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23 September 2025
Jury Convicts Man of Attempted Assassination of President Donald J. Trump and Assault of a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted Ryan Wesley Routh, 59, of Hawaii, for attempting to assassinate President Donald J. Trump when he was a major presidential candidate in a planned sniper attack at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
“Today’s guilty verdict against would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation itself. I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Jason Quiñones, his entire trial team, and our law enforcement partners for protecting President Trump and securing this important verdict.”
“This verdict sends a clear message. An attempt to assassinate a presidential candidate is an attack on our Republic and on the rights of every citizen,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Department of Justice will relentlessly pursue those who try to silence political voices, and no enemy, foreign or domestic, will ever silence the will of the American people. I want to thank and congratulate the trial team and our law enforcement partners for their outstanding work and dedication in bringing this case to justice.”
“Ryan Routh’s attempted assassination of President Trump was a disgusting act — mere weeks before an election and only months after a separate assassination attempt came dangerously close to succeeding,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “FBI teams worked quickly and diligently with local partners and the Department of Justice to demonstrate a clear fact pattern of Routh’s planning and intent, and we are grateful to see a quick resolution. The FBI will continue working aggressively to take violent offenders off American streets and protect public officials from threats of all nature.”
“There are few crimes more serious than attempting to assassinate a President or former President of the United States, for such an act strikes at the very heart of our Nation and our democracy,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The evidence was clear – a loaded rifle with its serial number obliterated, a backpack and gear found in the woods near Trump International, cellphone records placing the defendant at the scene, and a letter confessing intent – all pointing to a chilling attempt to assassinate then former-President Trump. Today’s jury verdict is a resounding rejection of political violence and a reminder of how perilously close we came to a tragedy of historic proportions.”
“Today’s jury verdict delivers justice. What Routh did was objectively evil — an attempt not only to take a life, but to rob Americans of their right to vote and to silence free speech. This was nothing less than an attempted assassination of both a man and the democratic voice he represented,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “We have seen over the past decade how political violence — from the assassination of Charlie Kirk to threats meant to silence conservative voices — has poisoned our public square. Such violence is un-American. It is an assault on every one of us, no matter our politics. The Southern District of Florida will relentlessly pursue those who try to steal our freedoms, and we will ensure that the rule of law — not fear, not violence — prevails.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, then-U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Robert Fercano – who was patrolling one hole ahead of the president at the golf course – spotted Routh pointing an AK-style rifle at Special Agent Fercano from a sniper’s hide in the fence abutting the golf course. Agent Fercano, in fear for his life and the life of President Trump, opened fire at Routh, who fled. Law enforcement subsequently found a loaded SKS-style rifle equipped with a scope, a magazine containing an additional nineteen rounds of ammunition and the safety off, steel armor plates, and a camera attached to the fence pointing toward the sixth hole green of the golf course, where Routh had been hiding:
A witness saw Routh running across the road from the golf course and getting into a black Nissan Xterra. Based on information provided by the witness, Routh was later apprehended heading northbound on I-95 by officers from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, in coordination with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.
A search of Routh’s Nissan Xterra found numerous mobile phones, and a list of flights out of the country in the afternoon and evening of Sept. 15, 2024 – the day of the attempted assassination – along with directions to Miami International Airport. Cell records for two of the cell phones found in the Nissan Xterra showed that on multiple days and times from Aug. 18 to Sept. 15, Routh’s cell phone accessed cell towers located near Trump International and the President’s residence at Mar-a-Lago.
A witness testified at trial that he contacted law enforcement stating that Routh had dropped off a box at his residence in April after Routh made another trip to the area near the golf course. Included in the box was a handwritten letter from Routh addressed “Dear World,” which stated, among other things, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I am so sorry I failed you.”
Routh was convicted of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment; possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment; assaulting a federal officer (the Secret Service Special Agent, Robert Fercano), which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office and Martin County Sheriff’s Office also assisted with this case.
Senior Counsel John C. Shipley, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Browne, National Security Section Chief Maria K. Medetis Long, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Luce for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys James Donnelly and John Cella of the Justice Department’s National Security Division Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department will continue to defend the democratic process, safeguard our leaders, and ensure accountability for political violence.
Jefferson County felon sentenced to federal prison for firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Port Arthur convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Rickey Shawn Thomas, 45, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on September 22, 2025.
According to information presented in court, four handguns were recovered from Thomas during the execution of a search warrant issued during a drug trafficking investigation. Two of the firearms had been reported as stolen. Law enforcement also discovered over five pounds of synthetic marijuana and over $40,000 cash. Further investigation revealed Thomas had seven felony convictions and as a convicted felon, is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Port Arthur Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Quinn and Chris Jackson.
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Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Carlos Fredy Granados, 35, an immigrant illegally residing in Indianapolis, has been sentenced to 35 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a minor, and possession of visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At the time Granados entered his guilty plea, he acknowledged that upon completion of his sentence, he will be subject to removal from the United States.
According to court documents, between at least May and August of 2023, Carlos Granados sexually exploited and abused a 15-year-old girl who was in his care, custody, and control. Granados engaged in sexual intercourse with Minor Victim 1 and sexually exploited her for the purpose of producing images and videos of the abuse.
On October 28, 2023, IMPD Officers responded to a report of child sexual abuse after a witness discovered nude images and videos of the minor on Granados’ cell phone. Investigators searched Granados’ cell phones and discovered 12 sexually explicit videos and 16 images of the child, including some alongside Granados. The images and videos were taken inside the shared home and at a hotel. Investigators also found sexually explicit messages between Granados and the victim, discussing a sexual relationship and exchanging sexually explicit material.
“Carlos Granados’ crimes are among the most heinous we encounter, and his conviction underscores our commitment to removing the most violent and predatory illegal immigrants from our communities,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana “Consistent with Attorney General Pam Bondi’s Operation Restore Justice Initiative, we will continue to prioritize prosecutions that protect our children and uphold the rule of law.”
“This sentence shows that child sexual predators will be held accountable and punished for their heinous crimes preying on innocent victims. The U.S. Secret Service is committed to protecting innocent victims from criminals who seek to sexually exploit them,” said Ike Barnes, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service’s Indianapolis Field Office. “Thank you to the Indianapolis Metro Police Department, Secret Service personnel and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana for their work on this case and bringing justice for this victim.”
The U.S. Secret Service and IMPD investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany J. Preston, who prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
If you are a victim of child sexual exploitation, please contact your local police department. Resources for victims of child exploitation can be found on our website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdin/project-safe-childhood
Illegal Alien Sentenced to 180 Months for Possession of Child Pornography and Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN, MS – Miguel Angel Sierra-Torreblanca, a Mexican national unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by United States District Court Judge Sharion Aycock for possession of child pornography and 24 months for his illegal reentry to the United States after having been previously deported.
According to court documents, Sierra-Torreblanca, 40, was arrested following a multistate investigation involving the Sheriff Departments of Charleston County, South Carolina and Lowndes County, Mississippi. Sierra-Torreblanca, who had been living in Lowndes County, Mississippi was arrested and found to be in the possession of two cell phones containing images and videos of children being sexually abused. The hundreds of images and videos depicted the graphic sexual abuse of children, some of whom were infants and toddlers. Following his arrest, the defendant admitted to the possession of these images and to being part of a transnational group which traded and shared these graphic images.
Sierra-Torreblanca was also sentenced for his illegal reentry into the United States. The defendant had previously been convicted in federal court for his illegal reentry and had been previously deported from the United States on three prior occasions.
The defendant will be required to register as a sex offender and was sentenced to seven years of supervised release. Judge Aycock ordered that upon release from federal prison the defendant is to be surrenderer to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings. Officials with Immigration and Customs Enforcement have placed an immigration detainer on the defendant, which will result in his removal from the United States following the conclusion of his federal prison sentence.
“This conviction and sentence makes it clear that there is no tolerance for anyone exploiting children in our community, especially when the defendant is someone who should never have been present in this country in the first place,” said Clay Joyner, U.S. Attorney. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Mississippi is committed to fully prosecuting those who are here unlawfully, especially if they harm innocent children and possess images of child sexual abuse.”
“The exploitation of children is one of the most horrific crimes we encounter, and we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal partners to ensure those who prey on children are held accountable,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Eddie Hawkins. “This case highlights the importance of agencies working together across state lines to investigate and prosecute these offenders, and we are committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
"There is no higher priority than protecting our children. Anyone who preys on the most vulnerable members of our community will be found, arrested, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie. "We are committed to getting these predators off our streets and ensuring our neighborhoods remain safe for every child to grow, learn, and thrive. We are grateful for the interagency partnerships with Mississippi authorities who made this arrest."
"When someone targets a child, they’re not just breaking the law, they’re breaking the trust of an entire community," said Charleston County Sheriff's Office Detective James Jacko, who worked the case originally as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in Charleston County. "We always follow every lead, use every resource, and we don’t stop until the people responsible are held accountable. Our kids deserve nothing less."
U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner of the Northern District of Mississippi made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Herzog Jr. and Paul Roberts prosecuted the case. The Lowndes County, Mississippi Sheriff’s Department, Charleston County, South Carolina Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Homeland Security investigated the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Houma Man Guilty of Distributing Fentanyl DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that DESMOND JOHNSON (“JOHNSON”), age 44, of Houma, LA, pled guilty before United States District Judge Jay Zainey to possession with intent to distribute forty (40) grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B).
Judge Zainey scheduled sentencing for December 9, 2025. At sentencing, JOHNSON faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, at least 4 years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, JOHNSON was suspected of dealing both heroin and fentanyl from an apartment in Houma. The execution of a search warrant on that apartment revealed large amounts of fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia, indicative of drug trafficking. In a post-Miranda interview with law enforcement, JOHNSON admitted to possessing fentanyl, with the intent to distribute same.
Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Narcotics Unit.
Honduran man pleads guilty to, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Petronilo Castillo Bonilla, 40, a citizen and national of Honduras, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to re-entry of a removed alien. He was sentenced to time served and turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that Castillo Bonilla is an alien without any legal status in the United States. In August 2017, following an arrest for public intoxication in Tennessee, he was ordered removed from the United States. On June 24, 2025, Castillo Bonilla was found in Erie County, NY, by U.S. Border Patrol Agents in the parking lot of a store in Amherst, NY. He was in possession of a Honduran passport but did not have any legal documents allowing him to be present in the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The plea and sentencing are the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge David Banks.
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Guatemalan man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Guatemalan man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced today to a sentence of time-served and remanded to U.S. Border Patrol upon release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Tomy Osama Salvador-Quino, 24, pleaded guilty on September 9, 2025, to illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that around noon on August 15, 2025, a Hill County Sheriff’s Deputy saw a silver sedan with a Texas license plate speeding through Hingham, Montana. The speed limit in the area was 45 miles per hour and the radar on the patrol vehicle measured the car’s speed at 70 miles per hour. The deputy initiated a traffic stop, approached the driver side of the car, and told the driver, Tomy Salvador-Quino, he was stopped for speeding. The deputy asked Salvador-Quino for his license, proof of insurance, and vehicle registration, but Salvador-Quino did not seem to understand the request and indicated he did not speak English. The deputy requested Border Patrol assistance.
