to be the only juror of color. The conspirators conducted online research to obtain Juror 52’s personal information, including her home address and information about her background and family members. They conducted surveillance of Juror 52 to confirm her home address and obtain information about Juror 52’s daily habits. One of the conspirators followed Juror 52 home as she left the courthouse during the trial, and they purchased a GPS tracking device to covertly install on Juror 52’s car in order to track her movements. As part of the scheme, the conspirators obtained approximately $200,000 in cash to be delivered and paid to Juror 52 as a bribe in exchange for a not guilty verdict in the trial. The conspirators drafted a list of instructions for Juror 52 that included directions for her to vote “NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS FOR ALL DEFENDANTS” and to “convince all the remaining jurors to mark NOT GUILTY for all defendants and all counts.” The conspirators compiled a list of “arguments to convince other jurors,” many of which appeared designed to convince Juror 52 that the prosecution was motivated by racial animus. According to court documents, on May 30, 2024, Ali flew from Seattle to Minneapolis to carry out the bribery scheme. On May 31, 2024, Ali attempted to follow Juror 52 home as she left a downtown Minneapolis parking ramp at the conclusion of the first day of closing arguments in the trial. On June 2, 2024, Abdiaziz Farah instructed Nur to meet him at Said Farah’s business, Bushra Wholesalers, to pick up the bribe money. Later that day, Nur met with Ali and gave her a box containing the bribe money he had received from Said Farah. Ali took the money and put it inside a Hallmark gift bag. At approximately 8:50 p.m. that evening, Abdulkarim Farah and Ali drove to Juror 52’s house. Ali approached the house and handed the gift bag containing $120,000 in bribe money to a relative of Juror 52 and explained that the money was a present in exchange for a not guilty verdict. Ali promised that there would be more money if Juror 52 voted to acquit all the defendants. Abdulkarim Farah remained in the car and took a video recording of Ali dropping off the bribe money at Juror 52’s house. Abdulkarim Farah sent the video to his co-conspirators using an encrypted messaging app. According to court documents, on June 3, 2024, after being ordered by Judge Brasel to surrender their phones to law enforcement, Abdiaziz Farah conducted a factory reset of his iPhone in order to delete the messages, video, and other evidence of the bribe attempt. Nur and Said Farah also deleted evidence of the bribe attempt from their phones. The indictment charges all five defendants with conspiracy to bribe a juror, bribery of a juror, and corruptly influencing a juror. Abdiaziz Farah was also charged with obstruction of justice. The defendants will begin making their initial appearances this afternoon in U.S. District Court before Magistrate Judge Douglas L. Micko. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI with assistance from IRS – Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph H. Thompson, Matthew Ebert, Harry Jacobs, Chelsea Walcker, and Daniel Bobier are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. farah_et_al_indictment.pdf


title: Crack distributor heads to prison

component: USAO - Texas, Southern

body_text: GALVESTON, Texas – A 45-year-old La Marque resident has been sentenced for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Ronnie LaShawn Allen pleaded guilty Feb. 24, 2022. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown has now ordered Allen to serve 120 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Between February 2017 and February 2019, Allen distributed cocaine base or “crack” for a crack distribution ring operating in the La Marque and Texas City areas. He was held responsible for 2.224 kilograms of crack cocaine. Allen will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. The FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Force in conjunction with the La Marque Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth A. Cusick prosecuted the case.


title: D’Iberville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Transfer of Obscene Material to a Minor in the Philippines

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: Gulfport, Miss. -- A D’Iberville, Mississippi man was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for transferring obscene material to a minor in the Philippines. Jeffery Steward a/k/a Jack Spangle, 54, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, Steward, using the internet and a social media account of a minor in the Philippines, knowingly transferred pornography links of obscene material to the minor victim via messages knowing the minor victim was less than 16 years old. U.S. Attorney Todd Gee and Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff of the Federal Bureau of Investigation made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Cyber Crime Division at the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and the Philippine National Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrea Jones and Lee Smith are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov .


title: Final conspirator sent to prison for stealing nearly $4M in IRS refunds

body_text: HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston woman has been sentenced for her role in a scheme to cash stolen tax checks, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. Whitley Rachelle Carter pleaded guilty Oct. 2, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane has now ordered Carter to serve 30 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Carter was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,483,987.89 to Regions Bank and PNC Bank. “A stolen Lamborghini, stolen checks, fake identities, fake bank accounts and callous criminals working together. Those are the ingredients for a scheme to steal almost $4 million in IRS refunds,” said Hamdani. “Carter brazenly entered banks with counterfeit identification documents and stolen checks on multiple occasions - one check as large as $2.9 million. Thanks to law enforcement’s efforts, Carter won’t be anywhere near a bank (or a check) for years to come.” In approximately January 2022, authorities discovered that a couple in Houston had not received their expected $2,932,446.84 IRS refund check in the mail. An investigation revealed Kuljinder Singh Hunjan and Carter used fake IDs with the victims’ personal information to open accounts at Regions Bank in January 2022. On Jan. 18, 2022, Hunjan and Carter deposited the victims’ refund check into the fraudulent bank account. Bank surveillance footage helped authorities identify Hunjan and Carter, with Hunjan’s fingerprints also found on the check. The investigation linked Carter to Hunjan and co-conspirator Benjamin Thomas through phone calls and CashApp transactions. On April 13, 2022, authorities arrested Thomas while he was driving a stolen Lamborghini. At that time, they discovered two debit cards in his possession which were linked to fraudulently created accounts used to receive the proceeds of the nearly $3 million check. The co-conspirators used stolen identities to open the accounts and launder the proceeds. Thomas also had an ATM receipt showing a withdrawal of $800 from the Regions bank account that received the check. Toll records from the cellphone Thomas had at the time of his arrest indicate he contacted Hunjan numerous times during the course of the conspiracy. Co-conspirators Hunjan, 38, Spring Valley, New York, and Thomas, 39, Richmond, pleaded guilty to the same charges Feb. 16, 2023, and Oct. 2, 2023, respectively. Hunjan was sentenced to a 42-month federal prison sentence while Thomas received 90 months. Carter was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. IRS Criminal Investigation, Treasury Inspector General, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Secret Service, Texas Department of Public Safety, Houston Police Department and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.


title: Attempted Carjacker on the Southern Ute Reservation Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

component: USAO - Colorado

body_text: DURANGO – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Lionel Mario Charley, age 30, of Durango, Colorado, was sentenced to 120 months in prison for attempted carjacking resulting in serious bodily injury on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation. The prison sentence will be followed by five years of supervised release. According to the plea agreement, on June 15, 2022, Charley accosted a woman in the parking garage of a Durango office building in which she worked at the time. Charley threatened the employee, got into her vehicle, and demanded that she take him to Red Mesa, Arizona. The victim drove Charley a short distance before pulling over on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation and demanding he leave the vehicle. In response, Charley took a rock from his pocket and struck the victim repeatedly in the head. Charley admitted his intent was to seriously hurt the victim so he could “hijack” her car. During the attack, the victim’s car rolled down an embankment. The victim was able to escape Charley and crawl back to the road to seek help. Charley fled and the next morning stole another car and drove it to Arizona. “This random, unprovoked attack on an innocent citizen justifies this lengthy sentence,” said Acting United States Attorney Matthew Kirsch. “We remain committed to vigorously prosecuting violent crime on the Southern Ute Indian Reservation.” “This was a violent attack on an unsuspecting victim. If not for her courage, this outcome would not have been possible,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “This incident started in Durango and ended on the Southern Ute Reservation, which required assistance from the Durango Police Department, La Plata County Sheriff’s Office and Southern Ute Police Department. We thank the survivor and these agencies for their efforts that led to a safe conclusion.” United States District Court Judge Gordon P. Gallagher sentenced the defendant on June 18, 2024. The Federal Bureau of Investigation office in Durango conducted the investigation in conjunction with the Southern Ute Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution of the case.


