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2 June 2025
Rio Grande Valley drug dealer admits to methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 34-year-old McAllen man has pleaded guilty to possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The investigation revealed Michael Luera was selling methamphetamine in the Rio Grande Valley area.
On Dec. 12, 2024, authorities stopped him for a traffic violation shortly after he sold approximately 252 grams of the drug.
A K-9 unit alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle, leading authorities to find an additional approximately 1,000 grams of methamphetamine. Further investigation revealed multiple bags containing a large amount of U.S. currency and a loaded firearm.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane accepted the plea and set sentencing for Aug. 14. At that time, Luera faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $10 million fine.
Luera has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cahal P. McColgan is prosecuting the case.
Richmond man sentenced to over three years in prison for child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to three years and four months in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in November 2020, FBI agents received information from KIK Messenger about username "boredani" sharing videos believed to be CSAM. On Dec. 8, 2021, agents searched the residence of Hasson Julian Roberts, 42. Agents seized several electronic devices belonging to Roberts, including an external hard drive. A forensic examination of the external hard drive revealed that it contained over 100 CSAM files, including a video file depicting a prepubescent minor engaged in various sexual acts.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Robert E. Payne.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather H. Mansfield prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-137.
Residential Treatment Provider Agrees to Pay $346,369 to Settle False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: The Opportunity Alliance, of South Portland, has agreed to pay $346,369 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by causing the submission of false drug testing claims.
The civil settlement agreement between The Opportunity Alliance and the United States and the State of Maine resolves allegations that The Opportunity Alliance caused false claims to be submitted to Medicare and MaineCare (Maine’s Medicaid program) from July 2018 through June 2021. MaineCare is funded primarily by the federal government, which pays approximately two-thirds of all reimbursed claims.
On May 22, 2025, the United States and Maine (“Plaintiffs”) filed a civil complaint against The Opportunity Alliance in the U.S. District Court in Portland. As alleged in the complaint, The Opportunity Alliance operates Morrison Place, a residential treatment program for homeless individuals who have a major mental illness and/or a substance use disorder. Between July 2018 and June 2021, The Opportunity Alliance sent misleading urine drug requisition forms to Morrison Place clients’ medical providers, and then used these forms in directing a third-party urine drug testing lab (“Laboratory A”) to perform an excessive number of presumptive and definitive drug tests on certain Morrison Place clients. Individual test orders were treated as “standing orders,” according to which three presumptive and definitive drug tests would be ordered each week, without exception and without regard for the client’s individualized treatment needs, for up to a full year. Under an agreement between The Opportunity Alliance and Laboratory A, Laboratory A would bill MaineCare and Medicare directly for any urine drug tests performed on Morrison Place clients; Laboratory A would not bill Morrison Place for any urine drug testing-related service. Such tests were not individually approved as medically necessary, were performed without a valid order from a medical provider, and were used by The Opportunity Alliance as a means of performing residential monitoring in violation of relevant MaineCare rules.
The United States brought the complaint under the FCA, as well as Maine’s false claims statute. The FCA provides that any person who “knowingly presents, or causes to be presented, a false or fraudulent claim for payment or approval” or “knowingly makes, uses, or causes to be made or used, a false record or statement material to a false or fraudulent claim” is liable to the United States for three times the amount of damages which the United States sustains, plus a civil penalty for each FCA violation. As alleged in the complaint, by sending the misleading requisition forms to clients’ medical providers, and then using these forms in directing Laboratory A to perform a grossly excessive number of presumptive and definitive drug tests, The Opportunity Alliance knowingly caused Laboratory A to submit false or fraudulent claims for payment or approval in violation of the FCA.
The Opportunity Alliance cooperated with the investigation. Federal authorities encourage health care providers to cooperate with investigations involving the possible submission of false claims to federal programs. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; and the Office of the Maine Attorney General investigated the case. The civil action is docketed United States & State of Maine v. The Opportunity Alliance, 2:25-cv-00266-JCN (D. Me.).
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Raleigh County Man Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Ross Jay Bailey, 50, of Cool Ridge, pleaded guilty today to theft of government money. Bailey obtained a $2 million loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for his business and instead converted at least $1.4 million of the proceeds for his personal enrichment.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about June 30, 2020, Bailey obtained an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) of $150,000 on behalf of his business, R&R Delivery Service Inc. The CARES Act authorized the Small Business Administration (SBA) to provide EIDL program loans of up to $2 million to eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bailey successfully applied to increase the loan amount in August 2021 to $500,000 and in February 2022 to the $2 million maximum. Bailey certified that he would use all loans proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the pandemic.
As part of his guilty plea, Bailey admitted that he transferred at least $1.4 million of the EIDL proceeds from his business’s bank account to his personal bank account from on or about March 1, 2022, through on or about May 31, 2022. Bailey further admitted that he converted these funds into purchases of stock and cryptocurrency for his personal enrichment.
Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on October 10, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Bailey also owes at least $1,518,013.58 in restitution, with a final amount to be determined by the Court.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Inspector General (NASA OIG), the United States Secret Service, the West Virginia State Police-Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) and the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office (WVSAO) Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU).
NASA OIG is an active member of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
Bailey’s brother, Ryan Keith Bailey, 47, of Beaver, pleaded guilty on May 7, 2025 to theft of government money. Ryan Keith Bailey obtained $2,166,517.40 in loans through the CARES Act for his business and instead converted nearly all of the proceeds for his personal use. Ryan Keith Bailey is scheduled to be sentenced on September 12, 2025.
Mark William Bailey, 52, of Beckley and a cousin of Ross Jay Bailey and Ryan Keith Bailey, pleaded guilty on September 8, 2023, to theft of government monies, admitting he stole approximately $451,237.51 in SBA loans he obtained through the CARES Act. On October 25, 2024, Mark William Bailey was sentenced to five years of federal probation, including one year on home detention, and paid $451,237.51 in restitution and an additional $451,237.98 as a civil penalty to settle False Claims Act allegations.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 5:24-cr-105.
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President Donald J. Trump Appoints Joseph H. Thompson Acting United States Attorney for the District of MinnesotaRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Joseph H. Thompson, who has served as a federal prosecutor for sixteen years, has been appointed by President Donald J. Trump to serve as the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota.
“I am honored and humbled to be asked to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota,” said Mr. Thompson. “I look forward to continuing our office’s work combatting violent crime, the scourge of fentanyl and other deadly drugs, and the shocking and unacceptable levels of fraud in our state government programs.”
Mr. Thompson has served as a federal prosecutor for more than sixteen years, first in the Northern District of Illinois and since 2014 in the District of Minnesota. In that time, Mr. Thompson has investigated and prosecuted hundreds of cases, many of which involve matters of national and international significance. Most recently, Mr. Thompson has served as the Chief of the Fraud & Public Corruption section. In this role, Mr. Thompson has overseen an unprecedented effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute fraud against state and federal government programs, including as the lead prosecutor in the Feeding Our Future investigation, which has been recognized by the Department of Justice as the largest Covid-19 fraud in the United States.
From 2023 to 2024, Mr. Thompson served on the Special Counsel team investigating the mishandling of classified documents found at the Penn-Biden Center in Washington, DC, and the personal residence of President Joseph R. Biden in Wilmington, Delaware.