While waiting for the Border Patrol to arrive, Salvador-Quino provided the deputy with his passport, which contained his name and his country of citizenship – Guatemala. The passport did not include any stamps showing Salvador-Quino entered the United States legally.
When a Border Patrol agent arrived, Salvador-Quino admitted he is a Guatemalan citizen with no legal status in the United States. He was taken into custody and processed at the Havre Border Patrol Station. After waiving his rights, he agreed to answer questions and again confirmed he is a citizen of Guatemala, was previously removed from the United States, and has no pending petitions to remain in the United States.
A review of Salvador-Quino’s A-file shows Border Patrol agents previously encountered him on April 5, 2020, and he was removed. He was encountered again in December 2020 and removed on January 15, 2021. He last entered the United States illegally sometime after that date and there are no records within the Department of Homeland Security he ever applied for readmission into the United States.
The United States Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Border Patrol and the Hill County Sheriff’s Office.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Guatemalan National Indicted for Reentry of Deported AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that JUAN CARLOS LOPEZ-SOSA (“LOPEZ-SOSA”), age 31, a native of Guatemala, was indicted on September 18, 2025, for reentry of removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a).
According to court documents, LOPEZ-SOSA, an illegal alien, was found in St. Tammany Parish on September 11, 2025. He had previously been convicted of violating 8 U.S.C. § 1326, Illegal Re-entry of Removed Alien on April 5, 2018, and sentenced to a term of 2 days. LOPEZ-SOSA was removed to Guatemala on April 20, 2018.
If convicted, LOPEZ-SOSA faces a maximum penalty of ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson reiterated that an indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Frederick W. Veters Jr., of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.
Grove City Resident Pleads Guilty to Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Grove City, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of minors, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Michael William Boston, 40, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Christy Criswell Wiegand.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, on October 25, 2022, Boston transported material depicting the sexual exploitation of a minor in interstate commerce. In pleading guilty, Boston also took responsibility for transporting child sexual abuse material on specific dates in April 2023 and July 2023, and for the possession of more than 1,500 images and videos containing child sexual abuse material.
Judge Wiegand scheduled sentencing for January 20, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Pennsylvania State Police’s Northwest Computer Crime Unit conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Boston.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Georgia Inmate Sentenced to 80 Years in Federal Prison for Creating, Mailing BombsRead the Press Release
STATESBORO, Ga. — David Dwayne Cassady, 57, an inmate incarcerated in the Georgia Department of Corrections, has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted malicious use of explosive materials.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that, while incarcerated in Georgia state prison, the defendant constructed two destructive devices. He mailed the destructive devices to the United States Courthouse in Anchorage, Alaska and to the Department of Justice in Washington DC.
“This defendant’s devices were not only a threat to the recipients, but to every individual that unknowingly transported and delivered them,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “The Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will continue to take action against those who seek to harm the public.”
“Cassady has been sentenced to a significant amount of time in prison as he intended to incite fear to his targets and amongst the general public,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “The sentencing represents the hard work of Postal Inspectors and our law enforcement partners to keep the sanctity of the mail system safe.”
United States District Judge J. Randal Hall sentenced Cassady to 480 months imprisonment on both counts to run consecutively, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI Anchorage Office, Homeland Security Investigations Federal Protective Service, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and the Georgia Department of Corrections Office of Professional Standards. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin N. Garner and Elizabeth Major prosecuted the case in the Southern District of Georgia.
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Fort Thompson Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Fort Thompson, South Dakota, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on September 22, 2025.
John Thompson, age 44, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thompson was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 20, 2025. The conviction stemmed from an incident that occurred between August 1, 2010, and August 31, 2011, within the Crow Creek Sioux Indian Reservation. During this timeframe, Thompson fondled the genitalia of a boy who was under the age of twelve.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services – Crow Creek Agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Former Tennessee State Representative Sentenced to 36 Months in Federal Prison, and his Chief of Staff Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison, on Fraud, Money Laundering, and Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – Former Tennessee Speaker of the House Glen Casada, 66, and his former Chief of Staff Cade Cothren, 38, of Nashville, have been sentenced for honest services wire fraud; conspiracy to commit money laundering; using a fictitious name to carry out a fraud; and money laundering, announced Robert E. McGuire, Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, and Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. Casada was sentenced today to 36 months in federal prison, and Cothren was sentenced on September 16, 2025, to 30 months in federal prison.
“Tennesseans have a right to expect honest services from their elected leaders and their staffs,” said McGuire. “This prosecution, and the sentences ordered today, show our office’s steadfast commitment to seek justice on behalf of our community in cases involving public corruption and fraud. We believe that Tennesseans deserve no less.”
“The defendants abused their power as government officials and defrauded taxpayers for their own enrichment,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division is committed to holding accountable those who betray public trust and steal from government coffers in order to line their own pockets.”
“In a betrayal of their duty to Tennesseans, Mr. Casada and Mr. Cothren violated the integrity of our government,” said Special Agent in Charge Joe Carrico of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Public corruption and fraud will not be tolerated in our community—no matter the position or names of the individuals involved. The sentences imposed today should serve as a wake-up call to other public officials who believe there are no consequences for betraying the public trust.”
Through the State’s Postage and Printing Allowance (“PPA”), each Representative was allocated $3,000, compounding each year, to fund the printing and postage for constituent communications. The expenditure of PPA funds required the approval of the Representative, the Office of the Speaker of the House, and Connie Ridley, the Director of Legislative Administration. Evidence presented a trial showed that shortly after Casada stepped down as Speaker, he, Cothren, and Representative Robin Smith (the “conspirators”), conspired to defraud the State of Tennessee and its citizens. The conspirators agreed that Cothren would create an LLC called Phoenix Solutions to provide constituent mailer services to Tennessee Republican House members. Because of Cothren’s tarnished reputation, the conspirators knew that the venture would be unsuccessful if Cothren’s involvement was widely known. Instead, Casada and Smith either approached their colleagues in the legislature on behalf of Phoenix Solutions or they did not disclose the LLC’s involvement at all. Cothren hid behind the fake identity, “Matthew Phoenix,” supposedly an experienced political consultant formerly with a prominent Washington, D.C., consulting firm.
To keep up this sham, the conspirators repeatedly deceived their colleagues and State officials. For example, Cothren sent the State of Tennessee a fraudulent W-9 in the name of “Matthew Phoenix.” He also involved his girlfriend in the scheme by directing her to falsely pose as another, made-up employee of Phoenix Solutions during an extended email exchange intended to dupe Ridley. The conspirators even manufactured a fake confrontation between Casada and Smith that took place on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives—intended to be in full view of other legislators—to throw the current Speaker off their scent.
They went to these lengths because, had Cothren’s involvement been known, the conspirators’ invoices would not have been paid. Legislators testified at trial that they would not have agreed to work with Cothren if they had known the true situation.
As suspicions at the State grew, payment of the conspirators’ invoices slowed. To break the logjam, Cothren “officially set [Smith] loose on [Ridley’s] a**.” As sitting State Representatives, Smith and Casada had unparalleled access to Ridley and her superiors in the Speaker’s Office compared to a typical State vendor. Smith asked the Speaker’s Chief of Staff—effectively Ridley’s boss—to put pressure on Ridley to pay Phoenix Solutions’ invoices and met personally with Ridley in an effort to do the same. Casada also met with Ridley regarding the delayed payment of the conspirators’ invoices and told Smith he was “going to touch base with [the Chief of Staff] tomorrow on this situation of ours.” Ridley testified that her sole goal was to “maintain the integrity of the fiscal operation of” the legislature. But when Ridley continued to resist Casada and Smith’s pressure campaign, they called her a “b**ch.”
In exchange for Casada and Smith’s efforts, Cothren kicked back to them portions of the more than $50,000 the State ultimately paid to the conspirators. As Smith testified, the conspirators also concealed these kickbacks by routing payments from the State through Smith and Casada’s personal consulting companies to accounts controlled by Cothren before he kicked back a portion of the profits to them. Casada’s company, Right Way Consulting, did not exist until he created it in January 2020 to receive fraudulently induced payments from the State.
The initial business with the State and the corresponding abuses of Casada and Smith’s public offices was a crucial launching pad for building a much more lucrative business. They leveraged the initial, State-funded success of the company, and their contacts within and intertwined with government, to gain much more lucrative caucus and campaign work. For example, Cothren posed as “Matthew Cyrus” in a bid to persuade Chip Saltsman, the House Republican Caucus consultant, to use Phoenix Solutions for caucus work. In recorded calls with Daniel Cox, the political director of the Tennessee House Republican caucus, Cothren disguised himself as “Matthew Phoenix” in an effort to win caucus business for Phoenix Solutions. Cothren also used the “Matthew Phoenix” pseudonym to deceive Representative Johnny Garrett in an effort to obtain the legislator’s campaign business. Witnesses who used or recommended Phoenix Solutions for campaign and caucus work testified that they would not have done so if they had known that Cothren was involved or that sitting Representatives were secretly profiting from the work. In total, Phoenix Solutions received approximately $159,496.48 in revenue from caucus and campaign work.
Smith pleaded guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud in 2022 and testified at trial.
On September 9, 2025, United States District Judge Eli Richardson granted in part and denied in part the motions for acquittal that the defendants had made orally at the conclusion of the United States’ proof at trial. Judge Richardson acquitted the defendants on Counts Two, Three and Four of the twenty-count indictment on the grounds that there was insufficient evidence that Casada was an “agent” of the State of Tennessee. Casada now stands convicted of fourteen counts, including conspiracy, honest services fraud, and money laundering. Cothren now stands convicted of sixteen counts of conspiracy, honest services fraud, and money laundering.
In addition to his sentence, Casada was ordered to pay a $30,000 fine and to forfeit $4,643.60 in proceeds. Cothren was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. Casada and Cothren will also be on supervised release for one year following their terms of imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Nashville Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor J. Phillips and Trial Attorneys John P. Taddei and Blake J. Ellison of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Public Integrity Section, prosecuted the case.
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Former Non-Profit Executive Director and City Development Official Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Divert Funds from Non-Profit MissionsRead the Press Release
BAY CITY – Michael Bacigalupo, the former executive director of two nonprofit entities and a public figure pleaded guilty today to defrauding the non-profits of over $750,000, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.
Gorgon is joined in this announcement by Reuben C. Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Michigan Division, and Caleb Rowell, Public Safety Director, Bay City Department of Public Safety.
Michael Bacigalupo, 63, of Essexville, Michigan, pleaded guilty to one count of Wire Fraud.