title: Three Pennsylvania Men Charged With Corporate Fraud Offenses

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Middle

body_text: SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jeffrey Poth, age 68, of Drums, Pennsylvania; James Mahon IV, age 64, of Shavertown, Pennsylvania; and Joel Gillick, age 56, of Scranton, Pennsylvania, were charged with various fraud offenses in connection with their former employments at Tammac Holdings Corp. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Mahon and Gillick with conspiring to commit bank, wire, and mail fraud, and with several counts of bank fraud and wire fraud. Poth was charged in an information with conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud. According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, the charges allege that Poth was the President, Mahon the Vice President, and Gillick an attorney and Compliance Officer of Tammac, a Luzerne County business. Between 2008 and September 2021, the conspirators suppressed delinquency rates and repossession losses in loan portfolios that were sold and serviced by Tammac to various financial institutions and investors. The scheme was accomplished by making fake payments on the loans, using Tammac’s own money. The conspirators allegedly took these steps to avoid triggering recourse obligations under the servicing agreement contracts that would yield significant financial penalties for Tammac. During the course of the scheme, the conspirators hid the fake payments in Tammac’s accounting records, and concealed the practice from investors and auditors. The charges also allege that between 2017 and 2021, the conspirators provided false financial information to an investment firm during a due diligence process, and continued to conceal the fake payment practice. As a result, the investment firm purchased Tammac, and subsequently purchased loan portfolios from Tammac. Following the acquisition, the conspirators continued to provide false financial information to the investment firm. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phillip J. Caraballo and Carlo D. Marchioli are prosecuting the case. The maximum penalty under federal law for the most serious offenses are 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court. # # #


title: Federal jury convicts Missoula man of armed meth, fentanyl trafficking in community

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

body_text: MISSOULA — A federal jury on June 25 convicted a Missoula man accused of armed methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking in the Missoula area of multiple drug and firearms crimes, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. After a two-day trial that began on June 24, the jury found Keith Andre Green, 50, guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a drug trafficking crimes as charged in an indictment. Green faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and at least five years of supervised release on the conspiracy charge and a mandatory minimum of five years to life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, a $250,000 fine and five years of supervised release on the firearms and ammunition charge. U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided. The court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Oct. 22. Green was detained pending further proceedings. “The jury’s guilty verdicts on all three counts validate our relentless efforts to hold accountable those who are responsible for flooding our communities with methamphetamine and fentanyl. The quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficked by Green were staggering and poisoned far too many Montanans. And his use of guns as currency while trafficking his drugs means he will spend even more time in federal prison when he’s sentenced. These verdicts would not have occurred without our federal prosecutors, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Missoula County Attorney's Office, for which I am grateful,” U.S. Attorney Laslovich said. In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that from about May 2022 until September 2023, Green and others trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl in Missoula and Mineral counties and possessed firearms while trafficking drugs. Law enforcement received information that Green was a major meth and fentanyl distributor and that he went to Spokane, Washington, three to five days a week and received about one pound of meth and a boat of fentanyl, which is 1,000 pills, on each trip. Green also traded drugs for firearms. Law enforcement executed search warrants in February 2023 on Green’s vehicle and residence and another search warrant on his residence in September 2023. Officers seized a total of 4,205 fentanyl pills and approximately 2,204 grams, which is approximately 4.8 pounds, of meth. Officers located approximately six firearms and ammunition at his residence. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Missoula High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force, Montana Division of Criminal Investigation and Missoula County Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN. XXX


title: Mother, Son Sentenced for Illegal Firearms Following Two Shootings at Swope Park on Father’s Day 2023

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., woman and her son have been sentenced in federal court for illegally possessing the firearms they used in two shootings at Swope Park on Father’s Day last year. Kippie R. House, 54, and her son, co-defendant Darryel L. Pennington, 32, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays last week. House was sentenced on Thursday, June 20, to 10 years and one month in federal prison without parole. Pennington was sentenced on Monday, June 17, to 10 years in federal prison without parole. House and Pennington each have pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. House admitted in her plea agreement that she and Pennington had been involved in shootings at Swope Park on June 18, 2023. Pennington pleaded guilty without a plea agreement. The two separate shooting incidents involved in this case were captured on surveillance video. The video shows House arriving at the crowded park on a sunny day, in an area filled with families near a picnic pavilion and children playing on inflatable bounce-houses. There were several people sitting in lawn chairs or standing near vehicles with a steady flow of traffic through the area where the shootings occurred. House parked her Dodge Challenger and walked across the street, carrying a Smith & Wesson .380-caliber handgun with a laser, and was confronted by a member of her ex-boyfriend’s family. House became involved in a physical altercation with the other woman and began shooting. The other woman, who was unarmed, ran to retrieve a gun from her vehicle. House waved her gun around in the street as she sought out the woman, shot at her again, and the two engaged in a shoot-out over and around the woman’s vehicle. House then left the park and went to pick up her son, Pennington. They returned to the park an hour later and Pennington, extending his arm outside the passenger window, began firing a handgun with an extended magazine at House’s ex-boyfriend and his family. At least two people returned fire and Pennington was struck in the leg. House then left the park and took Pennington to Research Hospital. When a Kansas City police officer approached them at the hospital, House was sitting in her Dodge Challenger, which had a flat back tire and multiple bullet holes, and Pennington was sitting in the front passenger’s seat. Pennington, who had been shot in the right leg, was provided medical treatment. Officers found a loaded Smith & Wesson .380 caliber handgun with a laser in the trunk of the Challenger, as well as a backpack that contained a Glock 10mm semi-automatic handgun and an extended magazine loaded with 23 rounds of ammunition. The Smith & Wesson handgun had been reported stolen. House admitted the firearms belonged to her and her son and that they had been used in the shootings at Swope Park. House told detectives she returned to the park after the first shooting with a plan to shoot a member of her ex-boyfriend’s family. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. House has a prior felony conviction for receiving stolen property. Pennington has a prior felony conviction for unlawful use of a weapon. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashleigh A. Ragner. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., 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: ARMED DARK WEB DRUG TRAFFICKER SENTENCED  TO OVER A DECADE IN FEDERAL PRISON

