Eastern District of Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today to three years in prison for illegally reentering the United States.

According to court documents, Melvin Mauricio Valencia Gil first illegally entered the United States before 2017. On July 29, 2017, Valencia Gil engaged in an argument with another person, then brandished an illegally possessed firearm, which he pointed at the victim’s head and pulled the trigger. The gun did not fire. Valencia Gil retreated to his vehicle to reload the firearm, then fired at the victim but missed.

On Aug. 20, 2018, Valencia Gil was convicted in Nassau County, New York, of attempted murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. On Dec. 9, 2020, Valencia Gil, a member of the Latin Kings gang, was ordered removed from the United States. After completing his state sentence, on Nov. 26, 2021, Valencia Gil was removed to El Salvador and was informed that he was prohibited from reentering the United States.

Less than a week after his removal, Valencia Gil left El Salvador and illegally reentered the United States. On March 18, 2023, Valencia Gil was involved in a car accident on 1-95 South near Spotsylvania. Valencia Gil provided a Salvadorian identification card with a home address in Richmond. Valencia Gil was issued two traffic citations and released.

On May 2, 2023, Valencia Gil was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of illegal reentry. On Sept. 10, 2023, he was charged with assault on a law enforcement officer, violent felon in possession of a weapon, and brandishing a firearm. On Nov. 23, 2023, he was convicted of assault and battery and sentenced to one year with six months suspended. In December 2023, Valencia Gil completed his state sentence and entered the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Liana Castano, Field Office Director for Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Shea M. Gibbons prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-54.

A Virginia man was sentenced today to 78 months in prison for tax crimes and his wire fraud scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Rick Tariq Rahim, of Great Falls, owned and operated several businesses, including laser tag facilities and an Amazon reseller. From 2015 to 2021, Rahim did not pay the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks or file the required quarterly employment tax returns reporting those withholdings.

Between October 2010 and October 2012, Rahim filed two personal income tax returns on which he reported owing substantial taxes, but did not pay all the taxes due. When the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid taxes, Rahim submitted a false statement that omitted valuable assets he owned, including a helicopter, a Bentley, a Lamborghini, and real estate in Great Falls. Approximately two weeks later, Rahim transferred ownership of the Great Falls property to his wife. He also paid personal expenses from his business bank accounts, including more than $889,000 toward his mortgages and more than $669,000 to purchase or lease cars, including three different Lamborghinis. Rahim withdrew more than $1.1 million in cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid triggering currency transaction reports from the bank. Rahim has not filed a personal income tax return since 2012 despite earning more than $34 million in gross income.

In total, Rahim caused a loss to the IRS of at least $4.4 million.

Rahim also defrauded customers who invested using his automated trading bots and by “copying” Rahim’s supposed trading activities that he posted to Discord. He marketed his products on websites named BotsforWealth, TradeAutomation, ProChartSignals, OptionCopier, CopyAndWin, SnipeAlgo, and QQQtrade. Rahim charged customers a subscription fee to access his bots and other software, and to copy his supposed trades. Rahim also offered a “lifetime membership” to which customers received access to Rahim’s private Discord channel, some of his products, and his “in-office” trading days. Rahim personally traded stocks for at least two individuals, claiming “We'll hit home runs and make $500k+ per day very very often.” Instead, Rahim lost over $300,000 of his clients’ funds in eight months. 

Rahim induced customers to subscribe to his products by using social media tools, including TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. He also sought to induce customers by claiming he was extremely wealthy, boasting about trading millions of dollars and posting about his large home, pool, and luxury cars, including his Lamborghini. He posted false information to his websites and to his social media accounts claiming to “beat the stock market every day” and promising extreme profit margins. His claim of regularly beating the market was exaggerated. In reality, he did not post his trades that lost money. In fact, Rahim realized over $500,000 in losses from February 2021 through December 2022, and did not earn millions in the market during this time period as he had claimed. As part of his fraud scheme, Rahim also created at least 20 Discord user profiles where he posted emojis, likes, and symbols showing agreement and excitement regarding Rahim’s posts. Rahim earned at least $1,397,000 in subscription fees during the course of his schemes.

In addition to Rahim’s prison sentence, he agreed to forfeit over $1.3 million and must pay restitution to the IRS and to his investment fraud victims.

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Karen E. Kelly of the Justice Department’s Tax Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated Rahim’s tax fraud and FBI investigated his investment fraud. The case was consolidated for sentencing.

Trial Attorneys William Montague and Ashley Stein of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted Rahim for his tax fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shartar prosecuted Rahim for his investment fraud.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert of the Eastern District of Virginia along with federal and state partners announced today the recently established Virginia Homeland Security Task Force (VHSTF), an interagency group founded to combat transnational organized crime and coordinate ongoing immigration enforcement efforts across Virginia. In the two weeks since the VHSTF’s creation on March 3, task force members have arrested 247 individuals.

Hundreds of personnel are supporting the task force, including representatives from U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI’s Washington, Norfolk, and Richmond Field Offices; Homeland Security Investigations; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Marshals Service; Virginia Department of Corrections; Virginia Office of the Attorney General; Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security; Virginia State Police; and the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force.

The VHSTF is part of Operation Take Back America, which streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.

The VHSTF is the first of these task forces. Task force members are building on existing partnerships and initiatives to enforce immigration laws and policies to dismantle TCOs threatening the safety of millions of Virginians.

These organizations operate across international borders, wholly or in part, by illegal means. Regardless of structure, TCOs destabilize local communities and fuel violence by engaging in drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, human trafficking, assault, kidnapping, murder, and extortion.

One of the VHSTF’s goals is the elimination of TCOs across Virginia. Task force members seek to target these organizations’ infrastructures — including leaders, intermediaries, and street-level offenders — utilizing the State Department’s new foreign terrorist designations of various gangs, such as Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13); Cártel de Sinaloa; and Tren de Aragua (TdA). Under the guidance provided by Attorney General Pamela Bondi, leaders and managers of cartels and TCOs may be prosecuted for such crimes as terrorism, racketeering, continuing criminal enterprise offenses, violations of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act, and violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

To date, the VHSTF has arrested numerous gang affiliates, including 18 MS-13 affiliates, six TdA affiliates, and 12 individuals affiliated with other TCOs.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Great Falls man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for tax crimes and his wire fraud scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Rick Tariq Rahim, 56, owned and operated several businesses, including laser tag facilities and an Amazon reseller. From 2015 to 2021, Rahim did not pay the IRS the taxes withheld from his employees’ paychecks or file the required quarterly employment tax returns reporting those withholdings.

Between October 2010 and October 2012, Rahim filed two personal income tax returns on which he reported owing substantial taxes, but did not pay all the taxes due. When the IRS attempted to collect the unpaid taxes, Rahim submitted a false statement that omitted valuable assets he owned, including a helicopter, a Bentley, a Lamborghini, and real estate in Great Falls. Approximately two weeks later, Rahim transferred ownership of the Great Falls property to his wife. He also paid personal expenses from his business bank accounts, including more than $889,000 toward his mortgages and more than $669,000 to purchase or lease cars, including three different Lamborghinis. Rahim withdrew more than $1.1 million in cash in amounts less than $10,000 to avoid triggering currency transaction reports from the bank. Rahim has not filed a personal income tax return since 2012 despite earning more than $34 million in gross income.

In total, Rahim caused a loss to the IRS of at least $4.4 million.

Rahim also defrauded customers who invested using his automated trading bots and by “copying” Rahim’s supposed trading activities that he posted to Discord. He marketed his products on websites named BotsforWealth, TradeAutomation, ProChartSignals, OptionCopier, CopyAndWin, SnipeAlgo, and QQQtrade. Rahim charged customers a subscription fee to access his bots and other software, and to copy his supposed trades. Rahim also offered a “lifetime membership” through which customers received access to Rahim’s private Discord channel, some of his products, and his “in-office” trading days. Rahim personally traded stocks for at least two individuals, claiming “We'll hit home runs and make $500k+ per day very very often.” Instead, Rahim lost over $300,000 of his clients’ funds in eight months.

Rahim induced customers to subscribe to his products by using social media tools, including TikTok, YouTube, and Discord. He also sought to induce customers by claiming he was extremely wealthy, boasting about trading millions of dollars and posting about his large home, pool, and luxury cars, including his Lamborghini. He posted false information to his websites and to his social media accounts claiming to “beat the stock market every day” and promising extreme profit margins. His claim of regularly beating the market was exaggerated. In reality, he did not post his trades that lost money. In fact, Rahim realized over $500,000 in losses from February 2021 through December 2022, and did not earn millions in the market during this time as he had claimed. As part of his fraud scheme, Rahim also created at least 20 Discord user profiles where he posted emojis, likes, and symbols showing agreement and excitement regarding Rahim’s posts. Rahim earned at least $1,397,000 in subscription fees during his schemes.

In addition to Rahim’s prison sentence, he agreed to forfeiture of over $1.3 million and must pay restitution to the IRS and to his investment fraud victims.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Karen E. Kelly, Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated Rahim’s tax fraud and FBI investigated his investment fraud. The case was consolidated for sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Shartar for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys William Montague and Ashley Stein of the Tax Division prosecuted Rahim for his tax fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shartar prosecuted Rahim for his investment fraud.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:23-cr-173 (Rahim’s Tax Fraud Case) and 1:24-cr-179 (Rahim’s Investment Fraud Case).

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries man was sentenced today to 19 years and two months in prison for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl.

According to court documents, from March 6, 2024, through March 27, 2024, Dwayne Selman-Neville, 38, and a co-conspirator, Al Gibran Taylor, 42, of Reston, conspired to rob multiple local businesses throughout Northern Virginia.

On March 8, 2024, Taylor entered a Starbucks in Herndon, jumped over the store’s counter, and pointed a handgun at employees. Taylor ordered the employees to open the store's safe and give him cash. Taylor left the store with stolen money and fled with Selman-Neville who was waiting nearby in a vehicle.

On March 11, 2024, Selman-Neville entered a check cashing store in Chantilly dressed as an Amazon delivery driver and carrying a cardboard box with an Amazon.com logo on it. Selman-Neville showed a cashier a piece of paper on the clipboard that stated, among other things, "This is a robbery." Selman-Neville then grabbed the cashier's arm and pushed her toward the store's safe. When the cashier attempted to press a panic button, Selman-Neville said, "No, don't do that, I'm going to kill you." At Selman-Neville's demand, the cashier took a tray of cash from the safe and gave it to him. Selman-Neville ran out of the store and fled with Taylor, who was waiting nearby in a vehicle. 

On March 14, 2024, Selman-Neville and Taylor approached a drive-through window at a bank in Herndon. Either Selman-Neville or Taylor handed the drive-through teller a note stating, among other things, "This is a bank robbery. Follow your training and follow my instructions. I have an associate inside the bank right now, who is ready to kill on my signal." The note demanded money from the bank and stated, "If you comply, no one will get hurt." The teller left the drive-through window for a short period of time, and Selman-Neville and Taylor drove away before they could obtain any money.

On March 14, 2024, Selman-Neville, again disguised as an Amazon delivery driver, entered a check cashing store in Annandale and spoke with the store's cashier, who was behind a window. Approximately 40 seconds later, Selman-Neville walked out of the store after the cashier, who did not speak English, was unable to understand what Selman-Neville was saying to her.

On March 26, 2024, Taylor was arrested by federal authorities for a different offense and detained pending trial.

