Eastern District of North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Zachary Charles Newell, 26, to two years in federal prison for communicating online threats.  Newell threatened to “shoot up” a preschool and murder “black babies” on YouTube. He pleaded guilty to the charges.

“Inmate Newell threatened to become the next school shooter—at a preschool no less. Targeting babies for murder—simply because of the color of their skin—is disgusting and unacceptable in civilized society. The FBI quickly responded, preventing a shooting and brought a dangerous man to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Inmate Newell became obsessed with extremist content on the internet. He posted scores of threatening comments on YouTube directed at racial, ethnic, and religious minorities.

On August 27, he wrote, “I’m gonna shoot up a black preschool. 20 black babies will be shot and then skinned.”

Immediately upon learning of the threat, the FBI identified and arrested Inmate Newell on a federal criminal complaint ensuring he was detained and removed from the ability to carry out his threats. Inmate Newell admitted to posting the threat and ultimately pleaded guilty.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III.  The FBI and the Carteret County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorney Erin C. Blondel prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-95-D-BM.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Lenior County Social Services Employee who resides in Wayne County engaged in a scheme to defraud more than $100,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) benefits administered by the USDA and managed by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Social Services (“DSS”). Deshaune White, 24, pleaded guilty to Theft of Government Property and now faces a maximum term of ten years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a Forfeiture Money Judgment of $102,000.00 (when sentenced later this year.)

“What a shocking abuse of trust for a state employee to steal taxpayer money from hurting families. No longer will we tolerate the petty misery of the destruction of society and order by vicious selfishness.  It is that much worse when it’s an inside job. Cheaters. Never. Win,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

Between June 2022 to January 2024, White using his position and privileges as a North Carolina Department of Social Services case worker, unlawfully accessed the SNAP accounts of qualified individuals and stole $102,000 in government funds for his own personal use.  

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The United States Department of Agriculture - OIG, and the Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-48-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Georgia man, Roderick Michael Bates, 55, pleaded guilty to identity theft and wire fraud for stealing from a local farm machinery and equipment business in Salemburg. 

According to court documents, Bates used stolen identities with fake driver’s licenses to secure financing for farm machinery and equipment from a local Sampson County business. Using these identities, he fraudulently purchased high-value items totaling more than $65,000, including a zero-turn mower, an Evolution D5 Ranger golf cart, and 12-foot and 16-foot dump trailers. He then had the business ship the items to him hundreds of miles away, outside the state of North Carolina. 

“Criminals need to think twice before stealing from the good and hardworking people in Eastern NC.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.  “Our office will prosecute you and stick you behind prison bars. Cheaters.Never.Win.” 

“I would like to thank our federal partners that helped bring this individual to justice. The citizens of Sampson County should know that our offices will work tirelessly to protect the property and livelihoods of every citizen. Regardless of distance, we will find them.” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton. 

Bates faces a mandatory minimum of 2 years and a maximum penalty of 42 years in prison when sentenced in a few months.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert T. Numbers, II accepted the plea. The FBI and the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. Petracca is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00117-D-BM

RALEIGH, N.C. – U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle announced the launch of a modified Eastern District of North Carolina U.S. Attorney’s Office Whistleblower Program to force accountability for corporations that engage in: fraud upon federal government programs, crimes involving criminal aliens, and supporting cartels.

“Our office focuses on companies, not just individuals, that steal taxpayer dollars from government programs, help cartels, and aid criminal aliens.  Too often, companies that receive government funds are the principal actors of criminal conduct. This EDNC Whistleblower Program makes it easier for insiders, or anyone else who have knowledge of corporate crime, to come forward with that information before it is too late. Folks can win-win by stopping fraud and avoiding prison.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

The EDNC posted the changes to the EDNC’s Whistleblower Program to the district’s website.  While the EDNC already had a program that made it possible for whistleblowers to come forward, that program did not provide leniency for individuals with inside knowledge of corporate crimes involving:

• Fraud upon federal government programs (including those administered by states)

• International cartels or Transnational Criminal Organizations;

• Money laundering;

• Violations of federal immigration law;

• Violations involving material support of terrorism (including support for cartels)

• Corporate sanctions

• Trade, Tarriff, and customs violations; and

• Procurement Fraud

U.S. Attorney Boyle stated, “With these changes, we clearly proclaim that the President’s priorities are our priorities. If you have knowledge of crimes by a company, come forward, give us the information, and earn leniency. Please don’t make us catch you before you come clean, because then we will fully prosecute you to the maximum extent allowed by law.”

The EDNC Whistleblower Program provides just one way individuals with knowledge of criminal conduct can help the US Attorney’s Office hold corporate criminals accountable. This program compliments - and does not replace - the ability of an individual to file a private Qui Tam lawsuit on behalf of the United States, against a company that engages in a fraud against the government.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Rick Derrell McIntyre to 35 years in federal prison for leading a Fayetteville area drug conspiracy spanning over a decade.  On May 24, 2024, Inmate McIntyre pleaded guilty to conspiracy to sell and possess with intent to sell 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and selling of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.

“Thanks to the dedicated and professional police work by the FPD and the FBI. We caught this Big Shark Bad Boy.  He dumped deadly drugs into the Fayetteville community for too long.  But never again. Sell drugs, get caught, left to rot.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Fayetteville Police Department (FPD), the FBI, and other law enforcement agencies identified Inmate McIntyre as the head of a large-scale drug trafficking organization. The investigation established that Inmate McIntyre acted as one of the most high-volume drug dealers in the Fayetteville area dating back to as early as 2012, and he coordinated with multiple co-conspirators to purchase pounds and pounds of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and MDMA to sell in Fayetteville communities. In the Eastern District of North Carolina, Inmate McIntyre was previously convicted of conspiracy to sell cocaine in 1998.

"For years, McIntyre distributed poison into his own community. Today's federal prison sentence demonstrates the power of partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to shut down his drug dealing business for good," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

"For years, McIntyre led a complex drug trafficking organization that dispersed dangerous unlawful controlled substances into our community. The Fayetteville Police Department is committed to utilizing our federal and state partnerships to dismantle such organizations and to hold accountable those that seek to profit from addiction and despair. The message should be loud and clear that if you traffic drugs in our community, we will identify you, arrest you, and hold you accountable." said Fayetteville Police Department.

In 2023 and 2024, investigators conducted a series of controlled purchases of highly pure methamphetamine from Inmate McIntyre and others in Fayetteville who dealt his drugs.  Investigators learned during these controlled purchases that Inmate McIntyre stored drugs at his business, Fort Bragg Collision Center in Spring Lake. The controlled purchases from Inmate McIntyre and his drug dealers led to the seizure of over 3700 grams of methamphetamine bought from Atlanta, Arizona, and other out of state locations. In total, the investigation established that between 2012 and June of 2023, Inmate McIntyre was responsible for distributing over 350 pounds of methamphetamine, over 46 pounds of heroin, over 7 pounds of fentanyl, over 8 pounds of cocaine, and 4 pounds of MDMA. Investigators established that Inmate McIntyre was receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of methamphetamine at a time from his out of state sources, at least one of whom was a drug trafficker operating out of Mexico.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The FBI and the FPD led the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-184-D.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Otis Henderson, 53, to 23 years in federal prison for Conspiracy to Sell and Possession with Intent to Sell 50 grams of Methamphetamine and Distribution of Methamphetamine. A federal jury convicted Inmate Henderson of the charges after trial.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, ATF and DEA began investigating a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization that shipped pounds and pounds of fentanyl and methamphetamine to EDNC in early 2024. ATF purchased multiple pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl from this organization during this investigation. In 2024, Inmate Henderson acted as a courier for the drug trafficking organization, met up with an individual in a parking lot of a Mexican restaurant in New Bern, NC, and delivered a duffle bag of 10.7 pounds of methamphetamine, packaged in bricks. Inmate Henderson’s co-defendant, Fortunato Beltran, set up the delivery of the methamphetamine and for multiple other drug drops involving fentanyl and meth. Inmate Henderson had multiple previous convictions for drug distribution in North Carolina.

“Cartels spread evil and destroy communities. Pay attention: working as a part-time drug mule for a cartel gets you over 20 years. Be smarter than that.  Drugs kill kids.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.   

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The ATF and DEA investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley J. Avera and Special Assistant United States Attorney Alison N. Lester prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-71-M-4.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A Robeson County Sheriff’s deputy, his wife, and two adult sons engaged in a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and by submitting false loan applications which resulted in the disbursement of $542,288 in loan proceeds pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Ricky McMillian, 50, Erica McMillian, 46, Dwayne McMillian, 29, and Derian McMillian, 27, face a maximum term of thirty (30) years in prison, and a $1,000,000 fine when sentenced later this year. They will also be ordered to pay a Forfeiture Money Judgment of $542,288.

“Although the Covid loans may have stopped, our government continues to dole out billions in other forms of loans, subsidies, and programs.  This office will continue to hold accountable anyone who defrauds any of our taxpayer funded programs.  This entire family of Covid fraudsters learned this lesson the hard way. CHEATERS. NEVER. WIN.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Deputy McMillian and his family members submitted five EIDL and PPP loan applications for four different businesses located in Robeson County. The McMillians and a co-conspirator made false representations about the number of employees and gross revenues. They also submitted false and fraudulent tax forms and bank statements. Following approval of each loan application, the government disbursed funds into personal accounts controlled by the McMillians.

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Jones accepted the guilty pleas from the defendants. The FBI and the IRS-CI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan Ontjes prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-126-FL, 7:25-CR-113-FL, 7:25-CR-120-FL, 7:25-CR-122-FL.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Kaihem Hicks to over 11 years in federal prison for selling methamphetamine and fentanyl and possessing a gun while selling drugs.  Inmate Hicks pleaded guilty to the charges. Inmate Hicks is the final defendant to be sentenced in a Craven County drug and gun investigation.

