Eastern District of Virginia

Douglas Wayne Cornett of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, was sentenced to life in prison in federal court yesterday after he pleaded guilty to two federal hate crime charges, each involving an attempt to kill, and to discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.

“No one in this country should be hunted down and shot at because of who they are or where they come from,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting communities from hate-fueled violence and to hold accountable those who attack others based on prejudice.”

“As our nation recovers from recent political violence, today’s verdict is a welcome reminder that terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who choose brutality and aggression over civility and reason.”

According to court documents, on the evening of Feb. 28, 2024, Cornett followed a box truck driven by a victim with the initials O.G., an adult Latino male, into the Sheetz gas station along Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Cornett then asked a victim with the initials J.M., an adult Latino male and a friend of O.G., how long O.G. had been present in the United States. Upon learning that O.G. had arrived within the last two years, Cornett drew a handgun and fired six rounds, striking O.G. three times and J.M. once. Cornett later confessed to a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to shooting the victims because of his perception of their national origin.

The Richmond Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Ruther Glen man was sentenced to life in prison in federal court yesterday after pleading guilty to two federal hate crime charges, each involving an attempt to kill, and to discharging a firearm during a federal crime of violence.

“As our nation recovers from recent political violence, today’s verdict is a welcome reminder that terror motivated by hate will not be tolerated,” said Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and vigorously prosecute those who choose brutality and aggression over civility and reason.”

“No one in this country should be hunted down and shot at because of who they are or where they come from,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting communities from hate-fueled violence and to hold accountable those who attack others based on prejudice.”

Douglas Wayne Cornett followed a box truck driven by a victim with the initials O.G., an adult Latino male, into the Sheetz gas station along Interstate 95 in Spotsylvania County. Cornett then asked a victim with the initials J.M., an adult Latino male and a friend of O.G., how long O.G. had been present in the United States. Upon learning that O.G. had arrived within the last two years, Cornett drew a handgun and fired six rounds, striking O.G. three times and J.M. once. Cornett later confessed to a Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Deputy to shooting the victims because of his perception of their national origin.

The Richmond Field Office of the FBI investigated the case with substantial assistance from the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Garnett for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal 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. 3:25-cr-91.

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Richmond man today on charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 9, 2024, law enforcement was attempting to locate an individual who was wanted in Chesterfield County. When officers located the individual in Gilpin Court in Richmond, the individual was accompanied by Montrio Santos Neville, 40. When the pair was detained, an officer searched Neville and recovered a firearm, 6.8750 grams of methamphetamine powder, and numerous tablets containing methamphetamine.

As a previously convicted felon, Neville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Neville faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on April 8, 2026. 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.

Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge David J. Novak accepted the verdict.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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-183.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Woodbridge man today on charges of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the administration of internal revenue laws and failing to file income tax returns.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Omini Tete Riman, 60, earned income as an information technology specialist and landlord. Riman filed false Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Forms 1040 for tax years 2013 and 2014, resulting in tax refunds of $213,577 for 2013 and $186,468 for 2014, to which he was not entitled. Riman then corruptly attempted to impede efforts by the IRS to recoup the money from those refunds.

In 2016, after notifying Riman about his outstanding tax liabilities, the IRS attempted to recover the funds from him. However, Riman took numerous steps to frustrate the IRS’s collection efforts. For example, he transferred his property to a trust to hide it from the IRS; opened bank accounts in the trust’s name and directed that his income be deposited into that bank account; directed his tenant to ignore IRS notices about him and claimed that they were a “scam;” and submitted false documents to the IRS claiming that the IRS collections officer handling his case had personally received over $600,000 from Riman, which, if accepted by the IRS, would have jeopardized the IRS officer’s job and increased his personal tax liability.

As Riman was attempting to impede IRS collection efforts, he stopped filing tax returns, failing to file returns for tax years 2018 through 2023, despite earning wage and rental income of over $854,000 during that period.

Riman faces up to nine years in prison when sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026. 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.

Lindsey Halligan, 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 Andrew McKay, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey for the Eastern District of Virginia and Justice Department Trial Attorneys Daniel Lipkowitz and Zachary Cobb 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-cr-99.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Farmville man was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, Oxycodone, and marijuana.

According to court documents, on Feb. 7, 2024, law enforcement observed Tyrone Lamont Fowlkes, 42, in an idling pickup truck in a parking lot in Nottoway County. When a deputy approached the vehicle and tapped on the window, Fowlkes fled at high speed and the deputy pursued. Fowlkes eventually crashed into a tree, totaling the vehicle and causing serious injuries to himself.

From the truck, law enforcement recovered three firearms, three digital scales, $948.84, 198 grams of cocaine, four methamphetamine pills, 60 Oxycodone pills, and 455 grams of marijuana. One of the firearms had been stolen.

On Aug. 9, 2024, with several arrest warrants arising from the Feb. 7, 2024, incident still outstanding, law enforcement observed Fowlkes driving an SUV in Nottoway County. During a traffic stop, a police K9 alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found three firearms, a large-capacity magazine, two digital scales, $1,260, 117 grams of cocaine, 20 grams of methamphetamine, 24 Oxycodone pills, and 321 grams of marijuana.

Fowlkes was found guilty in 2008 and again in 2011 of distributing cocaine and in 2021 of possessing with intent to distribute marijuana for a 2019 incident during which he possessed a firearm. As a convicted felon, Fowlkes cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Lindsey Halligan, 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 John A. Gibney Jr. The Nottoway County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of this case.

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

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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. 3:25-cr-25.

WASHINGTON — A Pakistani national was sentenced on Oct. 16 to 40 years in prison for charges relating to his transportation of Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry.

On June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted Muhammad Pahlawan of conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, providing material support and resources to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons of mass destruction program, conspiring to and indeed transporting explosive devices to the Houthis knowing those explosives would be used to cause harm and threatening his crew.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on the night of Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. The U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan.

During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team located and seized Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry, including ballistic missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces during the time of the charged conspiracy against merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. During the interdiction, Pahlawan lied to the boarding team, instructed other crewmembers to lie, and eventually threatened the lives of the crewmembers and their families. Two Navy SEALs — Christopher Chambers and Nathan Gage Ingram — lost their lives during the interdiction.

Pahlawan’s January 2024 trip was part of a larger operation. From in or around August 2023 through in or around January 2024, Pahlawan worked with two Iranian brothers, Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab), and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunus), affiliated with  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle materials from Iran to other recipients including the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. Pahlawan completed multiple smuggling voyages, coordinated and funded by Shahab and Yunus, by traveling with cargo from Iran to the coast of Somalia and transporting that cargo to another vessel for a nighttime ship-to-ship transfer. Pahlawan worked with Shahab and Yunus to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, received specific coordinates from them for the ship-to-ship transfers, and received multiple payments from them for his role in the smuggling operation.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Eisenberg; U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy A. Edwards and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Joseph N. Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case. Former Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor Danya Atiyeh supported the case.

A Pakistani national was sentenced on Oct. 16 to 40 years in prison for charges relating to his transportation of Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry.

On June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted Muhammad Pahlawan of conspiring to provide material support and resources to terrorists, providing material support and resources to Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, providing material support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons of mass destruction program, conspiring to and indeed transporting explosive devices to the Houthis knowing those explosives would be used to cause harm and threatening his crew.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on the night of Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Central Command Navy forces operating from the USS LEWIS B. PULLER, including Navy SEALs and members of the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team East, boarded an unflagged dhow, a small vessel, in the Arabian Sea off the coast of Somalia. The U.S. boarding team encountered 14 individual mariners on the vessel, including Pahlawan.

During a search of the dhow, the U.S. boarding team located and seized Iranian-made advanced conventional weaponry, including ballistic missile components, anti-ship cruise missile components, and a warhead. The type of weaponry found aboard the dhow is consistent with the weaponry used by the Houthi rebel forces during the time of the charged conspiracy against merchant ships and U.S. military ships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel. During the interdiction, Pahlawan lied to the boarding team, instructed other crewmembers to lie, and eventually threatened the lives of the crewmembers and their families. Two Navy SEALs — Christopher Chambers and Nathan Gage Ingram — lost their lives during the interdiction.

Pahlawan’s January 2024 trip was part of a larger operation. From in or around August 2023 through in or around January 2024, Pahlawan worked with two Iranian brothers, Shahab Mir’kazei (Shahab), and Yunus Mir’kazei (Yunus), affiliated with  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to smuggle materials from Iran to other recipients including the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. Pahlawan completed multiple smuggling voyages, coordinated and funded by Shahab and Yunus, by traveling with cargo from Iran to the coast of Somalia and transporting that cargo to another vessel for a nighttime ship-to-ship transfer. Pahlawan worked with Shahab and Yunus to prepare the dhow for multiple smuggling voyages, received specific coordinates from them for the ship-to-ship transfers, and received multiple payments from them for his role in the smuggling operation.

Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John Eisenberg; U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Donald M. Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division; and Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy A. Edwards and Assistant U.S. Attorney Gavin R. Tisdale for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Joseph N. Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section prosecuted the case. Former Eastern District of Virginia prosecutor Danya Atiyeh supported the case. 

Ashley Tellis, 64, a U.S. citizen residing in Vienna, Virginia, was arrested on Oct. 11 in connection with his alleged unlawful retention of classified national defense information. Tellis appeared today in the Eastern District of Virginia for a detention hearing.

“Safeguarding our country’s national defense information is a top priority,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Sue J. Bai of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “For those entrusted with our country’s most sensitive information, protecting it is a privilege and solemn responsibility. With the hard work and dedication of our prosecutors and agents, we will hold this defendant accountable for breaching that trust and exploiting his security clearance to unlawfully retain classified information detailing our military capabilities.”

“The FBI arrested Ashley Tellis, a senior advisor at the Department of State and a contractor within the Department of Defense, for allegedly removing over a thousand pages of classified national defense information from government facilities and storing them in his home,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This arrest should serve as a stark warning to anyone thinking about undermining national security. The FBI and our partners will do everything within our power to find you and hold you accountable.”

“We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan for the Eastern District of Virginia. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

“U.S. government security clearance holders are entrusted to keep our nation’s most sensitive secrets safe,” said Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the FBI Washington Field Office. “By allegedly removing classified documents from government facilities and storing them in his basement, Mr. Tellis betrayed that trust. The FBI and our federal partners acted quickly to execute a court-authorized search warrant and arrest Tellis to protect our national security and prevent highly classified defense information from falling into the wrong hands.”

