District of Oregon

EUGENE, Ore.—A Coos Bay, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for taking sexually explicit images of a minor.

Willard Verdell Cowan, 61, was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison followed by a lifetime term of supervised release.

According to court documents, beginning in early 2021, Cowan offered to talk with a minor who often suffered from panic attacks. Instead, he preyed on the victim’s vulnerability by providing alcohol and marijuana before sexually assaulting the victim. Cowan continued to sexually abuse the victim, at times recording the abuse and soliciting sexually explicit images from the minor, until he was arrested in March 2023.

On February 16, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count indictment charging Cowan with sexually exploiting a child and distributing child pornography.

On August 21, 2024, Cowan pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Coos County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, in coordination with the Coos County District Attorney’s Office.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

An Oregon man pleaded guilty today to three federal hate crimes after intentionally defacing a synagogue in Eugene, Oregon, on multiple occasions.  

Adam Edward Braun, 34, of Eugene, pleaded guilty to two counts of intentionally defacing a synagogue and one count of attempting to intentionally damage the synagogue because the synagogue was a place of religious worship for Jewish people.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Braun targeted Temple Beth Israel, a Jewish synagogue in Eugene, with graffiti on two separate occasions. Between Sept. 10 and 11, 2023, Braun spray-painted the numbers “1377” on the exterior of the synagogue building. Braun admitted that he selected the numbers “1377” because it was similar to “1488,” a popular white-supremacist slogan that references Adolf Hitler and the “Fourteen words.” Months later, in January, Braun attempted to damage the synagogue’s glass doors using a ball-peen hammer. Braun stopped when he saw he was being recorded by a surveillance camera and went to another area of the property where he spray-painted the slogan “WHITE POWER” in large letters. 

Braun faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison for each of the three charges, as well as fines and restitution.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Natalie K. Wight for the District of Oregon and Special Agent in Charge Douglas Olson of the FBI Portland Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Portland Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department.

Trial Attorney Cameron A. Bell of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin W. Bruce for the District of Oregon are prosecuting the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A former police officer from Pendleton, Oregon was sentenced to federal prison today for possessing child pornography on the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

Cameron Jacob Sheoships, 57, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. Sheoships’ sentencing follows a prior guilty plea that included a pattern enhancement for his repeated sexual abuse of a minor beginning in the 1990s.

According to court documents, in August 2022, the FBI received a tip that suspected child pornography had been traced to the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Eastern Oregon. By mid-September 2022, investigators received additional tips associated with Google and Twitter accounts later linked to Sheoships, a former tribal police officer. In May 2023, the FBI executed federal search warrants on Sheoships’ residence and person, and located numerous photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse on Sheoships’ cellphone.

On June 13, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Sheoships with possessing child pornography and, on April 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.

This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Madras, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Jefferson County, Oregon.

Wyatt Franklin Powell, 61, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on October 28, 2023, a Warm Springs Police Department (WSPD) officer responded to a report of erratic driving. During the traffic stop, the officer smelled a strong chemical odor consistent with narcotics. A second WSPD officer with drug detection dog arrived to assist and the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. Officers located methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, a BB gun, drug paraphernalia and a digital scale in Powell’s vehicle.  

On February 22, 2024, Powell was charged by criminal information with one-count of possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. He pleaded guilty on July 2, 2024.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Warm Springs Police Department. It was prosecuted by Pamela Paaso, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment Tuesday charging a Eugene, Oregon man with posting violent threats online, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

Jeffrey Allen Voss, 31, has been charged with transmitting interstate threats and attempting to tamper with evidence.

According to court documents, between September 24 and 27, 2024, Voss is alleged to have posted several videos of himself online making violent threats, including two in which he was holding a firearm. In another video, Voss discussed becoming the next Kip Kinkel, referring to a school shooter who, in 1998, first murdered his parents then opened fire at a Springfield, Oregon school, killing two of his classmates and injuring twenty-five others.

Following those videos, on September 27, 2024, concerned citizens called 911 to report a Facebook Live video Voss posted wherein he allegedly claimed he was minutes from a high school and made violent threats. Acting quickly, the Eugene Police Department located and arrested Voss the same day.

On October 1, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant on Voss’s residence. Agents located and seized two firearms, one replica firearm, ammunition, body armor, electronic storage media, and a handwritten note outlining his desires for vengeance and specifying individuals Voss wished to harm. The same day, upon learning his residence would be searched, Voss attempted to persuade an individual to conceal or remove evidence from his home.   

Voss made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

If convicted, Voss faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, 3 years’ supervised release, and a fine of $500,000.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

EUGENE, Ore.— The former owner of a Bend, Oregon-based microbrewery equipment company was sentenced to federal prison today for defrauding nearly two dozen customers out of more than $880,000.

Matthew Mulder, 52, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $887,116 in restitution to his victims.

Mulder used his company, We Can Brewing Systems, LLC, which he co-founded in 2014, to solicit payments for custom-built microbrewery systems, keg washers, and other industrial brewing products. Beginning in at least January 2017 and continuing through June 2018, Mulder solicited and accepted orders for equipment he knew his company was not capable of fulfilling. When customers asked for updates on their orders, Mulder falsely stated that they were on schedule or nearing completion.

At the same time, Mulder would entice customers to make additional payments by sending emails and text messages that included photos of nearly-completed orders prepared for other customers. He would then send the customers fake invoices for shipping costs, which they would pay. Many customers received nothing from Mulder following those final shipping payments.

During the fraud, Mulder solicited and accepted new customer contracts requiring large down payments that he would in-turn use for personal expenses, to pay off loans, and to pay suppliers.  In total, Mulder knowingly and intentionally defrauded 23 customers out of more than $880,000.

On February 19, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a seven-count indictment charging Mulder with wire and mail fraud. He pleaded guilty to all counts on April 3, 2024.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Bend Police Department. It was prosecuted by Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—United States Attorney Natalie Wight announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ethan Knight will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.

AUSA Ethan Knight, Cyber and National Security Unit Chief, has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Oregon, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

“The Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process,” said Natalie Wight, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The Justice Department has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation on Election Day, threats of violence directed at election officials and workers, and election fraud. The department will address these violations wherever they occur. The department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.

The FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. To report allegations, contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or www.tips.fbi.gov.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

If you have questions about the Justice Department’s Election Day Program in Oregon or need assistance directing election-related complaints to the proper authorities, District Election Officer Knight can be reached by calling (503) 727-1000.

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Wilsonville, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison today for laundering millions of dollars in drug proceeds as the chief money launderer for a drug trafficking organization operating in the Pacific Northwest and California.

Jacqueline Paola Rodriguez Barrientos, 44, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

“We thank the coordinated efforts of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners actively combatting these drug trafficking organizations and the damage they inflict on our communities,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“While people like Ms. Rodriguez Barrientos conceal the profits of drug enterprises, the losses fall on far too many Americans and their families,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Seattle Field Office. “We will continue doing our part to expose the finances of criminal organizations.”

According to court documents, beginning in fall 2021, special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Portland began investigating a drug trafficking organization suspected of transporting counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and heroin from California into Oregon and Washington State for distribution.

A parallel financial investigation led by IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI) revealed that Barrientos laundered money generated by the drug trafficking organization through the Mazatlán Beauty Salon in Tualatin, Oregon and by buying real estate that she converted into income-generating rentals. The real estate purchases were made with cashier’s checks funded by large cash deposits. Currency Transaction Reports generated by several banks showed that Barrientos made frequent cash deposits ranging from $10,000 to more than $373,000 into accounts held in her name or the name of her salon. These deposits totaled more than $3.5 million during a 9-month period in 2021.

Since February 2021, members of the drug trafficking organization also purchased a total of nine residential properties in Oregon, Washington and Nevada with an estimated total value of more than $4.6 million. All nine properties were purchased outright with no mortgages. Barrientos used laundered funds to purchase eight of these properties. She then used third-party property management companies to rent these properties and received approximately $10,000 per month in rental income.

On February 17, 2022, DEA agents arrested Barrientos and an associate at their Las Vegas residence. Agents found and seized two luxury vehicles, several loose receipts documenting high-end retail purchases, credit card statements documenting more than $16,000 spent on tickets to attend a professional boxing match, and other evidence memorializing the couple’s high-end lifestyle.

On February 9, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Barrientos with conspiracy to launder drug proceeds. She pleaded guilty on July 31, 2024.

Barrientos has agreed to forfeiture of the properties purchased with criminal proceeds as part of the resolution of her case. Some of the properties have been sold by the government; others are pending forfeiture and sale. The proceeds of forfeited assets are deposited in the Justice Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF) and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. To learn more about the AFF, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/afp/assets-forfeiture-fund-aff.

