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18 November 2025
Gang Member Sentenced for Illegal Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man with ties to a local gang was sentenced in federal court today to illegally possessing a stolen firearm that has been connected to two shootings.
Jayden Isaac Simmonds, 19, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool, to 63 months in federal prison without parole for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance while in possession of a firearm.
Simmonds, who pleaded guilty on May 19, 2025, admitted he possessed a stolen Smith and Wesson 10mm semi-automatic pistol, was a daily user of marijuana, and addicted to fentanyl. Simmonds also admitted to being a member of a local gang known as the “1500” which is closely associated to another area gang, FTO.
On Jan. 30, 2024, the Springfield Police Department responded to a car accident. One of the drivers indicated that his two passengers, which included Simmonds, had fled the scene and taken the driver’s two firearms with him. The following day, police responded to a drive-by shooting and located shell casings which were consistent with the firearm that Simmonds had taken on Jan. 30, 2024.
On Aug. 23, 2024, Simmonds’s father turned in the Smith & Wesson pistol to the Springfield Police Department. Investigators later learned that the pistol had been stolen.
Following his arrest, Simmonds told investigators he had been using marijuana daily since he was 11 or 12 years old, that he had been using opioids since he was around 15 or 16, and had been using fentanyl.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Christian County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.
Project Safe Neighborhoods
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.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Monico Erich Gastelo, 44, of Fresno, was sentenced Monday 40 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child and receipt and distribution of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
The sentence will be followed by 15 years of supervised release, during which time Gastelo’s access to children, computers, and the internet will be restricted. He was also ordered to pay $40,000 in monetary penalties, and he will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from custody.
According to court documents, in January 2019, Gastelo created a social media account in which he pretended to be an 18-year-old boy. Gastelo used the account to converse with younger individuals and request sexually explicit content from them.
Between January and March 2020, Gastelo began communicating on Wickr, Snapchat, and Telegram with other individuals sexually attracted to children. He sent and received multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on these platforms. Forensic review of Gastelo’s phones revealed that he had more than 1,500 images and videos of suspected CSAM.
Gastelo’s conduct escalated in May 2020. A minor victim told law enforcement that he had been sexually exploited online and that an individual later identified as Gastelo had added him as a friend on Snapchat. Gastelo sent over a dozen images of his penis to this minor victim and enticed the victim to send back CSAM.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa and the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Fresno Man Sentenced for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Monico Erich Gastelo, 44, of Fresno, California, was sentenced yesterday after being convicted of sexual exploitation of a child and receipt and distribution of child pornography. The Court sentenced Gastelo to 40 years in prison followed by 15 years of supervised release, during which time Gastelo’s access to children, computers, and the internet will be restricted. He was also required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life upon his release from custody.
According to court documents, in January 2019, Gastelo created a social media account in which he pretended to be an 18-year-old boy to enhance his chances of connecting with minors. Gastelo used the account and others to converse with minors — some of whom disclosed that they were 12 years-old — and repeatedly demanded sexually explicit content from them.
Between Jan. 1, 2020, and March 23, 2020, Gastelo began communicating on messaging platforms with other individuals sexually attracted to children. He sent and received multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on these platforms, describing the type of videos and images he preferred, including requesting videos of sex acts performed by toddlers. Forensic review of Gastelo’s phones revealed that he had more than 1,500 images and videos of CSAM saved on his device.
Gastelo’s conduct escalated in May 2020. A minor victim disclosed to law enforcement that he had been sexually exploited online and that an individual later identified as Gastelo had added him as a friend on social media. Gastelo had sent over a dozen images of his genitalia to this minor victim and insisted the minor reciprocate.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Eric Grant for the Eastern District of California made the announcement.
The Central California Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, specifically the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Gappa for the Eastern District of California prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Franklinton Woman Guilty of Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that, BARBARA AUGUSTIN (“AUGUSTIN”), age 58, a resident of Franklinton, Louisiana, pled guilty on October 23, 2025 to a bill of information charging her with theft of government funds.
According to the bill of information, beginning in or about November 2018, and continuing until in or about May 2023, the defendant did knowingly convert to her use, money belonging to the United States, namely the Social Security Administration (“SSA”), to which she knew she was not entitled. AUGUSTIN admitted fraudulently obtaining over $40,000 in SSA benefits by failing to report to Social Security her son’s incarceration, which allowed her to continue receiving benefits on his behalf as his representative payee.
AUGUSTIN faces a possible maximum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
The case is being investigated by the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiwana Wright, Financial Crimes Unit.
Four California Residents Sentenced to Prison in Connection with $16M Hospice Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
Four California residents were sentenced to prison for their roles in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and laundering the fraudulent proceeds.
Yesterday, Juan Carlos Esparza, 33, of Valley Village, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $1,825,012, and Susanna Harutyunyan, 39, of Winnetka, was sentenced to 15 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $2,822,963.
In October 2025, Karpis Srapyan, 35, of Winnetka, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $3,203,574.
In September 2025, Mihran Panosyan, 47, of Winnetka, was sentenced to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $4,680,146.
Additionally, in May 2025, Petros Fichidzhyan, 44, of Granada Hills, was sentenced to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution of $17,129,060.
According to court documents, Esparza schemed with others, including co-defendants Fichidzhyan and Srapyan, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were medically unnecessary and never provided. From July 2019 until January 2023, Esparza, Fichidzhyan, and Srapyan operated four sham hospices, one of which, House of Angels Hospice, was owned by Esparza. Fichidzhyan, Esparza and Srapyan concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ names and personally identifiable information to act as straw owners for the hospices and to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare and sign property leases. They also controlled and used cell phones in the names of the foreign nationals in furtherance of the scheme. In total, Medicare paid the sham hospices nearly $16 million.
Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others, including co-defendants Harutyunyan and Panosyan, to launder the fraudulent proceeds. As part of the money laundering scheme, the defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents and other documents associated with the sham hospices, as well as bank documents, checkbooks and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners. After defrauding Medicare, the defendants moved the funds between various assets and accounts, including bank accounts in the names of shell companies, to conceal the scheme.
In July 2025, Esparza pleaded guilty to health care fraud and transactional money laundering, Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to transactional money laundering, and Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and transactional money laundering. In June 2025, Panosyan pleaded guilty to concealment money laundering. In February 2025, Fichidzhyan pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and concealment money laundering. At sentencing in May 2025, the court preliminarily ordered the forfeiture of two homes bought with fraud proceeds. The government has also seized $2,920,383 from bank accounts associated with the fraud.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office; and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Sarah E. Edwards, Allison L. McGuire, and Michael Bacharach of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Founder of Chicago Cryptocurrency Company Indicted in Alleged $10 Million Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The founder of a Chicago cryptocurrency company has been indicted in an alleged $10 million money laundering conspiracy.
FIRAS ISA founded Chicago-based VIRTUAL ASSETS LLC, which did business as Crypto Dispensers, and served as its Chief Executive Officer. The company operated a cash-to-cryptocurrency exchange business, which included cryptocurrency ATMs at various locations throughout the United States, allowing individuals to convert cash, checks, or other monetary instruments into cryptocurrency. An indictment unsealed in the Northern District of Illinois alleges that criminals and, in some instances, fraud victims, sent at least $10 million in proceeds from wire fraud and narcotics offenses to Crypto Dispensers, Isa, or a co-conspirator. After the proceeds were sent, Isa converted or caused to be converted the cryptocurrency and thereafter transferred the cryptocurrency to virtual wallets to disguise the true source and ownership of the proceeds. The indictment alleges that Isa knew the money was derived from fraud.
Isa, 36, of Frankfort, Ill., and Virtual Assets LLC are each charged with one count of money laundering conspiracy. The charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
Isa and his company have pleaded not guilty to the charges. A status hearing in federal court in Chicago is set for Jan. 30, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Elaine E. Bucklo.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Matthew J. Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, including the IRS Chicago Cyber Crime Unit, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley Tucker and Ramon Villalpando.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
isa_et_al_indictment.pdfFormer contractor admits to hacking employer in retaliation for terminationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Ohio man has pleaded guilty to computer fraud for hacking his former employer’s network after he was fired, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On May 14, 2021, Maxwell Schultz, Columbus, Ohio, was terminated from his position as a contract employee in his company’s IT department. Shortly after, he accessed the company’s network by impersonating another contractor to obtain login credentials.
He ran a PowerShell script that reset approximately 2,500 passwords, locking thousands of employees and contractors out of their computers nationwide. Schultz also searched for ways to delete logs, PowerShell window events and cleared multiple system logs.
The attack to the company’s system caused more than $862,000 in losses, including employee downtime, customer-service disruptions and labor needed to restore the network.
As part of his plea, Schultz admitted to conducting the attack because he was upset about being fired.
U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal will impose sentencing Jan. 30, 2026. At that time, Schultz faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Michael Chu are prosecuting the case.
Former U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Official Agrees to Pay Nearly $22,000 to Resolve Conflict-of-Interest AllegationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – On October 7, 2025, John E. Reeder, a former Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to pay $21,773.95 to resolve allegations that he violated federal conflict-of-interest laws prior to his retirement from the agency in 2019.