According to court documents, Tellis held a Top Secret security clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) access. He has worked for the U.S. Department of State since 2001 and currently serves in addition as a contractor for the Department of Defense’s Office of Net Assessment. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

As alleged, Tellis accessed classified documents on multiple occasions from secured facilities, including a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) at the Department of Defense and a secure computer system at the Department of State. In one instance, Tellis altered the filename of a classified document, printed portions of it under the altered title, and then deleted the re-named file. In another incident, he was observed placing classified materials into a notepad and concealing them within his personal briefcase before leaving a secured government facility.

During a court-authorized search of Tellis’s residence, investigators recovered over 1,000 pages of documents with classification markings, including materials labeled SECRET and/or TOP SECRET. These documents were found in locked filing cabinets, in a basement home office, and in trash bags stored in a basement utility area.

The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations and the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Schlessinger for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Leslie Esbrook 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.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that Ashley Tellis, 64, of Vienna, VA, was arrested over the weekend and charged by criminal complaint with the unlawful retention of national defense information, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 793(e).

“We are fully focused on protecting the American people from all threats, foreign and domestic. The charges as alleged in this case represent a grave risk to the safety and security of our citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

If convicted, Tellis is subject to a maximum of ten years’ imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, a $100 special assessment and forfeiture. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging New York State Attorney General Letitia James with Bank Fraud under 18 U.S.C. Section 1344 and False Statements to a Financial Institution under 18 U.S.C. Section 1014.

“No one is above the law. The charges as alleged in this case represent intentional, criminal acts and tremendous breaches of the public’s trust,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The facts and the law in this case are clear, and we will continue following them to ensure that justice is served.”

If convicted, Letitia James faces penalties including up to 30 years in prison per count, up to a $1 million fine on each count, and forfeiture. 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.

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

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three local businessmen have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), a pandemic program that provided low-interest financing to small businesses to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) administered the PPP program and was authorized to provide loans of up to $10 million to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the pandemic. Loan amounts were determined by the number of employees certified by the applicant.

According to court documents, Raymond Rahbar, 44, of Great Falls; Ryan Macaulay, 36, of Gambrills, Maryland; and Carl Pierre, 37, of Alexandria, co-founded BYNDfit, a fitness center planned in Washington that never opened to the public. Between April 2020 and June 2021, Rahbar, Macaulay, and Pierre submitted PPP loan applications in which they inflated the number of BYNDfit employees to increase their purported payroll costs and obtain more money. The conspirators submitted purported payroll summaries that listed people who did not work for BYNDfit, including local students whose only interaction with BYNDfit was providing their name and personal identifying information to BYNDfit at a career fair. In support of the applications, the conspirators also submitted fabricated tax forms.

Using the same type of misrepresentations about the number of employees, Rahbar obtained four additional PPP loans on behalf of two construction companies he controlled: AMC Building Group and American Majestic Construction. In total, Rahbar fraudulently obtained at least $3.1 million in PPP loans, and attempted to obtain over $4 million in PPP loans.

On April 10, Rahbar pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced yesterday to four years and six months in prison.

On April 15, Macaulay pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and unlawful monetary transactions. He was sentenced yesterday to two years in prison.

On Sept. 4, 2024, Pierre pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud. On May 30, he was sentenced to one day in prison.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and Avi Panth and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hood prosecuted the case.

Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.

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-180.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Virginia Beach man was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court documents, Justin Whichard, 24, extorted two minor victims by chatting online with them, fostering a romantic and sexual dynamic, and threatening to reveal their identities to their families unless they produced CSAM for him. Whichard then used that CSAM to attempt to extort an adult by pretending to be the minors, sending images of the minors to the adult, and threatening to reveal the adult’s identity and engagement with minors unless he transferred money to Whichard.

While investigating Whichard for ordering a machinegun conversion device online, law enforcement searched Whichard’s residence on July 26, 2023. Whichard possessed 131 images and 15 videos of CSAM, including infants and toddlers. Whichard’s phone also contained 106 images of animated child exploitive material, as well as a script that specifically requested the production of CSAM.

While on bond on state charges, Whichard fled for several months across numerous states. Law enforcement apprehended Whichard in Tennessee in March 2024. Whichard pled guilty on Nov. 5, 2024.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge prosecuted the case.

Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher Heck, 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 Arenda Wright Allen.

The Virginia Beach Police Department and the Virginia Beach Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office provided invaluable assistance in the investigation.

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-76.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today that a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging former FBI Director James Comey with making a false statement and obstruction relating to his oral testimony before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on Sept. 30, 2020.

“The charges as alleged in this case represent a breach of the public trust at an extraordinary level,” said U.S. Attorney Halligan. “The balance of power is a bedrock principle of our democracy, and it relies upon accountability and a forthright presentation of facts from executive leadership to congressional oversight. Any intent to avoid, evade, prevent, or obstruct compliance is a violation of professional responsibility and, most importantly, the law.”

If convicted, Comey faces up to five 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.

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-272.

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

NORFOLK, Va. – A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier pled guilty yesterday to delay or destruction of mail.

On May 2, a witness observed Jerold Brent Mayers, 34, remove mail from his truck and discard it into a dumpster at an apartment complex in Virginia Beach. The witness reported the incident to the post office. Later that day, investigators recovered the discarded mail, which included checks, billing and bank statements, Department of Motor Vehicles correspondence, and medical mailings among other items.  The mail was returned to the post office and placed back into the mail stream.

Mayers is scheduled to be sentenced on March 6, 2026, and faces up to five 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.

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

Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kathleen Woodson, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid Atlantic Area Field Office for the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, made the announcement after U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert J. Krask accepted the plea.

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-82.

A district court judge yesterday convicted a previously convicted sex offender of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on supervised release.

“This defendant continued to sexually exploit children online while on court-ordered supervision, following an earlier conviction for similar conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts and enduring dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, this defendant has been held accountable for his continued exploitation of children and now faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence.”

“Following his previous conviction for child sexual abuse material, Antonio Gonzalez knew what he was doing was illegal and knew the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of embracing a respect for the law and the vulnerable lives it protects, Gonzalez returned to his previous crimes with no regards for those harmed by sexual exploitation. We will tirelessly prosecute anyone engaging in these detestable crimes, and we will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to reform.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in April 2024, law enforcement began an investigation into a user who was reported to be distributing CSAM on Kik, a mobile-based messaging platform. Further investigation revealed that the user was Antonio Rudy Gonzalez, 41, of Alexandria, who sent dozens of images of children, including toddler-aged children, engaged in sexually explicit conduct to multiple other Kik users. His chat records revealed that he had written to another Kik user “[m]y two favorite things are rape and kids.” In 2013, Mr. Gonzalez had previously been convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of distribution of child pornography.

Following a bench trial, Gonzalez was convicted on two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography for his 2024 conduct. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2026. Due to his prior conviction, Gonzalez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe for the Eastern District of  Virginia are prosecuting the case.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated the case.

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

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 16 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute para-fluorofentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, in March and April 2024, narcotics investigators conducted three controlled transactions with Winston Jerome Perry, aka Chuck, 42. Investigators then conducted a search of Perry, his vehicle, and a residence associated with Perry. Perry was in possession of several small baggies of fentanyl and cocaine and investigators recovered a handgun from the vehicle. Inside the residence investigators recovered four handguns, digital scales, packaging materials, a suspected ledger, and narcotics including: 42.06 grams of cocaine base; 34.56 grams of cocaine hydrochloride; 69.1 grams of fentanyl; 242.42 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl; 255.31 grams of a mixture of heroin, para-fluorofentanyl, cocaine, and fentanyl; 554.86 grams of a mixture of para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl; 64.55 grams of a mixture containing para-fluorofentanyl, heroin, cocaine, fentanyl, and ketamine; and 197.11 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride.

Perry was convicted previously for eluding a police officer, reckless driving, driving without a license, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine base, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. As a previously convicted felon, Perry cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C.; Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police; and Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.

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 Anthony Marek 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-139.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Honduran national was sentenced on Sept. 16 to four years in prison for conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

According to court documents, Erlis Antonio Leon Castellanos was an important part of an international drug trafficking organization based in Honduras known as “Los Valles” (Valle DTO). The Valle DTO moved multi-metric-ton loads of cocaine from Honduras to Guatemala, before it was moved to Mexico and ultimately the United States. The Valle DTO used helicopters and commercial trucks to transport cocaine from Honduras to Guatemala, where the cocaine was transferred to co-conspirators associated with Mexican drug trafficking organizations that smuggled the cocaine into the United States for redistribution. Some members of the Valle DTO imported smaller quantities of cocaine from Honduras directly into the United States using human couriers, who would travel on commercial airlines.

Leon Castellanos owned property near the Honduras-Guatemala border. The Valle DTO sent cocaine loads to Leon Castellanos at his property, where Leon Castellanos stored them before he and other DTO members smuggled the cocaine into Guatemala on its way to the United States. Leon Castellanos began by accepting cocaine loads of approximately 15 to 20 kilograms and eventually accepting loads of hundreds of kilograms at a time. Leon Castellanos also delivered cocaine to another DTO member who was responsible for coordinating the northward travel of the drugs. Between 2011 and 2014, Leon Castellanos personally transported cocaine over the border. He is the final defendant of 15 indicted in the case to be captured and sentenced.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Siddhartha Patel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Sacramento Field Office; and Christopher C. Goumenis, 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. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and March extradition of Leon Castellanos.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and March extradition of Leon Castellanos.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr and Philip Alito prosecuted the case.

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

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. 1:14-cr-135.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A district court judge yesterday convicted a prior sex offender of distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) while on supervised release.

“Following his previous conviction for child sexual abuse material, Antonio Gonzalez knew what he was doing was illegal and knew the consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Instead of embracing a respect for the law and the vulnerable lives it protects, Gonzalez returned to his previous crimes with no regard for those harmed by sexual exploitation. We will tirelessly prosecute anyone engaging in these detestable crimes, and we will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to reform.”

“This defendant continued to sexually exploit children online while on court-ordered supervision, following an earlier conviction for similar conduct,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Thanks to the tireless efforts and enduring dedication of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, this defendant has been held accountable for his continued exploitation of children and now faces a fifteen-year mandatory minimum sentence.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in April 2024, law enforcement began investigating Antonio Rudy Gonzalez, 41, for distributing CSAM on Kik, a mobile-based messaging platform. Gonzalez sent images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct to multiple other Kik users. In 2013, Gonzalez was convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of distribution of child pornography.

