title: Federal Grand Jury in Louisville Indicts 16 Illegal Aliens

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, returned indictments on March 19, 2025, charging a total of 16 illegal aliens with criminal immigration violations. Fourteen of the illegal aliens are charged with illegal reentry after deportation or removal. Two of the 16 are also charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Two additional illegal aliens are charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of Homeland Security Investigations, Nashville, Sam Olson, Field Officer Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Chicago, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Acting Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Michael E. Stansbury of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and U.S. Marshal Gary B. Burman of the Western District of Kentucky made the announcement. According to the indictments: Moises Archaga-Garcia , age 46, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Archaga-Garcia was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about July 30, 2003. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Darwin Martinez-Figueroa , age 41, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Martinez-Figueroa was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about May 17, 2014, and April 11, 2018. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Roberto Cruz-Pacheco , age 34, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Cruz-Pacheco was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 31, 2008. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Jose Rodriguez , age 39, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Rodriguez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 1, 2011, and February 28, 2020. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Marcos Juarez-Morente, age 38 a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Juarez-Morente was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about January 20, 2006, and May 19, 2006. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Lorenzo Perez-Perez , age 33, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Perez-Perez was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 7, 2011, and January 21, 2016. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Aroldo Rodriguez-Navarro , age 40, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Rodriguez-Navarro was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about August 25, 2009, and June 5, 2014. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Ewin Cabrera-Cabrera , age 33, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Cabrera-Cabrera was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about April 10, 2014, and February 7, 2013. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Williams Josue Rodriguez-Calix , age 28, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 11, 2025, Rodriguez-Calix was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 12, 2018. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Esteban Perez-Crisostomo , age 45, a citizen of Guatemala, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Perez-Crisostomo was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about January 21, 2010. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Ramiro Galeana-Arzate , age 28, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Galeana-Arzate was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about December 4, 2020. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Luis Alberto Torres-Flores , age 35, a citizen of El Salvador, was charged with reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 10, 2025, Torres-Flores was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about August 29, 2014. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 2 years in prison. Angel David Zuniga-Baca , age 35, a citizen of Honduras, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and reentry after deportation or removal. On or about October 12, 2024, Zuniga-Baca possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. On or about March 10, 2025, Zuniga-Baca was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about November 16, 2009, and April 25, 2014. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. Zoiber Hernandez-Dominguez , age 50, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On or about December 16, 2024, Hernandez- Dominguez possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Humberto Avila-Duran , age 54, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and reentry after deportation or removal. On or about March 13, 2025, Avila-Duran possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. On the same day, Avila-Duran was an alien found in the United States after having been denied admission, excluded, deported, and removed from the United States on or about January 21, 2011, March 3, 2011, March 8, 2011, August 14, 2012, May 9, 2014, May 13, 2014, and November 13, 2020. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 17 years in prison. Humberto Avila-Murillo , age 28, a citizen of Mexico, was charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. On or about March 13, 2025, Avila-Murillo possessed a firearm in Jefferson County, Kentucky, with knowledge that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States. If convicted he faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Yannelli, Josh Porter, Spencer McKiness, Erwin Roberts, Stephanie Zimdahl, Corinne Keel, Jo Lawless, Erin McKenzie, Amy Sullivan, Rob Bonar, and Alicia Gomez are prosecuting the cases. The cases are being investigated by the HSI, ICE ERO, FBI, ATF, DEA, and USMS. These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Casey Thomas Judd, 37, of Charleston, was sentenced today to two months in prison, to be followed by six months of home detention and five years of supervised release, for failure to provide information related to interstate travel as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 14, 2024, Judd relocated from Charleston to Springfield, Ohio. Judd failed to register or update his registration as required by SORNA after his relocation. Judd is required to register as a sex offender and comply with SORNA because of his prior conviction for third-degree sexual assault in Kanawha County Circuit Court on August 21, 2015. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Senior United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr. imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school. A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-164. ###


title: Indictment Charges St. Louis Man with COVID Fraud

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: WASHINGTON – Cortney Merritts, 46, of St. Louis, Missouri, was charged today by federal indictment with two counts of wire fraud for allegedly filing fraudulent applications with the Small Business Administration in 2020 and 2021 that allowed him to collect more than $20,000 in government funds under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite for the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of the Inspector General-Eastern Region, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division. According to the indictment, on July 7, 2020, Merritts received an $8,500 EIDL loan from the SBA for a moving business he operated that he called Vetted Couriers. In the application he submitted for Vetted Couriers, Merritts certified that his business had six employees and had generated $32,000 in gross revenue between January 30, 2019 and January 30, 2020. On July 8, 2020, Merritts submitted another application to the SBA for an EIDL loan in the name of a sole proprietorship he called “Cortney Merritts.” In this EIDL application, Merritts fraudulently claimed to have a business that employed 10 people and generated $53,000 in gross revenue between January 30, 2019 and January 30, 2020. In addition to an EIDL loan, Merritts also requested an EIDL advance of up to $10,000 based on his false claim that he had 10 employees. The SBA rejected Merritts’ attempt to obtain additional EIDL funds after determining that his July 2020 application was nearly identical to the prior one he submitted. The indictment further alleges that on April 22, 2021, Merritts applied for a PPP loan in the name of a sole proprietorship he called “Cortney Merritts.” Merritts fraudulently claimed in this application that he had created this business in 2020 and that it had generated $128,000 in gross income that year. Based on Merritts’ representations about his gross income, Merritts received a $20,832 PPP loan. Merritts used the proceeds for his personal benefit and enjoyment. In July 2022, Merritts submitted a loan forgiveness application in which he falsely claimed that this business had 10 employees at the time of the PPP loan, and that he spent the $20,832 on payroll costs. Based on Merritts’ alleged fraudulent representations, the SBA forgave the PPP loan in the amount of $20,832 and the $254.03 in interest. This case is being investigated by the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General and the FBI Washington Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Rothstein and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rami Sibay. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: Statement Of Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky On The Conviction Of Sev Side / DOA Leader Kevin Perez, A/K/A “Kay Flock”

component: USAO - New York, Southern

body_text: “Kevin Perez, a/k/a “Kay Flock,” was the leader of a neighborhood street gang known as Sev Side / DOA, and with that gang, he committed a series of gang-motivated shootings. Perez, a drill rapper, instilled fear across the community with his violent actions, and then threatened rivals, bragged about shootings, and taunted victims in his rap lyrics. But as a unanimous jury has now found, Perez can no longer hide behind his music, and instead will be held to account for his violent crimes. Thanks to the hard work of the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners, the cycle of violence that Perez engaged in is over. This Office remains resolute in its commitment to prosecuting gang members who sow fear and spread violence on our city streets.”