Among other things, the Ethics Reform Act of 1989 prohibits executive branch employees from participating personally and substantially in particular matters that will affect their own financial interests or the financial interests of certain parties with whom they have ties outside the government, including any organization with whom they are negotiating prospective employment. The United States alleges that while serving on a two-year detail to a local university under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act agreement, Reeder impermissibly negotiated for employment with the university. Before and during the detail, the agency warned Reeder that he remained subject to federal ethics laws and that negotiating for employment with the university would create a prohibited financial conflict of interest. Despite these warnings, Reeder actively engaged in negotiations for a teaching position and extended his detail to finalize the university’s employment offer. Reeder failed to immediately disclose his negotiations to the agency as required and later filed a notification form with the agency’s ethics office that misrepresented the timing of his negotiations.
“The EPA Office of Inspector General takes allegations of conflicts of interest seriously and will thoroughly investigate potential misconduct,” said Acting EPA Inspector General Nicole Murley. “American taxpayers have the right to expect the highest standards of ethical behavior from federal officials. Any conflict of interest undermines that trust, and we are committed to upholding integrity and accountability at the EPA.”
The resolution in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General. The civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Hair. The United States Attorney further wishes to commend Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Administrative Investigations Kristin M. Kafka and Director Sheryl M. Golkow of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Inspector General for their assistance in the investigation.
The claims resolved by the civil settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Editor's Note: This matter occurred on date indicated but not published at that time due to government shutdown. Press release posted and made available following the return to normal operations.
Former South Carolina Legislator and Lowcountry Attorney IndictedRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment against Marvin Rashad Pendarvis, 36, of Charleston, for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering.
The indictment alleges that Pendarvis, who was a personal injury attorney licensed by the State of South Carolina and member of the South Carolina House of Representatives, pursued claims, filed lawsuits, and negotiated settlements on behalf of his clients and, in some instances, would forge client signatures and not pay clients any portion of the settlement funds. Through the scheme, Pendarvis received at least $532,000 in settlement funds to which he did not pay his clients any portion of the funds.
Pendarvis faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for the wire fraud and money laundering counts. Further, for each count of aggravated identity theft, Pendarvis faces a mandatory two-year term of imprisonment.
Pendarvis was arraigned by United States Magistrate Judge Molly Cherry on Nov. 18 and released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Bower and Whit Sowards are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former President and Chief Operating Officer of Public Company Pleads Guilty to Insider TradingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Idaho executive pleaded guilty to insider trading on the basis of material nonpublic information about an impending corporate acquisition.
According to court documents, Michael Smith, 48, of Eagle, Idaho, served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Company-1 since in or around June 2022. Company-1 was based in Idaho, and its shares were publicly traded on NASDAQ.
By at least June 2024, by virtue of his position at Company-1, Smith received material nonpublic information (MNPI) regarding the impending acquisition of Company-1 by another company. Smith was subject to Company-1’s Insider Trading Policy that, among other things, prohibited employees from trading in Company-1’s stock if an employee possessed MNPI.
On July 26, 2024, Smith bought Company-1 stock using a brokerage account belonging to Individual-A. Smith and Individual-A had a close personal relationship. Smith executed these trades on the basis of MNPI about the impending acquisition of Company-1 despite knowing that he was prohibited from trading Company-1 stock.
On August 7, 2024, news of Company-1’s acquisition became public, and Company-1’s stock increased by nearly 50%. The next day, Smith sold the Company-1 stock he had purchased for Individual-A for a profit of approximately $145,754.69. Smith executed the trades to financially benefit Individual-A.
Smith pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS-CI) made the announcement.
USPIS-CI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kyle Crawford and John Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
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Former President and Chief Operating Officer of Public Company Pleads Guilty to Insider TradingRead the Press Release
An Idaho executive pleaded guilty to insider trading on the basis of material nonpublic information about an impending corporate acquisition.
According to court documents, Michael Smith, 48, of Eagle, Idaho, served as the President and Chief Operating Officer of Company-1 since in or around June 2022. Company-1 was based in Idaho, and its shares were publicly traded on NASDAQ.
By at least June 2024, by virtue of his position at Company-1, Smith received material nonpublic information (MNPI) regarding the impending acquisition of Company-1 by another company. Smith was subject to Company-1’s Insider Trading Policy that, among other things, prohibited employees from trading in Company-1’s stock if an employee possessed MNPI.
On July 26, 2024, Smith bought Company-1 stock using a brokerage account belonging to Individual-A. Smith and Individual-A had a close personal relationship. Smith executed these trades on the basis of MNPI about the impending acquisition of Company-1 despite knowing that he was prohibited from trading Company-1 stock.
On Aug. 7, 2024, news of Company-1’s acquisition became public, and Company-1’s stock increased by nearly 50%. The next day, Smith sold the Company-1 stock he had purchased for Individual-A for a profit of approximately $145,754.69. Smith executed the trades to financially benefit Individual-A.
Smith pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS-CI) made the announcement.
USPIS-CI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kyle Crawford and John Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
Former Police Officer Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Possessing Machine GunsRead the Press Release
CAPE GIRARDEAU – U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced a former police officer to five years in prison for possessing machine guns.
Ira Brown, 56, admitted that on Oct. 23, 2020, Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers found a fully automatic AR-15 rifle and an auto sear that converts an AR-15 into a fully automatic weapon. The items were found during a court-approved search of Brown’s home prompted by an unrelated investigation. Investigators also found 10,000 rounds of belt-fed .223 caliber ammunition, including armor piercing rounds, in Brown’s Viburnum home, his plea says.
Brown was employed as a dispatcher at a 911 call center at the time of his arrest but formerly worked as a police officer.
Brown fled while out on bond and was arrested in 2024 in Oregon. He pleaded guilty in July of 2025 to possession of a machine gun.
Brown’s son Zerak Brown, now 24, is now serving a 125-month prison sentence after he was convicted at trial in 2021 of two counts of assaulting a federal officer and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Evidence and testimony at trial showed that when troopers showed up to allow Zerak Brown’s girlfriend to remove her belongings from Ira Brown’s home, Zerak Brown refused to allow them to enter. Zerak Brown struggled with the troopers, asked his brother to bring him a gun and then fled. Zerak Brown was later spotted with a rifle and ran away again, encountering law enforcement officers a third time and pointing a rifle at them, evidence and testimony showed. He later turned himself in.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Viburnum Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Hunter prosecuted the case.
Former Philadelphia Deputy Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Darryl T. Wells, 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Joel H. Slomsky to bank fraud.
Wells was charged by indictment in January of this year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, in December 2018 and January 2019, while employed as a Deputy Sheriff Officer with the City of Philadelphia, Wells submitted eight fraudulent loan and credit applications to financial institutions in which he falsely and materially overstated his monthly income and, in some instances, attached forged paystubs.
In total, Wells received $145,000 in fraudulently obtained proceeds, which he immediately spent or transferred, and the financial institutions were not repaid.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3 and faces a maximum possible term of 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samuel Dalke.
Former Killeen Housing Authority Executive Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – An Austin woman was sentenced in a federal court in Waco today to 37 months in prison for embezzling federal funds for personal use while serving as the executive director of the Killeen Housing Authority (KHA).
According to court documents, Deadra Johnson, 53, fraudulently obtained KHA funds and used them to pay for her personal expenses, including rent, utilities, auto maintenance, internet service, airline tickets, and furniture. A portion of the funds also went towards the purchase of a new vehicle. In an attempt to conceal her actions, Johnson developed multiple kickback schemes.
Johnson was arrested on Jan. 17, 2024, and charged with theft of government property. She pleaded guilty on Feb. 11, 2025. In addition to three-years imprisonment, U.S. District Judge David Counts ordered Johnson to pay $297,473.30 in restitution.
“In stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars while overseeing the Killeen Housing Authority, Deadra Johnson selfishly betrayed not just the federal government and American taxpayers, but also the hundreds of families who depended on KHA services,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “My office is proud to partner with federal, state, and local authorities to protect the interests of this Nation, to protect our local communities, and to ensure that fraudsters like this defendant are brought to justice.”
“Deadra Johnson exploited her position and violated the public trust by stealing federal funds that were intended to help provide housing for the most vulnerable people in our community. She orchestrated a plot to use that money to pay for a life of luxury for herself and her family members, which included purchasing multiple vehicles, first-class plane tickets, and paying for other personal expenses,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Lawler with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable individuals who take advantage of their positions of trust to defraud HUD programs.”
“Our responsibility is to protect the integrity of federal programs and uphold the trust the American people place in us,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran for FBI San Antonio. “Deadra Johnson's actions diverted critical government funds away from individuals who depend on them during their most challenging moments. We remain committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to safeguard public resources and ensure they reach those they were intended to help.”
HUD OIG and the FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted the case.
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Florida Man Indicted for Health Care Fraud, Wire Fraud in Durable Medical Equipment SchemeRead the Press Release
NOTE: This press release is about a case that occurred during the 43-day government shutdown and is now available after the return to normal operations.
GREENVILLE, S.C. — A federal grand jury has returned a five-count indictment against Mark Weinberger, 62, of Lake Worth Beach, Florida, for health care fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud.