Mr. Thompson previously served as a federal prosecutor in Chicago from 2009 to 2014, where he prosecuted street gangs, drug cartels, corrupt politicians, and domestic terrorists.
Mr. Thompson has tried more than twenty jury trials in every major area of federal prosecution. Mr. Thompson has briefed and argued more than a dozen cases before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
Mr. Thompson has received numerous awards and accolades for his work as a federal prosecutor, including the 2024 Attorney General’s Award for Distinguished Service for his work as the lead prosecutor on one of the largest elder fraud cases in the country.
For more than a decade, Mr. Thompson taught law school, including an advanced criminal law course at the University of Minnesota Law school. Mr. Thompson has also taught trial advocacy to new AUSAs from around the country at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center in South Carolina.
Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, Mr. Thompson worked in private practice in Chicago. He also served as a law clerk for the Honorable Rebecca R. Pallmeyer in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and for the Supreme Court of the Republic of Palau.
Mr. Thompson was born and raised in Minnesota. He earned a bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, from Gustavus Adolphus College, and his law degree, with distinction, from Stanford Law School.
Par Funding Principal and Former CFO Sentenced to 66 Months in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Joseph Cole Barleta, 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Mark A. Kearney to 66 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, $302,700,484.60 in restitution, and forfeiture of $8,063,303.83, for racketeering conspiracy (RICO), in connection with his role in the operation of a fraudulent investment vehicle known as Complete Business Solutions Group Inc. d/b/a Par Funding (“Par Funding”).
Barleta was charged by second superseding indictment in February of 2024 and pleaded guilty to the RICO charge in October.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Barleta and co-defendants Joseph LaForte, James LaForte, and others, were part of an association-in-fact RICO enterprise that conspired to commit a number of predicate crimes, including crimes related to the fleecing of Par Funding’s many investors.
Barleta’s role in the conspiracy related to helping financially engineer the securities and wire fraud components of the enterprise at the direction of Joseph LaForte. In particular, Barleta manipulated financial statements, fudged numbers, and cooked the internal books of Par Funding in order to deceive investors into thinking that Par Funding was profitable and successful, when the business was actually losing significant amounts year after year.
In January 2025, the Court found the Par Funding fraud scheme caused an actual fraud loss of approximately $404,000,000, which it reduced to $288,395,088 after factoring in credit for collateral that federal authorities seized from Par Funding when the investigation became public in July 2020, upon the SEC placing Par Funding in receivership.
Joe LaForte and James LaForte pleaded guilty last year to racketeering conspiracy, securities fraud, and related crimes. In March, Joe LaForte was sentenced to 15½ years in prison and James LaForte to 11½ years in prison.
“Barleta played a key role in the massive fraud scheme that was Par Funding,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He participated in an extensive and destructive conspiracy that inflicted substantial harm on the community. My office will continue to prosecute perpetrators of these complex financial crimes and vindicate the victims who lose their hard-earned money to them.”
“This sentencing holds Joseph Barleta accountable for his criminal actions, including securities and wire fraud,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division. “The FBI, together with our partners, remains unwavering in our commitment to identify, investigate, and disrupt complex financial crimes, ensuring that those who perpetrate them are brought to justice.”
“Mr. Barleta was brought to justice today for his role in the operation of a fraudulent investment vehicle that deceived Par Funding’s numerous investors and caused them significant financial losses,” said Patricia Tarasca, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG), New York Region. “The FDIC OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable those who participate in fraudulent schemes such as these, that harm investors and threaten the safety and soundness of our Nation’s financial system.”
This case was investigated by the FBI, FDIC OIG, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Pennsylvania State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Newcomer, Samuel Dalke, and Eric Gill. The SEC in Florida investigated and litigated the civil securities fraud charges, which formed the basis of a portion of the criminal prosecution.
PCP Dealer Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kenneth Dawson, 47, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in federal prison for repeatedly distributing large quantities of liquid PCP and fentanyl to confidential informants and undercover officers in broad daylight on a busy city street in the Anacostia neighborhood.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro, Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Dawson pleaded guilty on Feb. 28, 2025, to one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of distribution of 100 grams or more of a liquid mixture containing PCP.
According to court documents, on seven occasions between June 2024 and November 2024, Dawson distributed mixtures containing liquid PCP or fentanyl to confidential informants or an undercover officer near the intersection of 16th Street SE and Marion Barry Avenue SE.
On June 27, 2024, Dawson sold 102 grams of liquid PCP in exchange for $800, and $100 worth of powdered fentanyl, to a confidential informant. Dawson made similar and larger sales to confidential informants and undercover officers on six other dates through November 2024, including the sale of 97 fentanyl pills. The transactions were recorded by law enforcement.
On Dec.13, 2024, law enforcement arrested Dawson at his residence in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and executed a federal search warrant at the location. Inside Dawson’s bedroom, agents found additional liquid PCP and PCP paraphernalia, and a loaded large-capacity firearm magazine. Dawson is prohibited under federal law from owning ammunition.
This case was jointly investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Strong and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren R. Randell.
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Oconee County Man Indicted for Failing to Report $1M Income on TaxesRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Greenville returned a four-count indictment against Marion Keith Sheriff, 60, of Seneca, for filing false tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Sheriff operated a landscaping business in the Upstate and allegedly failed to report cashed business checks as income to the IRS from 2019 to 2022. Sheriff failed to report approximately $1,006,633.00 in income.
Sheriff faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison, a $100,000 fine and one year of supervised release to follow any term of imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Jacquelyn D Austin will preside over the case.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced for Cocaine, Heroin, Fentanyl Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – WILLIAM LANG (“LANG”), age 47, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on May 28, 2025, by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, one kilogram or more of heroin, and four hundred grams or more of fentanyl. LANG was sentenced to one hundred twenty (120) months of imprisonment, five (5) years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, LANG, and other co-conspirators, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute, multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and heroin within the Eastern District of Louisiana.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
New Brunswick Man Sentenced after Crossing into US Carrying MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Canadian national was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for unlawfully entering the U.S. from Canada and importing a controlled substance.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Nathan Paul Curran-McQuade, 31, to 12 months and a day of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for importing a controlled substance. Curran-McQuade received a concurrent sentence of 100 days for entering the U.S. unlawfully. He pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025.
According to court records, in September 2024, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the Van Buren station stopped Curran-McQuade for illegally entering the U.S. from Canada in the town of Caswell. Curran-McQuade was encountered while operating an ATV on an ATV trail that borders Canada and was marked with international boundary signs. When stopped by the agents, Curran-McQuade had approximately 13.9 grams of methamphetamine on his person as well as marijuana in a mason jar in his backpack. He claimed to be traveling to a store in Caswell to get gas and that the drugs were for personal use.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
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Minneapolis Man who Robbed Postal Carriers at Gunpoint and Carried out a Check Forgery Scheme Sentenced to 132 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Rubin David Adams, of Minneapolis, was sentenced to 132 months in prison for his involvement in a string of robberies of U.S. Postal Service letter carriers in the fall of 2023, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson.
