District of Utah

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah will join their law enforcement partners, neighbors, and communities in National Night Out events in cities across the state.

“Obtaining justice is a team effort and the U.S. Attorney’s Office could not do it without our law enforcement partnerships,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. “Our office remains committed to building and strengthening our existing partnerships with law enforcement and National Night Out is a great way to do that and to engage with the communities that we serve.”

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes partnerships and camaraderie between law enforcement and the communities they serve to make our neighborhoods safer places to live. Millions take part in National Night Out across thousands of communities throughout the country on the first Tuesday of August in most areas of the country.

National Night Out was established in 1984 with funding from the Bureau of Justice Assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice. The program is administered by the National Association of Town Watch, a nationwide non-profit organization.

Coordinated by local law enforcement and trained volunteers, National Night Out provides an opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances. Neighborhoods host block parties, cookouts, festivals, parades, safety demonstrations, seminars, youth events, visits from emergency personnel and more. National Night Out sends a message that neighbors are united and working together to keep their communities and each other safe.

For more information, visit https://natw.org/.

Scheduled Events:

1.    North Salt Lake Night Out Against Crime 2025
Thursday, July 31, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Foxboro North Regional Park
1120 West 1100 North
North Salt Lake, UT 84054

2.    Millcreek Night Out Against Crime
Tuesday, August 5, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Big Cottonwood Regional Park
4300 South 1300 East
Millcreek, UT 84117

3.    Woods Cross Police Department’s National Night Out Against Crime
Thursday, August 7, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Woods Cross City Building
1555 South 800 West
Woods Cross, UT 84087

4.    Murray City Police & Fire Safety Fair
Monday, August 25, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Murray Park
296 East Murray Park Avenue, Main Parking Lot
Murray, UT 84107

5.    Ogden’s Night Out Against Crime
Thursday, August 14, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Marshall White Community Center
222 28th Street
Ogden, UT 84401

6.    Clearfield Police Department’s Night Out Against Crime
Thursday, August 28, 2025 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Steed Park
300 North 1000 West
Clearfield, UT 84015

7.    Syracuse Public Safety Jamboree
Thursday, October 2, 2025 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 
Syracuse City Fire Station #32
3418 S. Bluff Drive
Syracuse, UT 84075

 

A Utah man was sentenced yesterday to 108 months in prison for wire fraud, impersonating a federal officer, aggravated identity theft, and making a false statement.

The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: from 2018 through 2020, Santiago Garcia Gutierrez (Garcia), of Salt Lake City, defrauded a single victim out of more than $2.8 million by falsely representing that he was a confidential informant with the Department of Homeland Security. He also falsely represented that he could acquire, at discounted prices, exotic cars, planes, and vessels that had been seized by the U.S. government through forfeiture. Garcia falsely induced the victim to use him as an intermediary to receive the money that the victim believed was then being used to purchase what turned out to be non-existent luxury assets. To convince his victim the scheme was legitimate, Garcia contacted the victim on numerous occasions via text message from multiple phone numbers, falsely claiming to be a confidential government informant, federal agent and, at times, Garcia’s own attorney.

In addition, from 2019 through 2024, Garcia  defrauded eight additional victims across the country. To execute these other frauds, Garcia falsely induced victims to invest money into federal oil wells in which he had an ownership interest, promising large returns on investment. The victims never realized any profits, however, because Garcia diverted the investment funds for his own benefit. To effectuate these schemes and lend them legitimacy, Garcia again assumed the identity of his attorney. In total, Garcia defrauded these victims of more than $900,000.

Finally, Garcia did not pay royalties to the federal government on the sale of oil extracted from the wells, despite knowing that he had a duty to do so.

In addition to the term of imprisonment, U.S. District Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr. for the District of Utah ordered Garcia to pay $3,795,930.60 in restitution to the victims of his crimes, and to forfeit $2,853,789.27.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation’s Phoenix Field Office and the EPA investigated the case.

Senior Litigation Counsel Richard M. Rolwing and former Trial Attorney Erika Suhr of the Tax Division prosecuted the case.

A former missionary was arrested today in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for sexually abusing minors abroad. William James Purdy, 28, of West Valley, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16 on charges related to the exploitation of minors outside the United States.

“The defendant in this case chose to travel abroad under the guise of good intentions and then sexually exploited and abused children who had been trusted to his care,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “When foreign authorities sought to hold him accountable, he fled back to the United States. The United States will not export child exploitation. The Justice Department is committed to securing justice for children exploited overseas when these heinous acts are committed by Americans.”

“William James Purdy's actions represent a profound betrayal of trust and have caused immeasurable harm to the young lives he was supposed to protect and nurture,” said Special Agent in Charge Edward V. Owens of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Philadelphia. “HSI's global reach and partnerships are crucial in our relentless fight against child predators, ensuring that those who exploit and abuse children, no matter where they are, are brought to justice. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society and will continue to work tirelessly to prevent such heinous crimes.”

“This is a perfect illustration of the DSS global reach and our ability to partner with U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies on international cases,” said Acting Assistant Director of Domestic Operations Adrian Diaz of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). “DSS and our counterparts are conducting investigations like these on a daily basis around the world.”

According to court documents, Purdy, a U.S. Citizen, traveled to Tonga in 2017 for his mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While there, he allegedly sexually abused multiple minor boys. Purdy returned to Tonga in late 2019 to teach at a school in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. For years, Purdy allegedly groomed and sexually abused numerous male students, some of whom lived with him. Purdy allegedly provided gifts, including electronic devices and access to the internet, food, toys, and money, in exchange for the performance of sexual acts. Purdy is also alleged to have surreptitiously recorded minor males in his bathroom at his various Tonga apartments.

Purdy was arrested by Tonga police in October 2022, when an eight‑year‑old boy disclosed that Purdy sexually assaulted him during their tutoring sessions. When Purdy was released from jail, he allegedly continued to sexually abuse children. In March 2023, just prior to his scheduled trial, Purdy fled Tonga using an assumed identity and returned to Utah. The investigation thus far has identified 14 minor victims throughout Tonga.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) are investigating the case, with the substantial assistance of the Tonga Police and the Tongan Department of Public Prosecutions. The Justice Department’s Office of international Affairs provided assistance. 

Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Joey L. Blanch for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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 epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict today against a Texas man after he grabbed and groped a female passenger multiple times without her consent while onboard a late-night flight from Chicago to Salt Lake City.

Robert Sutherland MacLean, aka “Bobby,” 59, of Frisco, Texas, was charged by indictment on April 18, 2023, with abusive sexual contact in the special aircraft of the United States.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on March 1, 2022, while in flight, MacLean made calculated and sexually laced statements to a stranger seated next to him while he sexually assaulted her multiple times in the first-class cabin.

“Mr. MacLean unlawfully and illegally imposed his will upon another person— sexually assaulting her over and over again on that late night flight,” said prosecuting attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, during the trial.

MacLean’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 1, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Dale A. Kimball at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. 

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and assisted by the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Michael P. Kennedy and Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed today charging a dozen foreign nationals of bank fraud and engaging in transactions involving criminally derived property. The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2025 at the U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City. Eleven Venezuelan nationals and one Colombian national are accused of committing financial fraud crimes after they allegedly participated in a scheme to defraud banks in Utah and elsewhere.

According to court documents, between January 2023 and June 2023, the defendants were involved in a scheme to defraud financial institutions by opening accounts and presenting fraudulent cashier’s checks to be deposited to those accounts. In some instances, defendants deposited multiple counterfeit checks at different branches on the same day. Defendants then laundered the funds by check, cashier’s check, and cash withdrawal.

Defendants are residents of Salt Lake County:

1.    Gilberto Emiro Andrade-Romero, 36, of Venezuela
2.    Felipe Enrique Linares-Lobo aka Carlos M. Hidalgo Noguera, 32, of Venezuela
3.    Alexis Jose Calixto-Bracho, 25, of Venezuela
4.    Daniel Jose Fuenmayor-leal, aka Enais Inciarte-Urdaneta, 34, of Venezuela
5.    Yeritza Astrid Cuello-Plata, 40, of Venezuela
6.    Federico Javier Gutierrez-Pirela, 36, of Venezuela
7.    Hendry Ricardo Martinez-Concho, 42, of Venezuela
8.    Cristina Paola Nava-Yoris, 24, of Venezuela
9.    Patricia Del Carmen Orozco-Cuello, 37, of Colombia
10.    Ismael Norberto Rodriguez-Moreno, 47, of Venezuela
11.    Jorge Luis Urribarri-Vento, 32, of Venezuela
12.    Rayner Jose Delgado-Quiroz, 24, of Venezuela

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and a HSI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. Lesueur of the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment charging an undocumented Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, with federal crimes, including sex trafficking a minor, production of child pornography, and multiple drug and firearm crimes.

Victor Manuel Sanchez-Chacon, aka “Speedy,” 31, of Mexico, living in Taylorsville, Utah, was previously ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge.  

According to the court documents, on November 9, 2024 and between August 27, 2023 and September 1, 2023, Sanchez-Chacon allegedly enticed a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child sexual abuse material. Beginning on October 25, 2023, Sanchez-Chacon allegedly recruited and enticed a minor to engage in a commercial sex act.

As alleged, between August 2024 and December 2024, detectives with the South Valley Special Enforcement Team (SET) opened an investigation into the trafficking of narcotics to juveniles at high schools in the Salt Lake Valley area. During the investigation, Sanchez-Chacon was identified as a trafficker. On May 15, 2025, agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and task force officers from SET conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Sanchez-Chacon was driving. During a search of the vehicle, officers seized drugs and other items. Subsequently, a residential search warrant was executed and law enforcement also seized three firearms, associated ammunition, and body armor. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations records check revealed Sanchez-Chacon does not possess valid immigration documents and entered the United States at an unknown date and time.