component: USAO - Michigan, Eastern

body_text: DETROIT – Victor Hernandez, the leader of a conspiracy to sell cocaine and counterfeit pills over the dark web and launder the proceeds through cryptocurrency, was sentenced today to 130 months in federal prison, United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison announced. Ison was joined in the announcement by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphy, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Andrew P. Lawton, Drug Enforcement Administration, Detroit Field Division, and Angelo Horiates III, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office. Victor Hernandez, 31, of Detroit, pleaded guilty in March to conspiracy to distribute illicit substances, a conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, his distribution of counterfeit pills, and the use of firearms in furtherance of the crime. He was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker. As part of the sentence, Hernandez was ordered to forfeit the proceeds from his crimes, in the form of a $3.1 million money judgment. Hernandez’s sister, Carolyn Hernandez-Taylor, also pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by Judge Parker earlier this year. Hernandez ran a dark web vendor site under the moniker “opiateconnect,” selling illicit scheduled drugs, including cocaine, and various counterfeit drugs. These counterfeit pills were made to look like alprazolam—the most commonly prescribed psychotropic medication in the United States (including under the brand name Xanax), used to manage panic and anxiety disorders—but were in fact uncontrolled research chemicals not scheduled for human consumption. Federal investigators worked for months to determine the identity of “opiateconnect” and the location he was using. That investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at Hernandez’s house in Detroit, where agents discovered a clandestine drug lab capable of producing upwards of 20,000 pills per hour. They also found around three firearms, a “tub” containing approximately 600 grams of cocaine, thousands of pressed counterfeit alprazolam pills, $340,000 in cash, and more than $1 million in cryptocurrency. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the danger posed to this community by the armed distribution of controlled substances and counterfeit pills,” U.S. Attorney Ison said. “This defendant tried to hide in the anonymity he thought the dark web and his use of cryptocurrency provided, but the tireless combined efforts of state and federal investigators pierced that shield. We will continue to pursue digital-age drug dealers and work to ensure that their crimes result in prison and the seizure of their illicit proceeds.” “The efforts of drug traffickers and criminals have evolved over the years, but our commitment to hold them accountable remains the same,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “As this case has demonstrated, we stand focused and ready to take down other illicit online marketplaces that would poison communities in Michigan.” “Drug traffickers often believe the anonymity of the dark web can shield them from investigation and prosecution, and this sentencing clearly demonstrates that is a false notion. Along with our local, state and federal partners, DEA will employ every resource to bring drug traffickers like Mr. Hernandez to justice,” said DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge Lawton. “The laundering of illegal drug profits is as important and essential to drug traffickers as the very distribution of their illegal drugs,” said Angelo Horiates III, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office. “Without these ill-gotten gains, the traffickers cannot finance their organizations. The role of CI in narcotics investigations is to follow the money; we are highly adept at financially disrupting and dismantling drug trafficking organizations, online or in the physical world. We are proud to provide our financial expertise as we work alongside our law enforcement partners to bring criminals to justice.” This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. The investigation was conducted by the Detroit Dark Web Task Force, which consists of HSI, Postal Inspection Service Office of the Inspector General (USPIS-OIG), Secret Service (USSS), IRS-CI, Michigan State Police (MSP), and CBP. The purpose of the task force is to investigate criminal organizations, to include drug vendors, that operate within dark web marketplaces. The task force has disrupted and dismantled numerous drug trafficking organizations through criminal arrests, and the seizure of the proceeds from criminal activity.


title: Two Romanian Men Sentenced to Federal Prison For Stealing Bank Card Numbers

component: USAO - Florida, Northern

body_text: PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Ion Halmac, 35, and Marian Vasilache, 45, both of Romania, were sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to steal bank card numbers, possession of bank card skimming equipment, and possession of bank card numbers. The sentences were announced by Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. “These cases demonstrate the success of cooperative investigations by federal and local agencies working to identify and arrest those attempting to profit from fraud and theft,’” said U.S. Attorney Coody. “The protection of our citizens’ financial information is paramount, and with the help of our law enforcement partners, we will hold criminals accountable, no matter their national origin.” On April 17, 2023, the Florida Highway Patrol stopped Halmac and Vasilache for speeding as they were traveling on I-10. Both individuals provided false identification, and once properly identified, investigators learned that they were both in the country illegally. A search of their vehicle revealed card skimming equipment, blank cards, and a laptop computer with over 3,000 bank card numbers. Investigators later searched a storage facility in New Orleans belonging to the defendants and found additional skimming equipment. “Crimes that threaten the identities, financial security, and future of American citizens will not be tolerated,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tallahassee Nicholas Ingegno. “Alongside our state and local partners, HSI will investigate criminals who steal the identities of U.S. citizens and lurk in the shadows of the internet to pick the digital pockets of unsuspecting victims.” Each defendant was ordered to serve a term of 1-year supervised release following their prison sentence, which will likely be negated due to their immediate deportation proceedings. This case resulted from a joint investigation by the Florida Highway Patrol, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Walter Narramore prosecuted the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html .


title: Bay St. Louis Man Sentenced to Nearly Five Years in Prison for Interstate Travel in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: Gulfport, MS –A Bay St. Louis man was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy. Kolby Zu Sims, 21, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, on August 29, 2023, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration followed up on a written complaint alleging drug trafficking at the Motel 6 in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. Agents surveilled the motel and narrowed down the suspected parties and rooms. Agents observed a red Toyota Camry arrive at the hotel to pick up two of the individuals suspected of selling drugs. Agents followed the vehicle across state lines and observed the occupants of the vehicle participate in what appeared to be a drug transaction in Louisiana. After the transaction, agents followed the Camry back into Mississippi and conducted a traffic stop. Kolby Sims was identified as one of the occupants of the vehicle who had contributed funds to buy approximately 1000 fentanyl-laced pills to bring back from Louisiana for sale in Mississippi. Sims pled guilty on March 6, 2024, to interstate travel in furtherance of drug trafficking. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine and 50 times more potent than heroin. The DEA reports that two milligrams of fentanyl can be lethal, and one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. More facts on fentanyl can be found at https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl and https://www.dea.gov/resources/facts-about-fentanyl U.S. Attorney Todd W. Gee of the Southern District of Mississippi and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erica Rose prosecuted the case.


title: Laredo teacher linked to child pornography shared on P2P application indicted

body_text: LAREDO, Texas – A 41-year-old Laredo resident has been charged with possession, receipt and distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment June 25 against Roberto Ortiz Jr. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga July 5 at 10:15. On March 23, law enforcement allegedly received four child pornography files from a Laredo IP address. The indictment alleges it was associated with Ortiz, and he shared them through a peer-2-peer application (P2P). On June 4, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Ortiz’s residence, according to the charges. Ortiz allegedly gave authorities access to his computer and showed them where his downloaded content is saved in his computer. The charges allege they discovered several files containing child pornography, including the four files law enforcement received. Ortiz is a teacher at a local high school. There is no evidence his activities are linked with his employment at this time. If convicted, Ortiz faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Child Exploitation Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine A. Cortez is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice (DOJ) launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page . For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page . An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.


title: Bristow Man Sentenced for Second-Degree Murder

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – Today, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell sentenced Chad Alan Hudgins, 35, to 360 months imprisonment for Second Degree Murder in Indian Country. Additionally, Judge Frizzell ordered Hudgins to five years of supervised release. According to court documents, in Dec. 2021, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office received a call requesting a well-being check of Britney Smith. Upon arrival, officers noticed blood on the exterior of the house. Upon entry of the home, the deputies found the victim, Britney Smith, deceased. According to witnesses, Hudgins was in a dating relationship with Britney Smith. Hudgins told a friend that he was arguing with Britney and shot her. Hudgins fled to Kansas, where he was arrested with a loaded 9mm pistol. Hudgins will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The victim, Britney Smith, was a tribal citizen. The FBI, the Creek County Sheriff’s Office, and Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric O. Johnston and Julie Childress prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about PSN, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Charlotte Man Is Sentenced To More Than Six Years For Possession Of A Firearm By A Felon