According to court documents, over a two-day period, Rubin David Adams, 28, robbed two different letter carriers—one in Edina and the second in Brooklyn Center—at gunpoint. Adams stole Postal Service keys from one of the victims, granting him access to secure mail collections boxes. Adams then carried out a check fraud scheme, with others he recruited, stealing mail from dozens of Twin Cities-area collection boxes and using that stolen mail to pass forged checks.
At the time of Adams’ robbery spree, he was on supervised release in Georgia. The defendant was wearing an ankle monitor that corroborated his presence and involvement with each robbery. Adams was charged with numerous crimes, including two counts of armed robbery of a mail carrier, two counts of theft of Postal Service keys, and mail theft.
“Serious crimes demand serious federal time,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson. “Adams went on a two-day crime spree and, for that, will spend a decade in federal prison.”
Adams was sentenced to 132 months of prison and 5 years of supervised release, with $77,998.33 in restitution in U.S District Court before Judge Eric C. Tostrud. When handing down the sentence, Judge Tostrud stated, “the United States Postal Service is a vital institution to our country. People will stop trusting the mail if they believe it will be stolen. And people will stop applying to be mail carriers if they believe they will be victims of violence.”
U.S. Postal Inspection Service Denver Division Acting Inspector in Charge Steve Hodges added: “Our nation’s letter carriers deserve to go to work without fear of harm from a robbery or attack. Letter carriers are hardworking, federal civil servants who deliver an essential service to communities across America. An attack on a letter carrier, or any postal employee, is also an attack on the very community they serve. The prosecution and strong sentence in this case reflect the seriousness of the crimes. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Project Safe Delivery initiative and this criminal investigation show our commitment to protect the U.S. Postal Service and bring those who attack postal employees to justice.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Edina Police Department, Brooklyn Center Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hennepin County Violent Offenders Task Force, Saint Louis Park Police Department and the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
Mexico Resident Sentenced to Three Years of Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Michoacán, Mexico, has been sentenced in federal court to 36 months of imprisonment, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal narcotics law, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Francisco Vazquez-Chavez, 38, on May 28, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, Vazquez-Chavez possessed with the intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine.
Assistant United States Attorney Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Drug Enforcement Administration for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Vazquez-Chavez.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Rufino Hernandez-Hernandez, 42, of Mexico, has been charged by criminal complaint with unlawful re-entry following prior removal from the United States.
Court records indicate that Hernandez-Hernandez was removed from the United States on four occasions from 2013 through 2020. Because of that history, and because he had failed to reapply for admission to the United States, his presence in the United States constitutes a new offense.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Hernandez-Hernandez is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Hernandez-Hernandez faces up to two years’ incarceration if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
Acting United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Stendig. Hernandez-Hernandez is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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).
Man Charged with Hate Crime in Attack on Boulder GatheringRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Mohammed Sabry Soliman, age 45, of Colorado Springs, has been charged with one count of a hate crime involving actual or perceived race, religion, or national origin.
According to the criminal complaint, on June 1, 2025, at approximately 2pm, Soliman threw two lit Molotov cocktails at individuals participating in a gathering near the Boulder Courthouse of members of “Run for Their Lives,” which organizes weekly walks to call attention to the Israeli hostages in Gaza. When he threw the Molotov cocktails, Soliman yelled “Free Palestine!” The Molotov cocktails ignited in the crowd of people, causing burn injuries to eight individuals.
The complaint also alleges that when Soliman was detained by local law enforcement, at least fourteen unlit Molotov cocktails and a backpack weed sprayer, potentially containing a flammable substance, were found nearby. A car registered to Soliman, parked a block away, contained a red gas container, red material consistent with rags used in the Molotov cocktails, and paperwork with the words, “Israel,” “Palestine,” and “USAID.”
The complaint further alleges that, during an interview with local and federal law enforcement, Soliman stated that he had researched on YouTube how to make Molotov cocktails, purchased the ingredients to do so, and constructed them. He traveled to Boulder in his vehicle with the Molotov cocktails and threw two of them at individuals participating in the gathering. He stated that he wanted to kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead. He stated that he would do it (conduct an attack) again. Throughout the interview, Soliman stated that he hated the “Zionist group” and did this because he needed to stop them from taking over “our land,” i.e., Palestine. He stated that he had been planning the attack for a year.
The charges in the complaint are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations Denver Field Office and the Boulder Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado, the Civil Rights Division and the National Security Division, both of the Department of Justice, and in coordination with the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office (Twentieth Judicial District).
Case Number: 25-mj-000108-NRN
Lexington Man Sentenced for Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Alejandro Galvan Gomez, 51, was sentenced on Monday to 28 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves for conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine, and conspiracy to launder drug proceeds.
According to his plea agreement, from November 2023 until September 2024, Gomez agreed with others to distribute kilogram quantities of cocaine. Gomez owned a trucking company, G and G Transportation, headquartered in Lexington, and used the trucking company and its semi-trucks to travel to the southern border of the United States at McAllen, Texas, to pick up drug loads. Gomez made these trips on a frequent basis, at least two times per month.
Gomez would conceal the cocaine in large vehicle batteries that were hollowed out to allow for four kilograms of cocaine. To evade detection by law enforcement, the batteries contained a small battery within the modified battery, so that the battery would still produce a charge if tested. Gomez would receive at least two batteries per trip to McAllen, and sometimes as many as ten batteries. Once he obtained the drugs, he would then distribute them to others around the country, including in Dallas, Texas; Columbia, South Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Additionally, Gomez admitted to laundering drug proceeds by methods known as promotional and concealment money laundering. To do this, Gomez would make large cash deposits in both his personal and business accounts. G and G Transportation was not a cash-based entity and the source of the cash stemmed from his involvement in drug distribution offenses. Gomez would use the cash deposits to pay the transportation company’s expenses, including maintenance and fuel for the Volvo semi-truck that was used to pick up the drug loads and for his personal expenses, including mortgage payments. From September 2023 to May 31, 2024, Gomez deposited $159,350 in cash in the G and G operating account and $105,745.95 into his personal account. Gomez admitted that these funds were the proceeds of the drug trafficking offenses and that they were intended to promote drug distribution offenses.
Under federal law, Gomez must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Paul McCaffrey, Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Rana Saoud, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Olivia Olson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office; Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department; Chief Derrick Napier, Frankfort Police Department; Chief Michael Fleming, Nicholasville Police Department; and Sheriff Kevin Grimes, Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, HSI, FBI, Frankfort Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Nicholasville Police Department, and Jessamine County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Bradbury is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Braintree man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for leading a large-scale drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl sourced from Latin America.
Jonathan Melendez Decatro, a/k/a “Jacha,” 32, of Braintree, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In January 2025, Melendez Decatro pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Melendez Decatro was indicted in June 2023.
In 2019, Melendez Decatro was identified as the leader of a large-scale DTO operating in the Brockton area, who sourced narcotics directly from Colombia, Mexico and the Dominican Republic. On two dates in 2021, packages intended for Melendez Decatro were intercepted by law enforcement and each found to contain a kilogram of cocaine. Additionally, on several dates in the spring of 2023, Melendez Decatro conspired with an individual who resided in the Dominican Republic to distribute 1.5 kilograms of fentanyl to another individual in Braintree. It was later determined that the purity of the fentanyl ranged from 54% to 79% and also contained xylazine. During of search of Melendez Decatro’s residence, over $11,000 in drug proceeds and clothing worn during the fentanyl transactions were recovered.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Kimberly Milka, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration in Bogota; United States Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; and the Brockton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. 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.
