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10 September 2025
Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Possessing MachinegunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bloods gang member from Lynn, Mass., was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing a loaded machinegun that was recovered from his backpack in January 2025 during a motor vehicle stop.
Delvyn Liriano, 19, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to four years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. In May 2025, Liriano pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Liriano was indicted on March 5, 2025.
According to court records, Liriano is a known member of the Bloods gang. In late December 2024, Liriano traveled into rival gang territory in order to confront rival gang members with a firearm. At the time, Liriano was on state probation for a 2023 felony firearm conviction in Lynn, in which he pointed a firearm in the face of a former girlfriend and threatened to kill her based upon his belief that she had associated with a rival gang member.
On Jan. 3, 2025, Liriano was observed entering a motor vehicle at his residence in Everett carrying a black backpack. Following a motor vehicle stop for a revoked registration due to lack of insurance, the black backpack carried by Liriano was found to contain a loaded Glock Model 27 firearm with a selector switch (also known as a machinegun conversion device) attached. Liriano was then placed under arrest. Based upon the presence of the selector switch, the firearm was capable of firing fully automatic and was therefore a machinegun. A subsequent search of Liriano’s cellular phones revealed pictures of him in possession of other firearms.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office; and the Lynn, Malden and Everett Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Blairsville Man Pleads Guilty to Supplemental Security Income Fraud and TheftRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Blairsville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to charges of fraud and theft of government property, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Tarance Benjamin Foster, 68, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti to one count of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) fraud and one count of theft of government property.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Foster applied for SSI benefits—a monthly, needs-based payment benefit afforded to people with disabilities and the elderly who have little or no income—through the Social Security Administration (SSA). Applicants are required to report their wages, assets, and living arrangements as factors for consideration in determining eligibility for SSI.
In 2025, SSA learned that wages were posted to Foster’s record from nine different employers, with employment records establishing that Foster worked from January 2020 through June 2025. Had Foster informed the SSA of his income during this time, he would not have received any SSI benefits. In total, Foster obtained over $34,000 in SSI benefits for which he was not eligible.
Judge Conti scheduled sentencing for January 21, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 10 years of imprisonment, 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 offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Foster.
Baltimore Recidivist Sentenced for Possession of Firearm and Ammunition by Convicted Felon in School ZoneRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Chief Judge George L. Russell, III, sentenced Gary Hall, 34, of Baltimore, Maryland, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, along with possession of a firearm in a school zone in Baltimore City.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
On March 5, 2024, BPD received a report about an armed individual in a convenience store. Authorities later identified the individual as Gary Hall, a previously convicted felon. Upon arrival at the convenience store, the responding officer located Hall walking in the direction of Pimlico Elementary School as students were leaving school for the day. The responding officer pursued Hall and identified the handle of a firearm inside of Hall’s inner jacket pocket.
The officer then attempted to stop Hall, but he resisted and engaged in a physical struggle. During the struggle, the officer recovered the loaded firearm from Hall’s inner jacket pocket, but Hall evaded capture. At the time of its recovery, the firearm was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 19 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Then on March 6, officers responded to a report of a burglary at a residence located a few blocks away from the convenience store. There, responding officers located and arrested Hall in the basement of the residence.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Tsuei and James Hammond who are 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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Alien from Wuhan, China Sentenced for Smuggling Biological Materials into the U.S. for Her Work at a University of Michigan Laboratory and for Lying About the ShipmentsRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Chengxuan HAN, a citizen of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), was sentenced today to time served (3 months) after having pleaded guilty to three smuggling charges and to making false statements to U.S. Custom and Border Protection Officers, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Acting Special Agent in Charge Reuben Coleman, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Division, Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Matthew Stentz, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit field office.
According to court documents, Han is a citizen of the PRC who is currently pursuing a Ph.D. from the College of Life Science and Technology in the Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) in Wuhan, PRC. In 2024 and 2025, Han sent multiple packages to the United States from the PRC containing concealed biological material. These packages were addressed to individuals associated with a laboratory at the University of Michigan. On June 8, 2025, Han arrived at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport on a J1 visa. Customs and Border Protection officers conducted an inspection of Han, during which Han made false statements about the packages and the biological materials she had previously shipped to the United States. CBP officers also found that the content of Han’s electronic device had been deleted three days prior to her arrival in the United States. At the conclusion of the border inspection, Han was interviewed by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and ICE HSI. During this interview, Han admitted to sending the packages, admitted that the packages contained biological material related to round worms, and admitted to making false statements to the CBP officers during her inspection.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “It is a privilege to study at one of our elite institutions. Aliens should not be abusing our hospitality by smuggling unknown biomaterials into America and then lying about it. The folks who keep us safe must know what aliens like the defendant are bringing into our country. And these convictions are a small but important step in that direction.”
"Today's sentencing reinforces the FBI's unwavering commitment to protecting Americans from individuals who attempt to illegally import biological materials into our country,” said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I would like to thank the dedicated members of the FBI Detroit Field Office, alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection and ICE HSI, who played a vital role in this investigation. I also send my sincerest appreciation to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their partnership in securing this successful prosecution. The FBI will remain steadfast in its mission to safeguard our nation and protect our communities from those who attempt to jeopardize the safety and security or the American people."
“While the criminal outcome could have been far worse for Ms. Han, she will be removed from the U.S. and barred from reentry as the result of her actions,” said Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “This case serves as another example of the interagency effort put forth each day to protect our homeland from a growing number of threats from beyond our borders.”
“Smuggling biological materials into the United States poses a serious threat, and HSI remains committed to work with our partners to investigate and disrupt such activities,” said ICE HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Matthew Stentz. “This case highlights the importance of collaboration among federal agencies to protect our communities and uphold the rule of law.”
The FBI, CBP and ICE HSI investigated this case.
9 September 2025
“LockerGoga,” “MegaCortex,” and “Nefilim” Ransomware Administrator Charged with Ransomware AttacksRead the Press Release
Earlier today, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York unsealed a superseding indictment charging Volodymyr Viktorovich Tymoshchuk — also known as deadforz, Boba, msfv, and farnetwork — a Ukrainian national, with serving as an administrator in the LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Nefilim ransomware schemes.
“Volodymyr Tymoshchuk is charged for his role in ransomware schemes that extorted more than 250 companies across the United States and hundreds more around the world,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “In some instances, these attacks resulted in the complete disruption of business operations until encrypted data could be recovered or restored. This prosecution and today’s rewards announcement reflects our determination to protect businesses from digital sabotage and extortion and to relentlessly pursue the criminals responsible, no matter where they are located.”
“Tymoshchuk is a serial ransomware criminal who targeted blue-chip American companies, health care institutions, and large foreign industrial firms, and threatened to leak their sensitive data online if they refused to pay,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “For a time, the defendant stayed ahead of law enforcement by deploying new strains of malicious software when his old ones were decrypted. Today’s charges reflect international coordination to unmask and charge a dangerous and pervasive ransomware actor who can no longer remain anonymous.”
“Volodymyr Tymoshchuk repeatedly used ransomware attacks to target hundreds of companies in the United States and around the globe in attempts to extort victims,” said Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia of the FBI New York Field Office. “Today’s announcement should serve as warning, cyber criminals may believe they act with impunity while conducting harmful cyber intrusions, but law enforcement is onto you and will hold you accountable. The FBI along with our law enforcement partners will continue to scour the globe to bring to justice any individual attempting to use the anonymity of the internet to commit crime.”
“The criminals behind Nefilim ransomware may believe they can profit from extortion and data leaks, but they are wrong,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. S. Johnson of the FBI’s Springfield Field Office. “The FBI is actively pursuing them to disrupt their operations and bring them to justice. We urge all organizations to report these attacks immediately — because every report helps us dismantle these networks and ensure cybercriminals are held accountable.”
As alleged in the superseding indictment, between December 2018 and October 2021, Tymoshchuk used the LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Nefilim ransomware variants to encrypt computer networks in countries around the world, including in the Eastern District of New York, elsewhere in the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. These ransomware attacks caused millions of dollars of losses, including damage to victim computer systems, remediation costs, and ransomware payments to the perpetrators. In these attacks, the perpetrators typically customized the ransomware executable file (the ransomware file responsible for encryption) for each ransomware victim. The customization allowed the ransomware actors to create a decryption key that could only decrypt the network of the specific victim. If a victim paid the ransom demand, the perpetrators would send a decryption tool, which enabled the victim to decrypt the computer files locked by the ransomware program.
Between July 2019 and June 2020, Tymoshchuk and his co‑conspirators are alleged to have compromised the networks of more than 250 victim companies in the United States and hundreds of other companies around the world with LockerGoga and MegaCortex. However, many of these extortion attempts were unsuccessful because law enforcement often notified victims that their networks had been compromised before Tymoshchuk and his co-conspirators were able to deploy the ransomware. Subsequently, from July 2020 through October 2021, Tymoshchuk is alleged to have been one of the administrators of the Nefilim ransomware strain. Tymoshchuk and the other Nefilim administrators provided other Nefilim ransomware affiliates, including co‑defendant Artem Stryzhak, who was extradited from Spain and faces charges in the Eastern District of New York, with access to the Nefilim ransomware in exchange for 20 percent of the ransom proceeds extorted from Nefilim victims.
In September 2022, as part of an international coordinated effort against LockerGoga and MegaCortex ransomware, decryption keys associated with those ransomware variants were made available to the public via the “No More Ransomware Project,” an initiative to empower ransomware victims to decrypt encrypted computers without paying a ransom. These decryption keys enabled compromised victim companies and institutions to recover data previously encrypted with LockerGoga and MegaCortex ransomware.
Tymoshchuk is charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit fraud and related activity in connection with computers, three counts of intentional damage to a protected computer, one count of unauthorized access to a protected computer, and one count of transmitting a threat to disclose confidential information.
The FBI is investigating this case.
Trial Attorney Brian Z. Mund of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexander F. Mindlin and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance, as did the FBI’s Legal Attachés, authorities in France, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and Ukraine, and Europol and Eurojust via ICHIP The Hague.
CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.
Concurrent with the unsealing of the superseding indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Rewards Program is offering a rewards totaling up to $11 million for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction or location of Tymoshchuk or his conspirators.