The indictment alleges that Weinberger, who was excluded from Medicare for a minimum of 15 years because of a prior conviction, was a beneficial owner and/or managing employee of a durable medical equipment (DME) company enrolled with Medicare and submitted a false enrollment document to Medicare to conceal Weinberger and another’s true ownership and control over the DME company. It is further alleged that Weinberger and his coconspirators generated doctors’ orders for orthotic braces using call centers, including a call center in Greenville, South Carolina, and submitted to Medicare, through the DME company, false and fraudulent claims in the approximate amount of $6.7 million that were obtained by the payment of illegal kickbacks and bribes, medically unnecessary, and/or otherwise ineligible for reimbursement. Medicare paid approximately $3.4 million on those claims.
Weinberger faces a maximum penalty of 20 years for the wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy counts and a maximum penalty of 10 years for the health care fraud and health care fraud conspiracy counts. Weinberger was arrested in the Southern District of Florida on Nov. 6, 2025. Weinberger is scheduled for arraignment in the District of South Carolina on Nov. 24, 2025, in front of the United States Magistrate Judge Kevin McDonald.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorney Catherine Wagner of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower for the District of South Carolina are prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Final Aryan Brotherhood Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Conspiracy Convictions Including Conspiracy to Commit MurderRead the Press Release
Danny Troxell, 72, of Fresno, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to life in prison for participating in a RICO conspiracy and a conspiracy to commit murder, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to evidence produced at trial, between 2011 and 2019, Aryan Brotherhood (or AB) members and associates engaged in racketeering activity, committing multiple acts involving murder, conspiracies to murder, and drug trafficking crimes. The trial evidence showed that Aryan Brotherhood members oversaw a significant heroin and methamphetamine trafficking operation from their California prison cells using smuggled cellphones to direct drug trafficking activities, order murders, and oversee other criminal activities inside and outside of the prisons.
At trial, the jury heard evidence that the Aryan Brotherhood elevated Troxell to a position of leadership on the gang’s three-man commission in the early 2000s when nearly all of the prominent AB members were housed in Pelican Bay state prison. In 2016, wiretaps by the Drug Enforcement Administration captured Troxell discussing gang business with another member. He explained that he viewed the gang as “blood in, blood out,” meaning you had to kill to enter the gang, and you could only leave it by being killed.
The wiretaps also caught Troxell ordering the murder of another AB member housed in Calipatria state prison. Law enforcement moved quickly to stop the plot and keep the targeted inmate from being harmed. The jury found Troxell guilty of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to commit murder based upon the intercepted calls and testimony from other gang members.
The district court previously imposed life sentences on five other Aryan Brotherhood defendants in this case: Ronald Yandell, William Sylvester, Pat Brady, Jason Corbett, and Brant Daniel.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Vallejo Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Hitt, Ross Pearson, and David Spencer prosecuted the case.
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 Sacramento comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Felon arrested for allegedly selling opioidsRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Rodericus San Juan Warner has been charged on a criminal complaint with allegedly distributing hundreds of carfentanil and fentanyl pills, as well as methamphetamine. Carfentanil, a fentanyl analogue, is approximately 100 times more potent than fentanyl, and is used by veterinarians to sedate large animals like elephants. Warner was denied bond and will remain in custody.
“Synthetic opioid abuse continues to claim lives, and now fentanyl has become a gateway to an even more dangerous drug, carfentanil,” said U.S Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “A convicted felon, Warner allegedly showed no fear of the law and absolutely no concern for the deadly risk drugs and guns posed to the small children at the residence he occupied.”
“Carfentanil is a deadly synthetic narcotic — used to tranquilize elephants, not meant for human consumption. Yet this offender chose to sell it alongside fentanyl and methamphetamine, showing total disregard for human life,” said Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division. Our agents are relentless in targeting those who bring this level of danger into our communities.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: During an investigation in October 2025, DEA agents identified Rodericus San Juan Warner as a drug trafficker in Atlanta. Agents allege Warner sold hundreds of pills containing carfentanil and fentanyl and over 100 grams of methamphetamine. While continuing to investigate, agents obtained federal search warrants to search four residences and multiple vehicles that Warner used to further his drug trafficking enterprise.
On November 6, 2025, DEA agents executed the search warrants, and Warner was arrested in the home he shared with his girlfriend and her three school-aged children. From that home, law enforcement recovered two loaded firearms, $20,000 in U.S. currency, and assorted high-end jewelry. Warner, a five-time convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Additionally, in one of Warner’s vehicles outside the residence, law enforcement recovered suspected fentanyl pills and suspected oxycodone pills.
At another residence Warner allegedly used to sell drugs, DEA agents searched another vehicle registered to him and found four loaded firearms, approximately 6,000 suspected fentanyl pills, 258 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 201 grams of suspected cocaine, 60 suspected oxycodone pills, and one kilogram of suspected marijuana.
Rodericus San Juan Warner, 45, of Atlanta, Ga., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Regina D. Cannon, on a federal criminal complaint. Warner was remanded to custody and ordered detained pending the outcome of his case.
Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Schwarzl is prosecuting the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Former Leon County Deputy Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of an Unregistered MacHinegunRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Bill Ed Culpepper, Jr. 56, of Havana, Florida, has pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of an unregistered machinegun. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “When this defendant unlawfully possessed these firearms, he not only violated federal law, but also the public trust placed in him as a sworn law enforcement officer. No one is above the law, and my office will not hesitate to aggressively prosecute every violation of federal law that occurs in the Northern District of Florida.”
During a drug trafficking investigation of the defendant’s son, Garret Culpepper, additional probable cause developed to search the defendant’s residence in Havana, Florida. During the search, law enforcement located multiple unregistered machineguns as well as an unregistered rifle silencer.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 20, 2026, in federal court before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor in Tallahassee, Florida. Culpepper faces up to ten years’ imprisonment on the charges.
The case was investigated by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.
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.
Elkhart Woman Sentenced to 85 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Yesterday, Undrea House, 29 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to one count of bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
House was sentenced to 85 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, House walked into a bank in August of 2024 and pointed a loaded handgun at an employee while demanding cash. She took over $1,000 in cash and returned to her apartment, where police found her and arrested her later that day.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Goshen Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
Elderly Man in Delaware County Defrauded by a Citizen of India in the United States on Student VisaRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A citizen of India residing in San Antonio, Texas, and in the United States on a student visa, was indicted for defrauding an elderly man in Delaware County.
Venkateswara Chagamreddy, 27, is charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; Conspiracy to Demand Money and Property While Falsely Impersonating a Federal Officer; and Conspiracy to Obstruct, Delay, and Affect Commerce by Extortion.
According to court documents, the elderly victim called a phone number that he believed was Microsoft support. While speaking with “Microsoft,” the victim was told that criminal activity had been detected on his computer and that information would be turned over to the federal government. The victim was then contacted by someone who identified themselves as a federal officer and provided a false badge number. The fake federal officer told the victim that his identity had been stolen and provided to criminals, which resulted in him being “investigated,” and that his identity was used to commit federal crimes.
The fake federal officer spoke with the elderly victim about his finances and stated that he would be transferred to the “treasury department.” The victim was told that his money needed to be transferred to gold and that an “officer” would pick it up the following day. The elderly victim complied and provided photos of the gold. When the fake officer arrived, the victim handed him the package of gold.
A few days later, the victim was contacted again by the fake federal officer, who demanded more funds. The victim contacted a family member, who explained that he was being scammed and contacted the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office. With the victim's cooperation, deputies scheduled another pickup.
While deputies watched the arranged location, Chagamreddy arrived, and court documents allege that Chagamreddy was on the phone with the elderly victim when deputies arrested him. When deputies searched his vehicle, they found gold and marijuana, among other things. After waiving his right to an attorney present, Chagamreddy explained that he was in the United States on a student visa and was at risk of deportation after being suspended from school. Chagamreddy alleged that he recently travelled out of state to enroll in a different college and that, upon his return, the gold was in his vehicle.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Greenough is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eight Members of Global Insider Trading Network Charged with Securities Fraud and Money Laundering OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A superseding indictment was unsealed today bringing securities fraud and money laundering charges against eight foreign nationals who are alleged members of a global insider trading network, including several leaders of the network:
- Samy Fadi Khouadja, 45, of France and the United Arab Emirates;
- Eamma Safi, a/k/a “TT,” a/k/a “Yummy,” a/k/a “Situatie Packered,” a/k/a “Roman Kna,” 38, of the United Arab Emirates and Germany;
- Zhi Ge, a/k/a “Josh Ge,” a/k/a “Josh Gez,” a/k/a “Jay Gat,” 34, of Singapore;
- Christophe Dong, 41, of France;
- Julien Liu, 35, of France and Hong Kong;
- Patrick Chou, 38, of France and Hong Kong;
- Cheuk Yue Lee, a/k/a “Ryan,” a/k/a “m100,” 43, of Hong Kong; and
- Dev Ananth Durai, a/k/a “Devah,” 39, of Singapore.
Safi and Ge were charged by criminal complaint in April 2024 and indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in July 2024. The superseding indictment charges all eight defendants with two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, two counts of securities fraud, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. Safi is in U.S. custody, and Ge was provisionally arrested in Singapore on July 3, 2024, and remains in extradition proceedings. The remaining defendants are considered fugitives.