Chacon is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, unlawful alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, production of child pornography, and sex trafficking of a minor. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 21, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by task force officers from the South Valley Special Enforcement Team (SET), Taylorsville City Police Department, Draper City Police Department and special assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

This case was also brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Northeastern Utah man with first degree murder after he allegedly killed another man with a bow and arrow last month.

Leroy Casper Poowegup Reed, 42, of Whiterocks, Utah, was charged by complaint on June 27, 2025, and ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge.  

According to court documents, on June 26, 2025, officers from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from an individual who reported a possible vehicle accident in the Whiterocks community. It was reported that an individual was inside the vehicle unconscious and not breathing, with an arrow sticking out of him. Officers at the scene observed a black GMC pickup with the sole occupant/victim inside. The victim had an arrow pierced into his neck just above the collar bone. Officers concluded he was deceased.

As alleged in court documents, officers located a male individual on a porch of a residence, who was yelling at law enforcement. Officers also found blood on the road in front of the residence. The resident on the porch was identified as Reed and was taken into custody. Officers also located and seized a bow and arrows, and other items. Law enforcement obtained surveillance video of the incident, which showed a black GMC truck pull up and park. The victim exited the truck and walked towards Reed’s residence. Reed was then observed walking across the driveway with a bow and arrow drawn. The victim put his hands up and the video showed Reed move closer to the victim and then release an arrow, which hit the victim in the neck above the collar bone. The victim turned and walked back to his truck and Reed turned and walked towards his residence. The arrows seized from Reed’s residence match the arrow found in the victim.

Reed is charged with murder in the first degree while within Indian Country. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for July 17, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Uintah County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Vernal Resident Agency.

Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and Victoria K. McFarland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Armando Reyes-Ascension, 43, a Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, was sentenced to 58 months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to immigration and drug trafficking crimes.  In less than three months, Reyes-Ascension, who was previously removed from the United States on three different occasions and criminally convicted of felony illegal reentry, was again found back in the United States and in possession of more than 9,000 fentanyl pills, a loaded firearm, several dangerous weapons, and more than $80,000 in cash.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups sentenced Reyes-Ascension to three years’ supervised release and ordered him to forfeit over $88,000.00 USD, a Smith and Wesson .380 caliber pistol, associated ammunition, including eight .380 rounds, nine knives and daggers, and nine collectors’ coins.

According to court documents and statements made at Reyes-Ascension’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on May 17, 2024, during an investigation, officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department seized 7,000 fentanyl pills, and $32,000 in cash from Reyes-Ascension’s apartment. On June 11, 2024, he was removed from the United States to Mexico by immigration officials. On August 7, 2024, Reyes-Ascension re-entered the United States illegally, and was found in Salt Lake County Metro jail after law enforcement had arrested him for drug crimes. During the arrest, officers seized 2,000 fentanyl pills and more than $55,000 cash, coins, and several dangerous weapons - including a firearm. See prior press release: Previously Removed Foreign National and Felon Indicted on Drug and Gun Crimes.

Prior to Reyes-Ascension’s May 2024 arrest and third removal on June 11, 2024, he was previously removed from the United States to Mexico on two separate occasions; one of which he was convicted of illegal reentry of a previously removed alien on March 4, 2020.

“Reyes-Ascension’s repeated criminal conduct is a complete and total disregard for the laws of this country, and it will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti, of the District of Utah. “The defendant is a clear danger to Utah and the United States as a whole. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prosecute anyone who breaks our laws and pumps poison into our communities.”

“This sentencing sends a clear message that we will relentlessly pursue individuals who combine violent narcotics distribution with firearms offenses,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Brent Beavers. “Possessing poisonous dangerous drugs alongside a loaded firearm posed an imminent and grave threat to public safety. ATF remains committed to disrupting the nexus between illicit drugs and guns because every one of the weapons we take off the street is one less chance for tragedy in our communities.”

"Defendants like Reyes-Ascension knowingly put people’s lives at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners will not stand by as traffickers, especially those in the United States illegally, push dangerous drugs into our neighborhoods. We will aggressively pursue those who seek to profit by fueling the opioid epidemic.”

The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Salt Lake City Police Department, and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Bryan N. Reeves of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Caile Noble, 67, of Taylorsville, Utah, was sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from outside of Utah, bringing it to Utah, and providing it to several others in a conspiracy to distribute the drugs for profit.

The sentence comes after Noble pleaded guilty on April 3, 2025, to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart sentenced Noble to 60 months’ supervised release and ordered him to forfeit over $25,000 and his residence, from which Noble distributed methamphetamine.

According to court documents and statements made at Noble’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, beginning in July 2022, Noble and others in his drug trafficking organization were transporting approximately sixty pounds of methamphetamine to Utah to redistribute in the Salt Lake Valley. Noble was the head of the organization who acquired the large loads of methamphetamine and drove it to Utah. Once Noble arrived in Utah, he contacted his redistributors who sold the methamphetamine to others in amounts ranging from quarter pounds to full pounds.

Additionally, the defendant has distribution convictions dating back to 1986. Noble is also charged by the state of Utah with first degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated arson.

“The defendant’s conduct in this case and his nearly 40-year history of peddling poison for profit are egregious,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Noble trafficked large amounts of methamphetamine into Utah and then distributed this poison into our communities for profit. Such criminal conduct will not be tolerated.”

“There is no room for drug traffickers in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick of the IRS Criminal Investigation Phoenix Field Office. “Motivated by greed and with no regard for the safety of his community, Noble distributed massive amounts of this notoriously deadly substance. As the experts in following the money, IRS Criminal Investigation will always be there to offer our financial expertise to bring these criminals to justice.”

“The investigation of Noble confirmed the Sinaloa Cartel operates sophisticated drug distribution networks in Utah, and that drug trafficking and violent crime are often intertwined,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie with the Rocky Mountain Field Division. “Methamphetamine is a persistent scourge on our society, and today our communities in Utah are safer with Noble’s imprisonment.”

The case was investigated by members of the DEA Salt Lake City Metro Narcotics Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Wilber Castellanos Hernandez, 33, an undocumented Mexican citizen, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to carjacking a U.S. Postal Service Truck and threatening the U.S. Postal Service employee.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow sentenced Hernandez to 36 months’ supervised release and ordered him to pay $2,828.89 in restitution for damage to the postal vehicle and missing postal equipment.

According to court documents and statements made at Hernandez’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on February 5, 2024, Hernandez stole a U.S. Postal Service vehicle in Salt Lake City. He admitted to checking the door handle of the postal truck and entering the vehicle. When he was told to get out of the vehicle by the postal employee, he pointed a knife at him and fled from the area. Hernandez was tracked using GPS technology and stopped by law enforcement before he was subsequently taken into custody. See prior release here: Salt Lake City Man Accused of Carjacking a U.S. Postal Service Truck and Causing Multiple Car Accidents is Arrested and Charged.

The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned and indictment charging a restricted person with multiple firearm crimes after he allegedly possessed a stolen semi-automatic pistol and shot at two victims in Salt Lake City.

Hiram Bokadrik, 29, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was charged by complaint on June 11, 2025.

According to court documents, on June 7, 2025 at approximately 4:18 p.m., officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department responded to a call of “shots fired” at a residence in Salt Lake City. Upon arrival, officers met with two individuals who reported a male suspect, later identified as Bokadrik, had fired a single round at them when confronted about trespassing on their property. During this time, officers recovered an expended 9mm casing from the scene. Additional officers quickly located Bokadrik, who fled from the officers on foot, but was subsequently located in a construction area hiding underneath a tarp. On construction materials, officers also recovered a loaded Glock 43X and a hat described to be worn by Bokadrik at the time of the crime.

Additionally, the investigation revealed the firearm, which was manufactured outside the state of Utah, was stolen during a vehicle burglary at a nearby residence at approximately 12:00 a.m. on the same day. Bokadrik is prohibited from possessing, purchasing, transferring, or owning firearms or ammunition under both state and federal law.

Bokadrik is charged with being a restricted person in possession of a stolen firearm and ammunition, and possession of a stolen firearm. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for June 26, 2025, at 2:15 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department, Robbery and Violent Crimes Unit. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Assistant United States Attorney Victoria K. McFarland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A convicted sex offender, Jaycee Stewart, 33, of St. George, was sentenced to 300 months’ imprisonment today after he pleaded guilty to charges involving receipt of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Stewart pleaded guilty to the charges on November 4, 2024. In addition to his term of imprisonment, the court sentenced Stewart to a lifetime of supervised release, and ordered him to pay restitution to the victims.

According to court documents and statements made at Stewart’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on April 12, 2023, a child disclosed to their elementary school teacher that they were being sexually abused by Stewart. The victim said that Stewart occasionally used an item to sexually abuse them. The victim also stated that Stewart had numerous photographs of “naked girls” and images of children that were “inappropriate” in his room. Following an executed search warrant on Stewart’s residence, officers found multiple images of child sexual abuse hanging on his walls and a stack of images of child sexual abuse on his printer, in binders, and in Stewart’s closet. Stewart also had a digital frame that cycled through approximately 22,000 images of child sexual abuse. In sum, Stewart was in possession of tens of thousands of files depicting child sex abuse materials. Stewart was previously convicted in Utah state court of possession of child pornography in 2015.  Additionally, Stewart has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing two victims and is pending sentencing in state court.  

The St. George Police Department investigated the case.  

Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Andrew Armani Deionte Rowe, 29, of Salt Lake City, was sentenced today to 57 months’ imprisonment, and a term of three years’ supervised release after he robbed multiple 7-Eleven stores across the Salt Lake Valley in 2023.  

