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4 November 2025
Illegal alien admits to repeatedly smuggling bulk amounts of methamphetamine into the United StatesRead the Press Release
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.
LAREDO, Texas – A 46-year-old Mexican national has pleaded guilty to a conspiracy involving over 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jose Calleros Avila crossed the Colombia Solidarity Bridge in Laredo June 1 driving a 2003 Chevrolet Suburban. He claimed he was coming back from Matehuala, Mexico, with two duffle bags full of candy for his children. However, during a routine inspection, authorities located two bundles inside a bag mixed in with children’s candies. The bundles tested positive for methamphetamine which prompted further inspection and the discovery of a total of 15 bundles weighing 15.44 kilograms.
Avila had planned to transport the drugs to another individual in Dallas for further distribution throughout the United States. After delivering the methamphetamine, Avila would return to the location in Dallas, pick up cash and wire the money to various individuals throughout Mexico.
Avila admitted he had transported various narcotics at least five times previously and received a total of $7,000.
U.S. District Judge John Kazen will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Avila faces up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $1 million maximum possible fine.
Avila has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tory R. Sailer is prosecuting the case.
Hopkinsville Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Damaging Church StatueRead the Press Release
Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville man pleaded guilty yesterday to damaging religious property.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, on January 28 and 29, 2025, Marley R. Taylor, 27, of Hopkinsville, destroyed a statue of Mary holding baby Jesus located at a Catholic church by using an axe to chop off both statues’ heads. Taylor admitted that he intentionally decapitated the statue of Mary and Jesus because he believed people prayed to the statue as an act of worship. The statue had been hand carved from marble and imported from Italy.
Taylor pleaded guilty to damage to religious property in a one count Information. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 10, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. If the court accepts the terms of the plea agreement, Taylor faces a penalty of not more than 3 years in prison and payment of not less than $35,935 in restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“The violent destruction of religious property due to hatred for another’s faith is both intolerable and un-American,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice stands firmly against anti-Christian bias and will hold accountable anyone who targets Americans because of their religious beliefs.”
“We cannot and will not accept attacks on the free exercise of religion, nor the desecration of sacred religious symbols. Mr. Taylor intentionally desecrated two of Christianity’s most revered symbols, statutes of Mary and Jesus, as an attack on the Christian faith. His motives and his conduct have earned these federal charges. Let this be a warning that no attack on the exercise of religion—regardless of faith—will be tolerated in the Western District of Kentucky,” said U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner.
“Mr. Taylor not only intentionally and severely damaged two religious statues at a place of worship, but by doing so, he also violated a key principle of our nation, the freedom of all to express religious beliefs afforded under the U.S. Constitution,” said Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office. “As our mission conveys, the FBI will work tirelessly alongside our partners to ensure Constitutional rights provided to every American are protected.”
“I would like to thank our federal partners for their constant support in helping us protect the citizens of Hopkinsville from those that choose to threaten our quality of life,” said Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department. “Citizens have the right to live in a society where their beliefs and safety should never be violated by those who threaten either with violence. We will continue working together to ensure our commitment to make Hopkinsville a safer community remains successful.”
This case is being investigated by the FBI Bowling Green Satellite Office and the Hopkinsville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond McGee, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section are prosecuting the case.
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Former NYPD Officer Charged with Bribery, Narcotics, Firearms, and Robbery OffensesRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ANDREW NGUYEN, a former NYPD officer, with bribery, narcotics, firearms, and robbery offenses in connection with NGUYEN’s alleged participation in a drug trafficking enterprise while NGUYEN was an officer with the NYPD. NGUYEN was arrested this morning and was presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry J. Ricardo. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres.
“The NYPD is the most professional and most effective police department in the world,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “New Yorkers rely on and trust the women and men of the NYPD. As alleged, Andrew Nguyen not only breached that trust for profit, but he also committed crimes against his fellow New Yorkers. New Yorkers, including our thousands of dedicated NYPD officers, want him brought to justice.”
Assistant Director in Charge Raia said: “Andrew Nguyen allegedly levied his official position as an NYPD officer to accept more than $30,000 in bribes in exchange for transporting narcotics and providing unauthorized armed protection to their illicit operations. Nguyen’s alleged support to a drug trafficking enterprise directly violated the oath he swore to uphold as well as the public’s trust. While the vast majority of our NYPD partners are deeply committed to honoring their duty to protect and serve, the FBI will never tolerate those who besmirch the badge for personal profit.”
“The NYPD holds its officers to the highest standards, and it’s an affront to our department when someone so blatantly abuses the public’s trust,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “Andrew Nguyen allegedly endangered the communities he was sworn to protect and put his fellow officers’ lives in danger. The NYPD has zero tolerance for corruption of any kind, and I thank the members of the department who investigated this case and our partners in the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their support in rooting out this misconduct.”
As alleged in the Indictment and in statements made in court:
For approximately three years, between at least in or about 2020 and at least in or about November 2023, NGUYEN repeatedly abused his position as a police officer in the NYPD by soliciting and accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribe payments in exchange for assisting another individual (“CC-1”) with the operation of CC-1’s drug trafficking enterprise.
First, NGUYEN transported drugs, including approximately eight kilograms of cocaine, for CC-1 while NGUYEN was armed with a firearm, including a 9‑millimeter Glock Model 26 pistol, which was NGUYEN’s NYPD-authorized off-duty firearm, and in possession of NYPD credentials and an NYPD parking placard, which NGUYEN planned to use to evade arrest in the event he was pulled over by other members of the NYPD or, in the case of his firearm, to protect CC-1 if violence occurred.
Second, NGUYEN drove CC-1 to drug meetings, again while possessing a firearm, including his NYPD-authorized off-duty firearm, NYPD credentials, and an NYPD parking placard
Third, NGUYEN queried names of other drug dealers in NYPD databases at the request of CC-1, provided that confidential information to CC‑1, and, at least once, offered to arrest one of those drug dealers for CC-1 in exchange for payment.
Fourth, NGUYEN, in exchange for payment from CC-1, used an NYPD vehicle to conduct an unsanctioned car stop of CC-1, during which NGUYEN purported to seize drugs and drug proceeds from CC-1. Following the car stop, NGUYEN submitted false reports to the NYPD regarding the car stop, to help CC-1 avoid repayment of a drug-trafficking-related debt.
Fifth, NGUYEN expressed a willingness to, in exchange for payment from an associate of CC-1 (“CC-2”), kidnap two drug dealers who owed money to CC-2 by conducting an unsanctioned arrest of those individuals, although this plan never came to fruition.
Sixth, NGUYEN conspired with CC-1 and another criminal associate of CC-1 (“CC-3”) to rob a drug-money courier under the guise of NGUYEN conducting another unsanctioned car stop, although NGUYEN and his co-conspirators did not carry out their agreement to commit the robbery.
In addition, in or about November and December 2023, law enforcement conducted an undercover operation during which NGUYEN transported what NGUYEN believed to be five kilograms of cocaine in exchange for $5,000 from CC-1. In truth, the “drugs” were sham and NGUYEN had obtained them from an undercover law enforcement officer whom NGUYEN believed was a drug dealer.
Overall, NGUYEN, who was at all relevant times an officer in the NYPD, accepted more than $30,000 in bribe payments from CC-1 (and solicited tens of thousands of dollars in additional bribes) in connection with NGUYEN’s participation in CC-1’s drug trafficking enterprise.
At the time of NGUYEN’s arrest earlier today, law enforcement searched NGUYEN’s home pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant. During that search, a number of firearms and ammunition were found in plain view, including: (i) a Glock 19 pistol that was fully loaded with hollow-point ammunition; (ii) two AR-15-style rifles; (iii) a short-barreled rifle; (iv) a fully loaded high-capacity drum magazine containing 60 rounds of ammunition; (v) several AR-15-style magazines loaded with ammunition; and (vi) substantial amounts of other ammunition, including additional hollow-point ammunition.
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NGUYEN, 41, of Harriman, New York, is charged with (i) one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison; (ii) one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison; (iii) one count of conspiracy to solicit and receive a bribe, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; (iv) one count of solicitation and receipt of a bribe, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison; (v) one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute (a) 5 kilograms and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of cocaine and (b) marijuana, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (vi) one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison, which must be served consecutively to any other term of in prison, and a maximum sentence of life in prison; (vii) one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and (viii) one count of attempted distribution and possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms and more of mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit and Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew J. King and Jonathan Rebold are in charge of the prosecution.
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u.s._v._andrew_nguyen_-_indictment_-_gj_signed_-_docketed_redacted.pdfFormer CEO and Board Chairman Charged with Fraud Scheme Directed at Public CompanyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Christopher G. Raia, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging BRADLEY HEPPNER, the founder of Beneficient, with securities fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, false statements to auditors, and falsification of records. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by HEPPNER and others to fraudulently extract funds from GWG Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded company for which HEPPNER served as chairman, through the use of a shell company he controlled, the Highland Consolidated Limited Partnership (“HCLP”). HEPPNER was arrested this morning in Dallas, Texas, and will be presented tomorrow in the Northern District of Texas. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff.
“As alleged, Heppner abused his role as a public company executive to loot the company and to funnel money into his own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “When executives like Heppner lie and cheat to enrich themselves at the expense of everyday investors, they corrupt the integrity of our public markets. The women and men of the SDNY and our law enforcement partners will continue to work tirelessly to protect investors and the markets.”
“While serving as chairman of GWG, a publicly traded company, Bradley Heppner allegedly misappropriated more than $150 million. In furtherance of this scheme, Heppner allegedly falsified documents, made misleading statements to investors and auditors, and obstructed an investigation by regulatory authorities. GWG’s subsequent bankruptcy resulted in over $1 billion in losses to retail investors. The FBI will continue to hold accountable any individual who defrauds investors for their own gain,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia.
As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
BRADLEY HEPPNER was the founder of Beneficient, a financial services startup. HCLP was a shell company that HEPPNER also controlled. In order to obtain a payout for himself, HEPPNER created a $141 million debt that Beneficient purportedly owed to HCLP. Over time, HEPPNER gained control and influence over GWG Holdings, Inc., a Nasdaq-listed financial services company. GWG historically raised capital through bonds—called L bonds—sold to retail investors, predominately retirees seeking income-generating investments. HEPPNER installed himself as chairman of GWG’s board of directors and appointed his friends and associates as GWG’s board members.
Between 2018 and 2021, HEPPNER made false and misleading statements to a special committee of GWG’s board to induce them to authorize investments by GWG in Beneficient, in part to pay off the debt Beneficient purportedly owed to HCLP. When the special committee inquired about who controlled HCLP, HEPPNER represented that HCLP was independent, disclaimed influence over it, and denied that he would personally receive the payments on the purported debt. Those representations were false and misleading. HCLP was controlled by HEPPNER. And when GWG authorized payments to satisfy what it believed were arm’s length debts owed to a third-party lender, those funds flowed through multiple corporate entities and ultimately to HEPPNER’s personal accounts. Beneficient received at least approximately $300 million from GWG. And HEPPNER received more than $150 million of these GWG funds through his HCLP entity. HEPPNER used the funds he received from GWG for personal expenses, including to fund his lifestyle and to renovate his Dallas mansion and improve his East Texas ranch.
In addition, in or about 2019, HEPPNER made false and misleading statements and prepared false documents to deceive Beneficient’s auditors in connection with the preparation of Beneficient’s and GWG’s audit. As a publicly held company, GWG was required to report to the United States Securities and Exchange Commission its quarterly and annual financial statements, and to have its annual financial statements audited by independent certified public accounts. By the end of 2018, because GWG held a large interest in Beneficient, Beneficient’s audit was required to be incorporated into GWG’s annual SEC filings. As part of this audit, Beneficient’s auditors considered whether HCLP was independent of HEPPNER, and whether one of the friends HEPPNER had installed to run HCLP was also independent. Because neither was true, HEPPNER prepared, and directed others to prepare, backdated paperwork, misleading letters, and fraudulent emails, which were sent to the auditors and were material to the auditors’ accounting determinations.
In late 2020, GWG received a subpoena from the SEC in connection with an ongoing enforcement investigation of GWG and Beneficient. HEPPNER falsified minutes from an October 2019 board meeting by adding language to the minutes to make it appear that HEPPNER had disclosed to Beneficient his history of borrowing money from HCLP. In truth, HEPPNER had never disclosed this information to GWG or Beneficient. HEPPNER later caused the falsified Board minutes to be sent to the SEC.
In June 2021, HEPPNER resigned from his position on GWG’s board, and by the end of 2021, HEPPNER had separated Beneficient from GWG. Thereafter, GWG filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, unable to satisfy more than one billion in obligations to tens of thousands of retail bondholders.
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HEPPNER, 59, of Dallas, Texas, is charged with securities fraud, wire fraud, false statements to auditors, and falsification of records, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. HEPPNER is also charged with conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
This case is being handled by SDNY’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Burnett, Daniel G. Nessim, and Alexandra Rothman are in charge of the prosecution.
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25_cr._503_signed_heppner_indictment.pdfBelorusian Citizen Arrested for Illegally Exporting U.S.-Sourced Aviation Components to RussiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Yana Leonova, 33, a Belorusian citizen most recently residing in Russia, was extradited from France yesterday on an indictment charging her with conspiring to violate the Export Control Reform Act, to commit smuggling, to commit money laundering, and to defraud the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.
