District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced David Jamal Watson, 40, of Fort Washington, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for sexually exploiting two children and producing child sexual abuse material.  Judge Xinis also ordered that, upon release from prison, Watson must register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, is an employee, and is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP).

As detailed in the plea agreement, from September 2023 to October 2023, Waston sexually exploited two children — who were 9 and 13 years old at the time — to produce, distribute, and attempt to sell child sex abuse materials (CSAM). Watson used platforms such as Telegram, Instagram, Twitter, and Google to store and distribute the victim’s CSAM and material depicting other children.

In July 2023, the Maryland Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received two CyberTips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, indicating that a Google user uploaded 51 files of suspected CSAM to Google’s platform between October 2022 and July 2023.  Authorities traced the tips to an IP address associated with Watson’s Fort Washington address.

Then in October 2023, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for Watson’s residence.  During an MSP interview, Watson admitted to viewing, retaining, and distributing CSAM. On the morning of the search, MSP also seized five devices from a basement bedroom where Watson was sleeping.

During a forensic analysis of Watson’s devices, law enforcement identified more than 600 CSAM images, including nude images and videos of Watson’s victims and other children.  Law enforcement also found conversations on Telegram between Watson and other users in which he referenced charging money for nude images of his victims.

In November 2023, law enforcement arrested Watson at his residence on a federal arrest warrant.  During an interview, Watson said that he recorded the nude images of his victims at his residence.  Additionally, law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the contents of Watson’s Instagram account, which revealed conversations in which he attempted to sell CSAM depicting his victims to at least three other Instagram users.   

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 Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI and the MSP for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Khalil Dunaway, 29, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute controlled substances.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) – Washington Division, and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).

According to the guilty plea, in November 2023, BCPD detectives observed Dunaway conducting multiple hand-to-hand drug transactions in Baltimore County, Maryland. Based on surveillance, detectives observed that Dunaway regularly spent daytime hours at a Pikesville, Maryland residence, but then spent nighttime hours at a Middle River, Maryland residence before returning to the Pikesville residence during the day. On December 18, 2023, investigators conducted search warrants at both residences.

During their search of the Pikesville residence, investigators recovered a Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol; taurus Ultra-Light .38 caliber pistol; Camouflage AR-15 style ghost gun rifle; Glock switch; and miscellaneous firearm magazines and ammunition. Additionally, law enforcement uncovered approximately 969 grams of fentanyl packaged for distribution; approximately 1273 grams of cocaine, some of it packaged for distribution; sifters, respirators, and goggles used for packaging controlled substances for distribution; digital scales and drug paraphernalia; three backpacks containing kilo presses; and various cutting agents used for packaging controlled substances for distribution.

At the Middle River residence, investigators discovered a Glock 33 .357 caliber pistol; Glock 21 .45 caliber pistol, which was reported stolen from Georgia; Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol; Rossi .22 caliber revolver loaded with seven rounds of ammunition; pistol brace; and miscellaneous firearm magazines and ammunition. Law enforcement also found approximately 63 grams of fentanyl; approximately 145 grams of cocaine; a plate and scale with controlled substance residue, used for packaging controlled substances for distribution; assorted jewelry, including silver ingots and watches with a total fair market value of approximately $63,128; approximately $32,042 in U.S. currency; and multiple phones.

A search of Dunaway’s vehicle parked at the Middle River address yielded approximately 60 suboxone strips, additional phones, and a digital scale.

Investigators also reviewed footage from a security camera that showed the interior of the Pikesville residence between October and December 2023. Via the footage, investigators observed Dunaway regularly mixing, preparing, and packaging narcotics for distribution while wearing a respirator.

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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

Baltimore, Maryland – Charles Anthony Forame, IV, 33, of Brooklyn Park, Maryland, pled guilty today, to federal child sexual exploitation charges.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Jaymi Sterling, State’s Attorney for St. Mary’s County; Anthony Covington, State’s Attorney for Charles County; Robert H. Harvey, State’s Attorney for Calvert County; Anne Colt Leitess, State’s Attorney for Anne Arundel; Sheriff Steven A. Hall, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office; Sheriff Ricky Cox, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Amal E. Awad, Anne Arundel County Police.

According to the guilty plea, Forame used his Snapchat account to meet teenage girls online. Forame then coerced the victims to provide him with explicit images, or in some instances, sexual acts in person. Forame, told the girls he was 19 to get them to interact with him. He often promised to provide vapes or marijuana in exchange for explicit images or sex acts. If the victims attempted to end the arrangement, Forame threatened to expose their images.  The victims, ages 13-16, were middle-school and high-school students.

Forame faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison, followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is set for Monday, November 24, at 9:30 a.m.

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 Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI, St. Mary’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office, Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney’s Office, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office, Charles County Sheriff’s Office, Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Sean Franklin Mills, Jr., 21, of Capital Heights, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for carjacking and use, carrying, and brandishing a firearm in relation to a crime of violence.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to the guilty plea, from November 27, 2022, thru December 19, 2022, Mills and a co-conspirator carjacked six victims at gunpoint in Prince George’s County, Maryland.  On November 27, Mills and a co-conspirator — who were dressed in all-black clothing and wearing ski masks — approached Victim 1 and carjacked his 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander in Oxon Hill, Maryland.  Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 approached from a rear alley, pointing handguns at him. Mills, who pointed a greenish-tan pistol, began to chase the victim. After Victim 1 tripped and fell, Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 demanded his keys. In fear for his life, Victim 1 relinquished the keys and then Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 entered the vehicle and fled the scene.

On December 4, Mills, armed with a black handgun, spotted Victim 2 at a Capitol Heights, Maryland gas station. Mills, who was wearing a black ski mask, black shirt, and grey sweatpants, ran across the street to the gas station as Victim 2 fueled his 2013 Honda Accord. Mills then pointed a black handgun at Victim 2 and demanded the keys to the vehicle. Victim 2 told Mills the keys were inside the vehicle and then Mills demanded that he remove the gas pump from the Accord before entering the vehicle and fleeing the scene.

Then on December 6, Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 arrived at a Hyattsville, Maryland gas station in an older model gray Honda Accord that was consistent with the vehicle Mills carjacked on December 4.  They pulled up next to Victim 3 who was sitting in a 2022 Toyota Camry. Mills wearing all-black clothing, jumped out of the front passenger seat, pointed a black handgun at Victim 3, and demanded Victim 3’s Camry. Victim 3, in fear for his life, complied. Mills entered Victim 3’s vehicle and drove away. Co-Conspirator 1 followed Mills in the stolen Accord. 

Two days later, on December 8, Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 carjacked a vehicle in Temple Hills, Maryland. As Victim 4 entered his 2021 Toyota Camry, Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 pulled up in a gray sedan. Mills, armed with a black and silver handgun with an extended magazine — and wearing a face mask, sunglasses, dark gray hoodie, black sweatpants, and sandals — exited the vehicle and approached Victim 4. Mills pointed the handgun at Victim 4 and demanded Victim 4’s car and cell phone. In fear for his life, Victim 4 complied and gave Mills the Camry. Mills got in the Camry and drove off while Co-Conspirator 1 followed behind him in the gray sedan. 

Then on December 19, Mills and his co-conspirator committed two more carjackings. Mills and his co-conspirator approached Victim 5 as he delivered a DoorDash meal in Landover, Maryland. Mills and his co-conspirator drove up behind Victim 5 in a silver sedan. Then Mills jumped out, wearing all-black clothing and a mask, armed with a black handgun.  Mills pointed the handgun at Victim 5 and demanded the keys to Victim 5’s 2022 Toyota Corolla. Victim 5, in fear for his life, complied. Mills then entered the Corolla and fled the scene while Co-Conspirator 1 followed behind in the gray sedan.

A couple of hours later, Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 carjacked a vehicle in Hyattsville, Maryland. Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 arrived in a gray Honda Accord. Mills approached Victim 6 as he sat in his parked 2020 Toyota Highlander. Then Mills pointed a black handgun at Victim 6 and demanded his vehicle and money. In fear for his life, Victim 6 complied. Mills entered the Toyota Highlander and fled the scene while Co-Conspirator 1 followed in the gray Honda Accord.

On December 20, law enforcement, used GPS tracking information to conduct surveillance on Mills. Within a short distance of Mills’s residence, law enforcement spotted the Toyota Highlander that Mills carjacked the previous day. 

Then on December 21, PGPD officers and helicopter team surveilled New Carrollton, Maryland, where they found Mills and Co-conspirator 1 in the stolen gray Accord. PGPD officers conducted a tactical stop on the vehicle and ordered Mills and Co-Conspirator 1 out of the vehicle. Inside of the vehicle, officers recovered two loaded handguns.

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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI and the PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn Williams who is prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Dimas Gonzalo Contreras-Nolasco, 54, a Mexican citizen and national, has pleaded guilty to illegally re-entering the United States after previously being deported.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), Baltimore Field Office.

According to court filings, Contreras-Nolasco voluntarily and unlawfully entered the U.S. on September 18, 2005. On that date, Contreras-Nolasco applied for admission into the United States from Mexico via the vehicle primary inspection lanes in Del Rio, Texas. Contreras-Nolasco orally declared himself a U.S. citizen by birth, but he did not present identification or documentation to support his claim.  As a result, United States Border Patrol deemed Contreras-Nolasco inadmissible, so they processed him for expedited removal, and then ordered him to return to Mexico.

On September 9, 2021, law enforcement again found Contreras-Nolasco unlawfully in the U.S. when they arrested him for rape in Rockville, Maryland.  Then on March 31, 2022, Contreras-Nolasco pled guilty to second-degree rape and a second-degree sex offense in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland.  He received a 20-year state sentence, which he is currently serving, with all but 10 years suspended. Contreras-Nolasco also now faces two years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release for the illegal re-entry charges.

Prior to his arrest in Montgomery County, Contreras-Nolasco did not obtain consent at any time from the Attorney General of the United States, or from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, for readmission into the country. Sentencing is scheduled for Friday, November 14, at 1 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris who is prosecuting this case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Roddrick Navara Shelby, 48, of Laurel, Maryland, to 70 months in federal prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).

According to the guilty plea, in November 2024, the DEA and MCPD began investigating Shelby in connection with suspected fentanyl trafficking.  During their investigation, law enforcement conducted three controlled purchases where Shelby sold a confidential source approximately 500 pills.

The pills were blue in color and imprinted with “M30” – mimicking the markings on legitimate pills that one would receive from a manufacturer containing oxycodone hydrochloride.  As confirmed by laboratory analysis, the blue “M30” pills contained fentanyl.  In total, Shelby sold approximately 1,471 fentanyl pills, or more than 150 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, to the confidential source.

On the morning of March 20, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Shelby’s residence and vehicle in Laurel, Maryland.  In a kitchen drawer, and other places in the residence, law enforcement identified assorted ammunition, one loaded magazine, two empty .357 caliber Glock magazines, and one empty .45 caliber Glock magazine. Law enforcement also found approximately 63 rounds of ammunition.  Additionally, in a kitchen drawer, law enforcement found three digital scales with white residue and three small-knotted baggies containing what seizing officers suspected was cocaine.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and MCPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright, who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Jonathan Drew Bartgis, 26, of Frederick, Maryland, pled guilty to one count of firearms trafficking and one count of unlawful possession of a machinegun. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief Jason Lando, Frederick Police Department (FPD).

According to the guilty plea, the USPIS and ATF began investigating a channel on the social media application Telegram that advertised the sale of firearms and machinegun conversion devices. These conversion devices, also known as “Glock switches,” are designed to convert semi-automatic Glock-style pistols into fully automatic firearms.

Through the investigation, postal inspectors identified a parcel inbound to Frederick, Maryland, that investigators believed contained a firearm sold on the social-media channel.  After obtaining a search warrant to search the parcel, postal inspectors recovered a Glock 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun with an extended magazine and 30 rounds of ammunition.  The parcel was addressed to Bartgis’s residence.

After executing a search warrant on Bartgis’s residence, postal inspectors and FPD officers recovered an additional Glock 29, 10mm semi-automatic firearm, and three machinegun conversion devices, or “Glock switches.”  Inside of Bartgis’s bedroom, postal inspectors and FPD officers uncovered more than 400 rounds of ammunition, multiple Glock handgun cases, numerous unloaded and loaded firearms magazines, assorted firearm parts, accessories, and manufacturing tools. Law enforcement also found empty boxes for privately made firearms, which are referred to as a “ghost guns,” as there is no serial number on the firearm.

Additionally, postal inspectors and FPD officers located $21,660 in United States currency and Bartgis’s cell phone.  On the cell phone, postal inspectors discovered conversations between Bartgis and others in connection with the illegal purchase of the recovered firearms and trafficking firearms and Glock switches. Bartgis has a prior felony conviction, so he is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. 

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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, ATF, and FPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney who is prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Robin Joseph, 64, of Murells Inlet, South Carolina, today, to 39 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, six months of which will be home detention. On April 25, 2025, Joseph pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with a decades-long embezzlement scheme that caused losses of more than $1.4 million.  Judge Gallagher also ordered restitution in the amount of $1,406,211.19.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

Judge Gallagher previously sentenced Joseph’s wife and co-conspirator, Valerie Joseph, 61, of Murells Inlet, South, to 53 months in prison and one year of home detention in connection with her role in the scheme. 

According to court documents, from 2003 until August 2021, Valerie Joseph served as a bookkeeper for Victim Business 1, a wholesale greenhouse and garden center owned by Victim K.F., located in Caroline County, Maryland. Beginning in January 2011, at the latest, and continuing into August 2021, the couple conspired to defraud Victim Business l and Victim K.F.

