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18 November 2025
San Diego Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $8.5 Million from EmployerRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ping “Jenny” Gao, a resident of Point Loma, has pleaded guilty in federal court, admitting that she embezzled more than $8.5 million from her employer by draining four bank accounts belonging to his U.S. companies.
According to her plea agreement, Gao funneled company funds into accounts she fraudulently created and then went on a spending spree, buying a $160,000 Porsche and a $2.9 million home with views overlooking San Diego Bay and the downtown skyline.
When her employer discovered the theft and sued in San Diego Superior Court, Gao falsely claimed her actions were authorized by the real owner of the companies in China and the person who sued her was an “imposter.” To support this false defense, Gao paid more than $100,000 of embezzled funds to people in China to fabricate evidence, which she then knowingly filed with the Superior Court to oppose a motion for a preliminary injunction. Gao also committed perjury at her deposition in the civil matter by claiming the funds in the companies’ bank accounts belonged to her.
Though the Superior Court issued multiple orders barring Gao from further spending, transferring, or dissipating the proceeds during the pendency of the civil case, Gao disregarded the orders and continued to make transactions with the embezzled proceeds. Those transactions included wiring $1.6 million overseas to a bank account in Hong Kong, China.
In September 2023, the civil case went to trial and Gao testified in her defense. Gao committed perjury again by claiming the funds were from her investments in China. She also falsely claimed that one of the managers of the companies was helping to move her funds into the United States using “underground banks” to avoid Chinese laws limiting overseas transfers.
The Superior Court ultimately ruled against Gao and converted the preliminary injunction into a permanent injunction. Despite the permanent injunction, Gao continued to dissipate proceeds in violation of court order. This included selling the $160,000 Porsche to CarMax for $75,000 and exchanging a $70,000 cashier’s check from proceeds of that transaction with another individual for cash.
According to her plea agreement, Gao admitted that she transferred more than $1 million of the embezzled funds to her personal bank accounts and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on luxuries and at high-end fashion stores. There is also more than $3.29 million of embezzled funds that were squandered or remain unaccounted for to date.
This plea hearing took place on November 13, 2025. This press release was slightly delayed due to the lapse in appropriations.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 23-CR-2380-JES
Ping Gao, aka Jenny Gao, Gao Ping Age: 55 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343
Maximum penalty: Thirty years in prison and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
Concealment Money Laundering – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1956(a)(1)(B)(i)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Rossiter Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Throwing Homemade Explosive Device at Estranged Wife’s ResidenceRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Rossiter, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 97 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of possession of a destructive device, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Roam L. Beer, 51.
Beer was convicted of the offense at the conclusion of a jury trial on August 7, 2025. The evidence presented during the day-and-a-half trial established that, on January 5, 2024, Beer threw an ignited homemade explosive device, which had been weaponized with steel shot, at the side of the residence of his estranged wife, who was in the room immediately inside the wall of the house where Beer threw the device, but was uninjured in the incident.
Assistant United States Attorney Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Fischer spoke of Beer’s lengthy criminal history, during which Beer “moved from threats to making bombs,” and described Beer’s offense in this case as “a very dangerous act warranting a serious penalty.”
First Assistant United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and New Kensington Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Beer.
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.
Romanian national sentenced to prison for bank fraud crime related to ATM skimmingRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Romanian national was sentenced in federal court in Cincinnati today to 12 months and one day in prison a federal crime related to ATM skimming.
According to court documents, Danut Valentin Urseiu, 32, conspired with others to commit bank fraud in the Southern District of Ohio in January and February 2023.
Urseiu conspired with others to place skimming devices onto a financial institution’s ATMs in the greater Cincinnati area, including in Cincinnati, Green Township and Liberty Township.
Co-conspirators used the fraudulent access devices to steal information from cardholders and defraud financial institutions.
The financial institution reported that multiple ATM locations were victimized during the timeframe Urseiu and his co-conspirators were operating in the Southern District of Ohio.
Fingerprints on cameras placed with the skimming devices in Ohio matched Urseiu’s prints from arrests in New York and Michigan.
Urseiu’s cell phones contained photos of ATM skimming devices, recording devices and large amounts of cash.
Urseiu pleaded guilty in May 2025.
Dominick S. Gerace II, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Adam Lawson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed today by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Keefe is representing the United States in this case.
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Raytown Man Sentenced for Possessing Machine GunsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Raytown, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing and transferring two machine gun conversion devices.
Darius R. Harris, also known as “D” and “D2,” 23, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Judge Beth Phillips, to twenty-one months in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing and transferring machine guns. That sentence was ordered to be served consecutively, or in addition to a seven-year, state sentence that Harris is serving for assault in the first degree.
On Oct. 30, 2023, Harris sold a silver, Glock-type switch to an undercover agent for $350. On Nov. 9, 2023, Harris sold a Glock 9mm handgun, Glock-type switch, extended magazine and twenty-three rounds of ammunition to an undercover agent for $960.
On Sept. 24, 2025, Harris’ brother, Demetrius Harris, also known as “Meech,” 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs, to two and a half years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing and transferring machine guns. On Jan. 24, 2024, Demetrius Harris sold an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, multi-caliber firearm containing an AR-type machine gun conversion device, two AR-type machine gun conversion devices and ammunition to an undercover agent for $1,060.
Machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches” or “auto sears,” are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns that fire multiple shots automatically through a single pull of the trigger, enabling more rapid and often less accurate gunfire. Whether or not they are attached to a firearm, these devices constitute machine guns under federal law. It is therefore illegal to possess, sell, or use machine gun conversion devices.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
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).
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on October 1, 2025.
Tyler Schmidt, 31, was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, a $1,000 fine, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Schmidt was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. He pleaded guilty on July 11, 2025.
Between October 2021 and November 2024, Schmidt and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Rapid City, SD, area. Schmidt routinely traveled to other states to purchase multiple pounds of methamphetamine at a time. Schmidt would then transport the methamphetamine into South Dakota and work with others to sell the methamphetamine in Rapid City. Law enforcement seized over eight pounds of methamphetamine during the investigation.
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET). UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard Counter Drug Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Schmidt was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Registered Sex Offender from Honduras Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry into the United States by a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Kevin Noel Ochoa Venegas (a/k/a Kevin Noel Ochoa-Venegas, a/k/a Kevin Noel Banegas Banegas, a/k/a Kevin Noel Banegas, a/k/a Kevin Banegas, a/k/a Kevin Noel Banega), 32, a citizen of Honduras, pleaded guilty in federal court to illegal reentry of a removed alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This criminal alien has demonstrated a brazen disregard for our national immigration laws, as evidenced by his repeated deportations and illegal returns to our country. He has also clearly shown he is a threat to our communities while unlawfully present here through his other criminal acts, including his commission of a sex offense. Thanks to the outstanding work of the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners, this criminal alien sex offender has been removed from our streets. My office stands ready to aggressively prosecute offenders like this to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the criminal aliens who mistakenly believe they can violate our national and state laws with impunity.”
Court documents reflect that on April 11, 2025, the defendant was arrested in Bay County, Florida, for driving without a valid license. Law enforcement determined that the defendant was a citizen of Honduras who was illegally present in the United States. An investigation revealed that the defendant was previously removed from the United States in 2016, and again in 2021 after he was convicted for a sex crime that required him to register sex offender. The defendant did not apply for or receive permission to reenter the United States since his last removal from the United States in 2021.
The defendant faces a maximum of 20 years’ imprisonment, and up to three years of supervision upon his release. An ICE detainer has been lodged against the defendant, and he will begin deportation proceedings after he serves his term of federal prison.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 5, 2025, at 3:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Portland Man Charged with Trespassing on Federal Property, Failing to Obey a Lawful Order, and Obstructing Federal PropertyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man made his initial appearance yesterday in federal court after trespassing on the grounds of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) building, failing to obey a lawful order, and obstructing federal property.
Christopher Griffin, 37, has been charged by information with Failing to Obey a Lawful Order, Obstructing Federal Property, and Trespassing on Federal Property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 16, 2025, Griffin entered the grounds of the ICE building in Portland. Griffin remained on the grounds, failing to comply with the lawful direction of federal officers and was arrested. Griffin was also charged with failing to comply with an officer’s orders to leave the premises on October 22, 2025, and for obstructing the use and access to federal property on November 14, 2025.
