District of Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court for committing child sex abuse crimes.

U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Mark Travis Brigham, 37, of Mount Airy, to 25 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexually exploiting a child and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Brigham pled guilty to the charges in June 2026.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Sheriff Charles A. Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; and J. Charles Smith III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County.

According to court documents, between September 2023 and August 2024, Brigham persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minor females, between 13 and 14 years old, to engage in sexually explicit conduct. He used his cellphone to produce multiple sexually explicit images of the victims. Brigham also placed a hidden camera in a bathroom and secretly recorded adults and minors showering and using the toilet. 

On August 6, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at Brigham’s Mount Airy residence. During the search, law enforcement seized a tablet, digital camera with a SD card, and two cellphones, along with 35 firearms, ammunition, and a magazine. Investigators then examined the devices and uncovered the CSAM files.

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

Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters. Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and State’s Attorney’s Office for Frederick County, for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandria A. Bell and Paul E. Budlow 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A former federal senior official, who pled guilty to theft charges, received a federal sentence, today, in connection with a timecard scheme. 

Chief Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Sullivan sentenced Evester Edd, 64, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to two years of supervised probation, including three months of home confinement on electronic monitoring, for theft of government property. Additionally, Judge Sullivan ordered Edd, a former Peace Corps (PC) senior human resources employee, to pay $20,758.50 of restitution and perform 250 hours of community service.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Inspector General Joaquin E. Ferrao, Peace Corps Office of Inspector General (Peace Corps OIG); James Hodge, Acting Principal Deputy Inspector General, performing the duties of Inspector General,Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG); and Inspector General Robert J. Feitel, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Office of the Inspector General (NRC OIG). This prosecution supports the objectives of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

According to court documents, Edd worked daily from his duty station at PC headquarters in Washington, D.C., or an alternate site, as the agency also allowed teleworking. Beginning in September 2024, and continuing through November 2024, Edd falsely recorded work hours that he did not work in PC’s time-and-attendance system. During this time frame, Edd submitted his time and attendance sheet electronically from his alternative telework duty station. The false entries resulted in PC paying Edd for hours he did not work.

After NRC OIG’s Cyber Crimes Unit investigators analyzed Edd’s NRC-issued laptop for the specified timeframe, they found that on nearly a daily basis, Edd signed on from his residence to work for the NRC during his PC work hours. Additionally, on nine of the days that he worked as a contractor, Edd, remotely signed into the NRC network but did work for the NRC while sitting in his workspace at PC headquarters during the PC workday.

Investigators also determined that Edd sent numerous government documents from the agencies’ accounts to his personal AOL email account. Many documents were related to employment actions and included personally identifiable information (PII), along with other confidential details.

When law enforcement executed a search warrant on Edd’s Silver Spring residence, investigators searched his electronic media. During the search, investigators identified a thumb drive that contained government documents, including documents containing federal employees’ PII. The documents on the thumb drive dated back to Edd’s previous periods of federal employment from at least the 1990s. In December 2024, Edd retired from federal service during the pending criminal investigation.

This prosecution is the result of a yearslong investigation led by the Peace Corps OIG in partnership with FHFA-OIG, NRC OIG, and other law enforcement partners. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the Peace Corps OIG, FHFA-OIG, and NRC OIG for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Baldwin who prosecuted 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a West Virginia man on multiple charges in connection with robbing banks in Maryland.

Jordon Larine Redfern, 30, of Martinsburg, is charged with bank robbery, carjacking, attempted armed bank robbery, and armed bank robbery.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment, today, with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.

According to the four-count indictment, on May 29, 2026, Redfern robbed a Windsor Mill, Maryland, bank, taking approximately $6,300 in cash. Two days later, on May 31, Redfern carjacked a luxury vehicle in Washington County, Maryland. Then on June 1, Redfern attempted to commit an armed robbery of a bank in Baltimore, and then later committed an armed robbery of a second bank in Baltimore, stealing approximately $41,590 in cash. 

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

If convicted, Redfern faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for armed bank robbery and a maximum of 15 years for carjacking.  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. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation, along with the Baltimore County Police Department; Baltimore Police Department; Berkeley County, WV, Sheriff's Office; Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; Washington County Sheriff's Office; Maryland Transportation Authority Police; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Higgins and Paul E. Budlow 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, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Two Baltimore men are facing indictment, today, stemming from a federal drug-trafficking takedown operation.

Charles “Bok” Byers, 48, and Darryl “DJ” Hairston, Jr., 48, who operated a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) in Baltimore, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession of firearms and ammunition by a prohibited person; and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime in connection with the takedown. Byers and Hairston are also charged with illegally possessing three loaded firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Both co-conspirators are prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to prior convictions.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); Sheriff Sam Cogen, Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS). 

According to the indictment, law enforcement found that Byers and Hairston possessed and conspired to traffic 400 grams or more of a substance or mixture containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, along with a substance or mixture containing a detectable amount of cocaine base (“crack” cocaine). Court documents state that beginning in May 2026, investigators observed Byers consistently purchasing large quantities of cutting agents, such as quinine and mannitol, along with drug-packaging materials, from a Baltimore County store. The investigation revealed that this usually indicated that the DTO had recently received a bulk supply of narcotics. 

Then investigators observed Byers taking the drugs and supplies to a Northeast Baltimore stash house for processing.  Byers and/or Hairston then transported the processed drugs to different locations, often including an open-air street shop, that Hairston oversaw, on Druid Hill Avenue in West Baltimore. 

After bringing the narcotics to the street shop, the co-conspirators allegedly put the drugs in a secondary indoor stash location or at an outdoor ground stash for his subordinates, who were teenagers, to distribute.  During the investigation, agents observed adolescent males conducting hand-to-hand transactions at the street shop.  Shortly after law enforcement identified the Druid Hill street shop, an undercover agent began conducting controlled purchases of larger quantities of drugs from Hairston directly. 

Later, state and local law enforcement executed search warrants at stash locations in July and August, respectively. Then on Sept. 22, agents executed federal arrest and search warrants for multiple locations and vehicles linked to Byers, Hairston, and other DTO members. When law enforcement executed the arrest warrants, the co-conspirators immediately began smashing all cell phones in their possession. 

Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement recovered thousands of gel capsules of confirmed and suspected fentanyl, multiple kilograms of powdered confirmed and suspected fentanyl, confirmed and suspected crack cocaine, and confirmed and suspected powder cocaine, along with several firearms. Agents also found bags of suspected fentanyl marked “East Side” and “West Side” at a stash location searched on Sept. 22.

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

If convicted, Byers and Hairston face a minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for both the conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and the possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, as well as a minimum of five years and a maximum of life for possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Byers and Hairston are also facing a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. 

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

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, ATF, FBI, BPD, BCSO, DPSCS, and BCPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Natural Resources Police and Howard County Police Department, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander Levin and Ty Pittinger who are prosecuting this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that six individuals face indictment stemming from a federal drug trafficking organization (DTO) investigation. 

George Robinson, 58, of Baltimore; Shane Green, 50, of Baltimore; Shawn Hearn, 53, of Baltimore; Cori Grant, 47, of Baltimore; Vanessa Dancy, 59, of Baltimore; and Angela Pugh-Smith, 61, of Dayton, Ohio, are charged with drug-trafficking crimes in connection with the federal investigation. The co-conspirators are all charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances while some of them face additional charges.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to the indictment, Robinson is also charged with three counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Additionally, Grant, Green, Hearn, and Pugh-Smith are each charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. 

As revealed in court documents, in September 2025, the DEA began investigating the DTO after it learned about Robinson’s reputation as a well-known, large-scale drug supplier in Baltimore.  Confidential sources informed law enforcement that Robinson owned numerous legitimate businesses that he used to launder money. Additionally, the confidential sources estimated Robinson obtained between 50 to 150 kilograms of cocaine at a time.  One source also believed Robinson possessed heroin and/or fentanyl.

Then during the investigation, law enforcement observed that between October 2025 and May 2026, on six different occasions, Robinson received large drug shipments concealed inside steel structures. The steel structures were packed in crates that were loaded on flatbed trailers and delivered to two warehouses in Baltimore. Robinson then allegedly unloaded the drugs and concealed them inside these warehouses. Law enforcement also discovered that Robinson stored drug proceeds inside the crates and steel structures, loaded them onto flatbed trailers, and then shipped them to his drug supplier. 

On May 6, law enforcement executed search warrants at Robinson’s residence, warehouses, laundromat, and other locations associated with DTO members. During the search, investigators seized more than 140 kilograms of cocaine; approximately 10 kilograms of fentanyl; smaller amounts of a variety of drugs; approximately $1.3 million; firearms; drug-packing paraphernalia; and dozens of cellular devices.

If convicted, the co-conspirators face a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison for all counts charged in the indictment. 

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. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, USMS, and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Baltimore County Police Department and Washington County Sheriff’s Office, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Sippel, Jr., and Calvin Miner who are prosecuting this 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. 

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Maryland man, today, for sexually exploiting minor victims living in South America. 

U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced William Foster Alger, 76, of Hagerstown, to 138 months in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for coercion and enticement of a child. Alger pled guilty to the child sex-abuse charges in March 2026. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Paul Joey Kifer, Chief of Police of the Hagerstown Police Department (HPD); and Gina Cirincion, State’s Attorney for Washington County. 

According to court documents, between November 2023 and December 2024, Alger used mobile phones and online applications to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce three minor victims to engage in sexual activity. Alger paid the victims’ mothers, through Western Union payments, to send him images of the minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The victims, who were ages 6 to 16 at the time of the exploitation, lived in Ecuador where Alger traveled to frequently. He eventually purchased land in Ecuador and built a residence. Alger’s iCloud account included numerous photos of him at his Ecuador residence with minor victims and their mothers.

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, 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.

Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters.  Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, HPD, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court to charges stemming from his role as a drug trafficker.