component: USAO - North Carolina, Western

body_text: CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Damarious Sims, 24, of Charlotte, was sentenced today to 76 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release on each of two counts for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Bennie Mims, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement. According to documents filed in the case and court proceedings, on August 13, 2022, CMPD officers responded to a call for assistance at East 4th Street and South Brevard Street for gunshots fired in the area. A second call for service came regarding a shooting incident near the Omni Hotel in uptown, where a victim, later identified as Sims, had been shot and sustained an injury. The officers located Sims on the ground in front of the hotel with a gunshot wound in his lower left calf. Officers rendered Sims medical assistance and he was transported to the hospital. During the ensuing investigation, law enforcement determined that Sims had been approached by two males looking to buy marijuana. The deal was a ruse and a female, later identified as Princess Houghton, and her brother planned to assault Sims during the deal. Sims drew a pistol with an extended magazine when he detected the threat. Houghton drew her own pistol with an extended magazine and shot Sims before fleeing the scene. During the investigation, CMPD recovered the guns used by Sims and Houghton. They were each arrested on local charges. While out on bond from his local charges, on November 30, 2022, Sims got into an altercation with a passerby near the Omni Hotel in uptown. Sims had another loaded pistol and threatened to use it on the passerby. CMPD responded and confronted Sims who fled on foot. After a brief chase, CMPD took Sims into custody and recovered the loaded firearm. On April 26, 2023, Sims pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility. On Tuesday, June 25, 2024, Houghton was sentenced to eight years in prison. In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation of the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Kent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Great Falls man sentenced to three years for assaulting man on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

body_text: GREAT FALLS — A Great Falls man who admitted assaulting another man with a baseball bat on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and illegally possessing ammunition was sentenced today to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. The defendant, Paul Joseph Valenzuela, 56, pleaded guilty in January to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and to prohibited person in possession of ammunition. Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided. The government alleged in court documents, that on Aug. 23, 2023, Valenzuela and others went to the victim’s residence on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Valenzuela and others assaulted the victim, identified as John Doe, with a baseball bat. John Doe suffered serious injuries, including multiple fractured bones. When law enforcement searched Valenzuela’s residence, they located 60 rounds of ammunition. Valenzuela was prohibited from possessing ammunition because of multiple prior felony convictions. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, Blackfeet Law Enforcement Services and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. XXX


title: Georgia Man Sentenced to Federal Prison in South Carolina Staged Bank Truck Robbery of $1.9 Million

component: USAO - South Carolina

body_text: CHARLESTON, S.C. — Terry Tyrone Pollard, 28, of Cedartown, Georgia was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit bank larceny and bank larceny. Evidence presented to the court at trial established that in early January 2021, a Garda employee recruited Pollard and three others to pretend to rob him at which point he would claim to be a victim of an armed robbery. After formulating the plan over Snapchat, Pollard and the co-defendants traveled from Cedartown, Georgia to the Garda employee’s apartment in North Charleston on Jan. 15, 2021. Later that day, they drove around North Charleston scouting potential locations. On Jan. 16, 2021, the Garda employee parked his truck outside a Bank of America ATM located at 5600 Core Road. Pollard and the co-defendants approached the driver and pretended to restrain him at gunpoint. Pollard and the co-defendants then loaded $1.9 million in cash into black trash bags and immediately fled the area back to Georgia. During the investigation, North Charleston Police Department investigators became skeptical of the driver’s statements and alerted the FBI of the potential inside job. Several hours after the bank larceny, Pollard was back in Cedartown and a co-defendant posted a Snapchat video of Pollard holding a large stack of stolen cash in front of his face. He was arrested shortly after. Five days after his arrest, Pollard called an associate from jail over a recorded line and asked him to delete his phone records. The five individuals involved were indicted in federal court. Four of those individuals pled guilty. Pollard went to trial and was found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank larceny and bank larceny in March 2023. Pollard has a prior armed robbery conviction on his record. United States District Judge Bruce Hendricks sentenced Pollard to 63 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release. This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the North Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Limehouse and Chris Lietzow prosecuted the case. ###


title: Florida Man Sentenced to 121 Months in Prison for Receipt of Child Pornography and Enticement of Minor

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A Florida man was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for receiving child pornography and enticement to travel for illicit sexual conduct, announced U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger. Andrew Drechsel, 35, of Saint Cloud, Florida, pleaded guilty on June 1, 2023, before Chief U.S. District Judge Renée M. Bumb to an information charging him with one count of receiving child pornography and one count of knowingly persuading, inducing, enticing and coercing a minor to travel interstate to engage in sexual activity for which the defendant can be charged with a crime. Judge Bumb imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From 2014 to Nov. 8, 2019, Drechsel lived in Hamden, Connecticut. His victim lived in New Jersey. On Nov. 8, 2019, law enforcement agents searched one of Drechsel’s phones and found images of child sexual abuse, including photos and videos of the victim when the victim was 14 and 15 years old. Drechsel admitted that he originally met the victim in 2014 through his activities in the parkour community as an “American Ninja Warrior.” Drechsel admitted texting the victim and discussing his plans to engage in sexual activity with the victim. At Drechsel's urging, the victim traveled across state lines in July 2015 so that Drechsel could have sexual relations with the victim. In addition to the prison term, Judge Bumb sentenced Drechsel to 15 years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $100,000 in restitution to the victim. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. He also thanked the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office; the Cherry Hill Police Department; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; special agents of the FBI New Haven Resident Agency; the Connecticut State’s Attorney’s Office, Hartford Judicial District; the Connecticut State’s Attorney’s Office, New Haven Judicial District; the Windsor Police Department; the Hamden Police Department; and special agents of the FBI Tampa Resident Agency. The government is represented by Sara A. Aliabadi, Deputy Attorney in Charge of the Camden branch office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisa Shver of the Camden branch office.


title: Grand Jury Returns Indictments

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. - A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and a person named as defendant in an indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Wisconsin Rapids Man Charged with Drug and Gun Crimes Bradly Rosenthal, 41, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, is charged with distributing methamphetamine, possessing methamphetamine intended for distribution, possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The indictment alleges that Rosenthal distributed methamphetamine on three occasions in February 2024 and possessed 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution on March 13, 2024. The indictment alleges that also on March 13, 2024, Rosenthal possessed as a felon a Keltec handgun, Stoeger handgun, and two types of ammunition and possessed a loaded firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. If convicted, Rosenthal faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each distribution charge. He faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and a maximum of 40 years in prison on the possession with intent to distribute charge. If convicted of the felon in possession charge, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years. The possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime charge carries a minimum penalty of 5 years and a maximum of life in prison. Federal law requires that any penalty imposed for the charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. The charges against Rosenthal are the result of an investigation by the Central Wisconsin Drug Task Force and the Wisconsin Rapids and Nekoosa Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Remington is handling the case. This case has been brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the U.S. Justice Department’s program to reduce violent crime. The PSN approach emphasizes coordination between state and federal prosecutors and all levels of law enforcement to address gun crime, especially felons illegally possessing firearms and ammunition and violent and drug crimes that involve the use of firearms. Oneida County Man Charged with Possessing Child Pornography James H. Hornung, 72, Newbold, Wisconsin, is charged with possessing child pornography. The indictment alleges that from September 4, 2021 to June 23, 2023, Hornung possessed a 128 GB Lenovo IdeaPad 1 and six GB SanDisk Flash Drives containing visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The indictment further alleges that at least one of the depictions Hornung possessed involved a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age. The penalties for possession of child pornography vary depending upon an individual’s prior criminal history. If convicted, Hornung faces a minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. The charge against Hornung is the result of an investigation by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Ginsberg is handling the case. This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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: Utah Woman Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Stealing an Amazon Truck and Packages