As alleged in the charging documents, which included information obtained from cooperating witnesses, Khouadja, Safi and Ge were leaders of an insider trading network from 2016 to 2024. As part of the scheme, Khouadja, Safi and Ge allegedly recruited investment bankers and other corporate insiders who had access to material, non-public information (MNPI) about the financial performance and merger-and-acquisition activity of publicly traded companies. As alleged, Khouadja, Safi and Ge then obtained MNPI from those insiders, including by paying the insiders for the information. Thereafter, Khouadja, Safi and Ge allegedly traded on the basis of the MNPI and recruited a network of traders, in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, to trade on it.
The defendants allegedly leaked MNPI to journalists and news outlets to profit on securities trades following the publication of the information. Many of the illegal trades allegedly took place over an automated exchange operated in Massachusetts.
It is further alleged that the network of traders, which included Dong, Liu, Chou, Lee and Durai, traded on the basis of the MNPI in exchange for their agreement to kick back a percentage of illicit profits to leaders of the network, through payments designed to conceal the nature of the proceeds, including cash transfers, third-party payments and the use of shell companies and sham loans and invoices. As alleged, the defendants and other co-conspirators who were members of the network traded on MNPI in advance of more than a dozen corporate transactions and announcements, generating tens of millions of dollars in illicit profits.
The defendants and other co-conspirators who were members of the network allegedly took various steps to conceal the scheme from law enforcement and regulators, including the use of burner or disposable cell phones, coded language, in-person meetings and various encrypted communications channels. Specifically, the defendants and other co-conspirators allegedly relied heavily on encrypted mobile messaging applications, featuring disappearing or auto-deleting messages, which they believed were beyond the reach of law enforcement.
For example, it is alleged that Durai messaged a co-conspirator trader that Liu was a “purely insider trading guy,” and that “the deal I made with the guy who gives me the tip [Liu] is that I give him 50% of profit…so you can buy and help me subsidize my payment to him.” In another message, Liu allegedly told Durai that Khouadja provided MNPI that was “only [a] 100% thing.” In another message, Khouadja allegedly told Dong to tell a co-conspirator trader that “the source wants 50, so for you, me and the source, you can tell him 200. He will give me the code [stock ticker] only if the guy [trader] is ok,” and thereafter, Khouadja told Dong to tell the trader that the deal “could be anytile [sic, anytime] | they are already drafting SPA [stock purchase agreement].” Khouadja also allegedly messaged Dong, “US deal 50c premium imminent…can he do it,” which Dong then forwarded to traders, including Chou and Durai. As another example, Safi allegedly provided MNPI to Ge to relay to Lee, and Safi said: “Is like [Lee] asking me in order to take our trade we should let him speak with the insider | I am his assurance,” and if “[Lee] wants the formal way let him go to a financial advisor.” It is further alleged that after Chou profitably traded on MNPI obtained from Dong, Dong sent Chou a phony invoice for dresses to substantiate a kick-back payment of illicit securities fraud proceeds from Chou to Dong.
“Protecting the integrity of our nation’s capital markets is a priority of my office,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Today’s charges show that we will aggressively pursue those who engage in insider trading and cheat the system. No matter how secret you think encrypted messaging is and no matter how many steps you take to conceal your illegal activities, if you sell inside information or trade on non-public information be warned, my office will use every tool at our disposal to track you down and one day, you will find yourself in federal custody.”
“These eight men are accused of engaging in a global con – trading on material, non-public information stolen from companies to score millions of dollars for themselves,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Field Office. “We believe everything these men did, including their alleged attempts to conceal their crimes, show a willful disregard for the law. Protecting companies from theft and maintaining a level playing field for investors is critical to the financial markets. For that reason, the FBI takes our responsibility to investigate insider trading and other complex financial crimes seriously.”
The charge of conspiracy to commit securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of securities fraud provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The superseding indictment charges each defendant with one count of money laundering conspiracy, which provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. The superseding indictment charges Safi and Ge with one count of money laundering, which provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved, whichever is greater. 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.
U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Switzerland to secure the arrest and February 26, 2025 extradition from Switzerland of Safi. Assistant United States Attorney Ian J. Stearns of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Eagle Butte Man Sentenced to Nearly 6 ½ Years in Federal Prison for AssaultRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Eagle Butte, South Dakota, convicted of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on September 30, 2025.
Jody Jeremy Dupris, a/k/a Jeremy Jody Dupris, age 45, was sentenced to six years and four 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.
Dupris was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in the early morning hours of May 2024 in Eagle Butte, SD, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. Dupris went to the victim’s residence and demanded to be let in. After the victim allowed him into the residence, Dupris stabbed the victim in his right shoulder with a box-cutter/utility knife, causing a deep laceration and bleeding. The victim was able to get away and seek medical care after Dupris passed out. When law enforcement officers entered the victim’s residence, they found Dupris lying on the floor with the weapon nearby.
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 FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Dupris was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Dubuque Felon Sent Back to Prison for Possessing a Gun While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who was on federal supervised release when he possessed marijuana and a loaded and stolen handgun was sentenced on November 17, 2025, to seven years in federal prison.
Tremaine Laron Moore, Jr., age 25, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 22, 2025, guilty plea to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and a November 15, 2025, admission that he violated the terms of his supervised release in a prior federal gun case.
Evidence at the hearing showed that, on December 19, 2024, United States Probation Officers went to Moore’s house in Dubuque for an unannounced home visit. The officers, along with a police officer from Dubuque, searched the home. They found a loaded, previously stolen 9mm handgun, baggies of marijuana, a scale, and cash. The District Court sentenced Moore to five years in prison for the new firearms charge and a second consecutive sentence of two years in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release.
Moore was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Moore was sentenced to a total of 84 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
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.
Moore is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick J. Reinert and investigated by the United States Probation Office for the Northern District of Iowa, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Dubuque Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-01003 and 22-CR-01007.
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Dorchester Man Charged with Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man has been arrested and charged with trafficking firearms.
Joshua Morency, 28, was charged with one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possessing a machinegun. Morency was arrested on Nov. 12, 2025 and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for Nov. 19, 2025.
According to the charging documents, in August 2025, federal and state law enforcement began an investigation of Morency for unlawfully distributing firearms in the Boston area. Over the course of the investigation, Morency allegedly sold 21 firearms in undercover controlled purchases. It is alleged that the majority of the firearms purchased from Morency were 3D-printed, privately made firearms (commonly known as “ghost guns”).
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possessing a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to ten years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County and Plymouth County Sheriff's Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra W. Amrhein and Anne Paruti and of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted under the new criminal provisions of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which Congress enacted and the President signed in June 2022. The Act is the first federal statute specifically designed to target the unlawful trafficking and straw-purchasing of firearms.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Derby Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Meth and CocaineRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANDRE MESSAM, also known as “Dre,” 49, of Derby, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 72 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for distributing methamphetamine and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in May and June 2023, the FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force conducted two controlled purchases totaling approximately 80 grams of methamphetamine and five grams of cocaine from Messam. Laboratory analysis of the methamphetamine determined that it was 100 percent pure. Investigators then arranged to purchase a kilogram of cocaine from Messam.
On July 19, 2023, as he traveled to the planned meeting location to conduct the cocaine transaction, Messam fled from law enforcement officers who attempted to stop his car in North Haven. Later that day, he was located and arrested at a rental car agency on the Berlin Turnpike in Newington. Messam possessed approximately $7,200 in cash at the time of his arrest.
Approximately two weeks later, a review of surveillance video revealed that Messam had thrown an object from the car as he drove on an entrance ramp to I-91 North. Investigators went to the area and found a kilogram brick of cocaine wrapped in cellophane.
On May 20, 2024, Messam pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, five grams or more of methamphetamine.
Messam’s criminal history includes state convictions and a federal heroin trafficking conviction. In June 2011, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 105 months of imprisonment. In March 2015, after federal sentencing guidelines were amended, his sentence was reduced to 81 months of imprisonment
Messam, who is released on a $250,000 bond, is required to report to prison on January 6. This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Transnational Organized Crime Task Force, including members from the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the Brookfield and New Milford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
Denton man sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Denton man has been sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Trinity Snow Cassells, also known as Dustin Joseph McDuffie, 34, pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography and was sentenced to 170 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on October 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Cassells was the subject of 10 different CyberTips between 2018 and 2024. He utilized multiple social media platforms, cloud storage accounts, email accounts, and the dark web to trade child pornography. Cassells chatted with purported minors on social media platforms commonly used by children, groomed them to engage in illegal sexual conduct, and encouraged them to abuse other children. As part of that conduct, he distributed child pornography to them.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Denton Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller.
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Denton County man sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violationsRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – An Aubrey man has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
John Prentice Robertson, 65, of Aubrey, pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography and was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on October 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, between May 2022 and April 2024, Robertson communicated with adult women in the Philippines over an internet-based social media application. He paid the women to capture images and videos of young children, under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including oral sex, masturbation, and the graphic display of the children’s genitals. The women then sent the depictions through the social media application or through live-stream transmission. Robertson acknowledged that he transferred more than $8,000 to individuals in the Philippines between 2015 and 2021 through just one money remitting service.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Philippine National Police and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller and Trial Attorney Rachel Rothberg, with the United States Department of Justice, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
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Dallas father and son sentenced to federal prison in methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Dallas man and his son have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
David Valdez, 45, and his son, Abel Valdez, 28, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and were both sentenced to 324 months in federal prison. Abel Valdez was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on October 21, 2025. David Valdez was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant on November 12, 2025.