“So much trauma inflicted by these men against their own community, and for what? The law protects children and families.  These men destroy all of that for a little bit of money, but now they will endure nearly 90 years collectively in big boy federal prison. Time for anyone who might look up to this gang to reconsider, lest they earn decades of concrete and steel, instead. Respect yourself, your family, and your community.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. 

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and ATF identified the “Bloody Shovel Gang” and the “Gangster Disciples” as sources suppling fentanyl, methamphetamine, and guns in New Bern, Vanceboro, and the surrounding area.  In 2023 and 2024, investigators conducted a series of controlled purchases of drugs and guns from several gang members, to include Inmate Hicks of the Bloody Shovel Gang. Through these controlled purchases, investigators learned that co-conspirator Torrey Denard Stevenson supplied dealers in the Bloody Shovel Gang with fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other drugs sourced from the Atlanta area.

Stevenson and the Bloody Shovel Gang dealers set up shop at an apartment complex in New Bern to sell these drugs.  Clayton James Wright, Jr., the leader of the Gangster Disciples, bought drugs from Inmate Stevenson for his Gangster Disciples to resell around Craven County. During the course of the investigation, Inmate Wright and the Gangster Disciples also bought drugs from Durham area suppliers. As a result of approximately 20 controlled purchases of drugs and firearms, traffic stops, and search warrants, investigators seized over 460 grams of fentanyl, over 1,500 grams of methamphetamine, and multiple handguns.

In addition to Inmate Hicks, the following other gang bangers got sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy: Inmate Torrey Denard Stevenson (16 years), Inmate Clayton James Wright, Jr. (21 years), Inmate Demario Lequan Moore (11 years), Inmate Brandon Jamal Smith (9 years), Inmate Robert Niquan Bryant (5 years), Inmate Andre Dimetrease Hudson (14 years), and Inmate Deaurvion Malik Roundtree (2 years).

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan.  CCSO, ATF, New Bern Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, NC SBI, Wayne, Nash, Beaufort, and Carteret County Sheriff’s Offices, USMS, District Attorney’s Offices in Craven, Nash, and Wayne counties investigated the case, and Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Childress and Caroline Webb prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-CR-FL, Case No. 4:24-CR-46-M, and Case No. 4:24-CR-56-BO.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Shawn Keith Green, 55, to 27 years in federal prison for Production of Child Pornography. Green pleaded guilty to the offense.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, a cloud storage service reported to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children one of their users uploaded child sexual abuse material (child pornography) to an account. The North Carolina SBI linked the account to Inmate Green, a registered sex offender, living in Duplin County. The United States Secret Service executed a search warrant on Inmate Green’s account, finding over 10,000 images and videos depicting the rape and abuse of children, some as young as newborn infants. Law enforcement executed a residential search warrant at Inmate Green’s house. They seized digital devices that contained additional child sexual abuse material.

“We will never tolerate disgusting behavior like this. These spiders think they can lurk in the dark corners of the internet and hurt innocent children, but we will shine the light on them and stomp them out.  We thank the SBI, United States Secret Service, and the Duplin County Sheriff for catching this pervert.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

“The United States Secret Service (USSS), collaborating with United States Attorney’s Office (Eastern District), NCSBI and Duplin County Sheriff’s Office, successfully removed a significant threat from our community.  This case highlights the importance of inter-agency cooperation in maintaining public safety,” said USSS Special Agent in Charge Steven Gutierrez. 

In February of 2022, Inmate Green used the internet to communicate with an unknown female, likely outside the United States. Inmate Green sent a live stream of him sexually abusing a child. Inmate Green encouraged the woman to sexually abuse a 10-year-old child and agreed to pay her if she did. Inmate Green recorded the video chat to preserve it, and uploaded the video to his cloud account. The woman and the child have not been identified.

In 2007, Inmate Green pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree sexual offense and two counts of second-degree rape for the sexual assaults against three adult women.  On three separate days in 2005 and 2006, he raped the women while threatening them with a knife. He bragged about raping these women in text messages found on his phone.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The United States Secret Service, NC SBI and the Duplin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson  prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-33.

RALEIGH, N.C. – The FBI arrested Andrew Swenson, 42, of Raleigh, on a federal warrant in downtown Raleigh. The FBI obtained the warrant after a U.S. magistrate judge signed a federal criminal complaint. The Complaint accuses Swenson of sexually soliciting one minor online and traveling to sexually abuse another minor.

According to the complaint, Swenson met a thirteen-year-old online after another criminal advertised her for sexual abuse. Swenson chatted with her on social media platforms Zangi and Discord and persuaded her to send images of child sexual abuse material. He made plans to drive to her home in Nebraska, pick her up, and bring her to North Carolina to continue to sexually abuse her.

The FBI executed a search warrant at Swenson’s residence. His roommate reported that Swenson routinely travels out of town to have sex with what Swenson claimed were women. In Swenson’s bedroom, investigators found bags containing rope, zip ties, and duct tape:

The FBI also discovered that Swenson had recently met a woman on the internet who had an infant baby, traveled to visit her in New York, and produced images and videos of him sexually abusing the baby.

“Those who prey on children and solicit them to produce child abuse sexual material are morally reprehensible and will be held accountable for their heinous crimes,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. “The FBI remains committed to protecting our children.”

Swenson is charged with coercion and enticement of a minor and production of child pornography and faces a mandatory minimum of fifteen years and a maximum of life in prison if convicted of all charges.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. FBI, Wake County Sheriff’s Office, Raleigh Police Department, and Apex Police Department are investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:26-mj-1351-RJ.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Kendrick Dakota Locklear, 25, to nearly six years in federal prison for selling marijuana and possessing a gun in furtherance of selling drugs. Inmate Locklear pleaded guilty to the charges.

“Some claim dealing marijuana isn’t that bad, but when you have a machinegun at your side, you inject violence into the community and place everyone’s life at risk just to feed your greed.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Stop putting the families at risk just because you want a little bit of money. We will find you and put you in federal prison to think about how you can become a productive member of society.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office investigated Locklear for selling marijuana. They executed a search warrant at his home and found over $6,000 cash, over ten pounds of marijuana, cocaine, and three guns, including a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device. After he pleaded guilty, an ATF task force officer found evidence that Locklear continued selling marijuana up until as recently as October of 2025. 

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Angier Police Department and the Homeland Security Investigations branch of the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:24-CR-107-M-BM.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Christopher Antonio Gilmore, 34, to 15 years in prison for committing an armed bank robbery.

According to court records and evidence presented at sentencing, Gilmore entered a First Citizen’s Bank in Raleigh wearing sunglasses and a mask and armed with a loaded gun. Gilmore fired a bullet when he entered the bank. The bullet struck a cabinet just outside of the bank manager’s office.  The manager sat in the office but, by the grace of God, the cabinet stopped the bullet before it hit her. Gilmore pointed the gun at two bank tellers and ordered them to fill his backpack with money. The tellers put over $20,000 in the backpack along with a GPS tracker. Gilmore then forced the tellers to lay down behind the teller counter, yelling, “Everybody get in the back! Heads down or I’ll start shooting again!” He then waved the gun at the manager ordering her to leave her office and join the tellers on the floor.  Gilmore did not know there was another employee hid in the breakroom. That employee called 911.

Gilmore fled, but Officers with Raleigh Police Department (RPD) found Gilmore within minutes of the robbery at a nearby tire shop. When they arrested Gilmore, the officers found the gun used during the robbery, which he had stolen, the backpack filled with cash, and a high-capacity magazine for the gun.

Gilmore is a convicted felon whose criminal history spans a decade, including convictions for the following, 2015 attempted identity theft; 2019 breaking and entering and larceny; and 2023 assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, discharging a weapon into an occupied property, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

“This repeat thug should finally learn his lesson.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Thank God he didn’t kill any of these citizens, though he recklessly tried. We will continue to prosecute and remove vicious threats like this to allow our good citizens to live without fear.”

"The violent nature of Mr. Gilmore's actions are reprehensible. To barge into a bank where people are conducting business or accessing their own hard-earned money and endanger their lives is ruthless, reckless, and justifies a long federal prison sentence, said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Aubart and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Dixon, and Jaren Kelly prosecuted the case. Agencies involved in the investigation include the FBI’s Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force and Raleigh Police Department.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-00121-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Canadian alien pleaded guilty to two counts of making false claims certifying that he was a United States citizen on North Carolina voter registration applications in 2022 and 2024 to vote in the 2022 elections and 2024 presidential election.

According to court documents, Denis Bouchard, 70, falsely claimed to be a United States citizen to vote. Bouchard lived in the United States since the 1960’s, but he never obtained United States citizenship.

“This shows that our elections remain under attack from aliens. We will not tolerate noncitizens lying to illegally vote here in North Carolina. Every eligible citizen should have confidence that an alien voting illegally will get sniffed out and prosecuted. As seen as recently as Tuesday, every single vote counts because the difference between winning and losing can come down to two votes. Every ineligible vote cancels out a legal vote. We especially want to thank the vigilance of our N.C. State Board of Elections, who ferreted out this illegal voter.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

"Election security is one of the FBI’s top priorities. Americans expect fair elections and democracy requires it. This case is a testament to the FBI’s commitment to working with our partners in North Carolina to arrest and prosecute anyone who illegally participates in our democratic process, and the FBI will fully investigate any individual who attempts to subvert our upcoming 2026 elections,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

“This conviction exemplifies our strong committed partnerships with the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office to enforce our election laws and to safeguard our electoral system.  An American citizen’s right to vote is sacred, and we must do everything possible to protect that individual right and the opportunity to exercise it.” said State Board Executive Director Sam Hayes. “The State Board will continue to actively investigate all credible allegations of voter fraud by individuals and organizations with the goal of bolstering confidence in North Carolina’s electoral process.”