title: Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida Tax Return Business Allegedly Engaged in Fraud

component: Tax Division

body_text: Note: View complaint here . The Justice Department filed a complaint yesterday seeking to permanently bar tax preparer Juan Humberto Garcia, of Kissimmee, Florida, his son-in-law Marcos Yariel Figueroa, and Garcia’s business, the Tax Master of BVL Inc., from preparing federal tax returns for others. The complaint, filed in a federal court in Orlando, alleges that Garcia and Figueroa prepare and file false federal tax returns through Tax Master that understate their customers’ tax liabilities by reporting false or exaggerated itemized deductions and business expenses. According to the complaint, the IRS interviewed Tax Master customers who said they were not self-employed and did not incur the business expenses reported on their income tax returns; they did not make the charitable donations or incur the medical expenses reflected on their tax returns; and they did not give Garcia or Figueroa any reason to believe that the items reported on their returns were legitimate. The complaint alleges that, by repeatedly understating their customers’ tax liabilities, the preparers at Tax Master have caused the United States to lose substantial tax revenue. In addition to a permanent injunction, the complaint asks the court to order the defendants to turn over the ill-gotten tax preparation fees they earned while preparing and filing fraudulent tax returns. Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams , and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant . The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer, launched a free directory of federal tax preparers, and offers information on how to avoid “ghost” tax preparers whose refusal to sign a return should be a red flag to taxpayers. The IRS also has a checklist of things to remember when filing income tax returns in 2025. In addition, IRS Free File , a public-private partnership, offers free online tax preparation and filing options on IRS partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $84,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. The IRS also has tips on how seniors and individuals with low to moderate income can get other help or guidance on tax return preparation. In the past decade, the Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website . An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found here . If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.


title: New Jersey Pain Clinic Admits Health Care Fraud And Agrees To Criminal And Civil Penalties

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: CAMDEN, N.J. – A pain clinic with locations in Atlantic, Cape May, and Cumberland Counties admitted to overbilling insurance companies for services provided, U.S. Attorney John Giordano announced today. Pain Specialists, P.A., with locations in Northfield, Vineland, and Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Karen M. Williams to an information charging it with health care fraud. Pain Specialists also signed a civil settlement with the United States to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act. According to documents filed in this case, statements made in court, and the terms of the civil settlement: Pain Specialists was owned by a physician specializing in anesthesia and pain management (“Individual-1”). On various dates between November 2015 and January 2020 when Individual-1 was traveling and not physically present at a Pain Specialists location, Pain Specialists used Individual-1’s National Provider Identifier (“NPI”) number to bill Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance plans for services and procedures requiring Individual-1’s in-person consultation or Individual-1’s direct supervision of the rendering provider. Pain Specialists received approximately $58,365.26 for services purportedly rendered by Individual-1 or directly supervised by him while he was traveling and out of the office. In addition, Pain Specialists entered a civil settlement with the United States to resolve allegations that, between January 2014 and November 2020, Pain Specialists improperly listed a physician as the rendering provider for services that were provided by a non-physician practitioner when no physician was present in the office, in violation of Medicare’s “incident-to billing” requirements and in violation of Medicaid’s requirement that providers bill under their own NPI number. Pain Specialists agreed to pay criminal restitution of $58,365.26, a criminal fine of $81,711.36, and a civil settlement of $240,000. The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability. U.S. Attorney Giordano credited special agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations-New Jersey Field Office, under the Direction of Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz; special agents of the FBI Atlantic City Resident Agency and the Healthcare Fraud Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; and special agents and diversion investigators of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New Jersey Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Cheryl Ortiz. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division and Susan Pappy of the Health Care Fraud Unit, and Trial Attorney Daniel Meyler of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section). ### Defense counsel: Riza I. Dagli Esq., Roseland, New Jersey pain_specialists.information.pdf pain_specialists.civil_settlement_agreement.pdf


title: Texan Sentenced to Federal Prison for Sex with a Minor in Mexico Resulting in 2 Births

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: Correction: A previous version of this press release stated that when Garcia applied for Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CBRA), he misrepresented the age of the victim as 21 and 23 at the time of the two births. Court documents indicate Garcia was 21 and 23 years old at the time of the births and applied for CBRAs with that information--not misrepresenting the victim's age. DEL RIO, Texas – A U.S. citizen who had been traveling to and from Mexico was sentenced today in a federal court in Del Rio to 188 months in prison for engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place. According to court documents, David Manuel Garcia, 42, traveled from the U.S. to Mexico between July 2003 and August 2008, and engaged in forced sexual acts with a minor victim under the age of 18, which resulted in the birth of two children. Records indicate that the victim was 13 years old at the time of the first birth, and 15 years old when she gave birth to the second child. Garcia was arrested Dec. 11, 2018 at the Eagle Pass Port of Entry. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses found Garcia guilty in a bench trial on Aug. 26, 2022. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Holly Pavlinski prosecuted the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.justice.gov/psc. ###


title: Ontario county woman sentenced for HIPAA violation

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tonya D’Agostino, 53, of Farmington, NY, who pleaded guilty to HIPAA: unlawfully obtaining/disclosing individually identifying health information, was sentenced to serve one year probation by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. D’Agostino was also ordered to pay $13,410.42 in restitution. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katelyn M. Hartford, who is handling the case, stated that on March 23, 2023, D’Agostino mailed a USPS Priority Mail parcel to an individual in Medina, NY, which contained individually identifiable health information of four individuals. D’Agostino did not have authorization to obtain or disclose the individually identifiable health information. She did this in an attempt to obtain $216,000 from the individual who received the parcel. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz. # # # #


title: Guatemalan man previously deported pleads guilty to and sentenced for illegal reentry

body_text: BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Andiyer Eduardo Con Yucutie, 25, a citizen of Guatemala, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served. Yucutie was then turned over to the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Henning and Sasha Mascarenhas, who are handling the case, stated that Yucutie, an alien without any legal status in the United States, was born in and is a citizen of Guatemala. Yucutie was ordered removed from the United States and physically deported to Guatemala in July 2024. On January 25, 2025, Yucutie was found in the United States at the Lewiston Bridge Port of Entry. A records check determined that he was the same individual previously deported in July 2024. The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy. # # # #


title: Twenty-two Charged in Imperial Valley Takedown of Violent Drug Trafficking Organization Linked to Beltran Leyva Cartel