On March 27, 2024, Selman-Neville robbed a check cashing store in Woodbridge, once again dressed as an Amazon delivery driver. He drove to the store in a vehicle that he and Taylor had rented together the previous week. The store’s cashier area was separated by a window and a locking door from customers. As Selman-Neville approached the window, a cashier opened the door and took an Amazon box from Selman-Neville. Selman-Neville then grabbed this cashier by the arm and pushed her toward a cash register. Selman-Neville pointed a handgun at the cashier and another employee and ordered them to give him money. The employees complied and Selman-Neville ran to the rental vehicle and fled.

On April 15, 2024, law enforcement arrested Selman-Neville and searched a residence where he had been staying. Investigators found clothes that Selman-Neville wore during some of the robberies, including a vest with an Amazon logo. They also found 280 counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, 136 pills containing oxycodone, 46.37 grams of solid pink material containing methamphetamine, 26.07 grams of solid material containing dipentylone, and 7.23 grams of cocaine hydrochloride.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles. The Fairfax County Police Department and Prince William County Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel K. Amzallag prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-220.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced to 40 years in prison for attempted production of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) and distribution of CSAM.

According to court documents, on March 10, 2024, Andrew Joseph Fernandez, 33, a married Machinist’s Mate in the U.S. Navy, contacted a victim, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), by private message on TikTok and later continued to engage with her by text messages. The victim told Fernandez that she was 10 years old and Fernandez told her that he was under 13 years old, that his name was Levi, and that he previously attended her school before he moved to another state.

Fernandez’s text messages quickly turned sexual, sending a sexually graphic message within one minute of his first text and a video exposing himself two minutes later. Fernandez continued to engage the child in sexual conversations and sending graphic images, even after the victim declined his offers to send more. He also made the victim promise to keep their conversations a secret.

On March 14, 2024, a school bus driver overheard MV1 describing sexually explicit subjects and alerted the school principal, who contacted MV1’s parent. Law enforcement began an investigation and learned that MV1 was actually nine years old. An FBI agent assumed the victim’s identity and continued to engage with Fernandez, who continued to send sexually explicit images, which he directed the victim to delete. Fernandez attempted to persuade MV1 to produce CSAM depicting herself by telling her that the images would lead to a lucrative modeling audition.

On Oct. 3, 2023, Fernandez engaged Minor Victim 2 (MV2), a 14-year-old girl, in text and WhatsApp messages, introducing himself as 13-year-old “Levi.” Less than four minutes after his first text message to MV2, Fernandez sent her a video of himself engaged in a sexual act. MV2 reacted negatively, and no messages were exchanged for about two months. When their messages resumed, Fernandez offered to send more sexual images of himself, which the victim declined. On Dec. 3, 2023, Fernandez asked MV2 to produce CSAM, and she declined. When MV2 expressed concern after Fernandez threatened to end their relationship, Fernandez took the opportunity to again send sexually graphic images of himself and pressured her to provide CSAM.

On July 13, 2023, Fernandez began engaging in text messages with Minor Victim 3 (MV3), a friend of MV1 who was eight years old, but told Fernandez that she was 10. Fernandez told MV3 that his name was Levi and that he attended her school. Less than one minute after his first message, Fernandez asked MV3 whether she was dating anyone and if she wanted “to go out.” Then, after asking MV3 if she could keep a secret, Fernandez began sending sexually graphic messages.

On Aug. 19, 2023, after asking her age again, Fernandez sent to MV3 a video depicting himself in a sexual act, then became angry that she did not want to see images of that type of content. He nonetheless sent similar images and videos and requested that MV3 send him CSAM.

Messages found on Fernandez cellphone show that he engaged in similar conduct with several other victims, including sending sexually explicit images of himself, sending CSAM, and requesting CSAM from the victims, some of whom acquiesced to his requests.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen. The FBI New York Field Office and Dutchess County (New York) Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the Dutchess Child Advocacy Center provided valuable assistance in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony C. Marek prosecuted 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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-55.

RICHMOND, Va. – A North Carolina scrap metal dealer was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for theft and tax charges related to his participation in a multi-state catalytic converter theft conspiracy.

According to court documents, Theodore Nicholas Papouloglou, 45, used his business, DG Auto South in Emporia to purchase stolen catalytic converters from thieves. Papouloglou then transported the stolen catalytic converters to his co-conspirators in New Jersey for shipment of the catalytic metals to Japan. In 2020 and 2021, Papouloglou received over $12.2 million in wired payments from his co-conspirators in New Jersey, including for proceeds from his illicit sale of catalytic converters. Papouloglou spent the money he received from DG Auto South on personal expenses, such as purchasing real estate and a luxury motorcycle for his girlfriend and to gamble at casinos in Las Vegas. Despite realizing income from DG Auto South, Papouloglou paid no taxes in 2020 and 2021.

Catalytic converters, which reduce toxic gas and pollutants from a vehicle’s exhaust system, use precious metals in their centers, or “cores,” and are regularly targeted for theft due to the high value of these metals, especially palladium, platinum, and rhodium.

Papouloglou separately helped his co-conspirators in New Jersey to purchase stolen catalytic converters from other sellers, including sellers in Texas and Oklahoma, by facilitating bulk cash payments. The total value of the funds that Papouloglou illicitly transferred was at least $6.6 million.

Papouloglou pled guilty on Aug. 20, 2024, and must forfeit various vehicles associated with the offense:

(1) 2021 Ford F250 (Roush)

(2) 2021 Jeep Gladiator Sport (Apocalypse)

(3) 2017 Lamborghini Huracan (Convertible)

(4) 2020 McLaren 720s (Convertible)

(5) 2021 Mercedes-AMG G63

(6) 2019 Ferrari 488 Pista

(7) 2021 McLaren 765LT

(8) 2021 Ford F450 (Super Duty)

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan K. Pathan prosecuted the case. The Justice Department’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section assisted with the prosecution.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-42.

NORFOLK, Va. – A former payroll manager pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud for embezzling $419,210 from her employer.

According to court documents, from 2022 until 2023, Courtney Johnson-Gregory, 47, was employed by a security services company in Norfolk. Her position gave her access to the company’s bank accounts and permitted her to alter the payment information for employees in the company’s systems.

In February 2023, a review of the payroll system revealed multiple gaps in the sequence of company checks. Through a review of banking records, the company discovered hundreds of additional checks that had not been recorded in the payroll system and that had been paid to inactive former employees of the company.

Further review of the system logs associated with the company’s payroll system reflected that the routing number and account numbers where funds were sent via direct deposit had also been changed for various former employees. Those logs showed that, using the login information assigned to her, Johnson-Gregory had accessed the system, reactivated employee profiles, and, after payments were made to those former employees, deleted the records of the payments.

From February 2022 through February 2023, Johnson-Gregory made over one hundred transfers from the company’s accounts to her own personal bank account, as well as hundreds of other unauthorized automated clearing house (AHC) transfers. In total, $136,145.68 was taken from the company using physical checks and another $283,064.62 was taken from the company’s accounts using unauthorized electronic transfers.

Johnson-Gregory is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 5, 2025. She faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mozzi is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-14.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Hampton man was sentenced yesterday to nine years and three months in prison for healthcare and unemployment fraud schemes that resulted in nearly $1 million in loss. Jamahl Rennelle Burch, aka Jarod or Jerrod Burch, 43, pled guilty on Aug. 29 to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, from May 2015 through November 2023, Burch targeted and defrauded two different government benefits programs: Virginia Medicaid’s consumer directed care program and Virginia’s unemployment program.

The Virginia Medicaid Program provides medical assistance to indigent individuals who meet certain eligibility requirements. Under its consumer directed care program, Medicaid authorizes the provision of personal and respite care services to eligible Medicaid recipients by a personal care attendant (PCA). Personal care services include a range of support services to enable Medicaid recipients to remain at or return home rather than enter a nursing facility and include assistance with activities of daily living, access to the community, self-administration of medication, or other medical needs, supervision, and the monitoring of health status and physical condition.

Burch targeted Medicaid recipients to sign up for Medicaid reimbursed personal care or respite care services. Burch and his co-conspirators executed agreements that designated numerous different individuals as PCAs for those recipients. Burch used the personal identifying information (PII) of the Medicaid recipients and purported PCAs to create accounts for the submission of timesheets for purported personal care and respite care services.

For over eight years, Burch submitted fraudulent timesheets to Medicaid showing thousands of hours of personal care and respite care services. Burch approved these timesheets, attesting that services were provided, when he and his co-conspirators knew that none of the PCAs provided any personal or respite care services to the Medicaid recipients.

In total, Burch and his co-conspirators knowingly caused Medicaid to pay at least $936,950.70 in fraudulent reimbursements for personal care and respite care services that never occurred.

Burch also submitted fraudulent unemployment applications to the Virginia Employment Commission, causing $15,720 in unemployment benefits to be paid to him from Virginia’s unemployment insurance (UI) program and the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. UI is a joint state-federal program intended to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers under certain circumstances.

In 2020 and 2021, Burch submitted four fraudulent unemployment applications using the PII of two of the purported PCAs from his Medicaid fraud scheme, falsely claiming that they had been terminated from their fake positions as PCAs. Two of these fraudulent applications were approved, one in the name of each of the two purported PCAs. Burch then submitted weekly certification requests for additional unemployment benefits for these applications, falsely representing that the purported applicants were still unemployed and in need of supplementary funds.

After his initial arrest in November 2023, Burch repeatedly violated Court orders prohibiting him from having contact with potential witnesses in the pending criminal case, including by contacting several individuals who have since been charged as co-conspirators.

In addition to his term of imprisonment, the Court order Burch to pay $936,950.70 in restitution to Medicaid and $15,720 in restitution to the Virginia Unemployment Commission, and to forfeit $806,008.38.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Jason Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); and Troy W. Springer, Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit also provided significant assistance in this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carla Jordan-Detamore and Brian R. Hood prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-8.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, Steven Frederick James, 51, was a source of supply of firearms and narcotics in the Hampton Roads area.

On Jan. 3, 2024, James was the source of two firearms sold from James’ vehicle during a controlled buy in an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). During the investigation, ATF learned that James was using three residences to traffic narcotics.

In late February 2024, law enforcement used a confidential source to conduct a controlled purchase of an amount of cocaine from James through a third party. In early March 2024, law enforcement used a confidential source to conduct another controlled purchase of cocaine, this time directly from James.

On March 29, 2024, law enforcement conducted searches of three residences associated with James. During a search of an apartment in Newport News, as well as James' 2012 BMW, investigators recovered two loaded handguns and two cellphones. At an apartment in Newtown Arch, investigators recovered a safe that belonged to James. From the safe and elsewhere in the apartment, law enforcement recovered a kilogram of cocaine, four bags containing 83.74 grams of cocaine, a bag containing 47 tablets of methamphetamine, a loaded handgun, and three digital scales.

During a search of an apartment in Portsmouth, where James was staying at the time, investigators recovered two handguns, ammunition, firearms magazines, a digital scale, boxes of Narcan, and a safe containing $5,000. James was interviewed and taken into custody.

James has previous felony convictions, including, among others, for being a felon in possession of a firearm, drug trafficking related offenses, eluding police, and failing to appear in court.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. The Chesapeake Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Newport News Police Department, Virginia Beach Police Department, and Norfolk Police Department assisted in the investigation.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-118.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money laundering by transnational criminal organizations - including terrorist organizations - and sanctions violations. Since April 2019, Garantex has processed at least $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions.

