title: El Salvador National Charged with Illegal Possession of Firearms

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: TRENTON, N.J. – An El Salvador national was arrested and charged with possessing firearms as an illegal alien, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Jose Manuel Menjivar Viera, a/k/a Jose Manuel Mejiva, 35, a citizen and national of El Salvador and most recently of Long Branch, New Jersey, was charged by complaint with one count of being an illegal alien in possession of firearms. Viera made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Brendan Day in Trenton federal court and was detained. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On December 11, 2024, at approximately 3:00 a.m., law enforcement officers in Long Branch responded to multiple calls for service regarding gunshots fired in a suburban neighborhood. Shortly after officers arrived, they observed an individual, later identified as Jose Manuel Menjivar Viera, riding a bicycle and carrying a large black bag. Officers followed Viera before he dismounted from the bike and fled into the exterior property of a nearby residence. Officers searched the area where Viera fled and eventually recovered his bicycle and the bag he was carrying. The bag contained two firearms, a semiautomatic rifle and a loaded handgun, firearm magazines, ammunition, and a machete. A short time later, officers discovered Viera hiding in the truck-bed of a pickup truck parked in the driveway next to the residence. Viera was subsequently identified by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, as being an El Salvador national and citizen and without any legal status to be in the United States. The alien in possession of a firearm charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. Attorney Habba credited deportation officers of the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark, under the direction of Field Office Director John Tsoukaris, with the investigation leading to the charges. She also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, the Long Branch Police Department, under the direction of Officer-in-Charge Jorge Silverio, and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago, for their assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Garelick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense counsel: Benjamin West, Federal Public Defenders viera.complaint.pdf


title: Kanawha County Man Sentenced for Withholding Information in Bankruptcy Case

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Eugene Wells, 73, of Marmet, was sentenced today to one year of federal probation for withholding records relating to the property or financial affairs of a debtor in bankruptcy from an officer of the court or a United States Trustee entitled to its possession. According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2022, a Charleston business solely owned by Wells’ wife filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Wells helped with the business’ day-to-day management, including by overseeing many of its financial affairs, but was never an employee of the business or a registered owner or manager. As part of his guilty plea, Wells admitted that he applied for and obtained five loans in the business’ name from February 2023 through February 2024, knowing that the business had filed for bankruptcy protection. Wells further admitted that he did not disclose the existence of the loans to the United States Trustee, who oversees the administration of bankruptcy cases in the Southern District of West Virginia. On January 31, 2024, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court held a hearing on the U.S. Trustee’s motion to dismiss the business’ bankruptcy case. That day, the bankruptcy lawyer for the business informed the U.S. Trustee of the existence of one of the four loans that Wells had obtained by that time in the business’ name. When the bankruptcy court confronted Wells about the loan, Wells lied under oath about the circumstances surrounding its origins. As part of his guilty plea, Wells admitted that he did not disclose the existence of the other three active loans while the bankruptcy judge questioned him under oath. Wells further admitted that the fifth loan, obtained on February 8, 2024, was not approved by the bankruptcy court or disclosed to the U.S. Trustee. On February 21, 2024, the bankruptcy court dismissed the business’ bankruptcy case. A total of $68,000 was obtained in proceeds from the five loans and used for the business’ operations or to pay down debt. The lender charged the business $9,750 in fees. Wells’ agreement with the lender gave the lender priority status over other creditors, including by granting the undisclosed lender direct access to the business’ bank account. This arrangement allowed the lender to withdraw funds directly from the business’ account without court oversight. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case. 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. 2:25-cr-7. ###


title: Local Rapper Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearms

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

body_text: SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Keynon Frazier, a/k/a “Green Eyez,” 29, of Shreveport, has been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 78 months followed by 3 years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. Frazier a/k/a “Green Eyez” was found guilty by a jury on January 15, 2025, for Felon in Possession of Firearm. On April 15, 2024, officers with the Shreveport Police Department attempted to stop a vehicle being driven by Frazier in the downtown Shreveport area, which ended with his vehicle crashing into a telephone pole and another vehicle. Officers approached the crashed vehicle and found Frazier, who was the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle. Also, inside the vehicle on the front passenger floorboard, officers found two firearms, a Glock 17 firearm, and a Glock 45 firearm, along with an expended shell casing stuck within the chamber of the Glock 45. In addition, there was a bullet-size hole found in the front driver’s side windshield of the vehicle. Officers determined that Frazier had prior felony convictions for aggravated battery and second degree robbery, and he was arrested at the scene and taken into custody. As a convicted felon, Frazier was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Aaron Crawford and Cheyenne Wilson. # # #


title: Colorado Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced in Alpine to 20 Years in Federal Prison

component: USAO - Texas, Western

body_text: ALPINE, Texas – A Colorado man was sentenced in a federal court in Alpine to 240 months in prison for distributing fentanyl to a Texas resident. According to court documents, Douglas Christopher Steele, 54, of Denver, engaged in a text message conversation with a man living Alpine on Jan. 29, 2024. Steele agreed to mail 20 fentanyl pills to the man’s work address. Steele notified the man that he’d mailed the package of fentanyl on Feb. 2 and, on Feb. 5, the man’s co-worker received the FedEx delivery. Through additional text message exchanges, Steele and the man discussed how strong the fentanyl was and, just after midnight on Feb. 6, 2024, the man messaged Steele telling him that he nearly overdosed. Later that morning, the man was found unresponsive in the restroom at this place of work. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital. A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) Criminal Investigation Division (CID) investigation revealed the envelopes at the man’s residence that had been mailed from Steele’s Colorado residence, and eventually the cell phone messages between the man and Steele. Steele was indicted on May 9, 2024 in Pecos for two counts related to fentanyl distribution and was arrested in Denver on May 11. He pleaded guilty Nov. 18, 2024. Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement. HSI and TX DPS CID investigated the case with assistance from the Alpine Police Department, Brewster County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Greenbaum prosecuted the case. ###