Kanye Green, 23, admitted to possession of a firearm and ammunition by the respondent of a domestic violence protective order 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 guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to court documents, on October 28, 2025, as BPD officers conducted proactive enforcement in Northwest Baltimore, they observed Green standing on a corner. Officers noticed Green’s jacket seemed to bulge out, indicating that he possessed a heavy object consistent with a firearm. 

Then officers approached Green and asked him if he possessed a firearm. Green then lifted his shirt and replied “no,” but stated he had weed on him. As Green removed the packet of marijuana from his clothing, an officer observed the handle of a firearm inside of his jacket. Then officers patted Green down and located a handgun in his jacket pocket. 

Officers then arrested Green and subsequently recovered several vials of a controlled substance from his person. Further testing revealed the substance was cocaine and cocaine base.

Additionally, at the time of the arrest, Green was the respondent of a final order of protection for a domestic violence order by the District Court for Baltimore County which prohibited him from possessing firearms and ammunition during the duration of the order.

Green faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. He is also facing a maximum of 15 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  U.S. District Court Judge Deborah K. Chasanow set sentencing for Friday, Jan. 8, 2027, at 1 p.m.

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

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Safe Home. These programs bring 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. Project Safe Home is an initiative under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to reduce domestic violence and prevent escalation to lethal violence by targeting offenders who use or possess handguns with a history of Domestic Violence.

In response, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland is working closely with its federal, local, and state partners — along with Baltimore City community organizations — to reduce violent crime and enhance public safety.  This partnership and coordination between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the City of Baltimore ensures that federal resources are leveraged effectively to address intimidate-partner firearm violence. 

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their collaborative efforts in this investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan 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, visit justice.gov/usao-md. 

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Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that authorities arrested a Hyattsville man in connection with a fraud scheme that targeted senior citizens.  

Roy Dave Davis, 34, of Hyattsville, is charged by criminal complaint with bank fraud.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the arrest and criminal complaint with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division.

According to court documents, beginning in May 2023, Davis obtained personally identifiable information for numerous customers of a financial institution. Davis changed the mailing addresses connected to the victims’ accounts to addresses he controlled in Maryland.  He then ordered debit cards in the victims’ names and used them to make ATM withdrawals and direct purchases.

Throughout the scheme, Davis made more than 1,500 fraudulent ATM withdrawals that netted more than $1 million.  He also used victims’ debit cards to purchase more than $100,000 in luxury fashion items.

Davis defrauded more than 40 victims, targeting senior citizens who averaged 81 years old.  Additionally, Davis obtained and used debit cards that belonged to small businesses, deceased individuals, and a charter school. 

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

If convicted, Davis faces a maximum of up to 30 years in federal prison for bank fraud. 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. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jaskiw, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy, who are prosecuting this 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Gaithersburg, Maryland, man for a drug-trafficking offense that resulted in the death of a 15-year-old girl. 

U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Kelvin Reyes, 27, to 14 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of controlled substances after selling narcotics to the minor victim who contacted him on a social media platform. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank Saldana, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Acting Chief Darren Francke, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).

According to court documents, on January 14, 2023, Reyes distributed fentanyl to the teenaged victim. The victim later used the substance and subsequently died.

Evidence shows that late in the evening of January 13, the victim contacted Reyes on Instagram about purchasing fentanyl. Reyes agreed to sell fentanyl to the victim, so he requested an address for delivery. The victim then instructed Reyes to meet her at an elementary school near her residence in Montgomery County. 

The investigation revealed that Reyes’s phone was located at the school where he agreed to meet the victim in the early morning hours of January 14. Ring camera footage from the victim’s residence also confirms she left her residence around the same timeframe and returned home approximately three minutes later. Reyes then posted an Instagram story advertising he was driving around in his car selling fentanyl after he met the victim. 

 The victim’s mother reported that around 7 a.m., she found her daughter in her room in a fetal position with fluid coming out of her mouth and nose area. She also saw a burnt piece of aluminum foil with fentanyl residue next to the victim. An autopsy later revealed that the victim’s cause of death was fentanyl and despropionyl fentanyl intoxication. 

On January 24, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Reyes’s residence where they found a digital scale; clear plastic bags; a plastic zip-top bag containing $5.13 in U.S. coins; and numerous orange zip-top bags, foil, and straws with residue. 

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, and MCPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle A. Li and Kenneth S. Clark, who prosecuted this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that after a four-day trial, a federal jury convicted a Maryland man of several child sex-abuse crimes.

The jury found James Edward Howeth, 43, of East New Market, guilty of two counts of sexually exploiting a minor, one count of distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and three counts of possessing CSAM.  Howeth faces a mandatory minimum 15 years, and a maximum of 140 years, in federal prison.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty verdict with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP).

During the trial, evidence showed that Howeth enticed and coerced a minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing CSAM. The government also proved that Howeth used a cell phone to distribute CSAM. 

According to court documents, between April 2021 and April 2022, Howeth produced sexually explicit depictions of the minor victim who was 4 and 5 years old at the time. Law enforcement discovered that Howeth possessed more than CSAM files and that in September 2023, Howeth sent a text message to another person with a CSAM file attached. 

Then as part of the investigation, on March 14, 2024, law-enforcement officers executed a search warrant on Howeth’s East New Market home. During the search, law enforcement seized several of Howeth’s electronic devices including two cellphones, a laptop, and a desktop. A search of the cellphones revealed a text conversation in which Howeth discussed his sexual attraction to the minor victim and other children in addition to CSAM images of the minor victim that Howeth produced on two separate occasions. 

Law enforcement also located more than 200 CSAM files on the cellphones and more than 100 CSAM files on the laptop. 

Howeth is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each count of sexually exploiting a minor. He also faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years for distributing CSAM, along with a maximum of 20 years for each count of possessing CSAM. 

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

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. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Reema Sood 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Maryland man made his initial appearance in federal court in connection with a felony theft charge. 

Bankole Olaniyi Akinfe, 49, of Laurel, is charged by criminal complaint with theft of government property. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). 

According to the criminal complaint, beginning in December 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services headquarters employed Akinfe as a contractor in its Information Technology Customer Support Center. On August 27, 2026, Akinfe was observed removing at least 10 Random-Access Memory (RAM) modules from USCIS laptops without authorization.  Akinfe was further observed putting the RAM modules in his pocket and taking them off the premises. 

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

If convicted, Akinfe faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison since the total value of the stolen government property exceeds $1,000.

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.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DHS-OIG for its work on this case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Li, 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, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court to charges stemming from his role as a high-volume drug trafficker. 

Rodrigo Lacayo, 48, is charged with possession with intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. The charges are in connection with a multi-state, federal drug investigation.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Acting Special Agent in Charge Frank Saldana, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); and Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).

According to court documents, in June 2025, the DEA ran an undercover drug operation to investigate Lacayo. During the undercover operation, Lacayo attempted to deliver money to an undercover officer (UC) for drugs previously provided to him.  But then the UC informed Lacayo that they needed to meet for the delivery another time.  In the meantime, the DEA obtained court authorization to track Lacayo’s cellular location.  Through cellular tracking data, investigators identified Lacayo’s Northwest Baltimore residence and his vehicle. 

On July 8, Lacayo’s cellular tracking revealed that he traveled to Houston, Texas, before traveling back to Maryland on July 10. Then on July 11, the DEA coordinated with the MCPD to conduct a traffic stop of Lacayo’s vehicle. MCPD officers later found Lacayo driving his vehicle in Bethesda, Maryland. Officers then initiated a traffic stop for suspended tags. 

Law enforcement removed Lacayo from the vehicle before a K-9 officer scanned it for the presence of narcotics. The K-9 alerted officers of drugs in the vehicle which led to a search.  Officers then discovered 12 kilograms of cocaine concealed in three car batteries inside the trunk and three cellular phones. 

After the traffic stop, investigators obtained a search warrant for Lacayo’s residence.  During the search of the residence, investigators recovered a hydraulic press, approximately 285 grams of Psilocin mushrooms, and a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with six rounds of ammunition in Lacayo’s bedroom closet. Lacayo is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions.

Investigators also successfully downloaded one of Lacayo’s phones and found additional evidence of drug trafficking.  Law enforcement found photos of packaged kilogram quantities of drugs, large amounts of cash, screenshots of six-figure wire transfers, and voice memos along with WhatsApp messages discussing drug trafficking on the cellphone.    

Lacayo faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances along with a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.  U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson set sentencing for Thursday, January 28, 2027, at 10:00 a.m.

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

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, DPSCS, and MCPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Miner who is prosecuting this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal-prison term, today, in connection with his role in a multi-million-dollar money laundering scheme.

Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Adanegbe “Gift” Osemwenkhae, 41, of Upper Marlboro, to eight years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for money laundering. Judge Maddox also ordered Osemwenkhae to pay $20,851,940.80 in restitution. In April 2025, Osemwenkhae pled guilty to serving as a manager and supervisor of the large, multi-member, money laundering conspiracy.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG). This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud along with the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).

According to court documents, beginning in 2020, and continuing until February 2024, Osemwenkhae conspired with multiple individuals to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud. The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the conspiracy.

Osemwenkhae supervised and exercised significant managerial control over the money laundering conspiracy and facilitated the laundering of more than $20 million in stolen proceeds from at least 15 different victims. The victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others. 

 As supervisor, Osemwenkhae used and controlled several different encrypted electronic communication accounts to supervise and manage the money laundering conspiracy. Osemwenkhae directed and worked with members of the conspiracy to create limited liability companies to serve as shell entities; open bank accounts and/or cause bank accounts to be opened in the name of their shell entity; and receive and launder fraud proceeds.  He also helped coordinate the flow of fraudulent proceeds through various bank accounts and determine how to split funds between each member of the conspiracy as payment for their role in the conspiracy. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland charged 14 defendants in two different cases in connection with the money laundering conspiracy with 13 pleading guilty and receiving federal-prison sentences.  Faizou Gnora, 29, previously of Alexandria, Virginia, remains a fugitive from justice.  The Office also charged other co-conspirators in additional cases.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI-led Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, and thanked IRS-CI and EPA-OIG for their work in the investigation, and praised the Anne Arundel County, Queen Anne’s County Sherriff’s Office, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Bijon A. Mostoufi, who prosecuted the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber, for her assistance.