In conjunction with the operation targeting Garantex, the Department also announced the unsealing of an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia against Aleksej Besciokov, 46, a Lithuanian national and Russian resident, and Aleksandr Mira Serda (previously Aleksandr Ntifo-Siaw), 40, a Russian national and United Arab Emirates resident. Mira Serda and Besciokov are charged with money laundering conspiracy, and Besciokov is charged with conspiracy to violate sanctions and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.

According to court documents, between 2019 and 2025, Besciokov and Mira Serda controlled and operated Garantex. Besciokov was Garantex’s primary technical administrator and responsible for obtaining and maintaining critical Garantex infrastructure, as well as reviewing and approving transactions. Mira Serda was Garantex’s co-founder and chief commercial officer.

Garantex received hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds and was used to facilitate various crimes, including hacking, ransomware, terrorism, and drug trafficking, often with substantial impact to U.S. victims. According to the indictment, Besciokov and Mira Serda knew that criminal proceeds were being laundered through Garantex and took steps to conceal the facilitation of illegal activities on its platform. For example, when Russian law enforcement sought records relating to an account registered to Mira Serda, Garantex provided incomplete information in response and falsely claimed the account was not verified. In reality, Garantex had associated the account with Mira Serda’s personal identifying documents, even while disclosing identifying information related to other accounts requested by Russian law enforcement.

On April 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Garantex for its role in facilitating money laundering of funds from ransomware actors and darknet markets. According to court documents, despite the widespread publicity of the sanctions and Garantex administrator’s personal knowledge of them, Besciokov and his co-conspirators violated those sanctions by continuing to transact with U.S.-based entities. Further, Besciokov and his co-conspirators redesigned Garantex’s operations to evade and violate U.S. sanctions and induce U.S. businesses to unwittingly transact with Garantex in violation of the sanctions. For example, Garantex moved its operational cryptocurrency wallets to different virtual currency addresses on a daily basis in order to make it difficult for U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges to identify and block transactions with Garantex accounts.

Despite doing substantial business in the United States and operating as a money transmitting business, Garantex failed to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as required.

On March 6, U.S. law enforcement executed a seizure order authorized by a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia against three website domain names used to support Garantex’s operations. According to court records unsealed today, Garantex.org, Garantex.io, and Garantex.academy were associated with the administration and operation of Garantex. The seizure of these domains will prevent these sites from being used for money laundering and additional crimes. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by law enforcement.

As part of the coordinated actions, German and Finnish law enforcement seized servers hosting Garantex’s operations. U.S. law authorities have separately obtained earlier copies of Garantex’s servers, including customer and accounting databases. In addition, U.S. law enforcement has also frozen over $26 million in funds used to facilitate Garantex’s money laundering activities.

Besciokov and Mira Serda are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Besciokov is also charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.    

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Matthew R. Galeotti, Supervisory Official of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Michael Centrella, Assistant Directorof the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) Office of Field Operations; and Bryan Vorndran, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, made the announcement.

USSS and the FBI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s National Security Division and Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.

The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, the Frankfurt General Prosecutor’s Office, the Dutch National Police, Europol, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, and the Estonian National Criminal Police.

Finally, the Department thanks Tether and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic for their proactive assistance in this investigation.

Any individual who believes he/she is a victim whose funds were laundered through Garantex or who may otherwise have a claim to restrained funds should contact law enforcement at GarantexClaimants@secretservice.gov.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

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

Note: View the indictment here.

The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt and take down the online infrastructure used to operate Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money laundering by transnational criminal organizations — including terrorist organizations — and sanctions violations. Since April 2019, Garantex has processed at least $96 billion in cryptocurrency transactions.

In conjunction with the operation targeting Garantex, the Department also announced the unsealing of an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia against Aleksej Besciokov, 46, a Lithuanian national and Russian resident, and Aleksandr Mira Serda (previously Aleksandr Ntifo-Siaw), 40, a Russian national and United Arab Emirates resident. Mira Serda and Besciokov are charged with money laundering conspiracy, and Besciokov is charged with conspiracy to violate sanctions and conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.

According to court documents, between 2019 and 2025, Besciokov and Mira Serda controlled and operated Garantex. Besciokov was Garantex’s primary technical administrator and responsible for obtaining and maintaining critical Garantex infrastructure, as well as reviewing and approving transactions. Mira Serda was Garantex’s co-founder and chief commercial officer.

Garantex received hundreds of millions in criminal proceeds and was used to facilitate various crimes, including hacking, ransomware, terrorism, and drug trafficking, often with substantial impact to U.S. victims. According to the indictment, Besciokov and Mira Serda knew that criminal proceeds were being laundered through Garantex and took steps to conceal the facilitation of illegal activities on its platform. For example, when Russian law enforcement sought records relating to an account registered to Mira Serda, Garantex provided incomplete information in response and falsely claimed the account was not verified. In reality, Garantex had associated the account with Mira Serda’s personal identifying documents, even while disclosing identifying information related to other accounts requested by Russian law enforcement.

On April 5, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Garantex for its role in facilitating money laundering of funds from ransomware actors and darknet markets. According to court documents, despite the widespread publicity of the sanctions and Garantex administrator’s personal knowledge of them, Besciokov and his co-conspirators violated those sanctions by continuing to transact with U.S.-based entities. Further, Besciokov and his co-conspirators redesigned Garantex’s operations to evade and violate U.S. sanctions and induce U.S. businesses to unwittingly transact with Garantex in violation of the sanctions. For example, Garantex moved its operational cryptocurrency wallets to different virtual currency addresses on a daily basis in order to make it difficult for U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchanges to identify and block transactions with Garantex accounts.

Despite doing substantial business in the United States and operating as a money transmitting business, Garantex failed to register with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) as required.

On March 6, U.S. law enforcement, led by the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), executed a seizure order authorized by a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia against three website domain names used to support Garantex’s operations. According to court records unsealed today, Garantex.org, Garantex.io, and Garantex.academy were associated with the administration and operation of Garantex. The seizure of these domains will prevent these sites from being used for money laundering and additional crimes. Individuals visiting those sites now will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by law enforcement.

As part of the coordinated actions, German and Finnish law enforcement seized servers hosting Garantex’s operations. U.S. law authorities have separately obtained earlier copies of Garantex’s servers, including customer and accounting databases. In addition, U.S. law enforcement has also frozen over $26 million in funds used to facilitate Garantex’s money laundering activities.

Besciokov and Mira Serda are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Besciokov is also charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and with conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.    

Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, Assistant Director Michael Centrella of the USSS’ Office of Field Operations, and Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division made the announcement.

USSS and the FBI are investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Bedell for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s National Security Division and Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.

The Justice Department also recognizes the critical cooperation of the German Federal Criminal Police Office, the Frankfurt General Prosecutor’s Office, the Dutch National Police, Europol, the Finnish National Bureau of Investigation, and the Estonian National Criminal Police.

Finally, the Department thanks Tether and blockchain analytics firm Elliptic for their proactive assistance in this investigation.

Any individual who believes he/she is a victim whose funds were laundered through Garantex or who may otherwise have a claim to restrained funds should reach out to law enforcement via email address GarantexClaimants@secretservice.gov.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information.

According to court documents, Schena is employed by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) working out of DOS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Schena held a Top Secret security clearance and had access to information up to the Secret level within his DOS workspace. Beginning in or about April 2022, Schena allegedly communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them with information they were not authorized to receive. In return, Schena allegedly received payments. On Feb. 27, Schena allegedly used a cellphone to take images of multiple documents, which were displayed on the monitor of his classified computer and marked as “SECRET.” Schena then allegedly left work and returned to his home in Alexandria, where the cellphone was seized.       

Schena is charged with conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information and faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-mj-143.

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

View the complaint affidavit.

Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information.

According to court documents, Schena is employed by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) working out of DOS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Schena held a top secret security clearance and had access to information up to the secret level within his DOS workspace. Beginning in or about April 2022, Schena allegedly communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them with information they were not authorized to receive. In return, Schena received payments. On Feb. 27, Schena allegedly used a cellphone to take images of multiple documents, which were displayed on the monitor of his classified computer and marked as “SECRET.” Schena then allegedly left work and returned to his home in Alexandria, where the cellphone was seized.        

Schena is charged with conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information and faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the FBI Richmond Field Office, the Department of Justice’s Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service Office of Counterintelligence.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Ben’Ary and Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Maria Fedor of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.

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

RICHMOND, Va. – A Chesterfield man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, on May 18, 2023, Urain Alexander Robinson, 52, was contacted by a co-conspirator (CC1), who was seeking to purchase cocaine from Robinson. That night, Robinson transported multiple kilograms of cocaine from his residence to CC1’s house in Hopewell and distributed it to CC1. Shortly after Robinson distributed the cocaine to CC1, another co-conspirator (CC2) arrived at CC1’s house and picked up three kilograms of the cocaine that Robinson had just distributed to CC1. CC2 was stopped by police shortly after leaving CC1’s house.

The cocaine was recovered by police. Law enforcement also seized $8,381 in drug-trafficking proceeds from Robinson’s residence on May 14, 2024.

Robinson was convicted in 1992 in Virginia of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and unlawful wounding; in 1993 in New Jersey of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and in 2005 in the Eastern District of Virginia of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine hydrochloride.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. The Chesterfield County Police Department assisted in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Hubbard 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.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-117.

After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today for Rui Jiang, of Falls Church, Virginia, who was charged with attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in Haymarket, Virginia, in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The charge included that the defendant’s attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill. Jiang also faced charges for transmitting online threats and a firearms violation. The jury found Jiang guilty on all counts.

According to evidence presented at trial, Jiang began posting online threats against the church on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023, which made clear his intention to kill congregants.

On the morning of Sept. 24, 2023, police began searching for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call about his posts. Police officers located Jiang inside the front entrance to the church while Sunday services were underway. Church volunteers, independently concerned about Jiang’s behavior, had just approached Jiang when police arrived. Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun and two full magazines of ammunition. He had an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his nearby car.

During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed by Jiang in ink, which read in part, “To the families of those men about to be slain – I am sorry for what I have done and about to do (sic).”

Jiang was arrested by Prince William County Police on Sept. 24, 2023, and has been in custody since that time.

Jiang faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for June 18. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Mac Warner of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Acting Assistant Director in Charge Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement. 

The FBI investigated the case, with substantial assistance from the Prince William County and Fairfax County Police Departments. The Anne Arundel County Police Department also provided assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas A. Durham and Troy A. Edwards Jr. for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Hampton Roads duo pled guilty to their roles in a refund scheme involving pandemic relief tax credits.

According to court documents, between Oct. 11, 2022, and May 24, 2023, Kendra Michelle Eley, 36, of Norfolk, filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) eight Forms 941, Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Returns, for Kreative Designs by Kendra, LLC, (KDK) using the Employer Identification Number assigned to Kendra Cleans Maid Service.  These eight forms covered four tax periods in 2020 and four tax periods in 2021.

Eley falsely reported wages paid and federal tax withholdings for eighteen purported employees on each of the forms, knowing there were no such employees.  For the four forms filed for 2021, Eley claimed false Sick and Family Leave Credits and Employee Retention Credit (ERC) through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, totaling approximately $713,000 and $252,000 respectively, with total refunds claimed of over $900,000.