Kansas City Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was charged in federal court on charges related to child sexual exploitation.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed today, Mohammad Maher Chamma, 26, of Kansas City, Mo., was charged with one count of production of child pornography and one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in illegal sexual activity in May 2023, one count of transportation of child pornography in May 2024, and one count of distribution of child pornography between June 2024 and January 2025.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, law enforcement officers learned of multiple CyberTips reporting that Chamma had used various online aliases to distribute and transport images and videos depicting child pornography, also referred to as child sexual exploitation material. Law enforcement officers also received a report that Chamma had transported a minor female from Kansas to Missouri to engage in illegal sexual activity in May 2023.
The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alison Dunning. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas City, Mo. Police Department.
Project Safe Childhood
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."
Justin R. Simmons Appointed as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of TexasRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Attorney General Pamela Bondi has appointed Justin R. Simmons as Interim United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 546, which provides that “the Attorney General may appoint a United States Attorney for the district in which the office of United States Attorney is vacant.” This appointment took effect on May 30, 2025.
“I want to thank President Trump and Attorney General Bondi for placing their trust in me to lead the incredible AUSAs and support staff we have working here in the Western District,” said Simmons. “I am humbled and honored to serve in this role.”
Simmons joined the Western District of Texas as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in December 2020 and has prosecuted a wide variety of cases, including cases involving trans-national criminal organizations, human trafficking, gun crimes, white-collar crimes, and immigration offenses.
Simmons also served as the SAR Coordinator for the district, a role in which he was tasked with leading a group of federal, state and local law enforcement agents and officers in reviewing and evaluating SARs filed by various financial institutions. Simmons also served as the Elder Justice Coordinator, giving presentations to various groups in the San Antonio area regarding the many criminal schemes perpetrated on the elderly. Additionally, he served on the leadership team for the South Texas Officers and Prosecutors Human Trafficking Task Force, giving various presentations to law enforcement personnel regarding financial investigations in the human trafficking context.
“The Western District of Texas has for many years been on the front lines of the fight against the narco-terrorists that have enriched themselves to the detriment of the United States,” said Simmons. “In keeping with the President’s priorities, we will continue to push back against their efforts by aggressively enforcing the laws of the United States. We will also continue to root out and bring to light those who would enrich themselves by perpetrating fraud on the government or individual citizens. Additionally, our civil litigators will continue with their important work representing the interests of the United States in our federal courts. Hand in hand with our law enforcement partners, we will do our part to make the Western District a place where the American people cannot just survive but thrive. I look forward to leading in this effort.”
Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s office, Simmons was a commercial litigator at the law firm of Scheef & Stone in Frisco, Texas, and, before that, he was an Assistant District Attorney in Collin County, Texas.
Simmons received his bachelor’s degree in business administration and management from Samford University in 2004, and his Juris Doctorate from Texas A&M in 2016.
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Justice Department Requires Keysight to Divest Assets to Proceed with Spirent AcquisitionRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Antitrust Division announced today that it will require Keysight Technologies Inc. (Keysight) to divest Spirent Communications plc.’s (Spirent) high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to resolve antitrust concerns arising from their proposed $1.5 billion merger.
The Antitrust Division filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to block the proposed transaction. At the same time, the Division filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the Division’s competitive concerns.
“This structural solution preserves competition for key testing equipment used to ensure that data moves quickly and securely across the world. The proposed divestiture to Viavi, an established and innovative test and measurement company, ensures that American consumers and businesses will continue to benefit from competition that promotes innovation, and which allows American companies to maintain global leadership,” said Assistant Attorney General Abigail Slater of the Antitrust Division. “This consent decree proceeding secures enforceable commitments from the merging parties, provides transparency into the Antitrust Division’s efforts to resolve merger investigations, and gives the public an opportunity to comment as provided by statute.”
According to the complaint, Keysight and Spirent dominate the markets in the United States for high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulators. High-tech companies – including chipset manufacturers, cloud computing providers, mobile network operators, government labs, and large enterprises – rely on the Defendants’ products to validate that their networks and network equipment are functional, secure, and integrating the latest technology. The parties together account for 85% of the market for high-speed ethernet testing, more than 60% of the market for network security testing, and more than 50% of the market for RF channel emulators. Keysight and Spirent are each other’s closest competitors in these markets and compete head-to-head to develop and sell this crucial test equipment. Without the proposed divestiture, Keysight’s acquisition of Spirent would likely result in higher prices, lower quality, and reduced innovation to the detriment of customers and American consumers.
The proposed settlement requires Keysight to divest Spirent’s high-speed ethernet testing, network security testing, and RF channel emulation businesses to Viavi, including all tangible and intangible assets necessary to produce and sell these products. Together, these three business lines account for about 40% of Spirent’s total revenues. Viavi is expected to hire certain key Spirent employees that today support the divested business lines.
Keysight is an American company incorporated in Delaware with its principal office in Santa Rosa, California. Keysight offers design, emulation, and test solutions across a range of industries, including commercial communications; aerospace, defense, and government; and electronic industrial. In 2024, Keysight had global revenue of approximately $4.97 billion.
Spirent is a global company incorporated in the United Kingdom with its principal office in Crawley, England. Spirent offers automated test and assurance solutions for networks, cybersecurity, and satellite positioning. In 2024, Spirent had global revenue of approximately $460.2 million.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed settlement, along with the Department’s competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement within 60 days of its publication to Jared Hughes, Assistant Chief, Media, Entertainment, and Communications Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Suite 7000, Washington, D.C. 20530 or via email at ATR.MEC.Information@usdoj.gov. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the court may enter the final judgment upon a finding that it serves the public interest.
Justice Department Files Federal Charges Against Alleged Perpetrator of Anti-Semitic Terror Attack in ColoradoRead the Press Release
The Justice Department has filed federal charges against illegal alien Mohammed Sabry Soliman, the alleged perpetrator of yesterday’s anti-Semitic terrorist attack in Colorado.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi released the following statement:
"The Department of Justice has swiftly charged the illegal alien perpetrator of this heinous attack with a federal hate crime and will hold him accountable to the fullest extent of the law. Our prayers are with the victims and our Jewish community across the world.
This vile anti-Semitic violence comes just weeks after the horrific murder of two young Jewish Americans in Washington DC. We will never tolerate this kind of hatred. We refuse to accept a world in which Jewish Americans are targeted for who they are and what they believe."
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon released the following statement:
"No American should experience violence motivated by hatred based on their faith or national origin, and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice will act swiftly and decisively to bring the perpetrators of such crimes to justice. There can be zero tolerance for such acts in our great nation."
Background:
-Soliman is being charged with a federal hate crime in addition to facing state charges for attempted murder in Colorado.
-Read the federal complaint HERE.
Jay Clayton Announces Selection of Sean Buckley as Deputy U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the selection of Sean Buckley as Deputy U.S. Attorney.