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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A Washington, DC, felon received a federal-prison term for firearm-possession charges. 

Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Kevin Darnell Ayers, 44, to 66 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Jarod J. Towers, Hyattsville Police Department (HPD).

According to court documents, on December 5, 2024, security personnel discovered a loaded handgun in Ayers’s bag as he went through security at the District Court of Maryland for Prince George’s County. Law enforcement subsequently learned that Ayers was at the courthouse to attend his own trial for domestic-related charges. The handgun contained approximately six rounds of ammunition. 

Ayers’s previous felony convictions prohibited him from possessing a firearm and ammunition. Additionally, Ayers was on supervised release for an assault conviction, along with pretrial release for his pending state charges, at the time he possessed the handgun. 

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 HPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle A. Li and Kenneth S. Clark who prosecuted this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man is headed to federal prison for firearm crimes. 

U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Jerry Toliver, 37, of Rosedale, today, to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession 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 Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to court documents, on December 19, 2024, BPD officers arrived at a building to assist BCPD detectives with executing an arrest warrant on Toliver. The warrant was in connection with a November 2024 shooting.

BCPD detectives located Toliver sitting in the driver’s seat of a parked vehicle. Law enforcement ordered Toliver out of the vehicle and placed him under arrest. As law enforcement searched Toliver, officers discovered oxycodone, cocaine base, and cocaine on him. 

After towing the vehicle to BCPD Headquarters, law enforcement uncovered a loaded handgun with seven live rounds of ammunition under the driver’s seat. Toliver is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions. Additionally, investigators found $3,604.17, along with a large amount of Toliver’s clothing in the vehicle. 

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, BCPD, and BPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who is prosecuting this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Honduran illegal alien, unlawfully residing in the United States, to prison, today, for child sex-abuse crimes. 

U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Jose Adan Lopez-Guevara, 38, to 65 years in federal prison, followed by 30 years of supervised release, for sexually exploiting children and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).  In April 2026, a federal jury convicted Lopez-Guevara of 14 counts of sexually exploiting a child and one count of possessing child sexual abuse material. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); and State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office (PGCSAO).

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between 2015 and 2024, Lopez-Guevara sexually abused three minors, ranging from 2 to 11 years old at the time of the abuse.  Lopez-Guevara, who lived in Laurel and Baltimore, produced images and videos of himself and the victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct, many of which were found on the dark web. 

In December 2024, HSI initiated an investigation after its investigators in Portland, Maine, observed previously unseen child sexual abuse videos on the internet.  After identifying Minor Victim 1 in the videos, and determining that he lived in Maryland, investigators quickly referred the matter to HSI Maryland. 

HSI then executed several search warrants in Maryland and discovered Lopez-Guevara in possession of two phones. Investigators forensically examined the phones and discovered additional images of Lopez-Guevara sexually abusing Minor Victim 1, along with depictions of Lopez-Guevara exploiting Minor Victim 2 and Minor Victim 3. Additionally, investigators found hundreds of CSAM images and videos on the phone associated with an encrypted messaging application.

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, 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.

Know2Protect is a Department of Homeland Security national public awareness campaign to educate and empower children, teens, parents, trusted adults and policymakers to prevent and combat online child sexual exploitation and abuse; explain how to report online enticement and victimization; and offer resources for victims and survivors and their supporters.  Learn more about Know2Protect at www.dhs.gov/know2protect.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI, MSP, BCPD, PGCSAO, for their work in the investigation, along with the Center for Hope, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Victoria Liu 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. 

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Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Baltimore man faces indictment stemming from multiple armed robberies.

A federal grand jury charged Carlos Moody, 38, with three counts of interference with commerce by threats or violence in connection with the armed robberies of three Baltimore cellphone stores.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to the indictment, in late December 2025, Moody robbed three different cellphone stores, located in the southern and northern areas of Baltimore, in a four-day period.

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

If convicted, Moody faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison on each of the three counts alleged in the indictment. 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.

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 BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ty Pittinger and John W. Sippel, Jr., 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, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man learned his fate in federal court, stemming from charges for his role as a drug supplier. 

U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Alcedo Hodge, Jr., 30, of Parkville, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The charges are in connection with a multi-state Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) drug investigation.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Special Agent in Charge Shane K. Todd, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Chief Robert McCullough, Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).

According to court documents, in 2024, the DEA investigated a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating in Richmond, Virginia.  Investigators identified Co-Conspirator 1 (CC-1) as one of the DTO’s re-supply sources, along with Hodge. Then in December 2024, law enforcement intercepted wiretap conversations about the DTO’s cocaine re-supply in the Baltimore Metropolitan area. 

On December 5, investigators covertly followed a DTO member who drove from Virginia to Owings Mills, Maryland, to meet CC-1. During the surveillance, law enforcement observed Hodge arrive at a secluded shopping center parking lot. The DTO member and CC-1 then followed Hodge in their vehicles. 

 While in the parking lot, investigators saw CC-1 exit Hodge’s vehicle. Then, as Hodge left the parking lot, CC-1 called the DTO member over to his vehicle.  Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the DTO member after he returned to Virginia later that day.  Investigators searched the DTO member’s car, recovering one kilogram of cocaine.

Additionally, in January 2025, investigators observed Hodge engaging in another suspected drug transaction. Then on March 17, 2025, investigators initiated a traffic stop on Hodge in Baltimore County after observing an additional suspected drug transaction.  During the traffic stop, a K-9 unit scanned the vehicle and returned a positive alert for the controlled substances.  Investigators searched the vehicle and recovered three kilograms of cocaine; a fully loaded Glock semi-automatic handgun equipped with a 22-round capacity extended magazine; and approximately $78,000 in cash. 

After law enforcement arrested Hodge, investigators searched his Parkville residence. Inside his residence, investigators recovered an additional three kilograms of cocaine; another loaded firearm, which was stolen; and two digital money counters.  Hodge acknowledged that he intended to use the recovered firearms and U.S. currency to facilitate his drug offense. 

The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BCPD, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Calvin Miner 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.

Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Maryland man is facing federal indictment in connection with child sex abuse crimes. 

Robert Paul Miller, III, 35, of West Friendship, is charged with distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and possessing CSAM.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD)

According to the indictment, Miller distributed videos depicting adults sexually abusing minors. Miller also maintained a Dropbox storage account, associated with his email address, that contained one or more CSAM visual depictions.

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, 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.

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

If convicted, Miller faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for distributing CSAM. Miller also faces a maximum of 10 years for possessing CSAM.   

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. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HCPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow 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, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to federal prison for firearm and postal-service theft crimes.

U.S. District Court Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Shykeem Fallin, 24, today, to four years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person and possession of a stolen key adopted by the United States Postal Service.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence 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 court documents, on February 4, 2025, a BPD detective, monitoring a CitiWatch Camera, observed Fallin displaying characteristics of an armed person. The detective saw Fallin adjusting the front waistband of his pants while in a convenience store.

Then Fallin exited the store and approached the driver’s side of a white vehicle with an unknown male who was speaking to a female driver. During the conversation, the officer noticed Fallin repeatedly checking and adjusting an object in the front waistband of his pants. Then the detective saw Fallin walk to the front of the car and pull out a black handgun and hold it against his side.

Fallin then put the firearm back in his waistband and adjusted his pants. After the white vehicle left, Fallin went to his vehicle and entered the driver’s seat. Shortly after, BPD officers arrived on the scene to apprehend Fallin. 

After law enforcement arrested Fallin, officers asked him if he owned a permit for the firearm. But Fallin denied having the firearm. Then law enforcement searched the vehicle and uncovered a loaded firearm that contained 12 rounds of ammunition underneath the driver’s seat. 

Additionally, law enforcement discovered a United States Postal Service (USPS) Arrow Key that fell from the driver’s side visor onto the driver’s seat. An Arrow Key is a government-issued master key that enables postal carriers to open cluster box units, blue collection boxes, and other USPS-secured mail infrastructure.  Upon further investigation, law enforcement learned that the recovered Arrow Key was stolen from a postal carrier on February 3.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the USPIS and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, for its valuable assistance. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney and Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III, 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury indicted a Baltimore man, today, for firearm crimes in connection with the FBI’s Summer Heat 2.0 initiative.

Larry Arntay Thompson, Jr., 25, is charged with illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS).

As part of the FBI initiative, on July 29, 2026, law enforcement located and arrested Thompson on an outstanding warrant for first-degree assault and firearm charges. Officers then searched Thompson and discovered a concealed loaded handgun with a large-capacity magazine and 13 rounds of live ammunition. Upon further investigation, officers determined that the firearm was reported stolen in 2024. Thompson is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.

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

Thompson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

The FBI launched “Summer Heat” for the second year in a row, targeting violent crime on a nationwide scale. It launched this multi-pronged offensive to crush violent crime. By surging resources alongside federal, state, and local partners, executing federal warrants on violent criminals and fugitives, and dismantling violent gangs nationwide, the FBI seeks to aggressively restore safety in communities across the country.

U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI and USMS for their work in the operation, along with the Maryland State Police, for its valuable assistance. U.S. Attorney Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Izant, 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal-prison term, today, stemming from a social-security disability benefits scam.

U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Andrew Langford, 50, of Ft. Washington, to eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud in connection with the scheme. U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) records show that from January 2014 through May 2021, Langford received more than $270,000 in disability benefits that he was not entitled to.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General (SSA-OIG) Boston–New York- Philadelphia Field Division, and Special Agent in Charge Andrew McKay, Mid-Atlantic Field Division of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

According to court documents, Langford devised a scheme to defraud the SSA to obtain money to personally enrich himself and to benefit him and his associates. Back in November 2008, Langford applied for SSA disability benefits, reporting that he was unable to work due to a disabling condition. 