This case was investigated by DEA with assistance from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS:CI, Tigard Police Department, and Oregon State Police. It is being prosecuted by Peter D. Sax, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Forfeiture proceedings are being handled by AUSA Katie De Villiers, also of the District of Oregon.

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

SEATTLE—A Washington State defense attorney was arraigned in federal court Monday after he was indicted for joining a criminal conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF), a jail located in Seattle, during client visits.

John M. Sheeran, 60, of Pierce County, Washington has been charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances, possessing and distributing methamphetamine, distributing buprenorphine, and illegally using a communication facility.

According to the indictment, Sheeran used his status as an attorney to smuggle controlled substances, including methamphetamine, ketamine, buprenorphine, and THC, to two of his then- clients and inmates at KCCF during legal visits. During the conspiracy, Sheeran distributed, or possessed with an intent to distribute, sheets of paper that had been soaked in drugs, chewing tobacco cans that swapped out the tobacco with drugs, and trial clothes that had drugs concealed in the soles of the shoes. After Sheeran successfully smuggled the drugs into KCCF, Sheeran’s co-conspirators sold the drugs to other inmates for significant sums.

On October 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Seattle returned an indictment charging Sheeran and four co-conspirators. Sheeran was arrested Monday without incident in Washington Place, Washington.

Sheeran made his initial appearance in federal court Monday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Seattle. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on December 20, 2024.

If convicted, Sheeran faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a minimum of three years’ supervised release, and a fine up to $1 million.

The case was investigated by the FBI and King County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, acting as Special Attorney for the Western District of Washington.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

MEDFORD, Ore.— A federal jury found a Klamath Falls, Oregon man guilty after he kidnapped and sexually assaulted two women, and held one in a cell he constructed in his garage.

Negasi Zuberi, 30, also known as Justin Joshua Hyche, was found guilty of kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, while in Seattle, Zuberi posed as a police officer and used a taser and handcuffs to detain his victim in the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then transported the victim approximately 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her.

When Zuberi arrived at his residence, he moved the victim from his vehicle into a cell he had constructed in his garage. The woman repeatedly banged on the cell door until it broke open and she escaped. The victim retrieved a handgun from Zuberi's vehicle, fled his garage, and flagged down a passing motorist who called 911.

The next day, on July 16, 2023, Reno Police Department officers and Nevada State Patrol officers located Zuberi in a parking lot in Reno, Nevada. After a short standoff, Zuberi surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody.

While investigating Zuberi's crimes, federal agents discovered that approximately six weeks prior to the kidnapping in Seattle, on May 6, 2023, Zuberi kidnapped and sexually assaulted another victim. While being held by Zuberi, his first victim observed stacked cinder blocks in his garage that he later used to construct the cell where he detained his second victim.

On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Zuberi with kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Later, on February 15, 2024, a second kidnapping charge and charges for illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and attempted escape were added by superseding indictment.

Kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison and transporting a victim across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity by up to 10 years. Illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, and attempted escape are punishable by up to 15 years.

This case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office, Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon State Police with assistance from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada; Klamath County District Attorney's Office; Reno, Nevada Police Department; Washoe County, Nevada District Attorney's Office; and Nevada State Police. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Marco A. Boccato, and Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from Appellate Chief Suzanne Miles, also of the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for stealing more than $147,000 in pandemic unemployment benefits from the Oregon Employment Department (OED).

Matthew Kemp, 41, was sentenced to six months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Kemp was also ordered to pay $147,294 in restitution to the OED.

According to court documents, between July 2020 and January 2021, Kemp devised and carried out a scheme whereby he used the personal information of 17 people, including their dates of birth and social security numbers, to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits. Some individuals knew Kemp had used their personal information because he had promised to obtain benefits on their behalf while others were unaware.

To ensure the benefits went to him instead of the named applicants, Kemp requested the benefits be paid out by check or prepaid debit card, and put his own mailing address, email address, and phone number on the claims. If there was a delay or issue in processing his various fraudulent claims, Kemp called the OED and impersonated the named applicant to ensure he got (in his words) “my money.”

On February 7, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Kemp with mail fraud, bank fraud, and theft of government funds. On June 14, 2024, Kemp pleaded guilty to theft of government funds.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) and U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS-OIG). It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A New York man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for traveling to Southern Oregon to sexually abuse a child and capturing the abuse on video.   

Brent Johnson, Jr., 26, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.

According to court documents, in August 2021, Johnson contacted a child through an online video game and, after exchanging phone numbers with the child, continued communicating with them via text messages and phone calls. Undeterred by the child’s age, in late 2021, Johnson traveled to Southern Oregon where he sexually abused the child and captured the abuse on video. In February 2022, the child’s mother contacted law enforcement after receiving text messages and images from Johnson.

On May 5, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Johnson with sexually exploiting a child, distributing child pornography, and traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

On June 26, 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child and distributing child pornography.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents in Long Island, New York, and Medford, and the Rogue River Police Department. It was prosecuted by Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A mother and daughter from Tigard, Oregon were arraigned in federal court today after they were indicted for using force and threats to compel three victims, including a minor victim, to work for little or no pay in an adult foster care home.

Marie Gertrude Jean Valmont, 66, and Yolandita Marie Andre, 30, have been charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiring with one another to commit forced labor, committing forced labor, and benefitting from forced labor.

According to court documents, Valmont and Andre, the owners and operators of Velida’s Care Home in Tigard, began their trafficking scheme in 2023 when they convinced two adults and a child from Haiti to travel to the United States to work at Velida’s.

In early September 2023, all three victims arrived in Portland and were immediately taken to Velida’s where they were forced to work long, difficult hours for little or no pay. Valmont and Andre are also alleged to have taken their victims’ immigration paperwork and forbade them from leaving Velida’s under any circumstances. Valmont is further alleged to have thrown items at the victims, threatened to send them back to Haiti and have them killed, and threatened to call the police and make false theft allegations against them.

In the summer of 2023, authorities with the Oregon Department of Justice were alerted to the situation at Velida’s following the minor victim’s disclosure of her indentured servitude to a pediatrician. Shortly after, the minor victim was removed from Velida’s and placed in a foster home. On Thursday, the FBI arrested Valmont and Andre at Velida’s without incident.

Both defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. They were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released pending further court proceedings.

Committing and benefitting from forced labor are both punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison per count of conviction.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Tigard Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Eliza Carmen-Rodriguez, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.

If you believe a child is involved in a trafficking situation, you can also submit a tip via the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children’s (NCMEC) CyberTipline or call 1-800-THE-LOST. FBI personnel assigned to NCMEC review information provided to the CyberTipline.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Prineville, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for using stolen identities to submit fraudulent health care claims resulting in over $1.5 million in misappropriated funds from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) Medicaid Program and filing false tax returns that failed to report earnings she received.

Darla K. Byus, 55, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $2,033,315 in restitution to OHA and the IRS.

“Her crimes betrayed the trust placed in this company as a substance abuse treatment provider in Oregon. We thank the state and federal investigators for their dedication and commitment to ending this scheme,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices. “Business owners who abuse the system to line their pockets at the expense of our communities will be held accountable.”

“HHS-OIG is committed to protecting Oregon communities and taxpayer funds from schemes targeting Oregon’s Medicaid program, which provides necessary services to vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG values our continued partnership with the Oregon Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and other law enforcement partners and will continue to investigate those who threaten the integrity of federal and state health care programs and the people served by them.”

“I am pleased that the joint investigation between our Medicaid Fraud Unit at Oregon DOJ and five federal agencies turned up the evidence needed for the United States Attorney to successfully prosecute this complex case. Oregon’s Medicaid program will get back over a million dollars it is rightfully owed, and those who try to defraud Oregonians and undermine our social safety net programs should be on notice— they will be caught and prosecuted,” said Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum.

According to court documents, from January 2019 to August 2021, Byus used her company, Choices Recover Services (CRS), to overbill the OHA Medicaid Program for substance abuse counseling services and to submit fraudulent reimbursement claims using the stolen identities of Medicaid recipients.

As an OHA Medicaid Provider for drug and alcohol related counseling services, CRS had access to a provider portal through the Medicaid Management Information System. Byus exploited this access to privileged information to determine a victim’s Medicaid eligibility. She then used their personally identifiable information to submit claims without the victim’s knowledge or authorization. Byus used the stolen identities more than 45 victims, at least a third of which were identified by searching jail roster websites for recent drug or alcohol related offenses.

Using CRS, Byus submitted over $3 million in false claims to the OHA Medicaid Program and received over $1.5 million in fraudulent proceeds. She used the misappropriated funds to purchase multiple properties in Oregon and to gamble. In addition, Byus knowingly filed false tax returns for herself and CRS, failing to pay approximately $450,438 in taxes.