component: USAO - California, Southern

body_text: EL CENTRO – Twenty-two alleged members of a sophisticated transnational drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa-based Beltran Leyva Cartel were indicted by a federal grand jury for importing and distributing more than a ton of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine into the United States, laundering the illicit proceeds, and attempting to export firearms from the United States into Mexico. In a coordinated takedown this morning in California, Arizona, Iowa, and Colorado, more than 150 federal, state, and local law enforcement officials arrested 10 defendants and executed six search warrants in Imperial County. As of this afternoon, the search continues for 12 fugitives. Including seizures today and throughout this long-term investigation, authorities have confiscated more than 1,000 kilograms (about 2,204 pounds) of drugs, including methamphetamine, cocaine, and over 750 kilograms (about 1,653 pounds) of fentanyl, 10 firearms, and more than $250,000 in narcotics proceeds. “We have literally seized a ton of drugs that were destined to hit our streets and harm our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “By disrupting this prolific, cartel-linked trafficking network, we are preventing the devastation and violence it brings.” “Today’s enforcement action marks the culmination of a complex, long-term HSI investigation, demonstrating the strong collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies nationwide,” said Shawn Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of HSI San Diego. “Our local communities are undoubtedly safer today, and we remain committed to aggressively pursuing criminal organizations that threaten our country.” “Close coordination and aggressive action amongst allied law enforcement agencies just made communities nationwide safer places to live and work,” said El Centro Border Patrol Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gregory Bovino. “The well executed takedown of this drug trafficking organization heralds a new day in homeland security where we will relentlessly apprehend and prosecute transnational threats.” According to search warrants, the defendants belonged to a Mexicali, Mexico- and Imperial County-based transnational criminal organization that operated as a distribution cell for the Beltrán Leyva Cartel, specifically associated with Fausto Isidro Meza Flores aka El Chapo Isidro. Using undercover operations and multiple rounds of wiretaps, agents conducted numerous controlled purchases, traffic stops of personal vehicles and tractor trailers, and searches of houses and stash locations leading to large seizures of narcotics. Additionally, during the fourth round of wiretaps, one of the wiretap targets, an Imperial County-based narcotics subdistributor, was shot multiple times in Mexicali and died several months thereafter. Investigators believe that the subdistributor was lured from the United States to Mexico and shot by a co-conspirator in relation to their drug trafficking and money laundering activities. According to federal search warrants: In one instance on January 23, 2023, authorities seized approximately 1.4 million fentanyl pills after intercepting phone conversations about moving fentanyl pills in a semi-truck. Federal agents watched the transaction from afar, then conducted a traffic stop on the drug-laden tractor-trailer. Law enforcement officials located eight duffel bags containing approximately 148.53 kilograms (327.45 pounds) in the trailer of the truck. In another instance, on May 9, 2023, authorities seized approximately 483,000 fentanyl pills after intercepting phone conversations about moving narcotics in a semi-truck. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the drug-laden tractor-trailer and located bags containing approximately 48.30 kilograms (106.48 pounds) of fentanyl pills in the truck. Shortly thereafter, on May 25, 2023, authorities seized approximately 480,000 fentanyl pills, 72.29 kilograms of methamphetamine, and a loaded 9mm handgun with a 10-round magazine inserted and a round in the chamber. After intercepting phone conversations about coordinating the movement of narcotics in a semi-truck, federal agents surveilled the narcotics being loaded into the tractor-trailer, then conducted a traffic stop. Law enforcement officials located six duffel bags containing approximately 72.29 kilograms (159.37 pounds) of methamphetamine and 48.6 kilograms (107.14 pounds) of fentanyl in the trailer of the truck. In another instance, on October 9, 2023, investigators seized approximately 139,000 fentanyl pills and 36.66 kilograms (80.82 pounds) of methamphetamine following federal agents’ surveillance of defendants unloading and transporting the narcotics. On March 14, 2024, after a traffic stop conducted by a Brawley police officer, law enforcement seized approximately 59.48 kilograms (131.13 pounds) of methamphetamine. Federal agents also seized firearms and ammunition during the investigation, including two gold plated AR-15 semi-automatic rifles hidden inside a 55-gallon barbeque grill on August 3, 2023, and two rifles, two pistols, approximately 2182 ammunition rounds, and seven magazines destined for Mexicali-based drug traffickers. Additionally, according to court records, five of the charged defendants are tied to alien smuggling activity, having been either arrested and/or previously prosecuted for immigration-related crimes, such as alien smuggling, accessory after the fact to illegal entry, and selling or offering to sell a Visa. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Loren G. Renner. DEFENDANTS Case Number 24cr2399 Irving Alberto Lopez Valdes Age: 36 Mexicali, Mexico Raul Salome Valdez-Orduno Age: 46 Mexicali, Mexico Case Number 24cr2400 Jesus Damian Lizarraga Sanchez Age: 28 Mexicali, Mexico Case Number 24cr2434 Elizabeth Millan Age: 46 San Diego, California Brandon Garcia Age: 27 Calexico, California *Seven unnamed defendants are fugitives Case Number 24cr2431 Roberto Marrufo Age: 40 Calexico, California Case Number 25cr0785 Ricardo Miramontes Nava Age: 35 Calexico, California Case Number 25cr0786 Jacob Rodiles Age: 21 El Centro, California Roberto Fernandez Age: 70 Calexico, California Raul Martinez Jimenez Age: 56 Mexicali, Mexico Julian Banuelos Age: 19 Imperial, California Alain Alejandro Robles-Murrieta Age: 19 Mexicali, Mexico *Three unnamed defendants are fugitives SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a) and (b)(1), 846 Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a $10 million fine. Money Laundering Conspiracy – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(h) Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $500,000 fine Attempted Transfer of a Firearm for Use in a Drug Trafficking Crime – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1924(h) Maximum penalty: Fifteen years in prison and a $250,000 fine INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Homeland Security Investigations, Calexico - Imperial Valley Border Enforcement Security Taskforce (IV-BEST) Homeland Security Investigations, Riverside, CA Homeland Security Investigations, Denver, CO Homeland Security Investigations, Yuma, AZ Homeland Security Investigations, Sioux City, IA United States Border Patrol, El Centro Sector Intelligence Unit Customs and Border Protection, Calexico Intelligence Division Imperial County Narcotics Task Force Drug Enforcement Administration, Imperial County Office Drug Enforcement Administration, Phoenix Office Federal Bureau of Investigations, Imperial County Office United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations United States Marshals Service Calexico Police Department Imperial County Sheriff’s Office Imperial County District Attorney’s Office Brawley Police Department California Highway Patrol El Centro Police Department San Diego-Imperial Valley HIDTA *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty. 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. High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, created by Congress with the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, provides assistance to Federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions of the United States. This grant program is administered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). There are currently 33 HIDTAs, and HIDTA-designated counties are located in 50 states, as well as in Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).


title: Jamestown man going to prison for his role in drug conspiracy

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Charles Lawson a/k/a Charley Marley, 38, of Jamestown, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that between January and March 2020, Lawson conspired with others to sell heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Lawson was a close associate of Rocco Beardsley and actively assisted Beardsley’s drug trafficking activities. Lawson used Facebook to advertise and sell Beardsley’s heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, and he received narcotics for personal use from Beardsley as compensation for his services. On January 23, 2020, investigators conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Beardsley and Lawson participated in the purchase. Beardsley was previously convicted and sentenced. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF . The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank Tarantino, III, New York Field Division, and the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson. # # # #


title: Chautauqua county man going to prison for 10 years on meth charges

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Darin L. Butts, Jr., 31, of Celeron, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani, who handled the case, stated that in July and August 2023, investigators conducted seven controlled purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Butts. On August 23, 2023, search warrants were executed at Butts’ residence and his two vehicles. Law enforcement seized approximately 610 grams of methamphetamine, some of it packaged in smaller, individual-sized quantities, drug paraphernalia, and approximately $14,829.00 in cash, which represented proceeds of his methamphetamine trafficking. On May 3, 2024, law enforcement executed another search warrant at Butts’ residence, seizing multiple quantities of suspected methamphetamine and fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Timothy Jackson, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Ohnmeiss Jr., and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief David C. Ortolano.


title: Rochester trucking company owner convicted by a federal jury of lying to the Department of Transportation going to prison