Leonova, aka “Yana Liavonava,” made her initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Counterintelligence Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the Kansas City, Mo., Field Office and Jonathan Carson of the Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement (BIS/OEE).
The indictment alleges that following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in May 2022, Leonova – using co-conspirators located in the United States – procured and illicitly exported from the United States to Russia numerous avionics and other aircraft equipment. The exported items were for use on private aircraft operated by Leonova’s former employer a company identified on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List.
As part of the conspiracy, Leonova and her co-conspirators purchased the aircraft components from U.S.-based distributors. Using companies located in Armenia, the Maldives, and elsewhere, they then transshipped the components to Russia without the required licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce.
“This defendant tried to circumvent U.S. law to enrich herself by procuring and illicitly exporting, from the United States to Russia, avionics, and other prohibited equipment,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “She used intermediary countries in an effort to block the identity of the final recipient in Russia where licenses from the U.S. Department of Commerce were needed.”
“The FBI’s investigation revealed that Yana Leonova allegedly conspired to evade U.S. export laws by selling sensitive aircraft equipment to Russia,” said FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the Counterintelligence Division. “The FBI has made it a top priority to keep U.S. technology from making its way into our adversaries’ hands, and we ask all our private sector partners to remember the critical role they play in safeguarding our national security by reporting violations. And to anyone considering helping a hostile nation-state obtain export-controlled technology, let today’s charges serve as a warning to you: the FBI and our partners will find you, no matter where you are, and bring you to justice.”
“The Bureau of Industry and Security’s Office of Export Enforcement remains steadfast in protecting U.S. national security and ensuring the integrity of our export control system,” said BIS-OEE Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Carson. “Working closely with our law enforcement and international partners, we will continue to uncover and disrupt illicit procurement networks wherever they operate.”
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of years of work for the FBI and underscores our commitment to identifying those who allegedly violate national export laws,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen A. Cyrus of the Kansas City Field Office. “We’re thankful to the team of investigators, the Department of Justice, the United States Marshals Service, and our French allies for their help in the extradition of Leonova, who will now face these charges in a U.S. court."
As alleged, Leonova and her co-conspirators repeatedly concealed and misstated the true end users and end destinations of the aircraft components ordered by Leonova by submitting false information on documents. She caused the items to be transshipped to Russia through intermediary destinations and caused payments in U.S. dollars to be transmitted from foreign bank accounts to bank accounts in the United States.
This case is being investigated by FBI Kansas City and BIS/OEE Atlanta and New York. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stuart D. Allen and John W. Borchert of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorneys Sean R. Heiden and Kara Podraza of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Significant assistance on the extradition was provided by French authorities and the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs. The Department expresses deep appreciation for the support of our French allies.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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leonova_24-cr-421_indictment_2098-2860-1860_v.1.pdf
3 November 2025
Two plead guilty to roles in cocaine trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
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.
LAREDO, Texas – An illegal alien from Mexico and a local man have admitted they conspired together to organize and transport cocaine from Laredo to other locations across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
In March, Luis Manuel Castillo Garcia, 51, who had been illegally residing in Laredo, recruited tractor-trailer drivers to haul several loads of cocaine stored at a local yard. Luis Alonzo Pena Jr., 30, Laredo, was one of the drivers.
Garcia arranged for two trailers containing hidden compartments of cocaine to be transported from Laredo. He offered $9,000 per trailer. Authorities seized the first trailer March 4 which was found to contain 23.5 kilograms of cocaine, while there was 26.5 kilograms in the second trailer the following day.
On May 8, law enforcement observed Garcia meet Pena at a location in Laredo. Pena arrived in a red Chevrolet Silverado and accepted a duffle bag of cocaine for transport.
A subsequent traffic stop led to the discovery of the bag, which contained 15 bundles of cocaine weighing approximately 18.5 kilograms.
In total, authorities seized over 65 kilograms of cocaine over the course of the investigation. The drugs have an estimated street value of over $1 million.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time both face up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million maximum possible fine. Not a U.S. citizen, Garcia also admitted to illegally reentering the country and faces an additional term of up to 20 years in prison.
Both men have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Laredo Police Department, Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Lou Castillo is prosecuting the case.
Three Shooters Sentenced to More than 100 Years Each for Three 2021 MurdersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Erwin Dubose, Kamar Queen, Damonta Thompson, William Johnson Lee, and Mussay Rezene, all of Washington, D.C., and Toyia Johnson, of Rockville, MD, were sentenced Thursday in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on 27 felony charges arising from the September 4, 2021 Labor Day weekend murders of three people in front of 633 Longfellow Street, NW, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
On October 30, 2025, three of the defendants were sentenced to more than 100 years of incarceration for their participation in the conspiracy and their role as shooters: Dubose was sentenced to 123 years of incarceration; Queen was sentenced to 120 years of incarceration, and Johnson Lee was sentenced to 105 years of incarceration. Thompson was sentenced to 35 years for his participation in the conspiracy and driving the co-defendants to and from the shooting scene. Finally, Rezene was sentenced to three years of incarceration for his convictions for accessory after the fact to first degree murder while armed and tampering with physical evidence, and Johnson was sentenced to 24 months of incarceration, execution of sentenced suspended as to all, for her convictions for accessory after the fact, to assault with a dangerous weapon and tampering with physical evidence.
On July 3, 2025, a jury found Dubose, Queen, Johnson Lee and Thompson guilty of charges including conspiracy to commit a crime of violence, three counts of first-degree murder while armed with aggravating circumstances, and three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed. The jury found defendant Johnson guilty of tampering with physical evidence and being an accessory after the fact to assault with intent to kill while armed. The jury found defendant Rezene guilty of tampering with physical evidence and being an accessory after the fact to first degree murder while armed.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 7:33 p.m., on September 4, 2021, Thompson drove Dubose, Queen and Johnson Lee, to the 600 block of Longfellow Street, NW. Those three men got out of the vehicle, crept to the corner of Longfellow and 7th Streets, NW, and began indiscriminately shooting into a neighborhood gathering. The three shooters ran back to the waiting vehicle Thompson was driving and fled the scene.
Three victims, Ms. Donetta Dyson, 31, Mr. Keenan Braxton, 24, and Mr. Johnny Joyner, 37, were killed and another three victims sustained non-lethal gunshot wounds from the shooting.
Shortly after the homicide, an associate of Dubose, Toyia Johnson, who rented the vehicle Thompson was driving at the time of the incident, began placing multiple 911 calls in which she falsely reported the suspect vehicle stolen. Shortly after midnight on September 6, 2021, Dubose and Rezene drove to the 4500 block of Eads Street, NE and set fire to the vehicle. The evidence established that triple homicide was in retaliation for a shooting that occurred an hour prior in the 800 block of Oglethorpe Street, NE.
Joining in the announcement is Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorneys Colleen Kukowski and Charles R. Jones, who prosecuted the case.
Texas resident sentenced for role in crypto-Ponzi schemeRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON – A 45-year-old Houston man ordered to federal prison for running a fraudulent investment scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Samuel Ayala-Ibarra pleaded guilty Aug. 4.
Senior U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Ayala-Ibarra to serve 51 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional information describing the sophistication of his fraudulent scheme. This included creating a shell company, using multiple bank accounts and having investors sign meaningless contracts to offer legitimacy to the investments. The court also heard about Ayala-Ibarra’s prior and pending criminal charges along with his educational background. In handing down the sentence, the court noted this crime was designed for people with degrees, due to the complexity of the scheme.
From July through November 2017, Ayala-Ibarra operated JASTBITME, a Houston-based company that falsely promised high returns through cryptocurrency investments. Ayala-Ibarra told clients their money would be invested in cryptocurrency, but he instead used the funds for personal gain and to repay earlier investors. He also paid others to recruit new clients.
Once clients invested, JASTBITME created fake documents to show fabricated growth and returns. Ayala-Ibarra used these false reports to persuade clients to reinvest.
The scheme resulted in numerous victims who never received their original investments or promised returns.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Secret Service conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rodolfo Ramirez and Elizabeth Wyman prosecuted the case. AUSA Kristine Rollinson is handling seizure and forfeiture matters.
Tennessee Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Tennessee man has been sentenced on charges related to the sexual exploitation of children, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
Chief U.S. District Court Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Addison Lee Cook, also known as “Adihsun,” 34, of Nashville, Tennessee, to 360 months in prison followed by a life term of supervised release. In May, Cook pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and coercion and enticement of a minor. This conviction requires Cook to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
“There is no place in our communities for those who prey on vulnerable children,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “These cases are successful because of strong partnerships with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. We have one common goal: to pursue justice for child victims. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners in Alabama and Tennessee, this predator has been held accountable for his actions.”
“The FBI, together with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, will stop at nothing to protect the most vulnerable members of our society,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Birmingham Division. “Together, we have ensured one less predator is victimizing the most innocent and vulnerable members of our community.”
According to the plea agreement, on April 12, 2024, an investigator with the University of Alabama Police Department responded to a report regarding sexual abuse allegations involving a minor victim. The online report was made by the victim’s mother to the FBI National Threat Operations Center and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency hotline and noted that Cook used Snapchat to communicate with the minor victim who resided in Alabama. Based on this report, a federal search warrant was obtained and executed at Cook’s residence in Tennessee. While, no images or videos of the minor victim were located on devices seized during the search warrant, agents located child sexual abuse material on every device seized—a total of 16 images and four videos.
If you suspect or become aware of possible sexual exploitation of a child, please contact law enforcement. To alert the FBI Birmingham Office, call 205-326-6166. Reports can also be filed with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) or online at www.cybertipline.org.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
FBI Birmingham investigated the case along with the University of Alabama Police Department, Homewood Police Department, and FBI Nashville. Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Leann White prosecuted the case.
Suburban Chicago Man Charged with Making a Threat to Kill President TrumpRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been arrested for allegedly making a threat to kill President Donald J. Trump, the 47th and 45th President of the United States.
TRENT SCHNEIDER, 57, of Winthrop Harbor, Ill., is charged with making a threat in interstate commerce to injure a person. Schneider was arrested this morning and made an initial court appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert in Chicago. Schneider was ordered to remain detained in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Nov. 6, 2025.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Schneider posted a video of himself on Oct. 16, 2025, on Instagram in which he stated, “I’m going to get some guns. I know where I can get a lot of [expletive] guns and I am going to take care of business myself. I’m tired of all you [expletive] frauds. People need to [expletive] die and people are going to die. [Expletive] all of you, especially you Trump. You should be executed.” The video also included a caption that stated, in part: “THIS IS NOT A THREAT!!! AFTER LOSING EVERYTHING and My House Auction date is 11.04.2025 @realDonaldTrump SHOULD BE EXECUTED!!!”
According to the complaint, a concerned citizen in Florida viewed the video and reported it to law enforcement.
The complaint and arrest were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lake County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office and the Winthrop Harbor, Ill. Police Department.
The public is reminded that a complaint 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. The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
schneider_complaint.pdfSalamanca man who attempted to have sex with a 12-year-old girl pleads guilty to attempted enticementRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jack Sherlock, 56, of Salamanca, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to attempted enticement of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango, who is handling the case, stated that beginning on November 20, 2024, Sherlock began communicating on the internet with an undercover agent with the Department of Homeland Security posing as a 12-year-old girl. Between November 20 and December 4, 2024, Sherlock engaged in graphic sexual conversation with the person he believed to be a 12-year-old girl. During some of these online chats, he requested that the 12-year-old girl send him sexually explicit photographs of herself. He also discussed meeting the 12-year-old girl in person to engage in sexual activity. On December 3, 2024, Sherlock asked the 12-year-old girl to meet him in person so that they could engage in sexually activity. He arranged a time and place to meet the next day at a store in Salamanca. However, when Sherlock arrived at the store the next day, he was arrested by law enforcement.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Salamanca Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jamie Deck, the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Eric Butler, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan.
Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Prior felon indicted on new child pornography chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal jury returned an indictment charging Raymond Mason, 52, of Frewsburg, NY, with possession of obscene visual depictions following a prior conviction, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, and a maximum of 20 years.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that according to the indictment, on July 15, 2024, Mason possessed visual depictions on a cellular telephone, namely computer and AI generated images depicting minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The images were discovered by a U.S. Probation officer during a supervised release visit to Mason’s residence. Mason was previously convicted of possession and attempted receipt of child pornography in the Western District of New York in 2010.
Mason was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Portland Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Law Enforcement Officer Near Local ICE OfficeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— A Portland woman made her first appearance in federal court today after allegedly assaulting a federal officer near a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in South Portland.
Lucy Caroline Shepherd, 28, has been charged by criminal complaint with the felony offense of assaulting a federal officer.
According to court documents, on October 31, 2025, federal officers deployed outside the gates of the ICE facility to clear the vehicle entrance for vehicles to exit the facility. Shepherd struck an officer’s arm and was arrested by officers.
Since June 13, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office has charged 38 defendants with federal crimes for offenses committed near ICE facilities, including assaulting federal officers, failure to comply, and depredation of government property.
Shepherd made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was released on conditions pending further court proceedings.
Felony assault of a federal officer is punishable by up to eight years in federal prison.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Philadelphia Man Who Committed Three Armed Robberies in Three Days Sentenced to More Than 25 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Tyree Hatch, aka Jamal Morris and Omar Reed, 48, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 306 months in prison and three years of supervised release by United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer for the armed robberies of three Northeast Philadelphia businesses in November 2024.