title: Iranian Man Pleaded Guilty to Role in Robbinhood Ransomware

component: Criminal Division

body_text: Note: see indictment here . An Iranian national pleaded guilty today to participating in an international ransomware and extortion scheme involving the Robbinhood ransomware. According to court documents and statements made in court, Sina Gholinejad, 37, and his co-conspirators compromised the computer networks of cities, corporations, health care organizations, and other entities around the United States, and encrypted files on these victim networks with the Robbinhood ransomware variant to extort ransom payments. These cyber attacks caused significant disruptions and tens of millions in losses, including to the City of Greenville, North Carolina, and the City of Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore lost more than $19 million from the damage caused to their computer networks and the resulting disruption to several essential city services, including online services for processing property taxes, water bills, parking citations, and other revenue-generating functions, which lasted many months. The conspirators used the damage they caused these cities to threaten subsequent victims. “Gholinejad and his co-conspirators — all of whom were overseas — caused tens of millions of dollars in losses and disrupted essential public services by deploying the Robbinhood ransomware against U. S. cities, health care organizations, and businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The ransomware attack against the City of Baltimore forced the city to take hundreds of computers offline and prevented the city from performing basic functions for months. Gholinejad’s conviction reflects the Criminal Division’s commitment to bringing cybercriminals who target our cities, healthcare system, and businesses to justice no matter where they are located. There will be no impunity for these destructive attacks.” “Cybercrime is not a victimless offense — it is a direct attack on our communities, as seen in this case. Gholinejad and his co-conspirators orchestrated a ransomware scheme that disrupted lives, businesses, and local governments, and resulted in losses of tens of millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims and institutions,” said acting U. S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “The announcement today marks a significant step towards justice for the countless victims impacted by the defendant’s malicious scheme. Cases like these act as a reminder that cybercriminals who seek to exploit our digital infrastructure for personal gain will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable.” “These ransomware actors leveraged sophisticated tools and tradecraft to harm innocent victims in the United States, all while believing they could conduct their illegal activities safely from overseas,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office. “This case demonstrates the capability and resolve of the FBI and our partners to find and impose consequences on cybercriminals no matter where they attempt to hide.” Beginning in January 2019, Gholinejad and others gained and maintained unauthorized access to victim computer networks and then copied information from the infected victim networks to virtual private servers controlled by the conspirators. The conspirators also deployed Robbinhood ransomware to encrypt the victims’ files and extort Bitcoin from victims in exchange for the private key required to decrypt the victims’ computer files. Gholinejad and his co-conspirators attempted to launder the ransom payments through cryptocurrency mixing services and by moving assets between different types of cryptocurrencies, a practice known as chain-hopping. They also hid their identities and activities through a number of technical methods, including the use of virtual private networks and servers that they operated. The indictment identifies multiple additional victims of Robbinhood ransomware, including, but not limited to, the City of Gresham, Oregon and the City of Yonkers, New York. Gholinejad pleaded guilty to one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison. He is scheduled to be sentenced in August. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Baltimore Field Office. The Justice Department extends its thanks to international judicial and law enforcement partners in Bulgaria for providing valuable assistance with the collection of evidence. Senior Counsels Aarash A. Haghighat and Ryan K. J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U. S. Attorney Bradford DeVoe for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Alexandra Cooper-Ponte of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Deputy Chief Matthew Anzaldi of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in the collection of evidence. Additional details on protecting networks against ransomware are available at StopRansomware. gov .


title: Knife-Wielding Passenger Charged in Random Stabbing on Metro Bus

component: USAO - District of Columbia

body_text: WASHINGTON – Ankintola Olowofoyeku, 43, of Hyattsville, Maryland, was indicted for threatening to kill two strangers and stabbing one of them on a metro bus in July 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department. View copy of indictment here . A Superior Court grand jury indicted Olowofoyeku on May 21, 2025, on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of assault with significant bodily injury while armed, and two counts of felony threats. According to the government’s evidence, on July 21, 2024, Olowofoyeku was aboard a 70 route bus, in the vicinity of Georgia Avenue NW and Jefferson Street NW, when he began screaming at two strangers and demanding that they exit the bus. Olowofoyeku threatened to kill the two victims while holding a knife behind his back and forcing the victims to retreat into a corner of the bus. Olowofoyeku struck one of the victims and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, Olowofoyeku stabbed one of the victims in his leg, arm, and hand. Eventually, Olowofoyeku was forced off the bus, where he continued to brandish the knife and threaten to kill. Subsequently, Olowofoyeku fled the area and was arrested on February 7, 2025. Trial is scheduled for June 16, 2025, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld. This case is being investigated by the Metro Transit Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dal Lago. A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.


title: McKees Rocks Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Coerce Minor for Sex and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material

component: USAO - Pennsylvania, Western

body_text: PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity and possession of child sexual abuse material, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. Ryan Peters, 35, pleaded guilty to two counts before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab. In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on August 6, 2021, law enforcement executed a search warrant for Peters’ residence based on tips reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children regarding online activity involving child sexual abuse material. During the search, investigators located and seized numerous electronic devices, including a cell phone found in a cat litterbox in the hallway as well as Peters’ laptop. A forensic review of these devices revealed child sexual abuse material, including five videos and 11 images that involved the use of minors, including prepubescent minors and minors who had not attained 12 years of age, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. A few weeks later, Peters used a social networking and dating application to contact and attempt to persuade and entice an individual he believed was a 12-year-old girl from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to engage in sexual activity. The purported minor was in fact an undercover FBI agent. During their online conversations over the following weeks, Peters discussed sex with the purported child and solicited the minor to send him sexually explicit images of herself. Peters then suggested they meet in person and, following a failed attempt to do so in late-August, again arranged to meet the purported minor on September 13, 2021. Peters was arrested upon his arrival at the predetermined meeting place. Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for November 12, 2025. The law provides for a total maximum sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Pending sentencing, the Court ordered that Peters remain detained. Assistant United States Attorney Carl J. Spindler is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Allegheny County Police Department conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Peters.


title: Roanoke Man, Who Posed as Baseball Prospect, Pleads Guilty to  Failure to Register, False Statement Charges

component: USAO - Virginia, Western

body_text: ROANOKE, Va. – A Roanoke, Virginia man, who used burner phones to pose as officials from both Major and Minor League baseball teams, pled guilty today in federal court to failing to register as a convicted sex offender and making false statements. Janike Dunbar Holt, 29, a.k.a. “Nike,” a.k.a. “Janike Tagovailoa” a.k.a. “Keanu Tagovailoa,” a.k.a. “Trey Tagovailoa,” pled guilty today to one count of failure to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act and one count of making a false statement to law enforcement. According to court documents, in August 2018, Holt was convicted of four counts of taking indecent liberties with a child in North Carolina after he had sexual relations with a fifteen-year-old. Holt was released from custody in October of 2018 and, after initially complying with his required sex offender registration requirements, Holt failed to report an address change in June 2022. In March 2022, Holt began dating a woman (Individual 1) who had a minor child (Minor A). Holt was not the father of Minor A, but he told others that he was. In addition, Holt was asking several other women for money that he claimed was to support Minor A, to visit Minor A, or to help obtain custody of Minor A. However, Holt did not actually use the money for these stated purposes or otherwise provide this money to Individual A or Minor A. Around October 2022, Holt began dating Individual 2. Holt falsely told Individual 2 that he had a child (Minor A) and got Individual 2 to give him $65 for diapers for the child and for gas to go visit her. Individual 2 gave Holt access to her bank accounts, and Holt stole $5,000 from her. Individual 2 was able recover this money from her bank. At other times in 2022, Holt also dated Individual 3 and Individual 5. While living with Individual 3, Holt stole at least three checks from her, which he subsequently made out to himself. Holt filled out one of these checks and asked Individual 5 to cash it for him. Holt made out another of these stolen checks for $225,000, with the memo line reading “Lawsuit Refund.” The check was never cashed. Holt later made out another of these stolen checks for $75,000, with the memo line reading “Law-suit settlement.” He asked Individuals 7 and 8 to cash this check for him, but they refused. On February 6, 2023, Holt asked a friend to drive him from North Carolina to Virginia, where he was planning to move. Holt lived with his brother in Roanoke for a few days before moving in with a new girlfriend, Individual 6. Holt continued living with his new girlfriend until March 14, 2023. While living in Roanoke, Holt never registered as a sex offender in Virginia, despite being required to under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Despite living with Individual 6, Holt also spent a significant amount of time at a house where the mother of two of his brother’s children (Individual 7) lived with her mother (Individual 8). Holt falsely told his brother, Individual 7, and Individual 8 that he had been recruited to play for a Major League Baseball team. Holt used burner phones to send text messages to his brother, Individual 7, and Individual 8 while pretending to be actual individuals affiliated with a Major League Baseball team and a Minor League Baseball team. Holt used the names of these individuals without their knowledge. Holt told his brother, Individual 6, Individual 7, and Individual 8 that they would all be moving as a result of his purported Major League Baseball career. In preparation, and at Holt’s urging, Individual 7 and Individual 8 sold some of their vehicles and gave Holt the proceeds. Holt also attempted to sell Individual 6’s vehicle without her knowledge. On March 14, 2023, Holt was arrested on a warrant out of North Carolina. While being interviewed by a deputy marshal, Holt made several false statements, including that he had a child (Minor A), that he had not been living in Roanoke, Virginia but had been driving back and forth between Roanoke and North Carolina every other day, and that his probation officer was aware that he was habitually traveling between Roanoke and North Carolina. The United States Marshals Service is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is prosecuting the case.