component: USAO - Utah

body_text: Salt Lake City, Utah – Jaclyn Allred, 38, of Salt Lake City, was sentenced Monday to 18 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and ordered by the court to pay $5,735.19 in restitution. The sentence comes after Allred admitted to stealing an Amazon delivery truck loaded with parcels in 2021. According to court documents and statements made at the change of plea hearing, Allred pleaded guilty in January 2024 to theft of interstate shipments. On November 15, 2021, Allred, aka “Giggles,” stole an Amazon delivery truck loaded with packages in an apartment complex in Taylorsville, Utah. The estimated value of the packages for delivery exceeded $1,000. Allred admitted that while the Amazon driver was delivering a package to an apartment, she unlawfully entered the van and drove off. At a church parking lot, Allred removed the packages and distributed them to others, therefore depriving the rightful owners of their parcels. Allred is one of five defendants charged in 2022. Akanesi Tongia was sentenced to three years of supervised release in August 2023. Sentencing for Teofilo Franki Quintana is scheduled for August 2024. Catrina Cascarejo is scheduled for trial in December 2024 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Charges against Anetone Simanu were dismissed after the defendant died in September 2023. Simanu was not in custody at the time of death. The case was investigated jointly by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and the Taylorsville Police Department. An Assistant United States Attorney from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN .


title: Jury Convicts Las Vegas Man Of Crimes Including Coercion And Enticement, Child Sexual Exploitation, And Possession Of Child Pornography

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A federal jury convicted a Las Vegas resident yesterday of coercion and enticement, child sexual exploitation, and possession of child pornography. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between June 2, 2020, and June 3, 2020, Kenton Hardy King (29), met a child through the anonymous online chat platform Omegle. He coerced and enticed the victim to engage in sexual activity and to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing sexual images. Furthermore, King possessed child sexual abuse material on two of his cell phones. Following a five-day trial, the jury convicted King of one count each of coercion and enticement; sexual exploitation of children; and possession of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey on September 23, 2024, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison and a fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI made the announcement. The FBI and the Henderson Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Rose and Jean Ripley are prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC . ###


title: Nine Defendants Indicted in North Dakota for Roles in International Drug Trafficking Conspiracy with Ties to a Federal Prison in Florence, Colorado

component: USAO - North Dakota

body_text: FARGO – United States Attorney Mac Schneider announced that nine defendants have been indicted in the District of North Dakota for drug trafficking and money laundering crimes after a year-long, multi-agency, transnational investigation. The following defendants have been indicted in the case: Jesus Amurahaby Celestin-Ortega, 26, Florence, Colorado Charges: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, Money Laundering Conspiracy, Continuing Criminal Enterprise Trinidad Torres Meraz, 58, Riverside, California Charges: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, Money Laundering Conspiracy Edgar Hernandez, a/k/a Ivan Edgar Hernandez Vasquez, 43 Charge: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Maria De La Cruz Estrada Moreno , 40, El Paso, Texas Charges: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances; Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, Money Laundering Conspiracy Jesse Rocha , 25, Denver, Colorado Charge: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Rafael Bueno-Nava, 49, Fridley, Minnesota Charges: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances, Money Laundering Conspiracy Ryan James Stevens, 41, Arvada, Colorado Charges: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances Christan Ivan Gonzalez, 31, Phoenix, Arizona Charge: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Martina Lucia Mendez, 26, Gilbert, Arizona Charges: Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances, Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances According to court documents, since January 2022, Jesus Amurahaby Celestin-Ortega, also known as Flaco, 26, allegedly engaged in drug-related and money laundering conspiracies, and a continuing criminal enterprise, while incarcerated at a federal prison on unrelated drug and firearm charges. Celestin-Ortega allegedly operated a criminal network using a contraband cellphone from inside the federal prison to import and distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, more than one kilogram of heroin, and more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Celestin-Ortega allegedly directed and coordinated the importation of the substances into the United States and their distribution within North Dakota, Minnesota, California, Colorado, Georgia, Missouri, Texas, Arizona, and elsewhere. Celestin-Ortega also allegedly conspired to launder drug proceeds from the United States to Mexico. Celestin-Ortega and six of the co-conspirators have been arrested on the indictment and have made their initial appearances in court. Hernandez and Mendez remain fugitives. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison on the drug distribution conspiracy counts and the importation conspiracy counts, and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the money laundering conspiracy counts. This case is part of Operation Wedding Day Blues, with support from the multi-agency Special Operations Division (S.O.D.) near Washington, DC, an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation into the international trafficking of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin into North Dakota and other states. OCDETF investigations identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. An Indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt at trial. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service-CID, Grand Forks Narcotics Task Force, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and Grand Forks Police Department. The Federal Bureau of Prisons National Gang Unit provided critical investigative support from the outset and was an integral part of the investigative team. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher C. Myers and Matthew P. Kopp, District of North Dakota, and Trial Attorneys Lernik Begian and Tara Arndt, Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section, Criminal Division, Washington, D.C. # # #


title: Twin Cities Felon Sentenced to 55 Months in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm

component: USAO - Minnesota

body_text: MINNEAPOLIS – A Twin Cities man has been sentenced to 55 months in prison and three years of supervised release for illegally possessing a firearm, announced United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger. According to his plea agreement and court documents, on October 7, 2022, a Minnesota State Patrol officer stopped Salvador Anthony Pacheco, 46, for multiple traffic violations. During the interaction, the officer smelled marijuana in the car and requested a drug-sniffing dog, which alerted officers to additional drugs in Pacheco’s vehicle. A search of the car and its contents revealed a Kahr .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol inside the defendant’s backpack. Because Pacheco has prior felony convictions, including murder, assault, and weapons violations, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. Pacheco was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel. The sentence reflects an upward variance from the advisory sentencing guideline range Pacheco pleaded guilty on April 15, 2024, to one count of possession of a firearm as a felon. This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the Minnesota State Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Campbell Warner prosecuted the case.


title: Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm Offenses

component: USAO - New Hampshire

body_text: CONCORD – A Manchester man pleaded guilty in federal court in connection to his distribution of fentanyl, his possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and his being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces. Victor Rosario, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl, one count of felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Laplante scheduled sentencing for October 11, 2024. Between December 2023 – January 2024, on four occasions Rosario sold fentanyl to an individual who was cooperating with the Manchester Police Department. During the fourth sale, Rosario also sold the cooperating individual an AK-style rifle. When law enforcement searched Rosario’s residence and vehicle on January 17, 2024, they found more drugs, including more than 300 grams of fentanyl and more than 1,000 grams of cocaine. The charge of drug distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Manchester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew T. Hunter and Kasey Weiland are prosecuting the case. ###


title: Readout of the Pardon Attorney’s Visit to FCI Coleman

component: Office of the Pardon Attorney

body_text: On June 25, Pardon Attorney Elizabeth Oyer and members of her team visited Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) Coleman, the largest Federal Complex in the Federal Bureau of Prisons (FBOP) located in Sumterville, Florida. The Pardon Attorney and her team provided a series of educational sessions about the federal clemency process and answered questions from FBOP staff and incarcerated individuals at the low-security, medium-security and minimum-security camp. During their visit, the Pardon Attorney and her team met with approximately 1,200 incarcerated individuals and FBOP staff members. The visit to FCI Coleman was the eighth in a series of quarterly educational events that the Pardon Attorney is conducting for incarcerated individuals and staff at different FBOP locations. After visiting FCI Coleman, the Pardon Attorney met with U.S. Attorney Rodger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida to discuss the clemency process. These educational sessions within the FBOP, followed by stakeholder meetings, are part of the initiative by the Office of the Pardon Attorney to increase the accessibility and transparency of the clemency process through education and community engagement.