Gonzales is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of fifteen years and up to 40 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.

U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema delivered the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe and Trial Attorney Nadia Prinz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the 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. 1:25-cr-213.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The Chief Executive Officer of a multi-level marketing and bitcoin trading firm pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud and money laundering for operating a Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 90,000 investors worldwide.

According to court documents, Ramil Ventura Palafox, 60, a dual citizen of the United States and the Philippines, owned and operated Praetorian Group International (PGI) and served as PGI’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and chief promoter. Palafox falsely claimed that PGI was engaged in bitcoin trading, and he promised daily returns of 0.5 to 3%. PGI was not trading bitcoin at a scale capable of making the promised returns, however, and Palafox was paying the investors back with their own money or with funds received from other investors.

From December 2019 to October 2021, at least 90,000 investors worldwide invested more than $201,000,000 in PGI, including at least $30,295,289 in fiat currency and at least 8,198 bitcoin worth $171,498,528. As a result of Palafox’s actions, investors suffered losses totaling at least $62,692,007.

Palafox created a PGI website for investors to review their purported investment performance. From 2020 through 2021, Palafox caused the online portal to consistently and fraudulently misrepresent that victims’ investments were gaining value, misleading them to believe that their investments were profitable and secure.

Palafox spent money on expenses that served both personal purposes and to promote the fraudulent scheme. He spent approximately $3 million on 20 luxury vehicles, including automobiles by Porsche, Lamborghini, McClaren, Ferrari, BMW, Bentley, and others. Palafox spent approximately $329,000 on penthouse suites at a luxury hotel chain and purchased four homes in Las Vegas and Los Angeles worth more than $6 million. Palafox spent another $3 million of investors’ money to buy clothing, watches, jewelry, and home furnishings at luxury retailers, including Louboutin, Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Versace, Ferragamo, Valentino, Cartier, Rolex, and Hermes, among others. He transferred at least $800,000 in fiat currency, plus an additional 100 bitcoin, then valued at approximately $3.3 million, to one of his family members.

Palafox is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 10, 2026, and faces up to 40 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Palafox has agreed to pay restitution of $62,692,007. 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; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Kareem A. Carter, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack Morgan, Zoe Bedell, and Annie Zanobini are prosecuting the case.

Case updates and additional information for victims of PGI, who may be entitled to restitution payments, can be found 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. 1:25-cr-52.

This release was revised on Sept. 19, 2025, to update the sentencing date.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A New York man was resentenced today to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums, a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy, sell, and trade hacked or stolen data and other contraband, and for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

“Conor Fitzpatrick personally profited from the sale of vast quantities of stolen information, ranging from private personal information to commercial data,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These crimes were so extensive that the damage is difficult to quantify, and the human cost of his collection of child sexual abuse material is incalculable. We will not allow criminals to hide in the darkest corners of the internet and will use all legal means to bring them to justice.”

“Following the dismantlement of RaidForums by law enforcement, the defendant set up and administered BreachForums, an online bazaar where criminals could purchase sensitive data,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to bringing to justice those who seek to sell stolen data to the highest bidder. To those seeking to operate a similar forum, take note: we will tirelessly investigate those who commit these crimes.”

“Today’s sentencing sends a message to everyone in the cybercriminal ecosystem — helping others profit from theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes will land you in federal prison,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “The FBI is working tirelessly to dismantle criminal marketplaces like BreachForums, and we are pursuing the full range of actors who run these platforms.”

Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 22, of Peekskill, New York, pled guilty to access device conspiracy, access device solicitation, and possession of child sexual abuse material. As part of the plea agreement, Fitzpatrick also agreed to forfeit over one hundred domain names used in the operation of BreachForums, more than a dozen electronic devices used to execute the scheme, and cryptocurrency that represented proceeds of the scheme. 

Fitzpatrick’s resentencing came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an opinion on January 21, 2025, vacating Fitzpatrick’s prior sentence of time served (17 days) and remanded the case for resentencing.

According to court documents, BreachForums, launched in March 2022, rapidly developed into one of the world’s largest English language hacking forums with over 330,000 members. BreachForums emerged as a replacement to RaidForums, a then major English-language hacking forum that law enforcement seized in February 2022. As with RaidForums, BreachForums gained notoriety by selling access to high-profile database breaches that contained, among other things, bank account information, social security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII), and usernames and associated passwords for accessing online accounts with merchants and service providers. BreachForums also maintained and offered access to at least 888 datasets of stolen information containing over 14 billion individual records of PII. Some of the stolen datasets contained sensitive information of customers at telecommunication, social media, investment, health care services, and internet service providers. For instance, one database contained the names and contact information for approximately 200 million users of a major U.S.-based social networking site. Another database listed the details of 87,760 members of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector companies focused on the protection of critical infrastructure.

Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Halper and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Carina A. Cuellar for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty for the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division this case.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General, and FBI San Francisco Division, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service, Homeland Security Investigations New York Field Office, New York Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Police Scotland, National Police Corps of the Netherlands and Peekskill Police Department. The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Northern District of California, the District of Maryland, and the Southern District of New York have also provided assistance in this matter.

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. 1:23-cr-119.

Earlier today, a New York man was resentenced to three years in prison for his creation and operation of BreachForums, a marketplace for cybercriminals to buy, sell, and trade hacked or stolen data and other contraband, and for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

“Following the dismantlement of RaidForums by law enforcement, the defendant set up and administered BreachForums, an online bazaar where criminals could purchase sensitive data,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s sentence demonstrates the Justice Department’s unwavering commitment to bringing to justice those who seek to sell stolen data to the highest bidder. To those seeking to operate a similar forum, take note: we will tirelessly investigate those who commit these crimes.”

“Conor Fitzpatrick personally profited from the sale of vast quantities of stolen information, ranging from private personal information to commercial data,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “These crimes were so extensive that the damage is difficult to quantify, and the human cost of his collection of child sexual abuse material is incalculable. We will not allow criminals to hide in the darkest corners of the internet and will use all legal means to bring them to justice.”

“The FBI is working tirelessly to dismantle criminal marketplaces like BreachForums, and we are pursuing the full range of actors who run these platforms,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates that anyone who helps others profit from theft, fraud, and other cybercrimes is not out of reach.”

Conor Brian Fitzpatrick, 22, of Peekskill, New York, pleaded guilty to one count of access device conspiracy, one count of access device solicitation, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. As part of the plea agreement, Fitzpatrick also agreed to forfeit over 100 domain names used in the operation of BreachForums, more than a dozen electronic devices used to execute the scheme, and cryptocurrency that represented proceeds of the scheme. 

Fitzpatrick’s resentencing came after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued an opinion on Jan. 21, 2025, vacating Fitzpatrick’s prior sentence of time served (17 days) and remanded the case for resentencing.

According to court documents, BreachForums, launched in March 2022, rapidly developed into one of the world’s largest English language hacking forums with over 330,000 members. BreachForums emerged as a replacement to RaidForums, a then major English-language hacking forum that law enforcement seized in February 2022. As with RaidForums, BreachForums gained notoriety by selling access to high-profile database breaches that contained, among other things, bank account information, social security numbers and other personal identifying information (PII), and usernames and associated passwords for accessing online accounts with merchants and service providers. BreachForums also maintained and offered access to at least 888 datasets of stolen information containing over 14 billion individual records of PII. Some of the stolen datasets contained sensitive information of customers at telecommunication, social media, investment, health care services, and internet service providers. For instance, one database contained the names and contact information for approximately 200 million users of a major U.S.-based social networking site. Another database listed the details of approximately 87,760 members of InfraGard, a partnership between the FBI and private sector companies focused on the protection of critical infrastructure.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds. 

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.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Vienna man on Sept. 12 on charges of sex trafficking of a child and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Nov. 1, 2024, Michael Jamie Inofuentes, 45, a U.S. citizen with residences in Virginia and Colombia, flew into Miami International Airport on a return flight from Colombia, where he was flagged for secondary inspection based on suspicious payments he made to an individual suspected of engaging in child sex trafficking in Colombia. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a border search of Inofuentes and his belongings. During inspection of his two cellphones, agents identified messages between Inofuentes and a 15-year-old Colombian girl that indicated commercial sex. The victim informed Inofuentes that she was a minor, and they discussed meeting at a hotel in Medellin for sex and negotiated a price. Several months later, the victim informed Inofuentes that she was pregnant and they discussed the possibility of Inofuentes’ paternity. 

Inofuentes initially denied having sex with the victim but later admitted to a sexual relationship. Inofuentes also admitted that he has children in Colombia and the mother was a minor when he impregnated her. Inofuentes was allowed to return home after the interview. Three days later, on Nov. 4, 2024, Inofuentes attempted to board a flight at Dulles International Airport to travel to Colombia. He was stopped on the jet bridge and taken to secondary inspection. He admitted that he offered the victim money for sex at a hotel.

Inofuentes faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, when sentenced on Jan. 15, 2026. 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 Christopher Heck, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations Washington, D.C., made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles accepted the verdict.

The HSI Miami Field Office provided valuable and significant assistance in this investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Laura D. Withers are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the 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. 1:25-cr-5.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former U.S. Army private was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for two counts of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of sexual abuse. This sentence is to be served consecutively to a 15-year sentence he is currently serving for assault on an infant in violation of Montana law.

According to court documents, on June 24, 2012, Austin Blair Johnson, an active duty soldier residing on Fort Belvoir, was watching his infant daughter, identified as Minor Victim 1 (MV1), who was born prematurely only 15 days earlier. MV1 was crying, so Johnson picked her up and carried her, but she continued to cry. While holding MV1 in front of him with one hand under each of her arms, Johnson rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 multiple times before letting go of her, causing her to flip and land on her head.

Johnson then picked up MV1 and ran with her upstairs to a bedroom where he woke MV1’s mother, identified as Adult Victim 1 (AV1). Johnson falsely told AV1 that he had accidentally dropped MV1 and that he had successfully broken her fall with his foot. AV1 and Johnson took MV1 to the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital emergency room where she presented with a fever, bruising on her head and shoulder, and blood coming out of her mouth. A CT scan conducted there revealed that MV1’s skull had been fractured. MV1 was transferred later to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at Walter Reed Medical Center. MV1 was diagnosed with extensive injuries and remained hospitalized at Walter Reed for the next 10 days.