When sentenced, he faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment on each count.  

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the Honorable Robert T. Numbers, II, U.S. Magistrate Judge, accepted the plea. The FBI is investigating the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00083-D.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge has handed down more than 14 years in federal prison to participants in a $12.7 Million Medicaid fraud scheme that paid more than $1 Million in kickbacks to drug addict patients.  The case also resulted in the permanent closure of the fake substance abuse facility that carried out the crime, a $15 Million dollar fine, and the seizure of more than $6 Million in criminal proceeds, including cash, cars, and homes.

“This is shocking Minnesota-Somali-style fraud right here in North Carolina.  For too long, government has allowed grifters to steal taxpayer dollars with impunity.  Here, these vultures exploited particularly susceptible drug abusers trying to recover their lives and dignity.  Shameful abuse, no remorse. They better learn, and everyone should get the message. Cheaters. Never. Win.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

According to court documents, Keke Komeko Johnson, 53, of Goldsboro; Francine Sims Super, 64, of Kinston; Brandon Eugene Sims, 40, of Manvel, Texas; and Kimberly Mable Sims, 39, of Snow Hill; operated Life Touch, LLC, a purported substance abuse facility operating in Kinston and Goldsboro, and 1st Choice Healthcare Services, a urine drug screening company.  Between 2018 and 2023, Inmates Johnson and Super oversaw payments of more than $1 Million in illegal kickbacks to Life Touch’s Medicaid patients, who were drug users. They paid these kickbacks to lure patients to show up for costly substance abuse and lab services that Inmate Johnson billed to Medicaid on behalf of Life Touch and 1st Choice. Inmate Sims, Inmate Super’s daughter, owned 1st Choice Healthcare, and paid Medicaid kickbacks to Inmates Super and Johnson for fake lab services ordered by Life Touch, LLC. Meanwhile, Inmate Brandon Sims, who owned Life Touch and resided in Texas, received Millions in illegal proceeds from the Life Touch operation, but failed to file or pay taxes on that money.  The gift card kickback scheme resulted in more than $12.7 Million fake billings to the Medicaid program.

Inmates Johnson and Super deceived the North Carolina Medicaid in multiple audits. They repeatedly lied and falsified documents to make it appear to Eastpointe, a Managed Care Organization, that Life Touch never paid illegal kickbacks to patients when, in fact, they did.  Inmate Johnson later lied again regarding the gift cards during a civil investigation conducted by the Medicaid Investigations Division. At the time of these lies, Inmate Johnson served as the compliance officer for Life Touch, and Inmate Super served as the office manager in Kinston.

During the investigation, federal agents seized and forfeited more than $6 Million in assets in the form of cash, real estate, and other assets. In November 2023, after becoming aware of the criminal investigation, Inmate Brandon Sims withdrew more than $1 Million in cash from a bank account, hiding it in a safe at his Texas home.  Agents executed a search warrant and seized $1.3 million in cash, a 2021 Rolls Royce Cullinan, a 2021 Chevrolet Corvette, and a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado.  Agents seized Millions more in other real property.

The Judge sentenced Inmate Johnson, the company’s “Compliance Director,” to six years in federal prison and to pay $15,286,912.91 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $331,851.00 to the IRS. On August 14, 2025, Inmate Johnson pleaded guilty to a health care fraud conspiracy, including making and receiving illegal payments, making and using materially false documents, and failing to file a tax return.

The Judge sentenced Inmate Super, the “Kinston office manager,” to six years in federal prison, and to pay $15,286,912.91 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $373,810.00 to the IRS.  She previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to pay illegal kickbacks, healthcare fraud, and making and using materially false documents.  She also pleaded guilty to failure to file a tax return.

The Judge sentenced Inmate Kimberly Sims to two years in federal prison and to pay $1,845,276.95 in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid and $207,383.00 to the IRS.  She previously pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to paying illegal kickbacks, healthcare fraud, making and using materially false documents, and filing a false tax return.

The Judge sentenced Life Touch, LLC, to pay a $15 Million fine, to dissolve, and serve five years of probation and repay $12,762,511.30 in restitution to the North Carolina Medicaid program. Life Touch, LLC, previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, and the owner, Inmate Brandon Sims pleaded guilty to failing to file federal tax returns. The Judge sentenced Inmate Brandon Sims to two and a half years and six months in federal prison, and to pay $1,892,919.40 in restitution to the IRS.   Inmate Brandon Sims also forfeit all traceable proceeds of the Life Touch scheme to the United States.

"Healthcare Fraud robs American taxpayers and betrays the very programs meant to protect our most vulnerable citizens. In this case, more than $12 million was stolen by these defendants directly from those who need it most," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge North Carolina. "These defendants now face more than 170 months in federal prison, over $30 million in restitution to North Carolina Medicaid, and a $15 million fine. This outcome sends a clear message: those who defraud public healthcare programs will be held accountable."

“Fraud against our healthcare and tax systems is a crime and betrays public trust,” said Donald "Trey" Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation's Charlotte Field Office. “Tax evasion depletes resources intended for those in need and compromises our communities. IRS-CI special agents, in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney's Office and other partners, will continue to target those who exploit federal programs for personal gain, ensuring taxpayer funds are protected."

“These defendants orchestrated an egregious scheme involving illegal kickbacks, placing greed above patient care. Fraudulent operations like this undermine the availability of federal health care program funds intended to support millions of beneficiaries,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “Together with our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to safeguard the integrity of Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs.”

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The FBI, IRS, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-OIG, and the North Carolina AG’s Office – Medicaid Investigations Division investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Gilmore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tasha Gardner prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-00025-FL-1, 4:25-CR-00025-FL-2 and Case No. 4:25-CR-00027-FL-1.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted David Leonard Mayes, 41, of aggravated sexual abuse against a child.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Mayes raped a nine-year-old severely autistic, nonverbal child while visiting her family on Camp Lejeune. The victim’s mother arrived home early and found her daughter’s door closed. Alarmed, she opened the door and caught Mayes in the act. Investigators found a tub of petroleum jelly in her room, with Mayes’s fingerprint on it. Forensic testing showed the victim’s DNA on Mayes’s genitals and a petroleum jelly substance around both of their genitals.

“This monster preyed on the most vulnerable nine-year-old imaginable. He exploited his relationship with the family to violate this defenseless innocent child in the most inhuman ways imaginable. Rather than admit his heinous crime, he further traumatized the family by forcing them to recount what he did before the jury in open court. We will protect the heroes aboard Camp Lejeune and their daughters. We proudly secured this conviction from a jury of American citizens and look forward to advocating for a sentence that will ensure this predator will never hurt another child ever again,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

“Mr. Mayes must be held accountable for targeting and cruelly exploiting a particularly vulnerable child for illicit, selfish gratification,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Parrish of the NCIS Carolinas Field Office. “NCIS and our law enforcement partners are unwaveringly committed to protecting Department of the Navy warfighters and their families by disrupting and rigorously investigating those who prey on innocent children.”

Mayes faces a mandatory minimum of at least 30 years and up to life in prison at sentencing.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The NCIS investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Haughton and Ashley Foxx prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:22-CR-74.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Eric Lamont Salvant, 35, to almost three years in federal prison for his role in a sophisticated check-fraud ring. Inmate Salvant pleaded guilty to the charge.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Inmate Salvant conspired with two others to obtain stolen checks through an encrypted messaging app. They altered those stolen checks and created new counterfeit checks. Once the checks had been altered or counterfeited, Inmate Salvant and his coconspirators deposited them into bank accounts held in the names of various money mules recruited by Inmate Salvant, then quickly converted the proceeds to cash. 

When a bank teller in Shallotte alerted police to their attempt to deposit a counterfeit check, Police searched their car. Inmate Salvant attempted to hide a bag full of over 50 stolen and counterfeit checks and over 30 debit cards in a variety of names on a grocery-store shelf while the police arrested his coconspirators outside.

“Despite the many technological advances in our financial system, some fraudsters are still up to their old tricks,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Checks can be stolen and used to cheat banks or innocent citizens out of honest money, especially when sent through the mail. Citizens and businesses in our district should carefully monitor payments made by check to ensure delivery and deposit as intended. Our office will continue to protect the good people of Eastern North Carolina by holding fraudsters to account and working with our law enforcement partners to disrupt the criminal networks that enable these shameless crimes. Cheaters. Never. Win.”

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The United States Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cogburn prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-48-M-KS.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – John Broadway, a Brunswick County man, pleaded guilty to selling fentanyl, possession with intent to sell fentanyl and methamphetamine and possession of a gun to help sell drugs. Broadway faces at least 5 years and up to life in federal prison.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Broadway sold fentanyl to a Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) confidential informant. A small child was present at his home during the drug deal. The BCSO executed a search warrant at his home and found methamphetamine, fentanyl, $8,800 and 18 guns.

“If you sell drugs, we will find you, prosecute you, and throw you in prison for a long time.  Stop poisoning your community to make a little bit of money before rotting in prison. This is a lose-lose-lose proposition, so cut it out.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

“This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to removing illegal firearms and dangerous narcotics from our communities. The collaboration between our Narcotics Unit, the ATF, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office sends a clear message: if you choose to traffic drugs and illegally possess firearms in Brunswick County, we will work relentlessly - across every level of law enforcement - to hold you accountable.”

said Brunswick County Sherriff Brian Chism.