title: Maryland Woman Sentenced for Theft of Federal Housing and Food Assistance Payments

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Laurel, Maryland, has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation and restitution of more than $50,000 following her conviction for theft of government funds from two federal agencies, United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today. Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Briayell Moore, 43. In connection with Moore’s guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from approximately June 2010 until approximately May 2017, Moore misrepresented her household circumstances and eligibility for two different federally funded programs designed to assist lower income citizens. This involved Moore providing false information about her household composition, income, and marital status to receive Housing Assistance Payments from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as to qualify for and receive Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Moore would neither have been eligible for nor received these benefits based on her actual household composition, income, marital status, and other factors. Prior to imposing sentence, Senior Judge Conti noted that Moore’s conduct deprived other deserving community members of the benefits to which they were entitled. As part of her sentence, Moore was ordered to pay restitution to both the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Assistant United States Attorney Nicole A. Stockey prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. United States Attorney Olshan commended the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, and Allegheny Housing Authority’s Investigations Unit for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Moore.


title: Texas Man Who Allegedly Imported Switches Charged With Gun Crime

body_text: A Rockwall man who allegedly imported Glock switches from China has been charged with a firearm crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton. Joshua Javier Menjivar, 20, was charged via criminal complaint on Friday with unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver on Wednesday. “This defendant allegedly imported machinegun conversion devices from China and installed at least one of them in an untraceable ghost gun,” said Leigha Simonton, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “Whether manufactured abroad or printed here at home, switches are capable of firing a stunning amount of ammunition in seconds and are highly erratic – making them highly dangerous weapons. We cannot and will not allow these lethal devices to proliferate in north Texas.”  “As this arrest proves, we weren’t joking a few weeks ago when we told you that we were coming for you. The possession or importation of machine gun conversion devices will eventually lead to a visit by ATF or any of our law enforcement partners. I commend US Attorney Simonton and her team for their dedication to protecting the people of North Texas by aggressively prosecuting these cases. Further, I thank our partners at CBP who work tirelessly to keep Americans safe, a lot of times going unnoticed,” said ATF Dallas Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Boshek. According to the complaint, on May 16, Customs & Border Protection agents intercepted a suspicious package bound for Mr. Menjivar’s home. The parcel allegedly contained four machinegun conversion devices, also known as switches. Further investigation showed that between May 2023 and May 2024, approximately 35 suspicious packages were allegedly delivered to Mr. Menjivar’s address. The shipments – at least one of which was allegedly sent by a known international firearms supplier – were manifested as various items, including household tools, protective gloves, glass cups, hats, and clothing, and were addressed to various fictitious individuals. On June 10, ATF agents collected trash placed in a bin outside Mr. Menjivar’s home. Inside, they allegedly found a non-value gold metal commemorative bitcoin, an item often used to conceal switches by confusing x-ray machines and packaging consistent with illicit firearms shipments. On June 20, agents executed a search warrant on Mr. Menjivar’s residence, where they allegedly found a privately made firearm, also known as a “ghost gun,” equipped with a switch, five additional switches, 72 rounds of assorted ammunition, two commemorative bitcoins, and various firearm accessories. In an interview, Mr. Menjivar allegedly asserted that anything illegal found in the residence, including the switches, belonged to him and affirmed that he knew how switches work. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations’ Dallas Field Office, the Dallas Police Department, the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Department, and U.S. Customs & Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Withers is prosecuting the case. The case is part of “ Operation Texas Kill Switch ,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully-automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machine guns. Spearheaded by U.S. Attorneys Leigha Simonton, Alamdar Hamdani, Damien Diggs and Jaime Esparza, Operation Texas Kill Switch relies on partnerships with state and local law enforcement as well as rewards offered by Crime Stoppers.


title: Three Treasure Coast Men Pled Guilty to Committing Robberies of U.S. Postal Service Letter Carriers

component: USAO - Florida, Southern

body_text: MIAMI – Three Treasure Coast residents recently pled guilty in federal court for their respective involvement in a string of robberies of U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers for their Postal keys. On June 12, Jamal Travon Brown Weathers, 23, of Fort Pierce, Fla., pled guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, armed Postal/U.S. property robbery, and brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence. On June 14, Jalen Dennis Elliott, 19, of Port St. Lucie, Fla., pled guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and Hobbs Act robbery. On June 18, Bernard Jerome Davis III, 20, of Port St. Lucie, pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, two counts of armed Postal/U.S. property robbery, and single counts of brandishing a firearm during and in furtherance of a crime of violence, attempted Hobbs Act robbery, and Hobbs Act robbery. According to the court record, to include factual proffers in support of the defendants’ guilty pleas, between Nov. 19, 2022, and Oct. 21, 2023, Brown Weathers, Davis and Elliott robbed at least six USPS letter carriers in St. Lucie, Brevard, Orange and Miami-Dade counties in Florida. On Nov. 19, 2022, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail inside an apartment complex in Port St. Lucie. While the carrier was at the mailboxes, Brown Weathers demanded “Give me the key.” Brown Weathers then grabbed and started yanking the letter carrier’s keys, which were attached to her uniform pants. Brown Weathers then brandished a semi-automatic handgun and demanded “Give me the f------ key, you got five seconds to give up the key.” At that point the letter carrier unhooked her arrow key and handed it over to Brown Weathers, who fled in a vehicle driven by Davis. A Postal arrow key is an accountable property assigned to U.S. Post Office(s) that is only authorized to be used by USPS employees in an official capacity. A Postal arrow key is used by USPS employees to open mail receptacles within a geographic area to collect and deliver mail. On May 12, 2023, Brown Weathers and Davis robbed two USPS letter carriers at gunpoint in the Middle District of Florida. At approximately 12:13 p.m., a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in Melbourne, Fla., when Davis approached the letter carrier with a black firearm and demanded the letter carrier’s Postal arrow key. Once the letter carrier handed over the key, Davis fled the scene in a Nissan Altima that he rented. At approximately 1:20 p.m., another USPS letter carrier was on his mail delivery route in Orlando, Fla., when a Nissan Altima stopped behind his Postal vehicle. Brown Weathers exited the Nissan Altima, ran towards the letter carrier while holding a black firearm, grabbed the letter carrier by the shirt, and demanded the letter carrier give him the arrow key. The letter carrier removed the arrow key from his belt loop and gave it Brown Weathers, who fled in the vehicle rented and driven by Davis. On Aug. 1, 2023, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in Fort Pierce when a white Pontiac Grand Prix began to follow her and pulled up behind her USPS vehicle. The letter carrier observed Davis carrying a black semi-automatic firearm and walking towards the Postal vehicle. Fearing a robbery, the letter carrier quickly drove away and called 911. The same white vehicle followed another letter carrier, who also called 911. On Oct. 11, 2023, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in Fort Pierce when Davis approached the driver’s side of the Postal vehicle brandishing a black semi-automatic handgun and demanded that the letter carrier give him the key. Once the letter carrier handed the Postal arrow key to Davis, he entered a white vehicle and drove away. On Oct. 21, 2023, a USPS letter carrier was delivering mail in an apartment community in Miami Beach, Fla. when she was confronted by Davis who shouted, “give me the keys.” Davis ripped the keys, including a Postal arrow key, from the letter carrier's hand and caused an injury. Davis then fled to a waiting black BMW SUV, driven by Elliott. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled before U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore. Brown Weathers and Davis face up to life in prison. Elliot faces up to 40 years in prison. The federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, Inspector in Charge Juan A. Vargas of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division, Chief Diane Hobley-Burney of the Fort Pierce Police Department, Chief Wayne A. Jones of the Miami Beach Police Department, Sheriff John W. Mina of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Wayne Ivey of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Keith Pearson of the St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office, and Chief Richard Del Toro Jr. of the Port St. Lucie Police Department made the announcement. USPIS, the Fort Pierce Police Department, Miami Beach Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Office, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, St. Lucie County Sheriff’s Office and Port St. Lucie Police Department investigated the case. Managing Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Lineberger is prosecuting it. Announced in May 2023, Project Safe Delivery is a USPS initiative to combat the recent rise in threats and attacks on letter carriers and mail theft incidents by protecting Postal employees and the security of the nation’s mail and packages. Multiple departments within USPS, including the Inspection Service, the Office of the Chief Information Officer, and the Office of the Chief Retail and Delivery Officer are working together to support the ongoing campaign. To help strengthen this effort, the Inspection Service has also significantly increased monetary rewards for information leading to the arrest or conviction of a perpetrator of postal crimes. Customers are encouraged to report stolen mail as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint to the Postal Inspection Service at www.uspis.gov/report or calling 877-876-2455. The Postal Inspection Service is authorized to issue monetary rewards for the forcible assault, robbery or attempted robbery of any custodian of any mail, money, or other property of the United States under the control and jurisdiction of the Postal Service. Additionally, individuals are encouraged to report allegations of Postal Service employee misconduct, including attempts to corrupt a Postal Service employee, to the USPS OIG at 1-888-877-7644 or www.uspsoig.gov . Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 23-cr-14053. ###