Mr. Buckley joins the Office from Kobre & Kim, where he has served since 2018 and handled a wide variety of securities and other criminal and regulatory matters for companies and individuals. Mr. Buckley previously served as a prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice for nearly a decade, where he was most recently the Co-Chief of the Office’s Terrorism and International Narcotics Unit. In that role, he oversaw complex international investigations involving terrorism financing, economic espionage, sanctions violations, and anti-money laundering matters across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
From 2009 to 2018, Mr. Buckley served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, handling a wide range of national security and international criminal matters.
Prior to joining the government, Mr. Buckley practiced at Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP from 2003 to 2009. Mr. Buckley received his A.B. from Princeton University, an M.A. from the University of Virginia Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. He has been recognized with several honors, including the Attorney General's Distinguished Service Award and the Assistant Attorney General's Exceptional Service Award.
“We are excited to welcome Sean Buckley back to the Office as the Deputy United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Sean demonstrated exceptional leadership and case-making skills during his prior service in the Office. He is deeply respected by the New York Bar and embodies the commitment to professionalism and the safety of the people of New York that runs through our Office. We are fortunate to once again benefit from Sean’s tremendous intellect and strategic thinking. With the combination of Sean, Amanda Houle, and Jeff Oestricher, I am confident that the Office could not have a more formidable and effective leadership team.”
John P. Heekin Sworn in as U. S. Attorney for the Northern District of FloridaRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – John P. “Jack” Heekin took the oath of office this morning from Chief District Judge Mark E. Walker to become the 42nd U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida. Mr. Heekin was appointed by Attorney General Pam Bondi as the interim United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida on May 6, 2025, and was nominated to that office by President Donald Trump that same day. Mr. Heekin succeeds Michelle Spaven, who was named Acting U.S. Attorney in early February of 2025.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “I am deeply honored to serve as the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, and look forward to working alongside our outstanding prosecutors, support staff, and law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe. Together, we will fulfill the commitment to public safety advanced by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, and we will make the Northern District of Florida the safest place in America to live, work, and raise a family.”
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Heekin is the top-ranking federal law enforcement official in the Northern District of Florida, which includes Florida’s 23 panhandle counties, from Escambia in the west to Alachua in the east. The district has offices in Pensacola, Tallahassee, and Gainesville. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in the district, including crimes related to terrorism, public corruption, child exploitation, human trafficking, financial fraud, health care fraud, firearms, and narcotics. The office also defends the United States in civil cases and collects debts owed to the United States.
U.S. Attorney Heekin recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff and General Counsel to U.S. Senator Rick Scott (FL) in Washington, D.C., covering a legislative policy portfolio related to the federal judiciary, immigration, law enforcement & criminal justice, and constitutional issues, and advising the Senator on judicial and executive nominations.
Prior to that, USA Heekin served in the administration of Governor Rick Scott as his Chief Deputy General Counsel, and later as Deputy Chief of Staff, overseeing the Governor’s criminal justice agencies, including the Florida Department of Corrections, the Department of Juvenile Justice, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, and the Commission on Offender Review. He also served as the Governor’s Executive Clemency Advisor and oversaw the execution of death warrants for Florida’s death row inmates. He acted as Chief Counsel to the Governor’s Financial Emergency Board for Opa-locka and served as the General Counsel to the Governor and Florida Cabinet sitting as the Administration Commission and the Florida Land and Water Adjudicatory Commission. He began his legal career as an Assistant State Attorney prosecuting criminal offenses for the 15th Judicial Circuit of Florida in Palm Beach County.
He earned a Bachelor’s degree from Bucknell University, and his Juris Doctor with a certificate in Comparative and International Law from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, where he graduated cum laude. While in law school, he authored two published works: “Leashing the Internet Watchdog: Legislative Restraints on Electronic Surveillance in the U.S. and U.K.,” published in The American Intelligence Journal (Vol. 28, No. 1 (Fall 2010)), and “ADHD and the New Americans with Disabilities Act: Expanded Legal Recognition for Cognitive Disorders,” published in The William & Mary Policy Review (Vol. II, No. 1 (Fall 2010)).
He is a member of the Florida Bar, the District of Columbia Bar, the U.S. Supreme Court Bar, the Federalist Society, and the Republican National Lawyers Association.
U.S. Attorney Heekin recognized Ms. Spaven for her exemplary service to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida and North Florida communities. Ms. Spaven will continue her career with the U.S. Attorney’s Office as First Assistant U.S. Attorney.
His primary office will be in Tallahassee.
The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Scheme to Transport Contraband into FCI McDowell with DroneRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Miguel Angel Aleman-Piceno, 22, of Chicago, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit the felony crime of attempting to introduce contraband into a federal prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 1, 2024, Aleman-Piceno traveled on foot with co-defendant Francisco Alejandro Gonzalez to the fence surrounding Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) McDowell. Aleman-Piceno and Gonzalez possessed a backpack and a duffle bag containing a drone and two camouflaged packages containing four cell phones, chargers, phone cards, marijuana, and tobacco. As part of his guilty plea, Aleman-Piceno admitted that they intended to fly the packages onto the grounds of FCI McDowell using the drone, and were stopped by law enforcement as they prepared to launch the drone.
Aleman-Piceno further admitted to traveling to McDowell County, West Virginia, from Chicago with Gonzalez and co-defendant Arturo Joel Gallegos, believing that he would be paid $3,000 to deliver the packages into the prison by drone. Aleman-Piceno also admitted that he and his two co-defendants stayed an area motel where law enforcement seized marijuana, tobacco and materials used to make the camouflaged packages.
Aleman-Piceno is scheduled to be sentenced on September 8, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), and the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons is prosecuting the case.
The indictment against Gonzalez, 24, and Gallegos, 26, both of Chicago, remains pending. An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Hector Luis Gomez DeJesus, 32, of Sanford, North Carolina, Raymond Luis Saez Aviles, 37, of Poinciana, Florida, and Gamalier Rivera, 33, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, each pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the introduction of contraband into a federal prison in a separate indictment. On February 9, 2024, DeJesus, Aviles, and Rivera used a drone to transport marijuana, tobacco, and cell phones into FCI McDowell. DeJesus and Aviles are scheduled to be sentenced on August 11, 2025. Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2025.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-126.
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Illinois Man Pleads Guilty to Making Interstate ThreatsRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: An Illinois man pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Bangor to making threatening interstate communications.
According to court records, Massimo Frangella, 24, sent seven identical emails to Maine public officials from his email account. The subject line of each read: “You’re going to die.” In the body of the emails, Frangella further threatened: “I’m going to kill you and all of your child raping friends.”
Frangella faces up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years 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 with assistance from Maine Capitol Police.
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Home builder admits to $770,000 real estate fraud schemeRead the Press Release
McALLEN, Texas – A 44-year-old Mission resident has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Mario Alberto Rodriguez admitted he participated in a scheme that used false warranty deeds to mislead lenders and real estate clients.
Rodriguez would defraud homebuyers and short-term lenders by selling a lot with proposed townhome construction without filing the warranty deed. This left no record of the sale and allowed him to sell the same property multiple times. Rodriguez would then instruct co-conspirators to take out new loans on the previously sold properties in order to use the cash for other purposes.