The day she was discharged, MV1 was left in Johnson’s care while AV1 was out. Johnson again rapidly and forcefully shook MV1 and dropped her. MV1 was 26 days old. The following morning, AV1 took MV1 to a previously scheduled follow-up appointment with a pediatrician at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital. At the appointment, MV1 began having seizures and was sent directly to the emergency room. MV1 was transferred later to the PICU at Children’s National Medical Center, where doctors discovered myriad injuries, including a second skull fracture, and identified extensive brain damage.

When she was finally discharged on July 20, 2012, MV1 was placed in the custody of Child Protective Services, where she remained for approximately 14 months until she was returned to the custody of Johnson and AV1. On June 22, 2015, shortly after her third birthday, MV1 was forced to undergo a hemispherectomy during which the entire left side of her brain was removed in an effort to control her irrepressible seizures.

MV1 is now legally blind, non-verbal, and the entire right side of her body is paralyzed. Cognitively, MV1 functions at the level of a mature infant. As part of his sentence, Johnson was ordered to pay over $1.1 million in restitution.

In addition to his assaults on MV1, in 2013, at their residence on Fort Belvoir, after AV1 had rebuffed Johnson’s requests to be intimate with her, Johnson proceeded without her consent. AV1 protested and tried to hit Johnson to get him to stop, which he eventually did.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Jake Cameron, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Claude M. Hilton.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander E. Blanchard 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-151.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Eastern District of Virginia charging two men with orchestrating a securities fraud scheme utilizing Ostin Technology Group Co. Ltd. (OST) stock to target American retail investors. The scheme netted over $100 million for the defendants and their co-conspirators, who siphoned OST shares in non-bona fide securities transactions and then dumped their stock amidst a coordinated social media campaign to pump OST’s share price from April to June 2025. The Department of Justice has already seized nearly $10 million in assets from co-conspirators’ accounts.   

“Protecting the integrity of our financial markets remains a top priority,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Anyone who picks the pockets of American investors in violation of the law will be aggressively prosecuted. The Department of Justice has established whistleblower programs to encourage corporations and individuals to come forward with timely information regarding misconduct and criminal behavior. Failing to do so invites serious consequences.”

“The defendants targeted American retail investors through a predatory pump and dump scheme to take advantage of the artificial inflation of the price of OST shares,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s charges show the Criminal Division’s focus on aggressively protecting Americans from foreign actors seeking to exploit U.S. markets. Through the hard work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we will continue to act quickly to seize the proceeds of these crimes and mitigate losses for victims.”

“Securities fraud by foreign actors not only exploits fair investment practices, but also defrauds American investors and harms U.S. markets,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s charges demonstrate the FBI’s continued commitment, alongside our partners, to combatting financial crime and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

"The defendants allegedly concocted a scheme that distorted the price of OST stock, costing investors tens of millions of dollars," said Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division. "Today's indictment should serve as a warning to fraudsters: If you seek to manipulate U.S. markets for personal gain, the FBI will pursue you even if you're operating halfway around the world."

“The SEC-Office of Inspector General (SEC-OIG) will relentlessly investigate individuals who submit false filings with the SEC,” said Inspector General Kevin Muhlendorf of the SEC. “Comprehensive investigative oversight to protect investors, the global markets, and the operational integrity of the SEC’s programs, systems, and operations is a top priority for our office.”

According to the indictment, Lai Kui Sen is the co-CEO of OST, and Yan Zhao, who goes by the aliases Hank Shi and Hank Shu, among others, is a financial advisor. OST is a Cayman Islands company with its principal operations in China, that claimed to be a manufacturer of display modules used in consumer electronics, commercial LCD displays, and automotive displays. OST is publicly traded on NASDAQ and operated, at one point, with a variable interest entity (VIE) investment structure, which is often used by Chinese companies.

According to the indictment, Sen, Zhao, and others allegedly engaged in a complex scheme to first provide a group of fifteen co-conspirators with tens of millions of OST shares through two securities transactions. In one of these transactions, the co-conspirators allegedly paid nothing to OST for more than 70 million OST shares.   

On April 15, the same day that the select investors received their first tranche of heavily discounted OST shares, a fraudulent campaign allegedly began to artificially inflate the price and trading volume of the OST stock. This allegedly included promoting the stock by impersonating real investment advisors, among others, promoting the stock on social media, and creating a false impression of market-wide buying momentum.  To capitalize on OST’s artificial price inflation and to harm the victim investors, Zhao and Sen allegedly facilitated the opening of brokerage accounts for certain select investors and orchestrated the selling of the shares that they had received either heavily discounted or for no remuneration. These sales generated substantial profits of approximately more than $110 million.  Ultimately, according to the indictment, unwitting investors suffered significant losses when, on June 26, OST lost over $950 million in market capitalization, representing over 94% of its value.

Zhao and Sen are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud. If convicted, Zhao and Sen face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy and wire fraud, 25 years in prison for Title 18 securities fraud, and 20 years in prison for Title 15 securities fraud. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and SEC-OIG investigated the case. The Department of Justice appreciates the efforts of FINRA’s Surveillance and Market Intelligence – Market Abuse Group who referred this matter.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Kashan K. Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud 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.

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

An indictment was unsealed yesterday in the Eastern District of Virginia charging two men with orchestrating a securities fraud scheme utilizing Ostin Technology Group Co. Ltd. (OST) stock to target American retail investors. The charged scheme netted over $100 million for the defendants and their co-conspirators, who siphoned OST shares in non-bona fide securities transactions and then dumped their stock amidst a coordinated social media campaign to pump OST’s share price from April to June 2025. The Department of Justice has already seized nearly $10 million in assets from co-conspirators’ accounts.

“The defendants targeted American retail investors through a predatory pump and dump scheme to take advantage of the artificial inflation of the price of OST shares,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s charges show the Criminal Division’s focus on aggressively protecting Americans from foreign actors seeking to exploit U.S. markets. Through the hard work of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, we will continue to act quickly to seize the proceeds of these crimes and mitigate losses for victims.”

“Protecting the integrity of our financial markets remains a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “Anyone who picks the pockets of American investors in violation of the law will be aggressively prosecuted. The Department of Justice has established whistleblower programs to encourage corporations and individuals to come forward with timely information regarding misconduct and criminal behavior. Failing to do so invites serious consequences.”

“Securities fraud by foreign actors not only exploits fair investment practices, but also defrauds American investors and harms U.S. markets,” said Assistant Director Jose A. Perez of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “Today’s charges demonstrate the FBI’s continued commitment, alongside our partners, to combatting financial crime and bringing perpetrators to justice.”

“The SEC-Office of Inspector General (SEC-OIG) will relentlessly investigate individuals who submit false filings with the SEC,” said Inspector General Kevin Muhlendorf of the SEC. “Comprehensive investigative oversight to protect investors, the global markets, and the operational integrity of the SEC’s programs, systems, and operations is a top priority for our office.”

According to the indictment, Lai Kui Sen is the co-CEO of OST, and Yan Zhao, who goes by the aliases Hank Shi and Hank Shu, among others, is a financial advisor. OST is a Cayman Islands company with its principal operations in China, that claimed to be a manufacturer of display modules used in consumer electronics, commercial LCD displays, and automotive displays. OST is publicly traded on NASDAQ and operated, at one point, with a variable interest entity (VIE) investment structure, which is often used by Chinese companies.

According to the indictment, Sen, Zhao, and others allegedly engaged in a complex scheme to first provide a group of fifteen co-conspirators with tens of millions of OST shares through two non-bona fide securities transactions. In one of these transactions, these co-conspirators paid nothing to OST for more than 70 million OST shares. 

The indictment alleges that, on April 15, 2025, the same day that the select investors received their first tranche of heavily discounted OST shares, a fraudulent campaign began to artificially inflate the price and trading volume of the OST stock. This included promoting the stock by impersonating real investment advisors, among others, promoting the stock on social media, and creating a false impression of market-wide buying momentum.  To capitalize on OST’s artificial price inflation and to harm the victim investors, Zhao and Sen facilitated the opening of brokerage accounts for certain select investors and orchestrated the selling of the shares that they had received either heavily discounted or for no remuneration. These sales generated substantial profits of approximately more than $110 million.  Ultimately, according to the indictment, unwitting investors suffered significant losses when, on June 26, 2025, OST lost over $950 million in market capitalization, representing over 94% of its value. 

Both defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, securities fraud, and wire fraud. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for conspiracy and wire fraud, 25 years in prison for Title 18 securities fraud, and 20 years in prison for Title 15 securities fraud. A federal judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI and SEC-OIG investigated the case. The Department of Justice appreciates the efforts of FINRA’s Surveillance and Market Intelligence – Market Abuse Group who referred this matter.

Trial Attorney Kashan K. Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.

If you believe you may have been a victim in this case, visit https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-yan-zhao-and-lai-kui-sen for more information.

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

CASE NAME: United States v. Chesapeake Regional Medical Center, Criminal Case No. 2:25-cr-1

COURT: U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Norfolk Division

CASE SUMMARY: On January 8, 2025, Chesapeake Regional Medical Center (aka Chesapeake General Hospital, Chesapeake Regional Healthcare) (CRMC) was charged in a two-count criminal indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States and interfere with government functions, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371, and health care fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1347, related to its alleged actions involving CRMC’s billing to insurance companies for Dr. Javaid Perwaiz’s performance of surgeries and other procedures at its facility. CRMC made its appearance before the Court and entered a plea of not guilty.

According to court documents, CRMC was a hospital in Chesapeake, Virginia. In April 1984, CRMC granted privileges to Perwaiz. In November 2020, Perwaiz was convicted of 52 counts of health care fraud and false statements in health care matters. Approximately 38 counts of the convictions were for procedures performed at CRMC, including unnecessary hysterectomies and other invasive and irreversible surgeries, elective inductions prior to 39 weeks of gestation without medical justification, and sterilizations of Medicaid patients without consent forms signed 30 days in advance. Perwaiz performed all his obstetric deliveries and inpatient surgeries, including hysterectomies, and other surgeries and procedures, at CRMC. From 2010 to 2019, CRMC received approximately $18.5 million in reimbursements from health care benefit programs for surgical and obstetric procedures Perwaiz performed at the facility.

CASE STATUS: Two motions to dismiss were denied by the Court, but the order to deny is currently on appeal.