Robin and Valerie Joseph schemed to make unauthorized charges to three credit-card accounts —associated with Victim Business 1 and Victim K.F. — for personal gain. This included American Express and Capital One accounts, along with a Lowes/Synchrony financial account.

Routinely, for more than a decade, Robin and Valerie Joseph used credit cards associated with the victims’ accounts to make numerous unauthorized purchases. The theft included unauthorized credit-card charges for $200,000-plus at Walmart; $53,000-plus to AT&T for personal phone bills; $30,000-plus at a Japanese steak and seafood restaurant; and $116,000-plus to PayPal. Robin and Valerie Joseph charged more than $90,000 to Easton Utilities for utility bills; $16,000 to Chesapeake College for tuition payments; $2,500 to the University of Hawaii for college expenses; and $3,800 for cosmetics.

The couple also charged more than $195,000 to the Lowes Account. Several of the unauthorized Lowes account charges were to purchase materials and supplies to renovate their previous residence in Easton, Maryland.

Additionally, Robin and Valerie Joseph paid for airline tickets, cruises, Airbnb expenses, and hundreds of retailor gift cards using the victims’ account. The couple also used the victims’ account to pay more than $33,000 in veterinary expenses and charged various items related to their pets, including high-end bird cages for their tropical birds.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Riley who is prosecuting the federal 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.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Court Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Harrison James Miller, 32, of Hagerstown, Maryland, to 37 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Miller previously pled guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child as well as commission of a felony crime involving a minor by a registered sex offender.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Gina M. Cirincion, State’s Attorney for Washington County; and Chief Paul Kifer, Hagerstown Police Department (HPD).

According to the guilty plea, Miller was ordered to register as a sex offender after a conviction in Pennsylvania involving an 8-year-old child.  In August 2022, upon release from prison, Miller moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, but did not register as a sex offender as required by law.

Miller then gained access to two children, ages 4 and 5, and sexually abused them over a period of several months. Additionally, Miller took images of the minors which he stored in a password protected folder on his cell phone. Authorities arrested and charged Miller after one of the minors disclosed the abuse to his mother. Through a search of Miller’s phone, law enforcement uncovered the hidden images and other evidence.

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 Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc.  For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office, and HPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – After a two-day trial, a federal jury convicted Lester Massey, Jr., 42, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, of being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland announced the conviction with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to the evidence presented at trial, on August 11, 2023, ATF agents, with the assistance of PGPD officers, executed a court-ordered search-and-seizure warrant at Massey’s residence. During the search, law enforcement located and recovered 243 live rounds of ammunition throughout the apartment.

Law enforcement also found assorted gun parts — including an AR style receiver — a slide, spring, barrel, two magazines, and gun tools. The ammunition traveled in interstate commerce prior to law enforcement finding Massey in possession of it in August 2023. Massey was previously convicted of a state crime punishable by more than two years imprisonment and was aware that his conviction prohibited him from possessing firearms and ammunition. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, October 1, at 2 p.m.

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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and PGPD for their work in the investigation. U.S. Attorney Hayes thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Appleby-Rumon and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Jennifer Watkins, 48, of Marlton, New Jersey, to 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with her role as a co-conspirator in a multi-million-dollar bank fraud conspiracy. Watkins and her co-conspirators schemed to fraudulently obtain more than $35 million in Small Business Administration (SBA) loans from financial institutions that they used to purchase hotels. Judge Chasanow also ordered Watkins to pay restitution of $6,010,655.72.   

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey D. Pittano, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG) – Mid-Atlantic Region.

According to the factual stipulations in the guilty pleas of Watkins, and co-conspirators Mehul Ramesh Khatiwala, aka “Mike Khatiwala,” 43, of Voorhees, New Jersey, and Rajendra G. Parikh, 64, of Monroe, New Jersey, Khatiwala was the owner and managing member of Delaware Hotel Group LLC (DHG), and an operator of GMK Consulting LLC (GMK) and KPG Hotel Mgmt. LLC (KPG). These LLCs were hotel management and loan broker companies located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey.  Watkins served as a project coordinator for DHG and managing member of Forza Consulting LLC (Forza), a hotel consulting and loan broker company located in Marlton, New Jersey.  Parikh was an owner of KPG.  Co-defendant Rebecca Marie Cohn a/k/a Rebecca Marie Stanton, 38, was a settlement and title processor for Residential Title & Escrow Company, a real estate title company located in Owings Mills, Maryland, that offered escrow and loan-settlement services.

The guilty pleas outline how from August 2018 through February 2020, Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins conspired to obtain loan proceeds to buy and sell hotels in connection with a hotel flipping scheme. “Flipping” is a real estate investment strategy that involves purchasing property to hold for a short period before selling it to make a quick profit.  During the SBA-loan application process, the co-conspirators made and caused others to make material misrepresentations and omissions to financial institutions regarding the sellers’ identity, familial relationships between parties, and the nature and amount of the equity injected by the borrowers.  The defendants sought loans through the SBA’s Section 7(a) Program, which guaranteed and insured approximately 75-85 percent of these loans, and required that the small business owner/borrower invest a certain amount of their own money into the business to qualify for the loan.

In their guilty pleas, Khatiwala and Parikh admitted that they acted as managers or supervisors in connection with the scheme.  Additionally, Khatiwala, Parikh, and Watkins admitted that they created shell companies using co-conspirators as straw owners of the entities.  These straw owners had no actual ownership interest in the entities as Khatiwala and Parikh were the true owners.  The straw owners signed purchase contracts, operating agreements, and related documents to buy hotel properties in the name of the shell companies.

Co-conspirators then created a second company to purchase the hotels from the shell companies at substantially higher prices.  After the co-conspirators formed the companies to control both sides of the flip transaction, they solicited banks for small-business loans to finance the buying company’s purchase of the hotel from the straw companies.  The co-conspirators helped the buying companies qualify for the loans by falsely representing investors’ equity injections to the banks, among other materially false statements, misrepresentations, and omissions.  The financial institutions extending the loans relied on the false statements and misrepresentations.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FHFA-OIG and FDIC-OIG for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Evelyn L. Cusson, and Ari D. Evans, who are prosecuting the federal case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber, who provided legal support for 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.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Vincent Edison, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession of firearms by a prohibited person.  Edison led a fentanyl trafficking operation that distributed large quantities of fentanyl throughout the state of Maryland.   

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) – Washington Division; Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).

According to the guilty plea, in 2022, the DEA identified Edison, as the leader of a drug shop operating on Winchester and North Dukeland Streets in West Baltimore.  During the investigation, Edison’s drug shop sold fentanyl capsules to countless individuals, including undercover officers, daily, for 10-12 hours a day for several months. The investigation also revealed that Edison routinely sent text messages to street dealers imploring them to “open his drug shop on time,” 7 a.m. – or he would “dock” half their pay.  Law enforcement also uncovered additional text messages from Edison terminating street dealers’ employment with his drug shop and collecting proceeds from drug sales.

In addition to Edison’s Baltimore-based customers, he supplied fentanyl to buyers from distant counties.  On December 7, 2022, investigators surveilled the drug shop via closed circuit cameras.  Law enforcement observed Edison arriving at the street shop in the afternoon where he delivered a black plastic bag to one of his dealers.  Meanwhile, drug customers’ cars were parked near the drug shop.

Investigators checked the parked cars’ registrations and took note of a Chevy registered to an individual from Washington County, Maryland. The customer that owned the Chevy returned from the drug shop, got in the car, and left the area.  The DEA notified local enforcement to conduct a traffic stop on the Chevy.  When the Chevy arrived in Washington County, Maryland, law enforcement stopped and searched it, recovering 500 gel caps of fentanyl inside of a black plastic bag for a total weight 263 grams.     

As the investigation progressed, investigators identified Edison’s stash location, in Baltimore County, Maryland.  The stash location was used to prepare fentanyl for distribution.  Investigators observed Edison frequenting the stash location daily and believed that he obtained drugs that he secreted inside black plastic bags. Then Edison delivered them to his street level dealers.  

During the afternoon of December 11, investigators surveilled the stash location via a covert camera and observed Edison leave the stash location with a black plastic bag.  Edison drove to the street shop and delivered the bag to street dealers. Soon after, investigators observed an increase in drug activity at the drug shop.

Then on January 27, 2023, investigators executed search warrants for Edison’s Baltimore City residence and his Baltimore County stash location.  Edison was present when investigators searched his residence.  During the search, law enforcement recovered five firearms, including an AR style rifle; a 12-gauge shotgun; and three, loaded semi-automatic handguns.  Investigators also recovered 70 grams of fentanyl; multiple luxury jewelry items, valued at approximately $150,000; and approximately $90,805.

Additionally, investigators identified a fentanyl lab at the stash location. The lab contained hundreds of capsules, 22 Cap-M-Quick capsule fillers, a digital scale, numerous latex gloves, and paraphernalia for packaging fentanyl for distribution.  Investigators also recovered 133.28 grams of fentanyl powder from a clear bag and 400 capsules of fentanyl powder, totaling 307 grams.     

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, DPSCS, BCPD, and Washington County Sherriff’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin C. Miner who is prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Anomah Ndonwi, 32, of Chillum, Maryland, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with David Richeson, Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).

Beginning in at least September 2019, and continuing through at least December 2022, Ndonwi conspired with others to devise a scheme to obtain money through materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. The scheme involved various non-delivery schemes, including victims throughout the United States who responded to internet websites offering the sale of pets such as dogs and horses.

After exchanging messages with the supposed seller of the pet, victims paid using a wire transfer or electronic-app transfer.  Following the payments, victims never received the pet they paid for nor a refund.

Another scheme involved the non-delivery of agricultural goods, such as meat products.  Victims, often from foreign countries and representing foreign businesses, responded to an alleged sale offer, and paid for goods using an interstate or international wire communication.  After payment, the victims never received the ordered products nor a refund from the supposed seller.

Ndonwi opened U.S. bank accounts to receive the proceeds from these schemes using fraudulent identifications.  In total, Ndonwi opened at least 14 bank accounts, primarily in Maryland, using alias names.  Ndonwi opened at least 12 of the accounts with fraudulent passports purportedly from the Republic of Cameroon.  These fraudulent passports showed Ndonwi’s picture but listed an alias name.

Through this scheme, Ndonwi received at least $930,105 in proceeds from the wire-fraud conspiracy which affected 10 or more victims.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DSS for its work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Coreen Mao and Dawn Williams who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland –Zakria Hussain, 28, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, relating to the submission of fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance (UI) claims.  

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

According to the plea agreement, beginning in at least March 2021, and continuing until about August 2022, Hussain and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States, the State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and multiple individuals, including at least six identity theft victims. The co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent UI benefits claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), Maryland’s agency that is responsible for processing the claims.  As part of the conspiracy, the defendants fraudulently obtained more than $3.5 million in unemployment insurance benefits. Hussain personally participated in UI claims resulting in losses exceeding $550,000, but less than $1.5 million, and he used debit cards issued in the names of aggravated identity theft victims to obtain UI fraud funds.

Company 1, which provided professional support services to the MD-DOL to review UI claims and administer UI benefits, employed co-conspirators Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, 27, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Kiara Smith, 27, of Fort Washington, Maryland. As detailed in the plea agreement, Hussain and his co-conspirators possessed and used computers that Company 1 issued to Ruffin and Smith to access non-public UI data and databases maintained by the MD-DOL.  Ruffin and Smith then granted Hussain and his co-conspirators access to MD-DOL databases which they used to change information on existing UI claims.

This included the contact email address, online account password, and payment method for existing UI claims.  The co-conspirators furthered the scheme by using the identity theft victims’ personal identifying information (PII). They also used their access to the MD-DOL databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of fraudulent UI claims, remove fraud holds on UI claims, certify weeks for determining UI benefits, and engage in other actions to facilitate the fraudulent UI benefits payments.  During the scheme, the MD-DOL believed they were disbursing UI benefits to debit cards/accounts of UI applicants, but the accounts were allegedly opened and controlled by Hussain and his co-conspirators.

Hussain faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy and a mandatory sentence of two years, consecutive to any other imposed sentence, for aggravated identity theft.  Co-Defendants Ruffin, Smith, and Ahmed Hussain, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, aka “Oso,” already pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Co-Defendants Lawrence Nathanial Harris, 31, of Temple Hills, Maryland, aka “Manman” and “Biggbank,” and Terry Chen, 25, of Bowie, Maryland, aka “Mike Livingston” and “2Trunt Up” are awaiting trial.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Zakria Hussain’s sentencing is currently set for December 19, at 10 a.m.

The District of Maryland COVID-19 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, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  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.

For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus.  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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and the FBI for their work in the investigation and the MD-DOL for its assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Paul A. Riley, and Joseph L. Wenner, who are prosecuting the case, and recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance.

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.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Evan Strauss, 27, of Moneta, Virginia, pled guilty to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

According to the guilty plea, Strauss helped create and operate an online group known as “Purgatory.”  The group used multiple online social-media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan swatting and doxxing activities and to announce and brag about swats that they conducted.  

“Swatting” is a term used to describe a criminal incident in which an individual contacts emergency services and falsely reports an emergency, often involving an act of violence that reportedly has or will occur at a particular location to elicit an armed law enforcement response to that location.  “Doxxing” is a term used to describe the practice of — searching for and publishing on the Internet — personal, private, or identifying information about an individual with malicious intent, such as providing the information for the purpose of facilitating the swatting of the individual.

From December 10, 2023, through January 18, 2024, Strauss and his co-conspirators, including a co-conspirator who resided in Hagerstown, Maryland, and made calls from Maryland, placed swatting calls to police and other emergency response departments. One or more of the conspirators, acting with the intent to threaten, intimidate, and harass individuals and entities, falsely reported emergencies in the form of violent acts at particular locations to cause armed law enforcement responses.