According to facts made public at the plea hearing, from approximately June 2020 through November 2023, Bacigalupo was the Executive Director of both the nonprofit Bay City State Theatre and the nonprofit Bay City Historical Society, as well as the former Director of the Bay City Downtown Development Authority. He used his leadership positions to fraudulently obtain and divert over $750,000 of nonprofit funding intended for mission essential requirements to instead pay for renovations to a public bandshell in Bay City. As a result of Bacigalupo’s fraudulent conduct, the Bay City State Theatre defaulted on a private loan Bacigalupo had secured using the theatre itself, requiring the State Theater to declare bankruptcy. Similarly, Bacigalupo’s misappropriation of the Bay City Historical Society’s funds prevented it from completing substantial renovations to its building and museum. To replenish the diverted funds, Bacigalupo sought and secured a $900,000 federal grant under fraudulent pretenses. His fraudulent conduct, however, was uncovered before the federal monies were disbursed. To perpetrate the fraud, Bacigalupo made numerous false statements to the affected organizations, and substantiated his lies with fictitious board minutes, third-party invoices, and Quickbook entries.
“Working or volunteering for a non-profit entity is a wonderful way to help strengthen our communities. But non-profits are not a personal piggy bank whose donated funds can be used for personal pet projects. Doing so is not only selfish and wrong, but also a crime that carries significant consequences,” said United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
“The defendant’s fraud scheme deprived well-meaning nonprofit organizations of the funds necessary to carry out their critical missions and forced one entity into bankruptcy," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben C. Coleman of the FBI in Michigan. "The FBI is poised to investigate fraud cases with financial intricacies like those documented in this case. We commend the Bay City Department of Public Safety, in particular, for taking strong action against those who seek to defraud nonprofit entities seeking to enrich our communities."
“I am thankful for the diligent work of Detective Ben Meyer and the agents from the FBI. They conducted a lengthy and very thorough investigation which will allow the community to move forward and justice to be served. I would also like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Michigan for their ability to resolve this case in a fair manner for all parties involved,” said Caleb Rowell, Public Safety Director, Bay City Department of Public Safety.
This investigation was conducted by the Bay City Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys T. Patrick Martin and William Orr.
Former Hickory Firefighter Sentenced to Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced today that Nate Eli Kurzak, 22, of Hickory, N.C., and a former firefighter, was sentenced to 84 months in prison today for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). In addition to the prison term imposed, Kurzak was ordered to serve 20 years of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $22,000 in special assessments.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Bryan Adams of the Hickory Police Department, join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
According to court records, in August 2023, law enforcement received information that an individual later identified as Kurzak was using a cloud-based file hosting site to upload suspected CSAM. Officers with the Hickory Police Department executed a search warrant at Kurzak’s residence, seizing a computer, a cell phone, and other electronic devices. Law enforcement also interviewed Kurzak, who admitted to having and accessing CSAM. A forensic examination of the seized devices revealed that Kurzak possessed over 2,000 videos and 600 images of CSAM, some of which depicted prepubescent minors being sexually abused. The forensic analysis furthered revealed evidence that Kurzak distributed CSAM to other individuals online. At the time of his arrest, Kurzak was a firefighter with the Hickory Fire Department.
Kurzak pleaded guilty to one count of possession and access with intent to distribute child pornography. He remains in custody pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and the Hickory Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Financial Director for Multinational Consulting Company Indicted for Misappropriating More than $8.2 MillionRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Jordan Khammar with wire fraud and money laundering for his role in a decade-long scheme to defraud a multinational media, brand management, and consulting company and stealing over $8.2 million. Khammar was arrested this morning in Columbus, Ohio, and will appear this afternoon in federal court in the Southern District of Ohio.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the arrest and charges.
“As alleged, for over a decade and on hundreds of occasions, Khammar betrayed his employer’s trust and took advantage of his access to its financial systems for personal gain,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office remains committed to seeking justice for all victims of fraud and prosecuting those who perpetrate it.”
“Not only is it alleged that Khammar engaged in a scheme to steal, misappropriate, and embezzle nearly $8.2 million from his former employer by exploiting his access the company’s financial system, but he then tried to conceal his fraud by falsifying company records," stated IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Chavis. "For a decade, Khammar greedily filled his pockets and spent the stolen money lavishly, but IRS Criminal Investigation caught up with him, and he will now pay what he owes for his alleged criminal acts."
As alleged in the indictment, Khammar was hired as a financial consultant in 2006 by a multinational media, brand management, and consulting company (Company-1). He eventually became the company’s Financial Director with access to and control over a wide range of its financial accounts and systems including those tied to banking, accounting, bookkeeping and payroll functions. Between January 2015 and May 2025, Khammar abused that access and control to engage in a scheme to defraud Company-1 out of millions of dollars. During the 10-year period, Khammar initiated over 300 fraudulent wire transactions, sending himself more than $8.2 million dollars from Company-1’s bank account.
Khammar took steps to conceal his scheme from Company-1, including by manipulating its books and records, circumventing internal controls, and limiting other employees’ and consultants’ access to the company financial systems and accounts. For example, Khammar created over 100 false entries in Company-1’s general ledger, disguising his fraudulent wire transfers as purportedly legitimate payments for Company 1’s expenses such as company credit card bill payments, tax payments, and costs associated with the renovation of Company 1’s Brooklyn office.
Khammar wired most of the stolen money to an account held in the name of Olive Tree Ventures, Inc. (Olive Tree), a company that he founded, owned, and controlled. From the Olive Tree account, Khammar dispersed a large portion of the funds to finance his independent business ventures including his media production company, Sideswipe Media, Inc. (Sideswipe), and diverting:
- $3.2 million to fund Sideswipe’s payroll including to pay multiple individuals associated with Sideswipe’s film and television productions, as well as $325,000 in payroll payments to himself;
- $429,000 in commercial real estate rental payments for office space in Brooklyn used by Olive Tree and Sideswipe; and
- $415,000 in transfers to Sideswipe’s bank account.
Khammar also used the stolen funds to purchase hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of real estate in Florida and Ohio, and to further pay himself and a variety of personal expenses, including:
- $1.2 million in personal credit card bills;
- $163,000 in purported payroll payments to himself via another company that he founded, owned and controlled;
- $135,000 in cash withdrawals; and
- Tens of thousands of dollars in other expenses including furniture, travel, meal purchases, and utility payments.
The charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charges, Khammar faces up to 20 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan P. Lax and Dana Rehnquist are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett. Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendant:
JORDAN KHAMMAR
Age: 47
Columbus, OhioE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-283 (AMD)
Florida Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking Conspiracy and Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a sex trafficking conspiracy and for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Angelo Dominic Lombardo, 29, of Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Fla., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Lombardo is also ordered to register as a sex offender. In January 2025, Lombardo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion, and one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.
“This defendant preyed on vulnerable, lured them in with false promises, and then used violence and threats of violence to force them into sex trafficking for his own monetary gain. His calculated cruelty, including threatening a victim at gunpoint, is unconscionable,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “Although today’s sentence cannot undo the harm he inflcited, we hope it sends a clear message to anyone who thinks they can come to Massachusetts to traffic and exploit vulnerable people: you will be found, you will be stopped, and you will be held accountable. Our office will continue to stand with victims, fight for their safety, and bring traffickers to justice.”
“Angelo Lombardo felt entitled to treat women not as people, but as property to be sold for sex. Today’s sentence ensures he’ll stay locked up, unable to harm anyone else for decades to come,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Profiting from the sexual exploitation of another human being is reprehensible. The FBI and our partners will do everything in our power to protect trafficking victims from further harm and see the predators who so viciously and violently abuse them brought to justice for their deplorable conduct.”
From in and around June 2020 to July 12, 2021, Lombardo conspired with others to traffic four victims to engage in commercial sex acts by physically assaulting the victims, coercing the victims psychologically, making false promises of a better life and making explicit threats to one of the victims with a firearm, among other things.
In June 2020, Lombardo recruited a victim in Florida to work for him engaging in commercial sex in various states, including Massachusetts. Lombardo promised the victim a better life, however the money that she was paid engaging in commercial sex was turned over to Lombardo. On multiple occasions, Lombardo was violent with the victim who reported that she did not feel able to leave him because she would leave with nothing.
Another victim recruited by Lombardo in or around October 2020 in Florida, travelled with Lombardo to other states, including Massachusetts, to engage in commercial sex. Lombardo threatened the victim that if she did not do what she was told, she would not see her family again. On one occasion when the victim did not want to participate in any more commercial sex dates, Lombardo confiscated her license and punched her repeatedly.
Around May 2021, Lombardo recruited a homeless victim in Portland, Ore., provided her with a place to stay and then advertised her on commercial sex websites. Lombardo would set up dates and drive the victim who travelled to Boston, Mass. on two occasions to engage in commercial sex. In addition to taking the money, he verbally abused the victim and on one occasion put a gun to the victim’s head and told her to go make more money.
Finally, another victim was recruited to work for Lombardo in June 2021, in Portland, Ore., shortly after she turned 18 years old. Lombardo promised the victim financial stability and a better life if she worked for him. In reality, Lombardo kept the money that the victim was paid, for himself. The victim reported that Lombardo was verbally abusive toward her and isolated her from loved ones.
Ultimately, one of the victims went to the police and reported that Lombardo was trafficking her in July 2021. On July 12, 2021, following a traffic stop in Boston, Lombardo was arrested on state trafficking charges. At the time of his arrest, Lombardo had approximately $3,310 in his possession. A subsequent search of a hotel room in Revere, Mass. associated with Lombardo resulted in the recovery of a firearm with a laser attached matching the descriptions provided by at least two of the victims, and a loaded large capacity magazine with 20 live rounds of ammunition. Due to at least one prior felony conviction, Lombardo is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this individual or alleged crime should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
U.S. Attorney Foley; FBI SAC Docks; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; and the Revere and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley-Cunniffe, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit, prosecuted the case.
Federal Judge Sentences Man to More than Seven Years in Prison for Robbing U.S. Postal Service Carrier in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge has sentenced a man to more than seven years in prison for robbing a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier at gunpoint in Chicago.
The robbery occurred on the afternoon of Nov. 10, 2023, in the 900 block of North Francisco Avenue in Chicago. RICHARD THOMPSON approached the carrier as she was stepping out of her USPS vehicle. The carrier retreated into the vehicle when she saw Thompson approaching, but Thompson followed her inside and blocked her exit. He then displayed a handgun and demanded and obtained the carrier’s USPS-issued Arrow Key, which opens certain postal collection boxes. Thompson then fled the area with the Arrow Key. He was arrested in May 2024 and has remained in federal custody since then.
At the time of the robbery, Thompson was on pre-trial release in the Circuit Cook of Cook County for an unrelated criminal charge.
Thompson, 54, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to a federal robbery charge. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood sentenced Thompson to seven years and two months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ruth Mendonça, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Branka Cimesa.
“The U.S. Postal Service serves a critically important government function and its employees must be allowed to deliver mail to the American people safely and securely,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Furthermore, stealing a mailbox Arrow Key is a serious crime; it gives criminals access to certain mailboxes of everyday citizens, who rely on the Postal Service to receive their mail. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago will work closely with our law enforcement partners to prosecute to the full extent of the law those individuals who seek to gain access to the public’s mail whether through violence, theft, or fraud.”
“This sentencing is another example of the roles postal inspectors and our law enforcement partners play in protecting Postal Service employees and customers,” said USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Mendonça. “As Postal Service employees continue to play an integral role in our communities, we are clear in our resolve to aggressively investigate anyone who brings harm to these invaluable public servants.”