Then in May 2009, Langford applied for child/auxiliary benefits for his three minor children. Later in 2009, SSA notified Langford that he was eligible for and would begin receiving disability benefit payments. SSA also notified Langford of his responsibility to inform the agency if he returned to work or if his health improved. 

As part of the scheme, Langford operated two cleaning companies — NDA Cleaning Services, LLC, and CK Janitors, Inc. — registered in Maryland and Virginia, respectively. Langford utilized an IRS system to apply for Employer Identification Numbers for his businesses associated with the alleged fraud. But Langford failed to report that he returned to work as required. Langford concealed his ownership of the businesses, along with his income and ability to work, from the SSA. 

In August 2020, when a SSA employee inquired about the businesses, Langford verbally advised that he never heard of NDA Janitorial Services or NDA Cleaning Services. Langford also maintained he last worked in 2008. 

But records showed that in March 2015, Langford filed Articles of Organization for NDA Cleaning Services, LLC, and then in October 2018, he filed Articles of Reinstatement for the business. Langford is also listed as the resident agent for the business. Further, records from the Virginia State Corporation Commission Information System show Langford is listed as the director/CEO of CK Janitors, Inc., from November 2015, through April 2018.

Then in September 2019, the SSA mailed Langford a Continuing Disability Review notice, informing him of an impending review of his disability case. In January 2020, after the SSA didn’t receive required documentation, it mailed Langford a proposed decision to end his benefits. The SSA’s decision was based on the agency’s review of documents, including his earning records, as reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). 

In May 2021, SSA mailed Langford notices informing him that he received SSA disability and child/auxiliary payments overpayments to which he was not entitled. IRS records revealed that Langford earned more than $100,000, annually, for tax years 2012, 2014, and 2016.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the SSA-OIG and TIGTA for their work in the investigation, along with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation for its valuable assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon who prosecuted this 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/report-fraud.

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Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that a Maryland man made his initial appearance in federal court in connection with domestic terrorism charges. 

Donald Franklin Swope, 53, is charged by criminal complaint for threats against the President of the United States; interstate communication containing a threat to harm; and influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official by threatening or injuring a family member. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the criminal complaint with Special Agent in Charge Brian McDonough, United States Secret Service (USSS) – Baltimore Field Office. 

According to the criminal complaint, between May 12, 2026, and July 27, Swope repeatedly made Facebook posts about harming President Donald J. Trump.  Additionally, on August 5, Swope made multiple Facebooks posts threatening the USSS. Then Swope continued to post threatening posts from August 6 until August 8.  

This case is part of the nationwide National Security Presidential Memorandum 7 initiative, which is a White House directed, interagency effort to integrate federal, state, and local partners in protecting First Amendment rights while targeting individuals and organizations engaged in political violence and is led by the investigative and prosecutorial Joint Task Force Vanguard.

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

If convicted, Swope faces a maximum of five years in prison for each count of threatening communications and 10 years for influencing, impeding, or retaliating against a federal official.

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. Attorney Hayes commended the USSS for its work on this case. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia McLane, 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Baltimore man, today, for his role in a drug-trafficking organization (DTO) operating in a Baltimore open-air drug market.

U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Damon Toogood, 47, to 57 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance. Law enforcement learned about Toogood’s connection to the DTO while conducting a federal Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) drug investigation. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to Toogood’s guilty plea, in December 2024, law enforcement began investigating suspected narcotics trafficking and narcotics sales on a West Baltimore block.  Investigators identified this block as an open-air drug market, with vehicles stopping to make narcotics purchases from dealers on the street and subsequently driving off. 

Then in April 2025, investigators started making controlled purchases of fentanyl from the narcotics dealers on the block. One individual was later identified as Toogood.  During the investigation, law enforcement observed Toogood repeatedly interacting with other street-level dealers on the block and making numerous suspected narcotics sales.  Between March 19, and May 21, investigators made approximately 10 undercover purchases from the open-air drug market on the block.  Law enforcement received approximately 790 gel caps, containing more than 124 grams of fentanyl. 

As an example, on April 15, an undercover police officer went to the block to make a controlled purchase of narcotics.  After arriving, the undercover officer exited his vehicle and approached Toogood.  The undercover officer requested 50 gel caps, so Toogood went to another individual on the street to collect a baggie containing gel caps of narcotics. 

Toogood then handed the undercover officer a baggie containing 50 gel caps in exchange for cash.  Subsequent forensic analysis showed the gel caps contained more than 15 grams of fentanyl. Then on April 22, the undercover officer returned to the block to make another controlled purchase. 

After arriving, the undercover officer approached Toogood about purchasing 50 gel caps.  Toogood walked down the block to another individual to obtain a baggie containing the gel caps. Toogood, thereafter, handed the undercover officer a baggie containing the gel caps for cash.  The gel caps later tested positive for 14.3 grams of fentanyl.  Law enforcement conducted an additional three controlled purchases on April 29, May 7, and May 21.  During these controlled buys, the undercover officer purchased 100 gel caps each time in exchange for cash.  The 300 gel caps tested positive for a total of 84.3 grams of fentanyl.

This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, for its valuable assistance.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Rigney who is prosecuting this 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A Nigerian national learned that he is headed to federal prison for eight years, today, after he executed a business email compromise scam to steal millions from two charitable organizations.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sentenced Olusegun Adejorin, 32, to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unauthorized access to a protected computer to obtain information. In August 2024, the FBI extradited Adejorin from Ghana to stand trial for this case. In December 2025, after a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Adejorin of all charges.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.

According to the evidence presented at trial, between June and August 2020, Adejorin perpetrated a scheme to defraud Victim 1, a charitable organization located in Maryland, that provided investment services to other organizations. Additionally, through the scheme, Adejorin defrauded Victim 2, a charitable organization located in New York, by gaining access to employee email accounts and impersonating employees to induce financial transactions.

Among the acts in furtherance of the fraud scheme, Adejorin registered spoofed domain names, which he used to pose as employees of Victim 2 to request withdrawals of Victim 2’s funds from Victim 1.  Adejorin also fraudulently obtained access to email accounts of Victim 1, which he used to send emails falsely confirming the fraudulent requests made in Victim 2’s name. He ultimately caused more than $7.5 million of Victim 2’s funds to be sent, pursuant to the fraudulent withdrawal requests, from Victim 1 to bank accounts that were not Victim 2’s bank accounts.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Baltimore Field Office for its work in the investigation along with the FBI Legal Attaché in Accra, Ghana, Office of Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, Republic of Ghana’s Economic and Organized Crime Office, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Police Services – INTERPOL, and National Intelligence Bureau, for their valuable assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the International Cooperation Unit of the Office of the Attorney-General of Ghana to secure Adejorin‘s extradition   to the United States.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Rosenthal 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A repeat fraud offender faces indictment in connection with access-device-fraud and identity theft charges, stemming from an 11-month credit card scam. 

Curtis Larnell Russell, 73, of Washington D.C., is charged with one count of unauthorized use of access devices and three counts of aggravated identity theft.  

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Chief Scott Brecht of the United States Park Police (USPP).  

According to the indictment, beginning in April 2025, and continuing into March 2026, Russell used one or more access devices, such as credit cards, issued to other people. He engaged in this crime to receive things of value exceeding $1,000.  As alleged in the affidavit in support of a criminal complaint, Russell used credit cards stolen from vehicles parked at recreational areas and other locations.  Soon after the thefts, Russell used the stolen credit cards fraudulently to purchase gift cards, merchandise, and other items.  

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

If convicted, Russell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for access-device fraud and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. 

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. Attorney Hayes commended the USPP for its work in the investigation, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maryland-National Capital Park Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and other local police departments for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Andrea Duvall 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, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced, today, that authorities arrested and charged a Maryland father and son with illegally distributing more than a kilogram of fentanyl.    

Rashad Deondre Hicks, 36, of Largo, is charged by complaint with distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Lawrence Alonzo Hicks, 62, of District Heights, is also charged with possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. The charges are in connection with a months-long investigation involving multiple sales of fentanyl.   

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the arrests with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox, FBI Washington Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); Interim Chief of Police Jeffery W. Carroll, Metropolitan Police Department; Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); and Sheriff Troy D. Berry, Charles County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO).

According to court documents, beginning in January 2026, the DEA, FBI, and CCSO began investigating Rashad Hicks, who authorities believed was selling large quantities of fentanyl that was provided to him by Lawrence Hicks. During the investigation, law enforcement utilized an undercover officer to make eight controlled purchases of fentanyl from Rashad Hicks. The controlled purchases totaled more than 1,300 grams of fentanyl with a street value of more than $100,000. 

Additionally, at the time of the arrests, law enforcement executed several search warrants. Law enforcement recovered from Rashad Hicks’s residence approximately 230 grams of suspected fentanyl, 1018 grams of suspected cocaine base, two loaded firearms, and approximately $5,000 in U.S. currency. Law enforcement recovered from Lawrence Hicks’s residence approximately 9.51 kilograms of suspected cocaine, 2.6 kilograms of suspected cocaine base, 4.4 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, and approximately $10,000 in U.S. currency. The street value of the recovered illegal narcotics is approximately $1,700,000.

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

If convicted, Rashad and Lawrence Hicks face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of up to life in federal prison for distributing 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

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.

This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, FBI, USMS, MPD, PGPD, and CCSO for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Scarpelli and William Moomau who are prosecuting this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland felon received a federal-prison term, today, for firearm-possession charges. 

Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Dalonte Ray Jones, 22, of Annapolis, to 42 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Acting Chief Amy Miguez, Annapolis Police Department (APD).