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

component: USAO - Massachusetts

body_text: BOSTON – A Dracut man was sentenced on May 21, 2025 in federal court in Boston for carrying out a scheme to obtain products from an online cosmetics company through fraud and then reselling those products on Amazon and eBay for a profit. Nika Ashtar-Zadeh, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to two months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Ashtar-Zadeh was also ordered to pay $115,037 in restitution and forfeiture of $67,000. Ashtar-Zadeh was charged in September 2024 along with his brother, Nick Ashtar-Zadeh, and pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in October 2024. Between 2019 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 cosmetics company hundreds of thousands of dollars. In March 2025, 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. Nick Ashtar-Zadeh was also ordered to pay $181,806 in restitution and forfeiture of $111,156. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Kimberly Milka, Acting 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 prosecuted the case.


title: Five Individuals Indicted in Insider Trading Scheme

body_text: Five individuals were charged in a 19-count indictment for their participation in a scheme to trade securities on the basis of material nonpublic information about the merger between two companies that resulted in profits of over $600,000, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. According to court documents, between May and June 2023, Rouzbeh “Ross” Haghighat, 61, of West Newbury, Massachusetts, Behrouz “Bruce” Haghighat, 60, of Laguna Niguel, California, Kirstyn Pearl, 35, of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Seyedfarbod “Fabio” Sabzevari, 31, of North Hollywood, California, and James Roberge, 70, of Westford, Massachusetts, allegedly profited more than $600,000 by unlawfully purchasing the securities of a biopharmaceutical company in Seattle, Washington (Company-1), where Ross Haghighat served as a director. As alleged, the defendants traded securities based on material nonpublic information about another pharmaceutical company’s (Company-2) proposed acquisition of Company-1. The indictment alleges that, in May 2023, Company-2 madea confidential proposal to acquire Company-1 at a price per share above the then current market value. The two companies then negotiated an agreement for the acquisition, which was announced in June 2023, causing the share price to spike. “Our office is committed to protecting the integrity of the market and holding accountable those who attempt to gain unfair advantages through trading on insider information.” - U.S. Attorney Alina Habba “The defendants were charged for allegedly trading on inside information and reaping hundreds of thousands in illicit profits,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Securities fraud and insider trading distort our financial markets and disadvantage Americans who play by the rules. These charges demonstrate that the Criminal Division is committed to maintaining the integrity of markets by holding accountable all those who defraud investors.” “This case makes one thing clear: if you think you can game the system using insider information, think again,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group. “Ross Haghighat and his associates thought they were above the law and colored outside the lines for financial gain, but the indictment proves no one is above the law. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service will not hesitate to pursue and bring to justice anyone who tries to corrupt the integrity of our financial markets.” In his position as a director on the board of Company-1, Ross Haghighat allegedly obtained material nonpublic inside information about its acquisition, including sensitive deal terms. He then purchased securities, and tipped others — including Bruce Haghighat, Pearl, Sabzevari, and Roberge — for personal benefit with the expectation that they would purchase securities, which the defendants allegedly did. Ross Haghighat was charged with one count of securities fraud, 16 counts of insider trading, and two counts of conspiracy. He was previously charged with one count of conspiracy to commit insider trading. Bruce Haghighat was charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of insider trading, and one count of conspiracy. Pearl was charged with one count of securities fraud, one count of insider trading, and one count of conspiracy. Sabzevari and Roberge were both charged with one count of securities fraud and seven counts of insider trading. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison on the securities fraud charge and 20 years in prison on each of the insider-trading charges. If convicted of conspiracy, Ross Haghighat, Bruce Haghighat, and Pearl face a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is investigating the case. Trial Attorney John J. Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mezzanotte for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case. An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. ### haghighat.indictment.pdf


title: Brooklyn Man Charged with Distribution of Controlled Substances

component: USAO - Vermont

body_text: Burlington, Vermont - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Antwvan Baker, 36, of Brooklyn, New York, has been charged by a two-count indictment with distribution of controlled substances in Burlington, Vermont in 2023 and 2024. Baker was arrested pursuant to an arrest warrant at John F. Kennedy Airport in Queens, New York on May 13, 2025. Baker made his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New York before United States Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy that same day. On May 14, 2025, Baker again appeared in the Eastern District of New York and United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho released Baker on an unsecured bond. Baker entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on May 27, 2025 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle in the District of Vermont. Judge Doyle ordered that Baker be released pending trial on the same conditions of the previously entered unsecured bond. According to court records, Baker sold drugs to individuals who were working at the direction of law enforcement. Specifically, on July 12, 2023, Baker provided cocaine base to another person in exchange for money. That drug sale took place in Burlington, Vermont. On January 25, 2024, Baker sold cocaine base to another person. That drug sale also took place in Burlington, Vermont. In August 2024, law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for Baker. On May 13, 2025, Baker was arrested at JFK Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Belize with his girlfriend. At the time of his arrest, Baker had approximately $2,989 in cash which was seized by law enforcement. The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the indictment contains allegations only and that Baker is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Baker faces up to twenty years of imprisonment for each count, if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Vermont State Police and the Burlington Police Department. The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary B. Stendig. Baker is represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq.