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the guilty plea before Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The BCSO and ATF investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Severo is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Solomon Owens, a convicted felon, now faces federal charges for possession of a gun by a felon after shooting at members of the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) on February 19, 2026. Federal prosecutors charged him by criminal complaint for possessing a Radical Firearms, model 300BLK rifle.

According to the criminal complaint, on February 19, 2026, Garner Police Department (GPD) swore out murder warrants for Owens related to the road rage killing of Joseph Adams on February 9, 2026. Law enforcement received information that Owens allegedly shot Joseph Adams because Owens felt that Adams did not let him “change lanes.” As stated in the complaint, Owens told a witness, “He wouldn’t let me over, so I handled it.” Members of the RPD Selective Enforcement Unit went to Owens’s apartment in North Raleigh. Once they entered his apartment, Owens fired multiple rounds. Owens’ bullets struck one officer in the helmet and another officer’s ballistic shield. By the grace of God, they did not suffer injury. After opening fire, Owens exited his apartment, hiding behind a woman who held an infant in her arms. RPD shot a non-lethal sponge round striking Owens in the leg. After he dropped, they took Owens into custody. The State currently detains Owens with no bond at the Wake County Detention Center.

If convicted, Owens faces up to life in prison. 

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The RPD, GPD, and ATF investigated the case, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Erin Becker is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER.

Jacksonville, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Carrollton Levon Jenkins, 36, to 35 years in federal prison for charges associated with sex trafficking and operating a prostitution enterprise.  Inmate Jenkins pleaded guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the FBI found Inmate Jenkins, a known UBN gang member, operated a “prostitution enterprise” out of the Jacksonville, NC area between at least January 2017 and April 2022. His criminal empire spanned at least 51 cities and 15 states.

In April 2022, Officers executed search warrants at his residence and business, and seized several phones. The evidence revealed that Inmate Jenkins advertised his illegal sex slaves on various social media platforms where he promoted training aspiring pimps, referring to them as his protegees, to instruct them on how to target and exploit victims.

He victimized vulnerable women, including girls, using manipulation, control, threats, and violence to coerce his victims into prostitution. He forced the victims to give him their earnings, mandating each get raped by upwards of 15 Johns a day, seven days a week.

“This spider exploited these girls and women, just to make money, exposing them to all manner of disease, depravity, and bodily harm.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.  “Monsters who prey upon our mothers, daughters, sisters, and granddaughters have no place in our country, certainly not in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The Judge handed down the lengthy and appropriate sentence in this case based on the dedicated work of the FBI, our local partners, and federal prosecutors. The families in the Eastern District are safer because this pimp will spend decades in prison.”

"Children are not a commodity to be traded and exploited. The FBI and our partners will do everything possible to hold offenders accountable who prey on vulnerable people for their own profit," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The FBI  investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-CR-82-M.

Jacksonville, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Carrollton Levon Jenkins, 36, to 35 years in federal prison for charges associated with sex trafficking and operating a prostitution enterprise.  Inmate Jenkins pleaded guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the FBI found Inmate Jenkins, a known UBN gang member operated a “prostitution enterprise” out of the Jacksonville, NC area between at least January 2017 and April 2022. His criminal empire spanned at least 51 cities and 15 states.

In April 2022, Officers executed search warrants at his residence and business, and seized several phones. The evidence revealed that Inmate Jenkins advertised his illegal sex slaves on various social media platforms where he promoted training aspiring pimps, referring to them as his protegees, to instruct them on how to target and exploit victims.

He victimized vulnerable women, including girls, using manipulation, control, threats, and violence to coerce his victims to prostitute. He forced the victims to give him their earnings, mandating each get raped by upwards of 15 Johns a day, seven days a week.

“This spider, just to make money, exploited these girls and women, exposing them to all manner of disease, depravity and bodily harm.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.  “Monsters who prey upon our mothers, daughters, sisters, and granddaughters have no place in our country, certainly not in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The Judge handed down the lengthy and appropriate sentence in this case based on the dedicated work of the FBI, our local partners, and federal prosecutors. The families in the Eastern District are safer because this pimp will spend decades in prison.”

"Children are not a commodity to be traded and exploited. The FBI and our partners will do everything possible to hold offenders accountable who prey on vulnerable people for their own profit," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III. The FBI  investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-CR-82-M.

RALEIGH, N.C. – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that federal agents seized over $61 million worth of Tether, a cryptocurrency pegged to the U.S. dollar. Investigators traced the seized funds to cryptocurrency addresses allegedly associated with the laundering of criminally derived proceeds stolen from victims of cryptocurrency investment scams, commonly known as a “pig butchering scheme”.

“The seizure of a staggering $61 Million dollars’ worth of funds linked to cryptocurrency fraud shows that, in the Eastern District of North Carolina, cheaters never win.  Our asset forfeiture team worked along with HSI to take the profit out of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

According to court filings, criminal actors targeted and recruited victims by establishing trust under the pretense of a romantic relationship. Once trust was secured, the scammers claimed to possess specialized techniques for generating substantial profits through cryptocurrency trading. They directed victims to fake cryptocurrency trading platforms, which closely resembled legitimate platforms in both name and appearance. These fake platforms displayed made up investment portfolios showing unusually high returns, deliberately designed to entice victims to invest more and more money. When victims attempted to withdraw their funds, they could not and were often presented with various excuses, such as the requirement to pay a “tax” or “fee” to release their funds. The scammers used these tactics to further exploit and extract even more money from their victims.

Once the victims’ money transferred to a cryptocurrency wallet under the scammers’ control, the crooks quickly routed that money through many other wallets to hide the nature, source, control, and ownership of that stolen money.  In this case, agents and analysts from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Raleigh, North Carolina received a report of alleged investment fraud from a victim through the HSI Tip Line. Through investigative efforts, agents and analysts traced the victim’s money into and through multiple cryptocurrency wallets used in the fraud and money laundering scheme. Several of these wallets still contained substantial amounts of victims’ money subject to seizure and forfeiture.

“Criminal actors and professional money launderers use cyber-enabled fraud schemes to swindle their victims and conceal their ill-gotten gains,” said HSI Charlotte Acting Special Agent in Charge Kyle D. Burns. “HSI special agents work diligently to trace the illicit proceeds of crime across the globe to disrupt and dismantle the transnational criminal organizations that seek to defraud hardworking Americans.”

The Department of Justice and HSI acknowledges Tether for its assistance in transferring these assets.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Raleigh man pleaded guilty to possessing machine gun conversion devices in the parking lot next to the North Carolina State Fairgrounds and the Lenovo Center where NC State and the Hurricanes play in Raleigh, North Carolina. A United States Magistrate Judge signed a complaint on October 27, 2025, charging Luis Alberto Guerra-Martinez with possession of a machine gun. A Grand Jury for the Eastern District of North Carolina returned an indictment on November 18, 2025.

“Bad hombres bringing illegal guns to crowded parking lots are up to no good. Thanks to the alert officer who sniffed out this nefarious plot before any blood was spilled.  Stay alert, stay alive.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

"Observant local officers acted quickly, discovering multiple weapons, including a machine gun in this subject's car parked outside a concert of 15,000 people. This is an outstanding example of the FBI Raleigh Durham Safe Streets Task Force, the Raleigh Police Department, the Wake County Sheriff's Office, and the Dunn Police Department uniting for one purpose, to keep our communities safe. The FBI is committed to working with our state and local partners to bring the full weight of federal charges against anyone who may pose a threat to the homeland," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, on October 24, 2025, law enforcement stopped Guerra-Martinez as he drove erratically in the parking lot between the N.C. State Fair and the Lenovo Center. The N.C. State Fair was in full swing with tens of thousands of members of the public at the time. Also, popular youth rapper performed was a concert at the Lenovo Center at the same time. As Guerra-Martinez exited his vehicle, law enforcement detected the odor of marijuana coming from his car. Guerra-Martinez attempted to run away from the car as officers approached. They searched the car. The search yielded five guns, two drop in sears. A drop in sear converts a semi-automatic gun into a fully automatic machine gun. The search also yielded 35 grams of marijuana, THC vape cartridges, a digital scale, a ski mask, a Lenovo center radio, three Santa Muerte candles, one machete and one hunting knife, and two cell phones. Guerra-Martinez had recently been fired from Lenovo where he had worked as a janitor for a third-party contractor.

At sentencing, Guerra-Martinez faces up to 10 years in prison. 

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement today. The FBI Raleigh Safe Streets Taskforce, WCSO, RPD and DPD investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aria Merle and Assistant U.S. Attorney William Van Trigt are prosecuting the case.

A federal grand jury returned a 35-count indictment, unsealed Friday, charging three Mexican citizens for trafficking Mexican farmworkers into forced labor and harboring them in the United States after their visas expired for the defendants’ financial gain.

“Three individuals have been indicted for exploiting the H-2A visa program to lure vulnerable workers from Mexico to the United States with promises of legitimate employment, only to then confiscate their identity documents and force them to labor in inhumane conditions,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These charges reflect the Department’s commitment to protecting the integrity of our lawful immigration system and holding accountable those who corrupt it to exploit and abuse foreign workers. The Criminal Division will continue to investigate and prosecute forced labor and human trafficking wherever it occurs.”

“We will find and eradicate any illegal immigration we find here in the EDNC,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle for the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC). “We do not tolerate abuse of the system to hurt unsuspecting victims of human trafficking.” 