Anyone with information on these malicious cyber actors, or associated individuals or entities, should contact the FBI via phone at +1-917-242-1407 or by email at TymoTips@fbi.gov. If you are in the United States, you can also contact your local FBI field office. If outside the United States, you can visit the nearest U.S. embassy. More information about the TOC reward offer is located on the State Department website.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worksite Enforcement Operation Leads to Five Criminal Arrests and More than 50 Administratively Detained AliensRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Federal law enforcement officers detained 57 illegally present aliens at their place of illegal employment in Cayuga County, New York, on September 4. Five of them have been charged by criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after a prior removal. They are:
- Alex Ben Chipin, a/k/a Alex Ben-Chiping, a/k/a Alex Bing-Chiping, a/k/a Antonio Lopez-Mendez, age 39, of Guatemala;
- Argentina Juarez-Lopez, age 50, of Guatemala;
- Luis Jom-Morales, age 27, of Guatemala;
- Gregorio Baldemar Ramirez-Perez, age 45, of Guatemala; and
- Francisco Salvardo-Mora, age 22, of Mexico.
Each defendant is charged separately. The charges in the complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The remaining 52 aliens were detained administratively pending immigration proceedings.
The announcement was made by Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Buffalo Field Office; Acting Chief Patrol Agent James P. D’Amato, United States Border Patrol, Buffalo Sector; and Harry Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), New York Field Division
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “These defendants face charges arising out of one of the largest worksite enforcement actions in recent history. Employers across the Northern District of New York must understand that they risk criminal investigation if they are employing non-citizens who are not authorized to work in the United States. Across Upstate and Central New York, there are hard-working Americans in need of well-paying jobs, especially in Cayuga County where unemployment is relatively high. Our worksite enforcement actions will ensure that those jobs go to people who are authorized to work in the United States, and not to aliens who illegally re-enter our country after prior deportations.”
Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge, HSI Buffalo, stated, “Today’s announcement underscores the continued coordination of law enforcement partners with the goal of uncovering possibly dangerous or abusive business practices and, in turn, protecting the public from labor exploitation. While this continues to be an active and ongoing criminal investigation, HSI remains committed to protecting the rights of workers and upholding U.S. laws, including by identifying and addressing exploitation in the workplace, ensuring compliance with labor and immigration laws, and safeguarding the integrity of our nation's workforce.”
Harry T. Chavis, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York, stated, “IRS-CI has a long history of collaborating with our law enforcement partners, and worksite enforcement operations are no different. Businesses are expected to apply good employment practices in hiring their workforce in accordance with U.S. laws and reporting payroll and other related financials appropriately. IRS-CI will continue to use their financial expertise in furthering these types of investigations.”
The charges filed against the five defendants listed above carry a maximum term of 2 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to 1 year. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
HSI, Border Patrol, and IRS-CI are investigating the cases with investigative and/or operational assistance from various agencies including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Marshals Service, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Perry is prosecuting the cases.
Woman Who Committed Murder at an Ohio National Park to Spend More Than 22 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – An Alexandria, Virginia woman has been sentenced to prison after admitting that she drove more than 300 miles across state lines to meet with a 31-year-old man whom she shot and killed at a national park in Northern Ohio.
Chelsea Perkins, 35, was sentenced to 270 months (22.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr. after pleading guilty in May to murder in the second degree and using or carrying and discharging a firearm during, and in relation to, a crime of violence on federal property. She was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment. Restitution is to be determined at a later date.
Court documents show that in March 2021, Perkins drove her husband’s Smart car from Virginia to Ohio to meet with the victim, Matthew Dunmire, whom she knew. After she picked him up, they spent the night at a vacation rental home. On the morning of March 6, Perkins drove Dunmire to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Valley View, Ohio. They hiked past a cemetery, across deep ravines, and off-trail into a wooded area. While on those federal park grounds, Perkins used a loaded firearm she brought with her and shot Dunmire in the back of the head, killing him. She then left the scene and drove to Michigan to get a tattoo of a noose on her forearm before driving back to Virginia.
During the investigation, evidence linked Perkins to the shooting. Federal agents executed a search warrant at her home in Virginia and found three 9mm pistols, including one inside a woman’s purse that also contained Perkins’ photo identification. The firearm later tested positive for Perkins’ DNA. Investigators also found a deleted note on Perkins’ cellphone that appeared to be a fake suicide note purportedly written by Dunmire that Perkins created around the time that Dunmire’s body was found. Dunmire’s body was found by hikers several days after the shooting.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, National Park Service Investigative Branch, Valley View Police Department, and Cuyahoga Valley National Park Police Department.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorneys Scott Zarzycki, Margaret A. Kane, and Adam J. Joines for the Northern District of Ohio.
Whitley County Man Sentenced to 420 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Joel J. McClure, 38 years old, of Columbia City, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children, announced Acting United States Attorney M. Scott Proctor.
McClure was sentenced to 300 months in prison for the count of sexual exploitation of children, and a consecutive term of 120 months imprisonment for committing that offense while being a registered sex offender, for a total sentence of 420 months, followed by 5 years of supervised release.According to documents in the case, McClure used the internet to solicit a fourteen-year-old girl to produce and send him child sexual abuse material, which he then shared with others on the internet. McClure then lured the child to meet with him in person and provided her vape pens and THC gummies in exchange for sexual contact. McClure was a registered sex offender at the time of this offense, having previously been convicted of an offense against children in Texas.
“Joel McClure is a sexual predator of the worst kind,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Proctor. “He abused a child in Texas, was convicted of that crime, and was required to register as a sex offender. Yet those severe consequences failed to deter him from ensnaring another child in his web of lies and then exploiting that child for his own perverse gratification. In other words, he has shown that only a long prison sentence will keep our families safe from his depredations. Thankfully, the exceptional work of this Office and our Project Safe Childhood partners secured a 35-year sentence that will lock him away in a place where he can do no more harm to our nation’s children.”
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed and the lifelong impact they have on victims,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The FBI will never stop working to protect children and hold predators accountable - we will relentlessly pursue anyone who seeks to harm the most vulnerable among us.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Allen County Sheriff’s Department/FBI Task Force with assistance from the Cook County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Department, the Schaumburg (Illinois) Police Department, the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department, the Indiana State Police, the Whitley County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Cook County (Illinois) Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stacey R. Speith.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Valentine’s Day gas station robber who tried to plead insanity found guiltyRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 42-year-old Houston man has been convicted on all five counts as charged in relation to several Houston-area robberies, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding Ahmed Oraby Ahmedaly guilty of attempted robbery and two counts each of robbery and discharging a firearm following a five-day trial.
During trial, the jury heard from store clerk victims, a firearm and tool mark examiner and other members of law enforcement. Testimony revealed that on Feb. 9, 2022, Ahmedaly entered a Houston-area gas station pretending to be a customer, brandished a 9mm pistol at a store clerk and demanded cash. Five days later, he robbed two more convenience stores in west Houston on the same night. In each, he again brandished the pistol and demanded money. During the Feb. 14 robberies, he also discharged the firearm inside the stores as he ordered clerks to quickly comply.
The jury saw video surveillance capturing a blue Honda at all three robberies which showed the same man entering the stores.
At the time of his arrest, authorities recovered the loaded 9mm pistol in his vehicle. Forensic analysis confirmed the firearm matched a recovered cartridge casing from the Feb. 14 robbery.
The jury also heard several jail calls in which Ahmedaly discussed the firearm being used and admitted he was the man seen on store video.
The defense claimed Ahmedaly was insane at the time of the offenses and attempted to offer testimony from his friend and sister as part of that argument. However, the court heard evidence that his sister and friend had, in fact, had minimal contact with him for years prior to the offenses.
A forensic psychologist who had examined Ahmedaly found he was faking and exaggerating his psychotic symptoms.
The jury also heard rebuttal information to explain his sane behavior and the same methods of operation he used in all three store robberies. On the stand, Ahmedaly admitted he knew what he did was wrong.
The jury ultimately did not believe defense claims and found him guilty as charged.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and set sentencing for Dec. 11. At that time, Ahmedaly faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation with assistance from the Houston Police Department, Harris County Constables Office - Precinct 5 and Waller County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez and Andrew Sand are prosecuting the case.
United States Files Forfeiture Action Against More Than $12 Million in Funds Involved in Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint on Friday against more than $12 million in Tether cryptocurrency relating to a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
According to the complaint, the FBI identified 10 female Mandarin-speaking victims of a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme who lost at total of more than $10.3 million. The unidentified perpetrator(s) courted his victims after striking up unsolicited conversations via text message and then persuaded them to invest large sums of money using a fraudulent website called ShakepayEX, which was made to mimic a popular cryptocurrency exchange based in Canada. When the victims tried to withdraw their funds, they were met with various excuses and fraudulent demands. Law enforcement used blockchain analysis and other investigative techniques to determine that the cryptocurrency sought to be forfeited was tied to the scheme.
Acting United States Attorney Sarcone said: “Cryptocurrency investment scams are the latest vehicle for con artists from all over the world to victimize Americans right here in our backyards. But this civil action is the latest example that law enforcement can and will use all the tools at our disposal to ensure that those who abuse legitimate technology will not profit from their deviant conduct.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli said: “Cryptocurrency scams are one of the most prevalent and damaging fraud schemes the FBI investigates. They have a devastating financial impact on victims and cause a tremendous amount of emotional distress. This filing serves as a reminder the FBI will continue to work with our partners to use every resource available to identify these schemes, investigate the criminals perpetrating them, and seek justice and relief for the victims.”
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua R. Rosenthal is representing the United States.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, and investment scams – should contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov.
U.S. Trustee Program Obtains More Than $1.1M in Monetary Relief Against 12 Defendants in Nationwide Foreclosure Defense SchemeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) recently obtained a judgment imposing more than $1.1 million in civil penalties, fines, damages, and fees against 12 defendants who collaborated in a nationwide scheme to defraud vulnerable homeowners facing foreclosure.
On Aug. 28, following an eight-day trial on the USTP’s complaint, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Louisiana entered judgment against NVA Financial Services LLC; its president and sole member, Steven Nahas; Karen Kisch, the defendants’ managing attorney; and nine associates involved in the business. The court found “overwhelming evidence” that the defendants carried out a scheme in which homeowners were “shunted into frivolous pro se bankruptcy cases” so that the defendants could continue billing the homeowners under the pretense of gaining time to negotiate loan modifications. The USTP introduced evidence at trial showing that the scheme resulted in at least 186 abusive bankruptcy filings.
“This judgment makes clear that those who abuse the bankruptcy system to exploit struggling homeowners will be held accountable,” said Acting Director Ramona D. Elliott of the Executive Office for U.S. Trustees. “The USTP will remain vigilant to root out schemes that threaten the integrity of the bankruptcy system.”