According to information presented in court, between September 2023 and February 2024, the Valdez conspiracy was responsible for trafficking approximately 80 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine per month into the Dallas/Fort Worth area, which was then processed at the Valdez’ residence and sold into the community. Law enforcement issued a search warrant at the Valdez residence on February 8, 2024, during which 69 kilograms of methamphetamine and eleven semi-automatic weapons were found.
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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Dallas Division. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Anderson.
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Cryptocurrency Money Launderer Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy in Scheme that Stole $263 Million in CryptoRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kunal Mehta, 45, of Irvine, California, pleaded guilty today in connection with his role in a multi-state conspiracy that used social engineering to steal hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from victims throughout the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Mehta, aka “Papa,” “The Accountant,” and “Shrek,” pleaded to participating in a RICO conspiracy before U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly and admitted that he helped to launder at least $25 million.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.
“Kunal Mehta along with his co-conspirators stole hundreds of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from victims and then laundered that money to give it the appearance of legitimacy, spending it lavishly on themselves,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We are committed to rooting out fraud and holding those responsible fully accountable.”
‘Mehta is the eighth defendant to plead guilty for his role in this scheme,” said the FBI’s Davis. "Today's plea reaffirms the FBI's commitment to exposing fraudsters and should remind Americans to beware of online scammers: Do not reply to calls, emails, or texts that request personal information, such as your password, PIN, or any one-time passwords that are sent to your email or phone."
According to the court documents, the social engineering enterprise began before October 2023 and continued through at least March 2025. It grew from friendships developed on online gaming platforms and was comprised of individuals based in California, Connecticut, New York, Florida, and abroad.
Mehta was a money launderer for the group which also included database hackers, organizers, target identifiers, callers, money launderers, and residential burglars targeting hardware virtual currency wallets.
According to court documents, members of the enterprise stole cryptocurrency from victims throughout the United States through elaborate ruses committed online and through spoofed phone numbers. They then used the stolen virtual currency to purchase, among other things, nightclub services ranging up to $500,000 per evening, luxury handbags valued in the tens of thousands of dollars that were given away at nightclub parties, luxury watches valued between $100,000 and $500,000, luxury clothing valued in the tens of thousands of dollars, rental homes in Los Angeles, the Hamptons, and Miami, private jet rentals, a team of private security guards, and a fleet of at least 28 exotic cars ranging in value from $100,000 to $3.8 million.
The original indictment alleges that on Aug. 18, 2024, Mehta’s co-conspirator Malone Lam and another associate contacted a victim in the District of Columbia and, through the communications with that victim, fraudulently obtained over 4,100 Bitcoin – valued then at $263 million, and valued this week at more than $384.5 million.
Mehta first met the members of the in early 2024 through a money exchanger who was friendly with the owner of a Los Angeles exotic car dealership. The money exchanger solicited Mehta’s assistance with crypto-to-cash conversions in the tens of thousands of dollars. Mehta charged a 10% fee for converting the cryptocurrency to fiat cash.
Mehta created multiple shell companies in 2024 for the purpose of laundering funds through bank accounts created to give the appearance of legitimacy. To facilitate crypto-to-wire money laundering services, Mehta received stolen cryptocurrency from the group which they had already laundered. Mehta then transferred the cryptocurrency to associates who further laundered it through sophisticated blockchain laundering techniques. The solen funds returned to Mehta’s shell company bank accounts through incoming wire transfers from additional shell companies organized by others throughout the United States.
When members of the conspiracy requested cash, Mehta often delivered it himself. Mehta also performed wire transfers for the group, sending stolen funds to an exotic car dealership, a private jet company and real estate rental companies in exchange for a 10% fee for himself.
In addition, Mehta used his shell companies to facilitate exotic car purchases for members of the criminal enterprise. The co-conspirators -- predominately 18-, 19-, and 20-year-olds -- did not want Lamborghinis, Rolls Royces, Porsches, Ferraris and the like held in their true names because it would bring unwanted attention to their unexplained wealth as unemployed young men. Mehta titled the vehicles in the names of his shell companies to help disguise the true owners. He also sought out straw signers who would place their names on the car titles and purchase documents in exchange for payments which exceeded $10,000 per signing. In turn, Mehta would typically charge a 10% fee for his services.
The FBI, IRS-CI, and U.S. Attorney's Office are committed to helping prevent Americans from falling victim to cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes.
If someone claiming to be a company "representative" contacts you and asks you to provide personal information or to verify your account by providing a code, you should initiate a new call to that company by dialing the company's verified customer service line. You can visit the FBI's website for more information about cryptocurrency investment fraud.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the IRS-Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office. Significant investigative and operational support was provided by the FBI’s Los Angeles and Miami field offices.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin Rosenberg, Co-Chief of the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Corporation and Former Chief Executive Officer Sentenced for Health Care Fraud and Tax ConspiracyRead the Press Release
KBWB Operations LLC, doing business as Atrium Health and Senior Living (KBWB-Atrium), and Kevin Breslin, former chief executive officer and managing member of KBWB-Atrium, were sentenced yesterday, in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin following prior guilty pleas to health care fraud and tax conspiracy related to the operation of numerous skilled nursing facilities, the Department of Justice announced.
Kevin Breslin, 58, of Hoboken, New Jersey, was sentenced to 90 months in prison and ordered to pay $146 million in restitution and $8.4 million in forfeiture. KBWB-Atrium also was ordered to pay the same restitution and forfeiture amounts. Breslin pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2024. KBWB-Atrium pleaded guilty on Jan. 21. According to court documents, Breslin is one of six owners of KBWB-Atrium. KBWB-Atrium’s corporate headquarters was located in Little Falls, New Jersey, and its Midwest corporate office was located in Appleton, Wisconsin. KBWB-Atrium operated and/or owned nursing facilities in New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
“Health care fraud drives prices up for all Americans and can cause serious negative outcomes for patients,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We remain dedicated to working with our law enforcement partners to protect the most vulnerable Americans from those who would take advantage of them.”’
“Protecting Medicare and Medicaid is not just about preserving the programs. It is about safeguarding the dignity, health, and financial security of the millions of Americans who rely on them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chadwick M. Elgersma for the Western District of Wisconsin. “I commend the investigators and prosecutors who identified Mr. Breslin’s fraud scheme and worked tirelessly to hold him accountable for his serious criminal conduct.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores an investigative priority of the FBI,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The FBI, in collaboration with its partners have not lost sight of investigating people and companies that misuse taxpayers’ money for personal gains and at the expense of people needing quality healthcare. The safety and well-being of Wisconsin residents remains our highest priority.”
“The defendant’s actions not only defrauded federal health care programs but also jeopardized the well-being of vulnerable nursing home residents,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), Chicago Region. “HHS-OIG will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who exploit programs meant to provide essential care and services to our nation’s most at-risk populations.”
“Greed was the driving force behind this scheme, which not only defrauded our health care system but also violated employment tax obligations,” said Special Agent in Charge Adam Jobes of IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “By failing to pay over withheld taxes, the defendants harmed their employees’ Medicare and Social Security benefits — while also exploiting healthcare programs meant to protect the most vulnerable.”
“Health care and the health benefit plans that provide coverage are of the utmost importance in everyday lives,” said Regional Director Mark Seidel of the Employee Benefits Security Administration in New York. “The Employee Benefits Security Administration remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to bring to justice those who break the law and abuse their positions of trust while managing health benefit plans.”
On Feb. 1, 2023, a grand jury returned a 12-count indictment against Breslin and KBWB-Atrium charging health care fraud and tax conspiracy, among other charges. According to court documents, from approximately Jan. 1, 2015 to in or about September 2018, KBWB-Atrium operated 23 skilled nursing facilities in Wisconsin. Breslin was solely responsible for KBWB-Atrium’s management, operation, business, and finances. The primary source of income for the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin facilities was federal Medicare and Medicaid funds from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
The government alleged that the defendants unlawfully diverted CMS funds intended for the operation, management, maintenance, and care of the residents at the KBWB-Atrium Wisconsin facilities for personal expenses and other purposes. The government further alleged that the defendants prioritized multi-million-dollar owner distributions and guaranteed payments regardless of KBWB-Atrium’s financial situation. The government alleged that the defendants knowingly and willfully failed to disclose to CMS that they were not using CMS funds for resident care, were not in compliance with applicable federal regulations and laws, and had not paid vendors or certain federal and state taxes. As a result, the government alleged, vendors went unpaid and residents did not receive adequate care.
The government alleged that the defendants also diverted health insurance premiums and 401(k) contributions from employee paychecks, as well as money from resident accounts. The government further alleged that as part of the tax conspiracy, Breslin, acting on behalf of KBWB-Atrium, directed that employment taxes withheld from KBWB-Atrium employees’ paychecks not be paid to the IRS, which caused employees to prepare inaccurate tax returns listing those withholdings.
Trial attorneys with the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Wisconsin investigated and initially prosecuted the case with assistance from the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General – Office of Investigations, Milwaukee Field Office; the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, New York and Chicago Regional Offices; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Milwaukee Field Office; and the State of Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit.
Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Child PornographyRead 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 Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet and Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 29, 2025.
Aaron Williams, Jr., 24, was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Williams was ordered to pay $570 in restitution and $200 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Williams was also ordered to forfeit his cell phone.
A federal grand jury indicted Williams for the charges in August 2024. He pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025.
During the 2024 Sturgis Bike Rally, the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force conducted an undercover anti-child exploitation operation. During the operation, Williams used his Reddit account and cell phone to send messages to a person he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, who was actually the undercover persona of an investigator with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. When Williams attempted to meet up with the girl to engage in sex acts, he was arrested. After Williams’ arrest, he called his father from jail, reported he had been arrested for child exploitation crimes, and requested that his dad get his “stuff” from Williams’ apartment. Shortly thereafter, Williams’ sister entered his apartment and removed several electronic devices. The devices were ultimately recovered by law enforcement. Analysis of Williams’ cell phone revealed hundreds of images of child pornography depicting infants, bestiality, and rape and bondage of children.
Williams was convicted in 2023 for Possession of Child Pornography, Viewing Child Pornography, and Distribution of Child Pornography, crimes committed during his military service in the United States Air Force. As a result of the previous conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender. On August 1, 2024, just days before his arrest, Williams had completed a term of federal supervised release.
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Williams was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Connecticut Tobacco Wholesaler Who Defrauded State of $1.2 Million Sentenced to 20 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KHAWAR M. KHOKHAR, 37, of Ellington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 20 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for defrauding the State of Connecticut of more than $1.2 million in tobacco tax revenue.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Khokhar operated Smokin’ Wholesale LLC, a Connecticut-licensed tobacco wholesale business that acquired smokeless tobacco and other tobacco products from out-of-state distributors, including businesses in Pennsylvania and Illinois, and sold the products to retail merchants in Connecticut. Between approximately May 2017 and June 2019, Khokhar and Smokin’ Wholesale purchased approximately $2 million in tobacco products from the distributors, but failed to report accurately to the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services the value of the products imported into the state, and failed to pay to the state the tobacco-related taxes owed. Through this scheme, Khokhar and others caused Connecticut to suffer a tax loss of more than $1.2 million.
Judge Nagala ordered Khokhar to pay restitution in the amount of $1,140,994.13, and to forfeit $60,707 that was seized during the investigation.
Khokhar was arrested on May 20, 2024. On April 3, 2025, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy.
Khokhar, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison January 19.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services, Criminal Investigations Division. The case was by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Columbia Woman Who Coerced Minor Boy to Engage in Sexual Activity Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALYSON CRANICK, 44, of Columbia, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cranick, first using text messaging and Snapchat, and then using the internet chat service Discord, coerced an 11-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct with her. Several times during the summer and into the fall of 2022, Cranick induced the minor victim to leave his house after midnight to meet up with her. Cranick sexually assaulted the minor victim during these meetings.
Between July and October 2022, Cranick exchanged more than 4,700 messages with the minor victim on Discord.
Cranick was arrested on related state charges on November 14, 2023, and has been detained since November 28, 2023. She was federally charged in July 2024.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for February 12, at which time Cranick faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
This matter has been investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the Connecticut State Police’s Eastern District Major Crime Unit. The FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Katherine E. Boyles through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney’s Office for the Judicial District of Tolland for its close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Collin County sex offender sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violationsRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Plano man has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Ashley Blaine Brooks, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography and was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III on October 21, 2025.
According to information presented in court, Brooks was a registered sex offender living within the City of Plano. During a sex offender registry compliance check, Plano Police Department detectives discovered that Brooks was trading child pornography using computer equipment that he owned, the Internet, and a peer-to-peer file sharing platform.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Marisa Miller.
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Clinton man sentenced to 2 years in prison on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Clinton man who possessed fentanyl and methamphetamine and illegally possessed a firearm was sentenced today to 24 months in prison to be followed by 4 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Francis Levi Kelsey, 40, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on June 14, 2021, while conducting a stolen vehicle investigation, law enforcement in Park County, Montana encountered Kelsey driving a 2003 Chevy. Investigation led to a search of the vehicle and officers seized a Coca-Cola can on the driver’s seat containing 75 fentanyl pills and 22.4 grams of actual methamphetamine. The officers also found a firearm and ammunition in a void under the center console of the vehicle.
The defendant’s cellular phone was also recovered, and a search warrant was obtained for the phone. On the phone were various text messages in which Kelsey arranged the sale of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
On June 15, 2021, Kelsey made a recorded jail call and instructed an individual to get to the void under the center console of the vehicle, unaware law enforcement had already located the firearm inside.
Kelsey is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous state felony conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. The ATF, DEA, Park County Sheriff’s Office and the Missouri River Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
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Cleveland Drug Dealer to Spend More Than 14 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Cleveland man with a history of violence and drug crimes has been sentenced to prison for his role in running an illegal drug trafficking scheme.
Clarence Payne, 40, was sentenced to 170 months (14 years and 2 months) in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker after a federal jury found him guilty of the following charges:
- Distribution of Cocaine.
- Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm; prior convictions include Drug Trafficking in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011, and Aggravated Assault and Drug Possession in 2011.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine.
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin and Fentanyl.
Payne was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment. Judge Barker imposed the sentence Nov. 18.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, during the summer of 2023, Payne regularly supplied co-conspirator Harold Pearl, 41, of Cleveland, with cocaine that Pearl sold on the west side of Cleveland. Pearl arranged deals with buyers before he met with Payne to secure the drug amounts needed. Once he sold the drugs, Pearl returned to Payne’s home with the drug proceeds. Payne supplied Pearl with cocaine which was sold to undercover agents six separate times in June, July, and August 2023. Payne was arrested at his home, where multiple bags of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl were located. Law enforcement also seized a firearm and drug paraphernalia from the home.
Co-defendant Pearl pleaded guilty to his role in the drug trafficking. In January 2025, he was sentenced to 46 months in prison and ordered to serve three years of supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with assistance from the Cleveland Division of Police and numerous regional and federal agencies as part of a summer violent crime reduction effort in 2023.
Assistant United States Attorneys Adam J. Joines and Jennifer King led the prosecution for the Northern District of Ohio.
Child Predator Sentenced to 35 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Evin Scott Young (39, Texas) to 35 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Young pleaded guilty on May 14, 2025.
According to court documents, Young pursued four children solely for sex. Using various social media applications, he drew each of the victims – ranging from 15 to 17 years old – out of their homes after their parents went to sleep, instructed them to meet him at the front of their neighborhoods, and brought each back to his apartment. Young recorded himself having sex with two of the victims and invited another man to have sex with one victim. Over a 10-month period, Young continued his sexual abuse of another victim, sent him CSAM he made of the victim, and told the victim never to get caught with it. Over six months, Young repeatedly groomed and courted the final victim for sex. Law enforcement caught Young after following the thread of a CyberTip identifying explicit communications between him and one of the victims. From there, further investigation revealed evidence of his crimes.
“Protecting our nation's children from predators who exploit and abuse children is among the most critical responsibilities we hold as a society,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Cochran. “This sentence reflects HSI’s unwavering commitment, alongside our state, local and federal partners, to ensuring justice is served and safeguarding the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kelly S. Milliron.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Chief Executive Officer of Steel Manufacturer Charged with $66 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging DEREK WACHOB with wire fraud in connection with his multi-year scheme to defraud individual investors, a bank, an investment firm, and at least two steel pipe distributors of at least $66 million. WACHOB was arrested today in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and will be presented this afternoon in the Northern District of Oklahoma. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
“Derek Wachob claimed to be a billionaire and successful CEO, but as alleged, that image was built on lies,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He stole more than $66 million from a range of victims that included some of his closest friends, then used those funds to maintain a lifestyle of expensive cars, vacation homes, private jets, helicopters, and yachts. The steel industry is a pillar of our manufacturing community, where honest and hard-working success is to be celebrated, but there is no place for fraud. This Office will work relentlessly to bring high-flying fraudsters to justice.”
“Derek Wachob allegedly stole at least $66 million from investors, including some of his closest friends, and financial institutions to secretly fund his failing company and extravagant lifestyle through false promises of profitable business ventures,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia. “Wachob allegedly abused his authority as CEO to entice his targets with a mirage of success while shrouding the truth in deceit. The FBI remains committed to investigating any business leader who siphons from the accounts of trusting victims for personal enrichment.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
From at least in or about October 2022 through in or about August 2024, WACHOB—the Chief Executive Officer of a large manufacturer of steel pipes based in Sapulpa, Oklahoma (“Company-1”)—engaged in a scheme to defraud individual investors, a bank, an investment firm, and at least two steel pipe distributors of at least $66 million. To obtain money from each of the victims, WACHOB lied and misled the victims by, among other things, falsely claiming to offer purported business opportunities based on future steel purchases that WACHOB pledged to make. WACHOB used these misrepresentations to take millions of dollars from even some of his closest friends. Instead of using the victims’ money as promised, WACHOB spent the funds to maintain his extravagant lifestyle of expensive cars, vacation homes, private jets, helicopters, and yachts, and prop up Company-1, which was struggling financially and in debt.