The defendant was charged by indictment in January of this year and pleaded guilty in July to three counts of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), two counts of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, one count of using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
As detailed in court documents and admitted to by the defendant, on November 23, 2024, at approximately 1:12 p.m., Hatch entered a convenience store located on the 6700 block of Castor Avenue, made conversation with an employee (Victim 1), then brandished his firearm. The defendant placed the gun into Victim 1’s back and walked him to the cash register. Hatch then grabbed money, Victim 1’s iPhone, and boxes of Newport cigarettes and fled the scene. Video recovered after the robbery showed the defendant entering a black Ford Explorer with Pennsylvania tags.
On November 24, 2024, at approximately 9 p.m., the defendant entered a smoke shop located on the 2000 block of Cottman Avenue, confronted an employee (Victim 2) and demanded money from the register. During the interaction, Hatch pulled out a firearm, and, believing the gun was fake, Victim 2 tried to disarm him. The gun went off during the struggle and Victim 2 suffered a gunshot wound to the shin. Hatch then fled the store with cash from the register. Video recovered after the robbery showed the defendant driving the same black Ford Explorer as the day prior.
On November 25, 2024, at approximately 3:45 p.m., officers with the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) were dispatched to a smoke and vape shop located on the 7100 block of Castor Avenue, in response to a robbery in progress. Upon their arrival, an employee (Victim 3) informed them that the armed robber had taken cash, an iPhone, a carton of Newport cigarettes, and boxes of cigars.
Aware of the previous two robberies, PPD officers surveyed the area for the black Ford Explorer and found it parked outside the defendant’s residence. Hatch was then seen entering the home, and a barricade was declared. The defendant soon exited the residence and was placed under arrest.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI Philadelphia Violent Crimes Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kwambina Coker and Linwood C. Wright Jr.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Multiple Suspects Charged for Having Firearms in Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
Last Friday, the FBI arrested multiple suspects and took them into custody. They have now been charged for having firearms that would be used in a conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS—a vicious foreign terrorist organization hell-bent on murdering Americans. The complaint sets forth grievous allegations of a radical Islamic terror plot involving AR-style rifles, shotguns, handguns, and other tools for a tactical assault.
“This newly unsealed complaint reveals a major ISIS-linked terror plot with multiple subjects arrested in the Eastern District of Michigan targeting the United States,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “According to the complaint, subjects had multiple AR-15 rifles, tactical gear, and a detailed plan to carry out an attack on American soil. Thanks to the extraordinary diligence of our U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr., the FBI and state and local law enforcement officers, this plot was stopped before innocent lives were lost.”
“With today’s unsealed criminal complaint, the American people can see the results of months of tireless investigative work where the FBI acted quickly and likely saved many lives,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “We’ll continue to follow the facts, uphold the law, and deliver justice for the American people.”
“We are thankful for the exceptional work of the FBI in keeping the Homeland safe and for the helping hand of state and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
“FBI Detroit and its Joint Terrorism Task Force are relentless in ensuring the safety of the citizens of Michigan and beyond. Defending the homeland will always be one of our top priorities, and we will utilize every available federal resource to disrupt and dismantle any individuals or groups who threaten national security,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their dedicated support.”
The investigation is ongoing.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Multiple Suspects Charged for Having Firearms in Conspiracy to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
DETROIT, Mich. – Last Friday, the FBI arrested multiple suspects and took them into custody. They have now been charged for having firearms that would be used in a conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS—a vicious foreign terrorist organization hell-bent on murdering Americans. The complaint sets forth grievous allegations of a radical Islamic terror plot involving AR-style rifles, shotguns, handguns, and other tools for a tactical assault.
“This newly unsealed complaint reveals a major ISIS-linked terror plot with multiple subjects arrested in the Eastern District of Michigan targeting the United States,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “According to the complaint, subjects had multiple AR-15 rifles, tactical gear, and a detailed plan to carry out an attack on American soil. Thanks to the extraordinary diligence of our U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon Jr., the FBI and state and local law enforcement officers, this plot was stopped before innocent lives were lost.”
“With today’s unsealed criminal complaint, the American people can see the results of months of tireless investigative work where the FBI acted quickly and likely saved many lives," said FBI Director Kash Patel. "We’ll continue to follow the facts, uphold the law, and deliver justice for the American people."
“We are thankful for the exceptional work of the FBI in keeping the Homeland safe and for the helping hand of state and local law enforcement,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
"FBI Detroit and its Joint Terrorism Task Force are relentless in ensuring the safety of the citizens of Michigan and beyond. Defending the homeland will always be one of our top priorities, and we will utilize every available federal resource to disrupt and dismantle any individuals or groups who threaten national security," said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. "I would like to express my sincere appreciation to our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their dedicated support.”
The investigation is ongoing.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Mount Vernon Man Found Guilty of Sex Trafficking A MinorRead 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 that a jury returned a guilty verdict on October 27, 2025, against RAI THOMAS for sex trafficking of a minor and use of interstate facilities to promote sex trafficking and prostitution. U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román presided over the trial.
“Crimes relating to sexual abuse of minors are among the most heinous crimes in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Rai Thomas’s actions were particularly egregious because he targeted a teen in crisis and preyed on her when she was at her most vulnerable. This Office is dedicated to protecting the children of New York. This conviction should serve as a lesson: if you target a child—any child—the prosecutors of this Office and our law enforcement partners will bring you to justice.”
FBI Assistant Director Christopher G. Raia said: “Rai Thomas organized an elaborate sex trafficking scheme across the city to repeatedly exploit a minor victim simply to enrich himself. Thomas targeted an especially vulnerable minor, enticing her into commercial sex work with utter disregard for her wellbeing. The FBI will never tolerate any individual who advertises and uses children as sexual objects to fill their own piggy banks.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial:
Between January and February 2022, THOMAS trafficked Minor Victim-1 to engage in commercial sexual activity across multiple hotels within the Bronx and Brooklyn, New York. Minor Victim-1 had been living in a children’s group home at the time that THOMAS trafficked her. THOMAS facilitated and benefited from the scheme in numerous ways, including by enticing Minor Victim-1 to engage in commercial sex; coordinating the transportation of Minor Victim-1 to hotels; reserving the hotel rooms in which she engaged in commercial sex; facilitating the advertisement of Minor Victim-1 on the internet to customers for commercial sex; and profiting from the sex trafficking scheme.
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RAI THOMAS, 31 of Mount Vernon, New York, was convicted of (1) sex trafficking of a minor, which carries a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum term of life in prison, and (2) use of interstate facilities to promote unlawful activity, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
The sentencing of THOMAS is scheduled for February 13, 2026, before Judge Román.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Hudson Valley Safe Streets Task Force, the Town of Poughkeepsie Police Department, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the New York City Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Qais Ghafary, Kaiya Arroyo, and Jorja Knauer represented the Government at trial, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Gabriela Salerno, Samantha Olsen, and Shannon Becker.
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Maryland Marketing Director Sentenced to Federal Prison in Connection with Fraudulent Invoicing SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Jayre Reaves, 48, of Ellicott City, Maryland, to 27 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, in connection with a mail fraud scheme. Judge Maddox also ordered Reaves to forfeit $615,000 and pay $614,000 in restitution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office.
On July 21, 2025, Reaves pled guilty to one count of mail fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Reaves admitted that he fraudulently induced his employer into sending $700,000 through a sham invoicing scheme between May 2020 and April 2022. Reaves used shell companies he owned and controlled — a fact he concealed — to fraudulently bill his employer for ostensible marketing services.
Partway through the scheme, Reaves’s associate returned virtually all the then-stolen money back to the company. In response, Reaves concocted a plausible cover story with his employer but continued the scheme with a different shell company and associate.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared M. Beim who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Four individuals charged in COVID-19 loan fraud schemeRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON – A 13-count indictment has now been unsealed alleging a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration and Paycheck Protection Program-affiliated lenders during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Decarla Conner, 42, Bastrop, Louisiana, has now made her initial appearance in federal court. Previously arrested were Randy Delrosario, 55, Katy, and Darrell Foster, 58, League City, while Enjoli Jeffrey, 44, Pearland, had surrendered to authorities.
A federal grand jury returned the indictment Sept. 24, charging all four individuals with conspiring to commit wire fraud. According to the indictment, they had devised a scheme to submit fraudulent PPP and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program loan applications to the SBA and banks authorized to approve and fund PPP loans. They allegedly submitted false tax documents, including fake business tax returns, to support the loan applications.
Delrosario, Conner and Jeffrey are also charged with money laundering offenses. The conspirators are alleged to have used fraudulent loan proceeds to make large cash withdrawals and to pay for non-business expenses such as house payments, mortgage payments, personal travel, vehicles and jewelry. Some of the money was also used to pay kickbacks to another person for submitting the fraudulent loan applications, according to the indictment.
If convicted, each faces up to 20 years imprisonment for conspiracy and wire fraud as well as a $250,000 maximum possible fine. For his money laundering counts, Delrosario faces up to 10 and 20 years, while Conner and Jeffrey could receive up to 10 years for their counts. Convictions of money laundering also carry as a possible penalty either a $250,000 or $500,000 fine or twice the amount of property involved in the transaction.
Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General,
Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, Small Business Administration – OIG and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct One, League City Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office in Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie Bauman and Shirin Hakimzadeh are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Final man sentenced in million-dollar stolen mail credit card fraud schemeRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON – The final person in a large-scale mail theft and credit card fraud scheme has been ordered to prison, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Bradley Kane Zarco, 39, of Houston, pleaded guilty April 28.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now imposed a 60-month-term of imprisonment for Zarco. He must also serve three years of supervised release following his sentence. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Hanen noted Zarco’s extensive criminal history involving violent offenses and identity theft.
Zarco admitted to obtaining stolen U.S. mail containing new credit cards and bank statements for intended account holders. They called financial institutions to activate the stolen credit cards, increased credit limits and changed information. The stolen credit cards were used to purchase goods, services, gift cards, cash and merchandise at retail stores.
Over a six-month period, they fraudulently activated at least 120 stolen credit cards and caused approximately $1 million in losses to Chase Bank.
Four others had also previously pleaded guilty to the same charges – Dennis Christopher McGee, 45, and Daniel Sanchez, 37, Travis Castaneda Qawasmeh, 28, all of Houston, and Nigerian citizen Omokehinde Muyiwa Oyegoke-Tewogbade, 64, who illegally resided in Houston.
McGee, the leader in the conspiracy, was previously ordered to serve 72 months in prison. Sanchez received a sentence of 41 months, and Qawasmeh and Oyegoke-Tewogbade received sentences of 24 months each. All were ordered to pay $839,555.75 in restitution to Chase Bank.
Zarco will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Lansden prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury returns Second Superseding Indictment against Memphis GynecologistRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee returned a second superseding indictment charging Sanjeev Kumar, 44, with crimes related to his performance of medically unnecessary gynecologic procedures with medical devices he held under unsanitary conditions and reused on patients, when he was required to dispose of or properly reprocess those devices. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the second superseding indictment today.
According to the second superseding indictment, Kumar also billed Medicare and Medicaid as if the procedures were medically necessary, and as if he had used a new or properly reprocessed device for each procedure. The second superseding indictment alleges that Kumar engaged in this conduct from September 2019 to April 2024.
Kumar was originally indicted in February 2025, and then in June 2025 in a superseding indictment. In each of Counts 5-9, 12-13, 16-18, 21-22, and 25 of the superseding indictment, the government charged Kumar with adulteration or misbranding of one device type during a period of time. Kumar filed a motion to dismiss these 13 counts, arguing that they improperly combined multiple instances of conduct occurring over multiple months or years, even though the statute under which he is charged, 21 U.S.C. § 331(k), prohibits only single acts of conduct.
On October 17, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman dismissed these counts from the superseding indictment, holding that an adulteration and misbranding charge must consist of an individual, distinct act, and it cannot sweep up thousands of acts of adulteration and misbranding incidents over a continuous course of conduct. Judge Lipman also noted that the government has discretion to present to the jury the thousands of acts of adulterating and misbranding that it has alleged; but it must do so through properly charged counts.
The second superseding indictment returned charges Kumar with 27 additional counts of adulteration and misbranding of medical devices. Each of these counts alleges a single, discrete act of adulteration or misbranding, in compliance with the Court’s October 17, 2025 order.
The trial in this case is scheduled for December 1, 2025.
The case is being investigated by the United States Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); the United States Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI); the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum, Scott Smith, and Sarah Pazar Williams are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The charges and allegations contained in the second superseding indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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For more information, please contact the media relations team at USATNW.Media@usdoj.gov. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Alabama Men Convicted of Sex Trafficking Multiple Women and GirlsRead the Press Release
Defendants’ Extensive Sex Trafficking Enterprise Used Physical and Sexual Violence, Addictive Drugs, and Threats Against Victims’ Children to Coerce and Control Victims for Defendants’ Profit
WASHINGTON – Following a 4-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Alabama convicted Kimani Jones, 32, also known as “Statik,” of Montgomery, Alabama, and Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as “Bayrock,” of Montgomery, Alabama, on multiple charges of sex trafficking several victims. Specifically, the jury found that Jones compelled seven victims, including two minors, to commit commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. The jury also found that Jones transported and caused to be transported two victims, including one minor, across state lines for prostitution purposes. The jury found Lambert guilty of sex trafficking one victim between August 2017 and February 2018 and two other victims between July 2019 and November 2020. Three additional co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the sex trafficking enterprise.