The USTP’s complaint arose out of a chapter 13 bankruptcy case filed by a homeowner from West Monroe, Louisiana, who had sought mortgage assistance to avoid a foreclosure sale. The homeowner paid a $1,100 retainer for what he believed was legal representation, followed by multiple $500 monthly payments debited from his bank account. The defendants’ local counsel in Louisiana, who the homeowner believed was representing him, never communicated with him or provided any assistance. Instead, with the foreclosure sale date approaching, an NVA associate sent the homeowner a bare-bones bankruptcy petition — listing the mortgage lender as the only creditor — and told him how to file it on his own. The bankruptcy court dismissed the petition a month later for failure to provide proof of required pre-bankruptcy credit counseling and failure to pay the filing fee.
The defendants continued to debit the homeowner’s bank account for “loan modification services” while pressuring him to file another bankruptcy case. After the homeowner received notice of a rescheduled foreclosure sale, he hired a local bankruptcy attorney, but the defendants repeatedly urged him to fire the attorney and allow them to continue to “work his file.” The homeowner’s new attorney reopened the bankruptcy case and eventually negotiated a mortgage loan modification for the homeowner.
In an opinion accompanying the judgment, the bankruptcy court concluded that each of the 12 defendants had abused multiple sections of the Bankruptcy Code governing bankruptcy petition preparers, debt relief agencies, and attorneys, resulting in at least 186 abusive bankruptcy filings nationwide. While trying to hide their involvement in the fraudulent scheme, the defendants tried to earn as much money as possible and often abused the bankruptcy process.
Along with imposing $1.1 million in monetary relief, the court temporarily suspended Kisch and the defendants’ local counsel in Louisiana from practicing before the bankruptcy court and referred them to attorney disciplinary authorities for violations of professional conduct rules. Two associates involved in the business were referred to disciplinary authorities as well for their unauthorized practice of law.
The USTP’s mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public. The USTP consists of 21 regions with 88 field offices nationwide and an Executive Office in Washington, D.C. Learn more about the USTP at www.justice.gov/ust.
U.S. Attorney Remarks – News Conference, September 9, 2025Read the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – We are here to announce that on September 4, federal law enforcement officers conducted a major worksite enforcement operation in Cayuga County, New York, detaining 57 people unlawfully present in this country.
Among those detained, five have been criminally charged for illegally reentering the United States after prior removal — a felony offense that undermines the security of our borders and the safety of our communities. Each defendant is charged separately. The charges in the complaints are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Last week’s operation enforced our immigration laws, but it also struck a blow for fairness and opportunity for hard-working, able-bodied Americans who deserve access to all of the well-paying jobs in their communities, some of which suffer from relatively high unemployment rates. I am not here to comment on the specific employer whose offices were the subject of last week’s operation. What I will say, more broadly, is that employers that knowingly hire unauthorized workers are breaking the law and also contributing to a system that harms our economy, jeopardizes public safety, and devalues the hard work of lawful employees.
To employers across the Northern District of New York: heed this warning. We will aggressively pursue criminal investigations against those who violate our laws by employing non-citizens without authorization. There will be consequences. The bad old days of turning a blind eye are over.
We recognize the contributions that lawful immigrants make to our communities. But illegal reentry after deportation is a flagrant violation of federal law — and it will not be tolerated. Nor will we tolerate the greed of those employers that knowingly hire illegal aliens.
We will continue to work in close coordination with our partners at Homeland Security Investigations, the Border Patrol, the IRS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and other agencies to identify violators and hold them accountable.
You can expect to see federal law enforcement at more worksites, going forward. We owe it to the American people to enforce our immigration laws fairly, firmly, and without exception.
Three Indicted and Arrested for Covid-Related Unemployment Insurance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
In a coordinated arrest by several law enforcement agencies, three defendants were arrested today for their roles in a Covid-fraud scheme targeting the California Employment Development Department (EDD), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Yolanda Butler, 49, was arrested in Oklahoma, and her son Legerrius Holt, 28, was arrested in Colorado. Both are formerly of Stockton. The third defendant, Quamaine Massey, 33, formerly of North Carolina, was arrested in Ohio. On Aug. 7, 2025, a federal grand jury returned a four-count indictment charging the defendants with mail fraud; Butler and Holt are additionally charged with aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, between April 2020 and June 2021, the defendants perpetrated a mail fraud and identity theft scheme that targeted the Unemployment Insurance benefit program that California administers through EDD. Under the 2020 CARES Act and the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program, EDD was responsible for administering unemployment insurance benefits for qualifying residents who could no longer find employment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants obtained the personally identifiable information (PII) of dozens of individuals and filed at least 69 fraudulent unemployment insurance benefit claims under their identities. EDD approved many of these applications and mailed benefits in the form of prepaid debit cards to addresses under the defendants’ control, including dozens to Butler and Holt’s home address in Stockton and at least three to Massey’s home in North Carolina.
Once received, the defendants activated the cards and spent the benefits on themselves. In total, the defendants’ conduct resulted in EDD and the United States paying out more than $1.1 million, with an intended loss of more than $1.4 million.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the Department of Homeland Security-Office of Inspector General, and California EDD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise N. Yasinow is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, all defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud, and Butler and Holt face a mandatory additional sentence of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft. The defendants also face a maximum fine of $250,000 on each count. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This effort is part of a California COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Strike Force operation, one of five interagency COVID-19 fraud strike force teams established by the U.S. Department of Justice. The California Strike Force combines law enforcement and prosecutorial resources in the Eastern and Central Districts of California and focuses on large-scale, multistate pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces use prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
Tangipahoa Parish Man Guilty of Violating Federal Controlled Substances ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – RODNEY BERRY (“BERRY”), age 42, plead guilty on August 28, 2025, to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances Act before United States District Judge Barry Ashe, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.
BERRY plead guilty to Counts 1, 6, and 7 of the indictment pending against him. Count 1 charged BERRY with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); § 841(b)(1)(A); § 841(b)(1)(B); and 846. Count 6 charged BERRY with illegal use of a communications facility, in violation of Title 21, U.S.C. §843(b) and Title 18, U.S.C. §2. Count 7 charged BERRY with possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(B).
On Count 1, BERRY faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment. On Count 6, BERRY faces up to 4 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 1 year of supervised release following imprisonment. On Count 7, BERRY faces a minimum of 5 years and up to 40 years imprisonment, up to a $5,000,000 fine, and at least 4 years of supervised release following imprisonment. As to each charge, BERRY also faces payment of a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
According to the indictment, beginning at a time unknown, but continuing until at least September 10, 2024, BERRY and seven other individuals conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the Hammond Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.
Tampa Man Sentenced for Money Laundering Conspiracy and Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Pratikbhai Patel (32, Tampa) to three years and five months in federal prison for conspiring to commit money laundering and for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. As part of his sentence, Patel also agreed to pay more than $650,000 in restitution and forfeiture obligations. Patel previously pled guilty in two different cases. The first was on March 26, 2025, for conspiring to commit money laundering; the second on April 23, 2025, for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business.
According to court documents, from July through October 2018, Patel acted as a “runner” for an overseas call center scheme where conspirators falsely identified themselves as law enforcement officers and threatened victims with imminent arrest, lawsuit, or other economic consequences unless the victims made immediate payments to other conspirators. Patel received wired funds from victims in his business account, quickly withdrew the money before the victims disputed the wire transfer, then turned over the fraud proceeds to another conspirator.
In a second case, from about September 2020 to February 2023, Patel used business accounts in the names of “Tampa Smoke Shop LLC” and “Mamba Distro LLC” to make same-day cash deposits that were then transferred to other entities with no known business purpose. In total, he completed 235 wire transfers in this manner to 115 unique counterparties in exchange for a fee between 1% and 1.5% of the wired funds. Patel was never licensed with the State of Florida to operate a money transmitting business.
“The defendant preyed on vulnerable victims to satisfy his greed,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “This prosecution should serve as a warning to those intent on exploiting others through financial crimes. IRS-CI will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to investigate complex fraud and money laundering schemes to protect our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Suzanne Huyler and Dan Baeza.
This case was part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multiagency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Southwest Harbor Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Southwest Harbor man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to two counts of receiving child pornography and one of count possessing child pornography.
According to court records, in October 2023, Gary Peters, 36, received child pornography he solicited online from two minors using a social media and messaging application. On March 27, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Peters’ home in Southwest Harbor, resulting in the discovery of additional child pornography on electronic devices including his cell phone.
Peters faces from 5 to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child pornography: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
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South Windsor Man Sentenced to Prison for Defrauding Immigrant Clients, USCISRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BABAR KHAN, 46, of South Windsor, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 18 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for conspiracy and tax offenses related to a scheme through which individuals seeking immigration services were defrauded.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Khan and his wife, Khatija Khan, operated JLLAS CORP. and EIMAAN LLC, which were created to provide services to clients involved in proceedings with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”). From 2015 to 2020, the Khans recruited clients who sought some form of immigration status, relief, or benefit. Many of these clients were aliens residing in the U.S. without legal status and had limited education, a limited ability to understand English, and little to no knowledge of the documents that the Khans were filing with USCIS on their behalf.
Khatija Khan represented herself as an attorney with a background in immigration matters, even though she was not an attorney. The Khans prepared petitions and applications for their clients that contained information that they knew to be false. They also fabricated false documents to support their clients’ applications with USCIS without their clients’ knowledge. They then mailed, or caused to be mailed, these fraudulent applications and documents to USCIS, where they were received and made part of the official Alien file of each respective client.
Many of the Khans’ clients received no relief from USCIS despite paying the Khans significant amounts of money. To generate fees from clients, Khatija Khan filed applications with USCIS even when the submissions lacked merit or a legitimate basis. Victims lost more than $300,000 as a result of this scheme.
In addition, in the 2016 tax year, Babar Khan failed to report to the IRS approximately $27,901 in additional taxable income and failed to pay an additional $7,942 in federal taxes that were owed.
Babar Khan and Khatija Khan were arrested on December 19, 2019. After her arrest, Khatija Khan continued to defraud multiple clients.
On February 28, 2022, Babar Khan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, and one count of making and subscribing a false tax return.
Khatija Khan pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and one count of mail fraud. On September 1, 2022, she was sentenced to 60 months of imprisonment.
Babar Khan, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on March 18, 2026.
Judge Underhill ordered Babar Khan to pay $371,743 in restitution, $367,743.75 to be paid jointly and severally with Khatija Khan.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, with assistance from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.
Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, convicted of Production of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on September 8, 2025.
Amir Kalomo Mulamba, age 29, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Upon release from federal prison, Mulamba must register as a sex offender.