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Jill N. Parish, comes after Rowe pleaded guilty in September 2024 to four counts of interference with commerce by robbery.

According to court documents and statements made at Rowe’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Rowe admitted that from September 12, 2023, through September 27, 2023, he robbed multiple 7-Eleven stores and threatened the clerk at each location. First, on Sept. 12, 2023, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Salt Lake City and locked the doors behind him. Rowe handed the clerk a note that stated, “Do as I say, or you will lose your life.” The clerk complied and gave Rowe the money from the register. On the same day, in a separate robbery, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Millcreek, Utah, with a gun and ordered the clerk to give him all the cash in the register. On Sept. 14, 2023, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Salt Lake City. Rowe pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded all the cash from the register. On Sept. 27, 2023, Rowe entered a 7-Eleven in Millcreek, threatened the clerk and demanded money from the register. See former press release here.

On October 11, 2023, Rowe was arrested. During the investigation, law enforcement seized clothing that matched the clothing worn by Rowe during the robberies. Law enforcement also seized a black firearm with an extended firearm that matched the description of the firearm used in the robberies. It was later determined the firearm was a BB gun designed to look like a Glock.

“No individual should feel unsafe while at work,” said Acting U.S Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. “Mr. Rowe threatened and intimidated others for his personal gain and then repeated his criminal behavior three more times. Community safety is a priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners and we will continue to prosecute and seek justice against those who harm our communities.”  

“It’s fortunate Mr. Rowe didn’t physically hurt or kill anyone during his crime spree, although the emotional toll on the victims will be long-lasting,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed with the Salt Lake City FBI. “Opportunistic crimes don’t pay. The FBI and our partners are committed to keeping our communities safe from violent offenders.”

The case was investigated jointly by the Salt Lake City Police Department, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned and indictment today charging a Utah man with drug crimes after federal agents allegedly seized over 4,800 grams of field-tested positive cocaine during an executed search warrant.

Evar Mahmood Hashim, 25, of West Jordan, Utah, was charged by complaint on June 12, 2025.

According to court documents, beginning in May 2025, the Davis County Metro Narcotics Strike Force initiated a criminal investigation into members of a drug trafficking organization that was believed to be distributing large quantities of narcotics in Utah. During the investigation, agents identified a vehicle believed to be used by the organization to traffic the suspected narcotics. On June 10, 2025, a search warrant was executed on the vehicle, which was located and secured in Juab County, Utah. At this time, Hashim was the driver of the vehicle. During the search of the vehicle, agents seized approximately 4,836 grams of a white powder, which field-tested positive for cocaine. Hashim was taken into custody.

Hashim is charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for June 26, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Davis County Metro Narcotics Strike Force and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Kelsy Young of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah entrepreneur was sentenced today to 18 months’ imprisonment after he fraudulently obtained $628,307 from a COVID-19 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Loan in 2021 by submitting a fraudulent loan application in the name of his business.

The COVID-19 PPP Loans were provided to small businesses for funding to meet specific obligations, including payroll and rent during the pandemic.

Marcelo Federico Torre, 42, of Draper, Utah, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, and possession of stolen mail on April 10, 2025. In addition to his sentence, and credit for time served, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups sentenced Torre to three years’ supervised release and ordered him to pay $628,307 in restitution. Torre also forfeited a money judgement in the amount of $628,307.

According to court documents and statements made at Torre’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from April 27, 2021 to May 5, 2021, Torre fraudulently submitted a PPP Loan application through U.S. Bank for approximately $628,307 on behalf of his company, Offerworks Inc., a company he owned and controlled. By fraudulently submitting the Loan application, he lied to U.S. Bank and the United States government in order to be approved for the PPP Loan. Some of the false statements Torre made on the PPP Loan application included that his company, Offerworks Inc., had been in operation as of February 15, 2020, when it had not; his company had 37 employees, when it did not; and that Offerworks Inc., had an average monthly payroll of $251,323 in 2020, when it did not.

“The amount of money Mr. Torre stole from the U.S. government and taxpayers, which was intended to keep businesses open and provide salaries for employees and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic, is significant and his fraud will not go unpunished,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “It is our hope Mr. Torre’s sentence will deter him and others who seek to take criminal advantage of government programs meant to help honest and hardworking business owners and their employees during a crisis.”

The case was investigated jointly by the U.S. Postal Investigation Service, Draper City Police Department, U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services Office, Salt Lake City Police Department, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Small Business Administration – Office of Inspector General (SBA-OIG), and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).

Assistant United States Attorney Todd C. Bouton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a San Juan County man with second degree murder after he allegedly shot a man to death in San Juan County, Utah.

Chevel Cottonwood, 34, of San Juan County, was charged by complaint on June 11, 2025, and ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge.  

According to court documents, on June 10, 2025, Navajo Police Department Officers responded to a 911 call reporting gunfire near the Hovenweep area north of Aneth, Utah, within the Navajo Nation. Upon arrival at a residence, officers spoke with a woman who was allegedly at the residence at the time of the shooting and described hearing gunshots from the living room. She recalled hearing Cottonwood and the victim arguing and then heard another gunshot and saw the flash of the discharge. The woman then went to the living room and saw the victim laying on the floor bleeding from an apparent gunshot wound.

As alleged in court documents, responding officers entered the residence and found the victim deceased with a gunshot wound and an empty shell casing next to him. Cottonwood was found hiding in nearby bushes with a loaded magazine and ammunition. A search warrant was executed, and officers seized a 9mm pistol and two 9mm shell casings. Agents also observed bullet holes through the roof of the house that appeared to have occurred at some point during the incident.

Cottonwood is charged with second degree murder while within Indian Country and being a restricted person in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Cottonwood will have his initial appearance on the indictment on June 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office’s Monticello Resident Agency.

Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

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

ST. GEORGE, Utah –Twice convicted sex offender, Payden Davis, 30, of Santa Clara, Utah, was sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release after he intended to meet with an 11-year-old boy to sexually abuse him after communicating via a social media platform.

Davis, a registered sex offender, violated his federal supervised release imposed in a prior case in which he was convicted of possession of child pornography in 2018. His sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Davis pleaded guilty on February 6, 2025.

According to court documents and statements made at Davis’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, between November 6, 2023 and November 7, 2023, Davis used a portable gaming console to communicate via social media with an undercover agent posing as the father of an 11-year-old boy. During the communications, Davis repeatedly confirmed to the undercover agent he wanted to sexually abuse the 11-year-old child stating “I think it would be fun, if he is into it” among other sexually explicit communications. Davis and the undercover agent agreed to meet at a pre-determined location. Meanwhile the undercover agent discovered that Davis was a registered sex offender, having been convicted of possession of child pornography in 2018, and that he was currently on federal supervised release. On November 7, 2025, Davis arrived at the pre-arranged location and was taken into custody without incident. At the time of his arrest, Davis’s social media account geolocated to the location of the arrest. Additionally, Davis was in possession of a Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 cellphone, an AYANEO handheld gaming computer, and other evidence of his intent to sexually abuse an 11-year-old boy.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency.

Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Mexican National, living in the United States illegally, pleaded guilty in court today to drug, firearm, and immigration crimes in the District of Utah.

Kevin Enrique Sanchez-Carrillo, 25, a Mexican native and citizen, living illegally in Draper, Utah, was initially indicted on April 8, 2025. On May 20, 2025, a felony information was filed charging Sanchez-Carrillo with possession of heroin with intent to distribute, alien in possession of a firearm, eluding examination or inspection by immigration officers, and failure to register.

According to court documents and admissions made at Sanchez-Carrillo’s change of plea hearing, on April 3, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants on Sanchez-Carrillo’s apartment in Draper, Utah and his vehicle. During the search of his apartment, law enforcement located, among other things, 100 grams or more of field-tested heroin, a Smith and Wesson 9MM handgun, ammunition, and $7,750 in United States currency. Sanchez-Carrillo admitted that he knowingly possessed and intended to distribute the heroin for profit and that he knew he was restricted from possessing the firearm, which affected interstate commerce, as an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States.  

Additionally, court documents reveal that Sanchez-Carrillo admitted that he entered the United States on or after December 14, 2023, and eluded examination and inspection by immigration officers until his apprehension on April 3, 2025. Sanchez-Carrillo also admitted that after being in the United States illegally for 30 days or longer, he deliberately failed to apply for registration. Court documents reveal that Sanchez-Carrillo had not applied for registration at the time he was found by immigration officers in Salt Lake County, Utah, and remains unregistered.

Sanchez-Carrillo is scheduled to be sentenced September 4, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO).

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed charging three Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally, with multiple drug crimes.  

Jairo Roney Cabrera-Escoto, 40, of North Carolina, Cristian Eriberto Romero-Soto, 24, and Daniel Jose Felix-Aleman, 24, both of Sandy, Utah, were indicted on April 16, 2025. Romero-Soto and Felix-Aleman were charged by complaint on April 10, 2025.

According to court documents, since November 2024, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating a group of individuals for allegedly distributing illicit drugs throughout Salt Lake County. Throughout the investigation, undercover agents purchased fentanyl during several controlled purchases. On April 8, 2025, during the execution of search warrants on vehicles and a residence in Sandy, approximately 32,528 individual field-tested fentanyl pills, drug packing materials, and $42,137 were seized. Felix-Alleman was also located and subsequently arrested. On the same day, during the execution of additional search warrants on vehicles and a residence in Sandy, agents seized approximately 20,059 individual field-tested fentanyl pills, multiple cellphones, drug packaging materials, and $5,163. Romero-Soto was also located and subsequently arrested. Cabrera-Escoto was arrested on June 6, 2025, in the Middle District of North Carolina.  