According to court documents, on November 11, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Jones’s apartment.  During the search, law enforcement found a Glock 17 semi-automatic handgun, with an extended magazine, in Jones’s bedroom. The magazine, which can hold 45 rounds of ammunition, was loaded with 17 live rounds.  In 2023, the firearm was reported stolen.  Jones’s DNA, along with the DNA of three other individuals, was on the firearm. 

Investigators also searched Jones’s iPhone pursuant to a warrant. Law enforcement uncovered numerous videos of Jones holding a variety of firearms, including the firearm he possessed on November 11. 

Jones’s previous felony convictions prohibited him from possessing a firearm and ammunition and included two separate convictions for second-degree assault in January 2023 and April 2023.  Jones was on probation for the April 2023 assault conviction at the time he possessed the handgun in this case. 

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

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and APD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who prosecuted this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man entered a guilty plea and received a federal sentence, today, for intentionally setting fire to multiple North Baltimore properties.

Justin Michael Reeves, 29, pled guilty to malicious destruction of property by fire, in connection with the incidents. After Reeves pled guilty, the Honorable Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced him to 63 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Chief James W. Wallace, Baltimore City Fire Department (BCFD).

According to his guilty plea, on May 10, 2025, Reeves set a fire at a North Baltimore residence. After setting the fire, Reeves returned to the residence at various points to spread the burning materials across the structure and the garage door. An adjacent property’s surveillance camera captured Reeves setting the fire. Additionally, location information from Reeves’ cellphone also shows the phone in the area at the time of the incident. 

Additionally, in the early morning hours of May 14, Reeves set another fire at the same residence. This time, the fire extended to the property next door before fire personnel extinguished it.  Surveillance video from the rear of the residence captured Reeves walking back and forth before and after the fire.  Location information from Reeves’ cell phone also shows the phone in the area during the time Reeves is observed on surveillance footage. On May 16, Reeves returned to the rear of the property to take pictures of the fire-damaged residence. 

Then on May 25, Reeves set a fire at another North Baltimore residence, which was occupied by an individual sleeping in a second-floor bedroom. Surveillance footage captured Reeves on the premises. The captured video shows Reeves walking back and forth near the residence and wearing the same clothing and carrying the same backpack from the May 14 fire. 

On May 28, BPD officers arrested Reeves and seized his cellphone. A search of Reeves’s phone uncovered internet searches about the fires, property records in the area of the fires, and searches relating to additional fires that occurred in the same area in 2024. 

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, MSP, BPD, and BCFD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow who is prosecuting this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man entered a guilty plea in federal court, today, stemming from an incident in which he assaulted a law enforcement officer while resisting arrest.

Demetris White, 44, pled guilty to a superseding information charging him with assaulting, resisting, or impeding federal officers or employees.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Regional Director Jose Ortiz-Diaz, U.S. Federal Protective Service (FPS), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Office, and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), Boston- New York- Philadelphia Field Division. 

According to his guilty plea, on May 19, 2025, White entered a Baltimore Social Security Administration (SSA) field office to inquire about his SSA disability benefit payments. Some SSA-benefit recipients access their monthly benefit payments via a Direct Express Debit Mastercard. At the time, White was unable to access his benefit payments because he lost his debit card. 

During his visit, White became upset when an SSA customer-service representative attempted to explain the process to receive a new debit card. He began berating the customer service representative who then pressed a duress button to notify security.

Security personnel responded and asked White to leave the building. Then White berated and threatened to physically assault and spit on security personnel before eventually leaving the building. But due to White’s threats, a federal law enforcement officer responded to the scene. 

The law enforcement officer found White outside of the building, approached him, and attempted to place him under arrest. But White was still irate and physically resisted the law enforcement officer’s attempt to arrest him. In response, the law enforcement officer pointed a taser at White and warned him that he would tase him if he continued resisting. 

White then allowed the law enforcement officer to place him in handcuffs. After the law enforcement officer, who was standing behind White, handcuffed him, White forcibly backwards headbutted the officer, causing a laceration to his lip, resulting in bleeding and swelling. 

White is facing up to eight years in federal prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended FPS and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation, along with the Baltimore Police Department, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kertisha Dixon 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. 

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal-prison term, today, for the armed robbery of a Prince George’s County convenience store.

U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang sentenced Zebedee Alexander Johnson, 36, to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, in connection with the crime.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, 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. At the time of the armed robbery, Johnson was on federal supervised release in connection with a 2018 drug-distribution conviction. Johnson admitted that he violated the supervised-release terms, which prohibits him from committing any new crimes, by committing the armed robbery.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

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. 

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Baltimore, Maryland – A former serviceman received a federal-prison term, today, for committing child sexual abuse crimes. 

U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox sentenced Daniel Lara-Salazar, 33, to 15.5 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexually exploiting a child. Lara-Salazar committed these crimes while serving in the U.S. Military.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; and J. Charles Smith III, State’s Attorney for Frederick County.

According to his guilty plea, Lara-Salazar, who was stationed in Puyallup, Washington, coerced and enticed a minor female victim, who resided in Maryland, to engage in sexually explicit conduct. From June 2024, through July 2024, Lara-Salazar sexually exploited her by producing and causing the production of sexually explicit images and videos. 

In June 2024, Lara-Salazar began using Snapchat to message the minor victim. Then Lara-Salazar demanded the minor victim send sexually explicit images and videos to him. Snapchat has a feature that causes images to disappear upon receipt. In some instances, the minor victim sent images to Lara-Salazar that were not retained or visible when law enforcement reviewed the account. 

Law enforcement later discovered that Lara-Salazar used Snapchat to communicate with three other minor females, who lived in Texas and elsewhere. He also coerced and enticed them to send sexually explicit images. 

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, 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 Hayes commended HSI, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Special Assistant United States Attorney Joyce R. King who prosecuted the federal case.

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

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Baltimore, Maryland – A convicted sex offender received a federal-prison sentence for escaping from a Baltimore halfway house and then failing to register as a sex offender. 

United States Chief District Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Ronnie Holmes, 42, of Washington, D.C., to 15 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for escaping from federal custody and failing to register as a sex offender. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS).

According to court documents, in June 2013, Holmes was convicted of sex trafficking a child in the Eastern District of Virginia. Holmes then received a 168-month sentence, followed by five years of supervised release. As a result of the conviction, Holmes is a Tier II sex offender and required to register for 25 years. 

In January 2025, after serving approximately 11.5 years in a correctional facility, Holmes was transferred to a halfway house in Baltimore to serve the rest of his sentence. He was placed under surveillance via an ankle monitor. Then in July 2025, Holmes escaped from the halfway house and cut off his ankle monitor. Holmes remained on the run for almost a year before authorities apprehended him in June 2026. During his time on the run, Holmes was required to register as a sex offender but failed to do so. 

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

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USMS for its work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandria A. Bell and Colleen E. McGuinn 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A Nigerian national pled guilty in federal court to charges stemming from his involvement with a cross-country unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme.

Akinpelumi Olawale Oyewusi, 60, of Hyattsville, Maryland, is charged with wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in connection with the white-collar crime. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari Ph.D., Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG), and Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, (DOL-OIG).

According to his guilty plea, beginning in September 2020, and continuing through at least March 2021, Oyewusi and others conspired to defraud state workforce authorities, including the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), to obtain fraudulent UI funds. Through the conspiracy, Oyewusi and his co-conspirators used the identities of real people to obtain fraudulent UI from the state of Maryland and other states. After obtaining access to these UI funds, Oyewusi subsequently transferred and withdrew the stolen funds through electronic transfers and ATM withdrawals. 

Oyewusi and his co-conspirators victimized individuals through identity theft, the state workforce authorities through stealing UI funds, and a financial institution by misdirecting UI fund transfers and fraudulent transactions. He was directly connected to at least $415,874.63 of actual losses and personally obtained at least $25,000 through his participation in the scheme. 

The co-conspirators used victims’ personally identifiable information (PII) to submit false UI claims to various state workforce authorities— including the MD-DOL and the California Employment Development Department. The claims contained victims’ real social security numbers and names but falsified their unemployment status and prior work history to obtain UI funds. 

Co-conspirators elected to receive the UI funds through bank-issued debit cards linked to a bank account. Oyewusi and his co-conspirators ensured that the bank mailed the debit cards to one of several addresses in Maryland and elsewhere. He then accessed the UI funds from the fraudulently opened UI claims and transferred the funds downstream to other members of the conspiracy after obtaining his portion of the fraudulent proceeds. 

Additionally, throughout the scheme, Oyewusi received incoming mail alerts from the U.S. Postal Service, allowing him to track the fraudulent UI debit cards. Oyewusi also personally withdrew thousands of dollars from the UI debit cards in the names of the victims. Typically, Oyewusi withdrew the maximum amount allowed from each card. Oyewusi would then use the same cards to make additional withdrawals at later dates. Between December 2020, and March 2021, at least 18 ATM photos captured Oyewusi withdrawing $18,000 from UI debit cards issued to six different fraudulent claims. Bank records indicate that Oyewusi withdrew approximately $69,000 from the same UI debit cards throughout the scheme.

Sentencing is set for Thursday, December 3, at 2 p.m. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended DHS-OIG and DOL-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Wenner who is prosecuting this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted a Colorado man for his role in conspiring with his wife to sexually exploit a minor victim. 

The jury found Alekzander Quinn Bywater, 32, formerly of Colorado Springs, guilty of conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States, sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), and advertising CSAM.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the verdict with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice Criminal Division, and Assistant Director Heith Janke, FBI Criminal Division.

“This guilty verdict holds this defendant accountable for the horrific abuse of a child and for his role in distributing videos that documented that abuse. Mr. Bywater’s depraved actions cost him his freedom, so now he’ll be separated from society where he can’t harm other children,” Hayes said. “Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our community and law-enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served as we relentlessly pursue and prosecute predators who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community, whether that abuse occurs here or abroad.”