title: Co-founder of Medical Charity in St. Joseph Sentenced to 17 Years in Prison for $8 Million Fraud Scheme

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The co-founder of a so-called Christian health care sharing ministry in St. Joseph, Mo., was sentenced in federal court today for his role in an $8 million wire fraud conspiracy that cheated hundreds of members, and to making false statements on a personal tax return. Craig Anthony Reynolds, 62, of St. Joseph, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. Reynolds was taken into custody at the conclusion of today’s hearing to immediately begin serving his sentence. The court also ordered Reynolds to pay $7,758,908 in restitution to the victims, $253,474 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, and $46,550 in restitution to the Missouri Department of Revenue. The court also ordered Reynolds to forfeit to the government $462,771, which includes proceeds from the sale of a St. Joseph residence, cash representing his interest in another St. Joseph residence, the values of a Lincoln Navigator, and a Harley-Davidson motorcycle which will all be sold, and the contents of several bank accounts. Reynolds incorporated and ran Medical Cost Sharing, a tax-exempt organization, as its president and chief executive officer from 2014 through December 2022. On Nov. 14, 2023, Reynolds pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of making false statements on a tax return. In a separate but related case, co-defendant James L. McGinnis, 77, of St. Joseph, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2024, to the same charges and awaits sentencing. McGinnis co-founded Medical Cost Sharing and served as its chief operating officer from 2014 through December 2022. Reynolds and McGinnis each admitted that he and his co-conspirators used false and fraudulent promises to market Medical Cost Sharing as a “Health Care Sharing Ministry” to defraud hundreds of “ministry members.” They collected more than $8 million in member “contributions,” yet paid only 3.1 percent in health care claims so that they could personally profit and take most of the members’ contributions for themselves. Reynolds and McGinnis pocketed at least $5,168,268 from the member contributions from December 2015 through December 2022. Thus, Reynolds and McGinnis took at least 64 percent of total member contributions for their personal profit. Reynolds and McGinnis marketed Medical Cost Sharing as a “Christian Health Care Sharing Ministry” through insurance brokers, radio stations, social media, and its website. Medical Cost Sharing sales materials promoted its 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation, advertising that it was different from for profit health insurance. The Medical Cost Sharing website claimed, “while we are not an insurance company, many think of us as a Christian Health Insurance, or Christian Medical Insurance because, like conventional insurance plans, we help you pay your healthcare costs. We help you protect your family. But unlike these corporate, profit based plans, we are a healthcare sharing ministry … your healthcare costs are shared with other Christians enrolled in our medical sharing plans.” Medical Cost Sharing promised its member that if they paid monthly “contributions,” Medical Cost Sharing would pay claims after the members’ “personal responsibility” (deductible) was met. In reality, Reynolds and McGinnis admitted, Medical Cost Sharing rarely paid members’ health care claims. Sometimes Medical Cost Sharing would pay a part of a claim if the member filed a complaint with their state attorney general and/or hired an attorney to represent them against Medical Cost Sharing. Medical Cost Sharing paid no claims at all for almost two years, from Feb. 22, 2021, through December 2022, although it collected a total of nearly $1.2 million in dues in 2021 and 2022. On Dec. 13, 2022, federal agents served search warrants on the Medical Cost Sharing business location and the residences of Reynolds and McGinnis and seized property generated from Medical Cost Sharing proceeds. Medical Cost Sharing continued to try to collect membership dues after the search and seizure warrants. On Dec. 27, 2022, the court entered a temporary restraining order that prohibited Medical Cost Sharing, Reynolds, and McGinnis from continuing to perpetrate a fraudulent scheme and from processing Medical Cost Sharing member payments, among other actions. Reynolds also admitted that he filed a return that claimed he had no taxable income in 2019. Reynolds actually received at least $354,292 in taxable income in 2019. According to court documents, Reynolds filed false federal and state tax returns in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. According to court documents, Reynolds also defrauded the U.S. Treasury by applying for Covid tax credits using false information. Reynolds received a total of $42,586 in fraudulently obtained Employee Retention Credits for tax year 2021. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen D. Mahoney, Patrick Daly, and John Constance. It was investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation. FBI Website for Victims of Medical Cost Sharing Fraud Those who believe they are victims of this fraud and wish to receive restitution for any losses suffered as a result may provide their information through the MCS Victim Information Page that has been established by the FBI. https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/mcs-victim-information-page


title: Albuquerque Man Charged with Federal Firearms Offense

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

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man was charged by indictment with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Arthur Steven Stewart , 23, appeared before a federal judge today and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. According to the indictment, on January 24, 2024, Stewart possessed a firearm and ammunition, knowing that he had been convicted of robbery. As a previously convicted felon, Stewart knew that he was prohibited from owning firearms or ammunition. If convicted of the current charges, Stewart faces up to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, made the announcement today. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes is prosecuting this case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program. The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state. View the Press Release An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. # # #


title: Middlesex County Man Sentenced to 311 Months in Prison for Persuading, Inducing and Enticing Victims for Prostitution

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Middlesex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 311 months in prison for persuading, inducing, and enticing women to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Jose Torres, 46, was previously convicted of all four counts of a second superseding indictment following a six-day trial before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti, who imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. According to the documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial: From May 2015 to October 2019, Torres persuaded, induced and enticed female victims, often commercial sex workers, to travel from out of state locations, including Canada and New York, to engage in prostitution with him. In each instance, Torres trolled prostitution websites and targeted out-of-state sex workers. He lured them to New Jersey with promises of large sums of payment. Once the women were in New Jersey, Torres refused to pay them. When the victims asked for payment, Torres became aggressive, often assaulting and raping them. In addition to the prison term, Judge Martinotti sentenced Torres to 15 years of supervised release and imposed a $5,000 special assessment for trafficking. U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker, with the investigation leading to the sentencing. The government is represented by Bruce P. Keller, Special Counsel to the U.S. Attorney, in Newark.