According to court documents, Martha Zeferino Jose, 42, a permanent resident of the United States and citizen of Mexico, owned and operated Las Princesas Corporation (Las Princesas), a farm labor contracting company based in Washington, North Carolina that recruited workers from Mexico to come to the United States on temporary H-2A agricultural visas. She ran Las Princesas alongside her partner (John Doe), identified at the time of arrest as Jose Rodriguez Munoz, a citizen of Mexico illegally residing in the United States, and her son Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23, a permanent resident of the United States and citizen of Mexico.

Between approximately August 2021 and July 2022, Martha Zeferino Jose allegedly submitted fraudulent applications to the Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in which she falsely certified that Las Princesas would comply with all required employment conditions and labor laws – including promises not to charge workers recruitment fees, not to confiscate their documents, and to provide proper wages, meals, housing, and transportation. According to the indictment, Martha Zeferino Jose never intended to honor those commitments.

Recruiters working for Las Princesas allegedly charged the workers significant fees for the opportunity to come to the United States, saddling them with debt before they even arrived. Once the workers were in the country, the defendants allegedly confiscated their passports, visas, and identification documents to prevent them from leaving. The workers were then allegedly compelled to perform physically demanding labor at farms and plant nurseries across three states under degrading conditions. According to the indictment, the defendants made the workers labor for extensive hours without adequate breaks or access to water; housed them in crowded, unsanitary residences that lacked heat, air conditioning, hot water and bedding; failed to pay required wages; withheld food; and denied medical care.

The defendants allegedly imposed strict rules to keep the workers isolated and under their control – prohibiting them from leaving, going anywhere alone, or speaking with people outside the group. They allegedly monitored the workers’ activities and created a climate of fear by threatening to report workers to immigration authorities, have them arrested and deported, and ensure they lost future employment opportunities. When some workers’ H-2A visas expired, the defendants allegedly told workers to stay in the country rather than informing them of their legal obligation to depart and then harbored the workers with expired visas in residences and at worksites for the defendants’ own financial benefit.

When the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division launched an investigation into Las Princesas, Martha Zeferino Jose and her partner allegedly obstructed the investigation. According to the indictment, Martha Zeferino Jose returned the workers’ confiscated passports and identification documents before investigators arrived and instructed the workers to tell investigators that everything was fine and that Las Princesas had never taken their documents. Munoz allegedly threatened the workers that they would be deported if they told investigators the truth.

Each of the defendants is charged with forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, alien harboring for financial gain, conspiracy to commit alien harboring for financial gain, and document servitude offenses. Additionally, Martha Zeferino Jose is charged with visa fraud, Munoz is charged with obstruction, and they are both charged with conspiracy to obstruct proceedings before agencies. If convicted, the defendants face maximum penalties of 20 years in prison for each count of forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor, 10 years in prison for each count of alien harboring for financial gain and conspiracy to commit alien harboring for financial gain, and five years in prison for document servitude. Additionally, Martha Zeferino Jose faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for visa fraud, Munoz faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for obstruction, and Martha Zeferino Jose and Munoz face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to commit obstruction. 

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case. The U.S. Marshals Service provided valuable assistance.

Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel for the Eastern District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

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

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced David Ryan Winters, age 40, to 3 years in federal prison for cyberstalking.  For almost a decade, Winters stalked, harassed, and threatened gay men online in the Raleigh-Durham area. Winters pleaded guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Winters became enraged at the gay community in Raleigh-Durham for perceived slights. Starting around 2016, Winters began stalking gay men online and in person, including by showing up at victims’ homes and sending them pictures of their residences. Winters would discover victims’ personal information and send angry messages. He repeatedly threatened to kill specific victims and gay men generally, saying that he wanted to make national headlines and invoking the Pulse homicides from Florida. Winters visited one victim’s workplace, shattered a window, and threw a metal trashcan on the victim’s car. Winters’s obsessive harassment campaign terrified many people, forcing them to move or take other self-protective measures.

“We believe in protecting all citizens who deserve to live their lives in peace. This antisocial behavior cannot fester without serious attention and prevention.  Thanks to our dedicated law enforcement partners for taking this very seriously and putting this criminal behind bars.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI and Raleigh Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel  prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-343-M-RN.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Nasir Gray, 26, to 10 years in federal prison for selling 40 grams or more of fentanyl and ANPP.  Gray pleaded guilty on October 14, 2025.

According to the court documents and other information presented in court, this investigation began in June of 2023, when officers with the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) were contacted by a confidential source regarding a fentanyl trafficker in the Raleigh area.  Law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of fentanyl from Gray in June of 2023 and then executed a search warrant at his apartment. The search resulted in the seizure of several narcotics including PCE, a mixture of fentanyl and ANPP, a mixture of heroin and fentanyl, MDMA pills, cocaine base, and Adderall pills.  They also seized digital scales, a cellphone, and a firearm.

“Crime doesn’t pay. They sell poison that kills children and destroys their communities.  The loss of freedom earned when you get caught never balances out whatever fleeting cash passes through your hands for a second. Do better and take care of your community.”  said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

W. Ellis Boyle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by District Judge Louise W. Flanagan.  RPD and ATF investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.  A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:24-CR-00355-FL.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted Eugene Montale Jenkins, age 36, for possessing with intent to sell 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Judge William L. Osteen announced the jury verdict.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Jenkins was a known drug dealer In Edgecombe County who had sold fentanyl, marijuana, cocaine, and crack in from his trap house for a while. In March 2023, Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office (ECSO) launched an investigation into Jenkins’ drug dealing. ECSO made five controlled buys of fentanyl from Jenkins from March to July 2023. 

“Folks need to realize that selling drugs will get you caught. When the jury convicts you, you will spend a long time in federal prison. It’s not worth it.  Have pride in who you are and don’t destroy your community.”  said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

On July 12, 2023, ECSO executed A search warrant. Jenkins ran out of the back of the trap house but then reentered to discard over three ounces of crack that he pulled out of his pants. ECSO found a backpack that contained over 6,000 bindles of fentanyl (worth over $100,000).  They also found a bag of money, digital scales, empty bindles, stamps, ink pads, and rubber bands. The stamps on the fentanyl bindles recovered during the search matched the stamps on the bindles sold during the buys.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Dixon and Kevin Gerarde prosecuted the case. ECSO and ATF participated in the investigation.

A copy of this press release is located on the EDNC USAO website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-00010-WLO.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Jeffrey Bryant Champion, age 37, to 29 years in federal prison for producing child sexual abuse material.  Champion pleaded guilty to the charges.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Champion met a minor victim in Thailand and began sexually abusing her when she was only fourteen years old. For two years, he traveled to Thailand and repeatedly sexually abused her, producing many child sexual abuse material videos. He also emotionally abused her, belittling her, and calling her cruel names. In November 2024, he wired money to her in Thailand for her to fly to the United States and stay with him. This prompted an international rescue in early December 2024.

“We will not tolerate this type of depraved behavior.  While this is the specific conduct proved in court, a disgusting predator like this should never be allowed to hurt another child.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

"Jeffrey Champion thought he could avoid detection by leaving the country, kidnapping a young girl, and bringing her to North Carolina to commit his egregious offenses. Our investigation and prosecution team displayed the global reach of federal law to bring him to justice, and his prison sentence serves as a reminder of the FBI’s commitment to protect children and crush violent crime," said Reid Davis, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI, Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lynchburg (VA) Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin C. Blondel  prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. Click or tap here to enter text..

USA Attorney Ellis Boyle met with the outstanding and remarkable Kitty Hawk Police Department team.  They were joined by Mayor Charlotte Walker and Councilman Peter Mantz.  Thank you for all you do for Kitty Hawk and North Carolina.  

GREENVILLE, N.C. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Roberto Almeida-Santos, 56, an illegal alien born in Mexico, with perjury and immigration fraud.  The indictment alleges that Sanchez lied about his criminal history on his application to obtain a non-immigrant visa.

According to the indictment and previously issued court documents, Sanchez is alleged to have knowingly made materially false statements under penalty of perjury on his application to obtain a non-immigrant visa when he submitted it to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) in 2021.  He allegedly answered “No” in response to the questions “Have you EVER committed a crime or offense for which you have not been arrested?” and “Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in any of the following:…[e]ngaging in any kind of sexual conduct or relations with any person who was being forced or threatened?”

On August 7, 2023, in Randolph County Superior Court of North Carolina, a grand jury returned an indictment which charged him with having committed two counts of statutory sex offense with child under 15, and two counts of indecent liberties with a child, from January 1, 2018, through January 1, 2020.  On August 7, 2023, in Guilford County Superior Court of North Carolina, a separate grand jury returned two indictments against Almeida.  The first indictment charged him with having committed statutory sex offense with a child from January 24, 2016, through January 23, 2017.  The second indictment charged him with having committed the same offense from January 24, 2018, through January 23, 2019.

On August 14, 2024, in Guilford County Superior Court of North Carolina, Almeida was convicted of two counts of sex offense with a child by an adult. The child victim was 8 years old. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 18 and 26 years and ordered to register as a sex offender. Almeida confessed to having committed the offenses from January 24, 2016, through January 23, 2017, and January 24, 2018, through January 23, 2019.

On December 17, 2024, in the Randolph County Superior Court of North Carolina, Almeida was convicted of two counts of statutory sex offense with child under 15. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 16 and 25 years and ordered to register as a sex offender. He confessed to having committed the offenses from January 1, 2018, through January 1, 2020. The victim was 14 years old.    

The grand jury charged Almeida in a two-count indictment.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.  

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE ERO officers are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain immigration benefits.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. [insert].

An indictment is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.  

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Isidro Arcenio Alvarado, 58, a native of El Salvador, to active prison time after he pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship. The judge also revoked his citizenship and ordered him removed from the United States.