Griffin made his first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered released pending further court proceedings. As part of his release conditions, Griffin was ordered to stay away from the ICE building.
The Federal Protective Service is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case.
An information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Pascua Yaqui Tribal Member Sentenced to 10 Years Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Richard Alex Buitimea, 35, a member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, was sentenced last week by United States District Court Judge James A. Soto to 10 years in prison following a conviction for one count of Possession of Child Pornography.
According to evidence presented during trial, authorities were alerted by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that a Google Drive account belonging to Buitimea contained possible child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Acting on this tip, agents with the FBI obtained a search warrant for Buitimea’s account and discovered over 1,000 images and 21 videos of CSAM.
The FBI and the Pascua Yaqui Police Department executed a search warrant of Buitimea’s two residences located on the Pascua Yaqui Reservation. During searches of Buitimea’s residences, agents determined that the primary target smartphone of the investigation had been recently smashed, and factory reset, thereby preventing forensic review. Nevertheless, analysis of the Google Drive account established that Buitimea remained actively engaged with the account, which contained CSAM, throughout the period of the upload and retention of CSAM to the account.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.Agents with the FBI’s Tucson Division partnered with the Pascua Yaqui Police Department in handling the investigation. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Tucson, handled the prosecution along with a Special Assistant United States Attorney from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.
CASE NUMBER: 23-CR-01973-JAS-JR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2025-162_Buitimea# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Pensacola Felon Pleads Guilty to Narcotics and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Malcolm Terrell Louis, 39, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and two counts of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution is the result of the outstanding investigative work by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and our federal law enforcement partners who are committed to ending the flow of drugs and violence plaguing our communities. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute these repeat offenders as we fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from violent drug traffickers and career criminals who have terrorized our streets for far too long.”
Court documents reflect that in December of 2024, law enforcement located an unattended, parked vehicle that was left running at a housing complex in Pensacola. Law enforcement could see multiple bags of narcotics and a firearm in the vehicle. The defendant’s fingerprints were located on the vehicle and on one of the bags containing methamphetamine and cocaine. Law enforcement later executed a search warrant at a residence in Pensacola. The defendant was present at the residence, and was found to be in possession of narcotics, including methamphetamine and cocaine, and firearms. The defendant is a multi-time convicted felon.
The defendant faces up to life imprisonment.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 8, 2026, at 10:00am at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html
Owner of Chelsea Painting Business Charged with Tax Evasion and COVID-19 Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a painting company in Chelsea has been arrested and charged in connection with a five-year scheme to evade over $2.3 million in federal income taxes and with fraudulently obtaining $377,500 in COVID-19 loans.
Helcio Sperandio, 52, of Chelsea, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on charges of filing false tax returns, tax evasion and wire fraud. The defendant was arrested today and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 2 p.m. this afternoon.
According to the charging document, Sperandio owned and operated Aquarelle Painting & Services (Aquarelle). It is alleged that, from 2018 through at least 2022, Sperandio cashed hundreds of customer payment checks instead of depositing them into his business bank accounts. When tax time came, Sperandio allegedly gave his tax preparer Aquarelle’s bank statements, but he did not disclose information about the payment checks that he cashed. Using this information, the preparer filed Sperandio’s corporate and individual tax returns, unwittingly underreporting Sperandio’s income and allowing him to evade $2,309,466 in federal income tax.
It is further alleged that when the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, Sperandio obtained a $150,000 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) by providing false revenue numbers and falsely certifying that he was not engaged in any illegal activity, even though he was activity defrauding the U.S. Treasury. Later, Sperandio allegedly obtained an additional $277,500 from the SBA as a loan increase and used some of the money to start a new real estate company, a purpose prohibited under the EIDL program.
The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the monetary gain or loss, whichever is more, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Oregon Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation Offense Related to Illegal Sexual Activity with Connecticut MinorRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CANYON BEASLEY, 22, of Gresham, Oregon, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to 84 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for a child exploitation offense involving his engaging in an online relationship and unlawful sexual activity with a minor in Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in approximately January 2023, Beasley began communicating with a minor victim in Connecticut primarily through text messaging and Snapchat. In July 2023, he began requesting sexually explicit images and videos from the minor victim. In August 2023, he learned that the minor victim was 13 years old. For more than a year, Beasley and the minor victim exchanged sexually explicit images through these online platforms. In June 2024, Beasley traveled to Connecticut to engage in sexual activity with the minor victim and recorded the sexual activity using his phone.
Beasley was arrested on September 30, 2024. On April 25, 2025, he pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.
Beasley, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 28.
Beasley pleaded guilty in Connecticut state court to a related charge and is awaiting sentencing in that matter.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Cheshire Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Lembo.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
One-time Seattle resident sentenced to 30 years in prison for scheme to kidnap children in Vietnam and sexually abuse themRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 38-year-old former Seattle resident was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for producing child sexual abuse imagery in his scheme to get images of sexually abused children from a coconspirator in Vietnam, announced U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Richard Stanley Maness Jr. was convicted in August 2025 of two federal felonies following a three-day jury trial. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Richard A. Jones focused on the 4 and 7-year-old children sexually abused at Maness’ direction saying, “These victims were not candy in a dish for you to take out the one you liked…. In the mind of that 7-year-old you were a monster directing the pain she suffered.”
“In recommending this 30-year-prison sentence, our office is doing everything it can to protect innocent children here and overseas. Mr. Maness remains a danger, unable to accept the harm he has done,” said U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Instead, he insists he is the victim, but the jury and the judge saw through Maness’s fabricated claims of innocence.”
According to records filed in the case, law enforcement in Vietnam rescued two young children who had been kidnapped off the street in April 2024. The mother of the two sisters was distraught when she could not find them. The young girls were taken to an Airbnb by Maness’ female coconspirator. Records showed Maness rented the apartment. Messages between Manness and the coconspirator documented him directing sexual abuse of a child as young as 6-years-old. The coconspirator sent the images of the child sexual abuse to Maness over the internet. Maness had plans to travel to Vietnam for further child sexual abuse. Maness was arrested in a Seattle apartment after detectives in Vietnam contacted Homeland Security Investigations with information about the child kidnapping and abuse. Maness has remained in federal custody since his arrest on August 28, 2024.
Maness was convicted of conspiracy to produce child sexual abuse material and production of child sexual abuse material.
In asking for the 30-year sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “What Maness did was monstrous. And that he refuses to accept responsibility and clings to a preposterous and wholly incredible story to justify his claims of innocence is beyond the pale. The threat he poses to children is thus grave, particularly given his unwillingness to admit that his sexual interest in children led him to perpetrate unspeakable harm. Lengthy incapacitation through imprisonment and close supervision for the remainder of his life once released must be the order of the day.” Judge Jones sentenced Maness to 20 years of supervised release following the prison term.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in cooperation with the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided crucial assistance in obtaining evidence overseas.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Hampton and Cecelia Gregson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's 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.
Ohio Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Douglas Lee Brown, also known as “Wiggles,” 56, of Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced on November 17, 2025, to one year and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 18, 2024, law enforcement officers arrested Brown on domestic battery and wanton endangerment warrants in Huntington and found he possessed a loaded Taurus model G2C 9mm pistol in his waistband. Officers determined the firearm was reported stolen.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Brown knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony conviction for burglary in Franklin County, Ohio, Common Pleas Court on November 15, 2012.
Brown has a long criminal history and was on a term of supervision as a result of the burglary conviction at the time of the current offense.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney L. Finney 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 Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-168.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge John A. Ross on Tuesday sentenced an Ohio man to 16 years in prison for inducing a Missouri teen to send him nude images and videos.
Joseph Bauer, 27, of Cleveland, met a 14-year-old girl via an online social media app in roughly August of 2021.The two communicated regularly online until July 2023. In numerous chat messages Bauer told the victim to send him nude pictures of herself. He also discussed plans for her to leave her family and live with him. In July of 2023, the victim was in Ohio with family. Bauer picked her up and took her to his home. She was found later the same day by police.