Mulamba was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2021. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 30, 2021, and June 25, 2021, when Mulamba used Snapchat to meet and coerce a 14-year-old female living in Utah to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record that conduct, and provide those recordings and images to Mulamba. The coercion included convincing the minor female to record and send to Mulamba a video of her penetrating herself with a foreign object. In exchange for the videos and images, Mulamba promised to buy the victim a cellular phone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Mulamba was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Daniel Kaler, 38, from Sioux City, Iowa, pled guilty September 8, 2025, in federal court in Sioux City to possessing child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Kaler admitted that from November 2023 to October 2024 he received and possessed over 7,000 images and videos of child pornography. The images and videos involved material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, as well as prepubescent children, infants, and toddlers. A CyberTip from Verizon’s cloud storage company to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children connected the downloads back to Kaler’s account. Law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for Kaler’s electronic devices. Analysis of Kaler’s devices showed he utilized third-party browsers called “Brave” and “Yandex” to search and download child pornography.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Kaler was taken into custody by the United States Marshal after the guilty plea and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Kaler faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The case was investigated by the Sioux City Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-4016. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Shiprock Man Indicted on Federal Sexual Assault and Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man has been indicted on federal charges in connection with the sexual assault and kidnapping of two victims in Indian Country.
According to court documents, between June 2024 and February 2025, Keanu Lee, 33, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, forcibly sexually assaulted a minor identified as Jane Doe 1. Lee is further accused of kidnapping Jane Doe 1 and assaulting her, causing serious bodily injury.
The indictment also alleges that between 2012 and 2014, Lee sexually assaulted a second minor victim, identified as Jane Doe 2.
Lee is charged with three counts of aggravated sexual abuse, one count of sexual abuse, one count of kidnapping, and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. He will remain on conditions of release pending trial, which is currently schedule for January 12, 2026. If convicted, Lee faces up to life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Philip Russell of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
The FBI continues to investigate Lee’s involvement in crimes against other victims. If you have reason to believe you or someone you know may be a victim, or have information about Lee, please call the FBI at (505) 889-1300 or submit tips online at tips.fbi.gov.
Keanu Lee booking photo Keanu Lee Driver's License photoAn indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Seattle gang member with history of gun violence sentenced to prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
Seattle – A long-time member of a south Seattle street gang was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four years in prison, and three years of supervised release, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Samuel N. Rezene, 38, has a lengthy criminal history involving drug trafficking, promoting prostitution and firearms. Rezene was the target of multiple shooting incidents including one in February 2012, when Rezene’s then girlfriend was shot and killed while riding in the car Rezene was driving. At the sentencing hearing today U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said “As far as I can tell, this defendant wants to be taken out of society…. You don’t get a Glock 9 to protect yourself, you get that to be back in the trade.”
“Less than three months after his release from a 92-month prison sentence, Mr. Rezene again had a firearm, drove dangerously, crashed his car in a high crime area, and fled from police,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Miller. “The only thing that stops his criminal conduct is time behind prison bars. This sentence is necessary for community safety.”
According to records filed in the case, Rezene was 83 days into his term of federal supervised release, when he crashed his parents’ car on Aurora Avenue North in Seattle and fled the scene, leaving a firearm in the car. Rezene was ultimately arrested and indicted for unlawful possession of a firearm. He pleaded guilty on May 30, 2025.
The firearm that Rezene left in the crashed car had his DNA on the magazine that was in the pistol. Analysis of the bullets fired by the gun reveal that it is linked to four shots fired incidents that occurred before Rezene was released from federal prison for a May 2017 conviction. The firearm is also tied to a September 3, 2023, homicide that occurred in Seattle’s Holly Park neighborhood a few weeks after Rezene was released from prison.
Rezene has a lengthy history of being involved with gun violence. In 2011 and 2013, Rezene and one or more associates were involved in two different drug robberies of rival gangsters. In retaliation for these robberies, Rezene, his home and vehicles were repeatedly the targets of drive-by shootings. In retaliation, Rezene’s associates shot up a business associated with the rival gang. On May 15, 2014, Rezene was shot multiple times while at a gas station in Renton. Rezene grabbed a gun from the center console of his car and attempted to return fire and then collapsed. Rezene was taken to Harborview Medical Center and survived the shooting. His assailant has never been found.
Even after the May 2014 shooting at the gas station, Rezene continued his violent ways. After being released from the hospital, law enforcement spotted him shooting at a business associated with a rival gang in October 2014. Rezene was sentenced to 31 months in state custody for a related firearms offense. He was charged federally in December 2014 and was found guilty at a bench trial in May 2017 and was sentenced to the 92-month prison sentence.
Rezene has multiple felony convictions, including convictions for drug trafficking, illegal firearms possession, promoting prostitution, and attempting to elude a police vehicle. These convictions as well as his federal convictions prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
In asking for a sentence at the top of the guidelines range Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg wrote to the court, “The federal firearms statutes exist for the purpose of keeping firearms out of the hands of people like Samuel Rezene. Rezene has lived a reckless and dangerous lifestyle as a gang member and drug dealer. His commission of two drug robberies set off a violent chain of events that ultimately led to him being shot at the Shell station in 2014.”
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department with assistance from the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg.
Sacramento Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Monique Marie Gonzales Grado, 32, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between Aug. 7, 2022, and Oct. 3, 2022, Gonzales Grado executed a scheme to defraud credit unions. She unlawfully used the identity of a victim to obtain a car loan to buy a Mercedes-Benz, a second car loan to buy a Jaguar, and a personal loan for purported “medical expenses.” In a credit union account associated with these loans, Gonzales Grado also deposited two checks that had been stolen and altered to reflect the name of the victim as payee, thus allowing Gonzales Grado access to the funds. She also used the victim’s identity to open an account with a mobile phone provider and to lease an apartment. And she provided law enforcement authorities with the victim’s driver’s license in order to avoid a traffic citation. Gonzales Grado was caught when she drove to a meeting with law enforcement regarding probation terms; she drove the fraudulently obtained Jaguar to the meeting. On searching the Jaguar, law enforcement found a driver’s license, Social Security card, and several other debit and credit cards in the victim’s name, among other items.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with assistance from the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
Gonzales Grado is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 6, 2026. Gonzales Grado faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine on the bank fraud charge, as well as a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence on the aggravated identity theft charge. In addition to pleading guilty, Gonzales Grado agreed to pay up to $150,000 in restitution to the victims of her crimes. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Romanian Admits Nationwide $130,000 Sleight-of-Hand FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A Romanian national on Tuesday admitted targeting stores across the country with a sleight-of-hand fraud that netted at least $130,000.
Suras Rostas, 21, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to two counts of wire fraud. Rostas admitted travelling the country between roughly April 2023 and October 2024, shortchanging Walmart cashiers by hundreds or thousands of dollars at a time. After cashiers scanned the merchandise or began processing an electronic money transfer, Rostas counted money into piles that added up to at least the full amount of the transaction and handed the piles one at a time to cashiers. He then took the cash back, gathered it into a pile and slipped bills from the bottom of the stack into his pocket. Rostas then regularly returned the merchandise for a full cash refund.
Rostas on Tuesday admitted conducting at least 45 fraudulent transactions at Walmart stores in at least 18 different states, defrauding Walmart of at least $130,000 worth of money and property.
Rostas is scheduled to be sentenced on December 11. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both prison and a fine. He will be ordered to repay the money and will likely be deported.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Arnold Police Department handled the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf is prosecuting the case.
Rockford Man Indicted on Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been indicted by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges.
ALEX REINHARD LEDOUX, 34, is charged with receipt, transportation, and possession of child pornography, according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Rockford. LeDoux possessed images of child pornography in 2023, the indictment states.
The counts of receiving and transporting child pornography each carry a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 20 years. The count of possessing child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Kim.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. PSC marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, while also providing critical services to victims.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute over Six Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty on Sept. 3, 2025 in federal court in Boston to drug possession and distribution charges.
Star Sirikhom, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Nov. 19, 2025. The defendant was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2022 along with five alleged co-conspirators.
In 2019, an investigation began into a Colombia-based money laundering organization that was laundering drug proceeds on behalf of multiple drug trafficking organizations. During surveillance of a residence identified as a possible drug stash location, multiple people were observed entering the location with weighted bags or boxes and exiting with large trash bags, weighted bags, and five-gallon buckets which were placed in vehicles before departing the residence.
In June 2021, Sirikhom was observed entering the stash house carrying a black backpack and exiting six minutes later with the same black backpack, which appeared to be weighted. During a subsequent traffic stop of Sirikhom’s vehicle, the backpack was seized from his trunk and found to contain over six kilograms of orange pills containing methamphetamine.
The charges of to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine each provide for a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. 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 and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case 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.
Repeat smuggler imprisoned for 46 months for conspiracy to transport over two dozen people in refrigerated containerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 35-year-old La Villa resident has been sentenced for conspiring to transport 27 illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Reynaldo Del Castillo pleaded guilty March 26.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos has now ordered Del Castillo to serve 46 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that described the dangerous conditions in which the aliens were transported. In handing down the sentence, the court noted his prior convictions for bulk cash smuggling and transportation of illegal aliens. He was also on supervised release when he committed the present crime.
“Any person who endangers lives by engaging in human smuggling deserves a serious sentence. Any person who smuggles people more than once is telling his fellow citizens that he has no regard for human life,” said Ganjei. “Here, a single technological malfunction could have cost the lives of 24 people, including two children. The Southern District of Texas is working hard to either put these smugglers out of business, or put them in prison. The choice is theirs.”
On Jan. 5, Del Castillo was driving a tractor hauling a white refrigerated trailer and approached the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint. Upon questioning, he claimed he was transporting limes. A K-9 alerted to the trailer, and authorities noted Del Castillo’s nervous behavior then referred him to secondary inspection.
Law enforcement ultimately discovered 27 illegal aliens laying on top of produce pallets in the refrigerated trailer. The temperature was set at approximately 50 degrees. Two of the aliens were minors.
Del Castillo will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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.
Repeat offender sentenced to 54 months in prison for illegal firearms possessionRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 42-year-old Seattle man with prior state and federal criminal convictions was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to four and a half years in prison for illegal firearm possession, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller. Kenan Dejuan Brown was arrested October 20, 2023, after the vehicle he was driving hit a tree, and he was found passed out with a gun in the pocket of his jacket. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart noted that Brown claimed he “felt safe” with a firearm. “In my experience a gun is an invitation to get into trouble,” Judge Robart said.