VICTIM RESPONSE: To ensure that members of the public, including potential victims of CMRC’s alleged fraud, are informed of developments in this ongoing case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has established a page on its website, available at the following link:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/united-states-v-chesapeake-regional-medical-center-crim-no-225-cr-1

The website currently includes a copy of the indictment and other pleadings filed in this case. Victims with questions can call 1-844-527-5299 and reference the above case name and docket number. Victim impact statements can be emailed to EDVA Victim Witness, or mailed to:

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Attn: Victim Witness

101 W Main Street

Suite 8000

Norfolk, VA 23510-1671

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Atlanta travel services vendor was sentenced today to one year and one month in prison for defrauding multiple individual and institutional victims.

According to court documents, Maurice Eugene Smith, 45, operated a luxury travel company called EUGENE TORIKO LLC, which offered customized travel planning services. From at least September 2022 through November 2024, Smith took customers’ money for booking travel and converted it to his own personal use instead of paying to secure reservations that he or his employees booked.

Customers paid Smith and EUGENE TORIKO thousands of dollars for luxury vacations to destinations such as St. Lucia, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Guatemala. Smith then used customer money to provide refunds to earlier customers or for his own personal enrichment, including on sports betting sites or to pay for his own travel to such destinations as Mexico and Panama.

Customers often learned that their travel and hotel accommodations were not paid shortly before departing for or upon arriving at their destinations. The cost had to be covered by the customers, who had already paid, and some were reimbursed by credit card or travel insurance companies.

In addition to individuals who booked travel through Smith and EUGENE TORIKO, two university sports programs and a college paid for travel services that were not provided. A university baseball team paid Smith for airline travel, but ultimately had to pay additional funds for and utilize transportation by bus because Smith failed to use the money the university paid to EUGENE TORIKO to purchase airline tickets.

A college booked a trip to Thailand for faculty and students, but EUGENE TORIKO purchased one-way airline tickets for all travelers but one. Faculty and students realized that Smith had only purchased one-way tickets after they were already in Thailand. The faculty and parents of students had to pay for their return tickets out-of-pocket and were reimbursed by the college.

Through a third-party sports event marketing company, a university and its foundation paid for travel arrangements to the Bahamas for its men’s basketball team to participate in a basketball foreign tour. The travel accommodations included, among other things, round trip airfare from Virginia to the Bahamas; ground transportation by charter bus; hotel accommodations including daily breakfast and lunch on tournament days; and sightseeing to a minimum of two destinations.

On April 17, 2024, the university foundation sent a wire transfer of $55,914.60 to the sports event company. Two days later, Smith invoiced the company for the services that EUGENE TORIKO was supposedly arranging for the basketball team. The company wired Smith $40,800. On May 20, 2024, Smith sent another invoice for the balance owed, $103,841. The company invoiced the university foundation, which sent a wire transfer of $103,841 to the company, which in turn paid EUGENE TORIKO $57,736.07 on May 29, 2024, and $11,220 on June 10, 2024. In total, the company paid EUGENE TORIKO the entire amount of the above invoice, $109,756.07, using funds paid by the university foundation. Additional family members, friends, and supporters of the basketball team also paid the company and EUGENE TORIKO to accompany the team on their trip to the Bahamas.

Although Smith reserved seats on flights from Virginia to the Bahamas and reserved a block of rooms, he made no payments toward any legitimate cost associated with the trip. As a result, the resort and the airline canceled the reservations. Instead, Smith used the money in part to pay for his own personal travel and to refund other victims from whom he had stolen money.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. 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. 1:25-cr-73.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Fairfax man pled guilty today to making threatening communications over interstate commerce and threatening to kill a federal official.

According to court documents, on April 29, Kenneth R. Woodard, 57, called the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) crisis line and demanded to be connected to a VA hospital and, specifically, a VA police officer that he interacted with earlier in the day. During the call, Woodard stated he was on his way to the VA hospital with an armor-piercing firearm to kill the officer.

On May 13, Woodard made three calls the United State Postal Service (USPS) Customer Care Center, speaking with a different USPS employee each time regarding a package he was waiting to receive. Woodard threatened to kill one of the employees with whom he spoke. He stated the next time he saw a mailman he was going to “kill him,” and that if the package was not delivered that day, he would travel to the post office with a firearm. Woodard claimed that he was a U.S. Marine sniper and that if he had to go to the post office, he would bring a gun.

During a phone call later that day with Postal Inspectors from the United States Postal Inspection Service, Woodard stated he would sit outside a local post office and put a bullet in someone’s head if he did not receive his package. Woodard claimed to possess three firearms and told the Postal Inspectors that if they came to his house they should come with firepower.

On May 28, during a phone call with the VA crisis line, Woodard told a VA Crisis Specialist that he was going to find and rape the specialist’s husband and children.

Woodard is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 26 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; Damon E. Wood, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Cheryl L. Mason, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Mercer 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-204.

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond woman pled guilty today to wire fraud in connection with her embezzlement of $239,820 from her employer.

According to court documents, from May 2021 through June 2024, Shannel Peoples-Hilliard, 46, was the business manager for a private school in Richmond. As business manager, Peoples-Hilliard’s responsibilities included management and maintenance of the school’s books and records, performance of periodic bank reconciliation reports, and making purchases and payments on behalf of the school. As part of those responsibilities, Peoples-Hilliard had control of a credit card in the school’s name for official school business only.

From November 2021 through July 2024, Peoples-Hilliard used the school’s credit card to pay for personal expenses, including trips to Orlando, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, and Miami; performances such as Hamilton and concerts such as Usher, LL Cool J, and Capitol Jazz; luxury goods such as purses and jewelry; and rent for Peoples-Hilliard’s personal residence. On May 24, 2024, Peoples-Hilliard used the credit card for a $1,591.77 payment to the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing for a personal graduation party.

Peoples-Hilliard attempted to conceal her embezzlement by falsifying the school’s bank reconciliation reports, including misrepresentations that certain expenses fell under categories of approved spending. For example, Peoples-Hilliard attributed personal expenses such as a cruise on Royal Caribbean, a hotel stay in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and a deposit to the Boathouse at Rocketts Landing to category for ongoing construction at the school.

Peoples-Hilliard is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 22, 2026, 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 Stephen Farina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson accepted the plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore 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. 3:25-cr-130.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Portsmouth man and member of the Portsmouth neighborhood street gang “600” was sentenced yesterday to 10 years and 10 months in prison for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to court documents, on July 10, 2022, in Virginia Beach, Cedric Rashad Davis Jr., aka Ced, Luh Ced, or Grim Reaper, 22, robbed a victim while brandishing a firearm and demanding the keys for the victim’s vehicle. The victim gave Davis the keys, and Davis entered the vehicle and fled the scene.

On July 11, 2022, Davis used Instagram to stream videos depicting himself driving the stolen vehicle and holding a handgun.  A search of Davis’ phone revealed text messages in which Davis attempted to sell the stolen vehicle.

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 (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.

This case resulted from a joint investigation involving the ATF, Virginia Beach Police Department, and Portsmouth Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. Heck and Megan M. Montoya prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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-17.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A U.S. Department of State (DOS) employee was sentenced today to four years in prison for conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information to individuals he knew to be working for the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

“The price of Michael Schena’s disgraceful betrayal of his country is far more than the paltry amount for which he traded his honor,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His acts of selfish avarice left that price to be paid by the faithful women and men of our intelligence community and the nation they serve. The cost Schena will pay is the loss of his integrity, his reputation, and, by today’s sentence, his freedom.”

“The defendant threw away his career, betrayed his country, and abused the trust the United States placed in him by granting his Top Secret security clearance.  He will spend years of his life in prison for passing classified information to individuals he believed to be Chinese government agents,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would violate the trust placed in them by our Nation and double-cross the American people.”

“Michael Schena deliberately undermined U.S. national security and put American lives at risk by selling classified information to the Chinese Government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Chinese government continues to aggressively target U.S. government employees to steal our classified information, and this sentencing makes clear the FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to defend the Homeland. Anyone thinking of betraying their oath to the United States should consider the severe consequences and know the FBI will work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”

"As a State Department employee, Schena's mission should have been to promote U.S. security and prosperity throughout the world, but instead he jeopardized national security by transmitting classified information to individuals whom he believed worked for an adversarial government," said Daniel Wierzbicki, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterintelligence and Cyber Division. "As today's sentencing demonstrates, the U.S. government remains committed to investigating and prosecuting clearance holders who seek to cash in on our nation's secrets."

According to court documents, beginning in April 2022, Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them sensitive government information in exchange for money. Two of these individuals represented themselves as employees of international consulting companies. Despite clear indications that they were working on behalf of the PRC, Schena continued his relationship with them.

In August 2024, Schena met an individual at a hotel in Peru who provided Schena $10,000 and a cellphone that was intended to be used for Schena to receive taskings and to image and transmit information.

In October 2024, while at work, Schena photographed and transmitted at least four classified documents that contained national defense information and were classified at the SECRET level. In February 2025, surveillance video captured Schena again using the cellphone he received in Peru to photograph seven documents marked as SECRET that contained national defense information. FBI agents seized the cellphone before Schena could transmit photographs of these classified documents to his handlers and was later arrested.

The announcement was made after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

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 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. 1:25-cr-158.

A U.S. Department of State (DOS) employee was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for conspiring to collect and transmit national defense information to individuals he believed to be working for the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

“The defendant threw away his career, betrayed his country, and abused the trust the United States placed in him by granting his Top-Secret security clearance. He will spend years of his life in prison for passing classified information to individuals he believed to be Chinese government agents,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who would violate the trust placed in them by our Nation and double-cross the American people.”

“The price of Michael Schena’s disgraceful betrayal of his country is far more than the paltry amount for which he traded his honor,” said U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia. “His acts of selfish avarice left that price to be paid by the faithful women and men of our intelligence community and the nation they serve. The cost Schena will pay is the loss of his integrity, his reputation, and, by today’s sentence, his freedom.”

“Michael Schena deliberately undermined U.S. national security and put American lives at risk by selling classified information to the Chinese government,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The Chinese government continues to aggressively target U.S. government employees to steal our classified information, and this sentencing makes clear the FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to defend the homeland. Anyone thinking of betraying their oath to the United States should consider the severe consequences and know the FBI will work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”

According to court documents, beginning in April 2022, Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, Virginia, communicated with people he met online through various communication platforms and provided them sensitive U.S. government information, in exchange for money. Two of these individuals represented themselves as employees of international consulting companies. Despite clear indications and believing that they were working on behalf of the PRC, Schena continued his relationship with them.