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tony Kirik, a/k/a Anatoliy Kirik, 43, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of making false statements to the Federal Motor Commission Safety Administration (FMCSA), U.S. Department of Transportation, and conspiring to do the same, was sentenced to serve 45 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that Kirik operated a multiple million-dollar trucking business called Dallas Logistics. When applying to the FMCSA for authority to operate as an interstate carrier, Kirik submitted false documents regarding the safety rating of his trucking business. Further, when undergoing compliance reviews and safety audits by the FMSCA. Kirik provided false statements and information regarding the many safety violations incurred by his business. To trick the FMSCA regarding the safety of this trucking business, Kirik started new companies using various family members’ names and an employee’s name to make it appear that these new companies were independent and not affiliated with the prior business that incurred the negative safety ratings, when in fact, the new company was merely an extension of the prior company. At trial, it was shown that Kirik’s actions jeopardized the safety of the nation’s highways and roadways from unsafe tractor trailers. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of the Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher Scharf, Northeast Region, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Harry Chavis, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, New York Field Office. # # # #


title: Dracut Man Sentenced for Fraud Scheme Involving Online Sales of Cosmetics

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dracut man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for carrying out a scheme to obtain products of an online cosmetics company through fraud and to resell those products on Amazon and eBay for a profit. Nick Ashtar-Zadeh, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to six months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Ashtar-Zadeh was also ordered to pay $181,806 in restitution and forfeiture of $111,156. Ashtar-Zadeh was charged in September 2024 along with his brother, Nika Ashtar-Zadeh, and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in October 2024. Between 2029 and 2021, Ashtar-Zadeh and his brother operated Amazon and eBay “stores” that offered various products for sale, including the products of a cosmetics company in Texas. The Ashtar-Zadehs offered the company’s products on these platforms to buyers for one-time payments that were typically equal to or below the company’s list prices for the same products. The Ashtar-Zadehs then enrolled these Amazon and eBay buyers in the company’s 30-day trial program for the same products. The brothers entered the buyers’ information on the company’s website, without the customers’ knowledge or consent, and caused the company to ship its products to those buyers for a trial period. For these orders, the Ashtar-Zadehs presented the company with forms of payment that fulfilled initial charges of $19.95 but were declined when the company attempted to charge later installments, after buyers had kept the products past 30 days. The brothers sold the company’s products in this manner to hundreds of buyers on Amazon and eBay, each time pocketing the difference between what the buyers paid them and the initial $19.95 upfront payment to the company. As a result of the conduct, the Ashtar-Zadehs cost the company hundreds of thousands of dollars. In November 2024, Nika Ashtar-Zadeh pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing on May 21, 2025. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.


title: Rapids Theatre owner pleads guilty to defrauding COVID relief programs out of more than $1.8 million

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John L. Hutchins, 71, of Lewiston, NY, pleaded guilty before Judge Meredith A. Vacca to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Bonanno and Douglas A. C. Penrose, who are handling the case, stated that between March 2020, and March 2024, Hutchins conspired with co-defendant Roberto Soliman and others to file fraudulent loan applications under the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG). The loans available for these programs were designed to provide emergency financial assistance pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act). Hutchins and Soliman applied for loans under the following companies, which were owned by Hutchins: • Rapids Theatre Niagara Falls, USA, Inc. • 1711 Main, LLC • Bear Creek Entertainment, LLC • Hutch Enterprises, LLC • The Hutchins Agency, LLC • CWE Entertainment, Corp. (owned by defendant Soliman) Between March and August 2020, Hutchins and Soliman received five Economic Injury Disaster Loans totaling $779,500.00. In addition, they received SVOG loans totaling $989,905.05, a PPP loan from Bank on Buffalo totaling $74,838, and a PPP loan from Northwest Bank totaling $41,140. In support of each of the loans, Hutchins and Soliman submitted false revenue and expense figures for the businesses on the loan applications. Charges remain pending against Roberto Soliman. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations, and the New York State Office of Professional Discipline. # # # #


title: Final Member of Tennessee Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Trafficking Ring Sentenced

component: USAO - Tennessee, Western

body_text: Jackson, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Michael Bailey , 38 , of Spring City, Tennessee, to 25 years in federal prison for his role in an organized drug trafficking scheme that spanned the state of Tennessee. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren announced the sentence today. According to evidence presented in court, in 2020, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the 24 th Judicial District Drug Task Force began an investigation into the illegal distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl by members and associates of the Aryan Nation in the Western District of Tennessee. By using controlled purchases of narcotics, search warrants, and other investigative tactics, agents determined Bailey and others were responsible for transporting and distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout Tennessee. During the investigation, agents seized approximately 18 pounds of methamphetamine, 1.5 pounds of powder fentanyl, and 18 firearms. On September 6, 2024, Bailey was convicted at trial for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. On March 18, 2025, United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Bailey to 25 years in federal prison and ordered Bailey to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Bailey was the final co-defendant to be sentenced in this drug trafficking conspiracy. Each of the following co-conspirators pled guilty and were sentenced by Judge Anderson as follows: Gregory Fleenor, 44 , of Kingsport, TN: 300 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release James Payne, 41 , of Puryear, TN: 100 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release Rose Rhear , 58 , of Spring City, TN: 144 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release Rebecca Lustre , 41 , of Crossville, TN: 36 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release Jeffrey Watts , 40 , of Bradford, TN: 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release Brian Kennon, 49 , of Paris, TN: 180 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release Timothy Miller, 61 , of Greenfield, TN: 60 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release The case was investigated by the FBI Nashville, Jackson Resident Agency and the 24 th Judicial District Drug Task Force. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Christie Hopper and Immanuel Chioco, who prosecuted this case, as well as the law enforcement partners who investigated the case. ### For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov . Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.


title: Former Dansville teacher going to prison for 20 years on child pornography charges

body_text: ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Derek Hagen, 33, of Batavia, NY, who was convicted of production of child pornography and possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, was sentenced to serve 240 months in prison and 15 years of supervised by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between January 2018, and July 21, 2021, Hagen engaged in a pattern of prohibited sexual conduct with Victim 1, a minor between the ages of 4 and 8, during which Hagen photographed and videoed himself subjecting Victim 1 to sexual contact. Hagen then distributed the images of Victim 1 to other individuals over the internet. In addition, between May 2018, and July 19, 2018, Hagen was employed as an Assistant Teacher at the Brockport Childhood Development Center in the infant, toddler, and preschool classrooms. During this time, he produced and possessed sexually explicit images of children entrusted to his care. The children ranged in age from six months to five years. Hagen produced these images while changing diapers and assisting children who were learning to use the bathroom. Hagen distributed the images of these children to other individuals over the internet. Hagen also possessed approximately 50,000 images and videos of child pornography that he received from others via the internet. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. # # # #


title: Repeat Felon on Probation Is Indicted for Alleged Possession of Ammunition

body_text: WASHINGTON – A federal indictment was filed today charging Charles Washington, Jr., 33, of Washington, D.C., with being a convicted felon in possession of ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Edward Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). Washington was on probation at the time of his arrest. According to court documents, uniformed members of the MPD’s Seventh District Special Missions Unit responded at 4:05 p.m. on March 12 to the 2800 block of Alabama Ave. SE. Multiple individuals, including Washington, were gathered near a grey car. Washington was seen leaning on the vehicle. As MPD officers arrived, Washington took off running while holding his waistband. At one point, he stopped, hunched over a sewer drain, and appeared to toss an object down the drain. The officers observed Washington was no longer holding his waistband. Shortly after discarding the item, the defendant tripped and officers apprehended him. Officers went to the sewer drain, lifted the manhole cover, and recovered a black “ghost gun,” a privately made firearm with a Polymer 80 frame, with an attached Glock 23 slide and barrel, loaded with 12 rounds and one in the chamber. Washington was previously convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and also previously convicted of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. A detention hearing is scheduled for March 25. This case is being investigated by the MPD and the ATF. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. This case is part of Make DC Safe Again, a public safety initiative led by U.S. Attorney Martin that is surging resources to reduce violent crime in the District. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 25mj39