Bauer pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in August St. Louis to one count of production of child pornography
The Morrow County (Ohio) Sheriff’s Office, the Cleveland Police Department, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Charles County Cyber Crimes Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
Ocean County Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Ocean County, New Jersey man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for possessing images of child sexual abuse, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced today.
John Mangan, 79, of Lanoka Harbor, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of possession of child pornography. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On October 29, 2024, agents with Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, executed a search warrant at Mangan’s residence in Lanoka Harbor and discovered an electronic device containing over 250 images of children being sexually abused. Mangan was previously convicted of sexual offenses involving minors, including: (i) a New Jersey conviction for sexual assault against a minor, for conduct that occurred while Mangan was a school principal; and (ii) a prior federal conviction for possession of child pornography.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Shipp sentenced Mangan to a five-year term of supervised release and to pay restitution to his victims.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Defense counsel: Suzanne Axel, Hackensack, New Jersey.
Nurse Anesthetist Pleads Guilty to Stealing Fentanyl from Dubuque HospitalRead the Press Release
A man who was a certified nurse anesthetist working in a Dubuque hospital in January 2022 and stole fentanyl pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Benjamin K. Albert, age 53, from Round Lake, Illinois, was convicted of three counts of acquiring fentanyl through fraud.
In a plea agreement, Albert admitted that he worked at a Dubuque hospital as a certified registered nurse anesthetist from January 13, 2022, through January 27, 2022. A certified registered nurse anesthetist administers anesthesia and provides pain management to individuals undergoing surgical procedures. Over the five days that he worked, Albert administered fentanyl to 18 patients. Albert admitted that on each day he worked, he acquired fentanyl from the hospital by drawing extra fentanyl from the hospital pharmacy in a patient’s name. Albert then only administered a portion of the fentanyl to the patient. He stole the rest for his own use. Several of Albert’s patients who he charted as having received appropriate dosing of fentanyl exhibited signs of feeling significant pain during surgery.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Albert remains free on release pending sentencing. For each count, Albert faces a possible maximum sentence of four years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release following any imprisonment. As part of sentencing, Albert has agreed to forfeit his Iowa nursing license to the United States.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Patrick J. Reinert and Timothy Vavricek and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Investigative Division of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1045.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
New York Pair Sentenced to Prison for Conspiring to Possess, Distribute Some 40 Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Vanessa Velez, 51, and Felix Mendez, 44, both of New York, New York, were sentenced today by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for conspiring to possess and distribute bulk amounts of powder cocaine shipped from El Paso, Texas, to Philadelphia.
Velez was sentenced to 48 months’ imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and forfeiture of $325,000, and Mendez to 18 months’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and forfeiture of $325,000.
The defendants were charged by indictment in January of this year. In August, they each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute approximately 40 kilograms of cocaine, and one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute approximately 40 kilograms of cocaine.
As detailed in court filings, Velez and Mendez traveled together to Philadelphia with a duffel bag containing approximately $325,000 in U.S. currency. On October 29, 2024, in a South Philadelphia parking lot, they exchanged the cash-filled bag for two other duffel bags, which they believed contained cocaine. The defendants then drove away.
Shortly thereafter, Philadelphia police stopped the defendants’ Range Rover in the area of 59 E. Oregon Avenue. Both Mendez and Velez were detained, and investigators recovered the two bags containing the “sham” kilograms of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Philadelphia Police Department as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) program and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Diviny.
New York Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Selling Counterfeit Xanax on Dark WebRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig on Tuesday sentenced a man who sold counterfeit Xanax on the dark web, both before and after he was indicted for doing so, to 54 months in prison.
“I hope you understand that you put people’s lives at risk,” Judge Fleissig told John Cruz.
Cruz, 31, of Rochester, N.Y., pleaded guilty on two occasions in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to misbrand, introduce misbranded drugs and sell counterfeit drugs: Nov. 29, 2023, and July 1, 2024. Cruz admitted purchasing counterfeit Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, on the darknet and then reselling it from at least October 2019 through May 2021. He also admitted that while he was out on bond after his 2023 guilty plea, he operated a darknet website where he offered four different types of counterfeit/misbranded pills.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ware, in court Tuesday, said Cruz’ continued sale of the drugs demonstrated “arrogance,” a “lack of remorse” and “deliberate anti-social behavior.”
Investigators seized $145,502 from an account Cruz held in the cryptocurrency Monero, representing the proceeds of his illegal pill sales. Cruz has agreed to forfeit the Monero.
“Any medication purchased online should be considered suspicious,” DEA St. Louis Division Special Agent in Charge Michael Davis said. “More often than not, those selling these drugs, including repeat offender John Cruz, are fully aware that the product their pushing is counterfeit and often laced with fentanyl. Cruz is a threat not only to our St. Louis communities, but to anyone who has a computer and access to the dark web. Let today’s sentencing serve as a reminder that prescription medications should only be filled by a licensed pharmacist, not bought online from unknown and unreliable sources.”
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is charged with defending the nation’s mail system from illegal use. With the collaborative efforts of our federal law enforcement partners, Postal Inspectors investigate those utilizing the U.S. Mail for illicit activities, including the distribution of narcotics. Today’s sentencing reflects the diligent investigative work by Postal Inspectors, and our law enforcement partners,” said Inspector in Charge Ruth Mendonça, who leads the Chicago Division, which includes the St. Louis Domicile Office.
The case was investigated by the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Ware and Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.
New Jersey Man Charged with Possession of a Dangerous Weapon in Federal Building in Downtown NewarkRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a New Jersey man with possessing a dangerous weapon and depredation of federal property during an incident that occurred last week, Acting United States Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Keith Michael Lisa, 51, of Barnegat, NJ, was arrested and charged by complaint with one count of possession of a dangerous weapon in a federal facility and one count of depredation of federal property. Lisa appeared on Monday, November 17, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte in Newark federal court and was detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Lisa entered the Peter Rodino Federal Building in Newark, shortly before 5:00pm, on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, with a full-sized, aluminum baseball bat. Lisa said he needed to see the Attorney General’s Office and security informed Lisa that the bat was a prohibited weapon that he could not bring into the building. Lisa left and returned a few minutes later without the weapon. He was visibly irate and mumbling as he went through security. Lisa continued to the reception area of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, where witnesses saw that he was angry and making threats about tearing the place up. Lisa damaged federal property by knocking framed items off the walls. After learning law enforcement was looking for him, rather than turn himself in, Lisa went into hiding, requiring a coordinated, state-wide effort by federal, state, and local law enforcement to locate and arrest him in the early morning hours of November 15.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of Marshal Juan Mattos, Jr., Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel; Federal Protective Service, under the direction of Director Faron K. Paramore; New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan; Ocean County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy, and local Mahwah Police Department and Barnegat Police Department, with the investigation leading to the apprehension.
The government is represented by Ari B. Fontecchio and Lauren Kober, both Assistant United States Attorneys in Newark’s Criminal Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Assistant Federal Defender Candace Hom, Esq.
lisa.complaint.pdfNatrona Man Indicted for Interstate Threats and Threatening to Murder a Federal OfficialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Natrona, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of communicating interstate threats, as well as threatening to assault and murder a federal official, First Assistant United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The 11-count indictment named Thomas Dorn, 39, as the defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about October 17, 2025, Dorn called one of his victims and left voice messages that detailed threats to injure and kill that victim and others. The Indictment further alleges that, on or about October 27, 2025, Dorn threatened to shoot his postal carrier and then shoot up his post office.
On October 28, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) filed a federal criminal complaint against Dorn and arrested him at his residence. Following a hearing, a federal magistrate judge found that Dorn presented a danger to the community and ordered him detained pending trial.
The Indictment additionally contains forfeiture allegations, which notified Dorn that the United States would seek to forfeit certain property seized by the FBI on October 28, 2025, including 11 firearms, firearm suppressors, firearm scopes, firearm magazines, and ammunition of various calibers.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Marshals Service, and Harrison Township Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the criminal complaint and Indictment against Dorn.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Possession of Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Hyden Bishop Russell, age 19, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to a term of three years’ probation for one count of Possession of a Stolen Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Muskogee Police Department.
On June 17, 2025, Russell pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 11, 2024, an officer responding to a 911 report of a road rage incident pulled over the vehicle involved and discovered Russell in possession of a loaded Glock 17 semiautomatic pistol which had been stolen from a federally licensed firearm dealer.