Strauss and his co-conspirators often used shared scripts to plan and coordinate their conduct. They then called police departments using Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services to obscure their phone numbers and identities.

As part of the scheme, Strauss called the Newark Delaware Police Department and falsely claimed that he heard a man firing shots in a school hallway. Moments later, the Maryland co-conspirator called the department again, threatening to shoot a specific Newark High School teacher and kill students. As a result of these calls, which occurred in the middle of the school day, authorities placed the school on lockdown as police officers rushed to respond. Later the same day, Strauss and other conspirators bragged about the incident and posted images from the resulting news coverage onto their group’s social media accounts.

Strauss encouraged a Purgatory conspirator to “shut down” an airport. Following Strauss’ urging, the conspirator used a VOIP number to call the Albany Police Department in Albany, New York, stating he was going to the Albany International Airport to “shoot everybody up” and that his “friend” was going to set off bombs in the airport. Police units then rushed to respond to these threats.

Additionally, as part of this scheme, the Maryland co-conspirator called the Houston County Sheriff’s Office in Dothan, Alabama, and threatened to burn down part of a residential trailer park and kill any law enforcement officers who arrived to respond to the threat.

Strauss faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of threatening to damage or destroy by fire or explosive and a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threats.  Co-conspirators Brayden Grace, 19, of Columbus, Ohio, and Owen Jarboe, 19, of Hagerstown, Maryland, pled guilty earlier this year and are awaiting sentencing.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, November 6, at 10 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Columbus; Ohio Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department; Albany, New York Police Department; Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department; Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department; Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department; Boston, Massachusetts Police Department; Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert I. Goldaris and Patricia C. McLane who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Edwin Armando Sanchez-Montiel, 33, a citizen and national of El Salvador, pled guilty to illegally re-entering the United States following a felony conviction for accessory after the fact, murder first degree.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty pleas with Acting Field Office Director Nikita Baker, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), Baltimore Field Office.

According to court filings, Sanchez-Montiel voluntarily entered the United States around October 18, 2006, near Hidalgo, Texas, but United States Border Patrol apprehended him.  Then the United States Border Patrol served Sanchez-Montiel with a Notice to Appear before the Department of Justice Executive Office of Immigration Review.  On February 12, 2007, an immigration judge issued a decision ordering Sanchez-Montiel’s removal.  Sanchez-Montiel failed to appear, so the hearing was held in absentia.

Then on January 23, 2023, law enforcement arrested Sanchez-Montiel, charging him with Accessory After the Fact, Murder First Degree. Sanchez-Montiel pled guilty and received a sentence of five years in prison with all but 18 months suspended.

On January 29, 2024, after he served his sentence, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Sanchez-Montiel.  Then on February 9, Sanchez-Montiel was removed from the United States to El Salvador via airplane, but he voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the United States without inspection by an immigration officer on an unknown date. 

ICE officers again encountered Sanchez-Montiel in Montgomery County, Maryland, on July 27, where they took him into custody. Sanchez-Montiel did not obtain consent at any time from the Attorney General of the United States, or from the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, for readmission into the United States. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, November 26, at 10 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brooke Oki and Joel Crespo who are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment, charging four members of the Centrales Locos Salvatruchas (CLS) clique of MS-13 in Baltimore, with Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act Conspiracy.

This marks the second indictment the Office unsealed this week in connection with MS-13 RICO Act conspiracy activity. On July 15, three other MS-13 members were indicted on RICO Act conspiracy charges in connection with murdering a homeless man and drug trafficking in Prince George’s County.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the CLS indictment with Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City; Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).

According to the indictment, beginning in at least 2023, the defendants engaged in a racketeering conspiracy as members of MS-13 CLS. They committed multiple murders, engaged in drug distribution, and extorted victims.

In late November 2023, Eliseo Alexander Lopez Alvarez, 23, of El Salvador, aka “10,” “Zorro,” and “Terrible;” Olvin Josue Posas Alvarenga, 23, of Honduras, aka “Elevado;” and other CLS members used a fake Instagram account, purporting to be a female, to lure a victim to a wooded area in southeast Baltimore where they murdered the victim. Additionally, in March 2024, Kevin Cuestas, 20, of Honduras, aka “Mickey” and “Gemelo,” and another CLS member, shot and killed a victim on a southeast Baltimore street before fleeing in a getaway car. Then in April 2024, Josue Anibal Guerra Ramos, 20, of Honduras, aka “Flaco,” and another CLS member, shot two victims on a southeast Baltimore street, killing one of them. All four defendants also conspired to distribute marijuana to raise funds for CLS, and CLS members extorted individuals by threatening to use force, violence, and fear.

The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys James G. O’Donohue III and Kenneth S. Clark who are prosecuting the case, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their assistance throughout the investigation.

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).

Additionally, this operation is part of Summer Heat, the FBI’s nationwide initiative targeting violent crime during the summer months. As part of this effort, the FBI has launched a multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside state and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, we are aggressively restoring safety in our communities across the country.

Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement.  The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know.  You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Jamie Paul Taylor, 47, of Baltimore Maryland, with assaulting a federal employee. Taylor assaulted a United States Postal Service letter carrier who was engaged in performing official duties. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to the indictment, Taylor assaulted a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier with a deadly or dangerous weapon, a knife, inflicting bodily injury to the letter carrier.

On June 11, 2025, law enforcement officers responded to a stabbing in the 3100 block of Strickland Street in Baltimore.  The victim and witnesses told law enforcement that Taylor accused the victim of not being a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, announced that he was going inside his residence to get a knife, and then returned with a knife and attacked the victim. The victim sustained an injury to his finger and his elbow while he attempted to flee from the assault.  Taylor subsequently threw the knife at the postal worker before the victim and witnesses subdued him.

If convicted, Taylor faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is merely an allegation.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Rigney who is prosecuting the federal case.  

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Three men, who are alleged members and associates of the notorious gang La Mara Salvatrucha — commonly known as MS-13 — have made their initial appearance in the District of Maryland. The men are charged for their roles in a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) conspiracy, including murder and drug trafficking.

According to court documents, on July 4, 2024, Maxwell Ariel Quijano-Casco, 24, of El Salvador; Daniel Isaias Villanueva-Bautista, 19, of El Salvador; and Josue Mauricio Lainez, 21, of Hyattsville, Maryland, allegedly killed a homeless man in connection with their involvement with MS-13. Then on July 5, a passerby called 911 after discovering the deceased victim sitting in a blue 2008 Dodge Caravan parked in a used-car lot in Hyattsville, Maryland.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director Jose A. Perez, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Criminal Investigative Division; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

As outlined in court documents, upon arrival, law enforcement located the deceased victim, who appeared to have been stabbed in the neck.  Investigators arrived on scene and obtained video surveillance from a neighboring business that captured the incident.  The surveillance video shows that on July 4, at approximately 11:35 p.m., Quijano-Casco and another person approached the victim on foot. The homeless victim then wielded what appears to be a metal pole at Quijano-Casco. Then Quijano-Casco and the other person fled on foot and the homeless victim returned to the blue Dodge Caravan.

Approximately 15 minutes later, Quijano-Casco returned with co-defendants Villanueva-Bautista and Lainez, along with another person. At approximately 11:48 p.m., video surveillance shows that all four perpetrators approached the blue Dodge Caravan. Then Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, Lainez, and an unnamed person opened the van’s rear sliding driver’s side door, reached inside, and exhibited movements as if they were striking someone. The victim did not exit the blue Dodge Caravan after the attack.

“The brutal retaliatory murder of this victim is a chilling reminder of the MS-13 gang’s callous disregard for human life,” Hayes said.  “Those who assault and kill others must be brought to justice and ultimately held accountable for their actions.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland will continue to work relentlessly with our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal organizations that terrorize our communities.” 

“MS-13 is an especially brutal gang,” Galeotti said. “Instead of simply walking away from an altercation with a homeless man, defendants returned to the scene and allegedly murdered the victim while he was sitting calmly inside a vehicle. Bringing those who commit violent crime to justice is one of the highest priories for the Criminal Division, and we will continue to work to make our communities secure.” 

“The FBI and our partners are committed to using every tool available to prevent violent criminals from terrorizing the communities they live in,” Perez said. “We will not let up. We will relentlessly pursue those who engage in violent activity like murder and drug trafficking until they are held accountable.”

On August 23, PGPD arrested Quijano-Casco and Villanueva-Bautista. At the time of his arrest, Quijano-Casco possessed a black Ruger P95DC semi-automatic handgun and approximately eight grams of cocaine. Quijano-Caso and Villanueva admitted that they were present for the altercation that resulted in the homeless man’s death. Additionally, Quijano-Casco admitted to stabbing the individual but claimed he did so in self-defense.

Quijano-Casco, Villanueva-Bautista, and Lainez are all charged with RICO conspiracy, including the July 4, murder. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joel Crespo and William Moomau, along with the Department of Justice Trial Attorney Christina Taylor, who are prosecuting the federal case. 

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement.  The FBI and HSI both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know.  You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Rodney Gaines, 35, of Westminster, Maryland, today, to 23 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. A federal jury found Gaines guilty back on April 4, of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and two counts of distribution of cocaine.

Judge Abelson also found that Gaines ordered and arranged the murder of a man in Westminster, Maryland, on January 31, 2022.  The court applied sentencing guideline enhancements on the grounds that Gaines’s drug offenses involved firearms and violence or threats of violence, and that he served in a leadership role in the drug conspiracy.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr. Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Sheriff James T. DeWees, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; and Chief Thomas Ledwell, Westminster Police Department.

Evidence presented at trial included wiretaps that revealed Gaines arranged sales of cocaine to various customers.  During the recorded conversations, the cocaine was referred to in coded phrases such as “powder,” “8-balls,” “balls,” and the “sister,” among other terms.  Law enforcement also seized quantities of cocaine from Gaines’s customers after he sold to them. 

The wiretaps also showed that Gaines sold cocaine in conspiracy with numerous accomplices, including people who he directed to deliver cocaine to customers; prepared the crack cocaine by “cooking” powder cocaine into crack; and hid drugs at various locations, including burying the drugs in wooded areas around Westminster.  Near the end of the investigation, law enforcement recovered more than $250,000 in cash in apparent drug proceeds from a storage unit that another member of the conspiracy acquired.  The jury found that the conspiracy involved 280 grams or more of cocaine base, which carries a 10-year mandatory minimum to a life sentence in prison.

Additionally, the defense presented evidence at trial that proved Gaines’s activities — and the activities of his conspiracy — involved firearms, including Gaines’s efforts to acquire firearms from co-conspirators in January 2022. 

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, MSP, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Westminster Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys LaRai N. Everett and Michael C. Hanlon who prosecuted the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced James William Wilson, Jr., 78, and his wife, Maureen Ann Wilson, 77, both of Owings Mills, Maryland, to federal prison for their roles in connection with an insurance fraud scheme.

James Wilson received 12 years for 13 counts of fraud, three counts of money laundering, two counts of filing false tax returns, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Maureen Wilson was sentenced to four years for one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, four counts of mail fraud, two counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, one count of money laundering, and two counts of filing a false return.  Both were ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $18,705,520.30 and the Court entered a forfeiture order including over $14.8 million in seized funds.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation – Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the Wilsons conspired to defraud life-insurance companies by securing more than 40 life-insurance policies. The scheme included mispresenting policy applicants’ health, wealth, and existing life-insurance coverage. Total death benefits from these policies exceeded $20 million.

Additionally, James Wilson, a former Maryland life insurance broker, defrauded individual investors to receive funds that he used to pay premiums on the fraudulently obtained life-insurance policies. The Wilsons concealed the fraud by transferring the proceeds to multiple bank accounts, including accounts in the name of trusts. Then the Wilsons filed false individual income-tax returns for 2018 and 2019, which concealed the fraudulent proceeds from each year, approximately $5.7 million and $2 million, respectively.

After obtaining the policies, the Wilsons used forged signatures to make themselves, and other nominees they controlled, the owners and beneficiaries of the life insurance policies.  Maureen Wilson also impersonated other people when speaking with the life insurance companies.

The IRS-CI investigated the case, with assistance from the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Maryland Office of The Attorney General.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps and Philip Motsay and Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Richard Kelley, who prosecuted the federal case.  Ms. Hayes also thanks Trial Attorney Stephanie Williamson, from the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, who assisted with the forfeiture proceedings.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

# # #

A Maryland husband and wife were sentenced today to 12 years in prison and four years in prison, respectively, after their convictions for a scheme to commit insurance fraud.

The following is according to court documents and evidence presented at trial: James and Maureen Wilson, of Owings Mills, conspired to defraud insurance companies by obtaining over 40 life insurance policies for applicants by mispresenting their health, wealth, and existing life insurance coverage. The total death benefits from these policies exceeded $20 million. The Wilsons also conspired to defraud individual investors to obtain funds that Wilson used to pay premiums on fraudulently obtained life insurance policies.

To conceal the fraud, the Wilsons transferred the money they made from the fraud through multiple bank accounts, including accounts in the name of trusts. The Wilsons filed false individual income tax returns for 2018 and 2019, which did not report as income or pay tax on the approximately $5.7 million and $2 million, respectively, they made from the fraud.

In addition to their prison sentences, Judge Deborah K. Chasanow for the District of Maryland ordered both Wilsons to serve three years of supervised release and to pay approximately $16 million in restitution to victims of the insurance fraud scheme and $2.7 million in restitution to the United States. She also ordered the Wilsons to forfeit approximately $14.8 million in seized funds.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Maryland Insurance Administration and the Maryland Office of The Attorney General.