title: Judgment Entered Against Bakersfield and Van Nuys Men for Sexual Harassment Against Bakersfield Tenant

component: USAO - California, Eastern

body_text: The United States has obtained a default judgment against Bakersfield residents Juvenal Salazar and Javier Salazar Sr. and Van Nuys resident Ricardo Covarrubias, a maintenance worker, manager, and owner, respectively, of rental properties in Bakersfield, in a case brought by the United States alleging sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced. The lawsuit alleged that from December 2018 through March 2019, Juvenal Salazar sexually harassed a female tenant by repeatedly asking her to engage in sexual acts with him, describing the sexual acts he wished to engage in with her, and persistently commenting on her appearance. According to the complaint, on two occasions, Juvenal Salazar touched the tenant’s body without her consent, and he surreptitiously took photographs of framed pictures of her and her daughter. The tenant reported the man’s conduct to Salazar Sr., who is both the property manager and Juvenal Salazar’s father. After the tenant reported the harassment and threatened to contact a lawyer or the police if it continued, the Salazars refused to fix a leaking gas line in her dwelling, causing her to go without heat for one month and consequently forcing her to move out. The complaint also alleged that Covarrubias, the property owner, was liable for the Salazars’ conduct because they were his agents when they engaged in sexual harassment and retaliation. After the defendants failed to respond to the complaint or oppose the motion for default judgment, U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston entered judgment for the United States and ordered the Salazars and Covarrubias to pay the tenant $45,000 in damages, to attend a training on the requirements of the Fair Housing Act, and to adopt a written policy against sexual harassment. The order also prohibits Juvenal Salazar from working in property management or maintenance for a period of 10 years. “For four months, this tenant refused the repeated sexual advances by the maintenance worker at her home, and when she reported the sexual harassment, she faced retaliation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “The wrongful actions of the Salazars and Covarrubias caused her significant harm and distress. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to use its available resources to investigate landlords who enable or engage in sexual harassment or retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act.” If you believe you are a victim of sexual harassment by a landlord, or if you have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743, email the Justice Department at fairhousing@usdoj.gov , or submit a report online . More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. You may also make a report by contacting the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 1-800-669-9777 or by filing a complaint online . The Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative is led by the Civil Rights Division, in coordination with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices across the country. The initiative seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers, and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative in October 2017, the department has filed 47 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $17 million for victims of such harassment. This case was a joint effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California and the Civil Rights Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Fuentes handled this case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.


title: Augusta “Ghost Preparer” Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud Conspiracy

component: USAO - Georgia, Southern

body_text: AUGUSTA, GA: A man who operated a “ghost” tax preparation business in Augusta, Georgia awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Allen Brown , 41, of Augusta, Georgia, pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Brown now faces a possible sentence of up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. As described in the plea agreement, in 2022 and 2023, Brown and several other individuals operated a “ghost” tax preparation business at 1850 Gordon Highway, Suite C, Augusta, Georgia, and at two other Augusta locations including a church and Brown’s residence. Brown operated as a “ghost” preparer because, contrary to IRS requirements he failed to identify himself as a paid preparer on the federal income tax returns that he prepared and filed for his clients. As a “ghost” preparer, Brown fabricated income to qualify his clients for tax credits, claimed fake deductions to boost the size of the refund, and charged clients a fee based on a percentage of the tax refund. Brown did not provide his clients with a copy of the tax returns he prepared, nor did he review the returns with clients before electronically filing them with the IRS. Brown and other “ghost” preparers who worked with him falsified 63 federal income tax returns for clients, causing the U.S. Department of Treasury to issue $1,003,631 in false tax refunds. The tax fraud scheme Brown executed entailed offering clients two filing options, the “Standard” option or the “I’m Not Scared” option. The “Standard” option generally resulted in a fraudulent tax refund of $2,000 - $9,000. The “I’m Not Scared” option resulted in a fraudulent tax refund of $14,000 - $30,000. For the “I’m Not Scared” option, Brown instructed his “ghost” preparers to falsely claim Fuel Tax Credits and falsely report gross income and other expenses on Schedule C and medical and dental expenses on Schedule A with the tax returns. For the “Standard” option, Brown instructed “ghost” preparers to falsely claim Sick and Family Leave Credits and other false items. Brown required his clients to pay him a ten-percent fee of each refund obtained. This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs, III.


title: Convicted Felon Indicted For Possession Of A Machinegun

component: USAO - Florida, Middle

body_text: Tampa, FL - United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Edward Anderson (44, Bradenton) with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a machinegun. If convicted, Anderson faces up to 15 years in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and up to 10 years in federal prison for the machinegun offense. According to the indictment, Anderson was previously convicted of nine felonies, including two prior firearms offenses. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Beginning on an unknown date and continuing through July 30, 2024, Anderson possessed a Glock pistol that had been modified with a replacement slide cover plate, making the handgun capable of firing as a fully automatic weapon. This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman. An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case 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: Augusta “Ghost Preparer” Pleads Guilty to Preparing and Filing False Tax Returns for Clients

body_text: AUGUSTA, GA: A woman who operated a “ghost” tax preparation business in Augusta, Georgia awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to preparing and filing false income tax returns, IRS Forms 1040, for clients. Kim Brown , 40, of Augusta, Georgia, pled guilty to two counts of Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation and Filing of False Income Tax Returns, said Tara M. Lyons, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. Brown now faces a possible sentence of up to 3 years’ imprisonment for each of the tax fraud counts to which she has pleaded guilty, a period of supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties. As described in the plea agreement, Brown operated a “ghost” tax preparation business out of her Augusta, Georgia, residence. Brown operated as a “ghost” preparer because, contrary to IRS requirements she failed to identify herself as a paid preparer on the tax returns that she prepared and filed for her clients. As a “ghost” preparer, Brown fabricated income to qualify her clients for tax credits, claimed fake deductions to boost the size of the refund, and charged clients a fee based on a percentage of the tax refund. Brown did not provide her clients with a copy of the tax returns she prepared, nor did she review the returns with clients before electronically filing them with the IRS. Brown and another individual “ghost” prepared 22 false tax returns that caused the U.S. Department of Treasury to issue $541,912 in false tax refunds. This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney George J.C. Jacobs, III.


title: Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison

component: Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

body_text: FORT WAYNE – Melvin Green, 35 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney Tina L. Nommay. Green was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release. According to documents in the case, Green sold fentanyl to undercover officers on seven occasions beginning in March of 2022. In July of 2022, Green was apprehended on his way to sell additional fentanyl. A search of Green’s residence recovered more drugs, firearms, and ammunition. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the Fort Wayne Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin C. Sheridan.


title: Virginia Woman Pleads Guilty to Committing Murder at a National Park

component: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

body_text: CLEVELAND – An Alexandria, Virginia woman has pleaded guilty to driving more than 300 miles across state lines after she arranged to meet a victim, whom she shot and killed at a national park in Northeast Ohio. According to court documents, Chelsea Perkins, 35, traveled to Ohio to meet the victim, Matthew Dunmire, whom she knew previously. On March 6, 2021, they visited the Terra Vista Natural Study Area, a hiking trail located in Valley View, Ohio, within the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. While hiking off-trail into a wooded area of the park, Perkins used a loaded firearm she brought with her to shoot the victim in the back of the head, killing him. Criminal investigators found evidence linking Perkins to the shooting through GPS data, DNA, social media and phone records, and ballistics analysis. During a federal search warrant execution at her Virginia residence, federal agents found three 9mm pistols, including one recovered from a woman’s purse that also contained Perkins’ identification. On May 27, 2025, Chelsea Perkins pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and using or carrying and discharging a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence on federal property. If the Court accepts the plea agreement at sentencing, Perkins faces between 20 and 25 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine her sentence after considering the plea agreement, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 9, 2025. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, National Park Service Investigative Branch, Valley View Police Department, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Zarzycki , Margaret A. Kane , and Adam J. Joines .