Based on Eley’s filings, on December 9, 2022, and on December 13, 2022, the IRS issued two U.S. Treasury refund checks made payable to '‘Kendra M. Eley, Kendra Cleans Maid Services” totaling $649,050.

On Dec. 23, 2022, Eley and Rejohn Isaiah Whitehead, 28, of Portsmouth, opened a business checking account in the name of Kendra Cleans Maid Services LLC (KCMS), and the signatories on the account were Eley and Whitehead. To open the business account, Eley and Whitehead falsely represented the nature and extent of KCMS as a business, including that KCMS had sixteen employees and that the average pay rate of each employee was $2,000. Eley funded the account by depositing one of the refund checks in the amount of $389,640. On Jan. 9, 2023, Eley wrote Whitehead a check from the KCMS account for $20,000. Eley wrote Whitehead another check from the account for $40,000 on Jan. 21, 2023.

On Feb. 13, Whitehead pled guilty to engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 26 and faces up to 10 years in prison.

Eley pled guilty today to one count each of false claims and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property. She is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9 and faces up to 10 years in prison.

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

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Therese O'Brien and Mack Coleman are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-77.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – After a four-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict today for Rui Jiang, of Falls Church, who was charged with attempting to obstruct the congregants of a church in Haymarket in the free exercise of their religious beliefs. The charge included that the defendant’s attempted act involved a dangerous weapon and an attempt to kill. Jiang also faced charges for transmitting online threats and a firearms violation. The jury found Jiang guilty on all counts.

According to evidence presented at trial, Jiang began posting online threats against the church on the evening of Sept. 23, 2023, which made clear his intention to kill congregants.

On the morning of Sept. 24, 2023, police began searching for Jiang in response to a concerned citizen’s call about his posts. Police officers located Jiang inside the front entrance to the church while Sunday services were underway. Church volunteers, independently concerned about Jiang’s behavior, had just approached Jiang when police arrived. Jiang was armed with a semiautomatic handgun and two full magazines of ammunition. He had an additional 34 rounds of ammunition in his nearby car.

During a search of Jiang’s apartment, police discovered five copies of a letter, each signed by Jiang in ink, which read in part, “To the families of those men about to be slain – I am sorry for what I have done and about to do (sic).”

Jiang was arrested by Prince William County Police on Sept. 24, 2023, and has been in custody since that time.

Jiang faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on June 18. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Mac Warner, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Roman Rozhavsky, Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the verdict.

The FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Prince William County and Fairfax County Police Departments. The Anne Arundel County Police Department also provided assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas A. Durham and Troy A. Edwards Jr. for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-65.

Note: View the affidavit and complaint here.

On March 2, 2025, the United States charged Mohammad Sharifullah, also known as “Jafar,” a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), with providing and conspiring to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization resulting in death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B. Sharifullah has been arrested and is expected to appear in the Eastern District of Virginia on March 5, 2025.

“This evil ISIS-K terrorist orchestrated the brutal murder of 13 heroic service members,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Under President Trump’s strong leadership on the world stage, this Department of Justice will ensure that terrorists like Mohammad Sharifullah have no safe haven, no second chances, and no worse enemy than the United States of America.”

“The lethal attack that killed 13 American service members and Afghan civilians during the U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan was an act of terrorism,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “ISIS-K brazenly claimed responsibility for the carnage. Now thanks to the assistance of the FBI, Department of Justice, and the CIA, we have secured Sharifullah’s apprehension and transport to the U.S. to face American justice. The FBI will never forget the loss of these American heroes, we will continue to hunt down those who viciously murdered our warriors, we will find all responsible and bring them to justice.”

“The charges announced today carry an unmistakable message: the commitment of the United States to hold accountable all who facilitate and carry out acts of terror against us will never waver,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Our message to those who have been impacted by these horrific crimes is that you are not forgotten. We will continue to pursue justice no matter how long or how far it takes us.”

On Aug. 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting an evacuation operation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Abbey Gate was the main entry point for the operation. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation.

At approximately 5:36 p.m., ISIS-K member Abdul Rahman al-Logari detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.

During an interview with FBI Special Agents on March 2, 2025, after waiving his Miranda rights, Sharifullah admitted to helping prepare for the Abbey Gate attack, including scouting a route near the airport for an attacker. Sharifullah specifically checked for law enforcement and American or Taliban checkpoints; he then communicated to other ISIS-K members that he believed the route was clear and that the attacker would not be detected. Sharifullah also admitted to recognizing al-Logari as an ISIS-K operative he had previously known.

During his interview with the FBI, Sharifullah also admitted to supporting and conducting activities on behalf of ISIS-K in multiple other lethal attacks.

On June 20, 2016, a suicide bomber acting for ISIS-K detonated a bomb that killed over ten embassy guards and multiple civilians and wounded other soldiers guarding the Canadian embassy in Kabul. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. As alleged in the complaint, prior to the attack, Sharifullah conducted surveillance to prepare the suicide bomber and later transported the bomber to the attack area.

On March 22, 2024, a group of ISIS-K gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall near Moscow, Russia. The attack killed approximately 130 people and injured numerous others. Russian authorities arrested four gunmen in connection with the attack. During his interview with the FBI, Sharifullah admitted that, on behalf of ISIS-K, he had shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons to would-be attackers. Sharifullah also admitted to recognizing two of the four arrested gunmen as those he had previously instructed.

If convicted, Sharifullah faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael P. Ben’Ary and Troy A. Edwards, Jr., for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Alicia Cook, Charles Kovats, and Ryan White for the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.

The details described above are allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Providence Forge man was sentenced today to nine years in prison for embezzling funds from his former employer, the Virginia Birth-Related Neurological Injury Compensation Program (Birth-Injury Program).

According to court documents, John Hunter Raines, 38, was the Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Director of the Birth-Injury Program. The Birth-Injury Program pays monetary compensation to families of infants who suffer from brain or spinal cord injuries resulting from the birth process that render the infant developmentally and/or cognitively disabled. Raines’ role required that he oversee the finances of the Birth-Injury Program, including approximately $650 million in investments in 2023.

From at least January 2022 through October 2023, Raines stole over $6.7 million from the Birth-Injury Program, including by using his access to the Birth-Injury Program bank account to initiate at least 59 separate wire transactions, sending funds to bank accounts in Raines’ own name. Raines also used the Birth-Injury Program debit card for personal gain. Raines spent embezzled Birth-Injury Program money on various personal expenses. For example:

• Raines purchased numerous vehicles, including eight luxury golf carts for over $160,000 and a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban;

• Raines spent over $100,000 on gambling, including at Rivers Casino in Portsmouth, Virginia, Colonial Downs Racetrack in New Kent, Virginia, and the Virginia Lottery;

• Raines paid at least $29,000 to an intimate partner and tens of thousands of dollars to a bank account in the name of Raines’ wife;

• Raines spent over $9,000 on private limousine services, including to chauffer Raines and his guests in a Mercedes limousine from Raines’ house to Virginia vineyards;

• Raines made numerous purchases of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin and Dogecoin, and transferred funds to his brokerage accounts;

• Raines paid tens of thousands of dollars towards his student loan debt, his mortgage, and other loans;

• Raines paid over $125,000 for private jet travel for Raines’ friends and family. As an example, Raines paid over $34,000 to travel with his wife and his friends to Nashville, Tennessee, for three days in a private jet; and

• Raines spent over $19,000 to purchase eight separate 2022 1-oz American Gold Eagle Bullion coins and a 100-oz silver bar.

As a financial control on the Birth-Injury Program, Virginia Code § 38.2-5015(B) required an independent certified public accountant selected by the Birth-Injury Program’s board of directors to complete an audit of the program's accounts each fiscal year. Raines deliberately impeded the statutorily mandated audit process by failing to timely provide the Birth-Injury Program’s files to auditors when requested. Due at least in part to Raines’ obstructive conduct, the Birth-Injury Program’s statutorily mandated audits continue to be delayed by over three years.

Raines pled guilty to mail fraud and money laundering offenses on Oct. 8, 2024.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office; and Michael C. Westfall, State Inspector General for the Commonwealth of Virginia, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan K. Pathan prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-138.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to four years and two months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on April 25, 2024, officers from the Richmond Police Department engaged in conversation with a group of individuals standing and sitting together outside a row of apartment homes in the Creighton Court neighborhood. One of the officers observed a clear plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance drop to the ground from the jacket pocket of Marcellus Cheatham, 26. The officer retrieved the baggie and, while attempting to detain Cheatham, discovered a loaded firearm in Cheatham's waistband. Cheatham also possessed a razor, 21.77 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, and 5.73 grams of crystalline material containing cocaine.

Cheatham was convicted previously of robbery, attempted robbery, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. As a previously convicted felon, Cheatham cannot possess firearms or ammunition.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Joseph McGorman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-128.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to nine years and two months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on April 19, 2024, agents with the FBI Capital Area Human Trafficking Task Force arrested Herman Leroy Mallory Jr., 40, on outstanding warrants from Louisa County. When agents removed Mallory from the vehicle, they observed in plain view a handgun on top of the speaker deck and another handgun partially covered with a t-shirt on the floorboard.

During a search of the vehicle, investigators recovered two rifles, a 50-round drum magazine, and additional ammunition and firearm magazines. They also discovered a pack containing baggies of narcotics, including 27.51 grams of cocaine, 9.46 grams of a mixture containing methamphetamine, 0.62 grams of fentanyl, and 6.27 grams of a mixture containing heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl.

Mallory previously was convicted of felony larceny, grand larceny, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, and conspiracy to commit breaking and entering. As a previously convicted felon, he cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

On April 30, 2024, a victim reported to police that a rifle had been stolen from his home approximately three weeks earlier when Mallory had been a guest in his home. On June 9, 2024, the victim contacted police again to report that three other firearms had been stolen. Mallory admitted to law enforcement that the handgun observed on top of the speaker deck in his vehicle and one of the recovered rifles had come from the victim.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-149.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, from at least June 2018 through April 2020, Deonte Trent, 31, engaged in a scheme known as "card-cracking." Trent offered money to employees and tellers at Wells Fargo to secretly provide him with the names, addresses, bank account numbers, and Social Security numbers of existing Wells Fargo customers. Trent then used the bank customers' personal information to produce fraudulent checks.

Trent also solicited existing customers of Wells Fargo to allow him to deposit fraudulent checks into the customers' own bank accounts. In exchange, Trent promised to financially compensate these complicit account holders. In some instances, Trent recruited people to open a bank account with Wells Fargo and to allow Trent to deposit fraudulent checks. The account holders would typically provide Trent with their Wells Fargo debit cards and associated PIN numbers to receive deposits and, after completing the fraudulent deposits, withdraw the funds before Wells Fargo realized the checks were fraudulent.

In some instances, Trent provided guidance and coaching to complicit account holders when those individuals were contacted by representatives of Wells Fargo regarding the fraudulent checks. Trent instructed these account holders to provide Wells Fargo with false information.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Brent Daniels, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kashan Pathan prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-136.

NORFOLK, Va. – A member of the Bloods criminal street gang was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a machinegun during a drug-trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on Aug. 28, 2021, in Norfolk, Christopher Scarbor, aka Hellboy, 32, was in a BMW that fled from a marked police unit at a high rate of speed and ignored stop signs. The car entered a cemetery and crashed through and over gravestones before it spun out and stopped.