Trial Attorneys Shawn Noud and Richard Kelley of the Tax Division, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Phelps and Philip Motsay for the District of Maryland, and Trial Attorney Stephanie Williamson of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case. 

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Eugene Andrew DiNoto, 54, of Bel Air, Maryland, to federal prison. DiNoto received concurrent sentences of 70 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and engaging in an illegal monetary transaction and 64 months for tax evasion, followed by three years of supervise release. These charges are in connection with DiNoto’s embezzlement and kickback scheme in which he defrauded his employer of more than $29 million.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, DiNoto was a longtime employee of Company 1, a family-owned global business headquartered in New York, but with manufacturing facilities located in Belcamp and Abingdon, Maryland, both in Harford County.  Beginning in 2012, DiNoto and another employee, Elliott Kleinman, started taking advantage of their management positions at Company 1 to execute a fraudulent billing scheme. Through the scheme, they received illegal kickbacks from various drum vendors that conducted business with Company 1, which used drums to store and transport its products. 

Anthony P. Urcioli, Sr., 81, of Park Ridge, New Jersey, was the owner and president of Tunnel, Barrel & Drum Co, Inc. (TBD), located in Carlstadt, New Jersey, and of another drum supply company, Hartford Fibre Drum, Inc. (Hartford). Both companies did business with Company 1.  After TBD became a drum supplier to Company 1, DiNoto and Kleinman entered an arrangement with Urcioli that permitted TBD to continue selling drums to Company 1 if Urcioli agreed to fraudulently invoice Company 1 for more drums than TBD actually sold and delivered to the company.  Urcioli agreed to participate in the false billing scheme and split the extra money that Company 1 paid TBD for the made-up drum deliveries with DiNoto. 

From approximately January 2012 until January 31, 2020, DiNoto contacted Urcioli at least once per week to discuss the number and type of drums that he actually wanted delivered to Company 1’s Maryland facilities.  During the same conversations, DiNoto told Urcioli how many additional drums to charge, but not deliver to Company 1 from TBD, and later from Hartford.  After Urcioli created the invoices that fraudulently billed Company 1 for both delivered and undelivered drums, DiNoto approved the invoices and sent them to Company 1’s headquarters for payment. 

Urcioli also created handwritten purchase order tickets that summarized the breakdown of actual and bogus drum orders and a breakdown of how the kickback amounts were calculated.  Urcioli would put a copy of the purchase order ticket in an envelope along with DiNoto’s and Kleinman’s share of the kickback amount payable via checks from TBD and Hartford. Then he would send the envelope to their personal residences in Harford County, Maryland.

Sometimes, the invoices were not written as DiNoto instructed, so he called Urcioli to tell him to send a corrected invoice.  Occasionally, DiNoto corrected an arithmetic mistake on Urcioli’s purchase order ticket, took a photograph of the changes he made to the ticket, and then emailed the corrected ticket back to Urcioli.

Urcioli wanted to pay the kickbacks to DiNoto and Kleinman by check so the payments looked like payments to drum wholesalers and would be deductible as a cost of goods sold on TBD’s tax returns.  DiNoto told Urcioli to make his kickback checks payable to a company linked to DiNoto called “Sandpiper Enterprises.”  Kleinman advised that he wanted his kickback checks payable to a company he formed called “EDK Management, LTD.”  Urcioli agreed, and in addition to making the kickback checks drawn on TBD and Hartford accounts payable to those companies, Urcioli wrote the word “drums” on the checks to further the pretense of legitimate purchases.

DiNoto admitted that even though Sandpiper Enterprises was not engaged in any business, he maintained a commercial bank account for Sandpiper Enterprises at a local financial institution, where he deposited all the kickback checks he received.  Before accessing the criminal proceeds, DiNoto routinely transferred all or part of the money into one of the personal bank accounts he maintained at the same bank.  DiNoto then withdrew the funds from his personal account or wrote a personal check against the balance.         

Between January 2012 and January 2020, DiNoto falsely invoiced Company 1 a total of $20,300,757.  TBD and Hartford kept half of that amount while the remaining funds were sent to DiNoto and Kleinman.  DiNoto’s share of the kickbacks was approximately $7,071,106.  Over the same eight-year period, DiNoto used drum vendors other than TBD and Hartford to execute his scheme to defraud Company 1.  On behalf of the other vendors, DiNoto submitted and approved invoices totaling approximately $9,197,181, resulting in a total loss of approximately $29,497,938 to Company 1.

From 2017 through 2019, none of the $7 million plus in kickbacks DiNoto received for his role in the fraudulent billing scheme appeared as income on his tax returns, resulting in a loss to the U.S. government of approximately $1,374,694.

Kleinman was previously sentenced to 42 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release.  Urcioli was previously sentenced to time served and 12 months of supervised release. Both Kleinman and Urcioli were also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $19,300,757.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Joseph L. Wenner who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Sarah Maud Jess, 62, a Jamaican national living in Capitol Heights, Maryland, pled guilty to two counts, distributing more than 40 grams of fentanyl and re-entry of an alien removed after conviction for an aggravated felony.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to her guilty plea, Jess disseminated at least 40 grams of fentanyl in Maryland and elsewhere between at least November 2023 and October 2024. Jess distributed the fentanyl in the form of pressed fentanyl pills – round, light blue pills imprinted with “M30.” As part of the investigation, a DEA undercover (UC) agent purchased fentanyl pills from Jess. Law enforcement also seized fentanyl pills from her vehicle as she was en route to distribute to the UC and recovered additional fentanyl pills and a firearm from Jess’s residence. In total, law enforcement recovered more than 3,000 fentanyl pills, totaling more than 350 grams of fentanyl, from Jess.

During the investigation, on June 21, 2024, after coordinating with Jess via text message, the UC conducted a controlled purchase of approximately 600 fentanyl pills from Jess in a Greenbelt, Maryland restaurant parking lot for $3,600. Jess provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with pills totaling more than 65 grams of fentanyl.

Then on September 4, the UC conducted another purchase of approximately 1,000 pills from Jess for $6,000. Jess again met the UC in the Greenbelt restaurant parking lot and provided the UC with a black sock containing a clear plastic baggie with fentanyl pills comprised of more than 100 grams of fentanyl.

On September 30, Jess texted the UC asking how many pills he or she wanted to purchase. Jess agreed to sell the UC 700 pills. Then on October 2, Jess and the UC spoke and arranged to meet at a Silver Spring, Maryland mall parking lot. Law enforcement officers surveilled Jess while she drove to the mall. As Jess drove to meet the UC, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop.

Law enforcement found the pills Jess intended to sell to the UC and took her into custody. Jess provided the officers with a fake driver’s license with a fake name and an address that was not her actual residence. However, law enforcement saw her visit that address during the investigation. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement officers recovered a black sock with a clear plastic baggie inside containing approximately 700 blue pills — weighing more than 75 grams of fentanyl — that Jess intended to distribute to the UC.

Additionally, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jess’s residence. During the search, law enforcement discovered a plastic baggie containing 46 fentanyl pills — weighing more than five grams — and a handgun loaded with nine rounds of ammunition in Jess’s bedroom.

Throughout this timeframe, Jess was an alien illegally in the United States. Jess was previously convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Based on the conviction for an aggravated felony, Jess was previously removed from the United States after proceedings before an immigration judge. As part of her removal, Jess was advised that she was permanently excluded from re-entering the United States because of her prior conviction.

Jess voluntarily and unlawfully re-entered the United States without inspection or permission. She never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission.

Jess faces a mandatory minimum of five years and a maximum of 40 years in federal prison for the fentanyl charge. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for the illegal re-entry charge.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Wednesday, October 29, at 2 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the DEA, FBI, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Nicholas Potter who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed a 22-count indictment, charging Jamaican national — Charles Edwards Madden, 39, of New Carrolton, Maryland — and Michael R. Bourne, 33, of New York, New York, with conspiracy, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, operating a chop shop, sale or receipt of stolen vehicles, and trafficking in motor vehicles with altered vehicle identification numbers (VINs).

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Assistant Director in Charge Steven J. Jensen, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Washington Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to the indictment, between at least January 2020, and continuing into June 2024, Madden and Bourne engaged in a conspiracy to buy and sell vehicles that they knew were stolen from various locations across the United States.  As part of the conspiracy, Madden and Bourne altered the VINs to conceal the stolen vehicle scheme and evade law enforcement. 

Madden and Bourne combined parts from salvaged vehicles and resold them to victim purchasers in Maryland and elsewhere, concealing the prior salvage or damage status and misrepresenting their conditions to buyers.  During the conspiracy, Madden and Bourne obtained dozens of stolen vehicles collectively worth more than $1 million, many of which were transported to and altered in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

If convicted, Madden and Bourne face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud conspiracy, a maximum of 10 years for sale or receipt of stolen vehicles, and a maximum of 10 years for trafficking in motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts.  Additionally, Madden is charged with operating a chop shop located in Prince George’s County which carries a maximum of 15 years.

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy and Trial Attorneys Amy Schwartz and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein, Justice Department Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting this case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland announced the arrest of Evester Edd, 64, of Silver Spring, Maryland. Edd, a former senior human resources employee for the Peace Corps, is charged with wire fraud, theft of government funds, and making false statements to federal agents.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Inspector General Joaquin E. Ferrao, Peace Corps Office of Inspector General (Peace Corps OIG), and Acting Inspector General Joe Allen, Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of the Inspector General (FHFA-OIG).

According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint, Edd allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud the U.S. government by simultaneously working as a federal employee and federal contractor. Edd is accused of falsifying his timecards submitted to multiple federal agencies and misrepresenting the amount of work he performed for the government.  This scheme involved the use of wire communications to submit false time and attendance reports resulting in double billing for tens of thousands of dollars.

Additionally, Edd is accused of making false statements. When completing documentation for a security clearance, Edd allegedly misrepresented the nature of his ties to individuals overseas. Also, during an interview with federal agents investigating the case, Edd was allegedly dishonest about electronic accounts he created, actions he took, and money he sent to foreign nationals in exchange for explicit content.  According to the affidavit, Edd also allegedly abused his government access to computers and systems on more than 1,000 occasions to access, save, and transmit Privacy Act information and agency sensitive information. He sent protected government information via commercial email accounts to commercial email servers and his mobile devices.

This arrest is the result of a yearlong investigation led by the Peace Corps OIG in partnership with FHFA-OIG and other law enforcement partners. In November 2024, federal agents executed a search warrant for Edd’s home to recover his electronic devices.  Then in December 2024, Edd retired from federal service during the pending criminal investigation.

“Public service is a public trust, and that trust is broken when government employees falsify records or otherwise engagement in fraudulent behavior,” Hayes said. “These charges reflect the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s commitment — along with our law enforcement partners — to holding individuals accountable when they undermine the integrity of federal agencies and violate the law.  We will continue to pursue justice wherever misconduct threatens the fairness and security of our institutions.”

“The investigation and today’s arrest underscore our commitment to pursue allegations against those who would defraud U.S. taxpayers and undermine the public trust in the integrity of the federal workforce,” Ferrao said. 

“Identifying, investigating, and preventing schemes that defraud American taxpayers is a core mission of the Federal Housing Finance Agency OIG. As today’s arrest reflects, FHFA OIG works closely with our partner OIGs and the Department of Justice to ensure that allegations of fraud involving those in a position of public trust are thoroughly investigated and appropriate charges are filed,” Allen said.

Edd is facing a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for wire fraud, 10 years for theft of government property, five years for false statements to federal agents, and significant fines and restitution.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the Peace Corps OIG and FHFA-OIG for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Baldwin who is prosecuting this case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Alonzo Brown, 27, of Richmond, Virginia, to 45 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a conspiracy and scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD).  Judge Griggsby also ordered Brown to pay $310,428.08 of restitution to the victims and forfeit all money, property, and/or assets derived from the scheme, including a money judgment of $310,428.08.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington Field Office.

According to the guilty plea, from at least June 2020 through March 2021, Brown conspired with Michael Cooley, 26, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Isiah Lewis, 35, of Prince George’s County, to devise and execute a scheme to defraud individuals and multiple state workforce agencies, including in Maryland and California, of more than $800,000 in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, successfully obtaining more than $300,000.  The scheme was sophisticated and used personal identifiable information — such as name, date of birth, and social security number — from more than 60 individuals to file online UI applications in Maryland and California, using anonymous email addresses to obscure their identities and avoid detection.

Griggsby sentenced Cooley to 87 months in federal prison for his role in the scheme back in April.

This case is part of the District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force, a Strike Force that 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, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  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.

For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus.  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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Jared M. Beim, who are prosecuting this federal case, and Joanna B.N. Huber, who is supporting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Newton Ofioritse Jemide, 47, a Nigerian national extradited from France, to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain federal benefits. Jemide will also serve three years of supervised release, pay $520,431.83 of restitution, and a forfeiture money judgment was entered against him in the amount of $311,036.64. Jemide executed his part of the criminal scheme from Nigeria where he resided when he committed the offense.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS); Acting Special Agent in Charge Colleen Lawlor, Social Security Administration (SSA) Office of Inspector General – Philadelphia Field Division; and Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool, U.S. Secret Service – Washington Field Office.

As a result of the conspiracy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided emergency benefits and compensation for damages to victims affected by declared national emergency disasters, such as hurricanes and wildfires. Among other benefits, an individual in an affected area was immediately eligible for Critical Needs Assistance (CNA) to purchase life-saving or life-sustaining materials.  Victims could decide how to receive assistance payments, including deposits on pre-paid debit cards.