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).
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Denim Cole Adams, age 21, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of an Unregistered Firearm, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on July 4, 2024, Adams knowingly possessed a 12-gauge, pump-action shotgun, with a barrel of less than 18 inches in length, which was not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muskogee Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Tribal Police Department.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Adams will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Morristown Man Sentenced for Operating Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
GREENEVILLE Tenn. – On October 1, 2025, Michael D. Harris, 60, of Hamblen County, Tennessee, was sentenced to 33 months by the Honorable Clifton L. Corker, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his release, Harris will be on supervised release for three years and will be required to repay over $1.5 million in restitution.
As part of the plea agreement filed with the court, Harris agreed to plead guilty to one count of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
According to filed court documents, from 2015 to 2020, Harris operated an investment scheme, commonly referred to as a Ponzi scheme, in the Morristown, TN area. He would convince victims of the offense to invest money with him based on his self-proclaimed expertise as a stock trader. In exchange for giving Harris their money, victims either obtained guaranteed return promissory notes (usually calling for ten percent (10%) interest per month) that would frequently roll over into new notes or membership interests in purported investment group plans. As part of the scheme, Harris agreed to pledge non-existent life insurance and, for those in his investment group plans, he would provide weekly market updates and phony plan share values. In truth, Harris was spending money on himself, losing money in speculative investments, and using new investor’s money to repay previous investors. Harris ultimately confessed what he had done to a Tennessee Securities Division Fraud Investigator.
In total, Harris defrauded 52 victims and stole over $1.5 million. He has been ordered to make full restitution to all victims as part of the sentence.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, IRS Criminal Investigation (“IRS CI”) made the announcement.
The criminal indictment was the result of an investigation led by IRS CI with valuable assistance from the Morristown Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Mac D. Heavener III represented the United States.
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Mission Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting a Man with a MacheteRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota man convicted of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on October 20, 2025.
Robert Romero, age 48, was sentenced to five years and eight months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Romero was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in May 2024 within the boundaries of the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. On May 12, 2024, Romero was driving a vehicle in Mission when he observed the victim walking alongside the roadway. Romero stopped his vehicle and argued with the victim. Romero then exited his vehicle and produced a machete, which he used to strike the victim’s arm, inflicting a serious injury that required hospitalization.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Romero was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mission Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on October 21, 2025.
Darrell Dean Ponca, a/k/a Darrell Dean Richards, age 67, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ponca was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
Ponca was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in November 1994. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or change in employment or student status. In December 2024, Ponca failed to update his sex offender registration following his release from custody on a previous conviction for Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Ponca was arrested in Mission, South Dakota, on January 31, 2025.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Ponca was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Milan Man Sentenced to over 8 years in Prison for Federal Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A Milan, Tennessee man has been sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, on February 5, 2025, officers with the Milan Police Department responded to the Mega Mart in Milan concerning an attempted robbery. Officers learned that Fleming Williams, 35, had entered the store and became upset with the clerk because of the price of a cigarillo. Williams then threatened to rob another customer at the store if he did not give him a dollar. Williams then pulled a handgun out of his pocket and held it in his hand before leaving the store.
Officers subsequently apprehended Williams at a nearby motel where he was living. Before he was arrested, Williams discarded his gun in a trash can near the motel. Officers searched the area following Williams’s arrest and found the gun in the trash can. Williams is a convicted felon and was thus prohibited by federal law from possessing a firearm.
On March 10, 2025, Williams was indicted in federal court in Jackson with being a felon in possession of a firearm, and he pled guilty to that offense on June 18, 2025. On October 23, 2025, United States District Court Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Williams to 100 months’ imprisonment to be followed by three years of supervised release.
There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "As a threatening felon in possession of a firearm, Williams presented a clear danger to the public in multiple ways. The eight-plus year sentence imposed in this case rightly punishes him for his recidivist behavior, removes him from the community, and makes Milan and Gibson County a safer place."
“We appreciate our federal partners for their continued efforts in prosecuting gun crimes and ensuring that offenders receive appropriate sentences,” said Milan Police Chief Bobby Sellers. “This is one less felon that the Milan Police Department and the citizens of Milan will have to deal with, and it demonstrates the impact of strong partnerships between local and federal law enforcement.”
This case was investigated by members of the Milan Police Department and agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Michigan couple arrested, facing multiple charges involving harboring unauthorized aliens, and money launderingRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Moises Orduna-Rios, 36, and Raquel Orduna-Rios, 30, of Plymouth, Michigan, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy, transporting and harboring unauthorized aliens for commercial advantage or private financial gain, conspiracy to bring in, harbor, and transport unauthorized aliens, employment of at least 10 unauthorized aliens within a 12-month period, engaging in a pattern or practice of employing unauthorized aliens, and money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $3,000 for each unauthorized alien employed by the defendants.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGuire, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Orduna Plumbing Inc., is a plumbing company based in Michigan, with operations throughout the United States, including in New York, Michigan, North Carolina, and Ohio. Moises Orduna-Rios is the president of Orduna Plumbing, while Raquel Orduna-Rios is the Treasurer and Secretary.
It is believed that since January 2022, through December 2024, the defendants employed approximately 253 individuals. Out of the 253 individuals, only six were confirmed to be legally present and permitted to work in the United States. The defendants collected the passports of the unauthorized aliens and housed them in overcrowded houses and hotel rooms. It is estimated that between January 1, 2022, and August 7, 2025, Moises Orduna-Rios and Raquel Orduna-Rios generated approximately $74,000,000 in customer revenue. During the course of the investigation, U.S. Border Patrol agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested 23 unauthorized aliens employed by Orduna Plumbing, in Buffalo, Rochester, and Charlotte, North Carolina.
The investigation uncovered messaging communications between Moises Orduna-Rios and some of the unauthorized aliens, during which they discussed payroll, proper care of company vehicles, proper use of company credit cards, concerns about being undocumented, switching housing locations to be less visible to law enforcement, and precautions that should be taken to avoid being apprehended. For instance, on February 1, 2025, Moises Orduna-Rios sent this message by way of a group chat stating, “Gentlemen, with all the controversy that is going on, its better to get ready, drive the speed limit, limit yourselves going to the store, only do minimal running of errands, and do not have any gatherings such as barbeques…”
In the summer of 2025, Border Patrol agents executed a search warrant at a Rochester residence that housed some of the unauthorized aliens believed to be working for Orduna Plumbing. Border Patrol found nine individuals, all of whom were illegally present in the United States, living in a small sparsely furnished residence.
A financial review of Orduna Plumbing revealed the company paid hundreds of employees known to be illegally present in the United States through multiple bank accounts used and controlled by the defendants.
Moises Orduna-Rios and Raquel Orduna-Rios made an initial appearance today in Federal Court in the Eastern District of Michigan and were released on conditions. They are scheduled to appear in the Western District of New York on December 2, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark W. Pedersen.
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.
The criminal complaint and seizures are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, Rochester Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent-in-Charge Juan Ramirez, Jr., and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis. Additional assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Rose Brophy, Director of Field Operations and Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, under the direction of Director Christopher Romosz.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Memphis Doctor to Pay $375,296.90 to Settle Fraudulent Billing AllegationsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Memphis nephrologist providing end-stage renal disease, or ESRD, treatments to Medicare beneficiaries will pay $375,296.90 to resolve False Claims Act allegations brought against him. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the agreement today.
Dr. Mark Shermer was alleged to have falsely billed Medicare for ESRD treatment visits to dialysis patients that he never actually performed. The civil settlement resolved these allegations brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the federal False Claims Act. Under the qui tam provision, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the settlement if the government takes over the case and reaches a monetary agreement with the defendant. The case is captioned United States ex rel. Davis, 2:21-cv-2754-JTF-cgc (W.D. Tenn.).
“Falsely billing Medicare for dialysis procedures that never occurred contributes to the soaring costs of health care and ultimately harms actual patients," said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant. "Settlements like this protect public funds and safeguard the beneficiaries of federal health care programs."
“Providers who submit false claims to Medicare compromise the integrity of federal health care programs and the services they are meant to provide,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG is proud to work alongside our law enforcement partners to safeguard taxpayer dollars and uphold the trust placed in these vital programs.”