After the car came to rest in the cemetery, Scarbor was arrested after he attempted to flee on foot. Scarbor possessed a waist pack that contained 87 pills and a machinegun conversion device (MCD), used to convert a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machinegun. Police also recovered two semi-automatic firearms inside the car.

On April 5, 2023, Scarbor was wanted for failing to appear in court while he was on pretrial release for his Aug. 28, 2021 offense. Norfolk police located Scarbor in a hotel in Norfolk. Officers observed an ammunition magazine in the bathroom and, from within the toilet tank, recovered a handgun with an affixed MCD; 8.51 grams of cocaine; 14.94 grams of fentanyl and xylazine; 17.16 grams of para-fluorofentanyl, fentanyl, and xylazine; and 37.06 grams of methamphetamine.

In 2013, Scarbor was convicted for robbery and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph E. DePadilla prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-112.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Chesapeake man pled guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a child.

According to court documents, on Feb. 16, 2024, Kyle Andrew Babiak, 31, began communicating through a social media app with an undercover law enforcement officer (UC) whom Babiak believed to be a 14-year-old girl. During the messaging conversation between Babiak and the UC, Babiak directly acknowledged and expressed concern over the girl’s age, writing that he could “wind up in a court martial.” Babiak, and active duty sailor, sent a photograph of himself in what appeared to be a Navy uniform and asked for the girl to send a photograph in return.

Babiak suggested things they could do together in person and again acknowledged that he believed the person with whom he was communicating was a minor. Babiak continued to escalate the sexual content of his messages to include explicitly describing sexual acts he desired with the girl and sent sexually explicit photos of himself.

When the UC noted that the girl’s parents were not home, Babiak requested her address and made plans to pick up the girl and drive her back to his residence. Babiak specifically asked the UC if the girl’s parents tracked her location. During the drive to pick up the girl, Babiak continued sending sexually explicit messages that acknowledged that he believed the girl was a minor.

When Babiak arrived at the address provided by the UC, he parked his car, approached the front door of the residence, and was arrested by NCIS agents and officers from the Hampton Police Department.

Babiak is scheduled to be sentenced on July 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Emily Schmid, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Norfolk Field Office; and Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is 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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-76.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Reston man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for sexually exploiting minor victims he met online.

According to court documents, on July 1, 2024, Xavier Dejuan Jackson, 28, arrived on a flight into Dulles International Airport. Customs and Border Protection Officers initiated a secondary inspection of Jackson’s devices, resulting in the discovery of several videos and images that appeared to depict minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Jackson met Minor Victim 1 on a social media application in January 2024. Minor Victim 1 revealed to Jackson she lived with her parents, attended high school, and was 17 years old. On various occasions, Jackson transported Minor Victim 1 across state lines to engage in sexual activity with him. Beginning on Jan. 16, 2024, Jackson repeatedly traveled to Maryland to pick up Minor Victim 1 and transported her 40 minutes to his apartment in Reston to engage in sexual activity with him. Each time Jackson engaged in sexual activity with Minor Victim 1, he recorded his exploitation of her on his cellphone. Jackson then distributed the videos to Minor Victim 1 via Snapchat.

In February 2024, Jackson began communicating with Minor Victim 2 on Instagram. On March 1, 2024, Minor Victim 2 informed Jackson she was 14 years old. When Minor Victim 2 asked how old he suspected she was, Jackson replied, "Like 17 maybe 16 but that was a stretch and ya it's not too hard when you know what to look for."

After Minor Victim 2 revealed her age, Jackson resumed sexually explicit conversations with her. Jackson requested that Minor Victim 2 produce for and send to him explicit videos and directed her in what he wanted her to say and how he wanted her to expose herself. Jackson received these videos via Snapchat and stored them in a folder under the victim’s name. Also stored within that folder were three videos depicting Minor Victim 2 engaged in sexual activity.

On March 2, 2024, Jackson asked Minor Victim 2 to meet in person for sexual activity. Over the next several days, the two discussed potential opportunities. Minor Victim 2 expressed fear of embarrassing herself, but Jackson persisted. Jackson pressed Minor Victim 2 for her address. Jackson continued to engage in sexually explicit messages and exchange sexually explicit photos with Minor Victim 2. They discussed locations Jackson could pick up Minor Victim 2, including her specific high school or a mall near her parent's house.

On June 23, 2024, Minor Victim 2 asked Jackson when he would next be available to meet up for sexual activity. He responded that it would be over a week because he would be out of the country. He was arrested on July 1, 2024, after his return flight to Dulles.

On Feb. 4, 2024, Jackson initiated contact on Snapchat with a person he believed was 15 years old. Though he was then 27 years old, Jackson told the person he was 19. On March 25, 2024, Jackson inquired how much the person would charge for nude depictions of herself and sent a detailed request describing what type of sexually explicit videos he wanted. The person said that sort of video would cost $45, which Jackson sent her via PayPal. Jackson received and saved on his cellphone videos responsive to his request approximately two hours after Jackson sent the money to the person’s PayPal account. Further investigation revealed that the person Jackson believed was 15 years old was actually 19 years old.

On Nov. 21, 2024, Jackson pled guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, transportation of minors, and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Jackson will be subject to a lifetime of supervised release.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa K. Strobbe prosecuted 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 growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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 www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-212.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man was sentenced today to four years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on May 2, 2024, at Norfolk International Airport, a Transportation Security Officer (TSO) observed a suspicious object consistent with the shape of a handgun in the backpack of Wayman Tisdale Randall, 28. The TSO alerted the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) supervisor who then notified Norfolk International Airport Police Department (NIAPD).

NIAPD took possession of the bin containing Randall’s backpack and escorted Randall to a private screening room. Randall initially presented a Virginia identification card, bearing Randall’s picture but with the name “Ethan Walker.” Randall also possessed an American Airlines boarding pass in the name of Ethan Walker. Randall admitted there was a firearm in his bag and provided his real name, date of birth, and social security number.

During a search of Randall’s belongings, investigators found a loaded, stolen handgun. Randall had been convicted previously of receiving stolen goods, use or display of a firearm in commission of a felony, robbery, and prohibited criminal street gang participation. As a convicted felon, Randall cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham M. Stolle, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-93.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Four people have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy in the Newport News area to steal mail and deposit counterfeit checks.

According to court documents, on July 6, 2023, Andre Ephraim Billups Jr., 22, of Gloucester, and Johnny Ray Riddick, aka Glo, 24, of Newport News, robbed a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier in the area of Jefferson Point in Newport News. Arrow keys are used by letter carriers to access various types of mailboxes in a specific area, including blue collection boxes and apartment panel mailboxes. Riddick served as the getaway driver while Billups served as the gunman.

Billups approached the letter carrier and first attempted to grab the key from her, but she resisted. Billups indicated to the carrier that he was armed to coerce her into producing and turning over her arrow key. After Billups obtained the arrow key from the carrier, he fled on foot towards the location where Riddick was waiting for him.

Because a maintenance worker was chasing him, Billups diverted into the apartment of his friend and Riddick’s girlfriend, Alexis Sierra West, 24, of Newport News. Billups entered the apartment and left the key and his backpack with West, who contacted Riddick and asked him what to do with the key. Riddick directed her to hide it, which she did within her bedroom closet. West later lied to law enforcement about her knowledge of the robber and robbery. After Billups fled the apartment, he ran to where Riddick was waiting in his car.

When West met Billups later to turnover the backpack and key, Riddick wiped her cellphone because he was worried about a potential law enforcement investigation. Billups separately wiped his own cellphone.

Riddick and Billups repeatedly used the arrow key to illegally access USPS collection boxes in the area and steal mail. Due to numerous customer complaints of mail theft, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) began surveilling blue collection boxes in the area.

On Dec. 3, 2023, law enforcement officers with USPIS, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Newport News Police Department (NNPD) conducted surveillance of the Hidenwood Post Office in Newport News. Karon-Omar Gary, 21, of Gloucester, whom Billups had recruited to serve as getaway driver in connection with the collection box break-ins, drove Billups to the collection box outside the Post Office. Billups was armed with a handgun and a rifle loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition.

Billups got out of the vehicle and used the arrow key to open a collection box and access the mail but was interrupted by a Postal Inspector and an NNPD officer. Billups quickly retreated to the vehicle, but when the Inspector approached and gave verbal commands to stop, Gary drove in the direction of the Inspector. The Inspector discharged her service weapon, striking Billups in the shoulder.

Officers pursued the vehicle, which fled through Newport News into York County and then Gloucester County, at almost 100 miles per hour. Gloucester County law enforcement deployed “stop sticks” to disable the vehicle. Gary was taken into custody immediately. Billups fled on foot but eventually surrendered after disposing of his handgun.

Investigators searched the vehicle and recovered the stolen arrow key, Billups’ rifle, ammunition, two magazines, and Gary’s and Billups’ cellphones. They also recovered a driver’s license, debit cards, and checks in the names of several different individuals.

Riddick, Billups, and West engaged in a bank fraud scheme that involved “card cracking,” “check washing,” or “smacking the account.” They would deposit a counterfeit check that had been altered or fabricated into a third-party account, then withdraw or spend as much of that money as possible before the fraud was detected. Billups and Riddick would steal mail, then Riddick would send West pictures of checks from the mail, which she digitally “washed” and sent back to Riddick, who used them to produce counterfeit checks. Billups and Riddick maintained supplies, including stacks of blank checks and a printer, which they operated in West’s apartment.

On Feb. 29, 2024, Gary pled guilty to attempted theft of U.S. Mail. On Nov. 12, 2024, he was sentenced to time served.

On Sept. 25, 2024, Billups pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and using a firearm in a crime of violence. He was sentenced today to seven years and six months in prison.

On Sept. 26, 2024, West pled guilty to unlawful possession of postal keys and accessory after the fact. On Feb. 6, she was sentenced to six months in prison.

On Sept. 30, 2024, Riddick pled guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On Feb. 14, he was sentenced to six years and six months in prison.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police; Ronald Montgomery, York County Sheriff; and Darrell W. Warren, Jr., Gloucester County Sheriff, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Podlesni prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-94.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Henrico man was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison for possession of destructive devices.

According to court documents, in August 2020, Xavier Louis Lopez, 25, paced through his suburban Henrico neighborhood, wielding a knife that he used to slash the tires of cars belonging to neighbors of whose political views he disapproved. When police officers located and arrested Lopez, he violently resisted, attempted to gain control of a knife, and physically assaulted the officers.

After the arrest, investigators searched Lopez’s residence and located over a thousand rounds of ammunition, more than a dozen high-capacity magazines, rifle parts, and machining tools and equipment. All firearms-related items were seized following his 2021 plea agreement related to felony vandalism charges.

After Lopez’s release from prison in November 2022, investigators recovered eight Molotov cocktails, destructive devices with Styrofoam added to the gasoline mixture inside, creating improvised napalm. Located near the Molotov cocktails was a box of 9mm hollow-point ammunition, as well as the defendant’s attempts to 3D-print the final piece of a 9mm handgun build kit he had purchased anonymously online.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI’s Richmond Field Office thank the Henrico County Police Department and Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance to the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas A. Garnett and Peter S. Duffey prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-79.

RICHMOND, Va. – A national of the Dominican Republic was sentenced today to 15 years and eight months in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin and illegally reentering the United States after a felony conviction.