According to his guilty plea, in 2016 and 2017, Jemide and others from Nigeria directed co-conspirators living in the United States to purchase hundreds of Green Dot Debit Cards. Co-conspirators living in Nigeria then registered the cards with Green Dot using stolen personal information from identity theft victims around the United States.  Jemide and his co-conspirators used an encrypted messaging application and other means to communicate.

In 2017, following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria — and the California wildfires — Jemide and other co-conspirators from Nigeria used stolen personal information to apply online for FEMA and CNA benefits.  FEMA dispersed $500 per claim on the Green Dot Debit Cards that the co-conspirators purchased for a total of at least $8 million.

In addition to filing false disaster-assistance claims with FEMA, Jemide and co-conspirators also submitted false online claims for Social Security benefits, IRS tax refunds, and other government benefits using stolen identities of multiple individuals, including names, addresses, Social Security Numbers (SSN), and other personal identifiers.

As a result of fraudulent submissions, FEMA and other federal agencies deposited benefits onto the Green Dot Debit Cards.  The funds were deposited on the debit cards using multiple stolen identities, including identities different from the identities used to register the cards. Jemide and select co-conspirators informed other co-conspirators when the fraudulent funds became available on the debit cards and gave them information to cash out the funds from the cards in exchange for a commission.  Additionally, the co-conspirators took steps to conceal their identities by enlisting others to make purchases and withdrawals; utilizing multiple store and bank locations and methods of withdrawal; and making money orders payable to other individuals and/or corporate entities.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DHS OIG, SSA OIG, and the USSS for their work in the investigation and thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the U.S. Marshals Service for their valuable assistance in securing the extradition of Jemide to the United States.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Darren Gardner who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

 

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Freddie Anthony Curry, 54, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division.

In May 2024, the FBI and DEA began investigating Curry in connection with suspected fentanyl and cocaine trafficking in the Baltimore area.  During their investigation, they verified Curry’s vehicle and residence. Authorities then executed federal search warrants on Curry’s residence and vehicle. During the search, investigators recovered approximately 980 grams of fentanyl, 1,040 grams of cocaine, digital scales, drug-packaging materials, and a Glock 19 9-millimeter handgun. Curry is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior felony convictions.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

This case is part of a Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle violent drug trafficking, money laundering, and transnational criminal organizations to reduce drug-related and/or gang violence in the Baltimore metropolitan and surrounding areas.  The Baltimore Strike Force is comprised of agents and officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, the Maryland State Police, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. The prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DEA, for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who is prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Amos Oluremi Nureni, 43, of Laurel, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Evan Campanella, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).

In September 2023, HSI and the DEA began investigating Nureni in connection with suspected fentanyl trafficking.  During the investigation, law enforcement conducted two controlled purchases in which Nureni sold an undercover officer approximately 400-500 pills.

The pills were blue in color and imprinted with “M30” – mimicking the markings on legitimate pills from a manufacturer containing oxycodone hydrochloride.  As confirmed by laboratory analysis, the blue “M30” pills contained fentanyl.  In total, Nureni sold approximately 866 fentanyl pills — or nearly 100 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl — to the undercover officer.

On the morning of March 27, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Nureni’s Laurel residence.  During the search, law enforcement found a bag containing approximately 10.48 grams (98 pills) of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, and a silver Taurus pistol with an obliterated number, in Nureni’s safe.  The pistol was loaded with a 9mm round of ammunition in the chamber and a magazine containing six rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Additionally, law enforcement found a large silver and red hydraulic press; small silver hydraulic press; digital scale with white powder residue; and several bags containing approximately 6.44 grams (61 pills) of fentanyl, approximately 6.25 grams of cocaine base, approximately 0.859 grams of cocaine, approximately 3.04 grams of cocaine, approximately 3.02 grams of methamphetamine, and approximately 1.478 grams of dipentylone, in Nureni’s residence.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the DEA, and MCPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan S. McKoy and Elizabeth Wright who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen Lipton Hollander sentenced Mark Rice, 38, of Elkton, Maryland, to 30 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore, and Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP).

Rice previously pled guilty to one count of producing child sexual abuse material, one count of distributing child sexual abuse material, and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material. These charges stem from Rice sexually abusing two minors in his care while using social media to distribute and solicit child sexual abuse material.

According to his plea agreement, Rice used his position of authority to sexually abuse a minor — beginning when she was less than 3 years old — as he created photographic evidence of the abuse. He also exploited a second minor through surreptitious photography. Rice actively participated in online communities dedicated to trading child sexual abuse material. He used platforms such as Reddit, Telegram, and Kik to distribute images of his victims and obtain material depicting other children.

“Rice is a dangerous predator who is now behind bars for a long time where he can’t harm any more children,” Hayes said. “This sentence reflects the gravity of exploiting the most vulnerable members of our communities. We’re committed to working with our law-enforcement partners to aggressively prosecute those who sexually abuse children and participate in networks that perpetuate such exploitation.”

“This sentencing is a powerful reminder that those who exploit and abuse children will be relentlessly pursued and held accountable,” McCarthy said. “There is no place in society for predators who create and distribute child sexual abuse material. These crimes shatter lives, and HSI will never waver in our mission to bring justice to victims by targeting those who commit these horrific acts. We will continue to work with our partners to ensure the strongest possible consequences under the law.”

In April 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from Reddit regarding the transmission of child sexual abuse material. Authorities traced the tip to an IP address associated with Rice’s Elkton residence.

During an MSP interview, Rice denied the accusation but was observed deleting photos from his phone. When Rice showed officers his phone, investigators spotted child sexual abuse material in a thumbnail image. Through a deeper search, authorities uncovered additional material in his recently deleted folder.

Then HSI discovered more than 600 child sexual abuse material images across Rice’s devices. Investigators also found that Rice used a public Reddit community to connect with people that he traded child sexual abuse material with using encrypted messaging platforms.

This case is 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 Attorney’s 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Click the “Resources” tab on the left side of the page to learn about Internet safety education.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI and MSP for their investigative efforts and NCMEC for its valuable assistance in the case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Kelly O. Hayes has taken the oath of office — administered by Chief Judge George L. Russell III — to remain as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the District of Maryland.  Ms. Hayes was previously appointed U.S. Attorney by the United States Attorney General in February 2025, after serving as Chief of the Office’s Southern Division since 2021.

Pursuant to the Vacancy Reform Act, 28 U.S.C. § 546, the Attorney General has the authority to name a U.S. Attorney to serve on an interim basis for up to 120 days. After that time, if a successor isn’t nominated and confirmed, it falls to the district court to appoint a U.S. Attorney to serve until the confirmation of his or her successor.  The District of Maryland judges recently voted to re-appoint Ms. Hayes as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. Chief Judge Russell swore Ms. Hayes in as U.S. Attorney in front of her family, U.S. Attorney’s Office staff, the Federal Public Defender for the District of Maryland, and court personnel.

“I am honored by the confidence the district judges have placed in me to continue serving as United States Attorney in Maryland,” Hayes said. “It is a privilege to lead this great office and to work alongside such dedicated public servants committed to upholding the rule of law and seeking justice on behalf of our communities.  I look forward to continuing to zealously combat criminal activity to ensure public safety and to steadfastly represent the interests of the United States.”

Ms. Hayes joined the District of Maryland in 2013 as an Assistant United States Attorney.  She has also served as Principal Deputy Chief for the Southern Division, Deputy Chief for the Southern Division, and Deputy Appellate Chief for the District.  As Chief of the Southern Division, Ms. Hayes oversaw all criminal investigations and prosecutions in the Southern Division, including prosecutions related to MS-13, violent crime and illegal firearm possession and trafficking offenses, human trafficking, child exploitation, fraud, and illegal immigration offenses.

Raised in Montgomery County, Maryland, Ms. Hayes completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland at College Park.  She then earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Following law school, Ms. Hayes clerked for the Honorable Janis L. Sammartino in the Southern District of California.

As U.S. Attorney, Ms. Hayes has been and will continue to serve as the chief law enforcement officer for the District of Maryland.  Under Ms. Hayes’s leadership, public safety, national security, and the protection of children are top priorities for the District.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s successes under Ms. Hayes’s leadership include securing guilty pleas from a defendant who attempted to murder a witness connected to a federal investigation; a USAID employee, three executives, and two companies involved in a bribery scheme involving $550 million in government contracts; and an individual engaged in the production and distribution of child sexual abuse material.  Additionally, since Ms. Hayes became U.S. Attorney, a defendant was sentenced to more than 22 years for the kidnapping and using a firearm resulting in death during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime; and four individuals were indicted for visa and marriage fraud for facilitating sham marriages.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys will continue to work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute offenders of these and other federal crimes.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced David Godin, 34, of Miami, Florida, aka “James St Patrick,” “David Wetty,” and “Vic Pro,” to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Godin pled guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD). Judge Maddox also ordered Godin to pay a forfeiture money judgment of $1,087,345.66 and restitution of $1,137,894.56.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to the plea agreement, from June 2020 through November 2023, Godin engaged in a sophisticated scheme to defraud the MD-DOL and CA-EDD by using the personal identifiable information of identity theft victims, anonymous email addresses, virtual private networks, and proxy servers.  This enabled Godin to file numerous fraudulent unemployment insurance (UI) claims with multiple states from a single location; aggregate UI information in discrete accounts; and avoid fraud safeguards put in place by state UI insurance programs.

Godin submitted and caused the submission of at least 140 fraudulent UI claims to MD-DOL, CA-EDD, and other state workforce agencies, resulting in more than $2.3 million in UI benefits. He obtained well over $1 million through the fraud scheme. As the United States set forth in its sentencing submission, Godin used the money to buy nice things and live a life of luxury.  Godin then recorded himself with the spoils of his fraud, including stacks of cash, expensive watches, and sports cars.

The District of Maryland COVID-19 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, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  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.

For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus.  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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Jared Murphy, who prosecuted the case, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her assistance and legal support.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Travis Sentell Howell, 46, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to distributing 80 kilograms of cocaine.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division.

According to the guilty plea, beginning in fall 2022, the FBI and DEA investigated a drug trafficking conspiracy involving several individuals distributing cocaine in the Baltimore area, including Howell. During the investigation, investigators obtained court-authorized wiretaps for Howell’s phones.  Investigators intercepted telephone calls during which Howell and co-conspirators used coded language to discuss distributing cocaine, arranging meetings, and obtaining cash proceeds from the conspiracy.  Based on wiretaps and surveillance work, law enforcement observed Howell and co-conspirators conducting suspected drug transactions in various locations in Baltimore.

Investigators learned that, during the conspiracy, Howell obtained kilogram quantities of cocaine from the west coast.  After the cocaine arrived, Howell redistributed it to customers in the Baltimore area.  He paid for the cocaine by, among other things, traveling to the west coast and providing hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to couriers.

On June 4, 2024, investigators executed federal search warrants on several residences associated with suspected members of the drug trafficking organization, including a residence associated with Howell.  During the search, investigators recovered approximately $13,182 in cash, a money counter, gold Rolex watch, and other jewelry.  At the locations associated with other members of the conspiracy, investigators recovered more than five kilograms of cocaine, a pill press and pill press parts, empty glassine wrappers, gas mask, Narcan, cutting agents, digital scales, and cash.

After the execution of the search warrant, Howell acknowledged that for multiple years he received multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals in the Baltimore area.  Howell stated that during the time of the investigation, he obtained approximately 80 kilograms of cocaine and redistributed it to other individuals.  He also explained that during a trip to Los Angeles, the week before the search warrant, Howell transported $180,000 of U.S. Currency, which he provided as payment for cocaine to transport back to Baltimore for distribution.  Howell admitted that he made multiple short trips to Los Angeles, which he explained was to provide payment for cocaine and that all payments were for at least $100,000 or more.

The parties agree that if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Howell will be sentenced to nine years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for August 18.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and DEA for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins who is prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Jemel Lyles, 43, of Washington, DC, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in federal court. In his guilty plea, Lyles admitted to submitting applications for and receiving funds from six fraudulent CARES Act loans.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act — a federal law enacted in March 2020 — provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. It gives financial assistance including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and other expenses. Established by the CARES Act, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) — administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA) — along with the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), helped businesses meet their financial obligations.

According to the guilty plea, between April 2020 through February 2021, while on supervised release for a prior federal felony fraud conviction, Lyles defrauded the SBA and PPP by obtaining six fraudulent PPP loans. In the relevant applications, Lyles inflated the applicant businesses’ number of employees and monthly payroll amounts to fraudulently increase the amount of PPP funds he received. Lyles also knowingly submitted both false payroll documentation and false tax documents to support the false assertions.

Under PPP regulations, Lyles’s prior felony fraud conviction made any business in which he had a reportable ownership interest ineligible to receive PPP funds. Lyles fraudulently obscured either his ownership interest in the applicant businesses or the fact that he would be the immediate recipient and have primary control over the PPP funds to evade this legal restriction. When Lyles submitted one set of applications, he omitted his reportable interest in the applicant companies Green Capital Construction and Landscape, LLC (Green Capital) and JSL, Investments LLC.  In another set of applications, Lyles used the identity of his then friend and employee, Individual-3, to apply for PPP loans in the individual’s name. These loans were then deposited into bank accounts that Lyles was a signatory.

Then Lyles proceeded to use PPP funds in impermissible ways, some of which included expenditures involving a home gym, jewelry, child-support payments, personal retail credit accounts, food, and personal financial investments. In total, Lyles defrauded approximately $281,900 in PPP funds from the United States and PPP lenders.

Lyles faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, followed by up to five years of supervised release, for his wire fraud conviction. He also faces a minimum mandatory sentence of two years in prison for his aggravated identity theft conviction, consecutive to any other sentence. Lyles also faces up to an additional two years in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release.  U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, September 10, at 2 p.m.