“The defendants targeted vulnerable women and girls before using physical and sexual violence, along with threats of violence against them and others, to create a climate of fear that terrified the victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and enforcing the federal human trafficking laws, and this prosecution is a testament to the courageous young women who detailed the coercive scheme these defendants perpetrated for years on scores of women and girls.”
“These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes.”
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing, and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts, and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn per day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation but instead subsisted off the earnings of the victims. Jones frequently flaunted the money that he made from the victims on social media.
The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. For instance, Jones grabbed one victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one victim’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw, and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, and threatened to hurt them and, in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing, and shooting firearms within the victims’ presence. He further manipulated the victims’ withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.
Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones and who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s coercive scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Three other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, and Daryle Gardner, 32, each pleaded guilty to sex trafficking while Aleccia Scott, 29, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
Both defendants face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DHS-HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, WASHINGTON – Following a 4-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Alabama convicted Kimani Jones, 32, also known as “Statik,” of Montgomery, Alabama, and Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as “Bayrock,” of Montgomery, Alabama, on multiple charges of sex trafficking several victims. Specifically, the jury found that Jones compelled seven victims, including two minors, to commit commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. The jury also found that Jones transported and caused to be transported two victims, including one minor, across state lines for prostitution purposes. The jury found Lambert guilty of sex trafficking one victim between August 2017 and February 2018 and two other victims between July 2019 and November 2020. Three additional co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the sex trafficking enterprise.
“The defendants targeted vulnerable women and girls before using physical and sexual violence, along with threats of violence against them and others, to create a climate of fear that terrified the victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and enforcing the federal human trafficking laws, and this prosecution is a testament to the courageous young women who detailed the coercive scheme these defendants perpetrated for years on scores of women and girls.”
“These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes.”
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing, and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts, and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn per day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation but instead subsisted off the earnings of the victims. Jones frequently flaunted the money that he made from the victims on social media.
The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. For instance, Jones grabbed one victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one victim’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw, and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, and threatened to hurt them and, in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing, and shooting firearms within the victims’ presence. He further manipulated the victims’ withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.
Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones and who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s coercive scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Three other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, and Daryle Gardner, 32, each pleaded guilty to sex trafficking while Aleccia Scott, 29, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
Both defendants face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DHS-HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Adair County Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeremy Lee Poafpybitty, age 40, of Bunch, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on May 6, 2025, that Poafpybitty knowingly possessed a 9mm semi-automatic pistol after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The crime occurred in Cherokee County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Cherokee Nation Marshals Service, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Poafpybitty will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
31 October 2025
Sex Offender Sentenced to 210 Months in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that CAMERON MCEWEN was sentenced to 210 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern for the receipt of sexually explicit photographs of a 16-year-old minor via a social media application and for committing this offense after having previously committed a state crime related to sexual abuse of a minor.
“Child pornography is a scourge on our society,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “It leaves deep and lasting scars. It turns the stomach of every parent. Cameron McEwen met his victims via social media coercing them online to send him sexually explicit pictures and videos. Wherever predators lurk, including online, our Office will use every tool available to find and prosecute them.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Cameron McEwen extorted a minor female victim with threats against her friends and family to force compliance with his perverted sexual demands. Not only did McEwen sexually exploit a teenage girl across the country, but he continued to seek additional victims for twisted gratification. May this sentencing emphasize the FBI’s commitment to protecting our vulnerable populations from sexual predators, regardless of where they may be located.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:
MCEWEN was convicted in Orange County Court on January 13, 2022, of rape in the second degree where he, being eighteen years old or more, engaged in sexual intercourse and oral sexual conduct with a person less than fifteen years old.
In April 2023, MCEWEN used multiple Snapchat accounts to communicate with and coerce a 16-year-old girl (the “Victim”) to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself. MCEWEN initially threatened the Victim’s eighteen-year-old friend, telling the friend that he would release her sexually explicit photographs and harm her if she did not get another person to send him additional explicit material. The friend sought out the Victim, who connected with MCWEN on Snapchat, where MCEWEN demanded sexually explicit material from the Victim. In addition, MCEWEN engaged in similar schemes with other victims.
Individuals with information concerning the sexual exploitation of children are urged to call 1-800-Call-FBI.
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In addition to the prison term, MCEWEN, 23, of Middletown, New York, was sentenced to a lifetime term of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents in both Alaska and New York, the New York State Police Troop F, and the Middletown Police Department. He also thanked the Ketchikan Police Department for its participation and support.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Wheelock is in charge of the prosecution.
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Philadelphia Man Sentenced to Nearly 20 Years in Prison for Surreptitiously Taking Explicit Photos, Videos of a Child Through Her Bedroom WindowRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that David Bolwell, 59, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 235 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release, and $43,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Gerald J. Pappert for the manufacture and attempted manufacture of child pornography, arising from Bolwell’s surreptitious photographing and video-recording of a 14-year-old child through her bedroom window for approximately three years, his production of hundreds of sexually explicit images of the child, and his collection of more than 1,200 sexually explicit images and videos of children that he downloaded from the internet.
The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint and warrant in February of this year, charged by indictment in March, and pleaded guilty in May.
As detailed in court filings, on February 3, 2025, the 14-year-old victim reported that she was walking home from school when an unknown man approached her from behind, called her by name, and gave her a handwritten letter, whispering that she should “open it in private.” The child did not open the letter and instead turned it over to her mother, who contacted the Philadelphia Police Department after reading the sexually explicit contents.
Subsequent investigation by Philadelphia police located video footage confirming the identification of the defendant, and search warrants led to the seizure and search of his cell phone.
An FBI forensic review found more than 3,800 images of the child victim, over 400 of which were found to constitute child pornography; at least 300 additional images of minor girls, including two of the victim’s friends, which appear to have been taken from online social media accounts; and more than 1,200 additional images of child pornography taken from the internet, depicting mainly prepubescent children being sexually abused by adult men.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit projectsafechildhood.gov.
The case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rotella.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
New York Man Sentenced to 17 Months in Prison for Hate Crimes After Repeatedly Assaulting Jewish VictimsRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced that TAREK BAZROUK was sentenced on October 28, 2025 to 17 months in prison for committing hate crimes in connection with his repeated assaults of Jewish victims in New York City between 2024 and 2025. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.
“Tarek Bazrouk repeatedly attacked Jewish victims at protests relating to the Israel/Hamas war,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “He targeted these New Yorkers based on their religion and national origin. And he was undeterred by multiple arrests following these assaults, instead quickly returning to violently targeting Jews. The prosecution of this case and the sentence imposed make clear that New Yorkers will not tolerate hate-based violence and that this Office will aggressively prosecute those who perpetrate senseless crimes of hate.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Despite repeated arrests, Tarek Bazrouk continued to attack Jewish victims while shamelessly expressing his hatred for those of the Jewish faith and demonstrating his support for anti-Semitic terrorist organizations. Bazrouk’s relentless torment violated these New Yorkers’ ability to safely express their beliefs through protests and religious outerwear. May this sentencing highlight the FBI’s intolerance of any individual who allows hate and prejudice to justify violent rhetoric and actions against others.”
NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “Tarek Bazrouk not only targeted and assaulted his victims because of their faith — he attacked every Jewish New Yorker who should be able to practice their religion freely and without fear,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This sentencing sends a clear message: antisemitism or any act of violence driven by hate will never be tolerated in our city, and the NYPD will continue to hold accountable anyone who threatens the religious identity of New Yorkers. I thank the NYPD investigators, the FBI, and the prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their unwavering work in bringing Tarek Bazrouk to justice."
According to the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in court:
Over the course of approximately nine months, BAZROUK physically assaulted three Jewish individuals at protests concerning the Israel/Hamas war. First, on April 15, 2024, BAZROUK—while wearing a green headband typically worn by Hamas terrorists—attended a protest concerning the Israel/Hamas war in Lower Manhattan, outside the New York Stock Exchange. During the protest, BAZROUK was arrested by officers from the NYPD after lunging at a group of pro-Israel protestors. As BAZROUK was being escorted to an NYPD vehicle, BAZROUK kicked a different individual—Victim-1, a Jewish college student—in the stomach. At the time of the assault, Victim-1 was standing near other Jewish protestors, who were wearing kippahs (that is, brimless skullcaps traditionally worn by Jewish men), carrying Israeli flags, and singing Jewish songs.
Approximately eight months later, on December 9, 2024, BAZROUK assaulted another individual at a protest relating to the Israel/Hamas war next to Columbia University. The victim of the second assault—Victim-2—is a Jewish student who attended Columbia. On the date of the assault, Victim-2 and his brother were wearing kippahs, Victim-2 had an Israeli flag draped around his shoulders, and Victim-2 was singing Jewish songs. As the protest continued, BAZROUK—with his mouth covered—stole an Israeli flag from Victim-2’s brother and fled. After Victim-2 and his brother followed BAZROUK through a crowd to retrieve the flag, BAZROUK snuck up beside Victim-2 and struck him in the face with a closed fist.
Roughly one month later, on January 6, 2025, BAZROUK assaulted a third Jewish victim—Victim-3—at a protest concerning the Israel/Hamas war near 1st Avenue and East 18th Street in Manhattan. At this protest, Victim-3 was wearing an Israeli flag around his shoulders, a hat with an Israeli flag, and a chain with a Jewish star. During the protest, BAZROUK, who was wearing a keffiyeh on his face, made contact with Victim-3’s shoulder and wrapped his foot around Victim-3’s ankle. Victim-3 attempted to push BAZROUK away and cursed at him. BAZROUK then punched Victim-3 in the nose with a closed fist.
Pursuant to judicially authorized warrants, law enforcement subsequently searched cellphones used by BAZROUK. Evidence from those devices revealed BAZROUK’s anti-Semitic bias and his support for anti-Jewish terrorist groups including Hamas, demonstrating his motivation for repeatedly assaulting Jewish victims. In text messages, for example, BAZROUK identified himself as a “Jew hater,” labeled Jews as “worthless,” extorted “Allah” to “get us rid of [Jews],” called an acquittance a “Fucking Jew,” and told a friend to “slap that bitch” in reference to a woman with an Israeli sticker on her laptop. BAZROUK also told a friend that he was “mad happy” to have learned that certain of his family members overseas are part of Hamas. BAZROUK’s phones also contained extensive pro-Hamas and pro-Hizballah propaganda, showing his support for organizations that have murdered thousands of Jews and Israelis.
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In addition to his prison term, BAZROUK, 20, of New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI and thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD for their assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
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Member of Deadly Human Smuggling Organization Extradited from CanadaRead the Press Release
A dual Canadian American citizen made her initial appearance in court in Plattsburg, New York today after being extradited to New York from Canada to face charges relating to her role in a deadly human smuggling conspiracy that left a family of four, including two small children, dead in the St. Lawrence River.
In June 2024, a federal grand jury in the Northern District of New York returned an indictment against Stephanie Square, 52, of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR), Canada, for conspiring to engage in alien smuggling, four counts of alien smuggling for profit, and four counts of alien smuggling resulting in death.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
Square was arrested in Canada in August 2024 at the request of the U.S. government. Her extradition followed extensive coordination and cooperation between U.S. and Canadian law enforcement authorities. Co-conspirator Timothy Oakes, 34, from the AMIR, was arrested on June 15, 2025, and remains detained pending trial for his role in the deadly conspiracy. U.S.-based co-conspirators Dakota Montour, 31, and Kawisiiostha Celecia Sharrow, 43, both of Akwesasne, New York, and Janet Terrance, 45, of Hogansburg, New York, entered guilty pleas on Jan. 23, 2025, Oct. 8, 2024, and March 6, 2025, respectively.
According to court documents, Square allegedly was the U.S.-based leader of an alien smuggling organization (ASO), that regularly smuggled aliens across the U.S.-Canada border via the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation. During the week of March 27, 2023, a prolific Canadian smuggler contacted Square to smuggle a Romanian family of four across the St. Lawrence River into the United States. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Square is alleged to have recruited multiple co-conspirators to assist with the smuggling of the family, though one refused to assist due to the high winds on the St. Lawrence River that night. Undeterred by the dangerous weather conditions, as alleged, Square enlisted one of her regular drivers, Dakota Montour, to transport the family via automobile to Timothy Oakes’ residence on Cornwall Island, a notorious staging area for cross-border smuggling operations.
The family of four arrived at the Oakes’ residence on March 29, 2023, at approximately 3:35AM, and stayed there until evening. On March 29, 2023, at approximately 9:29PM, Timothy Oakes’ vehicle with a light blue boat in tow, is recorded traveling eastbound away from the Oakes’ residence towards a public boat launch.
On March 29, 2023, between 10:09PM and 10:50PM, the Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service (AMPS) received multiple calls from citizens on Cornwall Island reporting hearing cries for help on the St. Lawrence River. The callers also reported the terrible weather conditions. At the same time, Square instructed Montour to search the banks of the St. Lawrence River for the missing family. On March 30, 2023, at approximately 3:36AM, Square instructed Montour to delete all their messages.