Cabrera-Escoto, Romero-Soto, and Felix-Aleman are charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, and conspiracy to distribute heroin, among other offenses. Romero-Soto is also charged with reentry of a previously removed alien. Cabrera-Escoto will have his initial appearance on the indictment at a later date before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. Romero-Soto and Felix-Aleman had their initial appearance on the indictment on April 18, 2025.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Austin Matthew Otto, 25, of Orem, Utah, was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release after he produced sexually explicit photos of two children and uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to his Google Photos account. Additionally, law enforcement found 400 images and 19 videos of child sexual abuse material on his laptop and cell phone.  

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., comes after Otto pleaded guilty to the charge on June 4, 2024. In addition to his term of imprisonment, he was ordered by the court to pay $3,000 in restitution to each of the victims.

According to court documents and statements made at Otto’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, in May 2021, Otto was identified from a Google report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children after he uploaded child sexual abuse material to his Google Photos account. The investigation of IP addresses led to the identification of Otto and he was arrested. Pursuant to a search warrant, hundreds of images and video of child sexual abuse material and a pair of child size six underwear were seized. The forensic evaluation on the digital evidence also revealed filenames, keyword and web browser hits, bookmarks, playback history of videos, hidden names and folders all containing child sexual abuse material including 17 exploitive images of two victims under eight years old located on Otto’s cell phone and laptop.  

The case was investigated by the Orem Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Carol A. Dain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.

Attachments:

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Phyllip Hallman Heaton, 43, of Washington City, Utah, was sentenced to five months’ imprisonment and 18 months’ supervised release (including six months of home detention) after he evaded paying taxes for six years.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Heaton pleaded guilty to tax evasion on February 24, 2025. In addition to his term of imprisonment, the court ordered Heaton to pay a $95,000.00 fine and $1,947,906.79 in restitution, which the defendant paid in full at the time of his sentencing hearing.

According to court documents and statements made at Heaton’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from 2017 to 2022, Heaton evaded taxes by underreporting his income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Heaton is the sole owner of Zion Outfitter, an outdoor retailer in Springdale, Utah. He managed the company and handled the finances. When tax season came, he provided certified public accountants (CPAs) with information and records to prepare tax forms to submit to the IRS. The CPAs relied on the information they received from Heaton. By underreporting Zion Outfitter’s gross receipts, Heaton ultimately underreported his taxable personal income, which resulted in Heaton evading at least $1.9 million of income tax.

“No one can decide they are not going to pay their fair share of taxes without serious consequences,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Mr. Heaton’s sentence is one such consequence and also serves as a deterrence to others by demonstrating that tax evasion comes with serious penalties from the Department of Justice.”

“Deliberate actions to evade taxes is a criminal offense,” said Special Agent in Charge Carissa Messick, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Phoenix Field Office. “IRS-CI remains steadfast in its mission to serve the American public by investigating potential criminal violations of the Internal Revenue Code in a manner that fosters confidence in the tax system and compliance with the law.”

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).

Assistant United States Attorney Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Michael Anthony Rangel, 43, of Ogden, Utah, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment after a federal jury found him guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

In addition to the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr. sentenced Rangel to three years’ supervised release.

According to evidence presented at trial, and statements made at Rangel’s sentencing hearing, in July 2022, during a traffic stop, Rangel, knowing he was a convicted felon and restricted from possessing a firearm and ammunition, possessed a stolen Taurus PT111 G2 pistol. The firearm and associated ammunition were seized by law enforcement.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case was investigated by Ogden Metro Gang Task Force.

Special Assistant United States Attorney Branden B. Miles and Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kyle Eugene Duncan-Carle, 41, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was sentenced to 72 months’ imprisonment and five years’ supervised release after he admitted to bank fraud in 2023.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, Duncan-Carle, was ordered to pay $3,490,634.75 in restitution.

According to court documents and statements made at Duncan-Carle’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from January 2023 through September 2023 in the District of Utah. Duncan-Carle stole U.S. Treasury checks made out to individuals and companies, assumed the identity of the individuals whose names were on the checks, opened credit union accounts under the assumed identities, and then deposited the checks and withdrew the funds. Duncan-Carle admitted the scheme resulted in at least eight stolen treasury checks that totaled $7,975,621.22. As a result, Duncan-Carle cost the United States government, financial institutions, and a financial institution’s insurance provider $3,490,634.75.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.  

The case was investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); the Internal Revenue Service Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA); and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.  

Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen P. Dent and Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a felon with a violent crime after he allegedly threatened a victim with a weapon and forced the victim to drive him out of a contained area where police were actively searching for him for a separate incident.

Joseph Anthony Kingston, 27, of West Valley City, Utah, was charged by complaint on May 1, 2025.

According to court documents, on April 30, 2025, West Valley City Police Department officers responded to a call for service requesting assistance to get Kingston to leave a West Valley City residence. During a records check, officers discovered that Kingston had an active felony warrant and was restricted from possessing a weapon. Upon officers’ arrival at the residence, they witnessed Kingston fleeing on foot. A police containment was established for several blocks, which was searched by drone and K9 officers, but Kingston was not located, and the containment area was shut down.

As alleged in the complaint, approximately 20 minutes later, West Valley City Police Department receive a call from an adult male who stated he was the victim of carjacking. The victim was completing a landscaping job in the area of the police containment, and upon returning to his work truck, he found a male, later identified as Kingston, laying on the floorboard of the victim’s truck. According to the victim, Kingston produced a knife and told him to “drive” and “go,” to get Kingston out of the contained area. The victim reported that Kingston remained on the floorboards until they passed the police containment. The victim drove Kingston to a different area before Kingston then proceeded to steal medical supplies and food from the truck before leaving. Subsequently, Kingston was located that same day by West Valley City Police Officers and taken into custody following a foot pursuit. At the time of his arrest, he was allegedly in possession of medical supplies from the stolen work truck.

Kingston is charged with carjacking. His initial appearance on the indictment is May 29, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by an FBI Task Force Officer with the West Valley City Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Llobani Federico Figueroa, aka “Pablo,” 33, of Magna, Utah, was sentenced to 264 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to operating a continuing criminal enterprise in the District of Utah, which had ties to California and Mexico.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., comes after Figueroa pleaded guilty on December 11, 2024, to continuing a criminal enterprise and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. In addition to the sentence, Figueroa was ordered by the court to 10 years’ supervised release and forfeited over $300,961.00 in U.S. currency, three firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition, and two vehicles.

According to court documents and statements made at Llobani’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Figueroa, beginning at the age of 18, engaged in over a decade-long series of drug trafficking offenses. However, between at least December 2022 and August 2023, Llobani engaged in continuous drug trafficking. Specifically, according to court documents, Figueroa was the primary conduit among multiple Californian and Mexico-based sources of supply and broker/distributors in the District of Utah. Figueroa admitted that he regularly obtained methamphetamine, heroin, and cocaine. He then caused those controlled substances to be transported to Utah by courier, and he maintained various locations in which the controlled substances were stored and sold. His drug trafficking enterprise involved five or more people, including his co-defendants and others. See prior press release here: Utah Fugitive and Alleged Drug Trafficking Ringleader Among 28 Defendants Charged in Major Multi-Agency Operation.

Llobani further admitted his role in the drug trafficking organization was as a manager or supervisor and he recruited other participants and organized couriers to distribute controlled substances on his behalf. He then delegated other responsibilities to his coconspirators and admitted his organization could not have functioned without the involvement and assistance of these others.

In addition to Figueroa’s prior convictions, he is the subject of three pending criminal cases with the state of Utah. The pending charges include, but are not limited to, possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, a first degree felony; distribution of methamphetamine, a federal class A felony; and manslaughter, a second degree felony.

“As a decades-long drug-trafficker, Mr. Figueroa has been a threat and danger to the people of our state,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah. “His well-deserved decades-long sentence will serve as a reminder that those who peddle poison into our communities in violation of federal law for their own financial gain will face justice and forfeit their ill-gotten gains.”

“An individual struggling with substance abuse isn't just a statistic. It’s someone’s son, daughter, a friend. Too many families have been devastated by an epidemic that Mr. Figueroa directly contributed to,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Drugs and violent crime go hand-in-hand. The FBI is committed to dismantling criminal organizations in our steadfast effort to keep our communities safe.”

“This operation exemplifies the dedication and skill of our street crimes unit,” said West Valley City Police Chief, Colleen Jacobs. “Their meticulous investigation was key in the arrest of a significant drug trafficker, and led to the dismantling of a major source of illicit drugs in our state. This success underscores our unwavering commitment to public safety and the relentless pursuit of those who endanger our neighborhoods.”

The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Safe Streets Violent Task Force and West Valley City Police Department.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 
 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Southern Utah man accused of damaging government property, specifically a Department of Homeland Security Transit Van, appeared in court today.  The indictment charging Ryan Michael Gaines, 32, of Santa Clara, Utah, was unsealed on Tuesday.

According to court documents, in the morning of April 21, 2025, it was discovered that an ICE Transit Van had been damaged over the weekend at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) office in St. George. The St. George Police Department was called and responding officers located surveillance footage that showed a light-colored Jeep pull into camera view in the ICE office parking lot. Shortly thereafter, an adult male wearing a black balaclava and ski goggles activated a motion sensor and was caught on surveillance camera. The suspect then approached the ICE Transit Van and ripped pieces from the passenger side mirror. The same type of damage was made on the driver’s side mirror. City-wide surveillance captured a matching Jeep – owned by and registered to Gaines at a Santa Clara address – in the area just a few minutes before and then after the incident.