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Pazar Williams represented the United States in this case.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Highlights Prosecutions During Lapse in Federal AppropriationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes announced convictions, indictments, plea agreements and sentencings that the District of Maryland secured in connection with several cases the office prosecuted during the recent lapse in federal appropriations.
“During the recent lapse in appropriations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland continued to steadfastly carry out its essential mission,” Hayes said. “Our Assistant U.S. Attorneys and staff remained unwavering in pursuing cases that protected public safety, upheld the rule of law, and served the interests of justice. I am grateful for their professionalism and dedication during this period, and we look forward to continuing to carry out our responsibilities with the same diligence and commitment now that normal operations are restored.”
A summary of several notable cases is below.
October 2025
David Donnell Fulton, 32, of York, Pennsylvania, pled guilty to one count of Sexual Exploitation of a Child. During a search of Fulton’s home, law enforcement seized several devices and found Fulton with an image of a 7-year-old victim, as well as multiple images of commercially available child sex abuse material.
U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Mehul Ramesh Khatiwala, 43, aka “Mike Khatiwala,” of Voorhees, New Jersey, to seven years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, in connection with his role supervising a multi-million-dollar bank fraud conspiracy. This is Khatiwala’s second federal conviction and sentencing for bank fraud charges.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Jamari James David Leverett, 22, of Baltimore, Maryland, charging him with sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child sexual abuse material. According to the eight-count indictment, Leverett used multiple online profiles on various social media and gaming platforms to meet and extort minors across the U.S.
A federal jury convicted Fode Sitafa Mara, 40, of Takoma Park, Maryland, on four counts of aggravated sexual abuse perpetrated against two minors, one count of coercion and enticement, and one count of obstruction. According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mara, on multiple occasions, forcibly raped two teenage Burkinabé girls at his Embassy-leased residence in Ouagadougou.
U.S District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Lester Massey, Jr., 42, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, to 30 months in federal prison for being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition. According to the evidence presented at trial, on August 11, 2023, ATF agents, with the assistance of PGPD officers, executed a court-ordered search-and-seizure warrant at Massey’s residence. During the search, law enforcement located and recovered 243 live rounds of ammunition throughout the apartment.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Nathaniel Ratchford, 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a prohibited person while also on federal supervised release.
Lawrence Earl Smith, Jr., 51, of Perry Hall, Maryland, pled guilty to federal wire fraud and tax evasion charges. While serving as a Baltimore City School Police Officer and Dunbar High School football coach, Smith created and executed a scheme to submit fraudulent overtime slips. Smith received overtime payments, totaling more than $200,000, for time that he never worked. He also evaded paying more than $60,000 in federal income taxes for 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Duane Watts, 46, and Donna Jones, 59, both of Baltimore, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud scheme. According to both guilty pleas, beginning in May 2020, and continuing through at least May 2021, Watts, Jones, and other co-conspirators, engaged in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud and obtain money by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, in connection with an UI fraud scheme.
November 2025
U.S. District Judge Lydia K. Griggsby sentenced Donzell Lernard Campbell, 44, of Laurel, Maryland, to 110 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. On February 27, 2024, Campbell pled guilty to federal possession of a machine gun, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of ammunition charges.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Jayre Reaves, 48, of Ellicott City, Maryland, to 27 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, in connection with a mail fraud scheme. Judge Maddox also ordered Reaves to forfeit $615,000 and pay $614,000 in restitution.
U.S. District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Jennifer Tinker, 42, of Ellicott City, Maryland, to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud, in connection with Tinker’s embezzlement of more than $1.1 million from two separate employers. Tinker used the funds that she stole from Real Estate Agency 1 to pay for luxury goods and personal expenditures such as vacations, Taylor Swift tickets, and five different vehicles.
Jackson Traylor, 27, of Dania Beach, Florida, pled guilty to one count of utilizing a telecommunications device without disclosing his identity with the intent to abuse, threaten, or harass. According to public filings, between July 9, 2024, and April 10, 2025, Traylor — using a series of different phone numbers — sent more than 10 Antisemitic and harassing messages to a Jewish individual who is originally from Maryland.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
Maryland Man Who Robbed Two Iowa Convenience Stores Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who was previously convicted of robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust on January 3, 2024, was sentenced on November 14, 2025, to nearly three years in federal prison after convictions for robbing two convenience stores.
Andrew Philip Derr, age 23, from Fredrick, Maryland, received the prison term after a June 24, 2025, guilty plea to robbing two convenience stores and one count of money laundering.
In a plea agreement, Derr admitted that after being discharged from the military for misconduct in 2023, he moved to Iowa City and conducted a series of robberies in the Cedar Rapids area. Derr admitted that, on December 27, 2023, he robbed the Casey’s General Store in Robins and obtained over $7,000 in cash and other merchandise. On January 1, 2024, he robbed the Kum & Go store on Four Oaks Drive in Cedar Rapids. Derr was previously convicted and sentenced in state court for robbing the Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust branch on Council Street in Cedar Rapids on January 3, 2024, stealing over $16,000 in cash. Derr admitted that after each robbery he laundered the stolen funds by making multiple deposits into his Maryland Bank account to disguise the nature, source, and ownership of the funds. On January 3, 2024, Derr flew to Maryland, and subsequently made two deposits of robbery proceeds totaling more than $4,800.
When the United States Marshals Service tried to arrest Derr at his Iowa City apartment, they found a note stating, “Catch me if you can.” As a result of the United States Marshals Service efforts to apprehend him, Derr turned himself into the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office on January 12, 2024.
Derr was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Derr was sentenced to 34 months and 29 days’ imprisonment. This prison term was imposed concurrently with the remainder of Derr’s state prison sentence for the bank robbery. The court ordered Derr to pay $7,359.89 in restitution to Casey’s, $308.20 to Kum & Go, and $16,705 to Cedar Rapids Bank and Trust. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
The United States Marshals Service is holding Derr in custody until he can be transported back to the Iowa prison system to continue serving his state prison sentence.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the United States Marshals Service’s Northern Iowa Fugitive Task Force, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, Robins Police Department, Linn County Attorney’s Office, the University of Iowa Police Department, and the Orleans Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR-00105.
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Marrero Woman Sentenced in Cares Act Fraud InvestigationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that on October 30, 2025, LINDA TRIGGS (“TRIGGS”), age 74, a resident of Marrero, was sentenced to three-years’ probation by United States District Judge Brandon S. Long, after previously pleading guilty to making a false statement related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001(a)(2). TRIGGS faced a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to three years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Additionally, TRIGGS was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $64,065.00 to the United States Small Business Administration (SBA). TRIGGS was also ordered to complete 150 hours of community service and pay a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the SBA, to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. One of the primary sources of funding for small businesses was the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to the charging documents, or about April 18, 2021, TRIGGS, on behalf of a non-profit corporation that she owned, made false statements to an approved lender to obtain approximately $64,065.00 for PPP loans.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany Reed of the Violent Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Man Charged with Assaulting Federal Officer with his CarRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Roberto Carlos Galeana-Guatemala, a Mexican national, was charged in federal court with striking and seriously injuring a federal officer with his vehicle while agents and officers were attempting to arrest him.
Galeana-Guatemala was charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon that inflicted bodily injury, and for being a removed alien who again entered the United States illegally. He was most recently removed from the United States on February 6, 2024, after his February 5, 2024, conviction for Bringing in Certain Aliens Other Than a Designated Port of Entry.
At his detention hearing today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian J. White, Galeana-Guatemala stipulated to remain detained without bond.
According to the complaint, at about 4:25 a.m. on November 12, 2025, federal agents from the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) attempted to execute a judicially authorized federal arrest warrant for Galeana-Guatemala outside an apartment complex in National City.
The complaint said agents positioned their vehicles in front of the Honda driven by Galeana-Guatemala and announced “Police!” as they exited their vehicle. Galeana-Guatemala began driving his vehicle in reverse away from the agents.
Law enforcement agents pursued the Honda on foot while verbally shouting “Stop!” and “Police” at Galeana-Guatemala. Additional law enforcement vehicles arrived and activated their emergency lights while blocking Galeana-Guatemala’s exit north.