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Possessing with the Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Edwin Tollinchi-Rodriguez (40, Indiana) has pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Tollinchi-Rodriguez faces a minimum term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
According to the plea agreement, Tollinchi-Rodriguez is an inmate at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. On September 5, 2024, a Federal Bureau of Prisons correctional officer conducted a pat-down search of Tollinchi-Rodriguez and discovered a wrapped-up package containing a white coagulated substance. The white substance was analyzed by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) laboratory and an analyst determined the substance to be methamphetamine hydrochloride. Given that the substance was 99% pure, Tollinchi-Rodriguez was in possession of approximately 236.6 grams of methamphetamine.
Tollinchi-Rodriguez told DEA agents that he was asked to collect some prohibited items from a shower at the prison for $500 and deliver the items to another housing unit at the prison the following day. On September 5, 2024, he collected the items, which included the methamphetamine. Tollinchi-Rodriguez also described how the amount of methamphetamine that ordinarily would fit in the lid of a lip balm container typically sells for $400 inside the prison.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Albuquerque Man for Carjacking and Kidnapping That Ended in a Fatal ShootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A federal grand jury has charged Sheliky Sanchez with the August 7, 2025, carjacking resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death, crimes which under federal law are eligible for the death penalty.
According to court documents, on August 7, 2025, Sanchez, 18, carjacked and kidnapped the driver of a 2022 Ford Escape using a firearm, then intentionally killed the driver during and in relation to those crimes.
A federal grand jury indicted Sanchez for carjacking resulting in death, using a firearm during a violent crime and causing death by firing it, and kidnapping resulting in death. All three counts are eligible for the federal death penalty.
Sanchez will remain in custody while awaiting trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Sanchez faces a mandatory life sentence or the death penalty for the kidnapping resulting in death charge. For the carjacking resulting in death and causing death through the use of a firearm during a violent crime charges, Sanchez faces any term of imprisonment up to life in prison or the death penalty.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jack E. Burkhead and Samuel Hurtado are prosecuting the case.
View the Indictment (Sanchez).pdfAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fairview Township Tax Collector Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $400,000 in Property TaxesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Karen McGinnis, age 46, of Mountain Top, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick to embezzling public funds. McGinnis was charged by criminal information on September 8, 2025.
According to Acting United States Attorney John Gurganus, from March 2023 to January 2025, McGinnis was the tax collector for Fairview Township responsible for collecting property taxes from the residents of Fairview Township, including taxes payable to the Township, Luzerne County, and the Crestwood School District. During that timeframe, McGinnis embezzled more than $400,000 in property taxes and converted them to her own personal use. Both Luzerne County and the Crestwood School District received more than $10,000 from the federal government via grants and other programs during this timeframe.
McGinnis resigned as tax collector in March 2025. McGinnis agreed not to seek public office for the longer of three years or any term of probation imposed, and she agreed to make full restitution of the money she embezzled as part of her sentence.
“The role of IRS-Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in embezzlement and fraud cases due to the complex financial transactions that can take time to unravel,” stated Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle A. Moreno is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is ten years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
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Estill County Man Sentenced for Attempted Online Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – An Irvine, Ky., man, Steven Randall Neal, 37, was sentenced on Monday by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves to 292 months in prison, for attempting to persuade a minor to engage in unlawful sexual activity online.
According to court documents, in 2021, Neal began messaging the minor victim, whom he knew through their family, on Facebook Messenger. On multiple occasions Neal communicated with the victim online, attempting to get the victim to send sexually explicit pictures and ultimately enticing the minor to engage in sexually explicit activity. Furthermore, Neal admitted that on two occasions, he engaged in hands-on sexual abuse of the victim and that he used Facebook Messenger to request the victim’s presence so he could continue the sexual contact.
Under federal law, Neal must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for life.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Russell Coleman, Kentucky Attorney General; and Sheriff Mike Coyle, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by FBI, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, and Madison County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Melton.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Edina Man Indicted in $975,000 Covid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Mark Erjavec, 49, was indicted on five counts of wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. Erjavec, of Edina, Minnesota, fraudulently obtained and stole more than $975,000 in Covid-19 relief funds. Erjavec made his initial appearance in federal court today.
“Erjavec stole nearly $1 million in government dollars meant to keep small businesses alive during the pandemic,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “When Minnesotans were struggling to keep their doors open and pay their workers, Erjavec lined his own pockets. Fraud that exploits a crisis is especially shameful.”
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mark Erjavec, devised and executed a scheme to defraud federal Covid-19 relief programs to enrich himself. Specifically, Erjavec took advantage of programs created to provide a financial lifeline to small businesses during the pandemic. Erjavec took funds intended for struggling businesses by resurrecting shell entities and submitting false applications.
Specifically, Erjavec reactivated dormant business entities for use in his scheme. From the mid-1990s until the early 2000s, Erjavec owned nine businesses that were registered in Minnesota. Those companies included Tricolor Heron, LLC, Mesaba Finance – Law, LLC, Mesaba Finance – Summit, LLC, among others. Each of these entities were administratively dissolved by the Minnesota Secretary of State between 2008 and 2013.
From April 2020 to August 2020, Erjavec reactivated these dormant business entities and used them to submit fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA). In those submissions, Erjavec overstated revenues, claimed nonexistent employees, and attached fabricated IRS tax forms to lend the appearance of legitimate business activity. Erjavec often opened new checking accounts for the shell entities on the same day (or within days) of registering the business.
As a result of his fraud scheme, Erjavec obtained more than $975,000 in Covid-19 relief funds. Erjavec stole that money, which he wired into accounts he controlled exclusively. Erjavec used the money for his own personal benefit and spending.
“As alleged in the indictment, Mark Erjavec knowingly submitted false and fraudulent documents to the Small Business Administration in order to take money intended for legitimate small businesses suffering during the Covid-era economic downturn,” said Minneapolis FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. “Erjavec re-registered dormant business entities in order to facilitate the theft of more than $975,000 in taxpayer dollars. Our efforts to stop this egregious fraud are moving forward full speed ahead; we will work with our partners at the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Attorney's Office to hold accountable those who illegally enrich themselves by defrauding the government.”
This case was the result of an investigation conducted by the Office of Inspector General – U.S. Department of Commerce and the FBI, as a part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley M. Endicott is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Domestic Terrorist Sentenced to More Than 19 Years in Prison for Firebombing University Police Car and Attempting to Firebomb Oakland Federal BuildingRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – Casey Robert Goonan was sentenced today to 235 months in federal prison for committing a series of arsons and firebombings at the University of California, Berkeley and the Oakland federal building in June 2024. Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White handed down the sentence.
In January 2025, Goonan, 35, of Oakland and Pleasant Hill, pleaded guilty to one count of maliciously damaging or destroying property used in or affecting interstate commerce by means of fire or an explosive.
According to a plea agreement filed in open court, in the early morning hours of June 1, 2024, Goonan placed a bag containing six explosive devices commonly known as “Molotov cocktails” underneath the fuel tank of a marked University of California Police Department (UCPD) patrol car parked near the UC Berkeley campus. Goonan lit the bag on fire and fled, causing the patrol car to catch on fire. A video capturing the events on the morning of June 1, 2024, can be viewed here.
Goonan also attempted to firebomb the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Oakland on June 11, 2024. Goonan arrived at the federal building carrying a bag containing three Molotov cocktails. Goonan threw rocks at the building, hoping to break a window in order to throw lit Molotov cocktails inside. That plan was disrupted by protective services officers. Upon fleeing from the officers, Goonan placed the Molotov cocktails in a planter on the side of building and lit them on fire.
In addition to these two attacks, Goonan set other fires on the UC Berkeley campus on June 1, June 13, and June 16, 2024.
Goonan acknowledged that these attacks were inspired by Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, and that he called on others to attack property on Bay Area college campuses in support of Palestine. Goonan admitted that his conduct was designed to influence and affect the conduct of governments by intimidation and coercion and to retaliate against the governments of the United States and the State of California for their conduct.
“Freedom of expression and peaceful protest are deeply enshrined values in America. We are all free to think what we want and express those views peacefully, but the use of violence to achieve political aims—or to silence those with whom you may disagree—has no place in our community and our country,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian. “Anyone who crosses the line between peaceful protest and violence will be met with the full force of the law.”
“Safeguarding our communities from violence remains at the forefront of the FBI’s mission. While free speech and peaceful protest are protected rights, turning to firebombs and arson crosses into criminal conduct that endangers lives and threatens public safety,” said FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo. “Today’s sentencing makes clear that the FBI and our partners will not tolerate violence, and we will hold accountable anyone who seeks to harm our communities.”
At sentencing, the Court referred to Goonan as a “domestic terrorist” and found that he had committed a felony offense that involved or was intended to promote a federal crime of terrorism.
In addition to the prison term, Judge White also ordered the defendant serve 15 years of supervised release after he is released from custody and ordered restitution in the amount of $94,267.51 and a $100 special assessment. The defendant has been in custody since his initial arrest on state charges on June 17, 2024.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikhil Bhagat is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, ATF, the California Office of the State Fire Marshal, and UCPD.
District Man and Woman Plead Guilty in Violent CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Brian Allison, 56, and Angel Hall, 25, both of the District, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to their roles in a violent armed carjacking of a woman in Southeast, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Allison and Hall each pleaded guilty to a charge of carjacking and aiding and abetting. Judge Tanya S. Chutkan scheduled sentencing for Jan. 12, 2026.
According to court documents, on Feb. 1, 2024, about 11 p.m., Allison and Hall followed the victim into a restaurant on the 4500 block of Benning Road, SE. Allison and Hall left without ordering anything, but followed the victim as she left with her food.
Allison approached the victim as she walked to her vehicle. As Hall stood lookout, Allison flashed the butt of a pistol that he was carrying in his pocket, and said, “Gimme those f---ing keys or I’m gonna bust your head.”
After the victim handed over her keys, Allison demanded her phone and wallet. Allison then asked for the PIN number to her debit card. The victim provided the number. Allison told the victim if the PIN was not correct, he would kill her.
Using the key fob, Allison tried to open the trunk to force the victim into it. Allison could not get the trunk open, so he ordered her into the front passenger seat. Hall got into the rear passengers seat. Allison got into the driver’s seat and pulled away.
Allison drove the victim and Hall to a grocery store on the 4900 block of Marlboro Pike, Capitol Heights Maryland. Allison then told Hall to “bust” the victim if she tried to leave.
Allison entered the store with the victim’s debit card, withdrew $500 from an ATM, and bought some food. He returned to vehicle and drove them all back to the District.
Allison parked the car on the 5700 block of Southern Avenue SE. Once stopped, he took one of the victim’s gloves and wiped down the victim’s keys and the steering wheel. Allison returned the phone, keys, and wallet to the victim. Allison and Hall fled on foot towards Central Avenue, SE. The victim drove to the 6th District Station house and reported the incident.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David W. Lawrence, James B. Nelson, and Emory V. Cole.