In August 2024, Schena met an individual at a hotel in Peru who provided Schena $10,000 and a cellphone that was intended to be used for Schena to receive taskings and transmit information.

In October 2024, while at work, Schena used the cellphone he received in Peru to photograph and transmit at least four classified documents that contained national defense information and which were classified at the SECRET level. In February 2025, surveillance video captured Schena again using the cellphone to photograph seven documents marked as SECRET that contained national defense information. FBI agents seized the cellphone before Schena could transmit photographs of these classified documents to his handlers, and arrested Schena.

John A. Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI Counterintelligence Division; and Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Counterintelligence and Cyber Division made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

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 prosecuted the case.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The last of three foreign nationals was sentenced to prison yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine from Colombia through Honduras and ultimately into the United States.

According to court documents, Colombian national Humberto Cantillo Duran, aka Niño or Juan Carlos, 37; Honduran national Mario Rodolfo Mejia-Cubillas, aka Yofo, 54; and Honduran national Edgardo Rene Velasquez Navarro, aka Burro, 54, led a large drug trafficking conspiracy based in Colón, Honduras, responsible for the distribution of thousands of kilograms of cocaine valued at millions of dollars into the United States. The conspiracy operated from eastern Honduras where they received shipments of cocaine from South America before forwarding them through Central America and ultimately into the United States.

Cantillo Duran, based in Colombia and Honduras, was responsible for coordinating the shipment of large amounts of cocaine from Colombia to Honduras. Cantillo Duran also assisted in finding buyers, including Mejia-Cubillas and Velasquez Navarro. After the cocaine arrived in Honduras, it was unloaded, broken-down, and prepared for transport across Honduras, supervised by Mejia Cubillas, Velasquez Navarro, and Cantillo Duran. For years, Honduran law enforcement captured communications between the conspirators in which they discussed cocaine shipments, payments, acts of violence towards suspected rival narcotraffickers, South American sources of supply, the U.S. market for cocaine, and the United States being the ultimate destination for their cocaine. On several occasions, Honduran law enforcement seized large shipments of cocaine moved by the co-conspirators.

All three defendants pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine with the intent of unlawful importation into the United States.

On March 11, Velasquez Navarro was sentenced to 12 years in prison. On April 1, Mejia-Cubillas was sentenced to 13 years and four months in prison. Cantillo Duran was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in prison.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, 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. Attorneys Kristin S. Starr, Anthony T. Aminoff, and Philip Alito prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs). Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).

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. 1:23-cr-142.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Oakton doctor who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his prescribing of opioids and amphetamines has been ordered to forfeit a $168,000 money judgement and two real properties and to pay restitution of $169,244 to compensate three victims for their losses.

According to court documents, David Allingham, 65, owned Oakton Primary Care Center (OPCC), where he advertised his practice as an “Addiction Medicine Family Doctor” with “special training and skill in preventing, diagnosing, and treating patients with addiction.” Between April 2019 and January 2024, Allingham wrote prescriptions for opioids and amphetamines for numerous patients without properly assessing the individual needs of those patients, which was outside the usual course of professional practice and regulations and without legitimate medical purpose.

Allingham authorized renewals of opioid medication without physically examining patients. Allingham instructed his employees to use “mom and pop” pharmacies to avoid scrutiny of his patients so he could continue to prescribe high-dose opioids for them. Allingham also prescribed amphetamines to multiple chronic pain patients to assist them in weight loss in contravention of regulations, regardless of whether the patients were obese.

Multiple of Allingham’s patients died of drug overdoses within hours, days, or weeks of receiving an oxycodone prescription from Allingham.

In 2024 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) served an Immediate Order to Show Cause (ISO) that resulted in Allingham surrendering his DEA registration number, relinquishing his authority to handle controlled substances.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the DEA Washington Division; Maureen R. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police, made the announcement after judgment by U.S. District Judge Rossie D. Alston Jr.

The Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Annie Zanobini 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. 1:25-cr-2.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today case updates on six immigration cases in the district.

On Jan. 20 the President signed executive orders addressing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Protecting the American People Against Invasion recognized that enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States, and that it is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people. The order tasked the Department of Justice with prioritizing the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence of aliens in the United States. Securing Our Borders prioritizes the pursuit of criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate immigration laws and against those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States.

Honduran national Oscar Armando Duarte-Salinas, 42, was removed from the United States on June 27, 2005, again on Jan. 26, 2011, and once more on Aug. 10, 2012. On April 18, 2022, officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned that Duarte-Salinas had returned to the United States following his arrest in Fairfax County. Duarte-Salinas was arrested for public drunkenness 11 times since April 2022, eight of which led to convictions, and charges remain pending for public drunkenness, felony breaking and entering, petit larceny, and failure to appear. Duarte-Salinas pled guilty today to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-228

Pursuant to a final order of removal, on May 22, 2019, Salvadoran national Pablo Arnoldo Argueta Gonzalez, aka Jose Rodriguez-Montoya, 43, was removed from the United States. On March 14, ICE agents learned that Argueta-Gonzalez had unlawfully returned to the United States when he was detained at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in James City County following his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). On Aug. 19, Argueta-Gonzalez pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 4:25-cr-39

Pursuant to a final order of removal, on June 29, 2011, Guatemalan national Jiber Nemias-Lucs, 34, was removed from the United States. Less than three months later, Nemias-Lucs again illegally entered the United States and was removed. After illegally reentering a third time, in 2015 Nemias-Lucs was charged in Arlington County with assault and battery of a family member and in 2016 was found guilty in absentia of driving the wrong way on a roadway and driving without a license. In August 2017, Nemias-Lucs was convicted of DUI and refusal in Arlington County, and he was removed again. He subsequently returned to the country and in February 2018 was convicted of illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He once again illegally reentered the United States and in August 2023 was charged and convicted in absentia in Arlington County for being drunk in public. In June 2024 he was convicted of obstruction of justice. In November 2024 he was charged with two counts of assault and battery, and in December 2024, he was charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. On Feb. 17, Nemias-Lucs was arrested for robbery by force and on Feb. 18 ICE entered a detainer. On June 24, Nemias-Lucs was again arrested for being drunk in public and was taken into federal custody. On Aug. 20, Nemias-Lucs pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-240

On July 22, 2014, pursuant to a final order of removal, Salvadoran national Marlon Omar Flores Quintanilla, 35, was removed from the United States. Flores Quintanilla subsequently reentered the United States illegally and on Dec. 1, 2015, was removed again. On May 16, ICE officers learned that Flores Quintanilla was detained at the Prince William County Adult Detention Center. On Aug. 21 Flores Quintanilla pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-237

Pursuant to a final order of removal, Guatemalan national Abel Enrique Carrillo Cobo, 29, was removed from the United States on Oct. 6, 2014, again on Jan. 27, 2015, and once more on May 21, 2018. After his most recent removal, Carrillo Cobo unlawfully reentered the United States and on July 20, 2022, was arrested in Fairfax County for carrying a concealed weapon. ICE agents learned of the arrest on April 3, 2025. Carrillo Cobo pled guilty yesterday to illegal reentry after removal subsequent to a felony conviction. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-187

Guatemalan national Jose Adolfo Veliz, 53, illegally entered the United States on Aug. 14, 1990. On Aug. 24, 2009, a designated immigration officer with the San Bernardino County (California) Sheriff’s Department encountered Veliz and, pursuant to a warrant of removal, Veliz was removed from the United States on Oct. 19, 2009. On April 21, Veliz was arrested by the Hanover County Police Department for charges related to sexual battery. On Aug. 26, Veliz pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 3:25-cr-86

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

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 the case number provided above.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A Newport News man was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Nov. 5, 2023, Newport News Police (NNPD) responded to a report of a man brandishing a firearm. As police arrived, Jimmy Lee Scott, 33, was firing a handgun. The shooting damaged multiple vehicles. Scott fled the scene but was arrested in a neighboring back yard after a brief pursuit.

During a search of a residence associated with Scott, investigators recovered six firearms, including a stolen revolver. One of the firearms recovered from the residence matched all twenty casings recovered from the scene of the shooting.

Scott was previously convicted for disorderly conduct, driving on a suspended license (twice), carrying a concealed weapon (twice), trespassing, possession with intent to distribute marijuana (twice), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. As a previously convicted felon, Scott cannot legally 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 Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Arenda Wright Allen.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf 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. 4:24-cr-21.

NORFOLK, Va. – A federal jury convicted Janathian Porter, 27, of Franklin, on Aug. 26 on a charge of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery. Porter, aka Frankboy Nate, Nate, or Nate Dog, also pled guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Leondre Douglas, aka Worm, 26, set up a drug transaction on Oct. 28, 2024, with a marijuana dealer and Porter. When they met for the transaction, Porter robbed the dealer at gunpoint, taking the dealer’s firearm. Porter and Douglas then fled in separate vehicles.

On Nov. 1, 2024, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that reportedly had been involved in the Oct. 28, 2024, robbery. Douglas was driving, and three minor children were inside the vehicle. Officers recovered a stolen handgun from underneath the driver seat. As a previously convicted felon, Douglas cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

On Nov. 12, 2024, a man observed Porter rummaging through the man’s vehicle at his home. The victim entered his vehicle, noticed that a speaker had been stolen, and followed Porter, who was attempting to flee in another vehicle. The victim pursued Porter to the end of a cul-de-sac, where Porter shot at the victim. Shell casings at the scene matched the caliber of a firearm that a witness reported stolen the same evening from his vehicle near where Porter was observed breaking into cars.

Porter is an eight-time convicted felon, including for breaking and entering, grand larceny, buying/receiving stolen goods, eluding/endangering police, and twice each for probation violations and hit and run. As a convicted felon, Porter cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Douglas pled guilty on Aug. 25 to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Porter and Douglas face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 30, 2026. 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 Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. accepted the verdict and the pleas.

The Isle of Wight Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation of the Oct. 28, 2024, and Nov. 1, 2024, offenses. The Franklin Police Department assisted in the investigation of the Nov. 12, 2024, offense.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Cheney, Anthony Marek, and Kristin G. Bird are prosecuting the cases.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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. 2:25-cr-62, 2:25-cr-77, and 2:25-cr-78.