title: Cuban National Indicted For Bank Robbery

component: USAO - Nevada

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A Cuban national with an outstanding warrant of removal made his initial court appearance Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe for allegedly robbing a bank with a dangerous weapon. According to allegations contained in the indictment and statements made in court, on February 1, 2025, Anoy Lopez-Bles, 50, robbed a bank with a replica firearm. Lopez-Bles has six prior felony convictions including bank robbery in the District of Nevada, and multiple burglary and drug felonies in Nevada. He has five prior misdemeanor convictions including domestic violence, drug, and larceny convictions in Nevada. He failed to appear 20 times and has violated his probations or parole over 10 times. Lopez-Bles is charged with one count of bank robbery. A jury trial has been scheduled to begin May 19, 2025, before Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. If convicted, Lopez-Bles faces the maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement. The FBI and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department investigated the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ###


title: Two Eastern European Organized Crime Leaders Convicted Of Murder-For-Hire Targeting U.S.-Based Journalist On Behalf Of The Iranian Government

body_text: Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Leslie R. Backschies, the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that a jury returned guilty verdicts against RAFAT AMIROV, a/k/a “Farkhaddin Mirzoev,” a/k/a “Pᴎᴍ,” a/k/a “Rome,” and POLAD OMAROV, a/k/a “Araz Aliyev,” a/k/a “Polad Qaqa,” a/k/a “Haci Qaqa,” on all five counts in the Superseding Indictment, which included murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering charges, in a trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon. AMIROV and OMAROV are scheduled to be sentenced on September 17, 2025. Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky said: “For years, the Government of Iran has attempted to silence an outspoken Iranian journalist, author, activist and critic of their regime through any means necessary, including harassment, violence, intimidation, and even attempted murder. Chillingly, the plot to murder this Iranian dissident culminated over 6,000 miles from Iran, on U.S. soil, right here in New York, when a hitman with an AK-47 camped outside her home to kill her. I commend the career prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners at the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division for their tireless work in bringing these defendants to justice. This verdict should send a clear message around the world: if you target U.S. citizens, we will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.” FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Leslie R. Backschies said: “The convictions of Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov send a clear message to all foreign governments who violate our laws and attempt to commit violence against Americans — they and their proxies will face justice for any attempt to silence Americans on U.S. soil. The Iranian government’s shameless conduct and attempt to violate our laws and assassinate a critic of their human rights atrocities will not be tolerated. The FBI is determined to disrupt any effort by foreign governments to use violence to repress our citizens’ freedoms, here or abroad.” As reflected in the Superseding Indictment and the evidence presented at trial: AMIROV and OMAROV were high-ranking members of an Azeri faction of the Russian Mob (the “Organization”) who worked with other members of the Organization to attempt to kill Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). Alinejad has previously been the target of plots by the Government of Iran to intimidate, harass, and kidnap her for her work as a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses around the world. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Alinejad from within the U.S. for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence her criticism of the Iranian regime. After these brazen efforts to kidnap Alinejad from the U.S. failed, the IRGC turned to AMIROV and OMAROV to locate, surveil, and murder her. Beginning in approximately July 2022, AMIROV sent targeting information—which he had received directly from IRGC officials in Iran—about Alinejad to OMAROV. In turn, OMAROV communicated this information to Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the Organization who had been residing in Yonkers, New York, so that Mehdiyev could surveil Alinejad and murder her. In turn, Mehdiyev sent photographs and videos of Alinejad’s residence to OMAROV, who shared these materials with AMIROV and the IRGC officials who orchestrated the plot in Iran. AMIROV and OMAROV then arranged for a $30,000 cash payment to Mehdiyev, who used a portion of this payment to buy an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and at least 66 rounds of ammunition; as Mehdiyev boasted in electronic communications, a “war machine” he could use to kill Alinejad. In late July 2022, Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Alinejad’s neighborhood to surveil her. Mehdiyev sent reports of his surveillance to OMAROV, who passed them to AMIROV. On July 24, 2022, Mehdiyev reported to OMAROV from Alinejad’s residence that he was “at the crime scene.” On July 27, 2022, OMAROV told AMIROV that Mehdiyev was ready to kill Alinejad, writing “this matter will be over today. I told them to make a birthday present for me. I pressured them, they will sleep there this night.” On July 28, 2022, Mehdiyev sent OMAROV a video taken from inside the car that Mehdiyev was driving with the assault rifle and a message reading “we are ready.” AMIROV sent an image of the interior of Alinejad’s home to OMAROV to be forwarded to Mehdiyev, writing “this is the house where she stays.” As OMAROV continued to update AMIROV about Mehdiyev’s readiness, AMIROV cautioned OMAROV “let him keep the car clean.” When Mehdiyev subsequently drove from where he was surveilling the residence, he was stopped after a traffic violation and, during a subsequent search of the vehicle, police officers found the assault rifle, 66 rounds of ammunition, approximately $1,100 in cash, and a black ski mask. After Mehdiyev was arrested and placed into custody, OMAROV contacted Mehdiyev’s mother and threatened to kill her and her other son if she did not locate Mehdiyev. * * * AMIROV, 46, of Iran; OMAROV, 40, of the country of Georgia, were convicted on five counts: murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count One); conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count Two); conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison (Count Three); attempted murder in aid of racketeering, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison (Count Four); and possession and use of a firearm in connection with the attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison (Count Five). Mr. Podolsky praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, for their assistance. Mr. Podolsky also thanked the authorities in the Czech Republic. This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from paralegal specialists Owen Foley and Sabrina Jim Munoz, and Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.


title: Career Offender Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison For Distribution Of Methamphetamine And Possession Of Firearms

body_text: LAS VEGAS – A career offender residing in Las Vegas was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey to 10 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release for selling large amounts of methamphetamine from his residence and possessing several firearms. According to court documents, between November 2021 and October 5, 2022, Eric Langpop conspired to sell methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, from his home. As part of the investigation, the DEA recovered over a pound of methamphetamine from the defendant. During the execution of a search warrant at Langpop’s residence, law enforcement found methamphetamine and several firearms, including pistols, shotguns, a rifle, an assault rifle, and two silencers. Photographs of two firearms and a silencer recovered from defendant’s home Photograph of methamphetamine near a hand and scissors for scale Langpop has prior felony convictions for trafficking in controlled substances, including a felony sale of a controlled substance conviction in 2009; separate sale and transport of a controlled substance convictions in 2013; and a transport of a controlled substance conviction in 2016, all in Clark County, Nevada. He also has four separate domestic violence battery convictions. He is prohibited by law from possessing firearms due to his felony and domestic violence convictions. Langpop pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kevin Adams for the DEA Las Vegas District Office made the announcement. The DEA investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case. This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF . ###


title: Defense Contractor President Pleads Guilty to Bribery Scheme Involving $16 Million in Small Business Government Contracts