Galeana-Guatemala attempted to maneuver his vehicle around the law enforcement vehicles but stopped approximately one foot away from the front bumper of one of the blocking vehicles. Galeana-Guatemala then drove approximately 200 feet from the initial parked location before coming to a complete stop.
According to the complaint, agents approached the driver side window and shouted “Police, don't move!” multiple times. Galeana-Guatemala momentarily paused before accelerating towards them, forcing them to scatter to avoid being hit.
Galeana-Guatemala’s vehicle then made a distinct movement toward three agents, one who was unable to get out of the defendant’s path.
The agent was struck by the defendant’s vehicle, thrown onto the street and underneath adjacent parked vehicles. The agent was hospitalized and has contusions, a possible sternum fracture and had to use a wheelchair due to continued pain while walking.
After Galeana-Guatemala struck the agent, he continued to accelerate south and struck another law enforcement vehicle on the front passenger door, resulting in the door being inoperable, the complaint said.
When the defendant was found by law enforcement later in the day, he attempted to run away again but was apprehended in near the 3800 block of Fairmount Avenue, San Diego.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lauricella.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25mj6283-DDL
Roberto Carlos Galeana-Guatemala Age: 20 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Assault on a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 111 (a)(1) and (b)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Attempted Assault on a Federal Officer – Title 18, U.S.C., Sections 111 (a)(1) and (b)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
Deported Alien Found in the United States – Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1326
Maximum penalty: Two years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Border Patrol
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Lehigh County Man Pleads Guilty to Scheme That Defrauded Victims of Nearly $2 MillionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Chinedu Ekuma, 45, of Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher on two counts of wire fraud, in connection with a scheme that defrauded victims of nearly $2 million.
The defendant was charged by information earlier this month.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, from about August 2020 through March 2023, Ekuma devised a scheme to defraud victims and to obtain money and property of these victims by materially false pretenses, representations, and promises. The victims were individuals and businesses that intended to make payments to businesses and individuals for personal and/or business reasons.
Ekuma owned entities called Intelaris Solutions, LLC (“Intelaris Solutions”) and Verge Capital (“Verge Capital”), and opened several bank accounts in the name of these entities.
He and others caused the fraud victims to send payments to the Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital bank accounts, by falsely representing to the victims that those accounts were associated with the businesses and individuals who the victims intended to pay, when, in fact, the Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital bank accounts were controlled by Ekuma, and Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital had no legitimate relationship with any of the victims.
As part of the scheme, the defendant and co-schemers created, or caused the creation of, fraudulent documentation that falsely represented that Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital were entitled to payments from the victims.
After the fraud proceeds were received into the Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital bank accounts, Ekuma transferred most of the fraud proceeds to other co-schemers and retained other amounts of the fraud proceeds for himself.
In total, Ekuma and the others caused the Intelaris Solutions and Verge Capital bank accounts to receive more than $1.75 million from fraud victims and attempted to cause these accounts to receive over $650,000 more from fraud victims.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 12 and faces a maximum possible term of 40 years in prison.
The case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis Weber.
Justice Department Sues Former Property Owner for Sexual Harassment Committed by Former Owner and Manager of Arkansas Rental Apartment ComplexRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against Thomas Ray Kelso, the former owner and manager of rental properties formerly known as Briarwood Apartments in Searcy, Arkansas, for engaging in sexual harassment and retaliation in violation of the Fair Housing Act. The lawsuit also names as a defendant Avatar Investments LLC, which owned the rental properties during Kelso’s management and sexual harassment of female tenants.
The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas, alleges that Kelso sexually harassed female tenants beginning in 2001, until his arrest, in 2023, and conviction for federal sex trafficking charges in 2025. According to the complaint, Kelso made repeated and unwelcome sexual comments to female tenants, touched female tenants’ bodies without their permission, requested sexual contact, offered reduced or free rent in exchange for sexual contact and took retaliatory actions against female tenants who refused his sexual advances, including threatening to cut electricity or denying laundry access.
“No one should have to endure sexual harassment to keep a roof over his or her head,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit reinforces the Justice Department’s commitment to holding landlords and housing providers accountable for illegally harassing and retaliating against tenants.”
“This defendant intentionally lured and threatened vulnerable victims, forcing them to perform sexual acts in exchange for some of life’s essentials — shelter and electricity. He was rightfully sentenced to serve 20 years in federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “Just as Kelso continues to be held accountable for his reprehensible acts, the housing provider, Avatar Investments, LLC, should also be held accountable for its total lack of oversight of its property.”
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate persons harmed by the alleged harassment, civil penalties to vindicate the public interest, and a court order barring future discrimination.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 51 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered nearly $16.2 million for victims of such harassment.
Jury Convicts Software Distributor of Conspiracy to Traffic in Illicit Microsoft Certificates of AuthenticityRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Heidi Richards (52, Brandon) guilty of conspiring to traffic in illicit Microsoft certificate of authenticity (COA) labels. Richards faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for February 26, 2026.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Richards, doing business as Trinity Software Distribution, paid co-conspirators millions of dollars for thousands of genuine, standalone Microsoft COA labels at prices significantly lower than the retail price of the associated software. Richards and her employees harvested product key codes from the labels and then sold them in bulk to her customers. Federal law prohibits the trafficking of standalone COA labels separate from the software programs they were intended to accompany.
COA labels authenticate Microsoft software, assist customers in identifying genuine software, and bear security features intended to dissuade counterfeit duplication. There is an illicit, secondary market for COA labels because they bear product key codes used to activate Microsoft software. COA labels are not to be sold separately from the license and hardware that they are intended to accompany, and they hold no independent commercial value.
The Homeland Security Investigations Kansas City Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Risha Asokan of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Jared Hosid of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) 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.
Indiana Man Convicted in Federal Court of Defrauding Elderly Victims Out of Tens of Thousands of DollarsRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Abdul Waheed Mohammed, age 33, of Greenwood, Indiana, of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on October 16, 2025.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Mohammed was indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
In September 2023, Mohammed and several co-conspirators, including co-defendant Shalinee Vyas, were involved in a scam targeting elderly victims across the United States and fraudulently taking money from them. The victims were convinced by these scammers that they had committed a crime or had their bank accounts hacked. In September 2023, those working with Mohammed contacted an elderly victim in the Rapid City area and falsely claimed to be law enforcement officers. The victim was told she had been involved in a crime, would be arrested if she did not pay cash and gold to resolve the non-existent criminal matter, and could not speak about the matter to anyone. Over the course of a week, the victim lost more than $100,000 to the scammers when they came to the victim’s home to pick up cash and gold. Afterward, the victim’s friends noticed a change in her behavior that ultimately led to uncovering the scam. The victim notified law enforcement who that another $95,000 in gold was to be picked up by the scammer. Law enforcement then conducted an operation and arrested Mohammed when he arrived at the victim’s home to retrieve the gold.
Following Mohammed’s arrest, law enforcement located several messages in his phone from Vyas to Mohammed and others directing Mohammed to various locations throughout the United States to collect cash from elderly victims who were being scammed including the theft of gold in Rapid City.“The investigative efforts of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and its partners, along with the prosecutorial work of the U.S. Attorney's Office, demonstrate the commitment to pursuing, capturing, and prosecuting those who try to defraud the American people," said TIGTA Special Agent-in-Charge Kelly Moening.
This case was investigated Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.A presentence investigation was ordered and Mohammed’s sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2026. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
If you or someone you know is asked to do any of these things mentioned in the above case, you are dealing with a fraudster, and you should do the following immediately:
• Do not send any more money
• Save copies of your communications, receipts, bank records, etc.
• Call your local police department or sheriff’s office, the New York State Police, or the FBI
• Submit a complaint online at IC3.gov
In addition, an individual employed by the federal government will never:
• Tell you to withdraw any of your money from your bank accounts.
• Ask you to convert your money to gold bars or some other form of currency.
• Come to your house or meet you at a predetermined location and take money from you.
• Ask you to wire money to an account.
• Ask you to send money via CashApp, Zelle, Apple Pay, or any other peer-to-peer platform.
• Ask you to send cryptocurrency.
• Ask you to buy gift cards and send them (either by mailing the physical cards or by scratching them off and sending pictures of the redemption information).
• Tell you they need remote access to your computer or any of your accounts.