As alleged in court documents, the same day as the discovery of the damage, officers contacted Gaines near his place of employment and arrested him for the incident. Officers found Gaines’ Jeep at his residence and were able to match it with the Jeep seen in the surveillance footage. Also at Gaines’ residence, officers located a pair of ski goggles and a balaclava that matched the ones worn by the individual that committed the damage to the ICE Transit Van. The estimated cost to fix the damage is over $2,900.  

Gaines’ initial appearance on the indictment took place before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

The case is being investigated jointly by the St. George Police Department and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, St. George Resident Agency.

Assistant United States Attorney Brady Wilson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

L3 Technologies Inc., a corporation doing business in Utah, has agreed to pay the United States $62 million to settle allegations that its division, Communications System West, violated the False Claims Act and the Truth In Negotiations Act by knowingly making false statements and submitting and causing the submission of false claims by failing to disclose accurate, current, and complete cost or pricing data for communications equipment sold to various Department of Defense agencies, including the Air Force, Army, and Navy, and other government agencies.

L3 manufactures communications equipment to operate unmanned vehicles and retrieve data and visuals for military operations and intelligence. The devices are known as remote operations video enhanced receivers (ROVER), Video-Oriented Transceivers for Exchange of Information (VORTEX), and Soldier Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (SIR) receivers.  The United States has purchased ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR products through sole source, fixed price contracts, and L3 also has supplied these products under subcontracts with other prime contractors who manufacture unmanned vehicles.

The settlement resolves allegations that, between October 2006 and February 2014, L3 failed to disclose accurate, complete, and current cost or pricing data relating to the labor, material, and other costs for manufacturing the ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR products, and each of their versions and kits, and falsely certified that it had done so in dozens of government contract proposals.  The United States alleged that this conduct violated the Truth in Negotiations Act, which requires a contractor to provide to the government at the time of an agreement on price the most current, complete, and accurate facts that could reasonably be expected to affect price negotiations significantly.  The United States further alleged that, by failing to disclose accurate, complete, and current cost or pricing data, L3 knowingly submitted or caused the submission of false claims in connection with the ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR contracts and subcontracts in violation of the False Claims Act.

“The Department will vigorously pursue federal contractors who fail to provide truthful information during contract negotiations to ensure federal agencies do not overpay for products and services.” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Yaakov M. Roth of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.

“Taking advantage of the resources that support the armed forces of the United States and other government agencies will not be tolerated,” said Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable individuals and contractors who defraud the government.”

“This $62 million settlement underscores the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (OSI) commitment to protecting national security and ensuring the integrity of Department of Defense acquisitions.,” stated OSI Special Agent Jeffery T.E. Herrin. “L3’s defective pricing in contract proposals for critical systems like ROVER, VORTEX, and SIR erodes public trust, and OSI, through robust law enforcement partnerships, will continue to uphold law and order within the defense industry.”

“This settlement is the result of a collaborative effort to guard against fraud, waste, and abuse, demonstrating the commitment of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and our partner agencies to safeguard public funds,” said Special Agent in Charge Olga Morales of the Department of the Army CID Southwest Field Office. “Investigating companies that defraud the Army is crucial to maintaining the trust of the American public and upholding the integrity of government contracting.”

The settlement resulted from a coordinated effort among the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah with assistance from the Defense Contract Management Agency, the Department of the Air Force, the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy, and the Special Operations Command.  Senior Trial Counsel A. Thomas Morris and former Senior Trial Counsel Russell Kinner of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carra Cadman for the District of Utah handled the matter.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Utah felon with multiple firearm crimes after she allegedly produced a handgun and fired gunshots at victims from a parked pickup truck.

Lisa Ann Corriz, 46, of Gusher, Utah, was charged by complaint on May 13, 2025.  
    
According to court documents, on April 27, 2025, at approximately 11:40 p.m., officers with the Salt Lake City Police Department responded to a call of a possible shooting at a residence in Salt Lake City. The two victims reported that on April 26, 2025, at approximately 10:00 a.m., a red pickup truck parked outside the home of one of the victims. Corriz, who is known by the two victims, began allegedly yelling at them from the back seat of the truck. After a short verbal exchange between Corriz and the victims, Corriz produced a handgun and fired four shots at the victims, who were near the truck. Both victims stated they were nearly struck by gunfire. After law enforcement arrived on scene, a Winchester .380 caliber casing was recovered in the gutter. A hole was also observed in the rear bumper of one of the victim’s vehicles. Damage to the asphalt from likely bullet strikes was also documented. On April 28, 2025, at approximately 8:53 p.m., an officer returned to the scene to collect a second .380 caliber casing that had been located by one of the victims.

Corriz is charged with felon in possession of ammunition, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a stolen firearm. Her initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 22, 2025, at 1:45 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

An FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department is investigating the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

Assistant United States Attorney Victoria K. McFarland of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, 27, of Leander, Texas, was sentenced today on a felony conviction to time-served (approximately six months’ imprisonment), after he unlawfully boarded a Delta Airlines flight in 2024 and hid in a lavatory for a flight to Austin, Texas, from Salt Lake City International Airport.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow, comes after Fleurizard pleaded guilty on March 11, 2025, to being a stowaway on an aircraft. Fleurizard was also sentenced to three years’ supervised release and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

According to court documents and statements made at Fleurizard’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 17, 2024, he intentionally boarded Delta Airlines flight #1683 at Gate 2 of the Salt Lake City International Airport, which was destined for Austin, Texas. Fleurizard intended to board the aircraft without purchasing a ticket and he hid in the lavatory to avoid getting caught, but was confronted by flight crew. Prior to boarding, Fleurizard was captured on surveillance footage in the boarding area taking photos of multiple passengers’ personal information on his cell phone. He then used that information to obtain electronic boarding passes in their names and successfully boarded airplanes in both Austin and Salt Lake City. See prior release: Texas Man Admits to Stowaway Charge Onboard a Delta Airlines Flight.

“Today’s sentence sends a clear message to would-be offenders that the District of Utah will not tolerate crimes committed in and around our vital airports,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Airport crimes will be prosecuted.”

“Mr. Fleurizard’s actions were not only disruptive to passengers, it also compromised the safety and security for all on board,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The sentence holds him accountable for trespassing, theft, and fraud.”

"This was a deliberate breach of security that put passengers and crew, at risk,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd. “The security measures we have in place are to keep everyone safe and this reminds us that we must regularly work to strengthen those aviation security measures. I want to thank our officers and FBI task force detectives who responded to investigate this incident alongside our federal partners, and the flight crew whose attentiveness on board helped protect the safety of our traveling community.”

The case was investigated jointly by an FBI Task Force Officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Bryan N. Reeves and Michael Kennedy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Nasouh Albasis-Albasis, 27, of West Valley, Utah, was sentenced to 110 months’ imprisonment and a life term of supervised release after he and one of his co-defendants sexually assaulted a 14-year-old victim in the back of a vehicle, which was recorded and shared on social media in 2017.

The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell, comes after Albasis-Albasis pleaded guilty on January 23, 2025, to charges involving child sexual abuse material. His co-defendants, Dodjim Leclaire, 32, of Murray, Utah, and his brother Richard Djasserambaye, 29, of Central Republic of Africa, living in Murray, Utah, at the time of the assault, were also sentenced. Leclaire was sentenced to 208 months’ imprisonment and Djasserambaye was sentenced to 181 months’ imprisonment. Both defendants were sentenced to a life term of supervised release.

According to court documents and statements made at Albasis-Albasis’ change of plea and sentencing hearings, on September 9, 2017, Albasis-Albasis and his co-defendants Djasserambaye, and Leclaire used the 14-year-old victim to produce sexually explicit images. Specifically, Albasis-Albasis and Leclaire sexually assaulted the severely intoxicated and physically incapacitated minor while Djasserambaye video recorded the violent assaults. Djasserambaye then posted the video on social media. Albasis-Albasis further admitted he had video of the assaults of the victim on his cell phone.

The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, West Jordan City Police Department, Salt Lake City Police Department, Sandy City Police Department and Syracuse City Police Department.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
 

ST. GEORGE, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging an Idaho man after he allegedly assaulted federal officers with his vehicle at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in Southern Utah.  

Gregory Aaron Farley, 51, of Hazelton, Idaho, was charged by complaint on May 3, 2025.  
    
According to court documents, on May 3, 2025, two U.S. Park Rangers working at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area responded to a dispatch call that reported an erratic driver in a white pick-up truck near Lake Powell. At 7:47 p.m., the rangers conducted a traffic stop on Highway 89 on a pick-up truck matching the vehicle description. Farley was the driver and while one of the rangers was speaking to him, Farley fled the scene at a high rate of speed, nearly hitting one of the rangers. The rangers returned to their patrol vehicle and pursued Farley. During the pursuit, Farley turned around and collided into the driver’s side of the rangers’ vehicle. As a result, the rangers were pushed into the shoulder of the road, the airbags deployed, and the driver’s side door was rendered inoperable. After Farley hit the rangers’ truck, he reversed his truck and was still facing the rangers’ truck. In response, both rangers fired their weapons at Farley. Additional officers arrived on the scene, Farley exited his truck, and received medical aid. He was then taken into custody.  

Farley is charged with assault on an employee of the United States with a Dangerous Weapon. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 19, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. before a U.S. Magistrate judge in Room 2B of the courthouse located at 206 West Tabernacle Street, St. George, Utah 84470.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen P. Dent and Joseph M. Hood of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

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

Attachments:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An indictment was unsealed in the District of Utah, charging Pitshou Yunga Kafuku, 42, Beni Musogo Kahwara, 25, and Hugues Simo-Fotue, 42, with counts of bank fraud conspiracy, bank fraud, theft of government funds, passing fraudulent U.S. Treasury checks, possession of stolen mail, and money laundering.