The District of Maryland 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, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.  The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  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.

For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit justice.gov/coronavirus. 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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph L. Wenner who is prosecuting the federal case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md  and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #
 

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Alexis Perez Suarez, 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to knowingly and willfully violating national defense airspace. After accepting the guilty plea, Magistrate Judge Charles D. Austin sentenced Suarez to one year of supervised probation, 100 hours of community service, and a $500 fine for flying a drone over M&T Bank Stadium on January 11, 2025, during the National Football League’s Wild Card game in Baltimore.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Fie­ld Office; Special Agent in Charge Greg Thompson of the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General (DOT OIG), Mid-Atlantic Regional Office; and Colonel Roland L. Butler, Jr., Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (MSP).

According to the guilty plea, the Federal Aviation Administration put a temporary flight restriction (TFR) in place for M&T Bank Stadium during the January 11, NFL playoff game, making it a No Drone Zone. The restriction precluded flying any Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS), including an UAS under the Exception for Recreational Flyers. A TFR temporarily restricts certain aircraft, including an UAS, from operating within a three nautical mile radius of the stadium.

“Public safety is a top priority, so we’re committed to protecting our airways above mass gatherings. Suarez knew that M&T Bank Stadium was under a temporary flight restriction, yet he flew his drone into the airspace anyway, which is unacceptable,” Hayes said. “There is a zero-tolerance policy for operating Unmanned Aircraft Systems in No Drone Zones. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our partners, will hold those accountable who ignore the rules and regulations surrounding restricted airspace.”

“It is not just irresponsible and reckless, but illegal to fly a drone over a major sporting event such as a Ravens playoff game. Capturing a photo is not worth the risk of hurting any spectators, players, or employees. As shown by this investigation, the FBI and our partners will hold those caught violating the law fully accountable," Koldjeski said.

“Federal laws regulating the use of drones exist for a reason: to protect people and keep our skies safe,” Thompson said. “Flying drones illegally— especially overcrowded sporting events — is reckless and dangerous. Today’s guilty plea underscores our commitment to working with our partners to hold violators accountable and prevent potential disasters.”

Instituting a TFR is standard practice for stadiums or sporting venues hosting regular or postseason contests for the NFL, Major League Baseball, NCAA Division I, NASCAR Cup, Indy Car, and Champ Series Race.  The TFR goes into effect one hour before the scheduled start time and lasts until one hour after the end of a qualifying event.

During the wild-card game, NFL Security temporarily suspended the game due to the serious threat posed by the incursion of an unidentified and unapproved drone.  MSP Troopers and FBI Special Agents tracked the movement of the drone over the stadium and deployed to the area where the drone landed.  Although Suarez had left the scene, law enforcement identified him and traced him to his residence.

Suarez admitted that the drone was not registered, and that he lacked the required training and licensing, including a remote pilot certificate, to operate a UAS.  Suarez also admitted in his plea that he flew the drone directly over the stadium despite knowing about the flight restrictions.  According to the complaint’s affidavit, Suarez captured approximately seven photos of the Stadium while flying over the game with thousands of people below his flight path.  

There is a zero-tolerance policy regarding UAS/drone use anywhere within the FAA’s No Drone Zone. Anyone who attempts to fly a UAS/drone in any prohibited manner is subject to arrest, prosecution, fines, and/or imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, DOT OIG, and MSP for their work in the investigation, and the FAA Office of Security & Hazardous Materials Safety and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for their substantial assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert I. Goldaris who is prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland  – Today, a federal grand jury returned an indictment, charging Jack Amadeus LaSota, 34, of Fairbanks, Alaska — aka Andrea Phelps; Ann Grimes; Anne Grimes; Canaris; Julia LaSota; Ziz — with being a fugitive from justice in possession of firearms and ammunition. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

According to the indictment, LaSota possessed several firearms, including a GM6 Lynx .50 caliber rifle, a black HS Produkt, model Hellcat, 9x19mm handgun, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. At the time, LaSota was knowingly a fugitive from justice and therefore was not permitted by law to possess a firearm or ammunition.

If convicted, LaSota faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is merely an allegation.  All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, the Allegany County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Allegany County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared M. Beim who is prosecuting the federal case.  

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment, charging Jackson Traylor, 26, of Dania Beach, Florida, with one count of utilizing a telecommunications device without disclosing his identity with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

According to public filings, between July 9, 2024, and April 10, 2025, Traylor — using a series of different phone numbers — sent more than 10 Antisemitic and harassing messages to a Jewish individual who is originally from Maryland.

Messages included, “Go burn in an oven like your ancestors”, “Burn in a god damn oven . . . . Stupid jew”, and “Hey Jew, been a while since we spoke.  Let me burn you alive like your ancestors.  Hail Hitler.”

If convicted, Traylor faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its investigative efforts.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sarma who is prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Matthew Hightower, 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, pled guilty to using a firearm during and in relation to a violent crime resulting in the death Latrina Ashburne on May 27, 2016.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).

According to the plea agreement, Hightower solicited others and conspired to kill Ashburne’s neighbor — a female federal witness — in retaliation for providing information to a law enforcement officer and to prevent her from testifying against him at an official proceeding. Hightower learned that the federal witness provided law enforcement with information about his involvement in a health care fraud scheme and the murder of David Wutoh. At the time, Hightower was under federal indictment for both matters.  While incarcerated pre-trial, Hightower used jail calls and letters to communicate with others to conspire to kill the federal witness.

Ashburne, who was the next-door neighbor of the federal witness and was similar in age and appearance, was shot and killed as she entered her car outside of her home.  Davon Carter, the shooter, and Clifton Mosley, the accomplice, were previously tried and convicted for their roles in the murder plot.

Hightower faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison.  Pursuant to his plea agreement, the parties agree that if the court accepts the plea agreement, the government will recommend that the court impose a sentence of 60 years in prison to run consecutive to the sentence Hightower is currently serving for Wutoh’s murder.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HHS-OIG, FBI, ATF, BPD, and BCPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Y. Hagan and Paul E. Budlow who are prosecuting this case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Fabricio Garces-Bedoya, 53, of Ecuador, pled guilty to importing heroin into the United States.  He intended to distribute the heroin in the District of Maryland. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore.

According to the plea agreement, Garces-Bedoya served as a foreign source supplier of heroin for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based and operated in Maryland.  While in Ecuador, Garces-Bedoya assisted a DTO courier with breaking down bundles of heroin into smaller packages.  The courier then inserted the packages into his/her body and taped other packages to his/her body.

Then the courier boarded a plane ultimately bound for the United States.  After deplaning in the United States, the courier came in contact with an U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer and Narcotics K-9.  After the K-9 detected the presence of narcotics, law enforcement further inspected the courier, uncovering 584.5 grams of heroin.

Garces-Bedoya faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI for its work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stanton Lawyer and Kenneth Clark who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Court Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Rydell Washington, 37, of Salisbury, Maryland, to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), and Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Baltimore.

According to the guilty plea, on May 6, 2023, USPIS agents identified an inbound parcel, addressed to a residence in Federalsburg, Maryland, that contained suspected controlled substances.  On May 9, USPIS obtained a federal warrant for the parcel, opened it, and discovered approximately two kilograms of white powder wrapped in two, roughly equal-sized, brick-shaped packages within the shipping box.

USPIS removed one kilogram of the substance to seize as evidence and repackaged the other to conduct a controlled delivery.  Then on May 10, USPIS performed a controlled delivery to the residence. The parcel contained approximately one kilogram of cocaine, a GPS tracker, and a beacon that law enforcement placed in the parcel. Authorities identified Washington as the recipient of the package during the controlled delivery operation.  Washington now admits that he knowingly possessed at least 1002.9 grams of cocaine with the intent to distribute.  

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS and HSI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex Kalim and Patrick Rigney who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Four men, including a government contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and three owners and presidents of companies, have pleaded guilty for their roles in a decade-long bribery scheme involving at least 14 prime contracts worth over $550 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars.

• Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, who worked as a USAID contracting officer, pleaded guilty to bribery of a public official;
• Walter Barnes, 46, of Potomac, Maryland, who was the owner and president of PM Consulting Group LLC doing business as Vistant (Vistant), a certified small business under the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud;
• Darryl Britt, 64, of Myakka City, Florida, who was the owner and president of Apprio, Inc. (Apprio), a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official; and
• Paul Young, 62, of Columbia, Maryland, who was the president of a subcontractor to Vistant and Apprio, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official.

In addition, Apprio and Vistant, both of which contracted with USAID, have agreed to admit criminal liability and enter into three-year deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) in connection with criminal informations filed today in the District of Maryland. As part of these resolutions, both Apprio and Vistant admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud. The DPAs entered into with Apprio and Vistant require each company to, among other obligations, provide ongoing cooperation with and disclosures to the Justice Department, implement a compliance and ethics program, and report to Justice Department regarding remediation and implementation of these compliance measures.

“The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of American taxpayers through bribery and fraud,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Their scheme violated the public trust by corrupting the federal government’s procurement process. Anybody who cares about good and effective government should be concerned about the waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies, including USAID. Those who engage in bribery schemes to exploit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s vital economic programs for small businesses — whether individuals or corporations acting through them — will be held to account.” 

“Watson was entrusted to serve the interests of the American people — not his own — and his criminal actions for his own personal gain undermine the integrity of our public institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Public trust is a hallmark of our nation’s values, so corruption within a federal government agency is intolerable. This office, along with our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption at every level to ensure accountability and protect public trust.”

“The guilty pleas reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable all those who abuse the authority and responsibility of public service,” said Assistant Director Joe Perez of the FBI's Criminal Division. “The actions of the defendants in this scheme serve to erode public trust. The FBI is focused on rebuilding this trust and protecting American taxpayers from corruption through investigations such as these.”

“Corruption in government programs will not be tolerated. Watson abused his position of trust for personal gain while federal contractors engaged in a pay-to-play scheme,” said Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary of the USAID Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG). “USAID-OIG is firmly committed to rooting out fraud and corruption within U.S. foreign assistance programs. Today’s announcement underscores our unwavering focus on exposing criminal activity, including bribery schemes by those entrusted to faithfully award government contracts. We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice in holding accountable those who defraud American taxpayers.”    

“Watson exploited his position at USAID to line his pockets with bribes in exchange for more than $550 million in contracts. While he helped three company owners and presidents bypass the fair bidding process, he was showered with cash and lavish gifts,” said Chief Guy Ficco of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “Through its financial crime investigations, IRS-CI works to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure government funds are awarded based on merit — not corruption. In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, IRS-CI helped put an end to their greed and criminal conduct. Now, Watson and his co-conspirators will face justice.”

Overview of Bribery Scheme

According to court documents, beginning in 2013, Watson, while a USAID contracting officer, agreed with Britt to receive bribes in exchange for using Watson’s influence to award contracts to Apprio. As a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, which helps socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, Apprio could access lucrative federal contracting opportunities through set-asides and sole-source contracts exclusively available to eligible contractors without a competitive bid process.

Vistant was a subcontractor to Apprio on one of the contracts awarded through Watson’s influence. After Apprio graduated from the SBA 8(a) program and it was no longer eligible to be a prime contractor for new contracts with USAID under this program, the scheme shifted so that Vistant became the prime contractor and Apprio became the subcontractor on USAID contracts awarded through Watson’s influence between 2018 and 2022.

During the scheme, Britt and Barnes paid bribes to Watson that were often concealed by passing them through Young, who was the president of another subcontractor to Apprio and Vistant. Britt and Barnes also regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives. The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices. Watson is alleged to have received bribes valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme.

In exchange for the bribe payments, Watson influenced the award of contracts to Apprio and Vistant by manipulating the procurement process at USAID through various means, including recommending their companies to other USAID decisionmakers for non-competitive contract awards, disclosing sensitive procurement information during the competitive bidding process, providing positive performance evaluations to a government agency, and approving decisions on the contracts, such as increased funding and a security clearance.

Apprio and Vistant also agreed to resolve concurrently with the Justice Department in its separate Civil False Claims Act investigations relating to the bribery scheme.

Overview of Vistant Securities Fraud Scheme

According to court documents, in 2022, Barnes and Watson defrauded a licensed small business investment company (SBIC), in furtherance of the bribery scheme, by inducing it into executing a credit agreement with Vistant. Through the credit agreement, Barnes caused Vistant to issue stock warrants that, if exercised, would result in the SBIC having a 40% equity stake in Vistant. The credit agreement also provided for a $14 million loan to Vistant from which Barnes could pay himself a $10 million dividend. Prior to executing the credit agreement, Watson agreed at Barnes’s request to speak with the SBIC about Vistant’s performance as a government contractor on USAID contracts. When speaking with the SBIC, Watson omitted that Barnes had bribed Watson to obtain USAID contracts for years. Watson’s endorsement of Vistant thereafter induced the SBIC to enter into the credit agreement with Barnes.

Overview of Apprio Securities Fraud Scheme

According to court documents, in 2023, Apprio, acting through Britt, engaged in a scheme in which Apprio fraudulently induced a private equity firm, which had an investment pool that was licensed as a SBIC, to purchase from Apprio’s parent company a 20% equity stake in the company for $4 million and simultaneously extend it a $4 million loan secured by shares of Apprio stock. In addition to making false material representations in the stock purchase and loan agreements, Britt intentionally omitted during his negotiations the material fact that he had bribed Watson for years, which was intended to deceive and induce the private equity company into executing the agreements.