According to court documents, on Jan. 18, 2024, a Trooper with the Virginia State Police (VSP) pulled over Gregorio Gustavo DeJesus Santos on I-85 in Mecklenburg County. During that traffic stop, a narcotics canine alerted to the odor of narcotics. VSP searched the car and found a hidden compartment under the passenger seat that extended into the back seat area. The compartment was empty. The Trooper released DeJesus Santos.

Shortly after arriving in North Carolina, DeJesus Santos traveled back into Virginia, where law enforcement stopped the vehicle for a traffic infraction and, again, a narcotics canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. While searching the vehicle, law enforcement located two packages in the hidden compartment. One of the packages contained 200 grams of fentanyl and the other contained 293 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin.

DeJesus Santos acknowledged as part of his guilty plea that he obtained and redistributed at least three additional kilograms of fentanyl.

DeJesus Santos had been found in the United States and removed on six previous occasions, beginning in 1996 and most recently on Oct. 18, 2022, after he had been convicted of a felony drug charge in federal court in the Southern District of New York and released from prison.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Col. Matt Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea and Patrick J. McGorman prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-88.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Three Newport News men have been sentenced after they were convicted by a federal jury on charges relating to a series of violent crimes that included five murders and two additional shootings.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least Jan. 16, 2017, through November 2017, Ronzel Monte Dixie, aka Bone or Bizzy, 31; Kwaimain Shy’de Redmon, aka Kwa, 30; and Meko Montez Brown Jr., aka Gangsta or 9-Ball, 26, along with others, carried out at least seven shootings, including five murders, four commercial robberies, three drug robberies, and three car thefts and engaged in two high-speed chases from police. During these robberies, the men were armed with various firearms including a .22 caliber Uzi-style firearm, a 1911 handgun, a Ruger P95 9mm pistol, and a stolen P9 Kahr 9mm pistol. During the course of the conspiracy, the defendants stole at least two cars. Victims included cellphone stores, drug dealers, gas stations/convenience stores, a correctional officer, and others. During most of the robberies, the men brandished and sometimes discharged their firearms.

On Oct. 1, 2017, Dixie, Redmon, and another person robbed a drug dealer during a home invasion of her apartment. The group brandished two firearms and took drugs, currency, and the victim’s Lexus sedan.

On Oct. 12, 2017, Dixie and another person robbed a different drug dealer for bail money to secure a bond for Redmon, who had been arrested on Oct. 11, 2017, while fleeing on foot from the Lexus automobile they had stolen during the robbery on Oct. 1, 2017.

On Oct. 16, 2017, Dixie and Redmon summoned another individual to the Hoss’s Deli in Newport News because they had a problem with someone at the bar. They followed their target, who left Hoss’s Deli on a motorcycle, and Dixie fired a Ruger P95 from the passenger window of their vehicle, resulting in the victim’s death. Dixie executed the victim by firing again as he lay in the roadway. Following the shooting, Dixie and Redmon rummaged through the victim’s pockets and took his wallet.

Later on Oct. 16, 2017, Dixie, Redmon, and the other individual approached the Happy Shopper convenience store in Hampton as it was closing. While demanding money, the third individual shot the store owner in the face. They proceeded to look through the store owner’s van for money and anything of value. During the robbery, Dixie executed a store employee by twice shooting him in the back of the head while he lay face down in the parking lot.

On Nov. 7, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual robbed another drug dealer, taking his P9 Kahr firearm. Approximately an hour later on Nov. 7, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and the other individual robbed an authorized retailer for MetroPCS in Hampton by brandishing the stolen firearm.

On Nov. 8, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual shot and killed a man at 9:20 p.m., and then shot a correctional officer at 9:31 p.m. during an attempted robbery. Dixie boasted that he killed the first man because his nickname was “Wavy 10” and he wanted 10 bodies to his name.

On Nov. 9, 2017, Brown and another individual robbed a Miller Mart convenience store in Chesapeake. Brown brandished the P9 Kahr firearm and stole money from the business.

On Nov. 10, 2017, Dixie, Brown, Redmon, and another individual stole a Cadillac in Newport News. As Brown attempted to drive the Cadillac from the parking lot, he hit another vehicle. When the driver of that vehicle followed the Cadillac, Brown shot and killed him. An hour later, Brown attempted to rob a victim who was just getting home to his apartment. During the robbery, Brown fired the P9 Kahr at the victim, but missed. The gun jammed, however, and the victim returned fire. After Dixie, Brown, Redmon, and the other individual fled the scene, Dixie used the firearm to shoot and kill a homeless person, firing multiple rounds at the victim while exclaiming, “My gun does not jam.”

On Nov. 11, 2017, Dixie, Brown, and another individual robbed another authorized retailer for MetroPCS in Newport News. A family with two young children was present at the time of the robbery. Dixie, Brown, and the other individual brandished the firearm and stole money from the business.

Dixie was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, five counts of interference with commerce by robbery, five counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, five counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of use of a firearm resulting in death. Dixie was sentenced to five consecutive life sentences plus a consecutive 30 years.

Redmon was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, two counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, three counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of use of a firearm resulting in death.  Redmon was sentenced to life in prison plus a consecutive 57 years.

Brown was convicted of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, three counts of interference with commerce by robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and one count of obstruction of justice. Brown was sentenced to life in prison plus a consecutive 54 years.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Michael Feinberg, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. The Newport News Police Department and Hampton Police Division assisted in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Mack Coleman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard J. Zlotnick prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:22-cr-74.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on July 12, 2023, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) observed Torrean Dontae Whitlow, 34, with the extended magazine of a firearm protruding from his waistband. Whitlow was convicted in 2008 for arson of an occupied dwelling and in 2013 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. As a convicted felon, Whitlow cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition. The agents also observed Whitlow conducting suspected narcotics transactions with four people in a ten-minute span in a parking lot in Hampton.

The ATF agents notified officers with the Hampton Police Department, who then also observed Whitlow conduct several suspected narcotic transactions with the extended firearm magazine visible. After Whitlow departed the parking lot in a taxi, officers placed Whitlow under arrest. When the officers searched the taxi, they located a handgun with a 32-round magazine.

Following Whitlow’s arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the vehicle from which Whitlow had been observed conducting narcotics transactions and located, among other things, two scales and plastic baggies containing cocaine and methamphetamine.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Jimmie Wideman, Chief of Hampton Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa R. McKeel and Alyson C. Yates and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcus Johnson and Alyssa Levey-Weinstein prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:23-cr-91.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Chester man was sentenced today to two years in prison for willful failure to account for or pay over employment taxes.

According to court documents, David Neel, 63, was the sole owner and operator of several sleep disorder centers in central Virginia including Siesta Health LLC, Healthy Sleep LLC, and Healthy Sleep Partners, LLC. Neel withheld federal trust fund taxes from his employees' wages, but failed to report those withholdings or pay them over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and instead kept the withheld funds for his own personal use. Trust fund taxes consist of withholdings for federal income taxes, and employee contributions to Medicare and Social Security.

Neel did not file an IRS Form 941 (Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return) in the name of any of his sleep disorder companies from at least the first quarter of 2015 through the last quarter of 2020 and did not make any trust fund tax payments to the IRS. Nonetheless, Neel issued W-2s to his employees indicating that he had withheld a total of at least $311,985 in trust fund taxes for this period. Neel also failed to pay over the employer’s share of Medicare and Social Security contributions for those and other quarters, totaling at least $148,558.

The total amount Neel failed to pay to the IRS was at least $460,543.

During the periods Neel failed to pay the required employee withholdings and matching amounts, he had access to significant company funds, which he used to bankroll his lavish personal expenses, including:

• Monthly rent of $5,000 for a 215-acre horse farm and residence (as well as a prior residence), totaling over $220,000;

• $500 to $1,000 per month for work on his personal residence, totaling approximately $30,000;

• Almost $40,000 paid for life insurance;

• Tuition and related educational expenses for the daughter of Neel’s significant other;

• Purchase of a Ford F600 truck.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore prosecuted the case.

If you suspect a business is not in compliance with taxes owed, you can report online or by mail with IRS Form 3949-A, Information Referral. For more information about how to report tax fraud, please see the IRS’s website here.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-107.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Aug. 12, 2023, Richmond Police officers responded to a 911 call reporting that Trevon Barfield, 28, had a firearm and was pointing it at his former girlfriend at an apartment complex. Barfield had an outstanding arrest warrant at the time.

When officers found Barfield sitting at the top of a stairwell and informed him of the warrant, Barfield reached for an object in his pocket. After a brief struggle, the officers detained Barfield and recovered a loaded handgun from Barfield’s pocket, as well as a small amount of cocaine.

Barfield is a previously convicted felon, with two prior convictions for being a felon in possession of a firearm, and cannot legally possess a firearm or ammunition.

Barfield is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck accepted the plea.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, is prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Wright assisted in the prosecution of this case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:23-cr-160.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fredericksburg man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for his role in a conspiracy to receive and distribute thousands of fentanyl pills.

According to court documents, Khalil Elijah Williams, 25, obtained counterfeit oxycodone pills that contained fentanyl from out-of-state suppliers and redistributed them in Virginia. The pills were imprinted “M30” to appear as legitimate oxycodone, but instead contained fentanyl. Williams then distributed those pills to his co-conspirators, including Alhagi Gassim Conteh, 30, of Alexandria, and others.

Williams obtained the fentanyl from co-conspirators who shipped packages containing thousands of counterfeit pills from Arizona and other states. For example, in August 2024, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) in Phoenix seized a parcel destined to Williams at an apartment in Woodbridge. USPIS inspectors in Arizona obtained and executed a search warrant and seized approximately a kilogram of counterfeit pills from the parcel. USPIS seized another shipment of counterfeit pills shipped from Phoenix that month that contained approximately 1,077.28 grams (gross weight) of fentanyl, or approximately 10,000 counterfeit pills. This shipment was also destined for Williams.

Between March and August 2024, Williams sold counterfeit pills totaling approximately 910.51 net grams to Conteh and others in transactions arranged by law enforcement. For example, on July 1, 2024, Williams sold 2,500 fentanyl pills at a location in Fredericksburg.

Conteh was arrested On April 12, 2024, and pled guilty on July 16, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl. On Oct. 22, 2024, Conteh was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

On Aug. 14, 2024, law enforcement conducted enforcement operations that resulted in the arrest of Williams and the recovery of two handguns and miscellaneous ammunition from his residence.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin S. Starr and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.

Assistance was provided by the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-236.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Centerville woman pled guilty today to wire fraud relating to her embezzlement of $550,000 from her employer.

According to court documents, Paula Sue Leventhal, 64, was the Chief Executive Secretary to the Chief Executive Officer for a farmer-owned cooperative headquartered in Herndon. Leventhal’s duties included arranging travel for cooperative executives. Leventhal used credit cards issued by the cooperative to make travel arrangements, often using travel websites.

On Nov. 30, 2015, Leventhal created a merchant account on Square, a point-of-sale platform that small businesses and other merchants can use to accept credit and debit card payments. Square allows users to change the name of the merchant account that appears to the customer when making a payment.

From December 2015 through July 2022, Leventhal used cooperative-issued credit cards to send money to herself via Square by charging fraudulent transactions. Leventhal disguised the transactions by changing the merchant name associated with her Square account so the charges would appear as cooperative-authorized business expenses in bank statements. Leventhal often changed the merchant name associated with her Square account to mimic travel providers and other seemingly authorized businesses.