Between March 30 and 31, 2023, AMPS conducted a riverine search and recovered the bodies of the Romanian family of four, including two small children. AMPS also recovered Oakes’ light blue boat. The body of the boat captain, Case Oakes, was found eight months later.
HSI Massena engaged in an extensive years-long investigation of the case, with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force, New York State Police, Canada Border Services Agency, Akwesasne Mohawk Police Service, St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the Cornwall Police Service. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant support with foreign legal assistance requests.
The investigation is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and other transnational criminal organizations and eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating within the Americas that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the border, including the Northern District of New York. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 420 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 370 U.S. convictions; more than 315 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Trial Attorney Jenna E. Reed of the Criminal Division’s HRSP and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Stitt for the Northern District of New York are prosecuting the case. OIA Trial Attorney Trish Maskew provided significant assistance with the extradition.
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 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Justice Department Announces Removal of Baltimore County from Sanctuary Jurisdiction List following Memorandum of Understanding with ICE to Collaborate on Immigration EnforcementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice announced the removal of Baltimore County, Maryland, as a designated sanctuary jurisdiction after the County recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ICE to collaborate on immigration enforcement. This follows the Department publishing a list of sanctuary jurisdictions on August 5th, 2025, in accordance with President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14287.
The list initially included Baltimore County and has now been updated following work between the Administration and the County – the second removal since the list’s publishing. Following Baltimore County’s removal from the list, Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward released the following statement:
“Despite restrictions from state leadership, Baltimore County has shown a willingness to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. This is a small step toward restoring public safety and we appreciate the county’s commitment to updating its policies.”
High Level Drug Trafficker Extradited to the United States from Colombia to Face Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, Colombian authorities extradited Consolidated Priority Organizational Target (CPOT) Jose Orlando Buitrago-Rodríguez, also known as “Tito el Borracho” or “Tito” or “El Borracho,” to the United States to face drug trafficking charges filed in the District of Puerto Rico. United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico and Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, made the announcement.
On January 27, 2023, a Federal Grand Jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an Indictment against Buitrago-Rodríguez charging him with international conspiracy to distribute cocaine for the purpose of unlawful importation, importation of cocaine, and attempt to import cocaine. The Indictment also includes a narcotics forfeiture allegation regarding 14 real properties and five vehicles.
Buitrago-Rodríguez was the leader of a transnational criminal organization (TCO) based in Colombia. This TCO sent many shipments totaling over ten thousand kilograms of cocaine from Colombia and Venezuela to Puerto Rico and the continental United States, often through the Dominican Republic. Once successfully smuggled into Puerto Rico, drug traffickers then smuggled the majority of the cocaine into the continental United States for further distribution.
The Attorney General designated Buitrago-Rodríguez as a CPOT in 2022. The Attorney General’s Interagency CPOT list is comprised of leaders who exercise “command and control” of the elements of the most prolific drug trafficking/money laundering organizations that have the greatest impact on the United States’ illicit drug supply. The CPOT list represents the “most wanted” of the cartel leadership and ensures that the full capabilities of the U.S. government are focused, in a coordinated and clear manner, on a group of agreed-upon high-level targets.
“This prosecution and extradition demonstrate the Department of Justice’s relentless efforts to eliminate international drug cartels flooding our streets with deadly drugs and to bring their leaders to justice,” said U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow. “This case also highlights the strategic and critical role that Puerto Rico plays in defending our nation against TCOs, cartels, and foreign terrorist organizations.
“This capture is another step in our fight to crush violent crime. It reflects what our mission demands—relentless pursuit, disciplined execution, and zero tolerance for those who threaten our communities,” said Devin J. Kowalski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “We will hunt down the drivers of violence—wherever they run, however long it takes.”
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the collaboration of partner agencies Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service, United States Coast Guard, Internal Revenue Service, United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations HSI, and the San Juan Puerto Rico Municipal Police.
On January 22, 2024, in coordination with foreign officials, Buitrago-Rodríguez was located and arrested in Colombia at the request of the United States. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition from Colombia. The Department of Justice also recognizes the significant collaboration provided by authorities in Colombia.
In July 2025, the government of Colombia conducted an asset seizure operation related to Buitrago-Rodríguez based, in large part, on the United States Indictment and investigation, seizing 18 properties, including vehicles, land lots, farms, houses, and commercial establishments. The value of all the items seized was approximately $6,769,988.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio L. Pérez-Alonso under the supervision of Chief Myriam Y. Fernández-González and Deputy Chief María L. Montañez-Concepción from the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering, & Transnational Organized Crime Section.
If convicted, Buitrago-Rodríguez faces a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison for all the drug trafficking charges.
This prosecution and extradition are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the below-listed federal agencies with the prosecution in this case being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico:
(1) the Federal Bureau of Investigation; (2) U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – SAC San Juan; (3) the United States Attorney’s Offices for the District of Puerto Rico and the District of the United States Virgin Islands; (4) the United States Marshals Service for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; (5) U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations San Juan Field Office; (6) U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Caribbean Air and Marine Branch; (7) U.S. Border Patrol – Ramey Sector; (8) Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Caribbean Division; (9) U.S. Coast Guard – Sector San Juan; (10) U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; (11) High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) - Puerto Rico / Virgin Islands; (12) Internal Revenue Service; (13) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Miami Field Division – RAC San Juan; (14) U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Miami Division, San Juan Field Office; (15) United States Secret Service – RAC San Juan; (16) Transportation Security Administration – Federal Air Marshal; and (17) Federal Aviation Administration.
In addition, the following state and local law enforcement agencies participate with and provide resources to the HSTF: (1) Puerto Rico Police Department; (2) San Juan Municipal Police Department; (3) Carolina Municipal Police Department; (4) Guaynabo Municipal Police Department; (5) Barceloneta Municipal Police Department; (6) Ponce Municipal Police Department; (7) Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; (8) Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; (9) Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); (10) Puerto Rico Port Authority; and (11) Virgin Islands Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former American Embassy Employee Convicted of Sexually Abusing Minors in Burkina FasoRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Fode Sitafa Mara, 40, of Takoma Park, Maryland, on four counts of aggravated sexual abuse perpetrated against two minors, one count of coercion and enticement, and one count of obstruction.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the conviction with Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti, Justice Department, Criminal Division, and Deputy Assistant Director George Semertsidis, U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mara, on multiple occasions, forcibly raped two teenage Burkinabé girls at his Embassy-leased residence in Ouagadougou. Since the residence was reserved for use by U.S. diplomatic personnel, it fell under the United States’s special maritime and territorial jurisdiction.
The minor victims lived in abject poverty a short distance from Mara’s residence. Mara repeatedly sexually abused them for approximately one year, beginning when the victims were 13 and 15 years old. Additionally, Mara was convicted for sending sexually enticing messages to one of the minor victims and for attempting to persuade his housekeeper to lie to U.S. investigators to help him conceal his crimes.
Mara faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 30 years in federal prison and a maximum of life in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse of a minor charges. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The Honorable Lydia Kay Griggsby scheduled sentencing for Thursday, February 26, 2026.
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 the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DSS’s Office of Special Investigations and its Regional Security Office at the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General, and Homeland Security Investigations for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ranganath Manthripragada and Brooke Oki, along with Trial Attorney Adam Braskich, Department of Justice – Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, who are prosecuting the federal 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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Five Foreign Nationals Sentenced in October for Illegally Reentering the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that five foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this month.
Santos Belen-Paredes, aka Angel Medina Vargas, 44, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher to 18 months in prison and one year of supervised release for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Belen-Paredes had previously been removed from the U.S. in February 2012, after completing a 60-month state prison sentence for distribution of heroin and conspiracy to distribute heroin.
In February of this year, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) task force encountered Belen-Paredes while executing a narcotics search warrant in Northeast Philadelphia. After confirming Belen-Paredes was illegally in the U.S., Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers took him into custody.
The defendant was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in March and pleaded guilty in July.
Daniel Herrera Pavon, aka Fanny Leonardo Velasquez-Jerez, Mario Paulino, and Aldrin Pavon, 56, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Karen S. Marston to 14 months in prison for illegal reentry. Upon completing his prison sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Herrera Pavon had been removed from the U.S. twice before, in April 2000 and May 2005.
In May of this year, investigators with the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and HSI agents encountered Herrera Pavon, pursuant to a narcotics operation in Northeast Philadelphia. After confirming that the defendant was in the country illegally, they took him into custody.
Herrera Pavon was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in June and pleaded guilty in August.
Victor Aneudi Mota-Garcia, 41, aka Jesus Nieves-Rivera, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Anita B. Brody to time served, approximately seven months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Mota-Garcia had previously been removed from the U.S. in November 2019, after being convicted in the Superior Court of Kent County, Delaware, of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.
ICE received information that Mota-Garcia had returned to the United States and was residing in Philadelphia.
After conducting surveillance of his reported residence, ICE officers took him into custody in February of this year. Mota-Garcia was charged by indictment with illegal reentry in March and pleaded guilty in July.
Nicolos Tum Gregorio, 41, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Anita B. Brody to time served, approximately five months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Gregorio had previously been removed from the U.S. in October 2020, following his arrest that March by the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.
In January 2024, the defendant was arrested in Montgomery County, Pa., for driving under the influence and causing an accident involving injury, with his blood alcohol content found to be more than three times the legal limit. Gregorio was ultimately convicted of DUI in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas.
ICE took Gregorio into federal custody in June of this year. He was charged by information with illegal reentry in July and pleaded guilty in August, waiving prosecution by indictment.
Carlos Manuel Torres Jimenez, aka Rafael Antonio Vasquez Rosario, 43, a Dominican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Gail A. Weilheimer to time served, approximately three months, for illegal reentry.
Torres Jimenez had previously been removed from the U.S. in December 2001 and April 2022, after encounters with immigration authorities.
In June of this year, ICE agents and deputies of the United States Marshals Service encountered Torres Jimenez in Philadelphia, while executing a criminal arrest warrant targeting another individual. After confirming Torres Jimenez was illegally in the U.S., ICE personnel took him into custody.
The defendant was charged by information with illegal reentry in September and pleaded guilty this month, waiving prosecution by indictment.
These cases are 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and HSI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Schopf, Patrick Murray, Shayna Gannone, Ashley Martin, and Sarah Wolfe.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
Defendant Convicted of Sex Trafficking Women at the Sayville Motor Lodge on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a federal jury in Central Islip convicted Michael Johnson, also known as “Wise,” on four counts of a superseding indictment charging him with sex trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking, and interstate prostitution. Johnson and his co-conspirators operated a sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge, a motel located near Sunrise Highway on Long Island. The verdict was returned after a two-week trial before United States District Judge Joanna Seybert. When sentenced, Johnson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to life in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Kevin Catalina, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the verdict.
“Today’s verdict holds the defendant accountable for all of the cruelty and violence to women caused by his depraved sex trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Johnson and his co-conspirators exhibited utter disregard for the human lives they destroyed by profiting off the backs of vulnerable women. It is my hope that Johnson’s conviction brings some measure of comfort to his victims, including those who bravely testified at the trial.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for their work on the case.
“Michael Johnson trafficked multiple women into sexual slavery to profit off their bodies, while maintaining their subservience through social isolation, physical abuse and threats of death, and addictive drugs,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “For years, Johnson demonstrated extreme depravity as he physically and emotionally traumatized numerous women to satisfy his own greedy desires. May today’s conviction not only provide his victims a glimmer of comfort but also reflect the FBI’s commitment to protecting all vulnerable victims from sexual predators seeking to exploit them for financial gain.”
“Johnson took advantage of vulnerable women, using violence and drugs to control and exploit his victims, forcing them into sex trafficking for his own financial gain,” stated SCPD Commissioner Catalina. “This case serves as a warning to anyone who seeks to manipulate or abuse others — justice will find you. This sentence represents not only accountability, but also a recognition of the courage and strength of the victims who came forward. I commend the dedicated efforts of our detectives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.”
The Sayville Motor Lodge was a property at the center of a sex trafficking conspiracy based on Long Island. In November 2022, an indictment was unsealed in the Eastern District of New York charging Johnson, Timothy Bullen, motel owners Narendarakuma Dadarwala and his wife Shardaben Dadarwala, their son Jigar Dadarwala, Ashokbhai Patel, and Himanshu, Inc. d/b/a Sayville Motor Lodge with sex trafficking conspiracy. The Dadarwalas, Patel and Himanshu were also charged with managing a drug premises, and Narendarakuma Dadarwala was charged with distribution of proceeds of prostitution and narcotics businesses. In September 2025, a superseding indictment charged Johnson with three additional counts of sex trafficking.
As proven at trial, from approximately 2014 to 2022, Johnson, a pimp, conspired with others to further his sex trafficking business out of the Sayville Motor Lodge. Johnson forcibly sex trafficked multiple women, some of whom were addicted to drugs, and compelled them to commit commercial sex acts through a combination of force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion. Johnson controlled the victims by confiscating all the proceeds they earned from commercial sex acts; posting advertisements for them on various websites and setting the rates they would charge; using drugs — by both giving and withholding drugs — to induce them to stay and continue performing sex acts; isolating them from others; and physically, mentally, and emotionally abusing them. The women Johnson trafficked observed his close relationship with the Dadarwalas, and how the Dadarwalas facilitated and protected Johnson’s illegal activities.