Rodriguez defrauded victims out of more than $770,000 as a result of the scheme. Construction was never completed and victims were unable to take possession of the properties.
Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane will impose sentencing Aug. 12. At that time, Rodriguez faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
FBI, Texas Department of Insurance, McAllen Police Department, and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.
Hard Money Lender Sentenced for Defrauding Investors in Loans Made to Failed Fresno Company Bitwise IndustriesRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million.
“The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.”
According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise.
One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle.
Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else.
Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.
Hard Money Lender Sentenced for Defrauding Investors in Loans Made to Failed Fresno Company Bitwise IndustriesRead the Press Release
Andrew Adler, 31, of Greenwich, Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to three years and five months in prison for defrauding investors in loans made to the failed Fresno-based startup Bitwise Industries, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today. Adler was ordered to pay $9.3 million in restitution jointly and severally with the Bitwise defendants and to forfeit another $1 million.
“The collapse of Bitwise Industries exposed Andrew Adler’s lies to investors in securing a multi-million-dollar loan, which he used to secretly line his pockets.” said FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “This investigation clearly demonstrates the FBI’s tenacity and is a testament of the great work performed by FBI agents and personnel in our Fresno Resident Agency.”
According to court records, from December 2022 through May 2023, Adler and his business partner, David Hardcastle, 61, of Fresno, gave Bitwise approximately $20 million in hard money loans. They did not fund the loans themselves or otherwise put their own money at risk. Instead, they syndicated the loans to other investors. In doing so, they altered the original loan documents to make it appear that Bitwise was paying a significantly lower interest rate for the loans than was true. They also forged the signature of one of Bitwise’s Co-CEOs, Jake Soberal, on the altered documents. This made the loans appear less risky and more appealing to the investors. Several of the investors later told the FBI that they would not have invested in the loans had they known the actual interest rates that Bitwise was paying because that would have been a red flag that something was wrong with Bitwise.
One of the loans included a secure interest reserve of approximately $714,000 that the investors did not know about and that Adler and Hardcastle used to make an unrelated, personal investment in another company that they controlled. Generally speaking, secure interest reserves are disclosed to loan investors ahead of time and are supposed to help protect the investors in the event that the borrower does not make its payments on schedule. Secure interest reserves are not supposed to be used for the personal benefit of the loan originators like Adler and Hardcastle.
Adler and Hardcastle also made tens of thousands of dollars in fees for originating the loans. They stood to make millions more in secret profits from the higher, undisclosed interest rates had the loans been fully repaid. Unfortunately, however, Bitwise turned out to be a Ponzi-like fraud scheme and collapsed before that could happen. As a result, the participants lost nearly all their money. Adler told the court in his filings that he was motived to commit the fraud by pure greed and nothing else.
Hardcastle has been indicted for his role in the fraud and is currently pending trial. He is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Bitwise’s CEOs, Jake Soberal and Irma Olguin Jr., were previously sentenced to 11 years and nine years in prison, respectively, for the carrying out the Bitwise Ponzi scheme that caused a loss of over $115 million in that case.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Barton and Cody Chapple are prosecuting the case.
Honduran Man Arrested After Crashing a Barricade at Naval Air Station PensacolaRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Orly Moises Garcia Hernandez, 34, of the country of Honduras, has been charged in federal court with Illegally Entering a Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property, and Resisting or Impeding Arrest of a Federal Officer. The charges were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
Court documents allege that, on May 25, 2025, Garcia Hernandez crashed into a barricade outside a checkpoint at the gate of Naval Air Station Pensacola and then ran from military forces onto NAS Pensacola to escape capture. Garcia Hernandez was ultimately caught at gunpoint after a foot pursuit. If convicted, Garcia Hernandez faces up to 18 months’ imprisonment and deportation from the United States.
The case involved a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Navy. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David L. Goldberg.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline ) a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Edgar Enrique Pineda-Ardon, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 42 days in prison and one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. Earlier in the hearing, Pineda-Ardon pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
In 2014, Pineda-Ardon was apprehended near the U.S.-Mexico border, claimed asylum and was released on bond. While awaiting his asylum hearing, Pineda-Ardon was arrested for Indecent Assault & Battery. That case was dismissed for lack of prosecution; however, Pineda-Ardon’s claim for asylum was ultimately rejected and he was removed from the United States in November 2019.
Sometime after his November 2019 removal, Pineda-Ardon illegally reentered the United States without permission. Federal authorities became aware of Pineda-Ardon’s presence in the United States when he was arrested twice in Waltham. He was apprehended by immigration authorities in April 2025.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Greensboro Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Possessing and Conspiring to Steal High-End Motor VehiclesRead the Press Release
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – A Tuscaloosa man has been sentenced for possessing and conspiring to steal over $800,000 in high-end motor vehicles, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona.
U.S. District Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Jamarus D. Hoskins, 30, of Greensboro, Alabama, to 60 months in prison for conspiring to steal at least 18 high-end motor vehicles, and to 97 months in prison for receiving or possessing stolen motor vehicles. The sentences will run concurrently. Hoskins was convicted by a jury in November 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, between December 2020 and January 2023, Hoskins was the ringleader of an organized conspiracy to steal high-end motor vehicles from private citizens and car dealerships at various locations across the United States. Hoskins directed members of the conspiracy to steal vehicles and replace the Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) with fake VINs. The vehicles were registered with the Alabama Department of Revenue using fraudulent out-of-state titles, and Hoskins sold them for cash at below market price. Hoskins and his co-conspirators stole multiple vehicles, including a Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk from a victim in Michigan, a Chevrolet Corvette from a victim in Tennessee, three Ford trucks from a dealership in Tennessee, and a Chevrolet Camaro and several vehicle tags from another dealership in Tennessee.
“Jamarus Hoskins and his co-conspirators terrorized car dealerships and innocent victims across the United States for years,” said U.S. Attorney Escalona. “Hoskins and his crew thought the fast cars they stole and sophisticated techniques they used would help them escape responsibility for their crimes. They were wrong.”
“I am extremely proud of the collaborative effort our team put forth to ensure this defendant was brought to justice and can no longer terrorize or threaten the hardworking citizens and businesses in our country,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge of the Birmingham Division. “This case serves as another example of our U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners working together to identify, dismantle, and disrupt organized criminal networks while effectively holding reckless criminals accountable. Let it be clear: the rule of law is not optional.”
The FBI investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittney L. Plyler and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward “Ted” Canter prosecuted the case.
Grand Jury Returns Indictments for Illegal Re-Entry via Texas National Defense Area, 138 New NDA Violators Arrested in the Western District, Convictions for the Month Exceed 340Read the Press Release
EL PASO, Texas – A federal grand jury in El Paso returned indictments last week for defendants alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States through the Texas National Defense Area (NDA). The NDA was established April 30, 2025, along the U.S.-Mexico border from area bordering New Mexico, through El Paso County, to an area near Fort Hancock.
Among those indicted is Mexican national Leonel Sotelo-Santillan, who was arrested after allegedly entering the NDA illegally on May 2. Sotelo-Santillan was first charged in a criminal complaint on May 8. He is a convicted felon with two 2015 convictions for domestic abuse battery and theft in Louisiana, as well as a felony conviction in June 2024 for illegal re-entry. He has two prior removals, the last one being Dec. 28, 2024.