Kafuku and Kahwara made their initial appearances on April 22, 2025, and were ordered detained pending trial by Chief Magistrate Judge Dustin B. Pead.  Simo-Fotue made his initial appearance May 12, 2025 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

As alleged in the indictment, the defendants conspired together and with others to defraud U.S. banks by depositing counterfeit, stolen, and otherwise fraudulently obtained checks, including U.S. Treasury checks.  Court documents further allege that the defendants would quickly transfer any successful deposits to different accounts or overseas, including by sending thousands of dollars to business entities in China and Singapore. As alleged, between January 2022 and February 2025, these efforts yielded over $3.1 million in fraud proceeds.  Documents filed with the court also state that some of the checks were stolen from intercepted letters and items of mail sent from the United States to business entities and individuals in Africa.  

The case is being investigated jointly by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Utah Department of Public Safety.

Assistant United States Attorney Tanner Zumwalt of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Utah man with multiple violent crimes after he allegedly zip-tied, kidnapped, and assaulted two motorcyclists who were riding their bikes in Tooele County, Utah, when they unknowingly crossed onto the Skull Valley Indian Reservation.

Russell Allen, 50, of Tooele County, Utah, was charged by complaint on April 28, 2025.

According to court documents, on April 26, 2025, Allen and another person allegedly assaulted the victims and told them they were trespassing on Indian land. The victims were allegedly ordered to the ground facedown, zip-tied, kicked and threatened with a knife. Allen and the other person allegedly took the victims’ belongings, including their motorcycles, purportedly as an impound for trespassing. Law enforcement later recovered the motorcycles in a maintenance shed on Skull Valley Indian Reservation Road. However, a search warrant later showed that many of the stolen items (camera equipment, cash, gift cards, wallets, and cell phones) were not recovered. The victims were then transported in a truck traveling at an estimated 100 mph to a remote desert area. The victims were then released without any of their property and had to walk over 10 miles for help from the Dugway gate guards in a hike believed to have taken six or seven hours.

Allen is charged with kidnapping, assault, and theft while within Indian Country. His initial appearance on the indictment is May 7, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Sam Pead of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators.  The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.  

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

“When it comes to child sex abuse, Utah is no exception to the rest of the country and there is no shortage of work for our prosecutors or law enforcement partners,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. “No matter the age or demographic, any child can become a victim and keeping our children safe is a top priority in the District of Utah.”

“If your child has access to the internet, he or she is likely to encounter a predator looking to entice or harm them,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force combines the resources and expertise of our law enforcement partners to safeguard society’s most vulnerable.”

As part of this operation, FBI Salt Lake City field office investigations led to federal arrests and indictments against:

1.    Gustavo Uroza-Rodriguez, charged on April 23, 2025, with attempted coercion and enticement, distribution of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. 
2.    Melissa Goodrich, charged on April 23, 2025, with trafficking of a minor.

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. 

The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

Other online resources: 

Electronic Press Kit

Violent Crimes Against Children
How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Jeremiah Joseph Evans, aka “The Bull,” 29, of Utah County, Utah, was sentenced today to 96 months’ imprisonment after he admitted to defrauding approximately $20,894,674 from approximately 530 investors in his company Alpha Influence LLC.  

The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Tena Campbell, comes after Evans pleaded guilty on January 23, 2025, to securities fraud and money laundering. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Evans was sentenced to three years’ supervised release and ordered to pay $19,134,150.00 in restitution.

According to court documents and statements made at Evans’ change of plea and sentencing hearings, from July 2019 to July 2022, Evans fraudulently sold investments in e-commerce stores through Alpha Influence, LLC., a registered Utah corporation. Evans promised investors to secure money in exchange for the Alpha investments and fraudulently obtained approximately $20,894,674 from approximately 530 investors. As part of his scheme, Evans lied about how successful his company was, how long it was in operation and promised their investment would generate consistent, predictable monthly returns, when it would not. He failed to disclose that testimonials published about Alpha Influence and its success were made by his own relatives or others who received commissions paid from investor proceeds. On one occasion, in July 2021, Evans transferred $50,000 from Alpha Influence LLC’s bank account to make a partial payment for a white Lamborghini Huracan Evo.  

“Crime does not always come in the form of violence and for a number of years, Evans lied about the success of his company and defrauded millions of dollars from investors,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Protecting the public is a top priority for the Department of Justice and we will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute criminals and seek justice for crime victims.”

"Today marks a significant step towards justice for the hundreds of Utahns victimized by Jeremiah 'The Bull' Evans' $20 million fraud," says Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, Margaret Busse. "Evans exploited social media and Utahns' strong community ties to lure unsuspecting investors into his scheme and caused significant harm. Schemes like this not only affect individual lives but also erode the overall public trust in legitimate investment opportunities. We deeply appreciate the unwavering dedication of the U.S. Attorney General's Office and the tireless efforts of our own Utah Division of Securities, along with the FBI, in bringing these individuals to justice."

“Like many fraudsters, Mr. Evans was motivated by greed, using his victims’ money to fund a lavish lifestyle,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The sentencing shows that stealing for personal gain doesn’t pay. The FBI and our partners will hold accountable those who engage in fraudulent schemes."

The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf, Jennifer E. Gully, and Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

Attachments:

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kole Glen Brimhall, 27, of Orem, Utah, was sentenced today to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment after he defrauded approximately 135 investors through the sale of a fraudulent investment offered through Alpha Influence, LLC, a registered Utah company. Brimhall was also sentenced to three years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgement in the amount of $1,097,709.82 and $5,003,400 in restitution to the victims.  

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Sam, comes after Brimhall pleaded guilty on November 18, 2024, to fraud in the offer and sale of securities. See prior press release: Utah Sales Agent Admits to Defrauding Clients of More than $4.9M.

According to court documents and statements made at the defendant’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from March 2020 to June 2022, Brimhall sold fraudulent investment security contracts for Alpha Influence. As part of the scheme, Brimhall and others aggressively promoted, primarily through social media, that purchasing the Alpha Influence investment would generate life-changing passive income for investors in a very short amount of time exclusively through the efforts of the “Alpha Influence Team.”

As team lead within the Alpha Influence sales structure, Brimhall was responsible for the sale of approximately 135 Alpha investments to individual investors and received $1,097,709.82 in verified commissions for those fraudulent sales.

“Brimhall’s participation in defrauding investors not only left investors in financial devastation, but with a loss of trust that can have a lifelong impact in their personal and professional life,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. “It is our hope that by prosecuting these crimes, we will deter others from participating in affinity fraud schemes in our communities.”

"This $20 million fraud, driven by bold displays and false promises shared on social media, caused significant harm to over 500 Utahns," says Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, Margaret Busse. "Today’s sentence sends a clear message: such predatory actions will not be tolerated, and we stand firmly committed to protecting Utah investors. Fraudulent activities like this erode public trust in legitimate investments and undermine the very foundations of our financial system. I'm proud of the hard work and collaboration between our Utah Division of Securities, the U.S. Attorney General's Office, and the FBI that went into bringing these individuals to justice."

"Many of the victims in this case are members of the working class who have the least margin for loss. Yet the defendant shamelessly used their hard-earned money on fancy cars and extravagant vacations," said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. "While fraud schemes are not violent in nature, they can be financially and emotionally devastating. The FBI is dedicated to holding accountable those who profit through deception."

The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf, Jennifer E. Gully, and Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Gabriel Alexis Perez-Espinoza, 29, a Mexican national, and convicted felon living in the United States illegally, was sentenced today to 70 months’ imprisonment followed by three years’ supervised release after he was attempting to traffic a large amount of methamphetamine and heroin into the District of Utah.

The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart, comes after Perez-Espinoza pleaded guilty on January 16, 2025, to possession of heroin with intent to distribute.

According to court documents and statements made at Perez-Espinoza’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on August 3, 2021, as part of an investigation, Utah County Sheriff deputies stopped a Ford F-150 near Spanish Fork Canyon, Utah, that Perez-Espinoza was driving. Subsequently, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized approximately 4,446 grams of methamphetamine and 1,227.7 grams of heroin stored in a secret compartment attached to the underside of the vehicle.  Perez-Espinoza was taken into custody. Leading up to Perez-Espinoza’s arrest, DEA agents, working in an undercover capacity, were in contact with him via cell phone and communicated about the purchase of large amounts of narcotics.

Additionally, according to court documents, in 2020, Perez Espinoza was convicted for reentry of a previously removed alien and has been deported from the United States on six previous occasions between 2015 and 2020.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office works hand in hand with our law enforcement partners to reduce the scourge of dangerous narcotics and violence in our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “Thanks to this collaborative effort, we were able to successfully seize lethal drugs from potentially being distributed in our communities and prosecute the responsible offender who was in the United States illegally.”

“This is another example of DEA Special Agents working closely with our local and federal partners to ensure we get dangerous drugs being trafficked in Utah out of our neighborhoods,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “Our thanks and appreciation to the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Utah, for holding this defendant accountable for his actions.”

The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Valuable assistance was provided by the Utah County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A charter school director in northern Utah is in federal custody and charged in a federal criminal complaint after he allegedly possessed well over 10,000 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and represented online that he could produce and distribute to others for profit.

Jared Dallan Buckley, 40, of West Point, Utah, is the Lead Director of both the Layton and Ogden, Utah, campuses for the Leadership Learning Academy, a charter school for grades kindergarten through six. Buckley is scheduled to make his initial appearance on the complaint Friday, April 25, 2025, at 9:45 a.m. in courtroom 8.4., before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

According to court documents, in October 2024, FBI agents began an on-line investigation of a person known only as “EMMA,” later identified as Buckley, who was using an application known to be used by people interested in child sexual abuse material. During the investigation, “EMMA” distributed a video of child sexual abuse materials and represented that he had original child sexual abuse material that he could produce and distribute to others for a price. Through the investigation, agents were able to connect “EMMA” to a telephone number that was associated to Buckley.