“Alekzander Bywater left the United States for Mexico and preyed upon the most vulnerable among us, a young child,” Duva said. “Child exploitative hands-on violations are among the most depraved. This defendant and his wife, Anika, perpetrated this heinous crime together, and even tried to profit off their conduct. This case is core to the Criminal Division’s mission of hunting down child predators and removing them from society.”

“The FBI and our partners are working every day to hold criminals accountable for their participation in child sexual exploitation and abuse,” Janke said. “Bywater will now face the consequences for his disturbing and illegal actions, and we are proud to have played our part in making that happen.”

According to court documents, and information provided during the trial, while in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, Bywater, and his wife Anika, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, created two separate videos of them sexually abusing a young child. In January 2024, on two separate occasions, the Bywaters agreed to create two videos, Video-1 and Video-2, that depicted them jointly engaging in sexually abusing the minor victim in Mexico. Law-enforcement officers learned about the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet. 

Alekzander Bywater uploaded Video-1 and Video-2 to Website A, a publicly available website, where he advertised them for sale. Then, on Feb. 6, and 7, 2024, an undercover FBI agent in Maryland purchased and downloaded the videos. 

Additionally, FBI agents recovered Video-1 and Video-2 from a desktop and laptop that were used to commit the offense.  The devices also housed a different video of Alekzander Bywater sexually abusing the minor victim and thousands of CSAM images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children other than the minor victim.

Alekzander Bywater is facing up to 150 years in federal prison for conspiracy to produce visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct outside the United States and distribution of CSAM. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

In March 2026, U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Anika Bywater to 25 years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. She pled guilty to the charges in December 2025.    

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, 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 Hayes commended the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit for its work in the investigation, and the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood and Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds, Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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. 

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A federal jury convicted a Colorado man yesterday for conspiring with his wife to film themselves sexually abusing a prepubescent child in Mexico and for advertising the videos for sale online.

“Alekzander Bywater left the United States for Mexico and preyed upon the most vulnerable among us, a young child,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Child exploitative hands-on violations are among the most depraved. This defendant and his wife, Anika, perpetrated this heinous crime together, and even tried to profit off their conduct. This case is core to the Criminal Division’s mission of hunting down child predators and removing them from society.”

“This guilty verdict holds this defendant accountable for the horrific abuse of a child and for his role in distributing videos that documented that abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Mr. Bywater’s depraved actions cost him his freedom, so now he’ll be separated from society where he can’t harm other children. Our office will continue to work tirelessly with our community and law enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served as we relentlessly pursue and prosecute predators who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community, whether that abuse occurs here or abroad.”

“The FBI and our partners are working every day to hold criminals accountable for their participation in child sexual exploitation and abuse,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “Bywater will now face the consequences for his disturbing and illegal actions, and we are proud to have played our part in making that happen.”

The jury found Alekzander Quinn Bywater, 32, formerly of Colorado Springs, CO, guilty of conspiracy to sexually exploit a minor outside the United States, two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor outside the United States, and two counts of advertisement of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents and information provided during the trial, while living in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, Bywater, and his wife Anika, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, created two separate videos of themselves sexually abusing a young child. In January 2024, on two separate occasions, the Bywaters agreed to create two videos, Video-1 and Video-2, that depicted them jointly engaging in sexually abusing the minor victim in Mexico. Law enforcement officers learned about the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet.

Alekzander Bywater uploaded Video-1 and Video-2 to Website A, a publicly available website, where he advertised them for sale. Then, on Feb. 6, and 7, 2024, an undercover FBI agent in the District of Maryland purchased and downloaded the videos.

Additionally, FBI agents recovered Video-1 and Video-2 from a desktop and laptop that were used to commit the offense. The devices also housed a different video of Alekzander Bywater sexually abusing the minor victim and thousands of CSAM images and videos depicting the sexual abuse and exploitation of children other than the minor victim.

Bywater will be sentenced on a date to be set in the future. Alekzander Bywater is facing a maximum penalty of 150 years in prison for the charges. A federal district judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Anika Bywater was sentenced to 25 years in prison followed by 20 years of supervised release in March for conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. She pled guilty to the charges in December 2025.   

The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and FBI Washington Field Office.

Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.

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 U.S. 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.

Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced a Baltimore man to prison, today, in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy. 

U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher sentenced Jeremy Bethea, 47, to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Through an investigation, law enforcement caught Bethea and his co-conspirators with more than 400 grams of fentanyl, more than 28 grams of cocaine base, commonly referred to as “crack cocaine,” and a quantity of cocaine intended for distribution. Bethea pled guilty to the charges in April 2026.

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 (DEA) – Washington Division, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to court documents, from August 2022, through October 2023, Bethea conspired with others to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine. Bethea and his co-conspirators regularly obtained quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine to sell to customers in the Baltimore area.   

Beginning in November 2022, and continuing through May 2023, undercover investigators conducted 15 controlled purchases of fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine from Bethea. In January 2023, Bethea sold more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an undercover investigator.

Additionally, from June 2023 through August 2023, investigators received authorization to utilize a federal wiretap to intercept communications from three cellphones. The cellphone users included Bethea and other members of the conspiracy.During the wiretap investigation, law enforcement intercepted numerous conversations between Bethea and his co-conspirators discussing and coordinating fentanyl, crack cocaine, and powder cocaine sales. 

Then on April 17, 2023, as a result of the intercepted calls, BPD officers stopped a vehicle en route to a planned drug transaction. During the traffic stop, law enforcement encountered Bethea and recovered several hundred gelcaps from the source of supply. A DEA laboratory performed an analysis of the substance found inside the recovered gel caps and confirmed it as fentanyl with a total weight of more than 400 grams.

During the investigation, law enforcement also discovered that Bethea used a Sharp-Leadenhall residence to store fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine for distribution. On August 22, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the residence. Investigators uncovered 105 grams of crack cocaine packaged for retail sale and more than 300 grams of marijuana at the location. 

This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Tsuei who is prosecuting this 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland woman pled guilty in federal court, today, for her role in a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $2.3 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds.

Carmen Hernandez, 49, of Hyattsville, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with the scheme. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge John T. Perez, Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG). 

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 authorized up to $659 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for employee retention and certain business expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which was administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA). The business must use PPP loan proceeds on payroll costs, mortgage interest, rent, and utilities.  

According to her guilty plea, in 2014, Hernandez and her co-conspirators opened a tax-preparation business, Integrated Multi Services Inc. (IMS), in Silver Spring, Maryland, that they registered under Hernandez’s name. Beginning in May 2020, and continuing until at least May 2023, Hernandez and her co-conspirators knowingly and willfully engaged in a scheme to fraudulently obtain PPP loans guaranteed by the SBA. 

As part of the scheme, Hernandez solicited IMS clients and others to use IMS’s services to apply for PPP loans. Hernandez also instructed PPP-loan applicants about what documents they needed to provide IMS in support of their PPP-loan applications. One of Hernandez’s co-conspirators submitted PPP loan applications that contained false information and fabricated supporting documents, including tax documents and business records to obtain larger loans for their clients.  In some cases, the PPP-loan applications listed businesses that did not exist in any legitimate capacity. Hernandez and her co-conspirators then charged borrowers kickbacks based on a percentage of the funds received.

In total, Hernandez and her co-conspirators caused the submission of at least 120 fraudulent PPP-loan applications on behalf of at least 80 PPP loan borrowers, resulting in at least $2.3 million in fraudulent PPP loans.

Additionally, as she admitted in her guilty plea, Hernandez caused the submission of two false PPP-loan applications for herself.  These loans, submitted in June 2020, and March 2021, contained multiple material representations and were supported by fabricated tax documents.  As a result of these fraudulent PPP-loan applications, Hernandez obtained $37,224 in PPP funds that she was not eligible to receive.   

Hernandez is facing up to 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and FRB-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi and Alex P. Treiger who are prosecuting 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A former Prince George’s County police officer received a federal-prison sentence for his role in an auto-insurance fraud scheme. 

Judge Lydia Griggsby sentenced Michael Anthony Owen, Jr., 37, of Accokeek, Maryland, to six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, with the first six months served on home detention, for the falsification of records in connection with the scam.  Judge Griggsby also ordered Owen to pay $17,585 to the victim of one of his insurance fraud schemes.  

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to court documents, between August 2018 and February 2020, Owen and Jaron Earl Taylor, 32, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, a former Anne Arundel County Police Department officer, conspired with fellow police officers to engage in mail and wire fraud. Taylor and Owen, along with officers Candace Tyler, 39, of Bowie, Maryland, Conrad D’Haiti, 56, of La Plata, Maryland, Davion Percy, 40, of Suitland, Maryland, 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 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, he and Owen stripped the vehicle and drove it deep into the woods of a Maryland State Highway property near Largo. 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 that 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. 

But 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. The owner and co-conspirator filed a claim with GEICO that was eventually denied on grounds of fraud.

In connection with this scheme, in June 2026, a federal jury found Percy guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud in connection with the auto-insurance fraud scheme. Then in July 2026, Judge Griggsby sentenced Taylor, 32, to three years of probation, with the first five months served on home detention, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Griggsby also ordered Taylor to pay $38,670 in restitution to the United States Automobile Association. Additionally, Tyler pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, and D’Haiti, 56, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.  Percy’s sentencing is scheduled for Friday, October 16, at 10 a.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Baldwin 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. 

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man received a federal-prison sentence, today, for drug-trafficking and firearm crimes, stemming from a local drug-trafficking investigation. 

U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Dwone Bryant, 29, to five years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and possession 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 Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to evidence presented at trial, on November 6, 2023, law-enforcement agents used a surveillance camera to monitor the 200 block of North Eutaw Street near the Lexington Market metro and bus stops. During the surveillance, agents observed Bryant sitting on a bench at the bus stop. While at the bus stop, Bryant engaged in a hand-to-hand drug transaction. 