title: Springfield Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm

component: USAO - Missouri, Western

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally possessing firearms. Aaron Wayne Williams, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, to being a felon in possession of a firearm. Under federal law it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Williams has previous felony convictions for domestic assault in the third degree, attempted burglary in the first degree, property damage motivated by discrimination in the second degree, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon. Williams admitted to possessing several firearms which were seized by Springfield, Mo., Police Department officers on Jan. 8, 2025, after an officer observed Williams sleeping in his running vehicle in the parking lot of the Kum & Go located at 2963 East Division Street. Officers observed a Ruger, Mini 14, semiautomatic rifle beside Williams as he slept. Officers found three additional firearms on Williams and in the vehicle: a Taurus, G2S, 9mm pistol; an HS Produkt, XD, .40 caliber pistol; and a Star, 9mm pistol. Under federal statutes, Williams is subject to a sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department. Project Safe Neighborhoods This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.


title: Halifax County Felon Sentenced to More Than 5 Years  for Possessing a Firearm

component: USAO - North Carolina, Eastern

body_text: RALEIGH, N.C. – Sakwon Artavas Bowser, age 29, was sentenced on Friday to 5.5 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Bowser pleaded guilty to the charge on February 18, 2025. According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, in June 2024, Bowser was wanted on outstanding warrants for common law robbery by the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). On June 6, 2024, law enforcement saw Bowser exit a local mobile home park and attempted a traffic stop. Instead of stopping, Bowser drove through a restaurant parking lot and then accelerated at a high rate of speed. The officer pursued Bowser as he drove recklessly, passing a vehicle at a stop sign, traveling in the center lane, and reaching speeds of 60 mph in a 35-mph zone. Bowser continued driving through residential yards of a mobile home park before he jumped from the moving vehicle and continued to flee on foot. HCSO noticed that Bowser had a backpack in his possession when he jumped out of the car, which he dropped in a wooded area during the foot pursuit. HCSO found Bowser hiding inside one of the mobile homes. A subsequent search of Bowser’s backpack revealed multiple baggies of marijuana packaged individually for distribution, a loaded Glock 17 handgun, a digital scale, and U.S. currency. Bowser has a criminal history that spans a decade and includes a prior felony conviction from 2018 for conspiracy to obtain property by false pretenses. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. Agencies involved in the investigation include the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Dixon prosecuted the case. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-00074. ###


title: Tampa Man Sentenced To 8 Years In Federal Prison For Receipt And Possession Of Child Sexual Abuse Material

body_text: Tampa, Florida - U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Almando Sapp, Jr. (39, Tampa) to eight years in federal prison for receipt and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Sapp will also have to register as a sex offender and forfeit a cellphone used in the commission of the offense. Sapp pleaded guilty on January 9, 2025. A restitution hearing is scheduled for July 8, 2025. According to court documents, through digital payment systems, Sapp purchased CSAM over a social media application. Law enforcement recovered online communications between Sapp and individuals over the app where Sapp admitted to spending hundreds of dollars to purchase CSAM and stated his desire for “real cp” and images or videos containing “intercourse.” Through a search of Sapp’s cellphone, agents recovered hundreds of images and videos of CSAM. “This is another clear message that those who traffic in child sexual abuse material will be held accountable,” said Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge Kristopher Pagitt. “Homeland Security Investigations remains committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community by ensuring justice is served.” This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc . This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ilyssa M. Spergel.


title: Chilean Nationals Indicted For Immigration Crimes And Identity Theft

body_text: Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the return of an indictment charging Hernan Nicolas Fuentes Alfaro (44, Chile) and Eduardo Luis Portilla Romero (19, Chile) with possessing fraudulent Peruvian passports and aggravated identity theft. The indictment also charges Fuentes Alfaro with illegally reentering the United States after deportation. If convicted on all counts, Fuentes Alfaro and Portilla Romero face a maximum penalty of 12 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Fuentes Alfaro and Portilla Romero that the United States intends to forfeit assets alleged to be traceable to proceeds of the offense. According to court records, on April 2, 2025, Fuentes Alfaro and Portilla Romero were found with fraudulent Peruvian passports. Both fraudulent passports contained identifying information belonging to real individuals. Fuentes Alfaro was previously deported from the United States on March 3, 2020. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Highway Patrol, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam W. McCall.


title: Jasper County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Exploitation

body_text: SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Carthage, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to charges related to the sexual exploitation of a child. Uriah Behl, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, to one count of sexual exploitation of children. By pleading guilty today, Behl admitted to secretly recording a naked juvenile in the shower. The investigation began when the Jasper County, Missouri, Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) received a call reporting that a camera had been found in a community shower room in Carthage, Mo. Witnesses found a cell phone in the cabinet under the bathroom sink, recording through a crack in the open cabinet door. Several videos were found on the phone, containing multiple victims, including a juvenile. In a post- Miranda interview, Behl admitted to JCSO officers that he had set the phone up to record the whole room, including the shower, when motion was detected. Behl claimed that he did not intend to record the juvenile victim; however, clips from the videos focused on portions of the video depicting the juvenile victim naked, with their genitals exposed. Behl gave JCSO officers consent to search the phone he was using to record and the cell phone he used for calls and texting. A forensic search of the phones found over an hour of videos from the shower room, several clips from those videos containing the naked juvenile victim, multiple searches for child pornography, as well as 161 images depicting child pornography downloaded from the internet. Under federal statutes, Behl is subject to a sentence of at least 15 and up to 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. Behl will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force. Project Safe Childhood This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."


title: Bloomfield Resident Admits Role in Opioid Distribution Conspiracy

component: USAO - New Jersey

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Bloomfield resident admitted participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute opioids, as well as unlawful distribution of opioids, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Danielle Molinari, 51, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court to an information charging her with one count of drug conspiracy and one count of distribution of, and possession with intent to distribute, oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: Between February 2019 and March 2023, Molinari participated in a conspiracy to obtain medically unnecessary prescriptions for oxycodone, an opioid pain medication. Once Molinari obtained the oxycodone through a prescription, she then sold the oxycodone to another individual in exchange for money. Over the course of the conspiracy, Molinari unlawfully distributed approximately 4,665 oxycodone pills. The two charges of drug conspiracy and distribution of oxycodone each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a fine of $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for November 4, 2025. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chelsea D. Coleman and Jenny Chung of the Health Care Fraud and Opioids Abuse Prevention Unit in Newark. ### Defense counsel: Joel Silberman, Esq., Jersey City, New Jersey molinari.information.pdf


title: Mayville man convicted of sex trafficking a minor going to prison for life

component: USAO - New York, Western

body_text: BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that William A. Quinones, 51, of Mayville, NY, who was convicted by a federal jury of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and sex trafficking of a minor, was sentenced to serve life in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron J. Mango and Franz M. Wright, who handled the prosecution of the case, stated that in July 2021, the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office received a complaint that Quinones had been sexually abusing two children over the past eight years. A subsequent investigation identified a total of four minor victims. During interviews with investigators, the victims stated that Quinones raped or attempted to rape and sexually abused them. Quinones threatened them with violence or threatened to hurt their families if they disclosed what he was doing. Quinones had regular sexual contact with one minor victim, referred to in the indictment, beginning when she was eight years old, as often as three to four times each week. The minor victim told investigators that Quinones started paying her in exchange for sexual contact, beginning when she was 13 years old until age 16 years old. On one occasion, Quinones took her to Erie, PA, to pick up drugs. Prior to returning home, Quinones stopped at a motel to engage in sexual intercourse. During the course of the sexual abuse, Quinones repeatedly raped and physically abused her. The sentencing is a result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone. # # # #