Co-defendants Narendarakuma Dadarwala and Shardaben Dadarwala pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy in April 2025, and co-defendant Patel pleaded guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy in September 2025. All three defendants are awaiting sentencing. The case remains pending against co-defendants Timothy Bullen and Jigar Dadarwala.
In connection with the November 2022 indictment and the arrests of Johnson and his co-conspirators, the United States seized the Sayville Motor Lodge. In October 2023, the United States facilitated the sale of the Sayville Motor Lodge to a company that was partially owned by a principal of a neighboring business with longstanding ties to the community. A portion of the proceeds of the sale were earmarked for forfeiture to the United States government, which enabled the Office to seek compensation for the victims of the charged conduct through the Department of Justice’s remission procedures.
The government’s case is being handled by the Long Island Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Catherine M. Mirabile, Anthony Bagnuola, and Samantha S. Alessi are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Adam Bernard and Kerry Ucci, Legal Assistant Katherine Szewczyk, and Victim Witness Specialist Stephanie Marroquin.The Defendant:
MICHAEL JOHNSON (also known as “Wise”)
Age: 36
Selbyville, DelawareDefendants Previously Convicted:
NARENDARAKUMA DADARWALA (also known as “Naren,” “Pa” and “Dad”)
Age: 79
Sayville, Long IslandSHARDABEN DADARWALA (also known as “Sharda,” “Ma” and “Mom”)
Age: 72
Sayville, Long IslandASHOKBHAI PATEL (also known as “BG”)
Age: 61
Omaha, NebraskaDefendants Pending Trial:
TIMOTHY BULLEN (also known as “Trouble,” “T” and “Tiervoni”)
Age: 38
Bay Shore, Long IslandJIGAR DADARWALA (also known as “Cobra”)
Age: 47
Sayville, Long IslandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-494 (S-1) (JS)
Arizona Man Sentenced to 49 Months in Prison for Sending Antisemitic Death ThreatsRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and Stefanie Roddy, the Special Agent in Charge of the Newark Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that DONOVAN HALL was sentenced on October 30, 2025, to 49 months in prison for making interstate threats and the interstate stalking of Jewish victims in New York City. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden.
“Donovan Hall targeted Jewish victims with a sustained campaign of intimidation, terror, and harassment,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The approximately 1,000 threats he sent to these New Yorkers were alarming and brazen. The prosecution of this case and the sentence imposed make clear that this Office will aggressively bring to justice those who perpetrate senseless crimes of hate.”
Special Agent in Charge Roddy said: “Hall’s sentencing speaks volumes about the severity of his crimes, and the seriousness with which the law takes them. After being remanded for approximately 10 months, Hall’s guilty plea still resulted in the near-maximum sentence allowed for his calculated campaign of anti-Semitic rhetoric. His reign of fear is over and serves as a reminder to those who think they can hide behind computers, phone lines, and texts - the FBI treats all threats of violence with the utmost seriousness. The FBI will not relent in seeking justice for the victims of these egregious crimes.”
According to the Indictment, other public filings, and statements made in court:
Over a period of three months, HALL contacted several individuals located in New York, New York (the “Victims”) approximately 1,000 times and made anti-Semitic and violent threats to torture, mutilate, rape, and murder them and their families. In particular, starting in August 2024, HALL made dozens of threatening phone calls—many of which were anti-Semitic in nature—to the Jewish owner of a hotel located in Manhattan, the owner’s family members, and hotel staff. During these calls, HALL threatened numerous times to kill the Victims.
In October 2024, HALL escalated his threatening conduct by texting photographs of two firearms and a machete to the hotel owner, along with threats to use those weapons to harm the owner and his family. During a search of HALL’s residence in Arizona conducted on November 22, 2024, the firearms depicted in the text messages, among other weapons and ammunition, were recovered. The two firearms—neither of which is registered in HALL’s name—were located alongside his wallet in his backpack. One of the firearms was loaded.
HALL’s threats toward the Victims were part of a larger pattern of death threats sent to various other individuals. The targets of his threats are located throughout the U.S. In these communications, HALL consistently used violent and threatening language, and often targeted Jews.
* * *
In addition to his prison term, HALL, 35, of Mesa, Arizona, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI’s Newark Field Office. Mr. Clayton also thanked the New York Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, the FBI Phoenix Field Office, the Mesa Police Department, and the Clifton Police Department in Clifton, New Jersey.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit in the Criminal Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sam Adelsberg is in charge of the prosecution.
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Alabama Men Convicted of Sex Trafficking Multiple Women and GirlsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Following a 4-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Alabama convicted Kimani Jones, 32, also known as “Statik,” of Montgomery, Alabama, and Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as “Bayrock,” of Montgomery, Alabama, on multiple charges of sex trafficking several victims. Specifically, the jury found that Jones compelled seven victims, including two minors, to commit commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. The jury also found that Jones transported and caused to be transported two victims, including one minor, across state lines for prostitution purposes. The jury found Lambert guilty of sex trafficking one victim between August 2017 and February 2018 and two other victims between July 2019 and November 2020. Three additional co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the sex trafficking enterprise.
“The defendants targeted vulnerable women and girls before using physical and sexual violence, along with threats of violence against them and others, to create a climate of fear that terrified the victims,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and enforcing the federal human trafficking laws, and this prosecution is a testament to the courageous young women who detailed the coercive scheme these defendants perpetrated for years on scores of women and girls.”
“These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. “Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes.”
Evidence presented during the trial showed that Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing, and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts, and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn per day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation but instead subsisted off the earnings of the victims. Jones frequently flaunted the money that he made from the victims on social media.
The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims’ presence. For instance, Jones grabbed one victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one victim’s teeth, breaking another’s jaw, and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, and threatened to hurt them and, in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing, and shooting firearms within the victims’ presence. He further manipulated the victims’ withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.
Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones and who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son’s coercive scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Three other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, and Daryle Gardner, 32, each pleaded guilty to sex trafficking while Aleccia Scott, 29, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.
Both defendants face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
DHS-HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
30 October 2025
Warm Springs Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Warm Springs, Oregon, man made his first appearance in federal court yesterday after being charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a shooting on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Carlos Ralph Miller-Smith, 31, has been charged by criminal complaint with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury.
According to court documents, on October 25, 2025, Warm Springs Police Department officers were dispatched to a shooting at a residence within the exterior boundaries of the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the temple. A witness identified Miller-Smith as the shooter. Miller-Smith was detained and placed in a patrol vehicle. The victim succumbed to their injuries the next morning.
Miller-Smith made his first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Warm Springs Police Department are investigating the case. Pamela Paaso and Kate Rochat, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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.
Ukrainian National Extradited from Ireland in Connection with Conti RansomwareRead the Press Release
Following his extradition from Ireland, a Ukrainian man had his initial appearance today in the Middle District of Tennessee on a 2023 indictment charging him with conspiracy to deploy Conti, a ransomware variant that infected victim computers and networks, encrypting their data.
According to court documents, from in or around 2020 and continuing until about June 2022, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 43, of Cork, Ireland, conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. Court filings allege the conspirators hacked into victims’ computer networks, encrypted their data, and demanded a ransom to restore the victims’ access to their files and avoid public disclosure of the hacked information. The conspirators allegedly extorted more than $500,000 in cryptocurrency from two victims in the Middle District of Tennessee, and published information stolen from a third victim in that District.
Conti was used to attack more than 1,000 victims worldwide, including victims in the Middle District of Tennessee, approximately 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and approximately 31 foreign countries. The FBI estimates that, as of January 2022, Conti ransomware attacks resulted in at least $150 million in ransom payments. According to the FBI, in 2021, Conti ransomware was used to attack more critical infrastructure victims than any other ransomware variant. Court documents further allege that Lytvynenko controlled data stolen from numerous Conti victims and was involved in the ransom notes deployed on the victims’ systems.
At the request of the United States, An Garda Síochána—the Irish national police—arrested Lytvynenko in July 2023. An Irish court then detained him pending extradition proceedings which concluded this month. In addition to his involvement in Conti, filings allege that he engaged in cybercrime up until days before his arrest in Ireland in 2023.
“The defendant allegedly participated in a conspiracy to extort approximately $150 million in ransomware payments responsible for defrauding victims in almost every U.S. state and from over two dozen countries worldwide,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ransomware is a significant threat to the safety, security, and prosperity of American citizens and business. The Department will continue to pursue ransomware actors all over the world in its efforts to hold them to account for the damage they have inflicted on victims.”
“We will continue to work diligently to hold ransomware actors accountable for their actions which victimize American businesses and harm Tennesseans,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “I commend the prosecutors and investigators who have worked hard and sought justice for years in this investigation, and we look forward to proving our case in court.”
“Lytvynenko conspired to deploy Conti ransomware against victims in the United States and across the globe, extorting millions in cryptocurrency and amassing a trove of stolen data,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “His extradition demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Irish law enforcement and the FBI’s commitment to counter cyber criminals who threaten American infrastructure. We urge every organization to remain vigilant and quickly report ransomware intrusions to your local FBI field office.”
Lytvynenko is charged with computer fraud conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the computer fraud conspiracy and 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy.
In September 2023, an indictment charging four other Conti conspirators was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The FBI’s Nashville, San Diego, and El Paso field offices and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips of the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
The extradition was handled by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs with the cooperation of the Irish government and assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Ireland.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. CCIPS leads the Department of Justice’s fight against ransomware. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ukrainian National Extradited from Ireland in Connection with Conti RansomwareRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Following his extradition from Ireland, a Ukrainian man had his initial appearance today in the Middle District of Tennessee on a 2023 indictment charging him with conspiracy to deploy Conti, a ransomware variant that infected victim computers and networks, encrypting their data.
According to court documents, from in or around 2020 and continuing until about June 2022, Oleksii Oleksiyovych Lytvynenko, 43, of Cork, Ireland, conspired with others to deploy Conti ransomware to extort victims and steal their data. Court filings allege the conspirators hacked into victims’ computer networks, encrypted their data, and demanded a ransom to restore the victims’ access to their files and avoid public disclosure of the hacked information. The conspirators allegedly extorted more than $500,000 in cryptocurrency from two victims in the Middle District of Tennessee, and published information stolen from a third victim in that District.
Conti was used to attack more than 1,000 victims worldwide, including victims in the Middle District of Tennessee, approximately 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and approximately 31 foreign countries. The FBI estimates that, as of January 2022, Conti ransomware attacks resulted in at least $150 million in ransom payments. According to the FBI, in 2021, Conti ransomware was used to attack more critical infrastructure victims than any other ransomware variant. Court documents further allege that Lytvynenko controlled data stolen from numerous Conti victims and was involved in the ransom notes deployed on the victims’ systems.
At the request of the United States, An Garda Síochána—the Irish national police—arrested Lytvynenko in July 2023. An Irish court then detained him pending extradition proceedings which concluded this month. In addition to his involvement in Conti, filings allege that he engaged in cybercrime up until days before his arrest in Ireland in 2023.
“The defendant allegedly participated in a conspiracy to extort approximately $150 million in ransomware payments responsible for defrauding victims in almost every U.S. state and from over two dozen countries worldwide,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Ransomware is a significant threat to the safety, security, and prosperity of American citizens and business. The Department will continue to pursue ransomware actors all over the world in its efforts to hold them to account for the damage they have inflicted on victims.”
“We will continue to work diligently to hold ransomware actors accountable for their actions which victimize American businesses and harm Tennesseans,” said Acting United States Attorney Robert E. McGuire. “I commend the prosecutors and investigators who have worked hard and sought justice for years in this investigation, and we look forward to proving our case in court.”
“Lytvynenko conspired to deploy Conti ransomware against victims in the United States and across the globe, extorting millions in cryptocurrency and amassing a trove of stolen data,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “His extradition demonstrates the strength of our partnership with Irish law enforcement and the FBI’s commitment to counter cyber criminals who threaten American infrastructure. We urge every organization to remain vigilant and quickly report ransomware intrusions to your local FBI field office.”
Lytvynenko is charged with computer fraud conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison for the computer fraud conspiracy and 20 years in prison for the wire fraud conspiracy.
In September 2023, an indictment charging four other Conti conspirators was unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee.
The FBI’s Nashville, San Diego, and El Paso field offices and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Sonia V. Jimenez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor Phillips of the Middle District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case.
The extradition was handled by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs with the cooperation of the Irish government and assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Ireland.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. CCIPS leads the Department of Justice’s fight against ransomware. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Russian Mob Leaders Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murder-For-Hire Targeting a Journalist on Behalf of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that RAFAT AMIROV, a/k/a “Farkhaddin Mirzoev,” a/k/a “Pᴎᴍ,” a/k/a “Rome,” and POLAD OMAROV, a/k/a “Araz Aliyev,” a/k/a “Polad Qaqa,” a/k/a “Haci Qaqa,” were each sentenced yesterday to 25 years’ in prison for their participation in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist, on behalf of the Government of Iran. In March 2025, Amirov and Omarov were found guilty of murder-for-hire, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related charges, following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, who imposed today’s sentences.
“The defendants and their criminal associates came chillingly close to gunning down an Iranian-American journalist on the streets of New York.” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Tehran has long sought to silence Ms. Alinejad, and after multiple failed kidnapping attempts, turned to Omarov and Amirov and their organization to stalk and murder her. This case is part of a well-documented and disturbing rise in plots involving criminal networks paid by Iran to target dissidents in the United States and around the world. We are committed to holding accountable those who join forces with this vile regime to violate our national sovereignty or threaten U.S. citizens.”