On May 13, 2024, Byus was charged by criminal information with heath care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and making a false tax return and, on June 20, 2024, she pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, U.S. Department of Justice Tax Division, and the Oregon Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. It was prosecuted by Joseph H. Huynh and Gavin W. Bruce, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

MEDFORD, Ore.—Three Oregon men were sentenced to federal prison Thursday for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose death of a Medford teenager.

Hunter Fenstermaker, 23, a Medford resident, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; Napoleon Gomez, 22, also of Medford, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and six years’ supervised release; and Conner Lee Francis, 27, of Portland, Oregon, was sentenced to 73 months in federal prison and four years’ supervised release. All three were also ordered to pay restitution to the victim’s family.

According to court documents, on September 7, 2021, officers from the Medford Police Department responded to a report of an overdose death of a local 17-year-old high school student. Investigators soon learned the teenager had taken a counterfeit Percocet pill containing fentanyl, and, within days, identified Fenstermaker, Gomez and Francis as the teen’s first-, second- and third-level drug suppliers.

On February 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a five-count indictment charging Fenstermaker and Gomez with distributing fentanyl, and Francis with possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On April 9 and June 17, 2024, respectively, Fenstermaker and Gomez pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl to a person under twenty-one. On June 24, 2024, Francis pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute.

On May 14, 2024, a fourth individual—John Rocha, 31, of Medford—was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for his role in the Medford teen’s overdose death. Rocha was the teen’s fourth-level drug supplier.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Medford Police Department, and the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE). It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington State man who admitted to committing at least ten bank robberies, including five while armed, was sentenced today to more than 23 years in federal prison.

Clifford Court Uptegrove, 61, of Yakima, Washington, was sentenced to 280 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on December 17, 2021, approximately 14 months after being granted a compassionate release from federal prison, Uptegrove entered an Umpqua Bank branch in Hermiston, Oregon, brandished a firearm, and demanded large denomination bills from one of the bank’s tellers. After Uptegrove collected more than $13,000 in cash, he fled the bank and attempted to steal an occupied truck in nearby parking lot.

Shortly after, a Hermiston police officer spotted Uptegrove and attempted a traffic stop. Uptegrove led the officer on a brief pursuit before stopping and being placed under arrest without further incident.

On January 19, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Uptegrove with armed bank robbery, possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Later, on April 11, 2024, Uptegrove pleaded guilty to armed bank robbery.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Hermiston Police Department and was prosecuted by Cassady Adams and Gregory Nyhus, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

MEDFORD, Ore.—An Eastern Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for attempting to meet a purported 15-year-old child he met online who was in reality a law enforcement officer investigating online child exploitation.

Reuben Phillip Harvey, 28, of Seneca, Oregon, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in March 2023, Harvey used an online messaging application to communicate with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as a 15-year-old girl as part of a broader investigation into online child exploitation. Harvey expressed his interest in young girls to the undercover officer and discussed logistics for a possible meetup. During these conversations, Harvey also communicated to the officer his fear of getting caught, going to prison, and becoming a sex offender for engaging in an intimate relationship with a child.

On March 14, 2023, Harvey traveled to meet the child and parked his vehicle a few blocks from where he believed she lived. Shortly after, Harvey was arrested without incident. A subsequent search of his phone revealed dozens of internet searches for child sexual abuse material and searches related to his meet-up with the purported child.

On August 3, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Harvey with attempted coercion and enticement of a child and, on June 10, 2024, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.

This case was investigated by the Southern Oregon Child Exploitation Team (SOCET). It was prosecuted by John C. Brassell and Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for breaking into a local pawn shop and stealing forty-seven firearms from the federal firearm licensee. 

Kory Dean Boyd, 39, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. 

According to court documents, on January 31, 2022, agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) were notified of a burglary at a Southeast Portland pawn shop. Early that morning, shop owners discovered two large holes in a concrete block wall on the building’s exterior. The exposed room contained dozens of firearms, forty-seven of which were reported stolen, including pistols, revolvers, rifles, and shotguns.

ATF agents reviewed exterior surveillance video from the pawn shop and observed two vehicles and five individuals present near the holes in the building during the late evening and early morning hours of January 29 and 30, 2022. Two individuals used a sledgehammer to make holes in the exterior wall while Boyd and others carried firearms and firearm cases to the vehicles.

On February 4, 2022, ATF agents searched Boyd’s residence and recovered eight firearms, including seven stolen from the pawn shop. Boyd was arrested without incident and admitted to his involvement in the burglary.

On February 8, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Boyd with the theft of firearms and possessing firearms as a convicted felon.

On March 4, 2024, Boyd pleaded guilty to stealing firearms from a federal firearm licensee.

This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from the FBI, Portland Police Bureau, and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Lewis S. Burkhart, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon man with prior convictions for narcotics, firearms, and interstate prostitution was sentenced to federal prison today for possessing methamphetamine after he was caught by federal law enforcement, while on supervised release, with narcotics and a firearm.

Anthony Ballard Jones, 42, was sentenced to 156 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. 

“Every day the FBI works tirelessly to build strong cases to remove violent individuals like Anthony Jones from our communities,” said Douglas A. Olson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Portland Field Office. “We appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office in pursuing justice in this case.”

According to court documents, in January 2022, FBI received reports from a concerned citizen that Jones, on federal supervised release from a prior conviction, was sending threatening text messages to individuals. During the investigation, FBI received reports from another concerned citizen that Jones was engaged in illegal activities. At the same time, Jones had fled federal supervision and the U.S. Probation Office in Oregon was rendered unable to track his whereabouts or monitor his conduct. 

On March 23, 2022, FBI special agents arrested Jones in Portland, Oregon. A firearm and multiple bags were seized from Jones’ vehicle. Later, investigators searched the bags and found ammunition, a knife, drug packaging materials and paraphernalia, and distribution quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as cocaine and heroin.

On April 21, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Jones with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On September 12, 2024, Jones pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. 

This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren and Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man, who for more than a decade claimed to be a successful foreign exchange currency trader to solicit millions of dollars in investments, was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for wire fraud.

William Bennington, 53, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. 

According to court documents, from March 2012 until October 2022, Bennington knowingly and intentionally carried out a scheme to defraud victims out of more than $2 million. In order to solicit investments, Bennington claimed to be a wealthy foreign exchange currency trader that had written a proprietary trading algorithm, which he alleged was the source of his wealth.  

Over the course of the scheme, Bennington promised annual returns of up to 80 percent and repayment terms as short as six months. He also created a fake website and fabricated monthly statements falsely showing victims were earning significant returns. Instead of investing his victims’ money as promised, Bennington spent it on extravagant trips, a golf simulator, and personal expenses such as rent, vehicle leases and credit card payments. 

On October 17, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Bennington with wire fraud. Later, on April 4, 2024, Bennington pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

This case was investigated by the FBI, and was prosecuted by Robert Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal superseding indictment was unsealed Monday in the District of Oregon charging an Arizona man and three associates for conspiring with one another and others to devise and carry out a scheme that attempted to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration out of at least $178 million in loans intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eric Karnezis, 43, of Sedona, Arizona, is charged in the 23-count superseding indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, along with co-defendants Lynisha Wells, 47, and Nikkia Bennett, 43, both of Chula Vista, California, and Fredrico Williams, 48, of San Diego.

According to the superseding indictment, from January 2021 and continuing until at least March 2022, Karnezis carried out a scheme whereby he conspired with recruiters, including Williams, to gather fraudulent business information from customers, including Wells and Bennett, and used the information to submit fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan applications to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). To facilitate the scheme, Karnezis and his co-conspirators created fictious documents to support their fraudulent loan applications, including false payroll information and tax documents.

In total, Karnezis submitted or caused to be submitted at least 1,300 PPP applications, which together attempted to obtain at least $178 million from SBA. Approximately $105 million in loans were funded in response to these fraudulent applications.

On September 6, 2024, following his arrest in Sedona the day prior, Karnezis made his initial appearance in federal court in the District of Arizona and pleaded not guilty. In a detention hearing held today, Karnezis was released on conditions pending his arraignment in District of Oregon on September 24, 2024.

Bennett and Wells made their first appearances and were arraigned in the District of Oregon on August 23 and August 29, 2024, respectively. Both were released on conditions pending a three-day jury trial scheduled to begin on February 11, 2025. Williams will be arraigned in the District of Oregon on September 20, 2024.

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, three years’ supervised release, and fines of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense.