During the transaction, Bryant sold 10 buprenorphine strips (commonly referred to as Suboxone) in exchange for $50. Law enforcement arrested Bryant and recovered a handgun, loaded with nine rounds of live ammunition; 16 additional buprenorphine strips; a schedule III controlled substance; 11 pills containing methamphetamine; a schedule II controlled substance; a small baggie of suspected marijuana; and $166.75.  Bryant is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to multiple prior drug-related felonies.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Levin who is prosecuting this 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – A former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) employee pled guilty in federal court, today, to a conspiracy charge stemming from a scheme to evade Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests and the Federal Records Act in connection with communications about coronavirus research grants. 

David M. Morens, 78, of Chester, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States. Morens served as a senior advisor in NIAID’s Office of the Director from 2006 through 2022.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).

According to his guilty plea, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, Co-Conspirator 2, and others conspired during the COVID-19 pandemic to defraud the United States after NIH terminated Co-Conspirator 1’s grant. NIH terminated the grant, Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence, based on allegations that COVID-19 emerged from the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) in Wuhan, China. NIAID awarded the grant to Company 1 and Co-Conspirator 1, who made a subaward to the WIV. 

Following the termination, Morens and Co-Conspirator 2 pledged to help Co-Conspirator 1 restore the termination of the bat coronavirus grant and counter the narrative that COVID-19 leaked from a lab.  In anticipation that their communications would be requested through FOIA Requests, Morens, Co-Conspirator 1, and Co-Conspirator 2 agreed in writing to intentionally hide their communications from public view by corresponding using Morens’s personal Gmail account, rather than his official NIH email account. 

The co-conspirators used Morens’s personal Gmail account to exchange non-public NIH information; correspond about their efforts to influence NIH to fund Company 1; exchange edits to drafts of letters addressed to NIH leadership for Company 1 and Co-Conspirator 1; and “back-channel” information to Senior NIAID Official 1. According to court documents, each of these matters fell within Morens’s role as senior advisor and constituted federal records that needed to be created, maintained, and exchanged on government systems. 

Additionally, as admitted to in his guilty plea, Morens and Co-Conspirator 1 conspired to pay illegal gratuities. Co-Conspirator 1 gifted Morens wine for his “behind-the-scenes shenanigans,” and arranged for its delivery to Morens’s Maryland residence.  Morens then allegedly identified an official act that he could perform to “deserve” the gift, which was to author a scientific commentary in a prominent medical journal advocating that COVID-19 had natural origins. Co-Conspirator 1 suggested he would provide Morens with additional things of value, including meals at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, New York, and Washington, D.C.

Morens is facing up to five years in prison for conspiracy to commit offenses and to defraud the United States. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and HHS-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph R. Baldwin and Bijon A. Mostoufi 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/report-fraud.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man learned his fate in federal court, today, in connection with drug-trafficking and firearm charges, stemming from a local drug-trafficking investigation. 

 U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher sentenced Alonzo Plenty, 35, to 11 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Plenty also agreed that this offense violated the conditions of his previous federal supervised release, stemming from a prior possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person conviction.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD), and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).

According to evidence presented at trial, on March 5, 2024, law-enforcement agents observed Plenty walking near the 800 block of Pontiac Avenue displaying characteristics of an armed person. When he noticed law-enforcement agents observing him, Plenty fled on foot down an alley. Law-enforcement agents exited their vehicle and pursued Plenty. While in pursuit, law-enforcement agents saw Plenty discard a firearm. Law enforcement then recovered the firearm and continued pursuing Plenty.

After law enforcement caught up with Plenty, the agents arrested him. Upon Plenty’s arrest, agents recovered 32 individual baggies of cocaine base, 26 gelcaps of containing a counterfeit controlled substance, two cell phones, and $3,255. The recovered firearm was reported stolen from a BPD officer in 2006.

Law enforcement took Plenty to the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center for booking. During a routine strip search, Plenty attempted to flee from the facility. During the unsuccessful escape attempt, Plenty discarded a clear plastic bag into a holding cell that he removed from his underwear. DPSCS officers recovered the bag, which contained 50 buprenorphine strips, commonly referred to as Suboxone, a schedule III controlled substance.

Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Liane Kozik who is prosecuting this 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.

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Greenbelt, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office (PGCSAO) jointly announced, today, that multiple individuals face federal and state indictments in connection with a multi-state organized retail-theft ring that impacted Prince George’s County and other areas in Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania.

Cyan Simone Rocke, 25, of Washington, D.C.; Marco Pernell Morgan, 37, of Washington, D.C.; and Daryl Michael-Lashon Jackson, 30, of Laurel, Maryland, are charged in federal court with conspiracy to violate federal law, namely, the interstate transportation of stolen goods.  Additionally, Rocke; Tia Courtney, 31, of Capitol Heights, Maryland; Chyna Parker, 26, of Capitol Heights, Maryland; and Quasaan Parker, 22, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, are further charged in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court with offenses associated with organized retail theft.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson, PGCSAO, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP) and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

“Organized-retail theft is an assault on the sanctity and security of our communities, and a real threat to our local businesses,” Hayes said.  “This prosecution should send a clear message:  our office takes these organized-theft rings seriously, and we will not hesitate to investigate and federally prosecute these crimes.”  

“Last week, a grand jury in Prince George’s County returned indictments for multiple individuals with charges related to this organized retail theft scheme,” State’s Attorney Jackson said. “Addressing commercial and business crime is a priority for my office. We want businesses to choose Prince George’s County as a place to invest, create jobs, and thrive. Furthermore, I am always pleased when we are able to work with our partners across the region to keep our communities safe.”

According to the federal indictment, between October 2025, and April 2026, Rocke, Morgan, and Jackson conspired to engage in the interstate transportation of stolen property. Through the scheme, the co-conspirators sought to enrich themselves and others by stealing items from Victim Business 1 — a nationwide retail corporation operating in interstate commerce — and other businesses selling goods, and then subsequently offered the products for sale on Instagram and other sites.  Customers then paid for the stolen items by cash, bank transfers, or money transfer applications, including CashApp.

Between October 2025, and April 2026, the co-conspirators stole more than $48,000 in merchandise from Victim Business 1 stores, located in Columbia, Maryland; Rockville, Maryland; Timonium, Maryland; Newark, Delaware; and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The co-conspirators engaged in serial, coordinated thefts from Victim Business 1 locations throughout the Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, DC region.

The State’s indictment charges several defendants with participating in a criminal organization, organizing retail theft $1500 to $25,000, theft $1,500 to $25,000, theft scheme $1,500 to $25,000, and conspiracy to participate in a criminal organization.

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

If convicted on the federal charges, Rocke, Morgan, and Jackson each face up to five years in federal prison for the conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayes and State’s Attorney Jackson commended the HSI, MSP, PGCSAO, and PGPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Arlington County Police Department (Virginia) and Metropolitan Police Department (Washington, DC), for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Medinger, Deputy Criminal Chief Gerald Collins, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn Williams who are prosecuting the federal case.  Ms. Jackson thanked Assistant State’s Attorney Timothy Hatfield who is prosecuting the state 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. 

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Law-Enforcement Agency Quotes

Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations – Maryland

“As alleged, these defendants moved tens of thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise across state lines and converted social media into a marketplace for illicit profit. Organized retail theft is not a nuisance crime; it is a deliberate criminal enterprise that harms businesses, raises costs for consumers, and threatens our communities,” Baldwin said. “This indictment reflects the power of partnership, and HSI Maryland, as a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, will continue working with our local, state, federal and retail partners to disrupt organized theft networks and hold those responsible accountable.”

Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police

“This collaborative multi-agency effort highlights our commitment to dismantling an organized retail theft enterprise and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice,” Jackson said. “Along with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, we will continue to work in coordination to keep our communities safe.” 

Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department

“I commend our investigators and partner agencies for their professionalism and dedication. This case sends a clear message that local law enforcement and our federal partners will work with our retail community to hold accountable people who commit retail theft,” Nader said. “I want to thank U.S. Attorney Kelly Hayes and her team for their steadfast commitment to protecting the District of Maryland. Their commitment has not gone unnoticed and is making a difference in our communities.” 

Greenbelt, Maryland – A member of the Maryland National Guard acknowledged his involvement in a money laundering scheme in federal court. This conspiracy laundered funds from at least 33 different victims.

Alagborenepakake Opuiyo, 32, pled guilty to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Allison Russo, Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki, FBI Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Jason Scalzo, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General Electronic Crimes Unit (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker, Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Washington, DC. 

According to his plea agreement, from May 22, 2019, through November 28, 2022, Opuiyo conspired to launder funds which were stolen through a variety of fraudulent means, including romance fraud and business email compromise schemes.  Opuiyo and his co-conspirators, including some who resided in Maryland, opened bank accounts that served as drop accounts. These accounts were opened or controlled as part of the scheme to receive money from the fraud victims. 

After receiving the funds in the drop accounts, Opuiyo and his co-conspirators transferred the money to other accounts that either they or their co-conspirators controlled. Additionally, Opuiyo and his co-conspirators directly withdrew money in cash.

As a part of the scheme, romance-fraud victims believed they were communicating with individuals on online dating websites. The victims wired thousands of dollars to bank accounts that Opuiyo and his co-conspirators controlled.

Opuiyo and his co-conspirators used these bank accounts to initiate account transfers, such as withdrawing cash, obtaining cashier’s checks, and writing checks to other individuals and entities to hide the true ownership and source of the assets.  As detailed in the plea agreement, the intended loss totaled $2,951,930.36. The actual loss resulting from these transactions was at least $2,270,668.40.  Additionally, the amount of laundered funds that went into bank accounts that Opuiyo controlled was $244,614.35. 

According to the plea agreement, Opuiyo is required to pay a money judgment of at least $244,614.35, and restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties agree is at least $2,270,668.40. 

Opuiyo is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy.  U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027, at 2 p.m.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, FDIC-OIG, FRB-OIG, DCIS, and HSI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Oki 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, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man pled guilty and received a sentence in connection with flying an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) in restricted airspace.