“Sex predators who sexually abuse 10-year-old children deserve, at the very least, prison time and should never be granted the privilege and honor of United States’ citizenship.”  said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.  “Thanks to the excellent investigation by ICE, this pervert will never harm another child in the United States.  He better stay out.”

Alvarado confessed to having knowingly made materially false statements under oath and penalty of perjury on his naturalization application and during a naturalization interview with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS).  He answered “No” to the following questions “Were you EVER involved in any way with any of the following:…[f]orcing or trying to force someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?”; “Have you EVER committed, assisted in committing, or attempted to commit, a crime or offense for which you were NOT arrested?”; “Have you EVER given any U.S. Government officials any information or documentation that was false, fraudulent, or misleading?”; and “Have you EVER lied to any U.S. government officials to gain entry or admission into the United States or to gain immigration benefits while in the United States?”  Alvarado took the oath of citizenship and naturalized on October 12, 2022.

On April 25, 2023, police arrested Alvarado and charged him with having committed multiple sex offenses against a child.  On July 8, 2025, in the Wake County Superior Court of North Carolina, Alvarado pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent liberties with a child.  The state judge sentenced him to a suspended prison term and ordered him to register as a sex offender.  Alvarado admitted to having committed the crimes from January 1, 2019, through April 10, 2021.  In 2019, the victim was only 10 years old.  Immigration officials did not know about his deviant sex crimes prior to granting him citizenship.

Upon completion of his sentence, ICE will deport him from the United States.   

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. ICE ERO officers investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain U.S. citizenship.  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Fraud Detection and National Security Division is assisting with the initiative.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-208-D-BM.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Federal Judge sentenced Larico D. Steele, 53, to 1 year in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay over $150,000.00 restitution to the Small Business Administration. Steele pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. Steele participated in a nationwide multimillion-dollar Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud scheme. The EDNC United States Attorney’s Office has obtained over thirty prison sentences over the course of the investigation.

“Congress enacted this program to assist real American businesses who suffered when the governments forced the economy to close related to perceived COVID health scares. Greedy grifters descended like crabs to pick away these funds for illicit gain.  Do what your mamma taught you, don’t steal. Cheaters never win.” said U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle.

“Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to holding individuals accountable for defrauding the government," said Donald "Trey" Eakins, Special Agent in Charge of the Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Our special agents, alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and other partners, will continue to target those who exploit federal relief programs for personal gain.”

According to evidence presented in court, Steele worked with Edward Whitaker to obtain a fraudulent PPP loan based on bogus payroll information related to Steele’s purported music business, Steele Entertainment, LLC.  Steele lied, grossly inflating both the number of purported employees and their salaries. After obtaining the loan, Steele then laundered 25% of the PPP proceeds back to Whitaker through cashier’s checks through a shell bank account.  Last December, a federal judge in the EDNC sentenced Whitaker to 10 years in federal prison for his role as a ringleader in the scheme.

Other defendants that have been sentenced in the broader “Loanstarters” PPP scheme include:

• Albert Eugene Miller, Jr. [Case No. 5-22-CR-00290-D]

• Jonathan Fleming [Case No. 5-22-CR-00337-D]

• Nekita Hooks [Case No. 5-23-CR-00025-D]

• Denise Coit Alston [Case No. 5-23-CR-00077-D]

• Monica Faye Barnes [Case No. 5:23-CR-00094-D]

• Dontrell Barnes [Case No. 5-23-CR-00094-D]

• Isaac Lamont Dawson [Case No. 5:23-CR-0097-D]

• Irene Edwards [Case No. 5-23-CR-00098-D]

• Natosia Jerome Jenkins [Case No. 5:23-CR-00167-D]

• Ronald L. Jones [Case No. 5:23-CR-00339-D]

• Delvin Dashavone Felder [Case No. 5:23-CR-00198]

• Shun Lamont Gibbs [Case No. 5:23-CR-00346-D]

• Teresa Ann McRae [Case No. 5:23-CR-00313-D]

• Dontae Antonio Murphy [Case No. 5:24-CR-00072]

• Jackson Ndoyo [Case No. 5-23-CR-00118-D]

• Terron Cortez Parker [Case No. 5-23-CR-00081-D]

• Ayyub Abdur Rasheed [Case No. 5:23-CR-00314-D]

• Karim Aziz Razzak [Case No. 5:23-CR-00324]

• Toni A. Smith [Case No. 5:23-CR-00312-D]

• Darian Casteele Tyler [Case No. 5:23-CR-00338-D]

• Shakeerah Kaneisha Yvette Vinson [Case No. 5-23-CR-00027-D]

• Anthony S. Whitaker [Case No. 5:23-CR-00311-D]

• James Elton Watson Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D]

• Shara Monique Wells [Case No. 5:23-CR-00323-D]

• Kami D. Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00095-D]

• Lenille Woodard [Case No. 5-23-CR-00138-D]

• Quentin Jackson [Case No. 5-22-CR-180-D]

• Everett M. McBride [Case No. 5:24-CR-00036-D]

• Hanif Abdul-Hakim [Case No. 5:24-CR-00109-D]

• Schunda Coleman [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D]

• Edward Whitaker [Case No. 5-22-CR-00257-D]

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were economically suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The CARES Act and additional appropriations authorized up to $649 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses through the Paycheck Protection Program.  Financial institutions issued the PPP loans, which were guaranteed by the Small Business Administration (SBA).

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III announced the sentence.  IRS Criminal Investigations investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Beraka prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-00123-D.

RALEIGH, N.C. – Law enforcement officers arrested two Lenoir County men on federal charges of conspiring to sell crystal methamphetamine, or “Ice,” and possession with intent to sell.

According to court documents, Kenji Chiba Jerkins, 31, and Tyquil Jermal Yates, 31, entered into an agreement dating back as early as August 2024 to sell, and possess with intent to sell, fifty grams or more of methamphetamine, and possessed fifty grams or more of methamphetamine on August 11, 2025. Jerkins and Yates face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison if convicted.

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. Lenoir County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Khari L. Cyrus is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:26-cr-00003-FL-RN.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A Federal Judge sentenced Marcus Terrell Burney, 44, to 4.8 years in federal prison for possession of a gun by a felon.  Inmate Burney pleaded guilty to the crime.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Inmate Burney drove his car on I-40 in Sampson County with an expired registration. Sampson County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop and during an open-air sniff, K-9 “Rocky” gave a positive alert for the presence of narcotics. That led to the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office along with ATF to conduct a probable cause search of the car, which yielded a loaded S7W M&P 40 caliber gun in the center console, an open bottle of tequila, digital scales with powder residue, and marijuana residue. Inmate Burney had a blood alcohol content level of 0.13 when tested on the roadside.

This conviction is Inmate Burney’s third federal conviction. First, in 2004, Inmate Burney was convicted of federal felony offenses Possession with the Intent to Sell Marijuana and Possession of a Gun in Furtherance of a Drug Crime. Second, in 2012, Inmate Burney was convicted of the federal felony offenses Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Sell Crack Cocaine and Hydrocodone. Inmate Burney was on Federal Supervised Release at the time of the third offense.

“It’s really easy to avoid this type of crime.  If you cannot legally possess a gun, then don’t even try.  Stay away from drug dealing, too, unless you want to go to prison for many years.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

“Thanks to the alert work of our deputies, a traffic stop led to the arrest of an individual who was already on federal probation and illegally in possession of a firearm. This case highlights the importance of proactive policing and traffic enforcement in keeping dangerous weapons off our streets. I’m proud of our deputies for their dedication to public safety and their commitment to holding offenders accountable” said Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton.

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and ATF investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, Aria Q. Merle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Severo prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Raleigh man to one year and a day for importing and selling thousands of counterfeit car airbags into the Raleigh area over the past two years. The defendant, Mateen Mohammad Alinaghian, 31, sold the counterfeit airbags locally and to online buyers through Facebook Marketplace.  The court also ordered Alignaghian to pay restitution in the amount of $83,405.95 to the victims who unknowingly purchased a counterfeit airbag, and to the car manufacturers, and forfeit $154,693.16.

“Selling fake airbags recklessly puts our citizens in danger,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This sentence makes clear that we do not tolerate criminals who endanger drivers on our roads. We will keep working with our partners to take these threats off the streets and out of our cars.”

“Unregulated and untested counterfeit airbags threaten the safety of the traveling public and place unsuspecting consumers at significant risk,” said Greg Thompson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region. “Today’s sentencing underscores DOT-OIG’s commitment to working with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to keep these dangerous products out of the nation’s vehicles and off our roads”

“This case spotlights the serious consumer health and safety dangers posed by many counterfeit products like fake vehicle airbags and exemplifies the importance of interagency cooperation in protecting public safety and bringing counterfeiters to justice,” said Secretary of State Elaine Marshall.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Alinaghian, imported approximately 2,500 counterfeit air bags into Raleigh between May 2022 and April 2024.  Alinaghian imported airbags with counterfeit markings of Honda, Chevrolet, General Motors, and Toyota, from a supplier in the United Kingdom.  Alinaghian then sold the counterfeit airbags to unsuspecting customers using the Facebook Marketplace seller profile of “Matt AutoParts” or “Medo Smith” to advertise and sell the counterfeit airbags.  

According to testing done by Honda, General Motors, and Toyota, the steering wheel airbags obtained and sold by Alinaghian were not manufactured by the car companies and often included materials of lesser quality. In testing, the counterfeit airbags often malfunctioned, either not fully inflating or worse, inflating late – posing a potentially serious risk of injury to the vehicle driver.