This case was investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS:CI), the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). It is being prosecuted by Meredith Bateman and Robert Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Since January 2021, more than 50 people have been charged in the District of Oregon for their roles in fraud schemes targeting federal COVID-19 relief programs. Together, these defendants attempted to steal more than $903 million in federal funds. 38 individuals have been convicted for their crimes and sentenced to a combined total of 631 months in federal prison and 1,194 months of probation and/or supervised release.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man who served as the head men’s basketball coach at Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham, Oregon, was sentenced to federal prison today for persuading a child to send him sexually explicit images.

Nathan Ezell Bowie, 38, was sentenced to 162 months in federal prison and 20 years’ supervised release. 

According to court documents, in November 2021, Bowie conducted a basketball camp at an Oregon high school. Bowie asked students at the camp to connect with him online, and the victim sent Bowie a message asking for basketball drills. Bowie continued communicating with the minor, eventually persuading the victim to send sexually explicit images. In January 2022, another coach learned of the communications and alerted law enforcement. 

On March 15, 2022, Bowie was charged by criminal complaint with sexually exploiting a child, coercion and enticement, and receipt of child pornography. 

On May 15, 2024, Bowie pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor.

This case was investigated by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and FBI Portland’s Eugene Resident Agency. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

The FBI CETF conducts sexual exploitation investigations, many of them undercover, in coordination with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. CETF is committed to locating and arresting those who prey on children as well as recovering and assisting victims of sex trafficking and child exploitation.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Lane County, Oregon, diesel repair shop and its owner were sentenced in federal court today for knowingly and intentionally tampering with pollution monitoring devices on at least 184 vehicles in violation of the Clean Air Act.

Diesel & Offroad Authority, LLC, located in Veneta, Oregon, and its owner and operator, Christopher Paul Kaufman, 39, were each sentenced to three years’ probation and ordered to pay $150,000 in criminal fines. In addition, the sentencing court ordered Kaufman to include a disclaimer on his company’s website declaring that Diesel and Offroad Authority no longer provides “delete and tune” tampering services because they are illegal.

“The defendants in this case illegally tampered with the onboard diagnostics systems and removed the emissions control components from hundreds of diesel trucks,” said Special Agent in Charge Lance Ehrig of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division in Oregon. “Their actions directly contributed to the release of significant amounts of dangerous air pollutants, which leads to serious health conditions such as respiratory diseases like asthma. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that individuals and their companies will be held criminally responsible if they deliberately threaten human health and the environment by violating our nation’s environmental laws.”

According to court documents, beginning in at least 2018 and continuing through 2022, Diesel & Offroad authority tampered with and disabled emissions control systems of at least 184 diesel vehicles in violation of the Clean Air Act. Diesel & Offroad Authority charged its customers approximately $2,300 each for the emissions modifications and collected more than $378,000 for the unlawful services over an approximately four-year period.

As owner of Diesel & Offroad Authority, Kaufman oversaw and participated in the illegal modification of vehicles, including by procuring various automotive parts used in the process and engaging in and directing employees in the removal of emissions control equipment.

On March 12, 2024, Diesel & Offroad Authority and Kaufman were charged by federal criminal information with violating the Clean Air Act by tampering with pollution monitoring devices. 

On April 10, 2024, Diesel & Offroad Authority and Kaufman pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, and Gwendolyn Russell, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Environmental Protection Agency.

If you witness an environmental event that may lead to an immediate threat to human health or the environment, please call 9-1-1. After alerting local emergency authorities, please also report incidents to the EPA’s Report a Violation website (https://echo.epa.gov/report-environmental-violations) or by calling the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Washington County, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose death of a local woman.

Robert Lamart James McCollum, 35, was sentenced to 125 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

“This defendant cut short an innocent life and brought unthinkable tragedy to a local family. And yet, despite everything they have been through, Madolyn’s loved ones have used their experience to raise awareness about the dangers of fentanyl and fake pills. Their efforts inspire all of us and will surely prevent other families from experiencing the same tragedy,” said Natalie Wight, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“The investigation conducted by the Westside Interagency Narcotics team into Madolyn’s tragic death highlights the importance of conducting thorough inquiries into overdose deaths to ensure that those who engage in the business of selling fentanyl face justice. Holding dealers accountable is not just about enforcing the law; it's about protecting our communities and preventing further tragedies. By shining a light on these crimes, we honor the lives lost and send a clear message that the destruction caused by illicit drugs will not be tolerated,” said Chris Gibson, Executive Director for the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.

“The Washington County Sheriff’s Office Westside Interagency Narcotics team works diligently to mitigate the fentanyl epidemic and the effects on the residents of Washington County. The WIN team takes seriously the responsibility of holding fentanyl dealers accountable and seek to prevent the needless and premature deaths caused by their actions. Madolyn’s story, and the countless others, are the driving force behind the WIN team’s dedication to stop fentanyl trafficking and bring justice for the families of their loved ones,” said Commander Timothy Tannenbaum of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

According to court documents, on August 2, 2021, McCollum sold several counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to Madolyn, a twenty-year-old woman from Beaverton, Oregon. Later that evening, Madolyn took one of the counterfeit pills and fatally overdosed from acute fentanyl poisoning. Soon after, investigators, posing as the young woman, contacted McCollum and arranged an order for more Oxycodone pills. McCollum was arrested when he arrived to complete the sale. During a search of his vehicle, investigators found additional counterfeit pills and a firearm.

On September 21, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging McCollum with possessing fentanyl with intent to distribute, possessing a firearm as a felon, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On May 21, 2024, McCollum pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl and possessing a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime.

This case was investigated by the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin.

WIN is a Washington County, Oregon-based multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

Note: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon does not typically refer to victims by name in public documents and press releases. In this case, the victim’s family requested their daughter be referred to by name and so we have honored their wishes.

PORTLAND, Ore.—An indictment was unsealed in federal court today charging the owners of a local real estate investment company with defrauding individual investors and commercial lenders out of more than $18 million.

Robert D. Christensen, 54, of Sherwood, Oregon, and Anthony M. Matic, 55, of Damascus, Oregon, have been charged in a 21-count indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.

According to the indictment, from approximately January 2019 through June 2023, Christensen and Matic are alleged to have devised and carried out a scheme wherein they convinced individual investors to fund the purchase and renovation of undervalued residential real estate properties. After renovating the properties, Christensen and Matic claimed they would rent the properties to generate income and then refinance them to extract their increased value from the renovations. The pair further misled investors into believing they would be repaid their full principal investment along with interest as high as eight to fifteen percent and a large lump sum payout, all within periods as short as 30 to 90 days.

Christensen and Matic’s scheme failed to generate the promised returns almost immediately and they began using new investments to repay earlier investors to keep their business afloat. When they were unable to raise enough money from new investors, Christensen and Matic are alleged to have devised a separate scheme to defraud commercial lenders. By December 2020, the pair began submitting loan applications with false financial information to different commercial lenders and, based on their misrepresentations, received millions of dollars in loans.

In total, Christensen and Matic’s two schemes defrauded individual investors out of more than $11 million and commercial lenders out of more than $7 million.

Christensen and Matic made their initial appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Both were arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released on conditions pending a 7-day jury trial scheduled to begin on October 29, 2024.

Conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud are punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Money laundering in punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. All three charges may also result in fines of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gains or losses resulting from the offense.

This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Trisotto.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Umatilla, Oregon man who is alleged to have made several hoax phone calls threatening sexual violence against children and possessed dozens of photos and videos depicting child sexual abuse has been indicted in federal court.

Thomas Loren Goatley, 20, has been charged with receiving and possessing child pornography and making interstate threats.

According to court documents, between approximately January 5 and April 30, 2024, Goatley is alleged to have made more than 60 phone calls to various schools, police departments, emergency lines, and animal shelters in at least 12 states. During many of these calls, Goatley claimed that he was sexually assaulting a child, or that he was about to do so. While investigating these threats, special agents from the FBI discovered Goatley was also the subject of numerous CyberTipline Reports submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) indicating that he was active in receiving and distributing child sexual abuse material.

On July 22, 2024, investigators executed a federal search warrant on Goatley’s person and residence in Umatilla, and he was placed under arrest. A later search of Goatley’s cell phone revealed dozens of illicit images and videos depicting child sexual abuse.

On July 23, 2024, Goatley made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was detained pending further court proceedings. He was arraigned Thursday and pleaded not guilty. A four-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on October 22, 2024.