According to records filed in the case, Seattle Police officers responded after a 9-1-1 call reporting a car had left the roadway and hit a tree. Brown was behind the wheel of the car. He initially tried to speak with officers and then lost consciousness. Officers noticed the handle of a gun sticking out of Brown’s pocket. While taking Brown into custody, officers took possession of the firearm – a Glock 19 with an extended magazine and one round chambered in the gun.
Brown has prior convictions in King and Kitsap Superior Courts for various domestic violence assaults, violations of court orders, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He has a federal court conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Brown pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm on February 14, 2025.
Judge Robart ordered Brown to undergo drug and alcohol treatment as part of his sentence. He will be on three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Seattle Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Wynne.
Religious Liberty Commission Hosts Second Hearing on Religious Liberty in Public EducationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, the Religious Liberty Commission hosted President Trump, Attorney General Bondi, parents, and students to discuss religious liberty issues in public education. The hearing included several panels of students who shared stories of challenges to their religious liberty, and parents whose right to direct the religious upbringing of their children was challenged or abridged in the school system. The hearing’s objective was to understand the historic landscape of religious liberty in the public education setting, identify present threats to religious liberty in America’s public school systems, and identify opportunities to secure religious liberty in this context for the future.
"Under the Trump Administration, we’re defending our rights and restoring our identity as a nation under God," said President Donald J. Trump. “We are one nation under God, and we always will be."
"Our Founders believed every individual has the right to worship freely—without fear, without censorship, and without hostility from their own government," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi." Under President Trump’s leadership, this Department of Justice has returned to its core purpose: defending the Constitution and protecting the God-given rights of every single American."
"Today was a special moment in history as President Trump spoke at the Presidential Commission on Religious Liberty," said RLC Chair Dan Patrick, Lt. Governor of Texas. "No President since our nation’s foundation has put faith and freedom at the forefront of his entire agenda. President Trump’s emphasis on religious liberty will restore our nation, once again, to send a clear message to the world that we are a nation that was founded on the word of God. Thank you, Mr. President."
President Donald J. Trump delivers remarks at the Religious Liberty Commission hearing.
Chairman Dan Patrick, Lt. Governor of Texas, Attorney General Bondi, President Donald J. Trump, and HUD Secretary Scott Turner at the Religious Liberty Commission hearingThe witnesses included:
Shea Encinas: Former Student at La Costa Heights Elementary School in Carlsbad, California
Shea was targeted and harassed by school administration and classmates after objecting to read a book glorifying transgenderism to a kindergarten student.
Lydia Booth: Simpson County School District student
Lydia was prohibited from wearing a “Jesus loves me” face mask during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite nothing in the dress code banning religious clothing. Lydia’s family successfully sued allowing Lydia to once again wear her mask.
Justin Aguilar: High School Valedictorian from North Carolina
A school administrator struck through a number of instances of the word “God” and “Jesus Christ” in Justin’s valedictorian speech, despite the language being protected by the United States Constitution. Justin respectfully and successfully appealed to deliver the speech unchanged.
Valerie Cleveringa: Former student at West Ward Elementary School in Allegan, Michigan
Valerie was prohibited from singing a religious song, “That’s Who I Praise,” by popular Christian artist Brandon Lake, in the school talent show. After public outcry, the school reversed course and allowed Valerie to perform the song.
Hannah Allen: Honey Grove School District student
Hannah and a group of classmates decided to pray during lunch for a former classmate recently in a car accident. Their principal told the group “Y’all don’t do that again,” and said they could only pray on the stage behind the curtain, outside of the school building, in the gym with no one present. After being informed of the students’ constitutional rights, the school corrected the policy to allow students to pray publicly.
Jeremy Dys: Senior Counsel for First Liberty
Dys earned his law degree from West Virginia University College of Law in 2005. After law school, Dys clerked for the Hon. Russell M. Clawges, Jr., chief judge of the Circuit Court of Monongalia County in Morgantown, West Virginia. For six years prior to joining First Liberty Institute, Dys led a public policy organization where he led research and advocacy efforts on matters of life, marriage, and religious freedom.
Lana Roman: Maryland Parent fighting the Montgomery County Board of Education
Lana and other parents in Maryland are fighting back against the Montgomery County Board of Education for forcing pre-K and elementary-aged children to read controversial books promoting transgender and sexually-focused content. On June 27, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that parents have the right to opt their children out of books that push one-sided views on gender identity and sexuality that violate religious beliefs.
Jennifer Mead: Mother of child who was secretly transitioned
Dan and Jennifer Mead sued the Rockford Public School District in Michigan after district employees began treating the couple’s middle-school daughter as a boy without their knowledge or consent.
Jenny Encinas: Mother of Shea Encinas
Shea’s family is suing to bring accountability and seek a court order stating that the school district must notify parents in advance and allow opt-outs from teachings that violate religious and moral beliefs.
Sameerah Munshi: RLC Advisory Board Member
Sameerah has courageously spoken out against forcing children to learn radical gender ideology in schools. She testified before the Montgomery County School Board and has worked with the Coalition of Virtue and the Religious Freedom Institute.
Alyza Lewin: RLC Advisory Board Member
Alyza Lewin is the President of The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. Lewin is also a co-founder and partner in Lewin & Lewin, LLP where she specializes in litigation, mediation and government relations. Her experience includes criminal defense, civil litigation and anti-discrimination matters. Lewin served as President of the American Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists from 2012 – 2017.
David Cortman: Senior Counsel and Vice President of U.S. litigation for Alliance Defending Freedom
David A. Cortman serves as senior counsel and vice president of U.S. litigation with Alliance Defending Freedom. He has been practicing law for nearly 30 years and currently supervises attorneys and legal staff who specialize in constitutional law, focusing on religious freedom, free speech, and the sanctity of life.
Maggie DeJong: Former Graduate student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE)
Maggie was silenced with no-contact orders from SIUE after students complained that her speech, including social media posts, messages to students, and class discussions on an array of topics was considered “harmful.” Maggie sued, and SIUE officials revised policies and the student handbook to ensure students with varying ideological and religious views are welcome on campus.
Norvilia Etienne Cain: Pro-life advocate
As a student, Norvilia requested to create a Students for Life Group at Queens College in New York. The school denied the request without explanation. The students sued, and Queens College officially recognized the group, but it took almost one year to update its policy to protect other students from the same type of discrimination.
Chike Uzuegbunam: Former student at Georgia Gwinett College
While peacefully sharing his Christian views with students on campus, college officials stopped Chike on two occasions, stating he needed permission in advance to use certain “speech zones” that were small and not open regularly. Chike followed the school’s policy, and was still stopped from speaking. Chike challenged the school’s policy all the way up to the Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled in his favor.
Kimberlee Colby: Attorney, Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law and Religious Freedom
Kim Colby has worked for Christian Legal Society’s Center for Law and Religious Freedom since graduating from Harvard Law School in 1981. She has represented religious groups in several appellate cases, including two cases heard by the United States Supreme Court. She has filed numerous amicus briefs in federal and state courts. In 1984, she assisted in congressional passage of the Equal Access Act, 20 U.S.C. § 4071, et seq., which protects the right of secondary school students to meet for prayer and Bible study on campus. Ms. Colby has prepared several CLS publications addressing issues about religious expression in public schools, including released time programs, implementation of the Equal Access Act, and teachers’ religious expression.
Watch the hearing HERE
Attorney General Bondi delivers remarks at the Religious Liberty Commission hearing
Chairman Dan Patrick and Vice Chair Dr. Ben Carson at Religious Liberty Commission hearing.The Religious Liberty Commission was established by President Trump under Executive Order 14291 and is tasked with producing a comprehensive report on the foundations of religious liberty in America, increasing awareness of and celebrating America's peaceful religious pluralism, highlighting current threats to religious liberty, and developing strategies to preserve and enhance protections for future generations.
Rehoboth Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Falsify CDL Test Scores and PerjuryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rehoboth man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to falsify records by giving passing scores to four Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) applicants who did not take the CDL skills test as required by federal law. The defendant was also sentenced for lying to a federal grand jury.
Scott Camara, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to one month in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In April 2025, Camara pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to falsify records and one count of perjury. In January 2024, Camara was charged in a 74-count indictment along with five others in the conspiracy and related schemes.
According to court documents, members of the Massachusetts State Police (MSP) CDL Unit were responsible for administering CDL skills tests. Test requirements for CDLs are established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The CDL skills test is a demanding, in-person test that consists of three segments: Vehicle Inspection, in which an applicant is tested on their knowledge of the vehicle; Basic Control Skills, in which an applicant is tested on their ability to perform certain maneuvers; and the Road Test, in which an applicant is tested on their ability to drive a commercial vehicle on an open roadway.
In October 2021, Camara conspired with then-MSP Sergeant Gary Cederquist to give passing scores to four MSP troopers who had applied for Class A CDLs, but who did not actually take the required CDL skills test.
The test takers were given preferential treatment by Cederquist, who falsely reported that each trooper took and passed a Class A skills test. In reality Camara drove around the testing site with each of the four troopers in a truck cab which did not qualify as a Class A vehicle because it did not have an attached trailer, and neither Cederquist nor any other member of the CDL Unit administered a skills test to the troopers. Camara filled out portions of each trooper’s Road Test Application with false information, including the make, model and registration for an absent trailer, as well as the “Sponsor Information” section, in which Camara falsely claimed to be the sponsor for each of the troopers.
Camara was also sentenced for making false statements to a federal grand jury in May 2023. Testifying under oath before the grand jury, Camara falsely claimed that he had neither filled out the vehicle and sponsor information sections of three of the troopers’ CDL Road Test Applications, nor signed the forms.
All CDL recipients identified as not qualified during this investigation have been reported to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.
In August 2025, former Trooper Calvin Butner, a co-defendant, was sentenced to three months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release with the first three months in home confinement. In August 2025, Former Trooper Perry Mendes, also a co-defendant, was sentenced to one month in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release with the first two months on home confinement. In September 2025, civilian co-defendant Eric Mathison was sentenced to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In May 2025, Gary Cederquist was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, one count of extortion, six counts of honest services mail fraud, three counts of conspiracy to falsify records, 19 counts of falsification of records and 17 counts of false statements. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 29, 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brian C. Gallagher, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and Adam W. Deitch of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.