title: Juan Orlando Hernández, Former President of Honduras, Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Distribute More Than 400 Tons of Cocaine and Related Firearms Offenses

component: Office of the Attorney General

body_text: The former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, 55, also known as JOH, was sentenced today to 540 months in prison and 60 months of supervised release for cocaine importation and related weapons offenses. The former two-term president was in office until weeks before his extradition to the United States in April 2022. Hernández was convicted on March 8 following a three-week jury trial. “As President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández abused his power to support one of the largest and most violent drug trafficking conspiracies in the world, and the people of Honduras and the United States bore the consequences,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Thanks to the diligent work of the Justice Department’s agents and prosecutors, Hernández will now spend more than four decades in prison. The Justice Department will hold accountable all those who engage in violent drug trafficking, regardless of how powerful they are or what position they hold.” “The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is relentlessly focused on dismantling drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety and health of the American people,” said DEA Administrator Anne Milgram. “Former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández financed his political career with drug trafficking profits and abused his authority as President of Honduras to traffic hundreds of tons of cocaine to the United States. Let me be clear, political actors who use their power to traffic in drugs and corruption will be brought to justice in the United States.” “As the former two-term president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández had every opportunity to affect positive change for his country," said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York. "Instead, Hernández helped to facilitate the importation of an almost unfathomable 400 tons of cocaine to this country: billions of individual doses sent to the United States with the protection and support of the former president of Honduras. Now, after years of destructive narco-trafficking of the highest imaginable magnitude, Hernández will spend 45 years where he belongs: in federal prison.” According to court documents, from at least in or about 2004, up to and including in or about 2022, Hernández, the former two-term president of Honduras and former president of the Honduran National Congress, was at the center of one of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking conspiracies in the world. During his political career, Hernández abused his powerful positions and authority in Honduras to facilitate the importation of over 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S. Hernández’s co-conspirators were armed with machine guns and destructive devices, including AK-47s, AR-15s, and grenade launchers, which they used to protect their massive cocaine loads as they transited across Honduras on their way to the United States, protect the money they made from the eventual sale of this cocaine, and guard their drug-trafficking territory from rivals. Hernández received millions of dollars of drug money from some of the largest and most violent drug-trafficking organizations in Honduras, Mexico, and elsewhere, and used those bribes to fuel his rise in Honduran politics. In turn, as Hernández rose to power in Honduras, he provided increased support and protection for his co-conspirators, allowing them to move mountains of cocaine, commit acts of violence and murder, and help turn Honduras into one of the most dangerous countries in the world. During his time in office, Hernández publicly promoted legislation and the efforts he purported to undertake in support of anti-narcotics measures in Honduras. At the same time, he protected and enriched the drug traffickers in his inner circle and those who provided him with cocaine-fueled bribes that allowed him to obtain and stay in power in Honduras. For example, Hernández selectively upheld extraditions by supporting and taking credit for extraditions to the United States of certain drug traffickers who threatened his grip on power, while at the same time promising drug traffickers who bribed him and followed his instructions that they would remain safe in Honduras. In addition, Hernández and his co-conspirators abused Honduran institutions, including the Honduran National Police and Honduran military, to protect and grow their conspiracy. Among other things, members of the conspiracy used heavily armed Honduran National Police officers to protect their cocaine loads as they transited through Honduras towards the United States for eventual distribution. Members of the conspiracy also turned to violence and murder to protect and grow their drug trafficking enterprise, attacking and murdering rival traffickers and those who threatened their grip on the Honduran cocaine trade. Several of Hernández’s co-conspirators have already been convicted and sentenced in connection with this investigation. Among others, Hernández’s brother, Juan Antonio Hernández Alvarado, also known as Tony Hernández, was convicted after trial in October 2019 and sentenced to life in prison, and Geovanny Fuentes Ramirez, a violent cocaine trafficker who met with Hernández on multiple occasions to discuss their drug trafficking partnership, was convicted after trial in March 2021 and sentenced to life in prison. Juan Carlos Bonilla Valladares, also known as El Tigre, the former chief of the Honduran National Police, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 1, and Mauricio Hernández Pineda, a former member of the Honduran National Police and Hernández’s cousin, pleaded guilty to his participation in the cocaine importation conspiracy and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 2. In total, Hernández and his co-conspirators trafficked more than 400 tons of U.S.-bound cocaine through Honduras during Hernández’s tenure in the Honduran government. This amounts to well over approximately 4.5 billion individual doses of cocaine. The DEA investigated the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing Hernández’s arrest and extradition. Trial Attorneys Andrea Broach and Jessica Fender of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob H. Gutwillig, David J. Robles, Elinor L. Tarlow, and Kyle A. Wirshba for the Southern District of New York prosecuted the case.


title: Former Overland Park Business Owner Sentenced for $800,000 COVID Fraud

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Overland Park, Kansas, man was sentenced in federal court today for fraudulently receiving more than $800,000 under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for a business that was no longer in operation. Mirza Michael Reazuddin, 66, currently a resident of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips one year and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Reazuddin to pay $804,100 in restitution to the Small Business Administration and forfeit to the government $804,100, which represents the proceeds he personally obtained from the scheme, as well as his residential property in Lawrenceville. On Feb. 5, 2024, Reazuddin pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Reazuddin was a partner in a hotel operation called Grandview Hotel, LLC, which was established in 2013 and ceased operations in 2018. Another company then took over operations of the hotel until it ultimately closed in 2021. The purpose of the CARES Act was to provide emergency financial assistance due to the economic impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) authorized the Small Business Administration to provide forgivable loans to small businesses to retain workers and maintain payroll, and make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments. Under the PPP, both the principal and interest on those loans were eligible for forgiveness. On June 25, 2020, Reazuddin, on behalf of Grandview Hotel (which had ceased operations), applied for and received a PPP loan in the amount of $384,100. Reazuddin made numerous false statements on the application and submitted false and fraudulent documents in support of the application. Reazuddin used approximately $300,000 of the 2020 loan to purchase a home in Lawrenceville. On Jan. 26, 2021, Reazuddin, on behalf of Grandview Hotel, applied for and received a second draw of PPP funding in the amount of $420,000. Reazuddin made similar false statements on this application. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by IRS-Criminal Investigation.


title: California Man Sentenced for Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

body_text: ALBUQUERQUE – A California man was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for attempting to transport over 2 kilograms of heroin by train from Bernalillo County to North Carolina. There is no parole in the federal system. According to court documents, on February 26, 2021, Mario A. Serna was apprehended as a passenger on a train, where he was found in possession of over 2 kilograms of heroin concealed in a false compartment of a bag. Serna admitted to knowingly possessing the heroin and intending to transport the heroin to North Carolina for distribution. Upon his release from prison, Serna will be subject to three years of supervised release. U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez and Towanda R. Thorne-James, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration El Paso Division, made the announcement today. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Spindle is prosecuting the case. # # #


title: Chinese National Sentenced for Possessing More than  260 Pounds of Marijuana

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Northern

body_text: TULSA, Okla. – U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Jin Kai Chen, 51, to 18 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release for Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute. According to court documents, in Sep. 2023, Chen was pulled over by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Officers detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Upon search of the vehicle, Chen had 244 individual packages of marijuana, totaling 268.4 pounds. Further search of the vehicle, officers found more than $100k in vacuum-sealed bags. Chen is a Chinese national and a permanent resident of the United States. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The Homeland Security Investigations, Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Rogers County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David A. Nasar prosecuted the case.