Receiving and possessing child pornography is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison with a five-year mandatory minimum sentence. Transmitting interstate threats is punishable by up to five years in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Umatilla Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The manager of an Oregon-based drug trafficking cell with ties to a large Mexico-based drug trafficking organization was sentenced to federal prison today following an investigation by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Horacio Luna-Perez, 42, of Hillsboro, Oregon, was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in November 2020, DEA special agents began investigating a drug trafficking organization with ties to Mexico operating in several states, including Oregon. In the early stages of the investigation, Luna-Perez was identified as the leader of an Oregon-based drug trafficking cell responsible for maintaining a constant supply and sale of various narcotics, including methamphetamine, heroin, and fentanyl, in Portland and Eastern Washington. In his role, Luna-Perez directed a network of associates and couriers responsible for obtaining, selling, and redistributing the narcotics.

As part of the same investigation, DEA agents identified a separate drug trafficking cell responsible for redistribution and sale of drugs in Portland and Salem, Oregon led by 34-year-old Portland resident Jesus Miramontes-Castaneda.

On August 11, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Miramontes-Castaneda and five associates with conspiring with one another to traffic large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine from California for distribution in Portland and Salem. One month later, on September 14, 2021, Luna-Perez and nine associates were charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine from California for distribution in and around Portland and in Eastern Washington. Luna-Perez’s cell also had ties to drug traffickers in Colorado and California.

Following these indictments, in August and October 2021, coordinated law enforcement operations targeting Luna-Perez and Miramontes-Castaneda’s drug trafficking cells led to the arrests of both men and sixteen associates, including several individuals whose involvement in the conspiracies had been previously unknown. Additional charges were brought against those defendants in several parallel cases.

As a result of the various interdictions and takedowns in this investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 200,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, two pounds of powdered fentanyl, 40 pounds of methamphetamine, 45 pounds of heroin, 13 pounds of cocaine, nine firearms, and more than $1.4 million in cash that had been bundled and stuffed into suitcases.

On August 12, 2022, Miramontes-Castaneda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamine. Two months later, on December 8, 2022, he was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

On January 22, 2024, Luna-Perez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl.

In addition to Luna Perez and Miramontes-Castaneda, as part of this investigation, 17 members of their cells have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in the various drug conspiracies, with sentences ranging from time served to 151 months’ imprisonment.

These cases were investigated by the DEA with assistance from Oregon State Police, Portland Police Bureau, Tigard Police Department, the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) including member agencies the Canby Police Department, Oregon City Police Department, and Tualatin Police Department; and Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE). They were prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

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

MEDFORD, Ore.—A Grants Pass, Oregon man is facing federal charges for manipulating railroad track equipment and causing a derailment.

Craig David Saddler, 50, has been charged by criminal complaint with wrecking, derailing, or disabling railroad equipment and vehicles. 

According to court documents, on August 12, 2024, officers responded to reports of Saddler trespassing at the Union Pacific Railroad (UPR) yard in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He was reported to be on the railroad near a lever that redirects the train to different tracks. While a train occupied by UPR employees was in motion, Saddler pulled the lever causing the tracks to switch and the train to derail. The derailment caused an estimated one million dollars in damage to the railway, four railcars, and surrounding property.

Saddler fled the railyard, but officers quickly located him less than a mile away. Saddler stated he witnessed the train derail but denied involvement. He was arrested after a witness identified him as the man who pulled the lever causing the derailment. 

Saddler made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

The case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from other agencies. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Judi Harper.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A southern Oregon restaurant was sentenced in federal court today for stealing more than $759,000 in federal funds intended to help small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Amigos Mexican Cuisine & Cantina LLC, formerly located outside of Medford, Oregon, was sentenced to pay a criminal fine of $200,000 and $759,100 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). 

In a separate civil proceeding, Amigos was ordered to pay $1.6 million to settle a related False Claims Act allegation.

According to court documents, in a 13-month period beginning in April 2020, Amigos submitted five fraudulent loan applications to steal more than $759,000 from three Covid-19 pandemic relief programs: the Paycheck Protection Program, Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, and the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. Amigos made numerous false statements on these applications, including claiming its owners did not own other businesses, providing inaccurate company financials, and falsely attesting that the company was not engaged in any illegal activity. The company further falsely claimed on a loan forgiveness application that it had used the funds received for payroll. In reality, each time the company received a disbursement of federal funds, its owners would transfer the money to their personal bank accounts for use on various personal expenses.

On April 29, 2024, Amigos pleaded guilty to a one-count criminal information charging the company with stealing public money.

This case was investigated by the SBA Office of Inspector General and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Meredith Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Lien represented the United States in Amigos’ False Claims Act proceeding.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Baker City, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison Tuesday for assaulting his then-girlfriend on the Burns Paiute Indian Reservation in March 2023.

Skyhawk Teeman Garcia, 29, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on March 11, 2023, Garcia went to his then-girlfriend’s house on the Burns Paiute Indian Reservation while intoxicated and demanded access to her phone. When she refused, Garcia, a former mixed martial arts fighter, became angry and put the victim in a chokehold, strangling her. The victim’s child intervened, causing Garcia to release the victim, and then called 911. Garcia punched multiple holes in a wall before leaving the residence.

Police arrived as Garcia was walking away from the house. He told the officer he had an argument with his girlfriend and punched some walls, but denied assaulting the victim. 

On April 20, 2023, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Garcia with one count of assault by strangulation. One year later, on April 24, 2024, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Sweet.

Domestic violence can include both physical and emotional abuse, and it is frequently hidden from public view. Many survivors suffer in silence, afraid to seek help or not knowing where to turn. The traumatic effects of domestic violence also extend beyond the abused person, impacting family members, friends, and communities.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you need assistance or know someone who needs help, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Many communities throughout the country have also created support networks to assist survivors in the process of recovery.

The StrongHearts Native Helpline offers culturally specific support and advocacy for American Indian and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence. Please call 1-844-762-8483 or visit www.strongheartshelpline.org for more information.

PORTLAND, Ore.—An Oregon City, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison today for her role in a fraud conspiracy that used the stolen identities of multiple victims in the Portland area to steal more than $158,000.

Mary Phoenix Nguyen, 41, was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $158,286.85 in restitution to her victims.

According to court documents, in April 2022, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating Nguyen and others in the Portland and Vancouver, Washington areas for their roles in a coordinated fraud ring targeting individuals in the Portland Metropolitan Area, Texas, Florida, and elsewhere. Nguyen and her associates used stolen identities and personal information to obtain credit cards, unlawfully access victims’ bank accounts, apply for multiple vehicle loans, rent at least six apartments and other residences, and fraudulently produce various personal and financial documents including social security cards, driver’s licenses, vehicle titles, and vehicle bills of sale.

On October 18, 2022, Nguyen was arrested at her Oregon City residence. During a search of the residence, investigators found hundreds of stolen, altered, or counterfeit documents and identifications, equipment used to produce counterfeit items, and master U.S. Postal Service keys.

On April 18, 2023, Nguyen was charged by superseding indictment with conspiring to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; social security fraud; aggravated identity theft; and possessing fifteen or more unauthorized access devices, stolen or reproduced keys or locks, and stolen mail.

On May 15, 2024, Nguyen pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possessing stolen or reproduced keys.

This case was investigated by HSI and the Portland Police Bureau with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Sowray.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Honduran national under federal indictment for conspiring with others to distribute fentanyl was extradited from Honduras to the United States this week to face charges in the District of Oregon.

Orbin Alfredo Velasquez Layaire, 38, has been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, in September 2022, as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation, special agents from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) learned that Velasquez was actively involved in distributing fentanyl in Oregon. Investigators soon learned that Velasquez ran a dispatch-style organization that received and processed drug orders from customers in and around Portland.

In early 2023, investigators learned Velasquez had fled to Honduras. On November 15, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Velasquez with conspiring to distribute fentanyl.

On June 13, 2024, Velasquez was arrested in Honduras. On August 6, 2024, he was extradited to the United States.

Velasquez made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a 5-day jury trial scheduled to begin on October 8, 2024.

This case was investigated by DEA with assistance from the DEA Tegucigalpa, Honduras Country Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle Field Office. It is being prosecuted by Paul T. Maloney, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Honduran authorities to secure Velasquez’s arrest and extradition.

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

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Deschutes County, Oregon sex offender with a prior felony conviction for encouraging child sex abuse was sentenced to federal prison today after he requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl.

Roger Clint Lee Vanwormer, 30, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.

According to court documents, while on supervision and wearing an ankle monitor, Vanwormer requested a sexually explicit image online from an individual he thought was a 14-year-old girl. Vanwormer further engaged in explicit discussions with the purported minor and arranged to meet. On July 27, 2021, Vanwormer was arrested in Bend when he showed up at the arranged meeting location.

On February 17, 2022, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a three-count indictment charging Vanwormer with attempted sexual exploitation of a child, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and commission of a felony involving a minor by a registered sex offender. Vanwormer pleaded guilty to one count of attempted sexual exploitation of a child.