“The Government of Iran, a sponsor of terrorism, assassination, and espionage around the globe, brazenly brought its efforts to murder Masih Alinejad to New York,” said U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Jay Clayton. “The plot exposed at trial involved actors on three continents, culminating with a hitman with an AK-47 outside Ms. Alinejad’s apartment in Brooklyn. Yesterday’s sentences send a clear message: the DOJ and our partners will expose and severely punish those who target U.S. citizens and bring terror to our community.”
“This sentencing marks a victory for justice and a clear warning to those who seek to export repression onto U.S. soil,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “The plot, orchestrated by the Iranian government to assassinate a dissident living in America, demonstrates the lengths to which authoritarian actors will go to silence voices of freedom. The FBI remains steadfast in its mission to defend the homeland from anyone who participates in transnational repression and threatens our democratic values.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, two highly ranked members of the Russian Mob, attempted to assassinate Masih Alinejad to permanently silence her criticism of the Iranian government and public advocacy of human rights. These defendants operated as unlawful enforcers for a foreign government to target an American journalist on our nation’s soil. May yesterday’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s steadfast commitment to protecting Americans against any foreign actor seeking to inflict terror and physical harm to further a political agenda.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, public court filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
AMIROV and OMAROV were high-ranking members of an Azerbaijani faction of the Russian Mob (the “Organization”) who worked with other members of the Organization to kill Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). Ms. Alinejad has previously been the target of multiple plots by the Government of Iran to intimidate, harass, and kidnap her for her work as a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses, especially its discriminatory and oppressive treatment of women, repression of political expression, and killings of Iranians engaged in peaceful protests against the regime. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Ms. Alinejad from within the U.S. for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence her criticism of the Iranian regime.
After its efforts to kidnap Ms. Alinejad from the U.S. failed in 2020 and 2021, the IRGC turned to AMIROV—a Vor, or Thief-in-Law, the highest rank in the Russian Mob—and OMAROV—the cousin of a powerful Vor who aspired to become a Vor himself—to locate, surveil, and murder her. The IRGC offered AMIROV $500,000 for Ms. Alinejad’s murder and provided him with targeting information about Ms. Alinejad, including her home address. Beginning in approximately July 2022, AMIROV sent this targeting information to OMAROV. OMAROV, in turn, communicated this information to Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the Organization who had been residing in Yonkers, New York, so that Mehdiyev could surveil Ms. Alinejad and murder her. AMIROV and OMAROV arranged the delivery of $30,000 to Mehdiyev from the IRGC’s advance payment; Mehdiyev used a portion of these funds to buy an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and 66 rounds of ammunition.
In late July 2022, Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Ms. Alinejad’s neighborhood to surveil her residence and locate her. Mehdiyev sent photographs, videos, and updates on his stakeouts to OMAROV, who passed them on to AMIROV. AMIROV gave OMAROV intelligence about Ms. Alinejad’s home, location, and family members provided by his IRGC contacts to assist Mehdiyev’s attempts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad. On July 24, 2022, Mehdiyev reported to OMAROV from Ms. Alinejad’s residence that he was “at the crime scene.” On July 27, 2022, OMAROV told AMIROV that Mehdiyev was ready to kill Ms. Alinejad, writing “this matter will be over today. I told them to make a birthday present for me. I pressured them, they will sleep there this night.” On July 28, 2022, Mehdiyev sent OMAROV a video taken from inside the car that Mehdiyev was driving with the assault rifle and a message reading, “we are ready.” As OMAROV continued to update AMIROV about Mehdiyev’s readiness, AMIROV cautioned OMAROV, “let him keep the car clean.” When Mehdiyev drove away from surveilling the residence on July 28, 2022, he was stopped after a traffic violation and, during a search of the vehicle, police officers found the assault rifle; 66 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber of the assault rifle; approximately $1,100 in cash; gloves; and a black ski mask.
After Mehdiyev was arrested and placed into custody, OMAROV contacted Mehdiyev’s mother and threatened to kill her and her other son if she did not locate Mehdiyev, in part because the IRGC was demanding the return of its money.
In addition to their prison terms, AMIROV, 46, of Iran; OMAROV, 41, of the country of Georgia, were sentenced to a $500 special assessment.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force. Mr. Clayton also thanked the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, for their assistance. Mr. Clayton also thanked the authorities in the Czech Republic.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Two Russian Mob Leaders Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Murder-For-Hire Targeting A Journalist on Behalf of the Iranian GovernmentRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John A. Eisenberg, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that RAFAT AMIROV, a/k/a “Farkhaddin Mirzoev,” a/k/a “Pᴎᴍ,” a/k/a “Rome,” and POLAD OMAROV, a/k/a “Araz Aliyev,” a/k/a “Polad Qaqa,” a/k/a “Haci Qaqa,” were each sentenced yesterday to 25 years’ imprisonment for their participation in a murder-for-hire plot targeting Masih Alinejad, a journalist, author, and human rights activist, on behalf of the Government of Iran. In March 2025, Amirov and Omarov were found guilty of murder-for-hire, attempted murder in aid of racketeering, and related charges, following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, who imposed yesterday’s sentences.
“The Government of Iran, a sponsor of terrorism, assassination, and espionage around the globe, brazenly brought its efforts to murder Masih Alinejad to New York," U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said. "The plot exposed at trial involved actors on three continents, culminating with a hitman with an AK-47 outside Ms. Alinejad’s apartment in Brooklyn. Yesterday’s sentences send a clear message: the DOJ and our partners will expose and severely punish those who target U.S. citizens and bring terror to our community.”
Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg said: “The defendants and their criminal associates came chillingly close to gunning down an Iranian-American journalist on the streets of New York. Tehran has long sought to silence Ms. Alinejad, and after multiple failed kidnapping attempts, turned to Omarov and Amirov and their organization to stalk and murder her. This case is part of a well-documented and disturbing rise in plots involving criminal networks paid by Iran to target dissidents in the United States and around the world. We are committed to holding accountable those who join forces with this vile regime to violate our national sovereignty or threaten U.S. citizens.”
FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, two highly ranked members of the Russian Mob, attempted to assassinate Masih Alinejad to permanently silence her criticism of the Iranian government and public advocacy of human rights. These defendants operated as unlawful enforcers for a foreign government to target an American journalist on our nation’s soil. May yesterday’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s steadfast commitment to protecting Americans against any foreign actor seeking to inflict terror and physical harm to further a political agenda.”
According to the Superseding Indictment, public court filings, and the evidence presented at trial:
AMIROV and OMAROV were high-ranking members of an Azerbaijani faction of the Russian Mob (the “Organization”) who worked with other members of the Organization to kill Masih Alinejad on instructions from high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (“IRGC”). Ms. Alinejad has previously been the target of multiple plots by the Government of Iran to intimidate, harass, and kidnap her for her work as a journalist, author, and human rights activist who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses, especially its discriminatory and oppressive treatment of women, repression of political expression, and killings of Iranians engaged in peaceful protests against the regime. As recently as 2020 and 2021, Iranian intelligence officials and assets plotted to kidnap Ms. Alinejad from within the U.S. for rendition to Iran in an effort to silence her criticism of the Iranian regime.
After its efforts to kidnap Ms. Alinejad from the U.S. failed in 2020 and 2021, the IRGC turned to AMIROV—a Vor, or Thief-in-Law, the highest rank in the Russian Mob—and OMAROV—the cousin of a powerful Vor who aspired to become a Vor himself—to locate, surveil, and murder her. The IRGC offered AMIROV $500,000 for Ms. Alinejad’s murder and provided him with targeting information about Ms. Alinejad, including her home address. Beginning in approximately July 2022, AMIROV sent this targeting information to OMAROV. OMAROV, in turn, communicated this information to Khalid Mehdiyev, another member of the Organization who had been residing in Yonkers, New York, so that Mehdiyev could surveil Ms. Alinejad and murder her. AMIROV and OMAROV arranged the delivery of $30,000 to Mehdiyev from the IRGC’s advance payment; Mehdiyev used a portion of these funds to buy an AK-47 style assault rifle, two magazines, and 66 rounds of ammunition.
In late July 2022, Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Ms. Alinejad’s neighborhood to surveil her residence and locate her. Mehdiyev sent photographs, videos, and updates on his stakeouts to OMAROV, who passed them on to AMIROV. AMIROV gave OMAROV intelligence about Ms. Alinejad’s home, location, and family members provided by his IRGC contacts to assist Mehdiyev’s attempts to locate and kill Ms. Alinejad. On July 24, 2022, Mehdiyev reported to OMAROV from Ms. Alinejad’s residence that he was “at the crime scene.” On July 27, 2022, OMAROV told AMIROV that Mehdiyev was ready to kill Ms. Alinejad, writing “this matter will be over today. I told them to make a birthday present for me. I pressured them, they will sleep there this night.” On July 28, 2022, Mehdiyev sent OMAROV a video taken from inside the car that Mehdiyev was driving with the assault rifle and a message reading, “we are ready.” As OMAROV continued to update AMIROV about Mehdiyev’s readiness, AMIROV cautioned OMAROV, “let him keep the car clean.” When Mehdiyev drove away from surveilling the residence on July 28, 2022, he was stopped after a traffic violation and, during a search of the vehicle, police officers found the assault rifle; 66 rounds of ammunition, including one in the chamber of the assault rifle; approximately $1,100 in cash; gloves; and a black ski mask.
After Mehdiyev was arrested and placed into custody, OMAROV contacted Mehdiyev’s mother and threatened to kill her and her other son if she did not locate Mehdiyev, in part because the IRGC was demanding the return of its money.
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In addition to their prison terms, AMIROV, 46, of Iran; OMAROV, 41, of the country of Georgia, were sentenced to a $500 special assessment.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and its New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force. Mr. Clayton also thanked the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, as well as the Department of Justice’s National Security Division and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, for their assistance. Mr. Clayton also thanked the authorities in the Czech Republic.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Lockard, Jacob H. Gutwillig, and Matthew J.C. Hellman are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorneys Christopher Rigali and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Three Rivers resident imprisoned for 15 years after recording sexual video of himself with minor relativeRead the Press Release
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.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 39-year-old man has been ordered to prison for sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Johnathon Roberts pleaded guilty July 24.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now sentenced Roberts to 180 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard additional information including that Roberts had created similar recordings over a period of years. Roberts will serve 10 years on supervised release following the completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Roberts will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.
The investigation revealed child sexual abuse material had been uploaded onto the internet. Law enforcement was able to identify Roberts as the source of the content.
On Oct. 25, 2024, authorities obtained a search warrant for his residence in Three Rivers. At that time, they located and seized Roberts’ cell phone which was found to contain over 150 videos and images of CSAM.
Upon inspection, law enforcement discovered a video recording Roberts made of himself engaging in sexual activity with a minor female. Roberts admitted to law enforcement that he had created the video.
Roberts will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Third Suspect Charged with Murder in the Slaying of Congressional Intern, Also Charged in Killing of Teen GirlRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Naqwan Antonio Lucas, 18, of the District of Columbia, has been charged in a 16-count indictment for the June 30 murder of 21-year-old congressional intern Eric Tarpinian-Jachym and charged in a second indictment for the July 4 murder of 17-year-old Zoey Kelley, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Lucas, aka “Qwan,” appeared before Judge Dana Dayson this afternoon in D.C. Superior Court for his arraignment on both indictments. Lucas pleaded not guilty and Judge Dayson held Lucas until a status hearing with his co-defendants scheduled for November 7.
Joining in the announcement were Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), U.S. Marshals Service Director Gadyaces S. Serralta, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the Washington Field Office Criminal Division.
“These were predictable homicides based upon the behavior of these individuals and the records that everyone knew about, yet the D.C. Council is interested in protecting not the victims but the criminals under the guise of protecting the innocence of youth,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “It’s time for them to start protecting the citizens of the District.”
Lucas was arrested last night in Montgomery Village, Maryland, by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, MPD, and U.S. Marshals.
On June 30, Tarpinian, a rising senior at the University of Massachusetts – Amherst, was an innocent bystander when three armed suspects exited a stolen vehicle and began firing shots at two young men near the intersection of 7th and M Street NW. Tarpinian, of Granby, Massachusetts, was shot four times and died the next day. Five other people also were assaulted or injured.
Kelvin Thomas, Jr., 17, and Naqwan Lucas’ brother Jailen Lucas, 17, were arrested September 5 and charged as adults on counts of first-degree murder while armed in connection with Tarpinian’s slaying.
On July 4, MPD officers were flagged down about 5:20 p.m. on the 1700 block of Benning Road NE. The officers followed two witnesses into an apartment and found Zoey Kelley, 17, dead of a gunshot wound to the head inside of a storage container wrapped in bedding in the bedroom closet.
Last week, the MPD and FBI announced a $75,000 reward for information leading to Lucas’ arrest.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Marshal’s Service with valuable assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin M. DeRiso and Anthony Cocuzza.
An indictment is merely an allegation where citizens of the District of Columbia have determined based upon probable cause that an individual should be charged with the crimes contained within the indictment. The charged individual is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a criminal court of law.