title: Hartford, Connecticut Gang Member Sentenced To 10½ Years’ Imprisonment for Drug and Firearm Crimes

body_text: Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 23, 2025, Linoshka Barbosa, 25, formerly of Hartford, Connecticut, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 126 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Barbosa previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, crack cocaine and powder cocaine, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. She has been detained since her October 15, 2024, guilty plea. According to court records, between March 2020 and October 2023, Linoshka Barbosa, also known as “Lily,” and “Lilz,” was one of the leaders of a drug distribution conspiracy in the Brattleboro, Vermont area, involving cocaine, cocaine base, fentanyl, and numerous firearms. Barbosa, a member of a violent gang in Hartford, Connecticut, called “GMS,” was trafficking large quantities of drugs to Brattleboro, often using a driver from a ride-hailing company to transport the controlled substances. Barbosa enlisted several other gang members from Connecticut to assist her in Vermont and the group dealt drugs from various locations in Brattleboro including, 33 Oak Street #4, 14 Birge Street, 135 Elliot Street, and 84 Linden Street. Barbosa also hired numerous people in Vermont to help her sell the drugs. During the conspiracy, Barbosa and her associates traded drugs for guns, and some of those guns were used in shootings in Hartford, Connecticut, including a double homicide in August 2023. Also, on March 30, 2023, a man was shot during a drug dispute at 14 Birge Street in Brattleboro. Investigation later revealed that Elias Lopez, a member of the conspiracy along with Barbosa, was involved in the shooting. Lopez has since pleaded guilty in state court for his role in the shooting, and will be sentenced in federal court on June 2, 2025 for his role in the drug conspiracy. Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the collaborative investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, the Brattleboro Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. "Linoshka Barbosa utilized firearms to protect her drug operations and fueled violence in our neighborhoods. Her narcotics trafficking and illegal firearm activities posed a serious threat to public safety” said James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF Boston Field Division. “This case highlights the dangers of illegal firearm and narcotics trafficking. We will continue to stand united with our law enforcement partners to investigate these matters and hold offenders accountable.” “This prosecution has removed a dangerous offender from our streets and sent a strong message that Vermont does not tolerate those who prey upon our communities and place them at risk,” said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police. “Thanks to a united effort from federal, state and local law enforcement to stop the trafficking of narcotics and firearms, Vermont is a safer place.” The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. Barbosa was represented by David Sleigh, Esq.


title: Broken Arrow Residents Sentenced For Massive Fraud Scheme

component: USAO - Oklahoma, Eastern

body_text: MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Brad William Ritter, age 51, and Toby Le Mills, age 51, both of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, were sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. Ritter was sentenced to 41 months of incarceration. Mills was sentenced to 33 months of incarceration. As part of sentencing, the Court ordered the defendants to pay $3,797,500.00 in restitution. In addition, the Court entered a money judgment against Mills in the amount of $1,059,958.00, ordered forfeiture of $697,863.67 in funds seized from Ritter, and entered a forfeiture money judgment against Ritter in the amount of $2,029,678.33. The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS-Criminal Investigation. Ritter and Mills each pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire fraud on April 3, 2024. According to investigators, beginning in at least 2018 and continuing until January 2022, Ritter and Mills conspired to defraud an employee-owned business operating in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Ritter, who worked as an executive for the company, used his position to submit false invoices on behalf of a business set up in Mills’s name. The invoices billed the business for services that Mills’s company never performed, resulting in $3,797,500.00 in fraudulent payments made to Ritter and Mills during that time. “The sentence imposed on these two defendants should serve as a stark reminder that criminal activity motivated by greed comes at a price,” said FBI Oklahoma City Special Agent in Charge Doug Goodwater. “The FBI is committed to ensuring those who engage in fraudulent activity are held accountable through the justice system.” “Ritter and Mills went to great lengths to disguise a years-long scheme to siphon millions from an unsuspecting employer, using false invoices, shell companies, and layered financial lies,” said Christopher J. Altemus Jr., IRS-CI special agent in charge of the Dallas Field Office. “Let this case serve as a warning: complex fraud schemes may be layered in lies and paperwork, but they are never beyond the reach of IRS Criminal Investigation special agents. IRS-CI will aggressively track illicit financial activity and dismantle criminal enterprises, no matter how sophisticated. Those who think they can get away with defrauding businesses or taxpayers should think again.” “The wounds may not be physical, but the harm caused by fraudsters is still very real. I commend the investigators and prosecutors who worked tirelessly to ensure that the defendants answered for their crime,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Ritter and Mills were allowed to remain on previous bond with conditions of release and will self-report into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility by June 23, 2025, to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kara Traster, Joshua Satter, and Clay Compton represented the United States.


title: Boston Woman Sentenced for Using Stolen Identity to Rent Apartments Used for Drug Trafficking

body_text: BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced on May 22, 2025, for committing access device fraud and for participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently rent two apartments, subsequently used for drug trafficking, under a stolen identity. Ashley Roostaie, a/k/a “Lola,” a/k/a “dropdeadlola,” 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to two years’ probation. The defendant was also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and $1,000 in restitution. In February 2025, Roostaie pleaded guilty to one count of access device fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Roostaie was charged in April 2023 , along with co-conspirator Terrence Pyrtle. Roostaie and Pyrtle utilized the personal identification information (including Social Security number) of another individual to apply for and enter into lease agreements for two apartments in Braintree and Somerville, respectively. As part of their conspiracy, Roostaie and Pyrtle created an email account under the name of the individual’s identity that they had submitted in connection with the apartments. They also transmitted a counterfeit driver’s license to the apartment complexes, which contained the individual’s name and some of their personal identification information but depicted a different individual’s photograph. By placing the apartment leases and corresponding utility and insurance contracts under another individual’s personal identification information, Roostaie and Pyrtle were able to conceal their connection to and use of the apartments, which Pyrtle used to participate in a drug conspiracy involving distribution quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and methamphetamine. Roostaie and Pyrtle also used the victim’s personal identification information (including Social Security number) to obtain and use a prepaid debit card to make payments associated with each of the apartments. Pyrtle pleaded guilty to his involvement in these offenses, as well as to aggravated identity theft, drug conspiracy and multiple counts of drug distribution, in April 2025 and is awaiting sentencing. United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Bridgewater and Westport Police Departments; and the Bristol County and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. 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 .