The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General.  The investigation included a search of Alinaghian’s house, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 20 counterfeit airbags, and multiple seizures by Customs and Border Control of in-bound packages from the United Kingdom containing counterfeit airbags en route to Alinaghian. 

After identifying that Alinaghian was importing the counterfeit airbags from a source in the United Kingdom, HSI contacted law enforcement abroad.  As a result, the City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PICU) executed a search warrant on September 19, 2024, PICU officers searched two residential and one business address and seized a total of 500 counterfeit airbags and an estimated £140,000 in cash.  Three men were arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and conspiracy to distribute counterfeit goods. The UK investigation is still ongoing.   

Although not specifically linked to this case, according to a consumer alert published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), three people in the U.S. were killed and two people suffered injuries from September 2023 to July 2024 as a result of their vehicles being fitted with substandard replacement airbags.

Individuals who suspect they purchased a counterfeit airbag should consult their brand’s dealership or a reputable mechanic to determine if the parts need to be replaced, and report it to their local Homeland Security Investigations office or submit an online complaint to the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Haughton prosecuted the case. The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation, along with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the N.C. Secretary of State Trademark Enforcement Division or Anti-Counterfeit Task Force.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-00013-FL.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury convicted an Ahoskie man on charges of that he illegally possessed a firearm as a convicted felon.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Anton Montes Vernon, 31, had a 9mm pistol in his jeans pocket on the evening of November 9, 2023, in Ahoskie. As part of the Down East Drug & Violent Crime Task Force, officers conducted saturation patrols in high crime areas in communities in Northampton, Hertford, Gates, and Bertie Counties. Ahoskie, with a population of 4,891, is in Hertford County. During one of these saturation patrols, Ahoskie police saw Vernon and some other folks standing outside a vehicle parked at an intersection. When officers approached the group, they smelled the odor of marijuana. They frisked the individuals for a safety check. They found a loaded 9mm pistol in Vernon’s pocket. North Carolina State prosecutors previously convicted Vernon of three separate breaking and entering offenses which qualified Vernon as an Armed Career Criminal under federal sentencing guidelines.  

“Armed Career Criminals like Vernon have an outsized impact on small communities in Eastern North Carolina, like Ahoskie.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “When Big Shark Bad Boys like Vernon carry illegal guns, they pose a risk to the entire community.   My office and our great law enforcement partners will ensure that these career criminal felons cannot threaten our neighborhoods and loved ones all across the District. We will convict them at trial and keep working to make every North Carolinian feel safe.”

“The blatant disregard a career criminal has for law and order poses a serious threat to public safety,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Our job is to put a stop to their cycle of crime and violence, and we’ll continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from repeat offenders.”

Vernon faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison when sentenced.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the verdict. The Ahoskie Police Department, the Down East Drug Task Force, and the ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jaren Kelly and Phil Aubart tried the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.2:25-CR-4-M.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Jesse Lonzo Teal, 73, to 13.5 years in federal prison for luring a minor into sex trafficking and producing child sexual abuse material. Teal pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Teal used the internet to recruit women—including a minor girl—to perform commercial sex at his Wilmington residence. Teal targeted vulnerable victims, struggling with addiction and at least one with low intellectual functioning. He used drugs and alcohol to make them pliable, and then he bullied and belittled them. Teal recorded hundreds of images and videos of the women in sexually explicit poses and engaged in sexual activity, sometimes without their knowledge or consent. Teal offered to sell the minor girl’s body for commercial sex, paid her to engage in sex with him and others, and took child sexual abuse material images of her.

Teal was charged as part of the investigation into Cape Fear Escorts, which served as a front for prostitution and human trafficking for more than a decade. Last year, a federal judge sentenced Christopher Todd Evans, its owner, to 25 years in federal prison and ordered him to pay $200,630.18 in restitution.

“This will not stand. We will not tolerate disgusting creeps who take advantage of our young girls and vulnerable women. This dirty old man can think about his terrible choices in a federal prison until his mid 80s.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The FBI and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Blondel prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-47-M-RJ.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Grifton man for conspiracy to sell and selling cocaine and crack and possessing guns as a convicted felon and while selling crack.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Kevin Tyrone Eure, AKA “Boo Dro”, 37, was a drug dealer in the Craven County area. Law enforcement confirmed this by covertly purchasing of cocaine and crack from him. They followed up by executing a search warrant at his home in Grifton. Investigators found crack and packaging materials: digital scales and vacuum sealed bags, that he used to package his drugs for sale. Investigators also located a bullet proof vest, over 37 pounds of ammunition, and 12 guns of various sizes throughout his home.  He hid the guns in random spots around his home, including in the slot of a toaster and Draco hidden inside a dryer.  When interviewed, Eure admitted to selling cocaine and crack for the past eight years throughout eastern North Carolina.

“Selling crack and cocaine is illegal.  Stashing a bunch of guns in your house while slinging drugs makes the crime that much worse.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.  “It’s really easy to avoid this type of trouble: stop selling drugs, don’t have guns if you are a felon.  I hope he learns his lesson and doesn’t commit any more crimes when he eventually gets out of prison.  He will have a long time to reconsider these bad choices.”

Eure faces a mandatory minimum of 5 years and up to approximately 40 years confinement when sentenced in May.

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. ATF, the North Carolina SBI, the Craven County Sherrif’s Office, and the New Bern Police Department investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Lester and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Kellhofer prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.Click or tap here to enter text..

U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle attends Homeland Security Task Force Regional Meeting. We aim to collaborate closely to deepen and strengthen our partnership.  

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Rocky Mount man on three counts of Interstate phone calls in a Murder-for-Hire scheme.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Nahro Sudoi INNAB, 70, attempted to arrange the murders of three people. He did all this after pleading guilty to the same conduct, while sitting in jail awaiting the start of his prison term. INNAB tried to pay other inmates $10,000 per head to murder these men. The intended victims were Rocky Mount small business owners. A cooperating defendant informed the FBI of the plot and captured an audio recording of INNAB’s murderous plan.

“This Palestinian immigrant came here to take advantage of the American dream, but he has repeatedly tried to hire thugs to murder his perceived enemies,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.  “We will not tolerate this type of terror spreading behavior.  He needs to learn his lesson and behave in a civilized manner.”

"Even after being federally charged, arrested, and pleading guilty to a murder for hire plot, Nahro Innab continued his demented and dangerous plans. Thankfully, a coordinated law enforcement effort thwarted multiple murderous plots, and he will be safely behind prison bars for years to come," said James C. Barnacle Jr., the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

INNAB faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each crime the federal jury convicted him of committing.

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after U.S. District Judge James C. Dever III accepted the verdict. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Newby, Jr. is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No.5:24-CR-307-D-RN.

A federal judge sentenced a Fayetteville grandmother, Cynthia Denise Melvin, age 60, to five years in federal prison for wire fraud stealing over $5 million from federal student aid for community colleges all around North Carolina.  She pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.  The federal judge also ordered Melvin to pay back $3,641,473 in restitution to the U.S. Department of Education.

“We have seen dishonest thieves stealing taxpayer dollars all over the country, including right here in Eastern North Carolina. In her federal student aid fraud scheme, this grandmother stole the most money ever prosecuted in North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney W. Ellis Boyle. “We will find and prosecute criminals who steal tax dollars from benefit programs intended to help students who need it to pursue education. She should have been taking care of her grandkids, setting an example of how to be a good person. Instead, now she will spend half a decade in federal prison apart from them.”

“I’m proud of the work of OIG special agents and our law enforcement colleagues for shutting down yet another student aid fraud ring and holding Ms. Melvin accountable for her criminal actions,” said Andrew Balceniuk, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Regional Office. “The Office of Inspector General is committed to stopping student aid fraud rings, and we will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who participates in them.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2016 and 2023, Inmate Melvin organized, led, and conspired with approximately 80 “straw students” to fraudulently apply for federal student aid at multiple community colleges in North Carolina, including Wake Tech, Cape Fear Community College, and Fayetteville Tech.  Federal investigators from the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General (OIG), estimate that the scheme resulted in over $5 million in financial aid awards and more than $3.5 million disbursed.  This scheme is the largest of its kind ever prosecuted in the State of North Carolina.

Federal Student Aid (FSA), part of the U.S. Department of Education, administers financial aid programs to assist qualified students in their pursuit of college level education.  FSA also develops, distributes, and processes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  After a school applies a financial award to a student’s tuition and fees, any remaining balance is refunded to the student for education-related expenses.

According to the investigation, Inmate Melvin collected personal identifying information from straw students and submitted fraudulent applications at the targeted schools. Then, inmate Melvin faked the attendance at classes, completion of work, and interactions with the target schools when, in reality, inmate Melvin impersonated these straw students.  Inmate Melvin submitted FAFSA forms for the straw students through FSA’s website and concealed her identity as the preparer.

During the execution of a federal search warrant at inmate Melvin’s home, OIG investigators recovered evidence establishing the operation and mechanics of the scheme, including personal information and coursework for straw students, FSA account usernames and passwords, and bank account and routing numbers.

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief Judge Richard E. Myers, II. The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-14-M.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced James Mason Daugherty, 33, to 25 years in federal prison for selling fentanyl which killed a 33-year-old man.  Inmate Daugherty pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025.

According to the court documents and other information presented in court, in December of 2021, the New Bern Police Department (NBPD) learned Inmate Daugherty sold fentanyl in New Bern.  Law enforcement conducted seven controlled purchases of fentanyl from Inmate Daugherty.  On May 16, 2022, the 33-year-old victim died from fentanyl Inmate Daugherty sold him. 