Deferred Prosecution Agreements with Apprio and Vistant

The Justice Department reached its resolution with Apprio based on several factors, including Apprio’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct, fully cooperating in the investigation and engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the Criminal Division Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP). According to court documents, Apprio agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $51,673,185; however, Apprio also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $500,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Apprio. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $500,000 in a civil settlement.

Similarly, the Justice Department reached its resolution with Vistant based on a number of factors, including Vistant’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct and cooperating with the investigation. Although Vistant’s cooperation was initially delayed and limited, Vistant began to fully cooperate thereafter. Vistant also received credit for engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the penalty calculated under the Guidelines reflects a 5% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the CEP. Vistant agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $86,407,740; however, Vistant also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $100,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Vistant. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $100,000 in a civil settlement.

Watson is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Young is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Britt is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Barnes is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 14 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The FBI, USAID-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the cases.

Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Brandon Burkart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the cases. 

Greenbelt, Maryland – Four men, including a government contracting officer for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and three owners and presidents of companies, have pleaded guilty for their roles in a decade-long bribery scheme involving at least 14 prime contracts worth more than $550 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars.

Roderick Watson, 57, of Woodstock, Maryland, who worked as a USAID contracting officer, pled guilty to bribery of a public official; Walter Barnes, 46, of Potomac, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud; Darryl Britt, 64, of Myakka City, Florida, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official; and Paul Young, 62, of Columbia, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official.

In addition, Apprio and Vistant, both of which contracted with USAID, have agreed to admit criminal liability and enter into three-year deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) in connection with criminal informations filed today in the District of Maryland. As part of these resolutions, both Apprio and Vistant admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit bribery of a public official and securities fraud. The DPAs entered into with Apprio and Vistant require each company to, among other obligations, provide ongoing cooperation with and disclosures to the Justice Department, implement a compliance and ethics program, and report to Justice Department regarding remediation and implementation of these compliance measures.

“Watson was entrusted to serve the interests of the American people – not his own – and his criminal actions for his own personal gain undermines the integrity of our public institutions,” said Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland. “Public trust is a hallmark of our nation’s values, so corruption within a federal government agency is intolerable. This office, along with our law-enforcement partners, will continue to pursue and prosecute corruption at every level to ensure accountability and protect public trust.”

“The defendants sought to enrich themselves at the expense of the American taxpayers,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  “Their scheme violated the public trust by undermining the integrity of the Federal government’s procurement process.  Anybody that cares about good and effective government should be concerned about the waste, fraud, and abuse in government agencies, including USAID.  Those who engage in bribery schemes to exploit the U.S. Small Business Administration’s vital economic programs for small businesses—whether individuals or corporations acting through them—will be held to account.” 

"The guilty verdicts reflect the FBI’s unwavering commitment to holding accountable all those who abuse the authority and responsibility of public service,” said Assistant Director Joe Perez of the FBI's Criminal Division. "The actions of the defendants in this scheme serve to erode public trust. The FBI is focused on rebuilding this trust and protecting American taxpayers from corruption through investigations such as these.”

“Corruption in government programs will not be tolerated. Watson abused his position of trust for personal gain while federal contractors engaged in a pay-to-play scheme,” said USAID OIG Acting Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Sean Bottary. “USAID OIG is firmly committed to rooting out fraud and corruption within U.S. foreign assistance programs. Today's announcement underscores our unwavering focus on exposing criminal activity, including bribery schemes by those entrusted to faithfully award government contracts. We appreciate our longstanding partnership with the Department of Justice in holding accountable those who defraud American taxpayers.”    

“Watson exploited his position at USAID to line his pockets with bribes in exchange for more than $550 million in contracts. While he helped three company owners and presidents bypass the fair bidding process, he was showered with cash and lavish gifts. Through its financial crime investigations, IRS-CI works to protect taxpayer dollars and ensure government funds are awarded based on merit—not corruption. In close coordination with our law enforcement partners, IRS-CI helped put an end to their greed and criminal conduct. Now, Watson and his co-conspirators will face justice,” said Guy Ficco, Chief, IRS Criminal Investigation.

Overview of Bribery Scheme

According to court documents, beginning in 2013, Watson, while a USAID contracting officer, agreed with Britt to receive bribes in exchange for using Watson’s influence to award contracts to Apprio. As a certified small business under the SBA 8(a) contracting program, which helps socially and economically disadvantaged businesses, Apprio could access lucrative federal contracting opportunities through set-asides and sole-source contracts exclusively available to eligible contractors without a competitive bid process.

Vistant was a subcontractor to Apprio on one of the contracts awarded through Watson’s influence. After Apprio graduated from the SBA 8(a) program and it was no longer eligible to be a prime contractor for new contracts with USAID under this program, the scheme shifted so that Vistant became the prime contractor and Apprio became the subcontractor on USAID contracts awarded through Watson’s influence between 2018 and 2022.

During the scheme, Britt and Barnes paid bribes to Watson that were often concealed by passing them through Young, who was the president of another subcontractor to Apprio and Vistant. Britt and Barnes also regularly funneled bribes to Watson, including cash, laptops, thousands of dollars in tickets to a suite at an NBA game, a country club wedding, downpayments on two residential mortgages, cellular phones, and jobs for relatives. The bribes were also often concealed through electronic bank transfers falsely listing Watson on payroll, incorporated shell companies, and false invoices. Watson is alleged to have received bribes valued at more than approximately $1 million as part of the scheme.

In exchange for the bribe payments, Watson influenced the award of contracts to Apprio and Vistant by manipulating the procurement process at USAID through various means, including recommending their companies to other USAID decisionmakers for non-competitive contract awards, disclosing sensitive procurement information during the competitive bidding process, providing positive performance evaluations to a government agency, and approving decisions on the contracts, such as increased funding and a security clearance.

Apprio and Vistant also agreed to resolve concurrently with the Justice Department in its separate Civil False Claims Act investigations relating to the bribery scheme.

Overview of Vistant Securities Fraud Scheme

According to court documents, in 2022, Barnes and Watson defrauded a licensed small business investment company (SBIC), in furtherance of the bribery scheme, by inducing it into executing a credit agreement with Vistant. Through the credit agreement, Barnes caused Vistant to issue stock warrants that, if exercised, would result in the SBIC having a 40% equity stake in Vistant. The credit agreement also provided for a $14 million loan to Vistant from which Barnes could pay himself a $10 million dividend. Prior to executing the credit agreement, Watson agreed at Barnes’s request to speak with the SBIC about Vistant’s performance as a government contractor on USAID contracts. When speaking with the SBIC, Watson omitted that Barnes had bribed Watson to obtain USAID contracts for years. Watson’s endorsement of Vistant thereafter induced the SBIC to enter into the credit agreement with Barnes.

Overview of Apprio Securities Fraud Scheme

According to court documents, in 2023, Apprio, acting through Britt, engaged in a scheme in which Apprio fraudulently induced a private equity firm, which had an investment pool that was licensed as a SBIC, to purchase from Apprio’s parent company a 20% equity stake in the company for $4 million and simultaneously extend it a $4 million loan secured by shares of Apprio stock. In addition to making false material representations in the stock purchase and loan agreements, Britt intentionally omitted during his negotiations the material fact that he had bribed Watson for years, which was intended to deceive and induce the private equity company into executing the agreements.

Deferred Prosecution Agreements with Apprio and Vistant

The Justice Department reached its resolution with Apprio based on several factors, including Apprio’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct, fully cooperating in the investigation and engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 10% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the Criminal Division Corporate Enforcement and Voluntary Self-Disclosure Policy (CEP). According to court documents, Apprio agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $51,673,185; however, Apprio also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $500,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Apprio. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $500,000 in a civil settlement.

Similarly, the Justice Department reached its resolution with Vistant based on a number of factors, including Vistant’s credit for clearly accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct and cooperating with the investigation. Although Vistant’s cooperation was initially delayed and limited, Vistant began to fully cooperate thereafter. Vistant also received credit for engaging in timely remedial measures. Based on these factors, the penalty calculated under the Guidelines reflects a 5% reduction off the bottom of the applicable Guidelines fine range pursuant to the CEP. Vistant agreed that the appropriate criminal penalty based on the law and facts in its case is $86,407,740; however, Vistant also met its burden of establishing an inability to pay the criminal penalty sought. Based on the Justice Department’s independent analysis, it determined that paying a criminal penalty and civil settlement greater than $100,000 would substantially threaten the continued viability of Vistant. Accordingly, the Justice Department determined that the appropriate resolution of this case is a DPA and a payment of $100,000 in a civil settlement.

Watson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 6.  Young faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 3.  Britt faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for July 28.  Barnes faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, USAID OIG, and IRS-CI who are investigating this case.

Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Kibbe and Trial Attorneys Matt Kahn and Brandon Burkart, Department of Justice, Criminal Division Fraud Section, who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Brayden Grace, 19, of Columbus, Ohio, pled guilty to conspiracy, cyberstalking, interstate threatening communications, and threats to damage or destroy by means of fire and explosives. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

According to the guilty plea, Grace helped create an online group known as “Purgatory.”  The group used multiple online social-media platforms, including Telegram and Instagram, to coordinate and plan swatting and doxxing activities and to announce and brag about swats that they conducted.  

“Grace and his co-conspirators threatened and terrorized others throughout the country, and then bragged about it online.  Make no mistake: swatting and doxxing are not pranks—they are dangerous and illegal acts that put lives at risk and drain critical law enforcement resources,” Hayes said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to relentlessly pursuing those who seek to gain notoriety by abusing our emergency services and striking fear in others. Such unlawful actions will not be tolerated.”

“Brayden Grace admitted he engaged in swatting and doxxing to strike out at perceived rivals, gain online notoriety, attempt to make money, and for enjoyment. May his guilty plea make clear that the FBI and our partners take these threats seriously,” Koldjeski said. “Together, we will make sure offenders do not remain anonymous and face justice for their crimes which drain vital public safety resources, cause undue fear, and put innocent lives at risk.”

“Swatting” is a term used to describe or refer to a criminal incident in which an individual contacts emergency services and falsely reports an emergency, often involving an act of violence that reportedly has or will occur at a particular location to elicit an armed law enforcement response to that location.  “Doxxing” is a term used to describe the practice of searching for and publishing on the Internet personal, private, or identifying information about an individual with malicious intent, such as providing the information for the purpose of swatting the individual.

From December 10, 2023, through January 18, 2024, Grace and his co-conspirators placed swatting calls to police and other emergency departments. One or more of the conspirators falsely reported an emergency in the form of a violent act at a particular location to cause an armed law enforcement response with the intent to threaten, intimidate, and harass individuals and entities.

Grace and his co-conspirators often used shared scripts to plan and coordinate their conduct and used Voice over Internet Protocol services to obscure their phone numbers and identities.

As part of this scheme, the co-conspirators called the Houston County Sheriff’s Office (Dothan, Alabama). The co-conspirators threatened to burn down part of a residential trailer park and kill any law-enforcement officers who arrived to respond to the threat.

Additionally, as part of the scheme, a Purgatory conspirator called the Newark Delaware Police Department falsely claiming that he heard a man firing shots in a Newark High School hallway. Moments later, a conspirator called the department again, threatening to shoot a specific Newark High School teacher and to kill unnamed students. As a result of this call, which occurred in the middle of the school day, authorities placed the school on lockdown and police officers responded to the scene. Later the same day, Grace agreed to post content from the incident, including images from news coverage of the incident, onto the group’s social media accounts.

Grace also posted the address of the Hollywood Casino in Columbus, Ohio, the non-emergency telephone number for Columbus Police Department, and the name of a specific doxxing victim. Purgatory conspirators called the Columbus Police Department that day and threatened to “start shooting,” “kill everyone here,” and blow up the Hollywood Casino.

Additionally, Purgatory conspirators called the Albany Police Department (Albany, New York), threatening the use of firearms and explosives at the airport.  Police units then rushed to respond to the threats.  On the same day, Grace bragged on a Purgatory group website about the group threatening the airport.

Grace faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count of threatening to damage or destroy by fire or explosive and a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for conspiracy, cyberstalking, and interstate threats. 

Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, August 14, at 10 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation.  Additionally, Ms. Hayes praised the Joint Terrorism Task Force, Columbus; Ohio Police Department; Newark, Delaware Police Department; Lenoir City, Tennessee Police Department; Albany, New York Police Department; Albany County, New York Sheriff’s Office; Fairburn City, Georgia Police Department; Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Police Department; Giles County, Virginia Sheriff’s Office; Blue Springs, Missouri Police Department; Tarboro, North Carolina Police Department; Boston, Massachusetts Police Department; Dodge County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office; Houston County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI’s Mobile, Richmond, Boston, Charlotte, and Cincinnati Field Offices for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert I. Goldaris and Patricia C. McLane who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland unsealed an indictment charging James Carroll Erny Jr., 54, of Glen Arm, Maryland, with paying more than $10,000 in bribes to Joseph Gillespie, a former Baltimore City Department of Finance, Revenue Collections, employee.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office. 

As alleged in the indictment, from about August 2021 through September 2023, Erny paid Gillespie at least $10,000 in bribes in exchange for Gillespie extinguishing various financial obligations he owed to Baltimore City. The debt was in connection with various properties Erny owned, including unpaid water bills.

On February 20, 2025, U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Gillespie to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with his role in the bribery scheme, along with an unrelated fraud scheme. According to his plea agreement, beginning in 2016, and continuing into 2023, Gillespie engaged in a bribery scheme. Through the scheme, Gillespie abused his position of trust as a public official within the Baltimore City Department of Finance for personal gain.

As an employee of the Department of Finance’s Revenue Collections, Gillespie routinely accepted bribes from various property owners in Baltimore City. These property owners were subject to financial obligations with Baltimore City, and if these debts remained unpaid, the property became subject to a tax sale. 