This case was investigated by the Bend Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Lane County, Oregon man who negotiated the trade of methamphetamine for 17 firearms was sentenced to federal prison today.

Mark Villanueva, 38, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in August 2020, special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) obtained information that Villanueva was actively involved in distributing illegal narcotics, primarily methamphetamine, in and around Lane County, Oregon, and illegally possessed firearms as a convicted felon. In October and November of 2020, Villanueva sold methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer on five separate occasions. During the fifth transaction, Villanueva began discussing his interest in buying or selling ammunition and firearms.

In December 2020 and continuing into January 2021, Villanueva negotiated the trade of multiple firearms for a large quantity of methamphetamine with his Los Angeles-based source of supply. However, on January 11, 2021, before Villanueva could complete the transaction, he was arrested in Florence, Oregon on an outstanding state arrest warrant. Despite his arrest, the guns-for-drugs trade moved forward and was completed on January 13, 2021, the same day Villanueva was released from state custody. Following his release was custody, Villanueva confirmed that 17 firearms had been traded for three pounds of methamphetamine with his source of supply in Los Angeles.

On January 13, 2021, Villanueva was charged by criminal complaint with distributing methamphetamine. Later, on May 20, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Villanueva and three associates, including his then-wife and Los Angeles-based source of supply, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

On February 16, 2023, Villanueva pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by ATF with assistance from Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Portland has returned an indictment charging a Tacoma, Washington, man with damaging two Portland area energy facilities.

Zachary Rosenthal, 33, has been charged with three counts of damaging an energy facility.

According to the indictment, on November 24 and 28, 2022, Rosenthal is accused of knowingly and willfully damaging two energy facilities—the Ostrander Substation in Oregon City, Oregon and the Sunnyside Substation in Clackamas, Oregon—with the intent of interrupting or impairing the function of both facilities. The indictment further alleges that Rosenthal caused damages exceeding $100,000 to the Ostrander Substation and $5,000 to the Sunnyside Substation. Both facilities are involved in the transmission and distribution of electricity.

A single accomplice, Nathaniel Adam Cheney, 30, of Centralia, Washington, is named alongside Rosenthal in charges stemming from the November 28, 2022, damage to the Sunnyside Substation.

A second indictment was also unsealed today charging Rosenthal with stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and illegally possessing firearms as a convicted felon. According to this indictment, in January 2023, Rosenthal is alleged to have stolen 24 firearms he was restricted from possessing from a federal firearms licensee in the Portland area.

Rosenthal made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned on both indictments, pleaded not guilty to all charges, and detained pending further court proceedings.

On April 10, 2023, Cheney made his first appearance in federal court. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and released on conditions pending a two-day jury trial currently scheduled to begin on August 20, 2024.

Damaging an energy facility and causing more than $100,000 in damages is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. Damaging an energy facility and causing more than $5,000 in damages is punishable by up to five years in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It is being prosecuted by Parakram Singh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A Cottage Grove, Oregon woman was sentenced to federal prison today for threatening violence against her coworkers on Facebook.

Elizabeth Ballestros West, 56, was sentenced to six months and three weeks in federal prison and three years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in late September 2023, the FBI received an anonymous tip that West was threatening coworkers on Facebook. Later, in November 2023, the FBI learned West had established an account on X (formerly known as Twitter) that she used to post and repost memes, videos and statements containing violent messages targeting particular ethnic groups. Several of West’s posts included what appeared to be self-produced photos of firearms including several handguns, a shotgun, and an AR-style assault rifle.

On January 3, 2024, West admitted to posting and reposting messages on X that contained hateful and violent rhetoric. West also admitted to possessing multiple shotguns and AR-15 assault rifles at her Cottage Grove residence.

One week later, on January 9, 2024, the FBI executed federal search warrants on West’s person, vehicle, and residence. They located and seized 12 handguns, 16 rifles, thousands of rounds of ammunition and firearm accessories, and a journal that appeared to contain writings and drawings that included additional hateful and violent statements. On January 12, 2024, West was charged by criminal complaint with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce and arrested by the FBI the same day at her workplace in Eugene.

Approximately one week later, on January 18, 2024, a federal grand jury in Eugene indicted West on the same charge. On May 29, 2024, West pleaded guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Cottage Grove Police Department, Eugene Police Department, and Lane County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Adam E. Delph, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore.—An Oklahoma City man was sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for sexually abusing a child and capturing the abuse on video.

Jeremy Lee Peterson, 44, was sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of 360 months in federal prison and a life term of supervised release.

According to court documents, on February 18, 2022, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents received information from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding a video depicting child sexual abuse. Agents reviewed the video’s file data and suspected it was created in a specific apartment in Eugene, Oregon. The agents identified distinctive physical characteristics of the abuser in the video, including a scorpion tattoo on the man’s chest.

On February 24, 2022, investigators searched the apartment and identified furniture and bed sheets consistent with those appearing in the abuse video. Investigators also found photos of Peterson on social media and obtained a booking photo from a previous arrest, both of which matched the likeness and physical attributes, including the scorpion tattoo, as depicted in the abuse video. During their investigation, agents learned the minor victim and the victim’s parent had recently moved to a residence in Oklahoma that matched Peterson’s most recent address.

On February 28, 2022, agents in Oklahoma executed a search warrant on Peterson’s address and found the minor victim and parent living there. Peterson was arrested and the child was rescued. Soon after, agents learned that Peterson had recently helped the victim and the victim’s parent move to his residence in Oklahoma.

On March 15, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Peterson with sexually exploiting a child and producing child pornography.

Months after Peterson was charged, his minor victim contacted law enforcement to discuss the abuse in Oregon and disclose additional abuse in Oklahoma.

On March 27, 2024, Peterson pleaded guilty to sexually exploiting a child.

This case was investigated by HSI in the District of Oregon and the Western District of Oklahoma, with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for
Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May
2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a scheme to steal large quantities of mail and use victims’ personal and financial documents and information to fraudulently obtain apartment leases, open bank accounts without authorization, and acquire other goods and services.

Cody Joel Stewart, 43, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. Stewart was also ordered to pay $211,831 in restitution to his victims.

According to court documents, between April 2020 and April 2023, Stewart worked with multiple accomplices, including Portland residents Felicia Lynn Hawkins and Patrick Dorin Balan, both 35, to carry out a fraud scheme whereby the group would steal large quantities of mail to obtain victims’ personal and financial information.

Throughout the conspiracy, Stewart and Hawkins used and distributed stolen personally identifiable information and counterfeit identity documents and checks. In December 2022, during a search of their shared residence, investigators located and seized various counterfeit identification and financial documents, stolen financial documents and mail, paper used to make counterfeit checks, U.S. Treasury checks, counterfeit U.S. currency, and drugs.

Stewart was arrested in May 2023 after leading police on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of more than 100 mph. After safely ending the pursuit, officers located additional stolen identification and financial documents in Stewart’s possession.

On April 11, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 12-count indictment charging Stewart, Hawkins, and Balan with conspiracy to commit bank fraud; bank fraud; using or trafficking an unauthorized access device; producing, using, or trafficking a counterfeit access device; aggravated identity theft; and possession of stolen mail.

On March 27, 2024, Stewart pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.

On January 29, 2024, Hawkins also pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit bank fraud. She was later sentenced to time served in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. Balan is on pre-trial release pending a four-day jury trial scheduled to begin on August 6, 2024.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). It was prosecuted by Rachel K. Sowray, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Springfield, Oregon member of an international drug trafficking organization operating in Lane County, Oregon, was sentenced to federal prison.

Rodolfo Arroyo-Segoviano, 38, was sentenced to 145 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. 

According to court documents, between April and August 2020, Arroyo-Segoviano managed the local distribution network for an international drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. While the organization leaders operated out of Mexico, Arroyo-Segoviano was responsible for the local operations in Oregon. He coordinated the receipt, storage, and distribution of methamphetamine, the collection of drug proceeds, and payment to organization leadership in Mexico. Arroyo-Segoviano also supervised the local associates, including recruitment, pay, and directing activities.    

As part of this investigation, law enforcement seized more than 178 pounds of methamphetamine, 12 pounds of heroin, six pounds of fentanyl, 18 rifles, three rifle optics, and ammunition. Investigators also forfeited approximately $1.2 million from the organization, including more than $400,000 in cash. In total, 35 people—including sources of supply in Mexico, couriers, local cell operators in Lane County, and first and second level distributors responsible for sales in and around Eugene—were charged and have been convicted for their roles in the drug trafficking organization.