This release was revised on Jan. 30, 2026, to correct the spelling of Leondre Douglas' name.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, through civil asset forfeiture, has recovered and cleared title to $1,971,399.80 in investment fraud proceeds and property involved in money laundering. The United States is now in the process of returning that property to the victim.

According to court documents, scam perpetrators first sent an unsolicited text message to the victim about going to Central Park and then continued to engage in communications with the victim. The cryptocurrency investment scheme involved the perpetrators taking time to get to know the victim and earning their trust before encouraging the victim to “invest” in cryptocurrency using a spoofed investment website set up to mimic a legitimate cryptocurrency investment platform and funnel victim funds to the perpetrators. The site falsely represented to the victim that their “investments” were making sizeable gains. When the victim attempted to make withdrawals, however, the perpetrators coerced the victim to send more money, using tactics such as claiming the victim owed taxes on their “profits.” Ultimately, the perpetrators never let the victim withdraw any funds and simply stole the victim’s money.

After receiving the victim’s funds, the perpetrators laundered the victim’s funds by conducting a series of convoluted transactions and making quick swaps from one type of cryptocurrency to another.   

In December 2024, the FBI and Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office seized just under $2 million from three cryptocurrency wallets. The United States began a civil forfeiture action against the seized funds by publicly filing a civil forfeiture complaint in U.S. District Court. The seized funds have been ordered forfeited, allowing for the return of the funds to the victim.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division; and Michael L. Chapman, Loudoun County Sheriff, made the announcement.

The matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Annie Zanobini.

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-cv-559. 

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Italian national residing in Woodbridge was sentenced today to two years in prison for aggravated identity theft.

According to court documents, on June 2, 2024, Wilford Amoako Osei, 23, placed a $1,249 online order for a firearm using another person’s name and credit card number without that person’s permission. The victim’s credit card was later reported lost or stolen. Osei received the firearm on June 24, 2024, from a federally licensed firearms dealer in Woodbridge.

In six instances from June 24, 2024, through August 30, 2024, Osei attempted to place online orders for additional firearms using the names and credit card numbers of other victims without their authorization. The attempted orders were blocked or cancelled and were not fulfilled.

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 U.S. District Judge Michael S. Nachmanoff.

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. 1:25-cr-41.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced today to 10 years and 10 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, on Oct. 9, 2024, law enforcement intercepted a parcel containing approximately one kilogram of cocaine that was destined for a fictitious name at the residence of Jamey Andre Bennett, 50, in Chesapeake. Law enforcement substituted counterfeit cocaine in the parcel and conducted a controlled delivery of the parcel. After delivery, Bennett retrieved and opened the parcel. Investigators took Bennett into custody and conducted a search of the residence.

During the search, investigators recovered the counterfeit cocaine, an additional kilogram of cocaine, 5,000 fentanyl pills, 1.605 grams of crack cocaine, two loaded firearms, a firearm magazine containing 10 rounds of ammunition, two scales, packaging material, and two cellphones. The fentanyl pills were stamped to appear to be Percocet.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Col. Matthew D. Hanley, Superintendent of Virginia State Police; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke Bresnahan prosecuted the case.

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

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-13.

RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond-area men were sentenced to prison and a third was convicted this week for being felons in possession of firearms.

According to court documents, Devon Sherman Mickins, 26, came to the attention of Richmond Police (RPD) on August 30, 2024, when he posted a photograph of himself on Instagram holding a rifle. On Sept. 4, 2024, an RPD detective observed Mickins carrying the same rifle that he was holding on Instagram. Mickins sat in a chair outside his apartment with the rifle. RPD detectives and officers approached Mickins, who had the rifle in his lap. Mickins complied with an order to put his hands up and a detective safely retrieved the rifle, and Mickins was taken into custody. Police recovered another firearm from the apartment.

Mickins has prior felony convictions for malicious wounding, robbery, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, all of which he committed in Richmond in 2019 and 2021.

Mickins pled guilty on March 6. He was sentenced yesterday to three years and eight months in prison by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover, an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney with the Richmond Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, prosecuted the case.

***

On Sept. 29, 2024, RPD officers observed Javion Stamper, 25, standing with a small group, and Stamper appeared to have a firearm in the waistband of his pants. The officers stopped their vehicle to investigate, and Stamper fled as the officers exited the vehicle. After a foot pursuit, one of the officers heard Stamper behind a cluster of bushes and ordered him to come out. Stamper complied and was detained. An officer recovered the firearm from where Stamper had attempted to hide. The firearm had been stolen and was loaded. Stamper had been convicted of robbery in 2019.

Stamper pled guilty on April 25. He was sentenced yesterday to a year and nine months in prison by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Anthony prosecuted the case.

***

On May 7, 2024, Henrico County Police (HCPD) officers conducted a traffic stop on Ross Allan Jefferson, 44, who was subject to outstanding warrants in Richmond and Petersburg. During the stop, an officer observed a loaded handgun with an extended magazine protruding from beneath the driver’s seat. The officer secured the firearm, the serial number of which had been obliterated. During a search of Jefferson, officers located a .40 caliber round of ammunition in Jefferson’s pocket.

At the time of his arrest, Jefferson had ten adult felony convictions, including: possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (2002); possession of a controlled substance (2002, 2010, 2015); and possession of ammunition by a felon (2015).

Jefferson pled guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 20 and faces up to 15 years in prison. Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne accepted the plea. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gilliland and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony are prosecuting the case.

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; Eric D. English, Chief of Henrico County Police Division; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Colette Wallace McEachin, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the City of Richmond, made the announcement.

These cases are 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 Nos. 3:25-cr-8 (Mickins), 3:25-cr-18 (Stamper), and 3:24-cr-130 (Jefferson).

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

According to court documents, in Norfolk on Feb. 16, 2024, Norfolk Police and Portsmouth Police performed a traffic stop and arrested Joshaua Sheimel Anderson, 25, on outstanding warrants. Detectives conducted a search of Anderson’s backpack and located a handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device and a 31-round extended magazine. They also recovered over a pound and a half of suspected marijuana, multiple jars of suspected THC wax, and over $2,200.

Prior to this offense, Anderson had been convicted of grand larceny, felony eluding, hit and run, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. As a previously convicted felon, Anderson cannot legally 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; Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia; and Stephen Jenkins, Chief of Portsmouth Police, made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Mark S. Davis.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc W. West, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, prosecuted the case.

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

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-40.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, psilocyn, and heroin; possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to court documents, in September 2023, Virginia Beach Police (VBPD) obtained state arrest warrants for Lloyd Levi Hardy, aka Blu or Trap Monster, 41, for brandishing a firearm, use of a firearm during commission of a felony, shooting into an occupied dwelling, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with a shooting into an apartment where a woman and children were present. On Oct. 10, 2023, law enforcement located Hardy and his vehicle at a hotel in Virginia Beach and arrested him.

“Lloyd Hardy has earned a sentence as substantial as his criminal record,” said Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. “As an armed drug dealer, with outstanding arrest warrants for violent crimes at the time of his arrest, Hardy is exactly the type of threat to our citizens that we work every day to identify and remove from our communities. In coordination with the FBI and our state and local partners, my office will continue to hold career offenders such as Lloyd Hardy responsible for their abhorrent actions.”

“This repeat offender’s criminal career ends here,” said Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office. “Working with the Virginia Beach Police Department, we brought the full force of federal resources to bear—putting a dangerous individual behind bars and sending a clear message: if you peddle drugs and carry guns in our community, we will find you, and we will stop you.”

“The VBPD continues to aggressively focus on career offenders, and we are grateful for our federal partners assisting us in holding them accountable for the danger they present to our community,” said Paul Neudigate, Chief of Virginia Beach Police. “Every day, our officers put their lives on the line to keep drugs off our streets and firearms out of the hands of those who cannot legally possess them or those who intend to inflict harm in our neighborhoods. Ensuring accountability for ongoing felony activity helps keep Virginia Beach safe.”

“Thanks to the tireless work of our local, state, and federal partners, another dangerous criminal is off our streets,” said Jason S. Miyares, Attorney General of Virginia. “This sentence makes it clear that repeat violent offenders and drug dealers will be held accountable in Virginia. My office will keep working with law enforcement across the Commonwealth to protect our communities and keep violent criminals behind bars.”

Law enforcement seized and searched Hardy’s vehicle, from which they recovered approximately $1600, 13.03 grams of cocaine, 14.44 grams of heroin, 11.71 grams of psilocyn, and four firearms, one of which was stolen. One of the firearms was linked through ballistics to the September 2023 shooting. Police also recovered a cellphone that contained numerous messages dating as far back as December 2020 in which Hardy conducted the sale of heroin, cocaine, and psilocyn.

Hardy has prior convictions, including for grand larceny, destruction of property, obstructing, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm, eluding police (endangerment), and burglary. Hardy committed the offenses in this case while under a period of good behavior for two separate convictions.

Hardy pled guilty on Nov. 19, 2024, and was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan M. Montoya prosecuted the case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Miller, an Assistant Attorney General with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, assisted in the prosecution.

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. 2:24-cr-45.

RICHMOND, Va. – An Iraqi national residing in Henrico was sentenced to prison for possession with the intent to distribute of fentanyl.

According to court documents, on July 25, 2023, Yasir H. Al Sheikh Mohammed, 28, conducted hand-to-hand transactions from a hotel room in Glen Allen rented by his girlfriend, Destiny Aleeyona Deaver Lindore, 24, of Richmond, who was present in the room during the transactions and helped Mohammed package the fentanyl pills. When Mohammed and Lindore travelled to a nearby pharmacy, law enforcement arrested Mohammed on outstanding warrants while Lindore was inside the business. During a search of the vehicle, officers recovered 10 tablets containing fentanyl from Lindore’s purse and $164 in drug proceeds.

During a search of the hotel room, investigators recovered 1,060 tablets containing fentanyl marked “M” and “30,” making them appear to be Oxycodone. They also recovered a handgun from Mohammed’s backpack and $3,890 in drug proceeds.

Mohammed pled guilty on Nov. 15, 2024, and was sentenced on Aug. 12 to 15 years and eight months in prison.