Ransomware Administrator Charged with Cybercrimes for Deploying “Lockergoga,” “Nefilim,” and “Megacortex” Ransomware Strains Against Hundreds of VictimsRead the Press Release
BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, a superseding indictment was unsealed charging Volodymyr Tymoshchuk, also known as “deadforz,” “Boba,” “msfv,” and “farnetwork,” a Ukrainian national, for his role in international ransomware schemes. Tymoshchuk is not in U.S. custody.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew R. Galeotti, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Christopher Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher J.S. Johnson, Springfield, Illinois Field Office, announced the superseding indictment.
“Tymoshchuk is a serial ransomware criminal who targeted blue-chip American companies, health care institutions, and large foreign industrial firms, and threatened to leak their sensitive data online if they refused to pay,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “For a time, the defendant stayed ahead of law enforcement by deploying new strains of malicious software when his old ones were decrypted. Today’s charges reflect international coordination to unmask and charge a dangerous and pervasive ransomware actor who can no longer remain anonymous.”
“Volodymyr Tymoshchuk is charged for his role in ransomware schemes that extorted more than 250 companies across the United States and hundreds more around the world,” stated Acting Assistant Attorney General Galeotti. “In some instances, these attacks resulted in the complete disruption of business operations until encrypted data could be recovered or restored. This prosecution and today’s rewards announcement reflects our determination to protect businesses from digital sabotage and extortion and to relentlessly pursue the criminals responsible, no matter where they are located.”
“Volodymyr Tymoshchuk repeatedly used ransomware attacks to target hundreds of companies in the United States and around the globe in attempts to extort victims. Today’s announcement should serve as warning, cyber criminals may believe they act with impunity while conducting harmful cyber intrusions, but law enforcement is onto you and will hold you accountable,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia. “The FBI along with our law enforcement partners will continue to scour the globe to bring to justice any individual attempting to use the anonymity of the internet to commit crime.”
“The criminals behind Nefilim ransomware may believe they can profit from extortion and data leaks, but they are wrong. The FBI is actively pursuing them to disrupt their operations and bring them to justice. We urge all organizations to report these attacks immediately—because every report helps us dismantle these networks and ensure cybercriminals are held accountable,” stated Springfield, Illinois Special Agent in Charge Johnson.
As alleged in the superseding indictment, between December 2018 and October 2021, LockerGoga, MegaCortex, and Nefilim ransomware were used to encrypt computer networks in countries around the world, including against victims in the Eastern District of New York and across the United States, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. These ransomware attacks caused tens of millions of dollars of losses, resulting both from damage to victim computer systems and from ransomware payments to the perpetrators. The ransomware attacks would lock up a victim’s computer files, and only if the victim paid the ransom demand the perpetrators would send a decryption tool that enabled the victim to decrypt and regain access to those files.
The LockerGoga and Mega Cortex Ransomware Variants
Tymoshchuk and his co-conspirators initially gained unauthorized access to victim networks in various ways, including through use of hacking tools to identify security vulnerabilities, perform brute-force password cracking attacks, and retrieve stored password credentials. At times, the co-conspirators also purchased compromised access credentials to victim networks. Tymoshchuk and his co-conspirators then used additional hacking tools to explore the victim networks, obtain persistent remote access, move laterally (i.e., access other systems within each computer or network) and escalate privileges (i.e., gain greater authority over the computer or network).
After gaining sufficient access to the victims’ networks, the co-conspirators deployed either LockerGoga or MegaCortex ransomware. Between approximately July 2019 and June 2020, Tymoshchuk and his co‑conspirators compromised the networks of more than 250 victim companies in the United States and hundreds of other companies around the world. Many of these extortion attempts failed due to the vigilance of law enforcement officials, who notified victims that their networks had been compromised before Tymoshchuk could deploy ransomware.
In September 2022, as part of an international coordinated effort, decryption keys associated with LockerGoga and MegaCortex ransomware were made available to the public via the “No More Ransomware Project.” These decryption keys enabled compromised victim companies and institutions to recover data previously encrypted with LockerGoga and MegaCortex ransomware.
The Nefilim Ransomware Variant
From approximately July 2020 through October 2021, Tymoshchuk was one of the administrators of Nefilim ransomware, a “ransomware as a service” enterprise that provided ransomware tools to affiliates in turn for a percentage of the extortionate payments they collected. Among Tymoshchuk’s affiliates was his co‑defendant Artem Stryzhak, who paid Tymoshchuk 20 percent of the ransom proceeds he collected. In exchange, Tymoshchuk gave Stryzhak access to the Nefilim ransomware “panel,” an online platform for Nefilim affiliates to access the ransomware.
Tymoshchuk at times described his preferred ransomware targets as companies located in the United States, Canada, or Australia with more than $100 million in annual revenue. In one exchange with Stryzhak in or about July 2021, Tymoshchuk encouraged him to target companies in these countries with more than $200 million in annual revenue. Tymoshchuk researched companies to target, using online databases to gather information about the victim companies’ net worth, size, and contact information.
After gaining sufficient access to the victims’ networks, Tymoshchuk and his co-conspirators stole data in furtherance of their scheme to extort ransom payments from them. Nefilim ransom notes typically threatened the victims that unless they came to an agreement with the ransomware actors, the stolen data would be published on publicly accessible “Corporate Leaks” websites, which were maintained by Nefilim administrators.
The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. Stryzhak, who was extradited from Spain in April 2025 to the Eastern District of New York, is awaiting trial.
Concurrent with the unsealing of the superseding indictment, the U.S. Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime (TOC) Rewards Program is offering a reward of up to $11 million for information leading to the leading to the arrest and/or conviction or location of Tymoshchuk or his conspirators.
Anyone with information on these malicious cyber actors, or associated individuals or entities, please contact the FBI via phone at +1-917-242-1407 or by email at TymoTips@fbi.gov. If you are in the United States, you can also contact the local FBI field office. If outside the United States, you can visit the nearest U.S. embassy. More information about this TOC reward offer is located on the State Department website.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Alexander F. Mindlin and Ellen H. Sise, along with Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rebecca Roth.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in this case, as did the FBI’s Legal Attachés abroad and authorities in France, Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, and Ukraine, as well as Europol and Eurojust via the Criminal Division’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) The Hague.
The Defendants:
VOLODYMYR VIKTOROVYCH TYMOSHCHUK (also known as “deadforz,” “Boba,” “msfv,” and “farnetwork”)
Age: 28
Kiev, UkraineARTEM ALEKSANDROVYCH STRYZHAK
Age: 35
Barcelona, SpainE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-324 (PKC)
23-cr-324_-_superseding_indictment.pdfPrince George’s County Man Sentenced for Unemployment Insurance Fraud and Firearms, Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Ahmed Hussain, 23, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to 102 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Judge Boardman also ordered Hussain to pay $557,078 in restitution. The sentence is in connection with Hussain’s convictions on conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, stemming from Hussain submitting fraudulent CARES Act unemployment insurance (UI) claims. Hussain’s sentence also covers Hussain’s convictions on felon in possession of a firearm and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the plea agreement, beginning in 2021, and continuing until at least about September 2022, Hussain and his co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States, the State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and multiple individuals, including identity theft victims. The co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent UI benefits claims to the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL), Maryland’s agency that is responsible for processing the claims. As part of the conspiracy, the defendants fraudulently obtained more than $3.5 million in unemployment insurance benefits. Hussain personally participated in UI claims resulting in losses exceeding $550,000. He used debit cards issued in the names of aggravated identity theft victims to obtain UI fraud funds.
Company 1, which provided professional support services to the MD-DOL to review UI claims and administer UI benefits, employed co-conspirators Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, 27, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Kiara Smith, 28, of Fort Washington, Maryland. As detailed in the plea agreement, Hussain and his co-conspirators possessed and used computers that Company 1 issued to Ruffin and Smith to access non-public UI data and databases maintained by the MD-DOL. Ruffin and Smith then granted Hussain and his co-conspirators access to MD-DOL databases which they used to change information on existing UI claims.
This included the contact email address, online account password, and payment method for existing UI claims. The co-conspirators furthered the scheme by using the identity theft victims’ personal identifying information (PII). They also used their access to the MD-DOL databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of fraudulent UI claims, remove fraud holds on UI claims, certify weeks for determining UI benefits, and engage in other actions to facilitate the fraudulent UI benefits payments. During the scheme, the MD-DOL believed they were disbursing UI benefits to debit cards/accounts of UI applicants, but the accounts were actually opened and controlled by Hussain and his co-conspirators.
Hussain also admitted that on November 16, 2022, while law enforcement executed a residential search warrant at his home, they found that he knowingly possessed a stolen black Honor Defense 9mm handgun. He possessed the firearm in relation to his drug-trafficking activities. Officers also found 60 pounds of marijuana, drug distribution baggies, and 229 rounds of ammunition of varying calibers in Hussain’s room. Prior to law enforcement finding him in possession of the firearm and ammunition, Hussain had been convicted — and knew he had been convicted — of an offense punishable by more than one year imprisonment. Therefore, Hussain was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Co-Defendants Ruffin, Smith, and Zakria Hussain, 28, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, aka “Oso,” and Lawrence Nathanial Harris, 32, of Temple Hills, Maryland, aka “Manman” and “Biggbank,” already pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG, ATF, FBI, and PGPD, for their work in the investigation and the MD-DOL for its assistance. Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber, Paul A. Riley, Joseph L. Wenner, Christopher Sarma, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanay Mitchell who are prosecuting this case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for their valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Preston Man Admits Distributing Child Sex Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOEL HUNTSMAN, also known as “Jay Huntsman, “Joel Feser,” and “Jay Blackburn”, 37, of Preston, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a child exploitation offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2022, the Kik mobile messenger application submitted a CyberTip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”) that a user, subsequently identified as Huntsman, had distributed child sex abuse images and videos to another Kik user. On November 2, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted a court-authorized search of Huntsman’s residence and seized multiple items, including two mobile phones. Analysis of the seized phones revealed child sex abuse images and videos.
Huntsman was arrested on January 26, 2023.
Huntsman pleaded guilty to distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. A sentencing date is not scheduled. He has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel E. Cummings and Nancy V. Gifford.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit https://report.cybertip.org/.
Potsdam Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Richard LaPage, age 51, of Potsdam, New York, pled guilty yesterday to distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography. Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
LaPage admitted that between December 2023 and October 2024, he used smartphone social networking applications to send and receive child pornography files to and from other users. Investigators also identified more than 150 child pornography images and videos on four of LaPage’s electronic devices. Previously, on April 25, 2010, LaPage was convicted of the New York State offense of attempted criminal sexual act in the first degree, which criminalizes an adult’s attempt to engage in sexual contact with a child less than 13 years old.