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Philip Flores, the owner, president and chief executive of Intellipeak Solutions, Inc., a former defense contractor based out of Fredericksburg, Virginia, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting that he participated in a bribery scheme with former Naval Information Warfare Center employee James Soriano. According to his plea agreement, Flores gave various things of value to Soriano, including expensive meals at restaurants in San Diego and Washington D.C., field level tickets and parking passes to Game 5 of the 2018 MLB World Series in Los Angeles, and tickets to the 2019 NFL Super Bowl in Atlanta, Georgia. The cost of tickets to these premier sporting events totaled over $18,000. In return, Soriano used his position as a contracting officer’s representative at the Naval Information Warfare Center to ensure that Intellipeak was awarded numerous no-bid government contracts through the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program. Soriano secured the contracts by falsifying technical evaluations, providing high ratings to Intellipeak to do the contracted work, and approving Intellipeak’s invoices on the awarded contracts, despite knowing that Intellipeak was not doing the work but instead subcontracting out all or most of the work to non-8(a) companies in violation of the SBA 8(a) rules. Soriano also exploited competitive contracting through the SBA 8(a) program to benefit Intellipeak over other contractors. For example, Soriano secretly allowed Flores to draft contract discriminators to ensure that Intellipeak was selected as a winning bidder on a competitive contract. Soriano also allowed Flores to secretly draft procurement documents for an $86 million competitive contract and then performed multiple steps to attempt to award the contract to Intellipeak even though its bid was $6 million higher than another contractor. According to his plea agreement, Flores also exploited Intellipeak’s 8(a) small business status by marketing Intellipeak to other defense contractors, who were not part of the 8(a) program, as a way for those companies to get access to 8(a) sole source contracts, generally in exchange for “pass through” fee that was equal to 6 to 8 percent of the contract value. Flores charged his 6 to 8 percent fee to the government, which Soriano approved, even though both knew that Intellipeak was not doing the work on the contracts and the fee did not reflect performed work. According to Flores’s plea agreement, as a result of the conspiracy, the government paid Intellipeak more than $16 million to perform work on approximately 26 government contracts and task orders. The profit Intellipeak made from these contracts and task orders was conservatively estimated to be between $550,000 and $1.5 million. Further, as part of his plea agreement, Flores has agreed to pay restitution to three small businesses that were foreseeable victims of the bribery scheme. Flores is scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson for sentencing on June 13, 2025. “Those who undermine the integrity of the government procurement process will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “As this guilty plea demonstrates, we will continue to prosecute those individuals who put their own personal gain ahead of the system that supports our nation’s warfighters and at the expense of American taxpayers.” “Mr. Flores’s plea agreement is a positive step toward accountability for his role in this illicit scheme,” said John E. Helsing, Acting Special Agent in Charge for the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Western Field Office. “Mr. Flores sought to enrich himself and his company at the expense of the American taxpayers. DCIS remains committed to working jointly with the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate and deter public corruption within the Department of Defense.” “Mr. Flores’s participation in an illicit scheme to bribe a public official in exchange for unlawful enrichment in contract awards undermines the Department of the Navy’s commitment to a fair and unbiased procurement process,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the NCIS Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS and our investigative partners remain committed to ensuring the continued integrity of the Department of the Navy’s acquisitions process.” “Mr. Flores intentionally undermined the DoD contracting process,” said Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher, IRS Criminal Investigation, Los Angeles Field Office. “The DoD contracting process ensures our warfighters get the best equipment available and that American tax dollars are spent in a responsible manner. IRS-CI is committed to deterring and preventing this sort of fraud, in partnership with fellow law enforcement organizations, to ensure our servicemembers are properly equipped to fight and win in an increasingly complex battlespace.” “Those who engage in bribery schemes to gain access to preferential small business contracts will be aggressively investigated,” said SBA OIG’s Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Shafee Carnegie. “Our office will relentlessly pursue fraudsters who seek to exploit SBA’s vital economic programs for small businesses. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and commitment to seeing justice served.” Soriano was charged as a co-defendant and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery in 23-cr-2282-TWR. Soriano was also separately charged and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud and false statement in filing a tax return in 24-cr-0341-TWR. Soriano is next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson for sentencing on May 9, 2025. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick C. Swan, Katherine E.A. McGrath, and Carling E. Donovan. DEFENDANT Case Number 23-cr-2282-TWR-2 Philip Flores Age: 53 Fredericksburg, VA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Commit Bribery - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371 Maximum penalty: Five years in prison; a maximum $250,000 fine or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greatest; and an order of restitution to victims of the offense of at least $50,000. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Defense Criminal Investigative Service Naval Criminal Investigative Service Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General If you have information regarding fraud, waste, or abuse relating to Department of Defense personnel or operations, please contact the DoD Hotline at 800-424-9098.


title: Man arrested in Arizona for making bomb threats in Alaska

component: USAO - Alaska

body_text: ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A man was arrested March 6 in Flagstaff, Arizona, after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment in December 2024 charging him with making six bomb threats targeting locations in Alaska in 2023. According to court documents, on Oct. 17, 2023, Christopher Gilbert, 33, used a phone to make bomb threats targeting the Ted Stevens International Airport and Fairview Elementary School in Anchorage, and the Maniilaq Health Center in Kotzebue. On Dec. 8, 2023, Gilbert also used a phone to make bomb threats targeting the Ted Stevens International Airport and O’Malley Elementary School in Anchorage, and Harborview Elementary School in Juneau. Court documents allege that during the phone calls, he demanded a hospital be evacuated, that there were bombs in a school and that he had hidden a pipe bomb on a plane. On at least one occasion, the threats were allegedly made in retaliation because a family member refused to give him money. Gilbert is charged with six counts of making bomb threats in interstate commerce. The defendant made his initial court appearance today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona and will be transported to Alaska. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement. The FBI Anchorage Field Office is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Taylor is prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: North County Residents Indicted for Using Children to Manufacture and Distribute Hallucinogenic Drugs

body_text: SAN DIEGO – Randal Vance and his longtime friend, Keir Ceballos-Rivera, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that they employed children to help them cultivate, produce and distribute psilocybin mushrooms at locations in Fallbrook and Bonsall. Also indicted was Rebecca Vance, wife of Randal Vance. The trio made their initial appearances in federal court today on an array of federal drug-trafficking charges. Randal Vance and Ceballos are charged with conspiring to use and employ minors to produce a controlled substance; all defendants are charged with conspiring to distribute a controlled substance and conspiring to obstruct justice by destroying evidence; and Randal Vance is charged with distributing a controlled substance to minors and possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. At today’s hearing, prosecutors told the court the children were 9 and 11 when the alleged conspiracy to harvest psilocybin at the locations on Ash Street in Fallbrook and Lilac Road in Bonsall began. Psilocybin mushrooms are a controlled substance that act as hallucinogenic drugs, inducing altered states of consciousness and vivid sensory experiences. All three defendants were arrested yesterday. At today’s hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Valerie E. Torres granted the government’s request that Randal and Rebecca Vance be detained without bond because they are a flight risk. A detention hearing for Ceballos-Rivera is set for March 25, 2025. The United States told the Court that Randal Vance informed customers and co-conspirators that the minors assisted him in producing psilocybin. For example, on or about October 18, 2023, Vance texted a photograph of one of the minors holding a large psilocybin mushroom in front of his face at the Ash Street location and said that the “11 year old helps me grow them.” One of the minors informed Randal Vance on May 31, 2024, that he was selling a psilocybin capsule to a friend for $3. At the time, the boy was a student at Lincoln Middle School in Oceanside. Randal Vance responded: “Nice! Make sure your friend’s parents don’t find out or you and I are in big big trouble.” Randal Vance boasted of dosing the children with psilocybin and advised others to do likewise, the indictment said. For example, on or about October 13, 2023, Randal Vance messaged a co-conspirator a photo of one of the minors holding a large psilocybin mushroom and stated that an 11-year old “cultivates and microdoses. It’s good for kids’ brains.” Later in the conversation, Randal Vance identified the other minor as nine years old and said, “Yeah I usually do a half dose of microdose capsules for them” and “.05 every other day for them. It’s such a difference too.” Ceballos-Rivera sent Randal Vance a photograph of another child at the Ash Street location holding a large psilocybin mushroom and covering part of his/her face on or about September 7, 2024. Ceballos-Rivera wrote: “From earlier today haha” and “‘No face, no case.’” Randal Vance is also charged with illegally possessing a Glock 34 pistol, a Walther P22 pistol, a Henry Survival AR7 rifle, a Smith and Wesson revolver, an H&R Model 900 revolver, and a Browning 30-06 rifle in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On October 4, 2024, law enforcement executed search warrants on the Fallbrook and Bonsall locations. At the Ash Street location, law enforcement recovered approximately 204 pounds of fresh psilocybin mushrooms, 53 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms, 35 pounds of psilocybin chocolate bars, 18 pounds of inoculated substrate to grow psilocybin mushrooms, and equipment used to grow, harvest, and process psilocybin mushrooms. At the Lilac Road location, law enforcement recovered approximately 25 pounds of dried psilocybin mushrooms, five pounds of psilocybin chocolates, and five pounds of psilocybin capsules, as well as molds used to make the psilocybin chocolate bars. Law enforcement officials also seized six firearms from the Lilac Road location: a Glock 34 pistol, a Walther P22 pistol, a Henry Survival AR7 rifle, a Smith and Wesson revolver, an H&R Model 900 revolver, and a Browning 30-06 rifle. None of the firearms were locked up, and loaded magazines were found next to the Glock 34 and Walther P22. Randal Vance was arrested that day. Prior to his federal arrest, he was out on bond pending state charges. After Randal Vance’s arrest by local law enforcement, the defendants are alleged to have conspired together to destroy evidence by deleting phone messages and taking down websites Randal Vance had used to distribute psilocybin. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Benjamin and Dana Segal. If you are concerned that your child may have been exposed to illegal drugs as a result of the activities alleged in this case, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip . DEFENDANTS Case Number 25-CR-817-RSH Randal Vance Age: 42 Fallbrook, CA Rebecca Vance Age: 41 Oceanside, CA Keir Ceballos-Rivera Age: 33 Oceanside, CA SUMMARY OF CHARGES Conspiracy to Employ or Use Minors to Violate the Controlled Substances Act – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841, 846, and 861(a) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance- – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841 and 846 Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison Distribution of a Controlled Substance to Minors– Title 21, U.S.C., Section 859(a) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum one year to 40 years in prison Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense- – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 924(c) Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum five years to life in prison Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice- – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 1503(a), (b)(3), and 371 Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison INVESTIGATING AGENCIES Drug Enforcement Administration San Diego Sheriff’s Department *The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.