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WACHOB, 53, of Sapulpa, Oklahoma, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma for its assistance.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danielle Kudla and Adam Sowlati are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the descriptions of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Cherry Valley, Ill. Man Sentenced to Seventeen Years in Prison for Distributing Methamphetamine and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Cherry Valley, Ill. man has been sentenced to seventeen years in federal prison for distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and illegally possessing a firearm.
SEAN CLAEYSSEN, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this year to one count of distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and one count of illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon. Claeyssen admitted in a plea agreement that between October and December of 2023, he knowingly and intentionally sold and distributed 664.6 grams of methamphetamine and 27.7 grams of cocaine. Claeyssen also admitted that he was in possession of a loaded firearm when he was arrested in December 2023.
On Nov. 14, 2025, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston imposed a 204-month prison sentence.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Shane R. Catone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The Winnebago County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office and the Beloit, Wisc. Police Department provided assistance in the investigation. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to tackle a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
Checotah Resident Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andrew Frank Lerblance, a/k/a Andrew Frank Lerblance, Jr., age 66, of Checotah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for one count of Distribution of Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
On June 30, 2025, Lerblance pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on October 3, 2023, Lerblance sold approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine in the parking lot of the Flying J Travel Center in Checotah, Oklahoma.
The Honorable John C. Coughenour, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Western District of Washington, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Lerblance 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 Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Cedar Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Children and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited children and possessed child pornography pled guilty on November 13, 2025, in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Dawson Sanderson, age 24, of Cedar Rapids, was convicted of one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of possession of child pornography. At the plea hearing, Sanderson admitted that, in 2021, he got minors to produce and send depictions of sexually explicit conduct. He also possessed child pornography.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Sanderson remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Sanderson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, $67,200 in special assessments, and supervised release for five years to life following any imprisonment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ 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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa State Patrol, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is CR 25-51.
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Caldwell Couple Sentenced to 120 and 70 Months in Federal Prison for Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BOISE – Ray Gordon Capistrant, 57, and Patricia Lynn Webber a/k/a Patricia Lynn Capistrant, 56, both of Caldwell, were sentenced to 120 months and 70 months, respectively, in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart Davis announced today.
According to court records, in December of 2024, the Idaho State Police began investigating the Caldwell couple for distributing methamphetamine in the Treasure Valley. On four occasions from December 2024, and through January 2025, a confidential source purchased methamphetamine from Webber at the couple’s shared residence. During two of these occasions Capistrant was present nearby in the residence.
On February 8, 2025, the Idaho State Police executed a search warrant at Capistrant and Webber’s shared residence along with a rental vehicle that they had used to go to Arizona to purchase methamphetamine. In the trunk of the rental vehicle, law enforcement found 22 heat-sealed bags that contained methamphetamine wrapped in tinfoil. The combined weight of the methamphetamine in the 22 heat-sealed bags was approximately 9,847.7 grams. In the shared residence, law enforcement also found additional methamphetamine and various drug paraphernalia including multiple scales and plastic bags.
In total, Capistrant and Webber possessed 10,839.55 grams—approximately 24 pounds—of methamphetamine that they intended to distribute to others.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho State Police which led to the charges. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kane Venecia prosecuted the cases.
This case was prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Ada County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office with funds provided by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program. HIDTA is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives, including the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney position.
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Convicted Sex Offender Sentenced to Prison for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA – Octavius Durdley, 47, of Archer, Florida, was sentenced to six years in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release after a jury found him guilty of failing to register as a sexual offender under the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Keeping our communities safe from the disgusting sexual predators who seek to exploit and victimize our children remains one of the top priorities of my office. I appreciate the excellent work by our federal law enforcement partners to investigate this offender, and remain committed to aggressively prosecuting these offenses to ensure our children can grow up safe from the threats posed by criminals like this defendant.”
According to court records and trial testimony, the defendant, who was designated as a sex offender following a 2010 conviction for receipt and possession of child pornography, purposefully did not complete the required registration upon his release from prison in December 2024. This is the defendant’s second conviction for failing to register as a sex offender in the Northern District of Florida. The defendant was also sentenced to an additional year and two months in prison for violating the conditions of his supervised release, for a total of seven years and two months to be served.
Acting United States Marshal Greg Leljedal remarked: “If you are a convicted sex offender and fail to register, the U.S. Marshals will track you down and bring you to justice. Octavius Durdley attempted to evade the law and will now be behind bars for the next 7 years.”
This conviction was the result of an investigation by the United States Marshals Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Broken Bow Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kenneth Marvin Bray, a/k/a Marvin Bray, age 54, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm.
The charge arose from an investigation by the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 1, 2025, Bray pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, Bray knowingly possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol on November 30, 2023, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.
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.
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. Bray 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 Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
British National Sentenced on Fraud, Money Laundering, and Immigration ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A British national from Northern Ireland illegally in the United States who admitted in one case to participating in a multi-state construction and money laundering fraud scheme that netted more than a million dollars, and in a separate case to using false information to enter the United States, has been sentenced to federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom.
Elijah Gavin, 29, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Mary S. McElroy to 48 months imprisonment, forfeiture of $4885.57, a forfeiture money judgment of $1,000,000, a restitution order of $1,109,500, and $300 in special assessments in one case, and one day imprisonment and a $100 special assessment in the other case, to run concurrently. Gavin pleaded guilty on June 12, 2025, to charges of wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, money laundering, and false statement in a document used to gain entry into the United States.
In pleading guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering, Elijah Gavin admitted to the following:
- Gavin used various names when he approached and defrauded property owners in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York by, among other things, misrepresenting to property owners’ construction needs or repairs required on their properties.
- Gavin and his co-conspirators formed multiple construction businesses and falsely represented the business’ status, experience, and quality of work; falsely represented their identities and skills to homeowners; and made false representations to property owners regarding the condition of their properties, work they would perform, and the machinery, materials, and equipment needed to perform work.
- Between October 2022 and January 2025, Gavin and his co-conspirators defrauded property owners of over one million dollars, including a Rhode Island widow who was defrauded of $850,000, as well as other elderly victims in Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, and a church in New York.
- Gavin sent checks to money launderers in New York and California representing funds that were fraudulently obtained from his victims.
- Gavin is a fugitive from justice in the United Kingdom who entered the United States illegally. Gavin used a false Electronic System for Travel Authorization application to gain entry into the United States without a visa. Gavin’s ESTA application contained materially false information with respect to Gavin’s criminal history in the United Kingdom.
According to the FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center, Conmen Travelers are groups of Irish or U.K. nationals who entered the United States on pleasure or tourist visas and overstayed their visits or, more commonly, entered the United States illegally. Once in the United States, they go to different cities and states, soliciting construction work. The members often quote a low price, and then, after further inspection, demand much more money and/or convince the homeowner that their homes or business need major repairs. Conmen Travelers often hire day laborers; do not have work authorization documents or pull permits; and do low quality, unnecessary, or incomplete work, sometimes damaging homeowners’ residences.
Gavin has been detained in federal custody since his arrest in New Jersey on January 29, 2025.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sandra R. Hebert and Taylor A. Dean.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Rhode Island State Police, and U.S Diplomatic Security Service.
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).
Boat Owner and Captain Arraigned in Miami on Federal Cocaine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A boat owner and captain were arraigned in Miami on Sept. 26 to face charges of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, between Aug. 24 and 28, Jeffry Dominguez, 34, and Luis Antonio Garcia Rosario, 37, planned to transport hundreds of kilograms of cocaine from the Dominican Republic to Miami.
On Aug. 29, the U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a 44-foot vessel entering U.S. waters. During a boarding of the vessel, law enforcement identified Dominguez, the registered boat owner, and Garcia Rosario. A search revealed 741 packages that contained approximately 742 kilograms of cocaine, concealed in a hidden compartment on board.
Dominguez and Garcia Rosario are charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute and conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute. If convicted, Dominguez and Garcia Rosario face a maximum penalty of life in prison for each charge.
Garcia Rosario is a Dominican national and faces removal from the U.S. if convicted.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Sheriff Gregory Tony of the Broward Sheriff’s Office (BSO) made the announcement.
DEA Miami Field Division and the Broward Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin McCormack is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at http://www.flsd.uscourts.gov/ or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20407.
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Billings man sentenced to 9 years in prison for child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who distributed child pornography was sentenced today to 108 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Kole David Kuntz, 41, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to two counts of distribution of child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on November 16, 2024, law enforcement created an undercover online persona on a social media site posing as an adult male with a minor daughter. Soon after establishing the account, another account, later attributed to Kuntz, reached out and inquired about the fictious daughter.
The conversations became increasingly sexual. For example, when Kuntz learned the “daughter” was 12 years old, he indicated he “could have a lot of fun with her.”
On November 21, 2024, Kuntz recommended they switch to a more secure application and both parties did so. Then, to ensure he was “serious,” Kuntz sent a roughly 45-second video of a female, between the ages of 12 and 14, removing her swimsuit and exposing her vagina to the camera. On November 22, 2024, and after additional communications during which Kuntz indicated that “6-14 is the money range I think,” he distributed a roughly 56-second video of a minor female performing oral sex on an adult.
Law enforcement connected the communications to Kuntz and searched his residence in Billings. A subsequent review of his electronic media led to the discovery of the communications referenced above as well as the possession of additional child pornography.