• Ask you for your social security number, bank account information, or any other sensitive information over phone or email.
Illegal alien indicted for dragging officers with his vehicleRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A federal grand jury indicted a Venezuelan national today on charges alleging he assaulted federal officers while resisting arrest.
Hector Velandia-Anaya, 18, allegedly attempted to flee from immigration officials and dragged two officers with his vehicle while he began to drive away.
“We will not tolerate any action that endangers the agents who are working to enforce our immigration laws,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “As today’s indictment shows, those who threaten the safety of our federal law enforcement partners will be prosecuted.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 2, immigration officers pulled over Velandia-Anaya near Shrock Road in Columbus. The defendant turned off his car’s ignition, but when asked to step out of the vehicle, he allegedly closed the driver’s door and restarted the vehicle to flee.
One officer re-opened the driver’s side door to try to keep Velandia-Anaya from driving away. The other officer partially climbed into the passenger seat to try to stop him from putting the vehicle into drive. Velandia-Anaya allegedly accelerated the vehicle and drove forward with the officers partially inside.
An affidavit details that officers wrestled with Velandia-Anaya’s hand to regain control of the gear shifter, stop the vehicle and ultimately arrest the defendant.
He was charged by federal criminal complaint on Nov. 6. In today’s indictment, he is charged with two counts of assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Matthew Stentz, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Kevin Raycraft, Acting Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this 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.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Carlos Arturo Cahuex-Martinez, a/k/a Carlos Arturo Cahuex, a/k/a Carlos Cahuex-Martinez, a/k/a Carlos Martinez, age 45, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Wagoner, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 8 months in prison for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division.
On September 16, 2025, Cahuex-Martinez pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on July 22, 2025, Cahuex-Martinez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on July 3, 2018, November 13, 2018, and January 26, 2022.
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.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, serving by designation, presided over the hearing. Cahuex-Martinez will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joel Rebollero, a/k/a Joel Reboyar Calderon, a/k/a Joel Calderon Reboyar, a/k/a Jose Bolero, age 36, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McAlester, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the McAlester Police Department.
On August 4, 2025, Rebollero pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on June 10, 2025, Rebollero, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on June 4, 2008.
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.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, serving by designation, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Sergio Alejandro Olivas-Robledo, age 37, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office.
On November 10, 2025, Olivas-Robledo pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on September 28. 2025, Olivas-Robledo, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 11, 2008, and January 15, 2009.
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).
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Chief U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarrod Leaman represented the United States.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Konnor Wolfe Lyons, 35, of Huntington, pleaded on November 17, 2025, to receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 24, 2023, Lyons utilized a peer-to-peer file sharing computer network to download 464 digital media files containing child pornography. As part of his guilty plea, Lyons admitted that he knowingly downloaded the files via an internet connection and knew they depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct including sadistic and masochistic abuse.
Lyons also admitted to additional criminal conduct. On September 2, 2024, Lyons utilized a peer-to-peer file-sharing computer network to download six digital media files containing child pornography. Lyons admitted that the files depicted minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct and he downloaded them using an internet connection.
On November 4, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Lyons’ residence and seized his cell phone. A forensic extraction of the cell phone revealed 1,546 images of child pornography that Lyons had downloaded from the internet.
Lyons is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Lyons must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is also the result of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-76.
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Houston area man admits to enticing teenage girl to commit sex actsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 52-year-old Spring resident has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
From Aug. 26 - Oct. 5, 2023, John Alberth exchanged messages with a 16-year-old minor victim, offering money in exchange for sex acts and explicit photos.
As part of his plea, Alberth admitted paying the minor victim through CashApp and asking her to send him photos of herself that constituted child sexual abuse material.
Law enforcement discovered text messages confirming Alberth knew the victim was a minor.
U.S. District Judge George P. Hanks will impose sentencing Jan. 30, 2026. At that time, Alberth faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Houston Police Department and Sherrif’s Offices in Harris and Galveston County.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Hileman is prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Honduran Man Indicted for Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that Miguel Angel Lopez-Mejia (“LOPEZ-MEJIA”), age 32, a Honduran national, was indicted on October 31, 2025, for illegal reentry of a previously removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to the charging document, LOPEZ-MEJIA was found in the United States on October 16, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States after being previously deported on July 15, 2022.
LOPEZ-MEJIA faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two (2) years, followed by up to one (1) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran Man Indicted for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JOSE WALTER NIETO-CASTELLANOS (“NIETO-CASTELLANOS”), age 31, a Honduran national illegally in the United States, was indicted on October 31, 2025, for Assault on a Federal Officer, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 111(a)(1) and(b).
According to court documents, on October 14, 2025, NIETO-CASTELLANOS forcibly assaulted a United States Border Patrol Agent, with Customs and Border Protection, United States Border Patrol, by hitting the back of a law enforcement vehicle with his white Toyota Tundra, while the agent was engaged in the performance of his official duties.
NIETO-CASTELLANOS faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, followed by up to three (3) year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran Man Guilty of Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHRISTIAN PENA-OCHOA (“PENA”), age 30, a Honduran citizen, pleaded guilty on November 5, 2025 before U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, PENA initially illegally entered the United States in October of 2014. In 2018 PENA was convicted of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and removed to Honduras. Between 2018 and 2020, PENA again illegally entered the United States. In December 2020, an arrest warrant was issued for PENA in Orleans Parish for domestic abuse battery/strangulation, aggravated battery, and extortion. A second warrant was issued against him for additional charges including rape, domestic abuse battery/strangulation, and false imprisonment while armed with a dangerous weapon. In 2022, PENA was located by the United States Marshals’ Fugitive Task Force in Harris County, Texas. He was extradited to Orleans Parish where he pleaded guilty to second degree rape and cruelty to juveniles.
PENA faces up to two years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Hanover Foods Agrees to Pay $1.15M Penalty and Implement Actions to Address Clean Water Act Violations at Wastewater Treatment FacilityRead the Press Release
The Justice Department and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), working in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP), today announced a proposed consent decree with Hanover Foods Corporation. Under the proposed settlement, Hanover Foods would pay a $1.15 million civil penalty and take a series of actions to address violations of the Clean Water Act at its wastewater treatment facility in Hanover, Pennsylvania.
“Hanover Foods allegedly failed to properly treat industrial wastes at its wastewater treatment facility, jeopardizing human health and the environment,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “The Clean Water Act was enacted more than 50 years ago with the purpose of putting a stop to this type of water pollution. If accepted by the court, the consent decree will hold the company accountable and help ensure it continues to upgrade its facility and take other steps to prevent unlawful discharges of industrial waste.”
“Ensuring that Hanover Foods takes the necessary steps to prevent the release of nutrients and other pollutants underscores the EPA’s commitment to protecting our nation's waterways,” said Acting Assistant Administrator Craig Pritzlaff of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (OECA). “The measures outlined in the consent decree are essential for bringing Hanover’s facility into compliance with the Clean Water Act. They are vital for safeguarding the Chesapeake Bay and ensuring that local water sources remain clean, thereby protecting the health and well-being of the communities that rely on them.”
As alleged in a complaint filed with the proposed consent decree, Hanover Foods failed to comply with a state-issued National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to operate its wastewater treatment plant in Hanover, Pennsylvania. NDPES permits are required if wastewater is being discharged into a water of the United States (WOTUS).
At this facility, Hanover Foods industrially processes foods, including beans and vegetables, for canning and fresh packing. Hanover Foods treats industrial waste associated with these operations before discharging wastewater into Oil Creek, which eventually flows into the Susquehanna River and then the Chesapeake Bay. Since 2016, Hanover Foods violated its NPDES permit on more than 600 occasions by exceeding its permit limits for pollutants including suspended solids, ammonia nitrogen, and phosphorus. In addition, environmental inspections identified numerous alleged violations of operations and maintenance requirements at Hanover Foods’ facility.
Under the terms of the proposed consent decree, Hanover will install new equipment and take other measures to prevent violations of its permit limits for certain nutrients and for temperature. Excessive nutrients and high temperatures can be harmful to aquatic life, including fish, shellfish, and underwater grasses that support aquatic ecosystems.