title: Felon Indicted For Possession Of Stolen Firearms

body_text: LAS VEGA S – A Las Vegas resident who has prior felony convictions made his initial court appearance Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Nancy J. Koppe for allegedly being in possession of nearly 30 stolen firearms. According to allegations contained in the indictment and statements made in court, on or about January 25, 2025, Francisco Iniguez (37) possessed 28 stolen firearms. Some of the stolen firearms included handguns, rifles and shotguns. He has prior felony convictions including possession of a firearm by a felon, driving or taking a vehicle without consent, grand theft, identity theft, and burglary in the second degree, all occurring in Los Angeles County, California. Iniguez is prohibited by law from possessing a firearm due to his prior felony convictions. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Iniguez with one count of possession of stolen firearms and one count of prohibited person in possession of firearms. A jury trial has been scheduled to begin on May 19, 2025, before United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva. If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty is 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting United States Attorney Sue Fahami for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Cicolani for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) made the announcement. This case was investigated by ATF and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case. If you have information about illegal firearms activity, you are urged to submit a tip to ATF by calling the hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867) or through the ReportIt mobile app. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ###


title: Zadeh Kicks Owner and Chief Financial Officer Plead Guilty in $80 Million Wire Fraud and Bank Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Oregon

body_text: EUGENE, Ore.— The former owner and former chief financial officer of Zadeh Kicks LLC, a now-defunct Oregon corporation that sold limited edition and collectible sneakers online, pleaded guilty today for perpetrating a fraud scheme that cost customers more than $65 million in unfulfilled orders and defrauded financial institutions out of more than $15 million. Michael Malekzadeh, 42, a Eugene resident, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and conspiring to commit bank fraud. Bethany Mockerman, 42, also of Eugene, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud. According to court documents, Malekzadeh started his business in 2013 by purchasing limited edition and collectible sneakers to resell online. Beginning as early as January 2020, Zadeh Kicks began offering preorders of sneakers before their public release dates, allowing Malekzadeh to collect money upfront before fulfilling orders. Malekzadeh advertised, sold, and collected payments from customers for preorders knowing he could not satisfy all orders placed. By April 2022, Malekzadeh owed customers more than $65 million in undelivered sneakers. In her role as chief financial officer at Zadeh Kicks, Mockerman conspired with Malekzadeh to provide false and altered financial information to numerous financial institutions—including providing altered bank statements—on more than 15 bank loan applications. Together, Mockerman and Malekzadeh received more than $15 million in loans from these applications. During the investigation, agents seized millions of dollars in cash and luxury goods that Malekzadeh acquired with the proceeds of his fraud, including luxury watches, jewelry and hundreds of handbags. Additionally, almost $7.5 million was seized from the sale of Malekzadeh’s residence in Eugene, his watches, and luxury cars manufactured by Bentley, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche. On July 29, 2022, Malekzadeh was charged by criminal information with wire fraud, conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and money laundering, and Mockerman was charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Malekzadeh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release for wire fraud, and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Mockerman faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine and five years of supervised release. Malekzadeh will be sentenced on August 12, 2025, and Mockerman will be sentenced on August 26, 2025, before a U.S. District Judge. As part of their plea agreements, Malekzadeh and Mockerman have agreed to pay restitution in full to their victims and if needed forfeit any criminally-derived proceeds and property used to facilitate their crimes identified by the government prior to sentencing. This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Oregon Intellectual Property Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie C. de Villiers, also of the District of Oregon.


title: Tenderloin Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced To Over Four Years For Distribution Of A Controlled Substance And International Money Laundering

component: USAO - California, Northern

body_text: OAKLAND – Elbin Salvador Archaga-Ayestas, aka “Cuco,” was sentenced today to 50 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl and international money laundering. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers handed down the sentence. Archaga-Ayestas, 21, a Honduran national, was charged on Dec. 7, 2023, by a superseding indictment with one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and three counts of international money laundering in connection with sending the proceeds of his fentanyl sales to Honduras via a money services business in Oakland, Calif. On Nov. 7, 2024, he pleaded guilty to all four counts in the superseding indictment. According to court documents, Archaga-Ayestas resided in Oakland and traveled to the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco to sell drugs. Archaga-Ayestas sold multiple ounces of fentanyl to an undercover officer on May 11, 2023. At the time of Archaga-Ayestas’s arrest on June 26, 2023, he was in possession of nearly 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl. In the months leading up to his arrest, Archaga-Ayestas sent proceeds from his fentanyl sales, wiring over $10,000 on several occasions, back to his family in Honduras through a money transmitting business, Envios Express. These transactions avoided Bank Secrecy Act reporting requirements by using multiple fake wire senders and multiple enlisted recipients in Honduras. In addition to the prison term, Judge Gonzalez Rogers also ordered the defendant to serve four years of supervised release. Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge of the Oakland Field Office Linda Nguyen made the announcement. This prosecution is part of Operation Take Back America, which streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs). 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Kassabian is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amanda Martinez and Andy Ding. The prosecution is the result of a year-long investigation by the DEA and IRS-CI.