On April 22, 2025, FBI agents executed search warrants on Buckley’s residence in West Point, and his 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD LT. FBI seized a cell phone in Buckley’s vehicle that was consistent with the make and model of the phone being utilized by the internet accounts associated with “EMMA.” During the forensic examination of the cell phone, agents found well over 10,000 images and videos of child sexual abuse material. The forensic examination of the cell phone also revealed evidence that Buckley has been distributing images of child sexual abuse material across multiple on-line platforms.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. 
 

Documents: 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Fermin Castro-Tovar, 26, a Mexican national, living in the United States illegally, was sentenced to 96 months’ imprisonment and three years’ supervised release, after he attempted to traffic over 38,000 grams of methamphetamine in the District of Utah and distributed approximately one pound of meth to undercover agents.

The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S District Court Judge Ted Stewart comes after Castro-Tovar pleaded guilty on January 14, 2025, to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute.

According to court documents and statements made at Castro-Tovar’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, in May 2024, Castro-Tovar sold methamphetamine during a controlled purchase to agents with the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force. On May 30, 2024, law enforcement seized 24,020 grams of methamphetamine at a storage unit associated to him. At Castro Tovar’s residence, agents seized approximately 3,401 grams of methamphetamine. At an apartment associated to Tovar, agents seized three additional bags of methamphetamine weighing approximately 4,388 grams, 4,139 grams and 2,890 grams. In total, Castro-Tovar possessed and intended to distribute 38,838 grams of methamphetamine. See prior release: Foreign National Accused of Attempting to Traffic Over 38 Kilos of Methamphetamine in Utah.

“Stopping deadly drugs from being distributed throughout our communities is a priority,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “We will continue to work with our state, local and federal partners to dismantle organizations that bring drugs into our country and threaten community safety.”

“The amount of methamphetamine in this case potentially amounts to hundreds of thousands of doses,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “Illicit drugs have devastated too many lives in Utah. Public safety is at the forefront of everything we do, and the FBI's Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force will use every resource available to cut the supply at the highest levels.”

The case was investigated by the Wasatch Metro Drug Task Force, consisting of the FBI and the Davis Metro Narcotic Strike Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Carl William Wyckoff, 25, of New Boston, Texas, was sentenced to 135 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he traveled to Utah and sexually abused a 12-year-old victim.

The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Robert J. Shelby, comes after Wyckoff pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

According to court documents and statements made at Wyckoff’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Wyckoff began exchanging messages with a 12-year-old girl he met playing an online game. The messages between Wyckoff and the victim became sexual, and images were exchanged. Initially, Wyckoff believed the child was an adult, but after she disclosed her true age, Wyckoff continued exchanging sexual messages and images. Wyckoff admitted that between April 13, 2024, and April 15, 2024, he then traveled from Texas to Arizona and then transported the 12-year-old victim to Utah to engage in sexual activity with her.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorney Chris Burton of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging two Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally, with drug and immigration crimes.

Jorge Luis Hernandez-Valle, 36, and Luis Alfredo Hernandez, 35, both Honduran nationals, living in the United States illegally in Salt Lake County, Utah, were charged by complaint on April 10, 2025. 
    
According to court documents, since March 2025, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating an alleged drug trafficking organization. During the investigation, detectives purchased narcotics during a controlled buy. During this time, two alleged drug runners involved with the organization and two vehicles were identified. On April 8, 2025, one of the vehicles, a Toyota 4-Runner, was stopped in Kearns, Utah, and a search warrant was executed. From the vehicle, detectives seized approximately 4,500 individual field-tested positive fentanyl pills. Hernandez and Hernandez-Valle were subsequently taken into custody. According to court documents, Hernandez was previously removed from the United States in July 2009 and September 2018. Hernandez-Valle was previously removed from the United States on three occasions, December 2007, September 2010, and May 2019.

Hernandez-Valle and Hernandez are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. Their initial appearance on the indictment was April 18, 2025 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

 

Salt Lake City, Utah – A federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict against a California man after he assaulted a federal officer while law enforcement attempted to arrest him on an outstanding warrant.

Gabriel Gigena, 41, of Valley Springs, CA, was charged by indictment on July 10, 2024.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Saturday May 4, 2024, members of the United States Marshal Service (USMS) were summoned to assist with the apprehension of Gigena, who was wanted for a warrant issued by the State of California. Law enforcement learned Gigena was at a park with his twin three-year-old daughters in Park City, Utah. In a briefing, members of the arrest team outlined their goal to take Gigena into custody while ensuring the safety of his children and others.

According to evidence and testimony presented at trial, as Gigena walked down a parking lot, two task force officers with the USMS were tasked with apprehending Gigena and securing the children. However, security concerns hastened law enforcement’s approach, which resulted in officers charging at and tackling Gigena. During the tackle, one of the officers pushed Gigena’s hands away from the two young girls. As this officer and Gigena fell to the ground Gigena placed his arm around the officer’s neck and started to strangle him. The officer testified in court that Gigena applied maximum force to his neck. Other officers on scene called out “police” and told Gigena to stop. Meanwhile, additional agents arrived on scene in vehicles that had flashing red and blue lights. These additional officers also assisted in taking control of Gigena. At one point, another officer displayed and threatened the use of a taser to get Gigena to comply. Another officer gained control of Gigena’s arm and removed it from the officer’s neck. Officers testified that Gigena never relented his assault or resistance of law enforcement until he was forced to do so.

According to witness testimony, Gigena made multiple statements about being the “chief of the Indian people” and that they were not allowed to arrest him. Gigena was taken into custody soon after the assault.

“His resistance was aimed at injuring the officer,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Yeates during closing arguments. “Despite multiple warnings, despite multiple commands, the defendant fought to the bitter end until he was finally placed in handcuffs.”

Gigena’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 1, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 8.3 before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Ted Stewart at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. 

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Pead and J. Drew Yeates of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Anthony Owen Pawley, 66, of Murray, Utah, was sentenced today to 96 months’ imprisonment after law enforcement arrested him and seized over 40 pounds of methamphetamine,15,000 fentanyl pills, and a firearm with associated ammunition in 2024.

The sentence, imposed by Judge David Sam, comes after Pawley pleaded guilty in February 2025 to possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to Pawley’s sentence, the court ordered him to five years’ supervised release.

According to court documents and statements made at Pawley’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on May 9, 2024, Pawley was stopped for a traffic violation by detectives assigned to the Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team. During a search of the vehicle, detectives found methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and $35,665. During a subsequent search of Pawley’s residence and storage unit, detectives found additional methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, a GForce Arms, model GFY-1, 12 gauge semi-automatic shotgun, associated ammunition, and $278.

“Protecting our citizens and stopping poisonous drugs from being distributed into our communities is a top priority of the Department of Justice,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah. “I am grateful for our law enforcement partnerships and the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute and hold offenders accountable.”

“This case shows what can happen when law enforcement comes together to address public safety,” said Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd. “Our officers, detectives, and federal partners moved quickly to coordinate this complex investigation with one goal: protecting our neighborhoods. Their work is directly responsible for removing dangerous drugs from our streets and holding drug traffickers accountable. The Salt Lake City Police Department remains fully committed to tackling the drug crisis head-on. Because of this investigation and the resulting prosecution, Salt Lake City and Utah are safer.”

The case was investigated by the Salt Lake City Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

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

The Salt Lake City Police Department’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) is a specialized unit within the department tasked with combating violent crime by identifying and apprehending violent criminals and fugitives. Operating under the SLCPD’s Special Operations Division, VCAT collaborates closely with the Investigations Division, patrol divisions, and Data and Research divisions to pinpoint and enforce targeted measures in hot spot areas and regions experiencing a surge in violent crime. Established to address emerging violent crime trends and the activities of repeat violent offenders in Salt Lake City, VCAT coordinates efforts with detectives, the Salt Lake Information Center (SLIC), and the SLCPD’s Crime Intelligence and Analysis Unit (CIAU) to identify and apprehend violent offenders.

ST. GEORGE, Utah – Two Southern Utah residents were sentenced to a combined 27 years’ imprisonment for their role in the overdose death of a Utah woman who died after taking a lethal amount of fentanyl they provided.

John Parry, 40, of Cedar City, Utah, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and Kimberly Dawn Hare, 34, of Cedar City was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment.  

The sentences, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, come after Parry and Hare pleaded guilty in November 2024 to distribution of fentanyl. At the time of sentencing, the court also ordered Parry and Hare to pay a joint restitution in the amount of $4,616.08 to the victim’s estate as reimbursement for costs associated with the victim’s funeral and related services. Following their terms of imprisonment, Parry and Hare will each have three years of supervised release.  

According to court documents and statements made at the defendants’ change of plea and sentencing hearings, Parry and Hare admitted that in April 2024, they provided fentanyl to the victim, which resulted in her death. On April 19, 2024, Parry drove from Cedar City to Salt Lake City to pick up fentanyl. He used Hare’s social media account to communicate with the victim about selling her fentanyl pills. On April 20, Parry returned to Cedar City with fentanyl pills. In Facebook messages, Parry agreed to sell the victim three pills. He then gave the pills to Hare, who delivered the pills to the victim at a Cedar City hotel. Within an hour, a third party found the victim dead from an overdose. Agents recovered two pills from the scene, which tested positive for fentanyl. A postmortem toxicology report indicated the victim had a lethal amount of fentanyl in her blood. The victim also had relatively lower amounts of amphetamine and methamphetamine in her blood. 