In addition to upgrades made while this case was under investigation, Hanover Foods will upgrade its wastewater treatment system, closely monitor compliance with its discharge permit, report any violations, identify their root causes, and take corrective action to address them. The upgrades include installation of a permanent boiler to maintain proper temperatures in its treatment process, implementation of spare-parts programs to avoid equipment downtime, and improvements to Hanover’s operations and maintenance program, including additional monitoring and tracking requirements.
More information on the settlement is available from the Hanover Foods CWA Settlement case summary page: www.epa.gov/enforcement/hanover-foods-corporation-cwa-settlement-summary.
EPA investigated the case and worked closely with the PADEP.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling the case.
The proposed consent decree was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval. The consent decree and information on how to submit a public comment are available on the Justice Department’s website: www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Homestead Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of MacHinegun by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Vinson Tavaris Brown, 33, of Homestead, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegal possession of a machinegun. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the vigilance of our local and federal law enforcement officers, this dangerous felon has been taken off our streets. Protecting our communities from criminals who show a complete disregard for the law remains my office’s top priority, and this successful prosecution is yet another step toward fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to Take Back America from the dangerous felons who prowl our streets.”
Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department stopped a vehicle in which the defendant was a passenger after it made an illegal U-turn leaving Zingales Sports Bar. Three of the occupants of the vehicle complied with officers, but the defendant attempted to reach under his seat and then fled from officers on foot. Law enforcement caught the defendant and detained him, then discovered a firearm equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine under the seat that the defendant had been attempting to reach.
Brown faces imprisonment for up to 25 years.
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2025, at 2:00 pm at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker
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.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Guilty Verdicts in Southwest Georgia Repeat Offender CasesRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – Two repeat offenders were found guilty of federal crimes at trial earlier this month, following separate investigations in two Southwest Georgia cities.
Johnny Will Murray, Jr., 41, of Moultrie, Georgia, was found guilty of one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on Nov. 5, following a three-day trial that began on Nov. 3, before Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands in Valdosta. The defendant faces a maximum of ten years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2026.
Lucis Lamar Williams, 42, of Pelham, Georgia, was found guilty of four counts of distribution of methamphetamine, two counts of aiding and abetting the possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Nov. 6, following a four-day trial that began on Nov. 3, before Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner in Albany. Williams faces a mandatory minimum of 25 years in prison up to a maximum of life imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26, 2026.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our trial teams, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, have successfully delivered justice to repeat offenders who continue to ignore the law and harm the community,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Agencies at all levels of law enforcement are working to improve community safety across the Middle District of Georgia and hold criminal offenders accountable.”
According to court documents and statements referenced at Murray, Jr.’s trial, on Nov. 11, 2021, the Moultrie Police Department executed a search warrant at Murray, Jr.’s home on suspicion of armed drug trafficking. Officers found approximately two ounces of methamphetamine, two digital scales, several empty vacuum-sealed bags and a rifle in Murray Jr.’s bedroom. Inside the bedroom closet was a safe with three more firearms, magazines, ammunition and $5,600. Officers also found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine ice floating on top of the water in a toilet. Murray, Jr. has several past felony convictions; it is illegal for a felon to possess a firearm.
According to court documents and statements referenced at Williams’ trial, GBI launched an investigation into Williams for drug trafficking in Pelham, conducting a series of controlled buys between September and December 2022. Each time, Williams sold between one and four ounces of methamphetamine to either a confidential informant or an undercover. This is William’s third serious felony drug conviction.
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).
The Murray Jr. case was investigated by the Moultrie Police Department and the Colquitt County Sheriff’s Department’s Narcotics Division and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Monica Daniels.
The Williams case was investigated by GBI and prosecuted by Criminal Chief Leah McEwen and Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Redavid.
This press release about cases that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – A Georgia man who admitted to sexually exploiting a child by sending explicit instructions for the abuse of a young girl over social media was sentenced to serve more than 21 years in prison for his crime.
William Barnett, II, 33, of Athens, was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III, on Nov. 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to sexually exploit a child on Aug. 4. In addition, Barnett will have to register as a sex offender upon release from prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our office is unwavering in the pursuit of justice on behalf of children who are sexually abused and exploited,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are working with law enforcement at every level to safeguard children and ensure that predators are held responsible."
“Thanks to the diligent efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and its law enforcement partners, this predator will now spend time behind bars for his appalling actions,” said Steven N. Schrank, the Special Agent in Charge of HSI Atlanta, which covers Georgia and Alabama. “This investigation underscores our commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and pursuing justice for those who seek to exploit and harm children.”
“Cases like these exemplify the value of partnerships between local, state and federal agencies,” said Athens-Clarke County Police Chief Jerry Saulters. “These heinous crimes will not be tolerated in our community. We will continue to work with our partners to protect the children of this community and will pursue those who prey on them.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) was investigating a case in February 2024, involving child sexual abuse material (CSAM) being shared using the social media and file sharing platform Mega. As a part of that investigation, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD) identified Chris Adam Valentine as the suspect. To learn more about Valentine’s case and subsequent federal prosecution and conviction, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/athens-man-sentenced-30-years-prison-sexually-exploiting-child.
During the ACCPD investigation into the hands-on offenses against four minor children, agents discovered a chat thread between Valentine and Barnett in 2022 and 2023; in the chat, Barnett stated he was using a pseudonym and that his name was actually “Will.” Throughout the chat, Valentine sent numerous images of CSAM to Barnett, including a video depicting the sexual assault of a girl between the ages of six and ten years old by an adult man. Other CSAM images were shared in this chat thread between Valentine and Barnett, including a video Barnett sent to Valentine of an adult man sexually assaulting a girl between the ages of five and ten years old. On Aug. 22, 2022, Valentine sent Barnett an image of a female child being sexually assaulted; Barnett responded to Valentine with specific instructions to further abuse the child. Valentine responded with “OK” and then sent two additional images of the same child being abused as Barnett instructed.
A search warrant was obtained and executed at Barnett’s residence on April 3, 2024. Barnett was not home at the time the warrant was executed but was soon located nearby and was arrested. Agents seized eight cellphones; two of the devices contained CSAM. One cellphone had 54 images and three videos of prepubescent minors and toddlers being sexually assaulted and abused by adults. Many of these files were in the Kik and the Mega social media apps. Agents located numerous chats across several platforms where Barnett was messaging with others regarding CSAM, both receiving and sending links with CSAM.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the HSI Atlanta’s Child Exploitation and Cyber Investigations Group (CECIG) and the Athens-Clarke County Police Department (ACCPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach prosecuted the case for the Government.
This press release about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown is now available after the return to normal operations.
Gates woman sentenced for her role in retail theft ring involving over a million dollars in stolen merchandiseRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, NY-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Shabon Banks, 42, of Gates, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced to serve 63 months prison by Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford. Banks was also ordered to pay $92,903.34 in restitution to various retailers, including Best Buy, Home Depot, Kohls, Lowes, Macy’s, Target, and Walmart.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that between December 2021, and October 17, 2024, Banks conspired with a group of serial larcenists, including Amanda Reeves and Chad Lewis, to engage in an ongoing retail theft conspiracy involving the New York Gold Diamond Pawn Shop. The pawn shop is owned and operated by another co-defendant Dominic Sprague and managed by co-defendant James Civiletti.
Banks and the other larcenists stole new-in-box items from store shelves on a weekly, and sometimes daily, basis. They then sold the stolen goods to the pawn shop for a fraction of the actual retail value. The pawn shop, including Civiletti, then resold the stolen merchandise on eBay at much higher prices, resulting in significant profits. The pawn shop purchased 37,936 stolen new-in-box items from Lewis, Jr., Banks, and Reeves on more than 670 occasions, for which the larcenists were paid $290,000.00. The actual losses to the victim-retailers were approximately $1,160,000.00.
In addition, Banks unlawfully used an ID belonging to another person to engage in transactions at the pawn shop. She also recklessly created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person in the course of fleeing from law enforcement while the scheme was ongoing. In 2022 and 2024, Banks led police on high-speed car chases, which police discontinued because of the threat posed to other motorists.
Reeves, Banks, Sprague, and Civiletti were previously convicted.
The sentencing is the culmination of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis, the Greece Police Department, under the direction of Chief Michael Wood, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
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