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Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing Firearm During Police ChaseRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell has sentenced Christopher George Montgomery (30, Port Saint Lucie) to four years and nine months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The court also ordered Montgomery to forfeit the firearm and ammunition possessed during the offense. Montgomery pleaded guilty on June 17, 2025.
According to court documents, Montgomery was subject to a county-wide “be on the lookout” announcement for offenses he allegedly committed previously. His vehicle was located in Desoto County and fled Arcadia Police Department Officers. After Montgomery’s vehicle got stuck on an embankment, he fled on foot but was ultimately arrested. Officers retraced Montgomery’s flight path and located a chamber-loaded Glock pistol in a drainage culvert along the path where Montgomery had fled. Officers also found a loaded Glock extended magazine in Montgomery’s vehicle.
Montgomery is a convicted felon, and as a result, is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Arcadia Police Department, the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Center City Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty to Charges Arising from Fraudulent Loan SchemeRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jonathan Barach, 46, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Mia Roberts Perez to one count of wire fraud and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction, in connection with a fraudulent loan scheme in which he raised millions of dollars from individuals and businesses, purportedly for short-term real estate financing opportunities, when no such projects existed.
As detailed in the information filed August 21, 2025, the defendant served as a licensed residential real estate agent and the co-founder and principal agent for The Barach Group, LLC, a Philadelphia-based real estate team, and formed a second company, TBG Real Estate, LLC, also based in the city. In addition to offering traditional real estate agent services, Barach used his companies to solicit and raise money for non-existent real estate financing opportunities.
Between July 2017 and April 2021, Barach raised over $3 million from lenders through a series of material misrepresentations, including by falsely stating the raised funds would be used to provide bridge loans to builders and contractors looking to purchase and flip distressed real estate properties or to complete renovation projects. At the time of these solicitations, no such projects existed, Barach’s entities did not provide real estate financing, and Barach knew that the lenders’ funds would be used for his own purposes and debts.
None of the money raised by Barach from his victims was used for the stated purpose. Instead, Barach typically withdrew the funds in cash, made assorted personal expenditures, transferred funds to his personal bank accounts, and moved large sums to various accounts that he held with casinos and sportsbook operations. Although Barach paid back some of his earlier lenders with a portion of the funding secured from later lenders, over $1.4 million of the fraudulently obtained loan proceeds remain unpaid.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on February 2, 2026, and faces a maximum possible term of 30 years’ imprisonment.
This case was investigated by the FDIC Office of Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the FBI, with assistance from the U.S. Secret Service, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Terri Marinari and Samuel Dalke.
Broken Arrow Man Sentenced After Attempting to Receive Child Pornography and Meet a Minor ChildRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Broken Arrow man was sentenced today for Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Danny Lawrence Newton, 43, to 96 months imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release. Upon his release, Newton will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In June 2024, Newton initiated contact with a person on social media whom he believed was a 14-year-old. While chatting, court records show that Newton requested photos from the minor and talked to the minor about having sex. Newton then arranged to meet the 14-year-old in person and drove to the address provided, where law enforcement detained him.
Newton will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Robert prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, the Skiatook Police Department, the Pryor Police Department, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated it as part of Operation Clean Sweep II. This operation partnered with the Tornado Alley Child Exploitation and Trafficking Task Force, which aims to hold child predators accountable throughout the Northern District of Oklahoma.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Billings man sentenced to more than 24 years in prison for multiple sex crimes spanning approximately 30 years on the Fort Belknap Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Billings man who was a prolific sex offender and preyed on the most vulnerable and marginalized Native Americans in Montana for decades by molesting, sexually assaulting, drugging, trafficking, and exploiting any defenseless person without regard to their sex, age or biological relationship was sentenced yesterday to 290 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
James Kirby King, 58, was found guilty by a federal district judge in September 2024 of the following charges:
- Aggravated sexual abuse of a child, one count
- Incest, two counts
- Sexual exploitation of children, three counts
- Aggravated sexual abuse by rendering unconscious or drugging the victim, two counts
- Sexual abuse, two counts
- Attempted aggravated sexual abuse by rendering unconscious or drugging the victim, one count
- Attempted sexual abuse, one count
- Sexual abuse of a minor, one count
- Aggravated sexual abuse by force, one count
- Attempted possession with the intent to sell child pornography in Indian Country, one count
- Possession of child pornography in Indian Country, one count
- Attempted sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, one count
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
In court documents and at trial, the government presented evidence that led to convictions for offenses against victims identified as Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3, Jane Doe 4, Jane Doe 10, and other multiple victims. Some of the victims were under the age of 12 at the time, some were under the age of 16, and some were adults. Most of the conduct occurred on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, where King once lived, and in Billings, where King lived more recently. The charged conduct began as early as approximately 1992 and continued until his arrest in 2023.
As alleged in court documents, for more than a decade King repeatedly molested, drugged, assaulted and sexually exploited Jane Doe 1, whose first memory of the molestation was when she was five years old in 1996. In approximately 1994 or 1995, when Jane Doe 2 was 14 years old, King gave her a small amount of alcohol at his residence and she “went blank.” Jane Doe 2 later awoke and became aware of King kneeling between her legs and taking pictures of her. In addition, King attempted to sexually exploit Jane Doe 3 on numerous occasions and forced numerous sex acts on her both as a child and later as an adult on the Fort Belknap Reservation and in Billings. King drugged and raped Jane Doe 4 on the Fort Belknap Reservation when she was in her 20s and he was in his 40s. And King attempted to sex traffic by coercion Jane Doe 10 in October 2023.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Myers and Ryan Weldon prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Fort Belknap Law Enforcement Services and Great Falls Police Department.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A repeat felon with a violent criminal past was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearm resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation.
Brandon Michael Slachta, 36, of Albany, was sentenced as an armed career criminal to serve 180 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by Chief U.S. District Judge Leslie Abrams Gardner on Sept. 23. Slachta previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on March 27. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed career felons with violent pasts who persist with criminal activity will face federal prosecution in the Middle District of Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “I commend our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their collaboration with helping us uphold the law.”
“Today’s sentencing is a testament to our relentless pursuit of justice. Armed career criminals like Slachta pose a significant threat to our communities, and we will not hesitate to utilize all available resources to ensure they face the full weight of the law,” said ATF Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
“I am thankful that we have taken another weapon off the streets of Albany, Georgia. Though we don't know the intentions of Slachta, we do know that convicted felons in possession of a firearm can lead to dangerous consequences,” said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley. “The men and women of the Albany Police Department will continue to seek those who commit crime in our community.”
According to court documents in the Slachta case, an Albany Police Department (APD) officer conducting a routine uniformed patrol along Dawson Road around 4:30 a.m. on July 17, 2024, noticed one male and two women gathered in a local restaurant’s parking lot. Given the early time of the morning and the business still being closed, the officer drove into the parking lot to contact the three people. As the officer pulled into the parking lot, he saw the male, later identified as Slachta, take a black object and toss it inside a silver Honda vehicle. One of the women, who was the owner of the vehicle, told the officer that Slachta tossed a firearm inside her car. The woman consented to the search of her vehicle, and the officer found a black rifle on the center console, along with boxes of ammunition. Slachta admitted that he was a felon; he stated that he put the gun inside the woman’s car because he did not want to get criminally charged with illegally possessing the firearm, and he does not want to do more jail time. Slachta is an armed career criminal, and he knew that he had multiple prior convictions for violent felonies in various states, including Texas, Florida and Arizona.
The collaborative effort 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 Neighborhoods.
The Slachta case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the Albany Police Department (APD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Lim prosecuted the case for the Government.
7 men sentenced to federal prison for roles in large-scale methamphetamine trafficking organizationRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – The final defendant in a national narcotics conspiracy was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 94 months in prison. The six other coconspirators were previously sentenced in federal court, and four of those defendants received sentences of more than 100 months in prison.
According to court documents, from at least July 2018 until March 2023, Juan-Jose Carrillo, 32, of Compton, California, and the six other defendants were responsible for the distribution of more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine from California into and throughout the Cincinnati area. The methamphetamine supplier was connected to the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG). The defendants charged represent both high-level suppliers and local-level drug distributors.
The other defendants include Franklin Johnson (sentenced to 156 months in prison), Gerald Jeter, Jr. (132 months in prison), Anthony Clardy II (104 months in prison), Dre’Quan Christopher (102 months), Robert Day (72 months), and Tyrone Jordan (36 months).
Court documents detail that Carillo was a source of supply that coordinated deliveries of methamphetamine to Jeter, Johnson and/or Clardy, to be shipped to southern Ohio. Jeter, and later Johnson, would travel to the West Coast to obtain the methamphetamine, and ship it back to Cincinnati. Jeter and Johnson were both high-level distributors of methamphetamine, who would break down the large loads of methamphetamine for re-sale to mid-level distributors in the Cincinnati area. The mid-level distributors included defendants Clardy and Day. In addition, defendant Christopher was a street-level dealer who would sell the methamphetamine to his clients throughout the Cincinnati area.
The defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2023.
Dominick S. Gerace, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Detroit, Cincinnati Police Department Narcotics Unit, Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Regional Enforcement Narcotics Unit (RENU), and Northern Kentucky Drug Strike Force (NKDSF) announced the sentence imposed on Sept. 17 by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Deputy Criminal Chief Frederic C. Shadley represented the United States in this case.
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22 September 2025
“Wolf of West Virginia” Sentenced to Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Theodore Miller, 35, of South Charleston, was sentenced today to seven years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $398,533.52 in restitution for two counts of wire fraud. Miller defrauded more than 180 individuals through two real estate investment schemes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller conceived and perpetrated the fraudulent schemes between the spring of 2022 and September 2024. Miller solicited investors on social media, where he portrayed himself as the “Wolf of West Virginia,” a wealthy, successful and knowledgeable real estate mogul with enough disposable income to travel the world at his leisure. As part of his guilty pleas, Miller admitted that in reality he had poor credit, thin month-to-month financial margins, was delinquent on property taxes and bills, and defaulted on loans.
One of Miller’s schemes solicited direct investments to develop properties on Bigley Avenue in Charleston. Miller falsely told these investors they would receive a percentage return once the development projects were completed plus a share of the resulting rental income. Miller’s other scheme offered a pooled real estate investment vehicle he called “Bear Lute.” Miller falsely told Bear Lute investors they could expect consistent returns of at least 6 percent, track their investments on a website, and withdraw their money within 60 days.
Miller obtained a total of $95,000 from the direct investment scheme and approximately $303,950 through Bear Lute. As part of his guilty pleas, Miller admitted that his victims included an individual who wired him $20,000 from California for one of the Bigley Avenue projects on July 5, 2022, and an individual who wired him $2,500 from Texas for Bear Lute on December 12, 2022.
Miller’s mother, Deanna Drumm, handled day-to-day tasks of Miller’s business operations, including the management of finances and transfer of funds, while Miller lived outside the United States from about June 2021 to about August 8, 2024. Both the direct investments and the Bear Lute investments were securities as defined by federal law and were required to be registered. No registration statement was in effect for either of these securities, and neither was exempt from the registration requirement. Drumm, 61, of Charleston, pleaded guilty on November 21, 2024, to aiding and abetting the sale and offer of unregistered securities and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 9, 2025.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the West Virginia Fusion Center, the West Virginia Securities Commission, and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Hanks and former Assistant United States Attorney Holly Wilson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 2:24-cr-145.