title: Milwaukee Man Sentenced to 5 Years for Trafficking Fentanyl

component: USAO - Wisconsin, Western

body_text: MADISON, WIS. – Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Marcus Stokes, 45, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 5 years in federal prison for possessing over 40 grams of fentanyl intended for distribution. This sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Stokes pleaded guilty to this charge on December 18, 2024. On May 15, 2024, law enforcement stopped a vehicle driven by the defendant in Monroe County, Wisconsin. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found a plastic bag under the driver’s seat that contained three separate bags, each bag contained over 90 grams of fentanyl. The defendant picked up the fentanyl from Milwaukee and was on his way to deliver it to La Crosse. At sentencing, Judge Conley considered that Stokes had spent most of his adult life in state prison or on supervision for drug distribution offenses. Judge Conley balanced this criminal history with his recent period of employment. Judge Conley concluded that Stokes has the potential to turn his life around but cautioned that if he returns to drug dealing again, he could face decades in prison. The charge against Stokes was the result of an investigation conducted by the Monroe County Sherriff’s Office and Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Lennon prosecuted this case.


title: Scotia Man Sentenced for Groping a Nursing Student at Stratton VA

component: USAO - New York, Northern

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Danning Lake, age 87, of Scotia, New York, was sentenced to 1 year of probation today for abusive sexual contact. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Thomas Gibbons, Chief of the Department of Veterans Affairs Police at the Stratton VA Medical Center; and Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri, of the Northeast Field Office for the United States Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, made the announcement. Lake admitted that he grabbed the breast of a nursing student at the Stratton VA as she was giving him care on February 29, 2024. Lake then asked the student nurse, “did you like that?” and told her “they feel nice.” When the Veterans Affairs Police Officer spoke to Lake, he said that he would do the same thing again if he had the opportunity. Lake acknowledged that his mental status was not altered by medication, age, or illness and that he groped the nursing student for his own sexual gratification. As a result of this conviction, Lake must register as a sex offender. The Department of Veterans Affairs Police Department and Office of Inspector General investigated the case, which Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan S. Reiner and Tamara B. Thomson prosecuted.


title: Three More Defendants Plead Guilty in Large Bank Fraud Conspiracy

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Davon Hunter, age 27, of Richmond, Virginia, Christian Quivers, age 20, of Richmond, and Crystal Kurschner, age 44, of Brooklyn, New York, have pled guilty for their respective roles in a bank fraud conspiracy. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement. As part of their pleas, Hunter, Quivers, and Kurschner each admitted that they were members of a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions all over the country by obtaining the personal identifying information (“PII”) of victims and using lower-level “workers” to impersonate the identity-theft victims to conduct fraudulent banking transactions in their names. As part of a plea agreement entered today, Quivers admitted that he was a supervisor in the conspiracy and relayed instructions he obtained from supervisors, including Oluwaseun Adekoya, Kani Bassie, and Hunter, to lower-level members of the conspiracy who impersonated identity-theft victims and conducted fraudulent transactions in their names. As part of a plea agreement entered earlier this week, Kurschner admitted that she was a “worker” who impersonated identity-theft victims and provided most of the fraud proceeds to her supervisors. Earlier this month, Hunter admitted that he was a manager of the conspiracy who received directions and PII from supervisors including Adekoya and Bassie and orchestrated fraudulent transactions on their behalf. Hunter and Quivers each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Kurschner pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. These remaining defendants are charged as follows in the second superseding indictment: Adekoya, age 39, a Nigerian citizen living in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft; Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of aggravated identity theft; and Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. As to these defendants, the charges in the second superseding indictment are merely accusations. These remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI-Albany, which began after the May 2022 arrest of Daniyan, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud. According to documents previously filed in the case, the investigation has uncovered over $1.7 million in fraudulent transactions to date. Eleven defendants have pled guilty and forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds, luxury apparel, and jewelry. At sentencing later this year, Hunter, Quivers, and Kurschner each face a maximum term of 30 years’ incarceration for the bank fraud conspiracy, and Hunter and Quivers each face a mandatory consecutive term of 2 years’ incarceration for their convictions of aggravated identity theft. The defendants will be ordered to pay restitution and will also face a term of post-incarceration supervised release of up to 5 years. FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.


title: Bronx Man Admits Fleeing Port of Entry, Ammunition Possession

body_text: UTICA, NEW YORK – Miguel Rodriguez, age 36, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty yesterday to high-speed flight from an immigration checkpoint and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Ogdensburg Port of Entry Director Thomas Trimboli made the announcement. Rodriguez admitted that on January 20, 2025, he arrived from Canada to the U.S. Customs Port of Entry in Ogdensburg, New York, driving a red Infinity sedan, but sped away without stopping and reporting for inspection. A short time later, a St. Lawrence County Sheriff's Deputy found Rodriguez driving the Infinity in Ogdensburg and attempted to stop him. Rodriguez refused to pull over and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase, which ended when Rodriguez struck a pickup truck occupied by three people and then crashed into a residence in Ogdensburg; no one was injured. A search of the Infinity revealed a 12-round handgun magazine containing four 9mm bullets. Rodriguez was prohibited from possessing the ammunition because of a prior felony conviction for assault. At sentencing, scheduled for July 17, 2025, Rodriguez faces a maximum term of 15 years in prison for the ammunition possession and a maximum of 5 years in prison for fleeing from the Port of Entry, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors. HSI and CBP investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Collyer is prosecuting the case.


title: Michigan Resident and Heavy-Duty Diesel Parts Supplier Sentenced for Conspiracy to Violate Clean Air Act

body_text: ALBANY, NEW YORK – Kyle Offringa, age 34, of Caledonia, Michigan, and Highway and Heavy Parts, LLC (“HHP”), a heavy-duty diesel parts supplier headquartered in Coleman, Michigan, have been sentenced and fined a total of $125,000 for their pleas last year to an indictment charging them with conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act (“CAA”). United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Daniel Meyers, Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”)’s Criminal Investigations Division (“CID”), Northeast Area Branch, made the announcement. Pursuant to the CAA, the EPA enacted regulations that required heavy-duty diesel engine manufacturers to limit emissions on those engines. To comply with these regulations, manufacturers install hardware components, including filters, exhaust recirculation systems, and exhaust aftertreatment systems. Heavy-duty diesel trucks are also required under the CAA to maintain an onboard-diagnostic system (“OBD”), which monitors the functionality of the hardware emissions control components. If the OBD detects that an emissions control component is not working, or has been removed, it will ultimately put the truck into what is known as “limp mode,” which limits the top speed to as low as 5 miles per hour. This is designed to incentivize truck operators to repair any faulty components. Offringa and HHP previously pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that between at least June 2017 and March 2019, they conspired together and with HHP’s customers, including coconspirators DAIM Logistics, Inc. and Patrick Oare of Fultonville, New York, to tamper with (“tune”) the emission control monitoring devices and systems of numerous diesel vehicles. As part of the conspiracy, HHP referred its customers who had removed emissions hardware on their heavy-duty diesel trucks to Offringa, who then reprogrammed the OBDs to bypass the CAA monitoring functions so the trucks would remain operational in exchange for a fee of $1,000 to $1,500 per OBD. HHP charged its customers approximately $250 for each tune performed by Offringa on top of what Offringa charged. Today, Offringa was sentenced to a fine of $100,000, payable immediately. Offringa also agreed to allow the EPA to monitor his businesses for ongoing compliance for two years. Earlier this year, HHP was sentenced to a fine of $25,000, which it paid at the time of sentencing. EPA CID investigated the case, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Police. Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Clark prosecuted the case.