Another Mexican felon, Rafael Cabrera-Barron, is a thrice-deported felon and was convicted in 2007 for sexual assault of a child in Weld County, Colorado. His most recent removal from the U.S. to Mexico was April 25 through El Paso.
Ramon Benigno Mancinas-Rodriguez, also a Mexican national, has been removed from the U.S. eight times—the last one being Nov. 5, 2024—and has been granted three voluntary returns. His criminal history includes three illegal entry misdemeanors, a conviction for assault on a federal officer, and one illegal re-entry felony conviction in November 2023.
Some of the indicted defendants, like Cuban national Aldanay Caridad Carricarte-Grillo, Guatemalan national Carlos Tomas-Cristostimo, and Salvadoran national Juan Carlos Lopz-Uriasan, have one prior removal in their immigration history.
The 16 defendants are each indicted for one Title 8 United States Code (USC) 1326 felony charge and one 50 USC 797 misdemeanor charge. If convicted, these individuals can face terms of imprisonment for up to 20 years if previously convicted of an aggravated felony, up to ten years if previously convicted of a felony and otherwise and up to two years in federal prison.
Additionally, 138 new NDA-related immigration cases were added to the federal district’s docket and over 220 defendants pleaded guilty throughout the week, raising May’s total of NDA-related convictions in the Western District of Texas to more than 340.
Title 50 USC 797 is among the federal statutes that establish criminal penalties for unlawful intrusions into areas designated as National Defense Areas. It refers to the willful violation of defense property security regulation, which, pursuant to lawful authority, was approved by the Secretary of Defense—or a military commander designated by the Secretary of Defense—for the protection or security of Department of Defense property.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Former East Hartford Resident Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that NICHOLAS BURNHAM, 33, of East Hartford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with child exploitation offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in 2016, Burnham was convicted in state court for possession of child pornography in the second degree. His probation for that offense was terminated in 2018 after he was convicted of possession of child pornography in the first degree. In 2023, Burnham began serving a term of special parole. On December 17, 2024, believing that Burnham was using an unauthorized electronic device, Burnham’s parole officers and the Connecticut State Police searched his residence and seized three cellphones. Preliminary forensic analysis of the phones revealed more than 2,000 images and videos depicting child sex abuse. Burnham used Telegram and other encrypted messaging applications to trade child sex abuse material with others, and also accessed numerous webpages to view and download child sex abuse material.
Burnham has been detained in state custody since December 17, 2024. He made his initial appearance in Hartford federal court on May 30, 2025.
The complaint charges Burnham with receipt and distribution of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and with possession of child pornography, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. The penalties in this matter are enhanced because of Burnham’s prior state convictions.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Correction’s Division of Parole and Community Services, and the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection’s Division of Scientific Services.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Five-Time Convicted Felon Sentenced to Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a Restricted PersonRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Michael Anthony Rangel, 43, of Ogden, Utah, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment after a federal jury found him guilty of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
In addition to the sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson, Jr. sentenced Rangel to three years’ supervised release.
According to evidence presented at trial, and statements made at Rangel’s sentencing hearing, in July 2022, during a traffic stop, Rangel, knowing he was a convicted felon and restricted from possessing a firearm and ammunition, possessed a stolen Taurus PT111 G2 pistol. The firearm and associated ammunition were seized by law enforcement.
Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated by Ogden Metro Gang Task Force.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Branden B. Miles and Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
Fentanyl distributor linked to three fatal overdoses imprisoned for 27 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston resident has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Fredrick Douglass Shelton pleaded guilty Feb. 13.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now ordered Shelton to serve 324 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court recognized the families of the deceased and commented on the disturbing fact that after the deaths, Shelton continued to sell fentanyl with a verbal warning to customers that the drugs are strong. In handing down the sentence, Judge Hoyt noted Shelton’s history of drug dealing and conduct during this offense which made him question whether there is anywhere Shelton could be safely housed.
“The defendant’s conduct in this case vividly illustrates his utter disregard for human life and the safety of others,” said Ganjei. “Not only was his fentanyl trafficking linked to three overdose deaths, but he also left a 10-month-old baby alone, surrounded by guns and drugs (including fentanyl), while he was out dealing. With today’s sentencing—made possible by collaboration with our partners—this dangerous individual is now off the street for decades to come, and Houstonians are safer for it.”
The investigation began following evidence linking three fatal fentanyl overdoses to Shelton. He had sold large quantities of highly potent fentanyl to numerous individuals in the Houston area.
As Shelton left his residence to conduct yet another drug transaction, law enforcement conducted a search at his residence. They found large amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, narcotics packaging equipment and firearms strewn throughout the residence in a disorderly fashion, including on counters, scales and the floor.
Authorities also discovered Shelton had left his 10-month-old child in the residence alone and exposed to the narcotics.
Shelton will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI Houston Field Office and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation with the assistance of the Montgomery County Narcotics Enforcement Team and sheriff’s offices in Montgomery and Harris Counties. 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 on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet prosecuted the case.
Fentanyl Distributor Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who distributed, and conspired to distribute, fentanyl was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison on May 30, 2025. Alexander Sebastian, age 30, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, received the prison term after a January 31, 2025, guilty plea to conspiring to distribute fentanyl.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearing showed that from December 2020 and February 2024, he and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute pills containing fentanyl across Iowa, Nebraska, and Minnesota, and that he took part in the distribution of over 20,000 pills. Sebastian admitted that, in October 2022, as part of the conspiracy, he knowingly participated in the distribution of pills containing fentanyl to another who then died from a fentanyl overdose.
Sebastian was sentenced in Sioux City, Iowa, by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Sebastian was sentenced to 132 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. He was further ordered to pay the family of the victim $7,000 in restitution. There is no parole in the federal system. Sebastian is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-3026. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Felon who Possessed Drugs for Distribution and a Firearm Sentenced to Five Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Chicago man who possessed and distributed controlled substances and also possessed a firearm as a felon was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.
Ra-Melle Lewis Williams, age 53, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a December 23, 2024 guilty plea to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
Williams had a prior conviction for attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. In April 2023, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence, they located methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl, along with a firearm.
Williams was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Williams was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Williams is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin, and it was investigated by the Floyd County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa Department of Public Safety, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-CR- 02028.
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Española Man Sentenced for Trafficking Drugs, Possessing Illegal Firearms and ExplosivesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Española man was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison following a series of law enforcement actions that uncovered illegal firearms, narcotics, and unstable explosives.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on August 1, 2023, Pojoaque Police Department officers conducted a traffic stop on a sedan with expired registration driven by Mario James Valdez, 35. Inside the car, officers located two loaded “ghost guns,” one of which was outfitted with a non-functioning machinegun conversion device, a loaded and stolen handgun, fentanyl, additional ammunition, a police scanner, 377 blue pills marked M30 and 42 grams of crack cocaine. Valdez was released after serving one day in custody.
On September 15, 2023, Valdez was arrested again for shoplifting and on an outstanding state warrant. During this arrest, officers found fentanyl, Xanax, crack cocaine, and ammunition on Valdez’s person. In recorded jail calls between October 15 and 18, 2023, Valdez discussed having additional firearms and sticks of dynamite stored at a house in Española, warning of their instability and danger.