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Woburn Man Charged with Bank Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Woburn man has been charged as part of an ongoing investigation into the theft of U.S. Treasury tax refund checks in Massachusetts.
Nnamdi Opara, 30, was charged with two counts of bank fraud and five counts of money laundering. The defendant was previously arrested in June 2025 as part of an investigation into the theft of U.S. Treasury tax refund checks in Massachusetts.
According to the charging documents, Opara wrongfully obtained two U.S. Treasury checks that were issued to a New York entity named AFGO Mechanical Services, Inc. After obtaining the checks, it is alleged that Opara established a company called AFGO Mechanical Services, Inc. in Massachusetts, for which he served as the President, Treasurer, Secretary, Vice President, Director and Registered Agent. Opara then allegedly deposited the U.S. Treasury check into an account he controlled, payable to the Massachusetts-based AFGO entity he had established when, in fact, the Massachusetts-based AFGO entity had never filed a federal tax return. As a result, Opara is alleged to have stolen a total of $700,767 from the U.S. Treasury. It is further alleged that Opara conducted multiple illegal monetary transactions designed to conceal the source of the funds from the stolen Treasury checks.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Weslaco woman admits role in cocaine trafficking schemeRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A 34-year-old South Texas woman has admitted she conspired to possess with intent to deliver more than five kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Upon her initial arrest, Edith Gonzalez admitted she “knew this date was coming” and to personally “gift-wrapping” a box containing the cocaine.
On April 16, 2024, authorities stopped a Chevrolet Equinox in Weslaco and discovered the gift-wrapped cardboard box containing 8.8 kilograms of cocaine.
As part of her plea, Gonzalez acknowledged communicating with others to have the cocaine delivered.
U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera Gonzalez will impose sentencing Dec. 17. At that time, Gonzalez faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $10 million fine.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug trafficking organizations and other criminal networks that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oscar Ponce is prosecuting the case.
Union County Teacher Admits to Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County man admitted to receiving and possessing child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Jack Wilder, 27, of Somerville, New Jersey, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper in Newark federal court to an Information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about July 23, 2024, Wilder, a teacher at a school in Plainfield, returned from an international trip aboard a flight that landed in New York. Law enforcement seized Wilder’s cell phone at the airport and subsequently searched it, uncovering images and videos of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Approximately one week after law enforcement seized his cell phone, Wilder obtained a new cell phone. From on or about July 29, 2024 through on or about May 1, 2025, Wilder knowingly received images and videos of child pornography on the second cell phone.
The charge of receipt of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for January 26, 2026.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited the work of the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation leading up to this guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey S. Smith of the Criminal Division in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Michael Baldassare, Esq.
wilder.information.pdfTwo members of Mexico connected drug trafficking group sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – Two members of a drug trafficking ring with ties to Mexico were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Jose Rodolfo Aguilar Cortes, 23, of Federal Way, Washington, was sentenced to five years in prison and Alex Ortiz, 21, of Auburn, Washington was sentenced to 20 months in prison. At Ortiz’ sentencing U.S. District Judge Kymberly K. Evanson said, “This is a serious offense involving dangerous drugs and a significant number of guns.”
According to records filed in the case, both men were involved with a drug trafficking ring bringing significant quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to Western Washington for distribution. Cortes was indicted for a seizure of 14 kilos of cocaine on March 24, 2024, in Lewis County. Cortes was identified as one of the drivers of cars bringing drugs to the northwest from California. Over the course of the investigation, total seizures included the recovery of approximately 81 kilograms of methamphetamine, 49 kilograms of fentanyl pills, 15 kilograms of cocaine, and three pounds of marijuana. Cortes was sentenced to four years of supervised release following prison but will likely be deported following his prison term. He is a citizen of Mexico.
Alex Ortiz served as stash house operator for the drug ring. He lived with his cousin who is also indicted in the case. Ortiz followed instructions about delivering drugs and receiving cash to and from various drug ring members. When search warrants were executed on May 14, 2024, at the home Ortiz shared with his cousin, investigators seized approximately $5,920 in U.S. currency, eight firearms, fourteen rounds of ammunition, and six magazines in various rooms throughout the residence. Ortiz was sentenced to five years of supervised release to follow his 20-month prison term. Judge Evanson recommended the residential drug treatment program for Ortiz while he is incarcerated.
In all, 15 defendants have been charged for participating in this drug ring. Two other defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced to five years in prison.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI, Seattle Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), Oregon State Police, Portland Police Department, California Highway Patrol, the Los Angeles Strike Force, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Centralia Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Elyne Vaught.
Two arrested for transporting 55 illegal aliens inside hidden compartment in produce trailerRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – Two men, one an illegal alien himself, have been charged with human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Brandon Lajohn Hargrove, 43, Houston, and Jose Luis Castellanos-Hercules, 21, an illegal alien from Honduras, allegedly transported nearly six dozen illegal aliens from Mission to Zapata in a box truck.
Both have made their initial appearances and are set for detention hearings Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Scott Hacker.
The criminal complaint alleges authorities stopped a box truck near San Ygnacio on Sept. 19 with Hargrove as the driver. He allegedly claimed he was hauling boxes and opened the back to show the produce.
However, law enforcement observed Castellanos-Hercules in the trailer and conducted a more thorough search, according to the charges. The complaint further alleges they discovered a hidden compartment which held 55 illegal aliens, all from Guatemala, Mexico, Venezuela, Honduras, El Salvador, China, India, Colombia and Ecuador. Three were allegedly younger than 17.
According to court documents, the aliens had to crawl through a small door in order to get out from behind the false wall. The charges allege multiple heavy pallets blocked the access door and prevented them from being able to leave on their own.
Hargrove allegedly picked up the aliens from a stash house in Mission that authorities had previously identified as being utilized for smuggling activity.
“The Southern District of Texas takes a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal immigration, including those who transport or otherwise enable alien smuggling,” said Ganjei. “Our message on this point has been consistent and clear: smuggling is a dangerous and often deadly business, and one should neither engage in human smuggling nor seek smuggling services. People overseas would be well-advised to stay home and stay safe.”
If convicted, both face a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.
Several of the illegal aliens in the truck are also facing charges of illegal entry and illegal reentry.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation with assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker 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.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Two Mexican Nationals with Prior Felony Convictions and Multiple Deportations Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Two Mexican nationals unlawfully residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Alfredo Covarrubias-Jimenez, 39, and Victor Manuel Navarro-Quesada, 34, are both charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for both defendants are scheduled for October 6, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Elayna J Youchah.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, Covarrubias-Jimenez and Navarro-Quesada are both citizens and nationals of Mexico and were both previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally.
On September 10, 2025, Covarrubias-Jimenez was remanded to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), from the Nevada Department of Corrections, based on an ICE detainer. ICE became aware Covarrubias-Jimenez was in Nevada after he was arrested by North Las Vegas Police for Possession of Controlled Substance, Trafficking Controlled Substance, and Own Possess Gun by Prohibited Person. On another occasion, ICE filed a detainer in California after Covarrubias-Jimenez was arrested by the San Bernardino Sheriff’s office on December 1, 2021, for Possess Purchase for Sale Narcotic Controlled Substance and Transport Sale Narcotic Controlled Substance. The California ICE detainer was not honored. Covarrubias-Jimenez had previously been deported five times, and he also has a prior felony conviction for Inflict Corporal Injury on a Spouse out of California.
On September 16, 2025, Navarro-Quesada was remanded to the custody of ICE, from the Nevada Department of Corrections, based on an ICE detainer. On February 6, 2025, ICE learned that Navarro-Quesada was arrested by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for Trafficking Controlled Substance and four counts of Possess to Sell Controlled Substance. Navarro-Quesada had previously been deported to Mexico on four occasions. Navarro-Quesada has a prior felony conviction from 2019 out of the District of Colorado for Illegal Reentry after Deportation, the same offense he is currently charged with.
If convicted, Covarrubias-Jimenez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
If convicted, Navarro-Quesada faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
Acting United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Field Office Acting Director Jason Knight made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two Hondurans Unlawfully Residing in Oregon Arrested for Trafficking Fentanyl in PortlandRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Two Honduran nationals unlawfully residing in Oregon made their first appearances in federal court today after being arrested for trafficking fentanyl in East Portland.
Omar Rodriguez-Salgado, 28, and Cesar Antonio Gutierrez-Doblado, 19, have been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents, on September 18, 2025, investigators observed Rodriguez-Salgado in an area active for drug distribution and attempted to stop his vehicle. After a short pursuit, investigators obtained consent from Rodriguez-Salgado to search his vehicle and seized approximately 274 gross grams of suspected fentanyl, including packaging.
Gutierrez-Doblado was arrested after police developed probable cause to believe Gutierrez-Doblado was distributing fentanyl. A search of Gutierrez-Doblado’s person, vehicle, and residence resulted in seizures of more than 3 gross kilograms of suspected fentanyl, including packaging, and approximately $85,885 in cash proceeds from suspected fentanyl trafficking.
Both defendants made their first appearances in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. Both defendants were ordered detained pending further court proceedings. Arraignments have been scheduled for October 22, 2025.
These cases were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Portland Police Bureau, and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office, which all participate in the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program (HIDTA). They are being prosecuted by Scott Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 100 times more powerful than morphine and 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is potentially enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
Taos Pueblo Man Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of MinorsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Taos Pueblo man was sentenced to 30 years in prison for exploiting his traditional role to sexually abuse multiple minors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, between 2001 and 2010, Ben John Martinez, 76, an enrolled member of the Taos Pueblo, abused his position of authority within the Taos Pueblo community to sexually abuse minors during traditional ceremonies and at his residence on the Taos Pueblo.
Martinez pled guilty to three counts of sexual abuse of children. Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany J. DuChaussee is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The FBI continues to investigate Martinez’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or Chief Summer Mirabal of the Taos Pueblo Department of Public Safety at (575) 741-0764.
St. Louis County Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Bank Fraud Committed with Checks Stolen from the MailRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Catherine D. Perry on Friday sentenced a man to 42 months in prison for orchestrating a check fraud scheme using checks that had been stolen from the mail.
Malik Jones, 28, of Berkeley, Missouri, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in October to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. From March 2022 to at least October 2023, Jones was involved in “every step” in a scheme to steal checks from the mail and then commit fraud with those checks, according to a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow.
In March of 2022, Jones bought a stolen “arrow key,” which allows access to U.S. Postal Service mail collection boxes, from a mail carrier, Cambria M. Hopkins. Jones then paid others to steal mail from the collection boxes in the St. Louis area using Hopkins’ key, and he removed checks from that stolen mail. Jones also paid Hopkins to steal checks from the mail for him. After obtaining these stolen checks, Jones altered or created counterfeit versions of the checks, deposited these forged and fraudulent checks, and then withdrew the check funds. Jones used Instagram to recruit others to supply their debit cards and banking information to him so he or the account holder could deposit checks into those accounts. Jones attempted to withdraw the money before the banks realized the checks were fraudulent and split any resulting proceeds with the account holders.