Lindore pled guilty on Nov. 13, 2024, and was sentenced yesterday to four years of probation with a special added condition of six months of home confinement.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Christopher C. Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney Jr. The Henrico County Police Division assisted in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ellen H. Theisen and Angela Mastandrea 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-126.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Hampton man yesterday on six counts of transportation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from August 2020 through November 2021, Ryan Matthew Bieber, 31, uploaded multiple files of CSAM depicting adults engaged in sexually explicit conduct with children. Bieber’s Google account was deactivated immediately after Google submitted a CyberTipLine report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Bieber faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Dec. 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; Dominique Evans, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office; and Steve R. Drew, Chief of Newport News Police, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Elizabeth W. Hanes accepted the verdict.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Devon Heath and Peter G. Osyf are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the 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. 4:25-cr-5.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An American residing in the United Arab Emirates pled guilty yesterday to abusive sexual contact aboard an aircraft in flight.

According to court documents, on June 6, Darrell Ray Seale, 56, was a passenger aboard a flight from Boston Logan International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Shortly after ascent, Seale intentionally touched himself and another passenger in a sexual manner without the victim’s consent.

After the victim gestured for Seale to stop, Seale removed his hand, but later again started touching the victim without the victim’s consent. Shortly afterward, the victim notified a flight attendant and was reseated for the remainder of the flight. Seale’s actions were witnessed by a third passenger.

Seale is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 5 and faces up to two 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 Joshua P. Stone, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Counterterrorism Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Clement and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Morgan 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-cr-193.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Maryland man was sentenced today to two years and two months in prison for a years-long scheme to defraud financial institutions of at least $930,000 using stolen identities. A co-defendant was sentenced last week to three years in prison.

According to court documents, Akinsegun Oyekunle, 44, and previously convicted identity thief Rasheed Olalekan Williams, 51, impersonated identity theft victims, pretended to be the corporate representatives for legitimate manufacturing and trucking businesses, and then stole funds from those businesses.

Oyekunle created fictitious business registrations with the Virginia State Corporation Commission and obtained fictitious Internal Revenue Service identification numbers in the names of the companies. Williams then opened multiple fraudulent bank accounts in the names of the companies, and Williams and Oyekunle falsely purported to represent the companies they were impersonating. 

On at least six separate occasions, Williams deposited stolen and forged checks that he and his co-conspirators illicitly obtained into the corporate bank accounts he opened. These checks were often intended for the real businesses the criminals were impersonating. Oyekunle and his co-conspirators then quickly drew down funds by making ATM withdrawals and transferring funds to other bank accounts controlled by the conspirators before the banks could catch on. Oyekunle, Williams, and their co-conspirators impersonated at least five identity theft victims, one of whom was deceased, including by obtaining victims’ personal identifying information, opening fictitious bank accounts in the victims’ names, and creating fraudulent identification documents in the victims’ names.

Investigators recovered an electronic fraud ledger containing victims’ information in Oyekunle’s possession, along with several debit cards in victims’ names. Williams was arrested separately in possession of a fake driver’s license and debit card in the name of a victim associated with the scheme.

Williams and Oyekunle pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, on April 9 and April 22, respectively. On August 7, Williams was sentenced to three years in prison. Oyekunle was sentenced today to two years and two months in prison.

Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Avi Panth prosecuted the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth R. Simon Jr. provided substantial assistance to 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 Nos. 1:25-cr-97 (Williams) and 1:25-cr-104 (Oyekunle).

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, announced today case updates on seven immigration cases in the district.

On Jan. 20 the President signed executive orders addressing the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws. Protecting the American People Against Invasion recognized that enforcing our Nation’s immigration laws is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States, and that it is the policy of the United States to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable aliens, particularly those aliens who threaten the safety or security of the American people. The order tasked the Department of Justice with prioritizing the prosecution of criminal offenses related to the unauthorized entry or continued unauthorized presence of aliens in the United States. Securing Our Borders prioritizes the pursuit of criminal charges against illegal aliens who violate immigration laws and against those who facilitate their unlawful presence in the United States.

Between Sept. 1, 2004, and April 29, 2015, Salvadoran national Wilber Alexander Andrade-Castellon, 45, was removed from the United States on three occasions, each time pursuant to a final order of removal. Following his third removal in 2015, Andrade-Castellon again illegally re-entered the country. On Aug. 9, 2024, agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) learned Andrade-Castellon was unlawfully present in the United States when he was arrested and detained at the Fairfax County Detention Center. On May 14, Andrade-Castellon pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-101

In 2018, Honduran national Daniel Alberto Urbina Romero, 28, was convicted in Virginia of abduction with intent to defile and aggravated sexual battery. Pursuant to a final order of removal, Urbina Romero was removed from the United States on Jan. 27, 2023. On March 19, ICE agents learned that Urbina Romero was illegally present in the United States following a traffic violation in Loudoun County. On July 31, Urbina Romero pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States after removal for an aggravated felony conviction. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-161

Salvadoran national Carlos Antonio Flores Monroy, 52, illegally entered the United States in 2001. On July 6, 2007, an Immigration Judge ordered Flores Monroy to be removed. On Feb. 14, 2024, Flores Monroy was arrested in Richmond for carrying a concealed weapon, for which he was convicted on July 19, 2024. He was removed on Oct. 3, 2024. On May 1, immigration officials encountered Flores Monroy in Richmond. On Aug. 5, Flores Monroy pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a prior removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 3:25-cr-83

After illegally entering the United States, Honduran national Maynor Dionicio Hernandez-Reyes was deported on Aug. 20, 2021, pursuant to a final order of removal. On April 10, ICE agents learned that Hernandez-Reyes had unlawfully reentered the United States when he was detained at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail in James City County. On Aug. 7, Hernandez-Reyes pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 4:25-cr-45

Pursuant to a final order of removal, Honduran national Jose Adoney Monge-Santos, 33, was removed from the United States in 2013, 2015, and 2016. He was first removed after he was arrested twice in 2013 for being drunk in public. On April 10, 2023, having illegally re-entered the United States following his third removal, he was arrested for public intoxication, assault and battery, and property damage after he grabbed a chair from behind a bar and struck a security guard on the head. On Nov. 11, 2024, Monge-Santos was arrested for felony malicious wounding by mob when he and others allegedly attacked a victim and forcibly tried to recruit him to their gang. On Nov. 15, 2024, ICE agents learned that Mr. Monge-Santos was back in the United States and had been detained at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. On June 9, Monge-Santos was arrested for public intoxication and trespass. On June 10, ICE officers arrested Monge-Santos and on Aug. 11 he pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a prior removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-194

Salvadoran national Miguel Angel Alvarado Cordero, 23, was first removed from the United States on Feb. 11, 2022. On Feb. 19, ICE officers learned that Alvarado Cordero had unlawfully reentered the country following his detention in Fairfax County for two felony counts of possession of controlled substances, failure to appear on a felony offense, obstructing justice, disorderly conduct, property damage, and public intoxication. On May 9, Alvarado Cordero was arrested on a federal warrant and on Aug. 6 he pled guilty to illegally reentering the United States following a previous removal. He remains subject to the previous order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-159

On June 5, 2005, Honduran national Wilmer Roberto Lopez-Mejia, 46, illegally entered the United States. According to police reports, on July 11, 2008, Lopez-Mejia raped and repeatedly stabbed the mother of his two children, then left her to die. On March 26, 2009, following an extensive manhunt, Lopez-Mejia was apprehended and charged in Fairfax County with rape by force, threat, or intimidation; malicious wounding; and abduction with the intent to defile. On Sept. 28, 2009, Lopez-Mejia pled guilty to one count of unlawful wounding. Following his incarceration, Lopez-Mejia was removed from the United States, but Lopez-Mejia subsequently re-entered the United States illegally. On Feb. 26, Lopez-Mejia was arrested for the illegal re-entry. He pled guilty on April 24 and is awaiting sentencing. Lopez-Mejia remains subject to the prior order of removal. Case No. 1:25-cr-78

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

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 the case number provided above.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Salvadoran nationals pled guilty to conspiracy to engage in interstate transportation and sale of stolen goods.

According to court documents, beginning in September 2024, Erick Alfaro Guevara, 46, and Jose Wilmer Ortiz Granados, 23, stole catalytic converters from cars in Virginia and sold them in Maryland. Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados used their cellphones to communicate about stealing catalytic converters, which they typically did at night or in the early morning, and used saws to remove the catalytic converters from parked vehicles.

On Dec. 18, 2024, Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados traveled from Maryland to Arlington County where they burglarized multiple vehicles and stole catalytic converters. Later, law enforcement in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, responded to the scene of a single-car accident involving the vehicle Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados had used. Alfaro Guevara and Ortiz Granados were gone by the time officers arrived at the scene. Investigators recovered 17 stolen catalytic converters as well as Alfaro Guevara’s cellphone.

Ortiz Granados pled guilty on July 1 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 30. Alfaro Guevara pled guilty yesterday and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 28. They face up to five 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 Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema accepted the plea.

The Fairfax County Police Department, Arlington County Police Department, Richmond Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, and Anne Arundel County Police Department provided significant assistance in the investigation of this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Rumbaugh and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca C. Fisher 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 Nos. 1:25-cr-160 (Otiz Granados) and 1:25-cr-224 (Alfaro Guevara).

RICHMOND, Va. – A Mechanicsville Licensed Clinical Social Worker who was convicted of criminal health care fraud has agreed to pay an additional $449,014.93 to settle civil fraud claims asserted against him by the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia.

According to court documents, between January 2017 and December 2022, Daniel Jacobsen, 72, knowingly submitted at least $335,824.31 in fraudulent claims for reimbursement to Virginia Medicaid and Medicare for services that weren’t rendered. These included claims that billed for more than 16 hours in services in one day or that used billing codes for more complex services with higher rates than the services that were provided. To support his fraudulent claims, Jacobsen used false psychotherapy progress notes reflecting the patients’ supposed receipt of services.

Jacobsen pled guilty to health care fraud on Oct. 17, 2024, and on March 13, was sentenced to three months in prison. As part of his criminal case, Jacobsen paid $316,338.31 in restitution and was ordered to pay $335,821.31 in forfeiture and a $100,000 fine. To resolve the civil fraud claims against him, Jacobsen agreed to pay an additional $449,014.93. The restitution, forfeiture, fine, and settlement total $1,201,174.55.

The resolutions obtained in these matters were the result of an effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Office of the Virginia Attorney General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carla Jordan-Detamore prosecuted the criminal case. The civil fraud matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McIntosh and Virginia Assistant Attorneys General Joseph Hall, Ray Bowman, and Christopher Salerno.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 3:24‑cr‑140.

The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.