“The prosecution of this international drug trafficking organization represents the tireless dedication of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners combatting the drug trafficking plaguing our communities,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

On July 31, 2020, Arroyo-Segoviano was charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On April 3, 2024, Arroyo-Segoviano pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by DEA, FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Springfield Police Department, Eugene Police Department, Lane County Sherriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE), and Douglas Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (DINT). It was prosecuted by Joseph Huynh and Judi Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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

EUGENE, Ore.—A Bend, Oregon man was sentenced to federal prison for possessing 20 pounds of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Isaac Kitashima, 48, was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release. 

According to court documents, from August 2020 through June 2021, Kitashima and co-conspirators conducted a multi-state drug trafficking operation. Kitashima used associates to assist with the purchase, shipment, and transport of methamphetamine between California, Oregon, and Hawaii. 

In August 2020, Kitashima hired a co-conspirator to drive a shipment of methamphetamine from California to Oregon. An Oregon State Police trooper attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle. The driver initially yielded to the stop but then fled at a high rate of speed. The trooper pursued the vehicle, which was later found abandoned. A search of the vehicle located almost 20 pounds of methamphetamine, along with items identifying Kitashima. 

Between February and May 2021, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and United States Postal Service (USPS) intercepted multiple packages of methamphetamine intended for Kitashima’s distribution into Oregon and Hawaii. 

On August 19, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Kitashima with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute. On September 2, 2021, DEA and Maui Police Department executed a search warrant on Kitashima’s residence in Makawao, Hawaii, where he was arrested. During the search, investigators located methamphetamine and firearms in the residence.

On February 27, 2024, Kitashima pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. 

This case was investigated by DEA, USPS, Oregon State Police, and Maui Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Delph. 

PORTLAND, Ore.—The leader of an international drug trafficking organization operating in Lane County, Oregon, responsible for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine into the state between 2018 and 2020, was sentenced to federal prison today.

Victor Diaz-Ramirez, 33, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

“While communities across our state continue to struggle with the ongoing drug crisis, there are criminal enterprises, like the Diaz-Ramirez drug trafficking organization, whose sole purpose is to profit from addiction and suffering. This far-reaching investigation demonstrates the deep commitment of all involved law enforcement agencies to combatting drug trafficking and keeping our communities safe,” said Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Eugene and Medford Branch Offices.

“Drug traffickers like Mr. Diaz-Ramirez prey on our communities by peddling large amounts of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine, often to our most vulnerable,” said David F. Reames, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division. “I am gratified that the hard work of DEA, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our many partners from law enforcement agencies across Oregon led to the lengthy sentence Mr. Diaz-Ramirez received in this case. Justice was truly served.”

According to court documents, from at least March 2018 through August 2020, while operating out of Mexico, Diaz-Ramirez helped lead an international drug trafficking organization responsible for trafficking large quantities of methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine from Mexico into the United States. Diaz-Ramirez’s organization used a network of associates to transport the drugs from Southern California to Oregon and deliver them to local distributors in exchange for cash. 

As part of this investigation, law enforcement seized more than 178 pounds of methamphetamine, 12 pounds of heroin, six pounds of fentanyl, 18 rifles, three rifle optics, and ammunition. Investigators also forfeited approximately $1.2 million from the organization, including more than $400,000 in cash. In total, 35 people—including sources of supply in Mexico, couriers, local cell operators in Lane County, and first and second level distributors responsible for sales in and around Eugene—were charged and have been convicted for their roles in Diaz-Ramirez’s organization.

On August 5, 2020, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Diaz-Ramirez with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. On November 1, 2023, Diaz-Ramirez pleaded guilty to a one-count superseding criminal information charging him with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by DEA, FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Marshals Service, Springfield Police Department, Eugene Police Department, Lane County Sherriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Linn Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (LINE), and Douglas Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team (DINT). It was prosecuted by Joseph Huynh and Judi Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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

PORTLAND, Ore.—A local man was sentenced to federal prison today for distributing counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl in and around Portland and stealing federal funds intended to help small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yuriy Viktorovich Vasilchuk, 33, a Portland resident, was sentenced to 49 months in federal prison and three years’ supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $32,855 in restitution to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

According to court documents, in early 2021, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) identified Vasilchuk as a Portland area source of supply for counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl. In December 2021, Vasilchuk was located in a stolen vehicle. He was arrested with 88 counterfeit Oxycodone pills and later released.

On May 3, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Vasilchuk with one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl. Following his indictment, HSI special agents and probation officers from the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice (DCJ) attempted to arrest Vasilchuk who was again located in a stolen vehicle. As the probation officers approached Vasilchuk’s stolen vehicle, Vasilchuk sped off, nearly striking a nearby probation officer. After fleeing for several miles and causing multiple accidents, Vasilchuk’s vehicle became inoperable and he fled on foot. Soon after, investigators located Vasilchuk hiding in an abandoned RV and placed him under arrest.

Following his arrest, investigators obtained evidence that, between March and November of 2021, while he was actively distributing fentanyl, Vasilchuk applied to receive Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) from the SBA. In his applications, Vasilchuk falsely stated that he had not, within the past five years, been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a felony involving fraud, bribery, embezzlement, or making a false statement on a loan application. Based on the false information provided, the SBA disbursed more than $32,000 to Vasilchuk, which he in turn spent on various personal expenses.

On August 22, 2023, Vasilchuk was charged by criminal information with wire fraud. On March 11, 2024, he pleaded to one count each of wire fraud and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, resolving both of his criminal cases.

These cases were investigated by HSI, the Westside Interagency Narcotics Team (WIN), and the SBA Office of Inspector General with assistance from the Portland Police Bureau and DCJ. They were prosecuted by Cassady A. Adams and Rachel K. Sowray, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

WIN is a Washington County, Oregon-based multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found the operator of a local chain of check cashing businesses guilty today for his role in a multiyear scheme to obstruct the IRS from collecting payroll and income taxes on construction workers’ wages.

David A. Katz, 48, of Tualatin, Oregon, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the United States and filing false currency transaction reports with the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN).

“This defendant’s efforts to help others circumvent their tax responsibilities was thwarted thanks to the dedicated criminal investigators at the IRS. Business owners who abuse the system and help others hide taxable income will be held accountable,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

“Our tax system is based on the honesty and integrity of taxpayers who understand that taxes fund the common good. However, there are some, like Mr. Katz, who choose to line their own pockets at the expense of their friends and neighbors,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes, IRS Criminal Investigation (CI), Seattle Field Office. “Mr. Katz’s conviction by a jury of his peers emphasizes the fact that no one is above paying their fair share, and shows that CI is committed to investigating those who choose to undermine their communities.”

According to court documents and trial testimony, from January 2014 through December 2017, Katz, the compliance officer of Check Cash Pacific, Inc., conspired with others in the construction industry to defraud the United States by facilitating under-the-table payments to construction workers. To carry out the scheme, sham construction companies were created and used to cash more than $177 million in payroll checks at different Check Cash Pacific locations. The cash was used to pay construction workers under-the-table, with no taxes being withheld or reported to the IRS.

Construction companies would notify Katz when they planned to bring checks into one of his check cashing locations so that Katz could ensure he had enough cash on hand to complete the transaction. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of payroll checks were cashed daily and Katz was aware that at least one of his co-conspirators used a false name and social security number.

For his role in the scheme, Katz received a 2% commission on each transaction which, in total, amounted to more than $4 million. Over the course of their conspiracy, Katz and his co-conspirators prevented the IRS from collecting more than $44 million in payroll and income taxes due on the cash wages.

On December 2, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Katz and five others with conspiracy to defraud the United States. Katz was charged in the same indictment with four counts of filing false currency transaction reports with FinCEN.

Conspiracy to defraud the United States is punishable by up to five years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release. Filing false currency transaction reports is punishable by up to 10 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years’ supervised release.

Three of Katz’s co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to felony charges stemming from their roles in the conspiracy. Two are awaiting sentencing and the third was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Another co-conspirator is awaiting trial and one is a fugitive.

This case was investigated by IRS-CI. It was prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto and Andrew T. Ho, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Gresham, Oregon man is facing federal charges today after he was caught using Telegram, an encrypted messaging service, to sell various controlled substances to minors.

Timothy Jeffrey Monahan, 31, has been charged by criminal complaint with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

“Drug trafficking has had an alarming impact on children in our communities. We thank the FBI, Clackamas County Interagency Task Force, and all our law enforcement partners for their continued focus on holding accountable individuals that target children,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

According to court documents, early in 2024, law enforcement obtained information that an individual, later determined to be Monahan, was allegedly using Telegram to advertise the sale of various illegal narcotics including cocaine, LSD, ketamine, DMT, psilocybin mushrooms, and various marijuana and vaping products. Monahan is alleged to have used the Telegram usernames “Thepdxyokai” and “Yokai” to advertise and broker the sale of narcotics and used an adult drug runner to deliver the drugs to customers on his behalf. 