Acting United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “The defendant, already a registered sex offender, again engaged in disgusting criminal conduct that revictimized the children whose abuse was depicted in the images he distributed, received, and possessed. Sex offenders who reoffend face particularly lengthy prison terms under federal law, and we will do everything in our power to make sure they serve the lengthiest terms possible so that our children are safe from these sick, twisted people.”
Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the HSI Buffalo Field Office, said: “Richard LaPage is a repeat child predator with a criminal history of targeting young children for his own abhorrent desires. Today and always, HSI Massena, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York and our local partners refuse to allow our communities to become safe havens for sex offenders intent on continuing their exploitation of minors.”
Sentencing is scheduled for January 9, 2026, before Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Because of his prior conviction, LaPage faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison on the distribution and receipt charges and 10 years in prison on the possession charges; a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years in prison on the distribution and receipt charges and 20 years in prison on the possession charges; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of between 5 years and up to life. LaPage also will have to pay restitution to victims, forfeit property he used to commit the offenses, and will again be required to register as a sex offender. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the statutes a defendant violated, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case was investigated by HSI and the New York State Police Computer Crimes Unit (CCU), with assistance from the Potsdam Police Department and St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the 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.
Poplar man pleads guilty to sexually abusing two victims on the Fort Peck Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A Poplar man who sexual abused two victims on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Emmett Alfred Buckles, 41, pleaded guilty to 2 counts of sexual abuse of a minor. Buckles faces a term of 15 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 5 years to a lifetime of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 14, 2026. Buckles was detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in March of 2024, Jane Doe 1 was forensically interviewed and disclosed she was sexually abused by Buckles. Doe 1 described that on January 22, 2024, she was drinking and doing drugs when Buckles contacted her via Facebook. Doe 1 was over the age of 12, but under the age of 16. Buckles was 39. Buckles then joined Doe 1 and they hung out together.
Later in the night and into early next morning Doe 1 and Buckles ended up at his house in Poplar. While there, Buckles sexually abused Doe in an assault that Doe described lasting hours. Doe described the layout of Buckles’ bedroom and various items in his room.
Law enforcement obtained Facebook messages between Jane Doe 2 and Buckles. Doe 2 was over the age of 12, but under the age of 16. Doe 2 was subsequently interviewed and described that in January 2024 she was using meth with Buckles, and he shot her up with meth. Buckles then sexually assaulted her. Doe 2 drew a sketch of Buckles’ room that described a similar layout to what Doe 1 observed.
Federal agents executed a search warrant at Buckles’ house in Poplar. During the search, law enforcement officers observed that many details regarding the layout of Buckles’ bedroom were consistent with both Jane Does’ statements. This included the layout and various items of personal property.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.
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Political consultant pleads guilty to defrauding multiple victims of over $250,000Read the Press Release
GREAT FALLS - A political consultant from Helena accused of defrauding several clients admitted to charges today, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
The defendant, Abbey Lee Cook, 35, pleaded guilty to 3 counts of wire fraud. Cook faces maximum penalties on each count of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 12, 2026. Cook was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that in January 2021, Cook registered the business Abbey Lee Cook and Associates, LLC with the State of Montana. Cook, through her business, provided political campaign compliance services for multiple candidates and political action committees (PACs) in Montana. Her services included, but were not limited to, establishing bank accounts, depositing political donations, and filing campaign financial reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practice (COPP) on behalf of her clients.
In and around 2021 Cook starting volunteering for Victim 2, an issue advocacy PAC in Montana. Her primary duty was to file reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP). Cook obtained signature card authority for Victim 2’s bank account and, commencing in September 2021, began to issue checks from Victim 2’s account to her business account without authorization. These fraudulent transfers and checks, which ranged in value from $800 to $15,000, resulted in a loss to Victim 2 of roughly $82,000. One such fraudulent transfer occurred on March 20, 2023, when Cook wrote a check from Victim 2’s account to her business account, without authorization, in the amount of $3,000.00. Another occurred on August 23, 2023, when Cook wrote a check from Victim 2’s account to her business account, without authorization, in the amount of $15,000.
During this period, Cook filed false reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP), materially underreporting the amount of money she was taking from Victim 2.
Victim 1 hired Cook in connection with a 2024 campaign for statewide office. Cook’s duties included, among other activities, monitoring and paying bills on behalf of the campaign and preparing internal financial reporting documents. In her job, Cook had access to Victim 1’s campaign account. Commencing in March 2024, Cook began to wire money from Victim 1’s campaign account to her own account without authorization. These fraudulent transfers occurred through October 2024 when Victim 1’s campaign noticed an issue and Cook’s access to the bank account was terminated. During this period, Cook filed false reports with the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP), materially underreporting the amount of money she was taking from Victim 1.
Victim 5, a Montana State representative, hired Cook in approximately in June 2023 for campaign-compliance work. Cook was provided signatory authority for Victim 5’s campaign bank account and, commencing in approximately June 2023, began to fraudulently write checks or transfer money to her business without authorization. The total loss to Victim 5 was roughly $53,100 and included a check issued on or about November 8, 2023, for $3,000.
During the period of the alleged fraud Cook took active steps to conceal her activity. In addition to the multiple false filings with the COPP, she also ignored inquiries from her victims concerning certain financial transactions and transferred money between victims’ accounts without their knowledge and authorization. One such transfer occurred on or about July 2, 2024, when Cook transferred approximately $26,000 from Victim 2’s account to Victim 4’s campaign account. Victim 4, a candidate for statewide office, had also retained Cook’s services at the time. When flagged by representatives for Victims 2 and 4, Cook falsely said she was redirecting payments that were misdirected. When told to put that representation in writing, she never did. In a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Cook admitted she transferred the money without authorization or knowledge of Victims 2 and 4, for the purpose of covering financial obligations on behalf of Victim 4.
During the period of the scheme a significant percentage of the money fraudulently transferred to her account was used by Cook to pay her personal credit card, loan payments for vehicles, and payments for commercial property. In June 2025, Cook admitted much of this conduct to law enforcement. The total loss to her victims because of Cook’s fraudulent conduct, as reflected in the Information, exceeded $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Pennsylvania Man Sentenced for Wheeling Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – Frank L. Morrison, 59, of Braddock Hills, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for a Wheeling bank robbery.
Morrison walked into the United Bank in Elm Grove, taking $4,200 and fled on foot in September 2018. He discarded his mask and other items into a nearby dumpster. Investigators recovered the material and obtained DNA evidence from the mask that matched with Morrison.
Morrison has prior armed bank robbery, robbery, and access device fraud convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clayton Reid and Carly Nogay prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the West Virginia State Police, and the Wheeling Police Department.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Pakistan native pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Saima Qamar, 55, a citizen of Canada and native of Pakistan, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to re-entry of a removed alien. She was then sentenced to serve three months in prison and will then be turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Smith, who handled the case, stated that in April 2019, Qamar was physically removed from the United States. On June 9, 2025, she was found in Niagara County, NY, by Border Patrol Agents and did not have any documents allowing her to be legally present in the United States.
This investigation 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 Niagara Falls Station, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Brady Waikal.
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Ohio Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Pornography on Social Media PlatformRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Summit County man has been sentenced to prison for receiving and distributing sexually explicit photos of children through a social media platform.
Adam Kline, 23, of Mogadore, Ohio, has been sentenced to 144 months (12 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Bridget Meehan Brennan after pleading guilty in May to receipt and distribution of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and to possession of child pornography, also known as child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Kline was also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release after imprisonment, pay $23,000 in special assessments, and pay $3,000 in restitution to one identified victim.
According to court documents, from on or about Jan. 9-May 21, 2024, Kline, knowingly distributed computer files that contained visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At least one image involved a prepubescent minor who had not yet attained 12 years of age.
Federal agents discovered several accounts on a popular social media platform that were associated with Kline, where he was distributing child pornography. Investigators determined that approximately 675 sadistic and masochistic CSAM images were in Kline’s possession.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the FBI Akron Field Office.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices throughout the country and 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.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Ocoee Man Sentenced to 3 Years in Federal Prison for Operating Fraudulent Tax Preparation BusinessRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced James Fednor Meristin to three years in federal prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States. The Court also ordered Meristin to pay $2,338,675 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service. Meristin pled guilty on May 6, 2025.
According to court documents, Meristin and other co-conspirators operated a tax preparation business, Kings and Queens Multi Services, between 2019 and 2023, which prepared and filed false and fraudulent tax returns for its clients. These fraudulent returns were designed to maximize client refunds by, among other things, claiming COVID-related sick and family leave credits for which the taxpayer was not entitled. Because of the excessive returns generated for their clients, Meristin and his co-conspirators were able to charge and receive exorbitant fees for their tax preparation services, including as high as $20,000 per return. Meristin also admitted to deficiencies and fraudulent items in his own tax returns.
“Filing false tax returns is stealing from the U.S. government,” said Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker, IRS Criminal Investigation Tampa Field Office. “Whether it is the taxpayer or tax preparer defrauding the government, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents will continue pursing and holding accountable individuals who violate our tax system.”
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert D. Sowell.
Norfolk Southern Agrees to Give Amtrak Trains Highest Priority over Freight Trains and Make its Delay Records for Amtrak Trains Available to the Department of JusticeRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced a settlement with Norfolk Southern Corporation and Norfolk Southern Railway Company (together, Norfolk Southern) to resolve allegations that Norfolk Southern delayed Amtrak passenger trains on Amtrak’s Crescent Route in violation of federal law by failing to give Amtrak trains preference over freight trains. As a result of the settlement, the Justice Department has moved to dismiss its lawsuit against Norfolk Southern.
As part of the settlement, Norfolk Southern agreed to provide all Amtrak trains the highest priority; train its employees to give priority to Amtrak trains; require supervisor approval for any dispatching decision that does not give priority to Amtrak trains in non-emergency situations; and provide records regarding delays suffered by Amtrak trains traveling on the Crescent Route controlled by Norfolk Southern. Norfolk Southern has also pledged to assist the Justice Department in determining the root cause of any delays to Amtrak Crescent Route trains. Norfolk Southern’s Vice President of Compliance will annually certify that Norfolk Southern is in compliance with the agreement and its obligations under the law to provide Amtrak trains preference.
“Americans traveling by train are entitled to trips free from delays caused by railroads failing to give Amtrak preference over freight trains,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The settlement reached today, as well as Norfolk Southern’s improved performance on Amtrak’s Crescent Route, demonstrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to protecting everyday American train passengers.”