Inmate Daugherty admitted this about his victim “that’s the third person I killed off a dope.”  Daugherty named the additional two victims he admitted killing with fentanyl saying, “I gave them the dope that killed ‘em.” Daugherty also admitted to selling fentanyl to another person on the same day, and first responders rushed to administer Narcan narrowly saving another victim from dying.   

State officials arrested Inmate Daughtery, released him on bond, and ultimately gave him just a probationary sentence for selling fentanyl. Then, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the EDNC federally indicted him for killing the 33-year-old-victim.  When the feds arrested him, he remained detained.  Following his arrest, law enforcement located and searched his cell phone and discovered that he knew he had killed three people with the fentanyl he sold them, he continued to sell fentanyl while on release and probation from the state, up until his federal arrest and detention.

“Fentanyl kills everyone it touches.  These filthy drug dealers know how deadly it is, and they just don’t care. The only way to stop a murderous greedy pig like this is to remove him off the streets, away from our children and families.  This murdering drug dealer won’t kill anyone else’s family member until 2050, at least.  Good riddance.” said US Attorney Ellis Boyle.

W. Ellis Boyle, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief District Judge Richard E. Myers II.  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, the New Bern Police Department, and Craven County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case and Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Englander and Jennifer C. Nucci prosecuted the case.  A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 4:24-CR-00013-M-RN.

NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Nathaniel Rogers Truitt, 23, to 10 years in federal prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for Receipt of Child Pornography.  

According to court documents and other information presented in court, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office initially investigated Inmate Truitt for domestic violence.  Inmate Truitt called 911 claiming a family member pepper sprayed him. The family member found videos of Inmate Truitt torturing and murdering the family cat. Inmate Truitt confessed that he videoed himself killing the family cat at the request of a stranger on the internet. Inmate Truitt also confessed to killing stray cats and to engaging in sexual acts with these dead animals at the request of an online stranger. Law enforcement seized and searched his digital devices, which revealed child sexual abuse material, along with animal cruelty videos. Truitt’s state charges for crimes against nature and cruelty to animals remain pending.

“This reprehensible crime disgusts every law-abiding citizen. Engaging in this behavior allows spiders to target more children for demonic acts. We will stomp out anyone doing this in Eastern North Carolina, without remorse. Please monitor your family members and don’t let them get entangled in the evil that lurks in the web.”  said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

W. Ellis Boyle U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing was concluded. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan presided over the sentencing.  The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office and SBI investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charity Wilson and Ashley Foxx prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-329-FL-RN.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury in Wilmington found Muwsay Ibn Ibrahim Tulu, of Fayetteville, guilty of possessing fentanyl and cocaine while armed and with the intent to distribute the drugs, and felon in possession of a firearm.

“We appreciate the partnership with the Fort Bragg Police, Army CID, ATF, and the Fayetteville Police Department to get this Big Shark Bad Boy off the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “We will continue to focus on making Eastern North Carolina safer for the good citizens who proudly live here.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on July 13, 2023, military police found Tulu passed out behind the wheel of a running vehicle in the middle of the road on Fort Bragg with drugs and a loaded ghost gun with an extended magazine at his feet. Months later, agents executed a search warrant at a Fayetteville residence linked to Tulu and recovered more drugs, a firearm, ammunition, scales, and ledgers consistent with drug trafficking.

At trial, Tulu argued that although he possessed the guns and drugs, he was only a user and not a distributor.

Tulu now faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, with a maximum of life, when sentenced later this year.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the verdict. The Fort Bragg Provost Marshals Office, Army CID, and the ATF investigated the case with the assistance of the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Newby and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Stark are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-00108.

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced a Mexican Illegal alien to nearly 3 years in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction.  On January 23, 2025, Adelfo Bahena-Rojel pleaded guilty to the crimes.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Bahena-Rojel entered the United States illegally from Mexico in the late 1990s. Over the past twenty-five years, Bahena-Rojel has amassed a long history of run-ins with local law enforcement ICE which deported him three times.

“This Mexican illegal alien rapes young girls and repeatedly sneaks back into North Carolina.  We don’t need illegal alien child rapists in North Carolina.  He better stay this time.  Thank you to the law enforcement officers who found him, arrested him, and will deport him as soon as his prison term ends.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.

In 2023, after Bahena-Rojel illegally entered the United States for a fourth time, he engaged in sexual acts with a child under 13 years old, and state prosecutors in Harnett County convicted him for these crimes.  Based on that conviction, the United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted Bahena-Rojel for Illegal Reentry of a Previously Removed Alien. After he served his prison sentences, ICE removed Bahena-Rojel to Mexico again in August 2024. By November 2024, law enforcement determined Bahena-Rojel had returned to North Carolina for a fifth time.  They arrested him.

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, United States Marshals Service, and ICE investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Liles prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-31-M-RJ.

RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury indicted Miqual Antwan Dysheen Spivey for the crimes of selling the designer drug MDMB-4en-PINACA, conspiring with others to possess and sell the drug, and money laundering.

According to the indictment, Spivey, 27, owned and operated Bummy Legion, a Texas company that sells liquids intended for use in electronic vaporizers (often called “vape juices”). The indictment alleges that Spivey sold Bummy Legion’s vape juices through the company’s website and shipped them from post offices in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Although Bummy Legion’s website marketed the vape juices as derived from “organic blue lotus and valerian root,” the indictment alleges that the true active ingredient was the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-4en-PINACA. PINACA is a dangerous Schedule I controlled substance which, according to the DEA, “has been associated with numerous reports of emergency [room visits], severe intoxication, and death.”

The indictment also charges Spivey with ten separate violations of the money-laundering statutes, each representing a separate transaction of over $10,000 with the proceeds of his allegedly illicit sales. As alleged in the indictment, those transactions ranged in value from $11,324.75 to $233,779.84. Other information presented in court indicates that Spivey made nearly $5 million through online sales of Bummy Legion vape juices in the two years since PINACA was placed on Schedule I.

“This defendant took dangerous and unregulated vaping products and falsely marketed them as safe to use, putting children and unknowing vape users at risk of severe intoxication and death,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The distribution of illicit vaping products is a national security and public health issue that this Department of Justice will continue to prioritize, combat, and eradicate.”

“Families need to know that a vape product is not safe just because strangers sell it online or in a store front,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “These products can effectively rot your lungs from the inside out. Unregulated manufacturers can sell dangerous vape products with zero quality control or regulation. Our office will continue to focus on preventing children from using dangerous products.”

According to information presented at Spivey’s detention hearing, law enforcement executed five search warrants on January 13, 2026, three in Houston, Texas, and two in in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  These search warrants resulted in the seizure of four guns, 715 gallons of suspected liquid PINACA, and approximately $40,000 US currency.

“Illegal vape products frequently target young and vulnerable consumers through online sales and misleading marketing,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. “As part of DEA Fentanyl Free America Initiative, this indictment reflects our commitment to protecting our communities and preventing unlawful products from reaching our communities.”

The federal grand jury charged Spivey with conspiracy to sell and possess with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance, seven counts of selling a Schedule I controlled substance, and ten counts of engaging in monetary transactions of a value over $10,000 with the proceeds of a specified unlawful activity. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each drug offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each money-laundering offense.

W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, Department of the Army, Criminal Investigation Division, Fayetteville Police Department, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case. Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyler Lemons supervised the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Cogburn is prosecuting the case.

This is an ongoing investigation.  If you have information regarding purchases from Bummy Legion, possible adverse side effects, or other useful information, please contact the DEA at https://www.dea.gov/submit-tip or Army CID at www.cid.army.mil/tips.

A copy of this press release is located on our website.

An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

RALEIGH, N.C. – On January 6, Juarez Sanchez-Montiel, 41, a Mexican alien had an initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge.  On November 18, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Sanchez with perjury and immigration fraud.  The indictment alleges that Sanchez lied about his criminal history on his application to obtain a non-immigrant visa.

“We take protecting our children and borders very seriously.”  said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. We will continue to focus on investigations into this type of alleged behavior to bring justice, safety, and prosperity to North Carolina and The United States.”

According to the indictment and previously issued court documents, Sanchez allegedly knowingly made materially false statements under penalty of perjury on his application to obtain a non-immigrant visa when he submitted it to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) in November of 2021. In response to the questions “Have you EVER committed a crime or offense for which you have not been arrested?” and “Have you EVER ordered, incited, called for, committed, assisted, helped with, or otherwise participated in any of the following:…[e]ngaging in any kind of sexual conduct or relations with any person who was being forced or threatened?” he answered “No.”

On December 11, 2023, in Montgomery County Superior Court, a grand jury returned two indictments against Sanchez.  The first charged him with one count of first-degree statutory rape, two counts of statutory rape of a child under the age of 15, and three counts of sex act by a substitute parent or custodian for crimes he allegedly committed against the first victim in May 2016.  The second indictment charged him with three counts of statutory sex offenses with a child and three counts of sex act by substitute parent or guardian, for crimes he allegedly committed against the second victim in September 2023.  On August 19, 2024, Sanchez was convicted of statutory rape of a child under the age of 15, statutory sex offense with child under the age of 15, and two counts of sex act by substitute parent or custodian.  The Superior Court Judge sentenced him to a term of imprisonment of between 216 and 320 months and ordered to register as a sex offender.  Sanchez confessed to having committed the offenses in 2016 and 2023.  Both victims were under the age of 13 and the crimes resulted in the birth of two children.  

Sanchez is charged in a two-count indictment.  If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.  

Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. ICE ERO officers are investigating the case as part of Operation False Haven, an ongoing initiative designed to aggressively target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain immigration benefits.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:25-CR-00114.

An indictment is merely an accusation.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.