On June 7, 2024, investigators executed federal search warrants on Monahan’s residence and vehicle wherein they located and seized quantities of cocaine and psilocybin mushrooms, two loaded firearms, drug packaging materials and scales, and more than $106,000 in cash. After he was placed under arrest, Monahan admitted to operating the Telegram accounts located by investigators to sell narcotics to a customer based composed mostly of minors. Monahan further admitted to trading controlled substances in exchange for sex acts or sexually explicit photos from his customers.

Monahan made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge and was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Canby Police Department, Oregon State Police, FBI, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). CCITF is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A high school teacher from Portland was sentenced to federal prison today after he traveled to Bend, Oregon, in hopes of meeting a 15-year-old child he met online.

Edward Hernandez-Corchado, 27, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in November 2022, as part of an ongoing investigation into online child exploitation, a police officer from Bend, Oregon set up and began using a Snapchat account to pose as a 15-year-old child. As the investigation continued, the officer, posing as the child, met an individual online who was later determined to be Hernandez-Corchado. Over the next several days, Hernandez-Corchado engaged in sexually explicit communication with the officer, who he still believed was a child, and developed a plan to meet the child in Bend.

On November 11, 2022, Hernandez-Corchado traveled to Bend to meet the child and was intercepted and arrested by law enforcement. Following his arrest, Hernandez-Corchado admitted to regularly engaging in sexually explicit communications with underage girls online, possessing child pornography, and previously meeting and engaging in sexual conduct with two minors in the Salem, Oregon area.

On November 19, 2022, Hernandez-Corchado was charged by criminal complaint with enticing a minor. Later, on January 12, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Hernandez-Corchado with attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and, on January 8, 2024, he pleaded guilty to the single charge.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Bend Police Department. It was prosecuted by Judith R. Harper, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, they re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A known Jackson County drug dealer was sentenced to federal prison today after law enforcement located distribution quantities of drugs, including fentanyl, and a firearm in his abandoned vehicle.

Anthony Ross Minneci, 36, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in January 2019, following his release from prison for drug trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm, Minneci resumed selling drugs throughout Southern Oregon. From early 2019 to March 2022, Minneci was charged in multiple cases in Jackson and Josephine County Circuit Courts for drug trafficking, illegally possessing firearms, and eluding police.

On January 1, 2022, a deputy with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office observed a vehicle failing to stop at an intersection and driving at a high rate of speed. The deputy identified Minneci as the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle and pursued him briefly before Minneci got away. Later that evening, investigators found the vehicle unoccupied in a rural area, but were unable to locate Minneci.

On January 5, 2022, investigators executed a search warrant on the vehicle and located fentanyl, heroin and methamphetamine, as well as a firearm, ammunition, and drug paraphernalia. Investigators also found items identifying Minneci, including a driver’s license. On March 15, 2022, Minneci was arrested in Siskiyou County, California, following another attempt to elude police. At the time of his arrest, Minneci was found in possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and two firearms.

On May 5, 2022, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Minneci with possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, illegally possessing ammunition as a convicted felon, and possessing firearms in relation to a drug trafficking crime. 

On February 26, 2024, Minneci pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute.

The cases against Minneci were investigated by the Medford Area Drug and Gang Enforcement Team (MADGE) with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Rogue Area Drug Enforcement Team (RADE), Oregon State Police, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, Medford Police Department, and the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Marco A. Boccato, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

MADGE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach. MADGE is supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) and is composed of members from the Medford Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff and District Attorney’s Offices, the Jackson County Community Corrections, FBI, and HSI.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Presidio, Texas man is facing federal charges today after he traveled to Oregon to engage in sexual conduct with a minor he met online.

Steven Worth Ellis, 60, has been charged by criminal complaint with traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct, attempting to sexually exploit a child, and coercing and enticing a minor.

According to court documents, in late May 2024, the Oregon Department of Human Services received a tip alleging that Ellis was engaged in an online sexual relationship with a 15-year-old child. It was reported that Ellis had met the child on Reddit, a popular online forum, and engaged in frequent, sexually explicit communication with the child for at least a month. It was further alleged that Ellis told the child he wanted to marry her and made plans to travel from his home in Texas to Oregon to “come get her.”

Further investigation revealed that Ellis did intend to travel to Oregon to meet the child and had an active vacation rental reservation for a residence located near the child’s home. Investigators began tracking Ellis’s movements and soon observed him leaving Texas and traveling in a northwest direction toward Oregon.

Investigators intercepted and arrested Ellis today in The Dalles, Oregon, and he made his initial appearance in federal court in Portland before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Portland Police Bureau. It is being prosecuted by Mira Chernick, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A La Grande, Oregon man was sentenced to more than 12 years in federal prison Wednesday for sexually abusing and transporting two minors from Washington State he met through Snapchat.

Albert Wayne Johnson, 42, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and 10 years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, on August 8, 2022, deputies from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call of two minors abandoned at Barton Park in Boring, Oregon. The children told the deputies they met Johnson on Snapchat and that he had driven them from Washington State through Idaho and into Oregon, and had sexually abused both during the trip. Along the way, Johnson stopped at a motel in Othello, Washington, where he abused the children, and a campground near La Grande, where he continued to abuse one of the children. After arriving in Boring, Johnson left the children at a campsite in Barton Park and never returned.

In August 2022, after receiving information about the abduction and abuse that had occurred, detectives from the Othello Police Department contacted the motel in Othello and obtained surveillance footage showing Johnson with the two children.

On August 30, 2022, officers and deputies from the La Grande Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union County Probation Department, and Umatilla Tribal Police Department located Johnson at his residence in La Grande and arrested him on an outstanding parole violation warrant.

On October 5, 2022, Johnson was charged by criminal complaint with coercing and enticing a minor and transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Later, on November 2, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count indictment charging Johnson with traveling across state lines to engage in a sexual act with a minor, transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and commission of a sex offense by a registered sex offender.

On January 24, 2024, Johnson pleaded guilty to transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

This case was investigated by the FBI Pendleton Resident Agency with assistance from the Othello Police Department, La Grande Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office, Union County Probation Department, Umatilla Tribal Police Department, and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Cassady Adams, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to call the FBI at (503) 224-4181 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—In honor of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. This year’s commemoration is observed Saturday, May 11 through Friday, May 17, 2024.

“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland.  “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most.  Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them.  The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”

“At the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we are inspired daily by the service and sacrifice of all our law enforcement partners. We offer our deepest gratitude to each and every one of our partners as well as their families and loved ones who make it possible for them to do the work they do,” said Natalie Wight, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.   

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe. 

On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/. 

To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The leader of Portland’s 18th Street Gang was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in a conspiracy to traffic large quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine into the Portland area for redistribution and sale.

Gustavo Torres-Mendez, 38, a Portland resident, was sentenced to 168 months in federal prison and five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents, in 2019, following his release from state prison for first degree robbery with a firearm, Torres-Mendez established himself as the leader of the 18th Street Gang in Portland. At the time, investigators were aware that Torres-Mendez maintained a significant stature with and history in the gang developed while serving time in Oregon state prisons and for his activities out of custody.

By late summer 2022, investigators had obtained significant evidence that Torres-Mendez and a close associate were leading a criminal enterprise active in selling counterfeit Oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in and around the Portland metro area. In early September 2022, investigators uncovered a major effort by Torres-Mendez and several associates to collect money for a large drug purchase and, within days, the group had collected more than $126,000 in cash. At around the same time, on September 7, 2022, police stopped a vehicle connected to the group traveling near Grants Pass, Oregon. A search of the vehicle returned more than 104 pounds of methamphetamine and eight pounds of cocaine.

On November 15, 2022, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a seven-count indictment charging Torres-Mendez and six associates for conspiring with one another to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Two days later, on November 17, 2022, a multi-agency law enforcement operation was conducted targeting Torres-Mendez and his associates. A search of Torres-Mendez’s North Portland home returned a handgun, ammunition, tactical body armor, a small bag of “M30” counterfeit Oxycodone pills, and $6,386 in cash. On the same day, investigators located and seized 10 additional firearms at a location in Portland used by the 18th Street Gang to store and distribute drugs and keep weapons.

On September 6, 2023, Torres-Mendez pleaded guilty to conspiring with his associates to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Three of Torres-Mendez’s co-conspirators have also pleaded guilty and been sentenced to federal prison.

This case was investigated by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau. It was prosecuted by Thomas H. Edmonds and Nicole M. Bockelman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

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