Jones deposited or caused others to deposit forged or fraudulent checks with a face value totaling $1.2 million, although many of those fraudulent deposits were identified by the banks and rejected. Jones was ordered Friday to repay $21,635 to victims.
Jones’ crimes came a time when mail theft was a well-publicized problem, and his actions greatly contributed to this problem through their scope, Clow wrote. In letters to Judge Perry, victims wrote that they felt financially and personally violated by Jones’ crimes and were forced to close accounts, re-issue checks and change payment methods on multiple bills.
Hopkins, 30, of Florissant, pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy and one count of unlawful use of a mail key and is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
“The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is dedicated to defending the nation’s mail system from criminal activity, preserving the integrity of the U.S. Mail, and protecting United States Postal Service employees. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service values our law enforcement partners for supporting our mission to protect the integrity of the U.S. Mail,” said Ruth M. Mendonça, Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, which includes the St. Louis Field Office.
“This sentencing represents the hard work and dedication by USPS OIG Special Agents working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to bring charges on this significant mail theft investigation,” said Special Agent in Charge Dennus Bishop, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Central Area Field Office. “The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the United States Postal Inspection Service, along with our law enforcement partners, remain committed to safeguarding the U.S. Mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Maryland Heights Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
Senior Member of Mexican Cartel Indicted on Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Terrorism Charges for Operating Massive Timeshare Properties Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn, charging Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon (Montero Pinzon), also known as “El Tarjetas,” “Moreno,” “El Chess,” “Cesar Hernandez Jimenez,” and “CH Jimenez,” a senior member of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), and his half-sister Griselda Margarita Arredondo Pinzon (Arredondo Pinzon), for their roles in an international fraud scheme organized and controlled by CJNG that targeted Americans who own timeshare properties in Mexico. Montero Pinzon and Arredondo Pinzon are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, Montero Pinzon is charged with conspiracy to provide and providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization. CJNG is a transnational criminal group based in Mexico. The defendants are Mexican nationals and are not in U.S. custody.
CJNG is a transnational criminal group based in Mexico. On February 20, 2025, CJNG was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist. Montero Pinzon continued to engage in CJNG’s timeshare fraud and in the laundering of victim funds derived from that fraud after CJNG was designated as an FTO and with knowledge of CJNG’s designation.
United States Attorney General Pamela Bondi; Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Brett A. Shumate, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Frank A. Tarentino III, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration New York Division (DEA New York); and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York), announced the indictment.
“This senior leader of a foreign terrorist organization allegedly defrauded innocent citizens to fuel terrorism against the American people,” stated Attorney General Bondi. “The CJNG and other cartels are on notice: no scheme, plot, or conspiracy will evade the reach of this Justice Department.”
“As alleged, Montero Pinzon and Arredondo Pinzon filled the coffers of a violent foreign terrorist and narcotics trafficking organization through a sophisticated fraud scheme that victimized thousands of American timeshare owners,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “CJNG funds its criminal terrorist operations using multiple tactics, from trafficking dangerous narcotics to executing complex fraud schemes, and our Office will continue to use all available tools and resources to protect American investors and the public at large, and bring to justice those who provide support to the cartel.”
Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and National Security Division, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, New York Field Office, for their invaluable assistance during the investigation.
“For more than a decade, Julio Montero Pinzon, a senior CJNG cartel leader, and Griselda Arredondo Pinzon allegedly defrauded timeshare owners before laundering the illicit proceeds to fund their terrorist organization,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “This alleged scheme spanned the globe and exploited thousands of victims, reflecting the cartel’s evolution of developing various mechanisms for criminal financing. Today’s significant disruption emphasizes the FBI’s determined resolve to not only eliminate any monetary source fueling criminal enterprises but also defend our nation against foreign adversaries.”
“CJNG has repeatedly victimized our communities through widespread drug trafficking, ruthless violence, money laundering, fraud, and other criminal schemes. Their cartel operations extend well beyond Mexico, pumping poison into American streets, fueling addiction, tearing apart neighborhoods, and corrupting financial systems,” stated DEA New York Special Agent in Charge Tarentino. “Thanks to the relentless work of DEA’s Trident Initiative—an initiative built with our federal law enforcement partners and created specifically to target and dismantle drug cartels and their leadership, the DEA and our partners were able to pursue senior members like Montero Pinzon and Arredondo Pinzon, cutting off CJNG and its network of its illicit profits through money laundering and fraud. The DEA remains relentless in dismantling these cartels and our pursuit for justice. This is our global fight—and our promise to save lives.”
“Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion ran this timeshare fraud scheme like a business, with each member playing a role—finding the investors to victimize, manipulating the docs and online sites, moving and hiding the money, and securing funds to purchase and distribute deadly narcotics into the United States,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis. “This massive, multi-million dollar fraud required timeshare owners to pay up front to sell or rent their timeshares, only to be left victim to the false promise of receiving money later. The CJNG cannot continue to operate with impunity—pocketing massive profits from narcotics trafficking and flat-out deception—which is why federal law enforcement will continue partnering in these investigations until this entire criminal organization is dismantled.”
As alleged in the indictment, since approximately 2012, CJNG perpetrated an “advance fee” fraud scheme targeting owners of timeshare properties in Mexico, including many cities in Jalisco. As part of the scheme, timeshare owners, many of whom were residents and citizens of the United States, were fraudulently induced to pay money up front either to sell or rent their timeshares under the pretext of fees and taxes, in exchange for false promises of receiving money later. Despite paying the advance fees, the victim timeshare owners did not receive the funds as promised and were unable to recoup their advance fee payments. The fraud scheme was multi-layered, and involved follow-on schemes in which the fraudsters contacted victim timeshare owners and claimed to be lawyers or government officials who could help the victims recover their lost funds, so long as they paid additional advance fees.
The timeshare fraud scheme perpetrated by CJNG was operated out of various call centers in Mexico, where fraudsters contacted and solicited timeshare owners. Since approximately 2012, Montero Pinzon participated in the creation and management of a financial network for receiving and laundering funds obtained from victims of CJNG’s timeshare fraud scheme. Arredondo Pinzon worked at a CJNG-controlled central office that oversaw the operations of the call centers and oversaw the receipt and laundering of victim funds.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count.
Additionally, on August 13, 2025, U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned Montero Pinzon for his role in CJNG’s timeshare fraud scheme. Arredondo Pinzon was previously sanctioned by OFAC for her role in CJNG’s timeshare fraud scheme. To date, OFAC has sanctioned over 70 individuals and entities based on their participation in CJNG’s timeshare fraud. Between approximately 2019-2024, approximately 6,000 U.S. victims have reported losses of approximately $350 million attributable to timeshare fraud schemes in Mexico.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section and International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section, with the Justice Department Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin Weintraub and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution with Trial Attorneys Brant Cook and Maryann McGuire. Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The case is part of the work of the Office’s Transnational Criminal Organizations Strike Force.
Complaints are often under-reported. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint at IC3.gov. Additional resources for victims are available at: FBI Timeshare Fraud Victim Resource Page
The Defendants:
JULIO CESAR MONTERO PINZON (also known as “El Tarjetas,” “Moreno,” “El Chess,” “Cesar Hernandez Jiminez,” and “CH Jiminez”)
Age: 43
Puerto Vallarta, MexicoGRISELDA MARGARITA ARREDONDO PINZON
Age: 35
Puerto Vallarta, MexicoE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-169 (ARR)
25-cr-169_julio_montero_pinzon_et_al_indictment.pdfSenior CJNG Member Indicted on Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, and Terrorism Charges for Operating Massive Timeshare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed charging Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon (Montero Pinzon), also known as El Tarjetas, Moreno, El Chess, Cesar Hernandez Jimenez, and CH Jimenez, a senior member of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), and his half-sister Griselda Margarita Arredondo Pinzon (Arredondo Pinzon), for their roles in perpetrating an international fraud scheme targeting Americans who own timeshare properties in Mexico. Montero Pinzon and Arredondo Pinzon were each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In addition, Montero Pinzon was charged with conspiracy to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and providing and attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Both Montero Pinzon and Arredondo Pinzon are Mexican nationals and are not in U.S. custody.
“This senior leader of a foreign terrorist organization allegedly defrauded innocent citizens to fuel terrorism against the American people,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The CJNG and other cartels are on notice: no scheme, plot, or conspiracy will evade the reach of this Justice Department.”
“As alleged, Montero Pinzon and Arredondo Pinzon filled the coffers of a dangerous terrorist organization through a sophisticated fraud scheme that victimized thousands of American timeshare owners,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella for the Eastern District of New York. “Terrorist cartels such as CJNG fund their activities not only through drug trafficking but also through complex fraud schemes, and this office is committed to aggressively prosecuting such crimes.”
“For more than a decade, Julio Montero Pinzon, a senior CJNG cartel leader, and Griselda Arredondo Pinzon allegedly defrauded timeshare owners before laundering the illicit proceeds to fund their terrorist organization,” said Assistant Director in Charge Christorpher G. Raia of the FBI New York Field Office. “This alleged scheme spanned the globe and exploited thousands of victims, reflecting the cartel’s evolution of developing various mechanisms for criminal financing. Today’s significant disruption emphasizes the FBI’s determined resolve to not only eliminate any monetary source fueling criminal enterprises but also defend our nation against foreign adversaries.”
“CJNG has repeatedly victimized our communities through widespread drug trafficking, ruthless violence, money laundering, fraud, and other criminal schemes. Their cartel operations extend well beyond Mexico, pumping poison into American streets, fueling addiction, tearing apart neighborhoods, and corrupting financial systems,” said Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino of DEA New York Division. “Thanks to the relentless work of DEA’s Trident Initiative — an initiative built with our federal law enforcement partners and created specifically to target and dismantle drug cartels and their leadership, the DEA and our partners were able to pursue senior members like Montero Pinzon and Arredondo Pinzon, cutting off CJNG and its network of its illicit profits through money laundering and fraud. The DEA remains relentless in dismantling these cartels and our pursuit for justice. This is our global fight — and our promise to save lives.”
“Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion ran this timeshare fraud scheme like a business, with each member playing a role — finding the investors to victimize, manipulating the docs and online sites, moving and hiding the money, and securing funds to purchase and distribute deadly narcotics into the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis of IRS-CI's New York Field Office. “This massive, multi-million dollar fraud required timeshare owners to pay up front to sell or rent their timeshares, only to be left victim to the false promise of receiving money later. The CJNG cannot continue to operate with impunity — pocketing massive profits from narcotics trafficking and flat-out deception — which is why federal law enforcement will continue partnering in these investigations until this entire criminal organization is dismantled.”