Gillespie accepted these bribes — typically 10-15 percent of the amount owed to the City — in exchange for removing or extinguishing these financial obligations, including for citations, tax, and water obligations, which caused losses for the City.  He also accepted bribes in exchange for delaying or postponing due dates — without approval or permission from other City officials — for payments owed to the City. By adjusting payment due dates, this prevented the City from placing liens on these properties.

Once Gillespie received bribe payments, he then extinguished the financial obligation owed by marking it as paid in the City’s online records.  After removing the obligation, Gillespie sometimes sent a photograph of a cashier slip reflecting that the City received payment toward the financial obligation when, in fact, no such payment was made.

The bribery scheme continued for years, and Gillespie admitted that he enlisted the help of multiple co-conspirators.  According to the plea agreement, Gillespie received more than $250,000 in connection with the bribery scheme and caused losses to the City in excess of $1.25 million.

Erny faces one charge of Bribery in connection with his role in the bribery scheme.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.  An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and the Baltimore County Police Department for its valuable assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Evelyn L. Cusson who are prosecuting the federal 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.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Today, Zebedee Alexander Johnson, 35, of Clinton, Maryland, pled guilty to the armed robbery of a Clinton convenience store.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to the guilty plea, on April 29, 2022, Johnson and four others traveled to a Clinton convenience store, where they pointed a firearm at a store employee and ordered him to lie down.  They then used a circular saw to break open the store’s ATM and take trays containing approximately $35,020 in U.S. currency.  At the time of the armed robbery, Johnson was on federal supervised release in connection with a 2018 conviction for a drug-distribution offense. Johnson admitted that he violated the supervised-release terms, which prohibits committing any new crimes, by committing the armed robbery.

Johnson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years and a maximum of life in federal prison, followed by up to five years of supervised release, for this offense.  He also faces a maximum sentence of two years for violating his supervised release.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang scheduled sentencing for September 4, at 9:30 a.m.

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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal and William Moomau who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, Chief United States District Court Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Malik Thompson, 23, of Baltimore, Maryland, to eight years and one month in federal prison for his role in the attempted armed robbery of a family-owned restaurant, which resulted in the death of his co-conspirator. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to one count of attempted interference with commerce by violence – the Hobbs Act robbery.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

Thompson and two co-conspirators targeted employees of a family-owned restaurant after discovering that they regularly transported the business's cash to their North Baltimore residence. Instead of robbing the restaurant directly, the conspirators planned to ambush the family at their home when they arrived with the day’s profits.

On the evening of August 10, 2020, Thompson and his accomplices executed their plan, waiting near the family's residence. When the family returned home, one of Thompson's co-conspirators brandished a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, confronted the victims, and demanded their money. After the family members resisted, the armed accomplice fired his weapon, striking one victim in the leg.

The wounded victim, acting in self-defense, drew his personal firearm and returned fire, fatally wounding the armed robber. Thompson and the second accomplice immediately fled the scene by vehicle, abandoning their wounded co-conspirator who died from his injuries hours later.

Following the incident, Thompson fled to an Owings Mills residence. Federal and local investigators conducted a thorough investigation of the crime scene, recovering crucial physical evidence, including a shoe that fell off as the perpetrators fled.

DNA analysis of the recovered shoe matched Thompson's DNA profile, directly linking him to the crime scene. Additional evidence gathered during the investigation included cell-site location data and text-message records that further corroborated Thompson's participation in the conspiracy and attempted armed robbery.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BPD for their investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Justin Riggs, 35, of Smithsburg, Maryland, to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for Conspiracy to Distribute and Conspiracy to Possess with the Intent to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, Use of a Communication Facility in Causing or Facilitating the Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Dangerous Substances, and Travel Act-State of Maryland Bribery.   

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, in December 2022, Riggs — who was serving as a Maryland State Trooper — was assigned to a group within the Maryland State Police (MSP) investigating drug and gun trafficking in Western Maryland.  The MSP group used at least one confidential human source during the investigation.  On December 19, Riggs created a fictitious Facebook account to contact a drug-distributor target.  While corresponding with the drug distributor, Riggs informed the drug distributor that he worked “for a fed agency.”  Riggs also told the drug distributor that he had “tons more info pertaining to your biggest informant.”  The former Maryland state trooper initiated several electronic conversations with the drug distributor between 2022 and 2023, attempting to sell the informant’s identity.

On December 21, Riggs stated among other things:

“Theres a big case man. I’m not reaching out because I care what you’re in to or not in to. you don’t have to play innocent to me. IDC about that. I’m just trying to get paid. But there’s a big case that’s going on. Im here to work with you. I gave you some free info to prove my worth. Once you find the tracker and see I’m legit then let's talk about the other info I have.”

“That’s why I need money for the info. I know what’ll happen to the rat. You may not have the money but your club does. And this case is going to hurt alot of members. But anyway. Just holler when you want to move forward man.”

Then on December 22, Riggs continued conversing with the drug distributor. The drug distributor told Riggs that he was no longer going to participate in drug trafficking, to which Riggs responded in part:

“…So listen, if you’re getting out or want nothing to do with what I can offer, is there anybody trustworthy in your club that would have interest in my services? Info for money exchange type of thing?”

“I could be willing to give you some more info now for forwarding my services to someone that could use it.”

On December 26, Riggs asked the drug distributor if he removed the tracker from his truck.  Riggs then offered additional help to the drug distributor.  During the correspondence, Riggs said:

“Did you pull the tracker off? I can help you by telling you how deep the investigation is. How to make it go away, who your snitch is that’s setting y’all up, and when your phone will be tapped…”

“Gotchya. Yah it will send an alert once removed. I think they’re going to try to put another one of this week. I can’t communicate with you once the wire tap starts. That’s why I’m going offline tomorrow. But like I said I can help you. By telling you the snitch. Once he’s gone then you’re case should be gone because he won't be able to testify against you”

On January 2, 2023, Riggs began negotiating a price with the drug distributor for the information which continued through January 3. During a latter part of the conversation, Riggs stated:

“If you make the 1500 drop then I’ll just give ya the rest of the info and you can make the 300 drop.”  Then later, “Every buy he’s done hasbeen recorded. The audio conversations have been recorded. But he plans on testifying on ya…”

Then on January 5, Person 1 picked up the $1,500 on behalf of Riggs at an agreed upon location in Western Maryland. Riggs later confirmed with the drug distributor that he received the money.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and MSP for their work in the investigation and ATF and HSI for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney who prosecuted the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Baltimore, Maryland – Terry Allen, 57, of Rosedale, Maryland, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Health and Human Services-Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) – Philadelphia Regional Office; and Chief Robert O. McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD).

According to the guilty plea, in 2022, during an investigation into a target, the FBI discovered that the target paid Allen more than $270,000.  Agents later learned that Allen was supplying the FBI target with diverted prescription drugs. As a result, the FBI partnered with the DEA and identified Allen as the leader of a Baltimore-region drug trafficking organization (DTO).  Agents soon learned that from 2022 to 2023, Allen’s DTO flooded the Baltimore community with thousands of diverted oxycodone pills.

The DTO’s members deployed a vast network of pseudo-patients to acquire diverted oxycodone pills.  Pseudo patients are individuals recruited by drug traffickers to enter “pill-mill” clinics with fictitious complaints of pain to receive prescriptions for Schedule II controlled substances.  As part of the conspiracy, pseudo-patients gave their oxycodone prescriptions to DTO members in exchange for cash payments or oxycodone.

In February 2023, law enforcement received court authorization to intercept phone calls and text messages from numerous DTO members’ cellular phones.  Intercepted calls revealed that Allen was distributing vast quantities of oxycodone.

On these calls, Allen openly discussed the large quantity of drugs she possessed for redistribution. She acquired her vast supply of oxycodone from her large pseudo-patient network.  Intercepted calls revealed how Allen and her top oxycodone supplier, Co-Conspirator 1, collaborated to manage the pseudo-patients.  Co-Conspirator 1 managed 12 pseudo-patients to acquire oxycodone, which Co-Conspirator 1 then resold to Allen.  During their intercepted calls, Allen and Co-Conspirator 1 discussed inventory; transferred pseudo-patients to pill-mill clinics that would easily refill oxycodone prescriptions or give higher dosages; and arranged for pseudo-patients to pass urine screenings.

Additionally, through the investigation, law enforcement uncovered Allen’s money laundering.  A review of Allen’s bank records revealed she received and spent more than $2 million from 2017 to 2023.  Agents traced Allen’s drug transactions through peer-to-peer applications such as Zelle and Cash App.

In May 2023, agents obtained more than 30 search warrants for residences, vehicles, and persons involved in the investigation.  On May 31, agents searched Allen’s residence, located in Rosedale, Maryland.  As law enforcement searched Allen’s house, she agreed to speak with FBI agents in a separate room. Allen then admitted to using pseudo-patients to acquire oxycodone that she redistributed on the street.

During the search, agents found approximately $39,380; drug ledgers; a calendar with annotations regarding medical appointments for pseudo-patients; distribution quantity of oxycodone pills, suboxone strips, and Adderall pills; a Glock 19 9mm handgun; and a Remington 12-gauge shotgun.  The money and firearms were connected to Allen’s drug trafficking activities.

Authorities arrested Allen, but after her bail hearing, she was released on home detention. In August 2023, while on home detention, law enforcement learned that Allen was distributing oxycodone.  On September 13, law enforcement searched her home and found two pseudo-patients’ prescription-pill bottles, containing 200 oxycodone 20MG pills.

During the investigation, agents obtained Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) records for all of the DTO’s pseudo-patients’ oxycodone prescriptions.  According to PDMP records, members of the conspiracy illegally re-distributed at least 3,000 kilograms of converted drug weight worth of oxycodone.

Through the conspiracy, Allen sold approximately 4,454 pills, containing 30 milligrams of oxycodone for $45 per pill; approximately 12,835 pills, containing 20 milligrams of oxycodone for $30 per pill; approximately 6,749 pills, containing 15 milligrams of oxycodone for $20 per pill; and approximately 770 pills, containing 30 milligrams of Adderall for $20 per pill.  Allen received approximately $735,860 from selling the pills. In addition to using her residence in Rosedale to distribute drugs, Allen leveraged the proceeds from her drug trafficking activities to pay the mortgage for the property.

Allen faces a maximum of 40 years in prison followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and money laundering. Sentencing is scheduled for August 26, at 10:00 a.m.

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation.  OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, DEA, HHS-OIG, and BCPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin C. Miner and Ari D. Evans who are prosecuting the federal case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #

Greenbelt, Maryland – Two Prince George’s County men have pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with an auto-insurance fraud scheme. Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., 36, of Accokeek, Maryland pled guilty to falsification of records, and Jaron Earl Taylor, 31, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty pleas with Acting Special Agent in Charge Amanda M. Koldjeski, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to the guilty pleas, between August 2018 and February 2020, Owen and Taylor, who were PGPD and Anne Arundel County Policy Department officers, respectively, at the time, conspired with fellow police officers to engage in mail and wire fraud. Owen and Taylor, along with officers Candace Tyler, Conrad D’Haiti, and Davion Percy, and others, devised a scheme for insurance companies to pay out the remaining financing costs of unwanted vehicles. 

Members of the conspiracy reported fictitious losses to insurers to obtain money or avoid paying off vehicles that were now worth less than the amount owed on them. The co-conspirators used their statuses as police officers to assist each other’s claims by writing false police reports. Then co-conspirators submitted fictitious police reports to insurers to validate the claim. The false police reports were intended to impede, obstruct, or influence subsequent investigations of the false insurance claims.

In August 2018, Owen and Taylor staged the theft of Taylor’s Chevrolet Tahoe. After Taylor filed a fraudulent police report, Owen and Taylor stripped the vehicle and drove it deep into the woods of a Maryland State Highway property near Largo, Maryland. Taylor then made a false claim to the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) for the loss, for which USAA paid out a total of $38,670.

Then in January 2020, Owen assisted D’Haiti in avoiding payment on the loan balance of a Jaguar XKR. In cooperation with D’Haiti and Percy, Owen devised a scheme to fake the vehicle’s theft. On January 4, D’Haiti parked his Jaguar behind Marlow Heights Shopping Center where Percy worked as police chief.

D’Haiti then paid Percy $350 to arrange for another co-conspirator to tow the vehicle and extensively vandalize it for the purpose of creating a total insurance loss. Tyler subsequently filed the fictitious police report which D’Haiti used to substantiate his claim against Liberty Mutual Insurance. In February 2020, Liberty Mutual paid the Jaguar’s lienholder, Navy Federal Credit Union, $17,585, on the false claim.

Additionally, in January 2020, Owen and Taylor assisted with disposing of an Infiniti sedan to help a co-conspirator avoid making further payments on the vehicle while on extended overseas duty.  The co-conspirator gave Taylor $1,000 via CashApp to stage the theft. Taylor then forwarded the money to Owen who filed a false police report with PGPD, stating the vehicle was stolen.

In reality, Owen, Taylor, and others moved the car to the top floor of a Camp Springs, Maryland apartment-complex parking garage.  The co-conspirators attempted to conceal the car’s identity by removing the vehicle’s license plates and replacing them with different ones registered to another vehicle. Then the owner and co-conspirator filed a claim with GEICO that was eventually denied on grounds of fraud.

Owen faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.  Taylor faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison if the court fully accepts the plea deal. Both sentencings are scheduled for Tuesday, September 23. Taylor’s sentencing is at 10:30 a.m., and Owen’s sentencing is at 2:30 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and LaShanta Harris who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md  and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

# # #