Kuntz was interviewed by law enforcement and admitted he was the individual referenced in the communications he had previously shared images and videos.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Baltimore County Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Traffic 14 FirearmsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Cedrick Brinkley, 31, of Windsor Mill, Maryland, to 130 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with his conviction for conspiring to traffic firearms.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
According to the guilty plea, on multiple occasions in April 2024, Brinkley and co-conspirator Steven Lee, 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, agreed to sell firearms to an ATF undercover agent. The undercover agent explained that the purpose of buying the firearms was to resell to an individual in New Jersey. Judge Maddox sentenced Lee to 102 months in federal prison following his guilty plea to the firearms trafficking conspiracy on August 19, 2024.
On April 3, 2024, Brinkley met with the undercover agent and a second individual, a confidential informant, to sell firearms. At the meeting, Brinkley removed four firearms from a black satchel and sold them to the undercover agent, along with 50 rounds of ammunition, for $4,500.
Then on April 17, law enforcement observed Brinkley and Lee sitting in a vehicle at the location where they planned to meet the undercover agent. Brinkley exited his vehicle, met with the undercover agent, and exchanged five 9-millimeter pistols for $6,100.
On April 24, Brinkley and Lee arranged to sell additional firearms to the undercover agent. Prior to the transaction, law enforcement observed Brinkley and Lee meeting in a public parking lot. Brinkley retrieved a black bag from Lee’s vehicle, re-entered his vehicle, and then drove to the meeting location. Lee did not physically attend the meeting with the undercover agent.
At the meeting with the undercover agent, Brinkley brought the black bag, removed five firearms from the bag, and handed them to the undercover agent. The undercover agent wanted to negotiate a better price, so Brinkley called Lee on speakerphone to discuss prices with the agent directly. During the call, Lee described the firearms in detail, including one of the firearms that had a machinegun conversion device affixed to it.
The undercover agent reiterated to Brinkley and Lee that the purpose of buying the firearms was to resell them for profit. Then the undercover agent paid Brinkley $7,800 for five firearms, which included pistols of various calibers; one of which had a machinegun conversion device attached to it.
Between the three transactions, Brinkley sold the undercover agent 50 rounds of ammunition and 14 firearms — four of which were reported stolen — and one was affixed with a machine gun conversion device.
On May 3, Brinkley purchased 50 rounds of semi-jacketed hollow point .32 caliber ammunition from a gun shop in Essex, Maryland. Brinkley made the purchase despite being prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to a prior conviction punishable by more than one year in prison.
Then on July 2, investigators executed a search warrant at Brinkley’s Baltimore County residence. During the search, law enforcement recovered a Glock 43x 9mm pistol and $19,900 in a safe that contained Brinkley’s identification documents. Investigators also recovered a KE Arms KE-9 9mm rifle from a pile of Brinkley’s clothes in his closet.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Arcadia Woman Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Role in $11.6 Million Money Laundering Racket that Conned Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A San Gabriel Valley woman was sentenced today to 121 months in federal prison for orchestrating a large-scale international money laundering conspiracy that funneled more than $11.6 million in fraud proceeds from hundreds of victims – many of them elderly – who were conned by criminals pretending to be law enforcement, government officials, or computer support representatives.
Cynthia Song, 43, a.k.a. “Iris Song” and “Xin Wang,” of Arcadia, was sentenced by United States District Judge Stanley Blumenfeld Jr., who also ordered her to pay $10,069,518 in restitution.
Song pleaded guilty on June 10 to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She has been in federal custody since October 2024.
From December 2022 to October 2024, Song conspired to launder millions of dollars in proceeds derived from various fraudulent schemes. Victims were conned via impersonation and technical support scams, in which fraudsters – often operating overseas – posed as government officials, law enforcement, or computer support representatives. The perpetrators deceived victims, typically elderly individuals, into sending large payments – sometimes their entire life savings – to bank accounts in the United States controlled by Song and her co-conspirators.
Song first joined the scheme by personally money laundering fraud proceeds in her accounts. For example, in December 2022, multiple victims were induced to wire at least $170,850 into an account controlled by Song under the business name SW Prosperity Real Estate Development LLC. Within days, nearly all the funds were withdrawn and transferred abroad.
Soon afterward, Song became a manager of money launderers and recruited at least 15 money launderers into the global scheme. Song and her network of recruited money launderers then opened dozens of business bank accounts to receive and transfer fraudulent funds. Once the victims’ funds were received, Song directed her associates to withdraw or transfer the money, taking a 5% to 10% cut before sending the remaining proceeds to fraud organizers overseas, primarily in China and Hong Kong.
Throughout the scheme, Song directed the recruited money launderers on how to deceive banks that questioned the suspicious transfers, and she provided them with cover stories for the transfers, victims’ driver’s licenses, and other information in order to deceive the banks into believing the transfers were legitimate and therefore to not freeze the accounts or funds. Song and her co-conspirators continued to launder money through various bank accounts until the banks froze the accounts for fraud, at which point, Song and her co-conspirators would switch to different bank accounts and co-conspirators.
Song admitted in her plea agreement that she knew the funds were criminal proceeds and she warned her recruited co-conspirators that the money they handled was not “clean.”
Song and her co-conspirators laundered at least $11,692,931 in fraud proceeds from approximately 180 victims across the United States. Of that amount, approximately $2,736,240 was frozen or recovered by financial institutions.
“The harm these crimes caused the victims cannot be understated,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum. “Some lost their entire life savings, others continue to experience shame, regret, and depression. Many dreamed to enjoy their golden years of retirement, but are now confronted with the harsh realities of lost savings and shattered dreams. Many have had to materially change their standard of living and most will never financially recover from these life-changing financial losses given their age.”
IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew M. Roach of the General Crimes Section prosecuted this case.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 3 a.m. to 8 p.m. Pacific Time. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
Anchorage Doctor and Husband Plead Guilty to Multi-Million Dollar Health Care, Tax Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage doctor and her husband pleaded guilty today to executing a $12.5 million health care fraud scheme and evading over $4 million in taxes on the profits of their decades-long scheme.
According to court documents, Dr. Claribel Tan, 61, and her husband, Daniel Tan, 70, operated a rheumatology medical clinic in Anchorage. Dr. Tan specialized in the treatment of autoimmune and musculoskeletal diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and psoriatic arthritis, and prescribed injectable medications to treat those conditions. Mr. Tan performed office and management work for the clinic. As part of their scheme, the Tans deceived their patients about the medications Dr. Tan administered by injection in the office, and fraudulently billed health insurance plans for reimbursement of medications that the Tans did not purchase.
Beginning in 2009, Dr. Tan routinely and surreptitiously underdosed patients, injected them with free samples or a different medication than prescribed, injected them with expired medication, and/or injected them with medications purchased by other patients. The Tans then knowingly billed insurance plans as if Dr. Tan had provided each patient a full and proper injection. Specifically, the Tans claimed to have administered 4,829 units of the medications to patients, and billed the insurance plans for that amount, despite only purchasing 369 units of medication.
Mr. Tan helped execute the scheme in part by creating and submitting fraudulent insurance claims and ordering insufficient medication for the clinic. The Tans also made false statements about the length of Dr. Tan’s office visits with her patients and submitted fraudulent claims to insurance plans for services that Dr. Tan never provided. The Tans’ fraud scheme created significant health risks to the patients and caused a loss of approximately $12,522,446 to more than 10 insurance plans.
The Tans also created false tax records to conceal the health care fraud scheme. The Tans knew that the clinic had not purchased the quantity of medications that they billed insurance plans for, and they fraudulently overstated the clinic’s expenses on the clinic’s tax returns for 2014, 2015, and 2017, allowing them to falsely underreport the clinic’s income. From 2018 to 2021, the Tans willfully failed to file tax returns for the clinic. The Tans’ tax fraud scheme caused a loss of approximately $4,249,509 to the IRS.
In 2024 and 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office seized approximately $10,471,106 in health care fraud proceeds from the Tans. As part of their plea agreements, the Tans agreed to forfeit those funds to the U.S. and agreed to pay an additional $6,300,849 towards their expected restitution judgment. The Tans further agreed to pay the U.S. an additional $1,855,144 to settle civil claims under the False Claims Act arising from the health care fraud scheme. Dr. Tan has also surrendered her medical license.
Dr. Tan and Mr. Tan will be sentenced on a later date. They each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for health care fraud and five years in prison for tax fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
More information about the case is available at https://www.justice.gov/usao-ak/united-states-v-tan-et-al. Victims may provide the court with a written Victim Impact Statement or may also provide a statement in person at sentencing. For more information, please contact usaak.victim.witness@usdoj.gov one week prior to sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman of the District of Alaska, Special Agent in Charge John Helsing, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Western Field Office and Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke of the IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Field Office made the announcement.
DCIS Western Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation Seattle Division, FBI Anchorage Field Office, Defense Contract Audit Agency, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Criminal Investigations Division, Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and State of Alaska Division of Insurance Investigation Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Dominick Giovanniello of the Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Beausang and William Reed of the District of Alaska are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jackie Traini of the District of Alaska led the civil fraud investigation.
UPDATE: This release has been edited to correct the email listed for USAAK Victim Witness.
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