Stuart Bennett, 66, of Frederick, pled guilty to knowingly and willfully violating United States National Defense Airspace after authorities discovered he flew a drone over U.S. national defense facilities.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea and sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Hanna Porterfield, Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) – Washington, D.C. Field Office.

According to his guilty plea, Bennett admitted that in September 2025, he drove from his Frederick home to the Raven Rock Mountain Complex (RRMC), and the various sites that constitute parts of that complex, in Washington County, Maryland. Bennett then launched and operated an unapproved UAS over RRMC, in violation of the National Security UAS Flight Restrictions. Law enforcement officials determined that Bennett was responsible for the drone flight over RRMC and subsequently seized his UAS.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and NCIS for their work in the investigation, and the Department of War’s Pentagon Force Protection Agency for its valuable assistance.

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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court, today, to drug trafficking crimes in connection with a drug investigation.

Kevin Lomax, 49, is charged with possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).

According to his guilty plea, in January 2024, DEA agents received information that Lomax, a high-volume drug dealer, was trafficking drugs in Baltimore. Then law enforcement began investigating Lomax’s drug-trafficking activities.

On March 19, 2025, DEA agents executed a search warrant on Lomax’s Baltimore home. During the search, agents found and seized more than 1,000 grams of heroin; more than 3,000 grams of cocaine; more than 105 grams of oxycodone; more than 15 grams of MDMA; and 1,787 grams of Psilocin. Additionally, law enforcement recovered three firearms; 25 rounds of ammunition; $151,178 in cash; seven cellphones; a satellite phone; and a journal with ledger notes.

If convicted, Lomax faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and maximum of life in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation and thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorney 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. 

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Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a Maryland man, today, in connection with child sex abuse crimes. 

David Lee Mangum, 29, of Frederick, is charged with five counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of transferring obscene material to a minor, and one count of possession of CSAM.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Deputy Assistant Director William Ferrari, U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) – Office of Investigations, and Sheriff Chuck Jenkins, Frederick County Sheriff’s Office (FCSO).

According to the indictment, during 2025, and early 2026, Mangum utilized internet-based social media accounts to receive visual depictions of at least five minor victims engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  On at least one occasion, Mangum sent one of the minor victims a video of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct.  A subsequent law enforcement search of Mangum’s cellular phone also revealed numerous other CSAM images. 

Mangum previously pled guilty in October 2021, in Frederick County, Maryland, Circuit Court, to three felony counts related to the filming, soliciting, and promoting CSAM.  Mangum received a 10-year prison term, with all but 18 months suspended. 

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, 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.

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

If convicted, Mangum faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison for each count of receipt of CSAM.  In addition, Mangum faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years for the CSAM possession charge, along with a maximum sentence of 10 years on the transfer of obscene material to a minor 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.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DSS and FCSO for their work in the investigation, along with the Madison Police Department (Wisconsin); Collier County Sheriff’s Office (Florida); Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (Florida); and New York State Police for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven T. Brantley and Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn 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, visit justice.gov/usao-md.

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Baltimore, Maryland – Three men are facing a superseding indictment in connection with a drug conspiracy that spanned from California to Maryland. 

Samir Footman, 38, of Halethorpe, Maryland; Kenny Guyton, 44, of Glen Burnie, Maryland; and Marcus McDaniel, 45, of Stockton, California, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Footman is also charged with firearm trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm. The co-conspirators possessed with the intent to distribute nearly six kilograms of pure crystal methamphetamine and approximately 10 kilograms of methamphetamine pills. Additionally, Footman sold a firearm as part of his role in the conspiracy.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; and Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP).

According to public filings, in September 2025, ATF agents began investigating Footman, a suspected narcotics dealer in the Annapolis area. Throughout the investigation, the ATF used confidential informants (CIs) and undercover agents (UCs) to conduct multiple controlled narcotics purchases from Footman. Investigators later identified Guyton as Footman’s narcotics supplier. 

During the undercover operation, UCs purchased quantities of cocaine and fentanyl, along with more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine pills and approximately 450 grams of crystal methamphetamine from Footman and Guyton. Footman also sold a Glock 19X 9mm pistol to a recipient knowing or having reason to believe that the possession of the firearm by the recipient would constitute a felony. 

On April 24, 2026, investigators executed search and arrest warrants at residences associated with Footman and Guyton. Investigators seized a firearm, ammunition, pill press, and approximately 2.7 kilograms of additional methamphetamine pills. Law enforcement also recovered Guyton’s cell phone. 

In Guyton’s cell phone, investigators located a message exchange between Guyton and a contact saved as “Blindman.” Guyton sent this individual a Maryland address, to which the individual wrote, “Money order or cashier’s check.” Investigators also located a United States Postal Service (USPS) tracking number connected to a package in the phone. Inside the package, law enforcement uncovered approximately 5.3 kilograms of pure methamphetamine. Since law enforcement recognized the company brand of the shipping materials, investigators obtained transaction information from the California-based location of the company. Additionally, investigators obtained footage of the transaction depicting McDaniel buying the shipping materials. 

Upon further review of Guyton’s cell phone revealed a second USPS tracking number that Guyton sent to “Blindman.” Investigators located the second parcel which contained a cashier’s check in the amount of $6,700 payable from Guyton to McDaniel. The payment was in exchange for the crystal methamphetamine shipment. 

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

If convicted, Footman, Guyton, and McDaniel, each face a minimum of 10 years and maximum of life in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, DEA, USPIS, and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III 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.

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Agency Quotes

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland

“Law enforcement collaboration is a powerful tool that we leverage to keep Marylanders safe. This indictment showcases our commitment to teaming with our partners to relentlessly pursue justice against individuals who fuel criminal activity in our communities,” Hayes said. “No matter where you are, if you’re involved in trafficking drugs and/or firearms in Maryland, we will find and prosecute you.” 

Charles Doerrer, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Baltimore

“This investigation shows how hard ATF agents, with our federal partners, work to purse justice,” Doerrer said. “Mr. Footman and his associates flooded our streets with dangerous drugs and firearms, and ATF will work tirelessly to hold him accountable.”

Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Washington Division 

“Our foremost priority is to eradicate violent crime and protect American lives in the communities we serve.  DEA Washington Division wants to ensure our communities are safe for all citizens to flourish and feel secure in their everyday activities,” Goumenis said. “This indictment underscores our dedication to rigorous law enforcement efforts and working closely with local and federal agencies to dismantle the criminal networks that jeopardize public safety.”

Damon E. Wood, Postal Inspector in Charge,  U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division

“On the 251st anniversary of the US Postal Inspection Service, the success of this investigation reaffirms our commitment along with our law enforcement partners, to ensure the sanctity of the US Mail and rid our communities of poisonous substances and illegal firearms,” Wood said. 

Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police

“Our continued partnership between local, state, and federal law-enforcement agencies is critical to disrupting illegal gun and drug trafficking operations,” Jackson said. “We are committed to combining our resources, sharing intelligence, and holding others accountable to keep Marylanders safe.” 

Baltimore, Maryland – A former Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) insider pled guilty in federal court to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges.

Katrina McCant, 41, of Baltimore, pled guilty to charges in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment insurance (UI) claim benefits during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General, (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office.

According to her guilty plea, beginning in January 2021, and continuing until December 2021, McCant used her position as a contractor for Company #1 to advance the scheme. Company #1 provided support services to MD-DOL.  While working for the MD-DOL, McCant enriched herself by fraudulently obtaining UI benefits.

McCant used her insider access to MD-DOL data and databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of UI claims. Some of the claims she initiated herself while others she took over by changing the claimant’s email address and name to her own. 

In furthering the scheme, she removed holds on UI claims, certified weeks, and engaged in other actions to facilitate fraudulent UI benefit payments.  As part of the scheme, McCant changed the names of the claimants to facilitate the direct deposit of funds into her financial accounts.  She also used the personal identifiable information (PII) of multiple real people, who were aggravated identity theft victims, to make changes to UI claims in the MD-DOL system. 

Additionally, McCant used her insider access to MD-DOL data and databases to upload and approve certain documents submitted in support of UI claims. McCant also used her access to remove fraud holds on UI claims, certify weeks, and engage in other actions to facilitate the payment of fraudulent UI benefits for other individuals. These individuals paid McCant a one-time fee, often through PayPal, to fraudulently approve or facilitate fraudulent claims.  McCant’s fee varied depending on the size of the claim, as she received amounts that ranged from approximately $500 to $8,000 per claim. 

As part of the plea, McCant agreed to pay restitution to the Maryland Department of Labor of at least $550,000.  McCant also agreed to a forfeiture of at least $550,000.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.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: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared W. Murphy and Harry Gruber who are prosecuting this 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.

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Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced, today, that it secured, in July, multiple immigration-related prosecutions against illegal aliens who re-entered the United States after prior removals in connection with the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America.

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the prosecutions with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Field Office Director Robert Guadian, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Washington Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland.

On July 31, U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Carlos Amador Lopez, 30, to 10 months in federal prison for illegal re-entry of an alien after a prior conviction and removal. In 2018, authorities convicted Amador Lopez of robbery, an aggravated felony, in Nebraska. According to court documents, following his conviction for aggravated felony, authorities removed Amador Lopez from the United States.  As part of his removal, authorities advised Amador Lopez that, due to his conviction, he is excluded from re-entering the U.S. 

Additionally, on July 28, an illegal alien from Guatemala, residing in Beltsville, Maryland, pled guilty in federal court to illegal re-entry after prior removal. According to federal and state court documents, Bayron Leopoldo Perez Batres, 64, unlawfully re-entered the United States after authorities removed him on three separate occasions.  Authorities removed Perez Batres in January 1996, September 2009, and May 2010. 

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

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO and HSI for their work in these investigations. Ms. Hayes also thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Trial Attorneys who are prosecuting these federal cases.

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.

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