2025 CF1 14017 – Eric
2025 CF1 14016 - Zoey
South Bend Man Found Guilty by JuryRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On October 30, 2025, Aguila Binion, 48 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute cocaine after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Sentencing is scheduled for February 19, 2026, at 1:30 PM.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the South Bend Police Department and the St. Joseph County Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel Gabrielse and Luke N. Reilander.
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.
Reading Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Three Berks County Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Mikal Portalatin, 35, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 216 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for committing three commercial armed robberies. Judge Gallagher also ordered Portalatin to pay $87,700 in restitution and $2,900 in fines and assessments.
The defendant was charged by indictment in January 2024 and pleaded guilty in July of this year to one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of attempted Hobbs Act robbery, one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and one count of armed bank robbery, charges arising from three armed robberies he committed in Berks County in the second half of 2022:
- July 27, 2022; Citgo gas station convenience store, 200 block of Buttonwood Street
- August 3, 2022; Sunoco gas station convenience store, 1500 block of Lancaster Avenue
- November 21, 2022; Members First Credit Union, 500 block of E. Lancaster Avenue
During the July robbery, Portalatin discharged his firearm at an employee who chased him as he fled; no one was hit.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Allentown Resident Agency, the Cumru Township Police Department, and the Reading Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rosalynda M. Michetti and Kelly Lewis Fallenstein.
Note: the posting of this press release was delayed, due to the federal government shutdown from October 1, 2025, to November 12, 2025.
National Guardsman Arrested and Charged with Export ViolationRead the Press Release
Canyon Anthony Amarys, 28, of Alamogordo, New Mexico, was arrested on October 28 in connection with his indictment for the attempted violation of the Export Control Reform Act. Amarys will make his initial appearance today in federal court in the District of Kansas at 1:30 p.m. Central Time.
According to the indictment, in February 2025, at an in-person meeting between Amarys and someone he believed to be a Russian intelligence agent, Amarys signed a one-page agreement in order to confirm his covert relationship with a Russian intelligence service. In addition, as part of that relationship, Amarys agreed to photograph a military installation on Fort Riley, Kansas, and to procure a helicopter radio for use by the Russian military.
In March 2025, after purchasing the helicopter radio, Amarys traveled to Kansas in order to retrieve the radio and export it to a purported recipient in Romania. In doing so, Amarys communicated with a person he believed to be a Russian intelligence agent, and confirmed his understanding that the radio would in fact be illegally diverted to Russia.
Pursuant to a court-authorized search, investigators recovered the radio that Amarys had sought to illegally export to Russia. Under U.S. export laws and regulations, the export of this controlled item without a license from the U.S. Department of Commerce was unlawful. Amarys understood that his shipment of the radio abroad was illegal, and told the person he believed to be a Russian intelligence agent that he had researched export regulations in anticipation of their meeting in February 2025.
The FBI Kansas City field office is investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Command, the Kansas National Guard, the Department of Commerce – Bureau of Industry and Security, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask of the District of Kansas and Trial Attorney David Ryan of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Illegal alien gets maximum sentence for leading smuggling organization involving transportation of over 100 peopleRead the Press Release
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.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 41-year-old Mexican national who illegally resided in Houston has been sentenced for an alien smuggling conspiracy and illegal reentry into the country, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Edgar Ruiz-Briones pleaded guilty July 22.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Ruiz-Briones to serve the maximum of 120 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
The investigation revealed Ruiz-Briones arranged transportation and coordinating trips for illegal aliens coming over the southern border with Mexico. Ruiz-Briones was the leader of the smuggling organization, recruiting drivers from as far away as Kansas to come to the Rio Grande Valley.
Drivers would communicate directly with Ruiz-Briones to set up the trips, give updates on progress and set meeting spots for drop-offs in Houston after successful smuggling operations. They would pick up illegal aliens from different stash houses and transport them to Houston, where they met with Ruiz-Briones before going further into the United States.
Ruiz-Briones handled payments from the aliens to come into the United States and payments to the drivers he recruited.
Over the course of the 18-month conspiracy, Ruiz-Briones arranged for over 100 aliens to enter, remain and be transported further into the United States.
An illegal alien himself having been removed from the United States on multiple occasions, he also pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States from Mexico and remaining here in violation of the law.
Ruiz-Briones has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Houston felon admits to shooting bystander during armed robbery spreeRead the Press Release
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.
HOUSTON – A 26-year-old Houston man has pleaded guilty to brandishing and illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
On Feb. 22 and 23, Devonte Robinson robbed three Houston-area businesses at gunpoint - a Timewise, Circle K and Family Dollar. At the Timewise and Family Dollar, Robinson entered wearing a mask, brandished a firearm at employees and demanded cash from the registers.
At Circle K, Robinson shot a customer while trying to steal money from the victim’s hands. The customer pulled their own firearm and returned fire, causing patrons to run and hide inside the store.
Authorities discovered him with the weapon and same mask used in all three robberies as well as a large amount of cash.
U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal will impose sentencing Jan. 13, 2026. At that time, Robinson faces up to life in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
The FBI and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.
Happy Valley Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Officer During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Happy Valley, Oregon, woman made her initial appearance today after allegedly punching a Federal Protective Service (FPS) officer in the face during a traffic stop.
Melanie Breeanne Rivas, 25, has been charged by criminal complaint with Assault on a Federal Officer.
According to court documents, on October 29, 2025, an FPS officer was on duty driving in a fully marked federal police patrol vehicle when he observed Rivas repeatedly turning her vehicle towards his vehicle and flipping him off. Rivas turned into the right lane, cutting off the officer, and continued to slam on her brakes in front of his vehicle for more than 4 miles. The officer attempted to change lanes, but Rivas repositioned her vehicle in front of the officer and continued to brake sharply. After initiating a traffic stop, the officer asked Rivas to step out of her vehicle and Rivas refused instead reaching for items in her center console. Once Rivas stepped out of the vehicle, she continued to disregard orders. As the officer attempted to handcuff Rivas, she punched the officer in the face.
Rivas made her first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. She was ordered released pending further court proceedings.
The FPS is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Grand Island Man Charged with Assault and Attempted Murder of Federal Task Force OfficersRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Justin Jelinek, 43, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was charged on October 29, 2025, by criminal complaint in Lincoln, Nebraska. Jelinek is charged with Assault on a Federal Task Force Officer with a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon, Attempted Murder of a Federal Task Force Officer, Discharge of a Firearm During and Relation to a Crime of Violence, Receipt of Child Pornography, and Possession of Child Pornography. These charges carry penalties with a minimum of 5 years’ imprisonment to life. Discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence carries with it a 10-year mandatory minimum imprisonment term and qualifies for up to life in prison.
The complaint alleges that on October 15, 2025, Jelinek fired upon Federal Task Force Officers with employed with the Nebraska State Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations when executing a judicially issued search warrant in relation to receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse materials.
The complaint alleges that Jelinek confronted the officers with a firearm when they entered his residence after he did not respond to knocking and officers’ commands. Jelinek is alleged to have fired one round from a high-powered rifle when negotiations with Jelinek to drop his weapon and end the confrontation peacefully and safely failed. Jelinek shot out the front door of the residence at 7 officers who were on or around on the front porch. One officer returned fire. Eventually, Jelinek surrendered and was arrested. The officers executed the search warrant and seized several electronic devices and performed a preliminary review for child sexual abuse materials. Law enforcement obtained additional search warrants while on site and seized firearms valued at approximately $100,000 and approximately 25,000 rounds of ammunition.
Jelinek appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Jacqueline M. DeLuca on October 30, 2025, for his initial appearance. A preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled for November 6, 2025, before Magistrate Judge DeLuca.
“This case underscores the extreme dangers our HSI agents and Task Force Officers face every day in the pursuit of justice and the protection of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge for HSI Kansas City Mark Zito. “Despite Jelinek’s continued disregard for anyone other than himself, our Task Force Officers remained steadfast in their mission to hold him accountable. HSI, in collaboration with our partners, will ensure that he faces the full weight of federal justice for his actions. We are grateful that our officers and task force members emerged from this incident unharmed, and we remain committed to safeguarding the public from those who threaten the safety and security of our communities.”
A Criminal Complaint is a charging document that contains one or more individual counts that are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Fort Wayne Man Sentenced to 420 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – On October 30, 2025, James J. Oldham, V, 28 years old, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and to distributing fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
Oldham was sentenced to 420 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Oldham went to trial in November of 2024, but he decided to plead guilty after the fourth day of trial. Oldham coordinated the transportation and distribution of massive quantities of fentanyl pills from Arizona to Indiana, distributing the pills in northeastern and central Indiana. Oldham recruited young women to transport his drugs on commercial airlines, including two minors under the age of 18.
"Fentanyl is not just an illegal drug - it’s a weapon of destruction in our communities, destroying lives and devastating families,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “This sentence underscores the FBI’s unwavering commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to remove these dangerous dealers from our streets and keep our neighborhoods safe.”
“James Oldham organized a criminal conspiracy to traffic enormous quantities of a deadly and addictive poison into northern Indiana,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “To further this illicit scheme, he enlisted others—including two underage girls—to serve as drug mules. The hefty sentence he received is just in light of the harm his trade has visited on our communities and the callous disregard he demonstrated towards the vulnerable women and girls swept up in his scheme. My thanks go out to the exceptional team of law enforcement professionals who worked diligently to put him in federal prison.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Fort Wayne Safe Streets Gang Task Force, which includes the FBI, Indiana State Police, Allen County Sheriff’s Department, and Fort Wayne Police Department. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s North Central Laboratory, the Phoenix (Arizona) Police Department, the Glendale (Arizona) Police Department, and the Allen County (Indiana) Prosecuting Attorney’s Office assisted in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony W. Geller and Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identified, disrupted, and dismantled the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leveraged the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. OCDETF’s mission has since been brought under the ambit of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) program.
Former Spartanburg County Sheriff, 2 Employees Plead Guilty in Public Corruption SchemeRead the Press Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Charles “Chuck” Wright, 60, the former sheriff of Spartanburg County; Amos Durham 61, a former chaplain for the department; and Lawson B. Watson 63, a former employee, have pleaded guilty for their participation in a public corruption scheme that defrauded the county of public funds for years.
Wright pleaded guilty to Counts 1, 2 and 3 of the Information. Count 1 charges conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Count 2 charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and Wright faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and 3 years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Count 3 charges obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation, which carries a maximum penalty of four years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment. Wright must pay a special assessment of $100 for each count.
Amos Durham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100. Lawson B. Watson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, restitution, and three years of supervision to follow the term of imprisonment, plus a special assessment of $100.
Chief United States District Judge Timothy M. Cain accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the defendants after receiving and reviewing sentencing reports prepared by the U.S. Probation Office.
According to court documents, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office Chaplain’s Benevolence Fund (the Benevolence Fund) is a non-profit organization that provides financial and emotional assistance to officers of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office during times of need, such as bereavement, financial difficulties, and traumatic line-of-duty events. Wright, in his capacity as sheriff, hired Durham as the Director of the Benevolence Fund. In that position, Durham was responsible for administering the fund. Durham and Wright abused their positions and conspired to siphon public funds from the Benevolence Fund for their private use.
In March 2005, Wright hired Watson as an employee of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. From at least as early as January 2021 through March 2025, Watson certified on his timesheet that he worked a full-time job. In fact, Watson received a full salary and benefits for work that he did not perform. Wright allowed Watson to continue to fraudulently receive a paycheck and benefits of approximately $200,000 for work that he did not perform.
In May of 2023 through September 2023, Wright knowingly and intentionally obtained 147 pills of oxycodone and hydrocodone by misrepresentation from an individual after representing that the pills would be turned in and destroyed as part of the “take back” narcotic disposal program administered by the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office. In fact, Wright was obtaining the narcotics for his own personal use.
“Thank you to our investigation and prosecution partners and their respective offices, to Solicitor Micah Black, Chief of SLED Mark Keel, FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore, and the federal prosecutors and support members in our office,” said Bryan Stirling, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina. “In South Carolina we are so fortunate to have local, state, and federal law enforcement in lock step in every case and defendant brought to justice. I want to make it very clear no one is above the law, especially those that wear the badge. Stealing from a fund that’s supposed to benefit law enforcement families in their darkest hours is not something that can be condoned. Finally, if you hold a position of trust and abuse that trust, your misconduct will meet the full force of the law.”
“The defendants held positions of power within the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office but chose to abuse the public’s trust,” said Kevin Moore, special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia field office, “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will always pursue and hold accountable anyone who misuses the power and trust granted to them – no matter who they are or where they serve.”
“The task of investigating a popular and powerful local sheriff is never an easy one,” said Micah Black, 10th Circuit Solicitor. “I would like to thank Chief Keel and his team at the South Carolina State Law Enforcement Division, including Special Agent Austin Mills, for their persistence in this case. They worked closely with their counterparts at the Federal Bureau of Investigation during this joint investigation. Additionally, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina has been relentless in their pursuit of justice in this case, and we were proud to partner with them in this prosecution. Without the hard work of all involved, today’s guilty plea would not have happened.”
“I’d like to thank our state and federal law enforcement and prosecution partners who worked together to ensure that justice was served. These offenses aren’t just against the law – these actions by public servants violate the public’s trust,” said SLED Chief Mark Keel. “No one, no matter their title, is above the law.”
The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lothrop Morris is prosecuting the case.
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