The Crescent Route, operated by Amtrak (also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), is a 1,377-mile passenger line that stops at 33 cities and towns connecting rural areas in Virgina, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana to each other and larger cities. Norfolk Southern controls 1,140 miles of rail line on the Crescent Route and handles dispatching for all trains along that segment. Approximately 304,000 passengers traveled on the Crescent Route during 2024 and year-over-year ridership has increased so far in 2025.
According to the complaint filed on July 30, 2024, federal law requires all rail carriers that contract with Amtrak to provide Amtrak passenger trains preference over freight trains. The complaint alleges that Norfolk Southern regularly failed to do so, leading to widespread delays to train passengers.
Since the Justice Department filed its complaint, passengers traveling on the Crescent Route have experienced widespread improvements. From 2024 to 2025, the number of delay minutes incurred by Amtrak’s Crescent trains has declined by 53%.
Trial Attorneys Max Goldman, Paulina Stamatelos and Oliver McDonald of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch are handling the case.
For more information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts, visit www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.
The claims asserted against defendants are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Mexican man sentenced to prison for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Mexican man who was in the United States illegally was sentenced yesterday to 15 months imprisonment to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.
Rigonaldo Diaz-Chixna, 30, pleaded guilty in May 2025 to illegal reentry.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on December 10, 2024, Diaz-Chixna, a Mexican citizen was arrested in Bozeman for obstructing a peace officer and for two outstanding warrants. Law enforcement officers conducted fingerprint analysis which confirmed Diaz-Chixna’s most recent removal from the United States was on or about July 19, 2022. This removal occurred after his felony conviction for illegal reentry on June 3, 2022, in the District of Montana. There is no indication in Department of Homeland Security files that Diaz-Chixna ever applied for or obtained the permission of the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon Clarke prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security and Bozeman Police Department.
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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Mexican man pleads guilty, sentenced for illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Jorge Alfredo Martinez Sanchez, 50, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to illegal re-entry of a removed alien. He was then 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 in October 2017, Martinez Sanchez was physically removed from the United States. On July 27, 2025, he was found in Erie County, NY. Martinez Sanchez was encountered by United States Border Patrol and did not have with him any documents allowing him to be legally 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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Mexican man pleads guilty to illegal re-entryRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. –U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Oscar Leo Hernandez Sanchez, 38, a citizen and national of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to illegal re-entry of a removed alien. He was then 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 Hernandez Sanchez is an alien without any legal status in the United States. He was physically removed from the United States in December 2011. On June 26, 2025, Hernandez Sanchez was found Erie County, NY, by United States Customs and Border Protection and did not have any documents allowing him to be legally 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 Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
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Mexican National with Felony Conviction Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Mexican national made his initial court appearance on Monday to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Felipe De Jesus Jauregui-Acosta, 43, is charged with one-count of deported alien found in the United States. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler.
According to allegations contained in the criminal indictment and statements made during court proceedings, Jauregui-Acosta is a citizen and national of Mexico who was previously deported and removed from the United States on October 5, 2008, and reentered the United States illegally. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently identified Jauregui-Acosta after he was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police on May 4, 2025, for Resist Public Officer with Deadly Weapon not Firearm, Assault Deadly Weapon on First Responder, Battery Deadly Weapon on First Responder, and Use Posses Drug Paraphernalia.
On July 3, 2025, Jauregui-Acosta was convicted of Resisting Public Officer with Use of a Dangerous Weapon.
If convicted, Jauregui-Acosta faces the maximum statutory penalty of two years in prison, a one-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 Acting Field Office 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.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Heroin Trafficking Conspiracy in StocktonRead the Press Release
Alberto Ojeda Lopez, 69, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute heroin, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Ojeda Lopez conspired with his wife and daughter, co‑defendants Maria Medina Silvas, 66, of Mexico, and Alecsa Ojeda de Oregel, 44, of Stockton, to distribute heroin in and around Stockton. In September 2022, Ojeda Lopez and Medina Silvas sold an ounce of heroin to an undercover officer. In August 2023, they sold a kilogram of heroin to the undercover officer. The next day, law enforcement seized 2 kilograms of heroin from Ojeda Lopez’s and Medina Silvas’s vehicle. Law enforcement then searched the Stockton residence of Ojeda de Oregel, which was used as a drug and money stash house for the conspiracy, and seized 2.8 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of heroin, almost a half of a kilogram of methamphetamine, and $83,119 in cash drug proceeds.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David W. Spencer is prosecuting the case.
Medina Silvas and Ojeda de Oregel are scheduled for jury trial on Feb. 17, 2026. The charges against them are only allegations; they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Ojeda Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez on Jan. 27, 2026. Ojeda Lopez faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Metairie Man Guilty of Possessing Materials Involving Sexual Exploitation of Minors and Violating Federal Gun Control ActRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that ROBERT ANTHONY MARSH, JR.(“MARSH”), age 60, of Metairie, pled guilty on August 26, 2025, to Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a)(4)(B) and (a)(2), and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). As to the possession of sexual exploitation materials, MARSH faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee. As to the firearm possession by a convicted felon, MARSH faces a maximum sentence of fifteen (15) years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three years of supervised release, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on December 19, 2024, MARSH’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations. At the time of this search, MARSH was on supervised release for a 2014 state conviction for Pornography Involving Juveniles. On December 19, 2024, following the search of his home, MARSH was arrested by Louisiana State Probation and Parole for possession of a Model 922 H&R Arms Co. firearm by a prohibited person and possession of child pornography. Thereafter, MARSH was transferred from state to federal custody in connection with this federal investigation.
On August 26, 2025, MARSH pled guilty in federal court to knowingly possessing over 21 videos depicting the sexual victimization of minors and to knowingly possessing the firearm as a prohibited person.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for November 18, 2025, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion.
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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Jefferson Parish Police Department; and the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, Probation and Parole. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club Pleads Guilty for Assault Against a Rival Motorcycle Club MemberRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A member of the Pagan’s Motorcycle Club pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays for his involvement in an assault against a member of a rival motorcycle club.
Mark A. Crump, also known as “Navajo,” 55, of Lee’s Summit, Mo., pleaded guilty today to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury in aid of racketeering.
On July 20, 2023, Crump, Jarrid A. Hammer, and another member of the Pagan’s assaulted a lone rival motorcycle gang member at a bar & grill in North Kansas City, Mo. Hammer told the victim that they were there to shut the victim’s club down, then flipped a table over knocking the victim to the ground. Once on the ground, Hammer, Crump and the other Pagan’s member began stomping, kicking and punching the victim. The victim later told law enforcement that those who assaulted him were wearing steel-toed boots. Crump, Hammer and the other Pagan’s member fled the bar & grill before any law enforcement arrived. The victim was later transported by ambulance to a local hospital, suffering from a head contusion (bruise on the brain), rib fracture, hemothorax (accumulation of blood in the area between the chest wall and lungs), a left pulmonary contusion (bruising of the lung), pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and a traumatic brain injury.
Hammer pleaded guilty to the assault on June 18, 2025, and is awaiting sentencing.
Under federal statutes, Crump is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Robert Smith. It was investigated by the FBI, the Independence, Mo., Police Department, the Blue Springs, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force
This case 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.
McLaughlin Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Charles B. Kornmann has sentenced a man from McLaughlin, South Dakota, convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on September 8, 2025.
Malachi Adam Marcus Howard, age 22, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Howard was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on June 16, 2025.
The conviction stems from conduct that occurred between November 1, 2023, and March 19, 2024, when Howard caused a 10-year-old child to engage in sexual activity. The conduct occurred in Corson County, South Dakota, within the Standing Rock Sioux Indian Reservation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, authorizes certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country to be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was also 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 Valley City (ND) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carl Thunem prosecuted the case.
Howard was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for Firearms Trafficking and Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
CONCORD – A Massachusetts man was sentenced today in federal court for firearms trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Gicliff Rodriguez, age 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Steven J. McAuliffe to 63 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. In May 2025, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to firearms trafficking and possession of firearms by a prohibited person. On June 30, 2025, Rodriguez’ co-defendant, Rachael Cummings, was sentenced to 12 months of probation.
“Federal law is clear: if you are prohibited from possessing a firearm, you cannot try to get around that restriction by having someone else buy one for you,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “This defendant’s actions put the public in danger, and we will continue to prosecute those who attempt to sidestep the law at the expense of public safety.”
“The illegal trafficking firearms always poses a risk to the public. Rodriguez placed firearms in the hands of criminals who used them to commit acts of violence,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that risk to the public and should serve as a warning to everyone that the unlawful trafficking of firearms will not be tolerated. ATF also commends the exemplary work of our partners at the Lowell Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, in February 2024, Rodriguez and Cummings drove from Massachusetts to a firearms and ammunition store in New Hampshire, where Rodriguez instructed Cummings to purchase three semiautomatic weapons for him. As a previously convicted felon, Rodriguez could not legally own or possess firearms. Investigators later recovered two of the three handguns purchased for Rodriguez, after they were used in violent crimes in Massachusetts.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case.
This 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 (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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Manchester Woman Pleads Guilty to Offenses Related to 2 Embezzlement SchemesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that MARIA HIGGINS, 36, of Manchester, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to offenses related to two embezzlement schemes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from mid-2018 to April 2022, Higgins was employed as a bookkeeper for New England Kitchen & Bath LLC in Glastonbury. Higgins stole from the business by issuing company checks payable to herself, often including the words “commission” or “bonus” in the memo line of the check, and used a signature handstamp of the company’s owner to issue the checks; initiating wire transfers to bank accounts in her name; creating a fictitious supplier and billing the company for fictious expenses; using company debit cards to pay for personal expenses; and overseeing a construction proposal for a legitimate client project, expensing incurred costs of the project through the company, and having the client pay her directly. Higgins stole $504,807 through this scheme.
From February 2023 to April 2024, Higgins was employed as an accounting manager for PVC Solutions, Inc., in Danbury, a company that produces and distributes PVC products. Higgins stole from the company by issuing company checks payable to herself; creating duplicate vendor payment templates to initiate wire transfers to her personal bank account; creating fictitious suppliers to bill the company on her behalf; and paying personal expenses through the company’s bank account. Higgins manipulated the company’s accounting records to conceal her criminal activity. Higgins stole $356,181 through this scheme.
Higgins failed to report approximately $768,650 of her stolen income on her personal federal income tax returns for the 2018 through 2023 tax years, resulting in a loss of $167,831 to the IRS.
Higgins pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of stolen money, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and tax evasion, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for December 2.
Higgins has agreed to pay full restitution to New England Kitchen & Bath, PVC Solutions, Inc., and the IRS.
Higgins is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.