After the funds were available in the Square account, Leventhal would transfer the money to her personal bank accounts. From Dec. 14, 2015, until July 6, 2022, Leventhal used her Square account to fraudulently charge cooperative-issued credit cards 506 times for a total of $550,000 and transferred that amount from her Square account to her personal bank accounts in 373 increments.

Leventhal is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28 and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr. accepted the plea.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul III and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Hood are prosecuting the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Finnegan provided substantial assistance to the investigation.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-26.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three Virginia men have been sentenced to prison for distributing copious quantities of fentanyl.

According to court documents, from at least July 2023 through April 2024, Xavier Elijah Coltrane, aka X or Slime, 21, of Arlington; Vaughn Meachem, aka Vaughn Lockhart, 34, of Alexandria; and Cameron Harris, 24, of Gainesville, conspired to distribute fentanyl pills. Over a series of five controlled purchases conducted by the FBI, the conspirators sold approximately 65,000 fentanyl pills and a kilogram of cocaine.

Coltrane was co-owner of Exquisite Luxury Transportation, a car service that Coltrane used to facilitate drug trafficking activity. Coltrane arranged the five drug sales, communicating through Instagram messaging, Telegram, and speaking directly on the phone. In some of the controlled purchases, the purchaser booked a reservation with Exquisite Luxury Transportation and was driven to a delivery location. Once the purchaser arrived at the deal location, Meachem arrived and distributed fentanyl pills. On one occasion, Coltrane distributed the fentanyl pills directly. On another occasion when Coltrane feared the use of cars through Exquisite Luxury Transportation was attracting law enforcement attention, Harris delivered the fentanyl pills in his personal vehicle.

Coltrane, Meachem, and Harris each pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. On Feb. 13, 2025, Coltrane was sentenced to 20 years in prison. On Dec.18, 2024, Harris was sentenced to 13 years in prison. Meachem was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, Virginia State Police, and the Prince William County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation of this case.

This investigation is part of the Washington/Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking (HIDTA) Northern Virginia Gang Initiative, which seeks to identify, disrupt, and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations; reduce drug-related crime and violence; and identify and respond to emerging drug trends.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Alito, Catherine Rosenberg, and Ryan Bredemeier prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-115.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to five years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms.

According to court documents, on Dec. 26, 2023, officers of the Colonial Heights Police Department responded to the residence of Joshua J. Jernigan, 40, for an unrelated matter. After receiving authority from Jernigan to search his residence, the officers observed a loaded pistol magazine in the garage. The officers obtained a warrant to search the residence and recovered 28 firearms and five unregistered silencers.

Jernigan was convicted in 2004 in Chesterfield County of conspiracy/statutory burglary, statutory burglary with intent, and possession of burglarious tools. As a previously convicted felon, Jernigan cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Miller 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.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-104.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national and member of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) was sentenced today to 50 years in prison for conspiracy relating to his participation in the gang’s criminal enterprise, including three murders.

According to court documents, on Aug. 25, 2018, Henry Leonel Barrera Ayala, aka Cusuco, Centinela, and Lil Player, 26, Elmer De Jesus Alas Candray, 27, and other members of MS-13’s Uniones Locos Salvatrucha (ULS) clique met in New Bedford, Massachusetts, to murder an associate of MS-13’s Directos Locos Salvatrucha clique, identified in court records as K.A.C. MS-13 leadership in El Salvador had approved the murder because they believed K.A.C. had betrayed MS-13. That evening, they met K.A.C. at the residence of an MS-13 member in New Bedford. After the group ate dinner together, Barrera Ayala and several co-conspirators beat and strangled K.A.C. to death. The co-conspirators then dismembered K.A.C.’s body, placed his remains in trash bags, and buried the remains in a wooded area near New Bedford.

In June 2019, Barrera Ayala, Alas Candray, and other ULS members conspired to murder individuals who frequently gathered to drink in a wooded area in the clique’s perceived territory in Reston. On June 23, 2019, Barrera Ayala, Alas Candray and other ULS members armed themselves with a 9mm firearm, a .45 caliber firearm, and two machetes and traveled to the Hunters Woods area of Reston. The group murdered an individual, identified as J.L.G.M., shooting him and slashing him with a machete.

On Sept. 17, 2020, Barrera Ayala, Alas Candray, and others devised a plan to lure a young woman, identified as I.J.P.G., to Colts Neck Road in Reston under false pretenses and kill her because they believed she was associated with a rival gang and had disparaged MS-13 on social media. Barrera Ayala exchanged messages with I.J.P.G. via Snapchat, pretending to be a member of MS-13’s rival gang. Barrera Ayala and a co-conspirator later picked up I.J.P.G. from her home and drove her to Colts Neck Road, where Alas Candray and another MS-13 member were waiting for them. The four co-conspirators killed I.J.P.G. by taking turns shooting her, primarily in the face.

In addition to the murders, Barrera Ayala also conspired with his fellow MS-13 members to distribute marijuana and cocaine. On multiple occasions, Barrera Ayala sent drug profits to individuals in other states and in Central American countries via money transfer services to benefit the MS-13 enterprise.

On Sept. 18, 2024, Barrera Ayala pled guilty to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise. A federal jury convicted Alas Candray on Oct. 21, 2024, on charges relating to his participation in the gang’s criminal enterprise, including six murders and additional murder conspiracies. On Jan. 30, Alas Candray was sentenced to six concurrent life sentences.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Blanchard, Megan Braun, and Natasha Smalky 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.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:22-cr-178.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The former Assistant Director of James River Residential Reentry Facility (James River RRC) pled guilty today to taking bribes as a public official.

According to court documents, Marlon R. Jones, Jr., 44, of Portsmouth, had supervisory authority over an inmate, identified as L.C., who was released to home confinement in January 2021. From at least April 2021 through September 2022, Jones had a direct relationship with L.C. that quickly exceeded appropriate boundaries.

In addition to having sexual contact and exchanging sexual messages via telephone and text, L.C. paid Jones on several occasions for assistance with making violations disappear. This was discovered when another supervisor took over James River RRC and found that L.C. had had at least fourteen incidents, only three of which had been properly recorded.

Jones engaged in hundreds of exchanges with L.C., including messages that revealed that Jones both had sexual contact with L.C. and that L.C. paid Jones in exchange for helping L.C. avoid disciplinary consequences for violations.

Jones both received physical currency and electronic transfers from L.C. through his CashApp account. Between Sept. 24, 2021, and March 29, 2022, L.C. paid Jones a total of $650 over five CashApp transactions.

L.C. also referred other individuals to Jones, including his cousin.

Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 7 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Timothy C. Edmiston, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Lawrence R. Leonard accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian J. Samuels and Julie Podlesni prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-3.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Suffolk man was sentenced yesterday to nine years and two months in prison for defrauding investors and employees of his business out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. While on pretrial release and after his bond was revoked, he additionally attempted to defraud the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services out of $1.1 million.

According to court documents, in November 2017, Breon Clemons, 36, worked at a car dealership with P.C., whom he told about his plans to form an organic produce company. Clemons later formed GoGreen Farms and Greenhouses, Inc., GoGreen Farms, Inc., and GoGreen Farms, LLC, (collectively GoGreen Farms), and offered employment to P.C. In February 2020, P.C. began working at GoGreen Farms and Clemons, as the owner of GoGreen Farms, had access to P.C.’s personally identifying information.

Also in 2020, Clemons invited his neighbor, C.F., to invest in GoGreen Farms. After C.F. invested $10,000, Clemons asked C.F. if she would like to be an unpaid officer or director of the business, and C.F. agreed. Clemons told C.F. that he needed a copy of her driver’s license for the articles of incorporation, and C.F. provided it. In November 2021, Clemons told C.F. that the company needed a revolving line of credit and asked if she would be a co-applicant. During discussions about the line of credit, Clemons asked C.F. for her Social Security number, and she provided it to him. Clemons later told C.F. that she would not need to co-sign for a line of credit because, he claimed, he would receive a loan from a professional basketball player.

In March 2022, C.F. received a call from Capital One regarding late payments. Upon further inquiry, C.F. discovered that the card in question was a joint account with GoGreen Farms. C.F. conferred with an acquaintance at GoGreen Farms, who indicated that GoGreen Farms also utilized an American Express card and a line of credit with lender TVT Capital that were in C.F.’s name.

The loan application submitted to TVT Capital falsely showed Clemons and C.F. as each owning 50% of GoGreen Farms, and a Virginia State Corporation Commission document was provided to TVT Capital as part of the loan application. The document, titled “Certificate of Entity Conversion,” contained a signature page dated July 6, 2021, with C.F. and Clemons’ purported signatures, when C.F. had not signed the document

The TVT Capital loan amount was $100,000, with interest of $46,000, resulting in a total repayment amount of $146,000. When C.F. confronted Clemons, he denied taking out lines of credit in her name.  He also removed Capital One and American Express cards from his pocket and gave them to C.F. The balance on each card was over $100,000.

P.C. later discovered that in November 2021, Clemons took out a $25,000 line of credit with Bluevine Inc. using P.C.’s personal information and without P.C.’s consent. Clemons further forged P.C.’s signature on a financing and security agreement, and guaranty agreement. Bluevine Inc. advanced approximately $30,390 to Clemons on the line of credit.

While on pretrial release, Clemons continued committing fraud. He defrauded two individual investors, H.H. and J.B., taking $5,000 from each victim by promising to pay inordinate returns in one week. Clemons also applied for a $1.1 million Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Clemons submitted a grant application with false representations from prison with the assistance of a family member.

The total loss from Clemons’ fraud was approximately $1.5 million. The total amount of laundered funds was $218,442. Neither P.C. nor C.F. consented to or authorized the use of their personal identifying information being used for these credit cards and lines or credit.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mack Coleman and Brian J. Samuels prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-2.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Salvadoran national pled guilty today to unlawful possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on July 13, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report of a man brandishing a handgun at the Harmony Trailer Park. There, officers located Adalberto Rivas Machado, 20, who matched the description of the subject.

When a uniformed officer exited his marked vehicle, Rivas Machado fled on foot but was detained after a short chase. During a subsequent pat-down, officers located the handgun in Rivas Machado’s sweatpants above his left ankle. The firearm was loaded with 9mm hollow point ammunition.

Rivas Machado was prohibited from possessing a firearm under federal law. Rivas Machado had illegally entered the United States and did not have any legal status in the country. An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) revealed that he entered the United States without authorization as a juvenile in 2018 and an immigration judge ordered in 2019 that he be removed to El Salvador. Additionally, Rivas Machado could not possess a firearm because he was addicted to and an unlawful user of drugs. Rivas Machado admitted that he was addicted to fentanyl at the time he possessed the firearm. FCPD officers recovered fentanyl from him when he was arrested.

Rivas Machado is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Kevin Davis, Fairfax County Chief of Police made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum is 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 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.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-221.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced today to two years in prison for illegally reentering the United States and failing to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, Eliseo Garcia Gordillo, aka Julio Antonio Caceres Morales and Julio Caceres-Antonio, 43, has been removed three times previously for illegally entering or reentering the United States. On June 17, 2019, Garcia Gordillo was convicted in Prince William County of two counts of aggravated sexual battery of a victim under the age of 13. Garcia Gordillo was required to register as a sex offender on a quarterly basis for the rest of his life and to keep his registration current.