According to the indictment, CJNG has been perpetrating an “advance fee” fraud scheme targeting owners of timeshare properties since approximately 2012. As part of the scheme, timeshare owners, many of whom were residents and citizens of the United States, were fraudulently induced to pay money up front either to sell or rent their timeshares under the pretext of fees and taxes, in exchange for false promises of receiving money later. Despite paying the advance fees, the victim timeshare owners did not receive the funds as promised and were unable to recoup their advance fee payments. The fraud scheme was multi-layered, involving follow-on schemes in which the fraudsters contacted victim timeshare owners and claimed to be lawyers or government officials who could help the victims recover their lost funds, so long as they paid additional advance fees.
The timeshare fraud scheme perpetrated by CJNG was operated out of various call centers in Mexico, where fraudsters contacted and solicited timeshare owners. Since approximately 2012, Montero Pinzon participated in the creation and management of a financial network for receiving and laundering funds obtained from victims of CJNG’s timeshare fraud scheme. Arredondo Pinzon worked at a CJNG-controlled central office that oversaw the operations of the call centers and oversaw the receipt and laundering of victim funds.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in prison on each count.
On Feb. 20, CJNG was designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, pursuant to section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, and Executive Order 13224, as amended. Montero Pinzon continued to engage in CJNG’s timeshare fraud and in the laundering of victim funds derived from that fraud after CJNG was designated as an FTO and with knowledge of CJNG’s designation.
On Aug. 13, Montero Pinzon was sanctioned by the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for his role in CJNG’s timeshare fraud scheme. On July 16, 2024, OFAC sanctioned Arredondo Pinzon for her role in CJNG’s timeshare fraud scheme. To date, OFAC has sanctioned over 70 individuals and entities based on their participation in CJNG’s timeshare fraud. Between approximately 2019-2024, approximately 6,000 U.S. victims have reported losses of approximately $350 million attributable to timeshare fraud schemes in Mexico.
Trial Attorneys Brant Cook and Maryann McGuire of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Weintraub and Andrew Wang for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with critical support from the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish, and other languages are available.
More information about the department’s efforts to help American seniors is available at its Elder Justice Initiative webpage. For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit its website at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov/ or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office for Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Complaints are often under-reported. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint at IC3.gov. Additional resources for victims are available at: FBI Timeshare Fraud Victim Resource Page
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Scribner Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Two Counts of Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jordan Vaughn, 34, of Scribner, Nebraska, was sentenced on September 11, 2025, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for two counts of production of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Vaughn to 360 months on each count of conviction and ordered the sentences to run consecutively to one another, for a total of 720 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Vaughn is released from prison, he will begin a life term of supervised release.
The case began when it was discovered Vaughn had been sending images of his genitals to a minor child. Further investigation identified that Vaughn was sexually abusing multiple young children, aged 12 and younger, and preserving digital evidence of the assaults. Vaughn would additionally sexually assault one or more of his victims while the victims were asleep. A search of Vaughn’s phone located a large amount of child pornography in addition to evidence of production of child pornography. Vaughn worked at the Winnebago Police Department in Winnebago, Nebraska in late 2024 and early 2025 but was terminated over the instant offenses.
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods said in response to the conviction and judgment: “The successful investigation and prosecution of this egregious child sex offender not only ended the living nightmares of each vulnerable victim he targeted but also stripped this predator of his police badge and prevented him from carrying a weapon on the Winnebago reservation and having access to more children in the line of duty. The just and appropriate sentence in this case fits the outrageousness and depravity of the unthinkable crimes committed against these innocent children.”
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 Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln Police Department in conjunction with the Omaha FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Rochester man going to prison for possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Daniel P. Walsh, 58, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, was sentenced to serve 97 months in prison and 10 years supervised release by U.S. District Judge Charles J. Siragusa.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle P. Rossi, who handled the case, stated that Walsh came to the attention of the Rochester Police Department in November 2024, after Google reported that an account associated with Walsh had been flagged for containing child pornography. Rochester Police and the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence, during which they seized multiple computers and other digital devices. A forensic review revealed that Walsh received and possessed more than 600 images and videos of child pornography, to include child pornography depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexual conduct with adults, and children being subjected to violent sexual abuse. In many instances, Walsh superimposed the faces of minors that he knew onto the images of child pornography, so that it appeared that the minors were engaged in sexual acts.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
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Rochester company to pay $1.8 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations related to improper receipt of Paycheck Protection Program loansRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Durst Image Technology US LLC (Durst) agreed to pay $1.8 million to resolve False Claims Act allegations that they improperly obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for which they were not eligible.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to American businesses suffering from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the SBA. Regulations provided various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the applicants’ number of employees, including employees of the applicants’ foreign affiliates. Specifically, applicants for second draw PPP loans were required, generally, to have 300 or fewer employees.
The United States contends that Durst obtained a forgiven PPP loan that it was not eligible for because it exceeded the size requirements for a second draw PPP loan. In 2021, when Durst obtained a second draw PPP loan, it was a wholly owned subsidiary of Durst Group AG, a company based in Brixen, Italy with multiple subsidiaries worldwide. Durst Group AG and its affiliates, including Durst, had over 300 employees at the time of Durst’s PPP loan.
“PPP was designed to support small business during the COVID-19 Pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “When companies fail to comply with the size and eligibility rules, this office is committed to recovering taxpayer dollars that were improperly obtained and spent.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party—known as a relator—can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2 Inc. v. Durst Image Technology US LLC, 24-cv-6185 (W.D.N.Y.). The relator will receive a share of the settlement.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell and USAO Investigator Margaret McFarland, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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Red Bluff Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
Ricardo Gutierrez, 28, of Red Bluff, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 24 years and four months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in April 2024, Gutierrez used four prepubescent children, including one toddler, to create two videos of the children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Gutierrez recorded himself and the child victims on video through Facebook Messenger.
Law enforcement was alerted about Gutierrez by a woman Gutierrez met on the Tinder dating app. Gutierrez had sent the woman an unsolicited photograph that depicted a clothed minor female approximately 6-8 years old looking away from the camera, accompanied by three iMessage emojis of a face with a hand over the mouth. Gutierrez then asked the woman if she had access to young girls. Gutierrez also sent the woman an unsolicited 17-second video that depicted an adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a minor female approximately 5-8 years old.
Between November 2023 and July 2024, Gutierrez distributed several child sexual abuse images and videos to others through his Telegram and WhatsApp accounts, and via iMessage. This included the distribution of a video that depicted an adult male engaged in sexually explicit conduct with an infant. Gutierrez also possessed more than 4,800 files depicting the sexual abuse of children on his phone. The files included images of children engaged in sexual acts with adults and other children.
This case was the product of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to 19 Years in Federal Prison for Her Leading Role in a Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy in Pine Ridge and Rapid CityRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a woman from Pine Ridge, South Dakota, convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on September 19, 2025.
Kealey Twiss, 32, was sentenced to 19 years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Twiss was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024 for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. She pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025.
The investigation revealed that Twiss and others distributed significant amounts of methamphetamine in Pine Ridge and Rapid City. Twiss was a leader in the conspiracy. Her role included setting prices, organizing the distribution, and engaging in interstate trips to obtain methamphetamine for further distribution in South Dakota. In sentencing Twiss to 230 months in prison, Judge Schreier denounced the terrible impact methamphetamine has on the Pine Ridge community.
This case was investigated by Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Twiss was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Perry Hall Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Today, District Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Terrell Ridgley, 34, of Perry Hall, Maryland, to 87 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release, after his conviction for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS).
According to the guilty plea, Ridgley engaged in drug trafficking as part of a drug trafficking organization (DTO) led by co-defendant Tyon Bailey. On multiple occasions in late 2023, and early 2024, an undercover agent purchased quantities of fentanyl from Bailey. Throughout this time, authorities observed Ridgley meeting with Bailey and other DTO members. On January 3, 2024, law enforcement saw Ridgley exit a vehicle carrying what appeared to be controlled dangerous substances in his sweatshirt. After a K-9 scan of Ridgley’s vehicle, authorities discovered the presence of narcotics.
On February 12, Ridgley crashed his vehicle while driving on I-695. He then met Bailey and another associate at a nearby auto repair shop. Law enforcement engaged the individuals and recovered approximately 250 grams of fentanyl, 100 grams of cocaine, and a large quantity of cash and jewelry – all from Bailey. Authorities also recovered a Glock 23 firearm loaded with 23 rounds from a vehicle that Ridgley and the others were around moments before law enforcement engaged them.
In August 2024, law enforcement heard Ridgley — via court-authorized wiretap interceptions — discussing fentanyl distribution with Bailey. Specifically, Ridgley discussed the “blue stuff” stored at Bailey’s residence. Some of the fentanyl the undercover agent purchased from Bailey was in blue-powder form.
On October 3, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ridgley’s Perry Hall residence. While searching the premises, investigators observed Ridgley flushing a purple fentanyl mixture down the toilet, some of which law enforcement salvaged. During the search of the residence, investigators also recovered bags containing a fentanyl mixture in various colors, including purple, blue, and white.
In total, investigators seized more than 400 grams of fentanyl as well as cocaine from Ridgley’s residence. Investigators also recovered cutting agents used to prepare fentanyl for distribution. Ridgley admitted he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
Sentencing for co-defendants Tyon Bailey and Jaron Rhodes is scheduled for September 24, and October 15, respectively.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. The specific mission of the Baltimore Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region. The Baltimore SF is comprised of agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the Maryland National Guard, the Maryland State Police, and the Maryland Transportation Authority, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA, BPD, and DPSCS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. O’Donohue III, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Passaic County Woman Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining over $144,000 in Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Passaic County, New Jersey woman admitted that she defrauded the Social Security Administration by improperly obtaining over $144,000.00 in Social Security survivor benefits, Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Alina Habba announced.
Joan Charnecky, 60, of West Milford, New Jersey, pled guilty on September 10, 2025, before Senior U.S. District Judge Katharine S. Hayden in Newark federal court to an Information charging her with theft of public money.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The Social Security Administration provided widow’s insurance benefits to Charnecky’s mother. Those benefits were paid monthly through electronic funds into Charnecky’s mother’s bank account. After Charnecky’s mother died in 2012, Charnecky did not notify the Social Security Administration about her mother’s death, and she made withdrawals of the widow’s insurance benefits for her own personal use. Through an investigation by the Social Security Administration, it was determined that between 2012 and 2022, Charnecky withdrew approximately $144,768.30 in widow’s insurance benefits.
The charge of theft of public money carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for January 21, 2026.
Acting U.S. Attorney and Special Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Amy Connelly, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Abrams of the Narcotics/OCDETF Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Joel Bacher, Esq.
charnecky.information.pdfParkersburg Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Aaron Lee Mitter, 39, of Parkersburg, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 11, 2024, Mitter sold approximately 24.52 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $280. As part of his guilty plea, Mitter admitted to the transaction. Mitter further admitted to selling an unregistered privately made firearm, commonly known as a “ghost gun,” and a magazine capable of holding 45 rounds of ammunition that day for $400.
On July 17, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Parkersburg apartment where Mitter was staying at the time. Officers seized approximately 45.67 grams of methamphetamine in the apartment during the search. Mitter admitted that he intended to use some of the seized methamphetamine and distribute the rest.
Mitter has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for domestic battery, breaking and entering, burglary, and theft.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Wood County Sheriff's Office, and the Parkersburg Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-182.
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