“Today, our hearts are with the loved ones of the victim,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. “No amount of imprisonment will justify the loss of life in this tragedy, but it is our hope that the sentence imposed will help them find closure and deter others from distributing this deadly drug.”

The case was investigated jointly by the Cedar City Police Department and the Iron/Garfield/Beaver Counties Narcotics Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorneys Brady Wilson and Stephen P. Dent of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Honduran national living in Utah with federal drug crimes after 171 grams of heroin was seized during executed search warrants.

Jose Manuel Osorio-Dominguez, 31, of West Valley City, was charged by complaint on April 10, 2025. 
    
According to court documents, since February 2025, detectives with the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force began investigating a drug trafficking organization. On April 8, 2025, a 2014 Toyota Corolla was stopped, and a search warrant was executed on the vehicle. Detectives identified Osorio-Dominguez as the driver and 53 grams of field-tested positive heroin was seized. A subsequent search warrant was executed in Taylorsville, Utah, and an additional 118 grams of field-tested positive heroin and $5,000 was seized. Osorio Dominquez was taken into custody.

Osorio-Dominguez is charged with possession of heroin with intent to distribute. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 18, 2025, at 1:15 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Special Assistant United States Attorney Peter Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a previously convicted felon with gun charges after he allegedly possessed and discharged an AR-15 style rifle within a school zone. The defendant is restricted from possessing firearms and ammunition.  

Carson Moffitt, 40, of Salt Lake County, Utah, was charged by complaint on April 3, 2025. 
    
According to court documents, on April 2, 2025, South Salt Lake City Police Department officers responded to a call of shots fired at Granite Park Junior High School in South Salt Lake, Utah, at 7:15 p.m. After officers arrived, they discovered AR-15 style shell casings in the middle of the road near the school. Surveillance cameras, provided by Granite School District law enforcement, captured the suspect’s vehicle, a Subaru WRX. Shortly after, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper observed a Subaru WRX speeding more than 100 miles per hour near 6000 South and I-15. UHP attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver, later identified as Moffitt, fled and continued speeding up to 130 miles per hour before exiting Redwood Road and I-215 in Taylorsville. The pursuit was terminated. A run of the vehicles license plate showed the vehicle was registered to Moffitt. UHP troopers responded to the address on the vehicle’s registration and while troopers were working to make contact with Moffit, multiple shots were fired from inside the residence. A witness inside the home advised law enforcement Moffitt had a rifle. Moffitt eventually opened the garage door and fled in the Subaru. A Taylorsville City Police Department Officer intercepted and crashed into Moffitt’s Subaru, disabling the vehicle. Moffit was taken into custody. Officers seized an AR-15 style rifle with a drum magazine and ammunition from inside the vehicle.

Moffitt is charged with felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm within a school zone, and discharge of a firearm within a school zone. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 17, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Utah State Bureau of Investigation (SBI). Valuable assistance was provided by the Granite School District law enforcement, South Salt Lake Police Department, Utah Highway Patrol, and Taylorsville City Police Department.  

Assistant United States Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Tadashi Kura Kojima, also known as Aaron Michael Zeman, 29, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 180 months’ imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release, after he kidnapped a Utah teenager to engage in illegal sexual activity.

The sentence, imposed by Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr., comes after Kojima pleaded guilty in November 2024 to transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.  

According to court documents and statements made at Kojima’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, Kojima admitted that between December 26, 2022 to December 28, 2022, he traveled from Arizona and kidnapped a 13-year-old from Utah. They were located in Nebraska and Kojima was arrested. The purpose of traveling was to engage in sexual activity with the victim. See prior press release: Arizona Man Arrested for Kidnapping a Utah Teenager is Facing Federal Charges Including Intent to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a Minor.

The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Layton Police Department and Grand Island Police Department in Nebraska.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
 

Note: View the criminal complaint.

A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses.

Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah, for further legal proceedings.

As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (Armed Coup Attack) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (Kamerhe), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire.

Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator.

Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government. Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire.

The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack.

Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life in prison for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice National Security Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, and Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office and the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief, National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team.

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

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Utah charging Marcel Malanga, 22, Tyler Thompson, 22, Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, and Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, all U.S. citizens, with conspiring to provide material support and resources, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country, among other offenses.

Malanga, Thompson, and Polun are expected to make their initial appearances at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York. Moesser is expected to make his initial appearance on April 10 at the federal courthouse in Salt Lake City. After their initial appearances in New York, it is expected that Malanga, Thompson, and Polun will appear in Salt Lake City, Utah for further legal proceedings.

As alleged in the complaint, the defendants conspired to unlawfully carry out a coup d’état in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”). The coconspirators conducted an armed military operation (“Armed Coup Attack”) specifically targeting DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Deputy Prime Minister for the Economy Vital Kamerhe (“Kamerhe”), attacking both the Palais de la Nation (the official residence and principal workplace of the president) and Kamerhe’s private residence in Kinshasa, DRC. Men wearing camouflage fatigues and armed with weapons attacked and entered the Palais de la Nation. Armed men also attacked Kamerhe’s residence, which was riddled with bullet holes after the attack. At least six people died during the attack, including two police officers protecting Kamerhe’s residence, and at least one innocent civilian. The goal of these rebel forces was to overthrow the DRC government, establish a new government known as the New Zaire, and install Christian Malanga, now deceased, as the president of the New Zaire.

Christian Malanga acted as a leader and organizer of these rebel forces. It was the goal of these rebel forces to topple the DRC government and to murder President Félix Tshisekedi, Kamerhe, and others, with the goal of installing Christian Malanga as the new president of the DRC. Marcel Malanga also held himself out as a leader of the rebel forces and identified himself as the “Chief of Staff of the Zaire army.” Polun was Christian Malanga’s chief of staff. Moesser was the explosives maker, explosives technician, and explosives supplier. Thompson was a soldier and drone specialist/operator.

Also as alleged in the complaint, Christian Malanga, Marcel Malanga, Thompson, Polun, and Moesser conspired to provide material support and resources including services, training, expert advice or assistance, communication equipment, weapons, explosives, and personnel to the rebel army which was formed to overthrow the DRC government.  Further, the defendants conspired to acquire and use weapons of mass destruction during the Armed Coup Attack. The coconspirators planned to use bombs that could be deployed to their targets by drone(s). Targets included people, private residences, and public buildings. They also intended to attach a flamethrower device to a drone and use it as an incendiary device to light people on fire.  

The defendants planned, scouted out targets, and identified victims for the Armed Coup Attack, with the purpose and intent to murder other persons, including high-level DRC government officials. They recruited others to join in the Armed Coup Attack as personnel for the rebel army and, in some cases, recruited personnel in exchange for money. The defendants also acquired and attempted to acquire explosive and incendiary devices with the purpose and intent to use such devices to target individuals, private property, and DRC government buildings. Coconspirators communicated with and procured destructive devices, to include carrier devices such as drones, explosives, incendiary devices, and delivery mechanisms, from businesses, private parties, and at least one individual associated with a foreign military to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack.

Additionally, they procured from businesses and private parties, military equipment to include firearms, ammunition, uniforms, communication equipment, and communication jamming equipment. The coconspirators planned to transport weapons, explosives, and resources from the United States to the DRC to effectuate the Armed Coup Attack, and they then transported weapons and resources to the DRC. Further, the defendants engaged in firearms and weapons training in the United States and in Africa to provide services and support during the conspiracy and Armed Coup Attack.

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years for each count of conspiring to provide material support and resources; and up to life imprisonment for each count of conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb places of government facilities, and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in a foreign country. Additionally, if convicted, Malanga and Thompson each face a maximum penalty of up to 15 years for each count of taking a firearm out of the United States to engage in a felony. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah, Sue J. Bai, head of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division, and Mehtab Syed, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, with assistance by the FBI New York Field Office, and the FBI's Legal Attaché Office in Nairobi, Kenya, which oversees the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan R. Whittaker, Chief of the National Security and Cybercrimes Section, and Jonathan Stowers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah, and Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs has also provided substantial assistance to the prosecution team.

A complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging three foreign nationals, living in Utah, with drug crimes after agents allegedly seized approximately 13,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy and execution of a search warrant in West Valley City, Utah.

Diego Armando Campos-Fallas, 19, of Costa Rica, Hugo Eduardo Miraba-Franco, 20, of Ecuador, and Jose Enrique Zuniga-Diaz, 19, of, Honduras, were charged by complaint on March 21, 2025.
    
According to court documents, on March 19, 2025, agents coordinated an undercover operation to purchase 5,000 fentanyl pills during a controlled buy from Campos-Fallas in West Valley City. Upon arrival at the meeting location for the controlled buy, Campos got into the undercover agent’s vehicle with approximately 5,000 fentanyl pills and was subsequently detained. Miraba-Franco, who was seated in the drivers’ seat of Campos’ vehicle was also detained. A search warrant was served at a residence in West Valley City, where Campos, Miraba and Zuniga-Diaz live. At the residence, agents seized an additional 8,000 fentanyl pills, 102.2 grams of marijuana, and 1125.3 grams of THC cartridges. A search warrant was also executed on Campos’ vehicle, a black Hyundai Elantra, and approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills were recovered. The fentanyl provided to the undercover agent during the controlled buy, and the fentanyl seized at the residence, approximately 13,000 in total, were field-tested and tested positive for fentanyl.

Campos-Fallas, Miraba-Franco, and Zuniga-Diaz are charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Campos Fallas and Miraba-Franco are also charged with distribution of fentanyl. Their initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 3, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.

Acting United States Attorney Felice John Viti for the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Assistant United States Attorney Mark K. Vincent of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.

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

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