After his most recent reentry into the United States, Garcia Gordillo was arrested in Prince William County. Garcia Gordillo failed to keep his registration as a sex offender current.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C.; and Shannon Saylor, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lyndi E. McVey, Katherine Legel-Kasper, and Noah Sissoko prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-244.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Hampton man today on charges of conspiracy, mail theft, and illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on July 22, 2024, Jamal Ashton Shields, 33, drove to a postal collection box at the Patrick Henry Post Office in Newport News along with Sampson G. Jumbo, 28, of the Bronx, New York, and another co-conspirator. Because the collection box had been broken into on multiple recent occasions, law enforcement was surveilling it. Jumbo and the other co-conspirator exited the vehicle and approached the collection box, then used an arrow key to open the collection box and remove mail. An arrow key is used to access collection boxes, outdoor parcel lockers, and apartment mailbox panels in a specific area.

After witnessing Jumbo and the co-conspirators take mail from the box, law enforcement moved in to apprehend them, and the three men fled. Shields, who fled in the vehicle, was eventually pulled over and taken into custody after a high-speed chase. When officers approached the vehicle, Shields informed them that he had a firearm in the vehicle. An investigation revealed that Shields had received the firearm while under felony indictment for rape and forcible sodomy in Hampton.

Jumbo, who fled on foot along with the co-conspirator, was apprehended 50 yards from the collection box. Jumbo had a black backpack with approximately 35 pieces of stolen mail.

The other co-conspirator discarded his jacket and then carjacked a vehicle. The discarded jacket was recovered and contained the arrow key.

The conspirators stole at least 82 pieces of outgoing mail, at least ten of which included checks.

On Nov. 15, 2024, Jumbo pled guilty to mail theft. Jumbo is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21 and faces up to five years in prison.

Shields faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on June 13. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen accepted the verdict. The Virginia State Police and Newport News Police Department assisted in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Therese O'Brien and Mack Coleman are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-49.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Dumfries man pled guilty today to wire fraud in connection with his fraudulent application for and receipt of funds through a COVID-19 relief program.

According to court documents, in 2021, Kingsley Apenteng, 40, was the registered owner of Pioneers Real Estate LLC (Pioneers). From at least 2017 through 2021, Pioneers had no employees, transacted no business, and was completely inactive.

In March 2021, Apenteng completed and signed a loan application seeking $149,740.00 for Pioneers through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a COVID-19 relief program intended to provide loans to certain businesses to help them retain their employees or stay afloat during the pandemic. Apenteng falsely claimed on the application that, during all of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020, Pioneers had nine employees and paid them, on average, a combined payroll of $59,896 per month. Apenteng falsely certified on the application that the PPP loan funds he was requesting would be used to pay the wages of those employees.

Apenteng prepared fraudulent tax return forms to support the PPP application. Apenteng filled out five IRS Forms 941 for Pioneers, one for each quarter of 2019 and the first quarter of 2020. To make these forms appear legitimate, Apenteng falsely claimed that they had been prepared by a professional tax preparer. Apenteng wrote the name of a real tax preparer, forged that person’s digital signature, and entered that person’s business information.

Apenteng also fraudulently altered a bank account statement. After downloading a PDF of a monthly statement for Pioneers’ bank account, Apenteng used a computer program to alter the date and transaction information on the statement to make it appear that Pioneers paid payroll to employees during the first quarter of 2020.

On or around March 10, 2021, Apenteng caused the fraudulent PPP loan application, tax forms, and bank statement to be electronically submitted to a lender and to the Small Business Administration (SBA). Based on the false claims in those fraudulent documents, Apenteng’s PPP loan application was approved and Apenteng received PPP loan funds in the amount of $149,740.00 on April 28, 2021.

On Nov. 2, 2021, Apenteng submitted a loan forgiveness application to the SBA for the Pioneers PPP loan. Apenteng again falsely claimed that Pioneers had nine employees and claimed that he spent all the PPP loan funds on their wages. On Nov. 9, 2021, the SBA approved Apenteng’s loan forgiveness application and reimbursed the lender for the full amount of the loan. Apenteng never repaid any portion of the PPP loan.

Apenteng is scheduled to be sentenced on May 6 and faces up to 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sean Ryan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-21.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Stafford man today on charges relating to his assault of a fellow passenger on a flight from San Francisco to Dulles International Airport in Virginia.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 28, 2024, Everett Chad Nelson, 44, was a passenger on United Airlines flight 2247. Without provocation, Nelson approached a sleeping, deaf passenger over twenty rows ahead of his seat, entered the passenger’s row, and began brutally punching the passenger in the face. Nelson punched the victim repeatedly and rapidly, using both hands, and landing forceful, violent blows on the victim’s cheeks, nose, and forehead.  Nelson caused serious bodily injury to the victim, breaking his nose and leaving the victim with injuries that have required months of medical treatment.

Another passenger, sitting a few rows ahead, heard the commotion, saw the altercation, ran towards the assault and restrained Nelson. The flight crew relocated Nelson and secured him for the remainder of the flight. Nelson was arrested by the FBI upon the flight’s arrival at Dulles.

Nelson faces up to 10 years in prison, and sentencing will be set for a later date. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Sanjay Virmani, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel K. Amzallag and Heather D. Call are prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-251.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man today on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 12, 2022, investigators with the Richmond Police (RPD) Youth and Family Crimes Unit were conducting an investigation at 3443 Walmsley Ave. During that investigation, investigators learned that Randel Douglas Hoggard, 39, and his significant other, K.B. had outstanding arrest warrants and requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshals to complete the arrest at the couple’s Richmond apartment.

Marshals arrested Hoggard and RPD procured a search warrant for items relevant to the investigation at the apartment. During the search, investigators observed multiple firearms and indicia of narcotics trafficking in the residence. Investigators obtained and executed a second search warrant and recovered four firearms, ammunition, digital scales, and other drug paraphernalia. Hoggard was a convicted felon at the time and could not legally possess firearms or ammunition.

On Jan. 16, 2024, the Chesterfield County Police Department Homicide Unit, assisted by RPD, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Virginia State Police, executed a search warrant at another apartment at 3447 Walmsley Ave. Hoggard was present during the execution of the search warrant. Investigators located a loaded .40 caliber handgun hidden within the void of his closet door. Investigators also located .40 caliber ammunition in the defendant’s bedroom and suspected drugs. Hoggard was arrested on and has been in custody since Jan. 16, 2024.

Hoggard faces a up to 10 years in prison for the 2022 charge and up to 15 years in prison for the 2024 charge when sentenced on June 3. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police; and Col. Edward F. Carpenter Jr., Chief of Chesterfield County Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Roderick C. Young accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Janet Jin Ah Lee is prosecuting the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-66.

RICHMOND, Va. – A North Carolina man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute parafluorofentanyl and fentanyl.

According to court documents, on the evening of September 17, 2023, Jaron James Starkey, 35, of Charlotte, and formerly of New Castle County, Delaware, was driving erratically southbound on I-95 in Caroline County. Other drivers traveling on I-95 called 911 to report the erratic driving. Virginia State Police (VSP) responded to the area and upon arrival observed that Starkey had crashed his Jeep. Starkey, who was alone in the car, was speaking incoherently and his eyes were bloodshot. He was transported to the Mary Washington Hospital emergency room.

Upon approaching the vehicle, the responding VSP officers also observed thousands of glassine baggies, each of which appeared to contain a white powder, scattered throughout Starkey’s car. A total of 4,497 blue glassine baggies collected contained Parafluorofentanyl, with a net weight of over 122 grams. Also in the vehicle were 120 white glassine baggies containing fentanyl.

Starkey has 21 prior convictions as an adult, including two previous drug trafficking convictions, convictions for possessing firearms as a convicted felon, and conspiracy to commit burglary, among others.   

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Lt. Colonel Matt Hanley, Virginia State Police Interim Superintendent; and Brian Layton, Chief of Fredericksburg Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. The Fredericksburg Regional Narcotics Task Force assisted in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Mastandrea prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-58.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Maryland man today of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, over 40 grams of fentanyl, and a detectable amount of p-fluorofentanyl.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least July 1, 2022, through June 8, 2023, Sean Shaka Myles Sr., 50, of Baltimore, supplied Omar Jermel Dixon, 48, of Fredericksburg, with cocaine, fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl, which Dixon then supplied to a number of individuals for redistribution in and around Fredericksburg.

Myles faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on June 18. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; and Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict. The Fredericksburg Regional Narcotics Task Force assisted in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia L. Norman and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office are prosecuting 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.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-95.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – Hezekiah Carney, 26, of Norfolk, and Jayquan Jones, 22, of Richmond, were each sentenced today to 38 years in prison for federal charges relating to the kidnapping and murder of a fellow Almighty Black P. Stone gang member. A total of four defendants have now been sentenced as part of the case.

“This act of wanton violence exemplifies the senseless brutality we associate with organized gangs and emphasizes the importance of eradicating them from our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The investigation and prosecution that brought these defendants to justice were successful because of the vital partnerships built with our law enforcement partners working together toward our common goal of public safety.”

“The defendants assaulted and kidnapped a 25-year-old mother of two, drove her to a remote location, and murdered her by shooting her eight times,” said Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Cold-blooded, senseless gang violence like this affects entire communities. Today’s sentencings underscore that protecting our communities from violent criminals is a top Department priority. I applaud the tremendous work of all our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, who made securing these significant sentences possible.”

“When gang members resort to kidnapping and murder, they leave behind shattered lives and communities in fear,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “This sentencing should send a message that the FBI and our law enforcement partners are committed to holding dangerous criminals accountable, protecting innocent lives and ensuring our neighborhoods are safe from violence.”

“Today’s sentencing marks another significant step towards justice for the victim, her family and the community. While no sentence can ever undo the pain caused by this tragic crime, we hope this outcome brings forth an amount of closure” said Special Agent in Charge Anthony Spotswood of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division. “The ATF remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners as we protect our community and ensure those that commit violent crimes are held accountable for their actions.”

According to court documents, in the early morning hours of May 6, 2023, Carney, along with co-defendants Jamica Langley, 25, of Richmond; Donnisha Goodman, 27, of Portsmouth; and Acacia Jackson, 20, of New York, traveled to the victim’s residence in Richmond to beat her for a perceived gang infraction.

The group left the apartment after beating the victim. About an hour later, Goodman, Jackson, Carney, and Langley returned to the victim’s apartment with fellow gang member Jones. Some of them were armed and wearing masks.

The defendants forced the victim into a Hyundai Sonata and drove her approximately an hour east of Richmond to a remote area in York County. After forcing the victim from the vehicle, Jones and Goodman executed her by shooting her at least eight times to the head, abdomen, back, buttocks, and legs.

Upon returning to Portsmouth after the murder, Carney, the leader of the gang, directed Goodman, Jackson, and Langley to burn their clothing, stay together, and not to speak with law enforcement.

The day after the murder, on May 7, 2023, the Norfolk Police Department located the Sonata with Jackson, Goodman, and Langley in the car. From the car, police recovered a 9mm cartridge that displayed the same markings as casings found at the murder scene.

On Aug. 29, 2024, Carney, Goodman, and Jones pled guilty to using a firearm causing death, and Langley and Jackson pled guilty to conspiring to commit kidnapping. On Jan. 7, Goodman was sentenced to 35 years in prison and Langley was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 13.

The FBI, ATF, and state and local law enforcement partners investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa McKeel and Mack Coleman for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alyssa Levey-Weinstein of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:24-cr-1.