title: Iranian Man Pleaded Guilty to Role in Robbinhood Ransomware

body_text: WILMINGTON, N.C. – An Iranian national pleaded guilty today to participating in an international ransomware and extortion scheme involving the Robbinhood ransomware. According to court documents and statements made in court, Sina Gholinejad, 37, and his co-conspirators compromised the computer networks of cities, corporations, health care organizations, and other entities around the United States, and encrypted files on these victim networks with the Robbinhood ransomware variant to extort ransom payments. These cyber-attacks caused significant disruptions and tens of millions in losses, including to the City of Greenville, North Carolina, and the City of Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore lost more than $19 million from the damage caused to their computer networks and the resulting disruption to several essential city services, including online services for processing property taxes, water bills, parking citations, and other revenue-generating functions, which lasted many months. The conspirators used the damage they caused these cities to threaten subsequent victims. “Gholinejad and his co-conspirators — all of whom were overseas — caused tens of millions of dollars in losses and disrupted essential public services by deploying the Robbinhood ransomware against U.S. cities, health care organizations, and businesses,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The ransomware attack against the City of Baltimore forced the city to take hundreds of computers offline and prevented the city from performing basic functions for months. Gholinejad’s conviction reflects the Criminal Division’s commitment to bringing cybercriminals who target our cities, healthcare system, and businesses to justice no matter where they are located. There will be no impunity for these destructive attacks.” “Cybercrime is not a victimless offense—it is a direct attack on our communities, as seen in this case. Gholinejad and his co-conspirators orchestrated a ransomware scheme that disrupted lives, businesses, and local governments, and resulted in losses of tens of millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims and institutions,” said acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “The announcement today marks a significant step towards justice for the countless victims impacted by the defendant’s malicious scheme. Cases like these act as a reminder that cybercriminals who seek to exploit our digital infrastructure for personal gain will be identified, prosecuted, and held accountable.” “These ransomware actors leveraged sophisticated tools and tradecraft to harm innocent victims in the United States, all while believing they could conduct their illegal activities safely from overseas,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle Jr. of the FBI. “This case demonstrates the capability and resolve of the FBI and our partners to find and impose consequences on cybercriminals no matter where they attempt to hide.” Beginning in January 2019, Gholinejad and others gained and maintained unauthorized access to victim computer networks and then copied information from the infected victim networks to virtual private servers controlled by the conspirators. The conspirators also deployed Robbinhood ransomware to encrypt the victims’ files and extort Bitcoin from victims in exchange for the private key required to decrypt the victims’ computer files. Gholinejad and his co-conspirators attempted to launder the ransom payments through cryptocurrency mixing services and by moving assets between different types of cryptocurrencies, a practice known as chain-hopping. They also hid their identities and activities through a number of technical methods, including the use of virtual private networks and servers that they operated. The indictment identifies multiple additional victims of Robbinhood ransomware, including, but not limited to, the City of Gresham, Oregon and the City of Yonkers, New York. Gholinejad pleaded guilty to one count of computer fraud and abuse and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison when sentenced later this year. Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad DeVoe, Senior Counsels Aarash Haghighat and Ryan R.J. Dickey of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney Alexandra Cooper-Ponte of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Deputy Chief Matthew Anzaldi of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs also provided substantial assistance in the collection of evidence. Additional details on protecting networks against ransomware are available at StopRansomware.gov . Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-16. ###


title: Passaic County Correctional Officer Admits Civil Rights Violation and Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice in Connection with an Assault of a Pretrial Detainee

body_text: NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County Correctional Officer admitted his role in assaulting a pretrial detainee and conspiring to obstruct justice, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced. Sergeant Donald Vinales, 39, pleaded guilty on May 21, 2025, before U.S. District Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in Newark federal court to a two-count indictment charging him with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: On January 22, 2021, a pretrial detainee at the Passaic County Jail (“PCJ”) squirted a mixture containing urine onto a correctional officer. The following day, on January 23, 2021, Sergeant Vinales admitted that he, along with Sergeant Jose Gonzalez, and Correctional Officer Lorenzo Bowden, who were also charged in this case, transported the detainee through an area of the PCJ that does not have a video surveillance camera, which Correctional Officers and inmates at the PCJ have referred to as a “blind spot.” While in that “blind spot,” Sergeant Vinales admitted that he and Sgt. Gonzalez assaulted the detainee, while he was handcuffed, when they knocked him to the ground and struck him multiple times. One day after the assault, the detainee was taken to a local hospital, which documented injuries from the assault. The defendants were required to submit documentation regarding their use of force. None of them submitted any such reports. In April 2022, after receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in connection with this investigation, Sergeant Gonzalez, Sergeant Vinales, Officer Bowden, among others, met to discuss the federal investigation. During that meeting, the group agreed not to cooperate with the federal investigation and also agreed to say that nothing had happened to the detainee (referring to the assault). Thereafter, during an interview with federal investigators in October 2022, Bowden falsely stated that the detainee had not been assaulted and that there had not been any meeting or communication among those who participated in or witnessed the assault. Officer Bowden pleaded guilty on April 18, 2024, before Judge Farbiarz to an information charging him with conspiracy to obstruct justice and is awaiting sentencing. The charge of deprivation of rights under color of law carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and the charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000. Vinales’s sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2025. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark; and the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office Division of Internal Affairs, under the direction of Sheriff Thomas Adamo. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Levin, Chief of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark, and R. Joseph Gribko, Senior Trial Counsel in Trenton. The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against Sergeant Gonzalez are still pending, are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. ### Defense Counsel: Eric V. Kleiner, Esq., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey vinales.indictment.pdf


title: Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime

component: USAO - West Virginia, Southern

body_text: BECKLEY, W.Va. – Joshua Mason Trotter, 44, of Crab Orchard, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 1, 2024, Trotter possessed a Glock model 21 .45-caliber pistol and a CBC model 817 .17-caliber rifle. Trotter admitted to possessing the firearms and further admitted to possessing a 26-round high-capacity magazine for .45-caliber ammunition, approximately 10.51 grams of methamphetamine, and a total of 25.95 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, a synthetic opioid, in several packages. Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Trotter knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for conspiracy to commit possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine in Kanawha County Circuit Court on November 29, 2017. Trotter is scheduled to be sentenced on September 26, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Raleigh County Sheriff's Office. United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum is prosecuting the case. This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). 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. 5:25-cr-22. ###


title: Lynchburg Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearms and Conspiracy Charges

body_text: LYNCHBURG, Va. – A Lynchburg, Virginia man, implicated in a series of incidents involving the illegal possession of a firearm and conspiring to access protected computer systems, pled guilty today to firearm and conspiracy charges. Brendon Cole Webber, 28, was arrested in May 2024 for being a convicted felon illegally in possession of a firearm. Webber pled guilty today to one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon and two counts of conspiracy against the United States. According to court documents, beginning in 2022, Webber was being supervised by the Lynchburg Community Corrections & Pretrial Services Department (LCCPS). In 2023, Jennifer Leigh Peters assumed the role of Acting Director of the LCCPS. Starting in approximately August 2023, Webber and Peters began a romantic relationship. Peters directly or indirectly supervised Webber’s probation throughout his LCCPS supervision. Peters, because of her role with LCCPS, had access to certain non-public, law enforcement materials, including the Lynchburg Police Department’s Records Management System (RMS). The RMS was a protected computer system that housed confidential non-public, law enforcement material. Between November 11, 2023 and January 9, 2024, Webber and Peters conspired to have Webber access RMS information without authorization. Specifically, Peters provided Webber with access to non-public confidential material on RMS, and Webber disseminated that non-public information to others. On November 30, 2023, Webber was charged with unlawfully possessing a firearm in violation of Virginia law and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Webber and Peters knew there was an active warrant for Webber’s arrest and knew there was an active U.S. Marshal’s fugitive manhunt for Webber’s apprehension. Around December 19, 2023, at Webber’s instruction, Peters drove Webber from Lynchburg, Virginia to Hughestown, Pennsylvania with the purpose of obstructing the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive mission. Weber further directed Peters to book a hotel room during the drive. Webber was arrested in Hughestown, Pennsylvania on January 9, 2024. Webber previously pled guilty to state charges of conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to obstruct justice, as well as to unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to court documents, law enforcement officers were flagged down by a citizen on Fifth Street in Lynchburg after the citizen reported seeing a man fall out of a moving vehicle then shoot a firearm in the direction of the same departing vehicle. The citizen told police the man who shot at the vehicle- ultimately identified as Webber- then ran toward the Family Dollar on Federal Street in downtown Lynchburg. Two other individuals driving past the incident witnessed Webber fall out of the vehicle. Webber asked the witnesses for a ride and attempted to enter their vehicle as law enforcement arrived on scene. Police officers searched the vehicle and found a loaded 9 mm handgun, a white bag containing suspected methamphetamine, and a wallet belonging to an unidentified individual in the back seat where Webber had been sitting. Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the City of Lynchburg Police Department are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vito Iaia is prosecuting the case.


title: Medical Equipment Business Owner Sentenced to Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay Over $6 Million in Restitution for a Conspiracy to Commit Health Care Fraud

component: USAO - Kentucky, Western

body_text: Louisville, KY – A former Kentucky resident was sentenced last week to 2 years and 9 months in federal prison for engaging in a conspiracy to commit health care fraud in connection with durable medical equipment businesses. U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Kelly J. Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), made the announcement. According to court documents, Pedro Reyes, 54, formerly of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was sentenced to 2 years and 9 months in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Reyes, through multiple Kentucky companies, executed a scheme in which he fraudulently billed Medicare for durable medical equipment (orthopedic equipment, to including back, knee, and shoulder braces) that was medically unnecessary, unwanted by patients, and not prescribed by the patients’ medical providers. “I commend the tenacious work of the HHS-OIG and the prosecution team in this matter,” said U.S. Attorney Bennett. “Let this case serve as notice to those who plan to cheat the system. You will be identified, aggressively prosecuted, spend time in federal prison, and, in the end, pay back your ill-gotten gains.” “The defendant’s exploitation of the Medicare program and its enrollees for unlawful financial gain constitutes a serious breach of trust and a misappropriation of resources for the public,” said Special Agent in Charge Blackmon. “HHS-OIG is unwavering in our commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the Medicare and other federal healthcare programs.” There is no parole in the federal system. Reyes was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $6,004,916. This case was investigated by HHS-OIG. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Tieke prosecuted the case, with assistance from healthcare fraud investigator Bob Masterson. ###


title: Brandywine Man Sentenced for Federal Identity Theft and Bank, Wire, and Passport Fraud Charges

component: USAO - Maryland

body_text: Baltimore , Maryland – Today, United States District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Llyod Linwood Comer, 63, of Brandywine, Maryland, to 41 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release — with the first seven months on home detention — for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, passport fraud, identity theft, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Assistant Director of Investigations Joseph Jung, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and Acting Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) – Philadelphia Field Division. According to Comer’s guilty plea, from 2019 to 2021, Comer and his co-conspirator, Doreen Gilmore, aka Doreen Flummerfelt, 57, conspired to engage in a series of fraudulent schemes involving stolen identities. The defendants used the names and identifying information of victims to purchase vehicles, and open or attempt to open, bank accounts and obtain bank cards. Vehicles that the defendants acquired by using stolen identities included a 2017 Ford Explorer, fraudulently financed in the amount of $34,710; a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, fraudulently financed in the amount of $20,320; a second 2016 Harley Davidson motorcycle, fraudulently financed in the amount of $29,612; and a 2017 Coachmen Leprechaun RV fraudulently financed in the amount of $60,250. Comer and Gilmore also submitted a mortgage application in Gilmore’s mother’s name, in the amount of $433,200, to purchase a residence in Brandywine, Maryland. Comer and Gilmore sent multiple iterations of the loan application document to the lender over a few weeks, and sent a final, signed application of the loan on May 26, 2020. They eventually secured a loan, based on the application, to purchase the home in Brandywine. Ultimately, the lender approved the loan, relying on the false and fraudulent information and documents that Comer and Gilmore submitted. In addition, Comer obtained a fraudulent United States passport by using identifying information from Gilmore’s deceased brother. Then on December 13, 2019, Comer used the fraudulently obtained passport to travel to Jamaica for a wedding. On June 1, 2021, law-enforcement agencies executed a federal search warrant at the Brandywine residence. During the search, authorities found numerous identification-related documents bearing the names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and/or other identifying information belonging to various victims. Among other items, authorities found identity documents bearing identification information from Gilmore’s mother and various victims in the residence. During the June 1 search, law-enforcement agents also recovered 13 firearms and more than 6,600 rounds of ammunition. Comer knowingly possessed the firearms and ammunition. Authorities proved Comer possessed the firearms and ammunition through digital videos on electronic devices that they recovered during the search. Videos show Comer holding and apparently firing some of the firearms at the Brandywine residence. The firearms and ammunition were “firearms” and “ammunition” as defined by federal law and were manufactured outside the state of Maryland. Prior to possessing the firearms and ammunition on June 1, Comer was convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, his civil rights had not been restored, and he knew this status when he possessed the firearms and ammunition. Gilmore was previously sentenced to time served followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, passport fraud, and identity theft. The court also ordered the defendants to pay $52,355 in restitution to various victim businesses. U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DSS and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon who prosecuted the case. For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach . # # #


title: Husband and Wife Each Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Covid Fraud

body_text: TRENTON N.J. – A New Jersey and Florida husband and wife were sentenced to 12 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining approximately $790,000 in federal Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) loans, U.S. Alina Habba announced. Diana Valteri, 42, and Edmond Haxhillari, 43, of Sparta, New Jersey, and Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, previously plead guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch to informations charging the couple with wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentences in Trenton federal court. According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: From in or around June 2020 through August 2020, Valteri and Haxhillari participated in a fraudulent scheme to receive $790,000 in COVID-19 emergency relief loans and cash advances meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL program. Valteri and Haxhillari submitted fraudulent loan applications on behalf of several businesses that purported to have employees and revenue but were actually shell companies with no business operations. After receiving the EIDL funds based on their fraud, Valteri and Haxhillari diverted the proceeds for their own personal gain. U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Field Office under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Terrence G. Reilly; special agents of Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer Piovesan; special agents of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Boston-New York Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, and special agents from the Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Eastern Regional Office, with the investigation leading to the charges. The District of New Jersey COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fatime Meka Cano and Aja Espinosa of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form . ### Defense counsel: William Tunkey, Esq. and Joseph Nascimento, Esq.