On October 20, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the Española residence. In Valdez’s bedroom, officers discovered six sticks of deteriorating dynamite, a shotgun, and an AR-style rifle. Additional rifles, including those referenced in the jail calls, were found in another bedroom.
6 sticks of dynamiteDue to the hazardous condition of the dynamite, law enforcement destroyed it for public safety. As a previously convicted felon, Valdez was prohibited from possessing firearms, ammunition and explosives.
Valdez pleaded guilty to possession to intent to distribute cocaine base, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and being a felon in possession of explosive material. Upon his release from prison, Valdez will be subject to three years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Pojoaque Police Department, New Mexico State Police and Española Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Hirsch is prosecuting the case.
Ellison C. Travis Appointed Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
Ellison C. Travis has been appointed by President Trump as the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. Mr. Travis replaces April M. Leon, who has held the position since February 2025.
Mr. Travis stated, “I am honored that President Trump has appointed me Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana. Our office will work every day with our federal, state, and local partners to execute Operation Take Back America, reduce violent crime, and enforce federal law in our district.”
Mr. Travis served as Executive Assistant United States Attorney since July 2023. He previously served as Acting United States Attorney in 2021, as well as First Assistant United States Attorney from 2018-2023. Previously, he was with the Louisiana Department of Justice for over twenty years. During his tenure with the Louisiana Department of Justice, Mr. Travis served as the Director of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Criminal Division (2017-2018), as an Assistant Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (2002–2017), and as an Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division (1997–2002). Mr. Travis also served as an Assistant District Attorney (1990–1996). During his thirty-five years in public service, he prosecuted all manner of criminal matters, including violent crimes, financial crimes, and public corruption. Mr. Travis helped author and pass legislation to penalize those who commit electronic abuse of persons with infirmities and those who commit public program fraud. He also represented the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the state Legislative Task Force on Medicaid Fraud Prevention.
Mr. Travis received his J.D. from Louisiana State University, Paul M. Hebert Law Center, and his B.A. in Economics from Louisiana State University.
Dulce Man Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual Contact with MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce man pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor involving the use of force.
According to court records, on or about September 13, 2023, Cisco Cruzito Pinto, 38, an enrolled member of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, engaged in sexual contact with a minor who was between the ages of 12 and 16 at the time. When the victim resisted, Pinto used force to maintain control.
Pinto will be detained pending sentencing. At sentencing, Pinto faces any term of years and up to life in prison. Upon his release from prison, Pinto will be subject to a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Philip Russell, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meg Tomlinson and Nicholas J. Marshall are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
View the Plea Agreement (Pinto).pdfDominican National Sentenced to Ten Months in Prison for Alien SmugglingRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, VI – Acting United States Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Omaily Sanchez Taveras, 36, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, was sentenced on May 30, 2025, by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Robert A. Molloy, to ten months imprisonment for illegally smuggling aliens. The sentence follows a two-day jury trial in which a federal jury found Taveras guilty of smuggling ten illegal aliens from St. Thomas to Puerto Rico.
According to court records, on October 13, 2024, Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations in St. Thomas received information that a vessel appeared to be loading illegal aliens in Fortuna Bay, on the western end of St. Thomas. Agents traveled to the area and eventually located and observed an anchored vessel, dead in the water, close to an island known as West Cay. On board the vessel were eleven illegal aliens, including the vessel’s captain, Taveras. Of the ten passengers, four were from the Dominican Republic, four were from Romania, and two were from Brazil. They all paid Taveras to take them to Culebra.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and CBP-MIA. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Everard E. Potter and Denise George.District Man Indicted on First-Degree Murder for 2024 SlayingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Morris Stokes, 70, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today on the charge of first-degree murder while armed (premeditated), stemming from the August 6, 2024, slaying of Maurice Rowe, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Stokes was indicted by the grand jury on the sole charge of first-degree murder on May 14, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, at around 4:00 a.m., on August 6, 2024, Stokes approached Mr. Rowe while armed with a metal pole and knocked him to the ground. The defendant continued to hit Mr. Rowe multiple times in the head and body. Mr. Rowe was rushed to the hospital, where medical staff concluded that he sustained six large lacerations to his head, fractures in both legs, a facial fracture and a brain bleed. Mr. Rowe passed away as a result of his injuries on October 14, 2024. The Office the Chief Medical Examiner ruled that Mr. Rowe’s death was a homicide, caused by complications from blunt force injuries. The murder weapon and the clothing worn by the defendant during the assault were recovered from the defendant’s apartment by MPD Officers during a search warrant.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rashmika Nedungadi.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
D.C. School Teacher Charged with Federal Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Devonne Keith Brown, 56, of the District of Columbia, was arraigned today on a federal child pornography charge, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and FBI Assistant Director in Charge Steven Jensen of the Washington Field Office.
According to the FBI, Brown was employed at a school in Northeast Washington, D.C. and may have also been involved with a local youth track club.
Brown is charged with one count of receipt of child pornography. He made an appearance today in U.S. District Court and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for June 4, 2025.
According to court documents, Brown is alleged to have solicited the production of child sexual abuse material from a minor in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
brown_complaint_signed.pdfConvicted Felon Who Resisted Arrest Sentence to Federal Prison for Unlawful Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
A convicted felon who possessed a gun that he displayed in public and then resisted arrest was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison.
Jason Harris, age 37, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 30, 2024, guilty plea to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that on July 26, 2024, Harris possessed a loaded handgun. Harris took the gun out while a fight was occurring between other individuals. Cedar Rapids police officers arrived and saw Harris with the gun in his pants. As the officers approached him, Harris said “nope” and attempted to flee. Officers caught him quickly, but he continued to resist and reach for the gun. Harris has prior felony convictions for driving under the influence and felon in possession of a firearm.
Harris was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Harris was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Harris is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Safe Streets Task Force. The task force is composed of representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-cr-77.
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Controller of Law Enforcement Union Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (“IRS-CI”), announced today that DENNIS OSTERMANN, a former Sergeant with the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent U.S. income tax return. OSTERMANN pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate District Judge Ona T. Wang. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.
“At the direction of a senior union official, Ostermann reported payments as 'legal fees' when they were not,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “We all share the responsibility for reporting income and expenses accurately on our tax returns, and no rank or position exempts any person or organization from these obligations.”
IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. said: “Ostermann misrepresented the movement of funds, lied on his taxes and betrayed the confidence of union members. He violated the trust of his position as controller for a law enforcement union and as a return preparer. With today’s guilty plea, Ostermann is now taking responsibility for his criminal acts, and he will now face the consequences.”
According to the allegations contained in the Information and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:
OSTERMANN served as Controller of a union that represents all current and former sergeants of the NYPD (the “Union”). OSTERMANN also served as a partner of HB Consultants Inc. (“HBC”).
In 2018 and 2019, OSTERMANN paid $150,000 from HBC’s bank account to a third party on behalf of the former President of the Union. OSTERMANN then prepared HBC’s U.S. income tax returns, and falsely reported that the $150,000 payment was for legal fees. This false information not only disguised that OSTERMANN had used HBC-funds to make payments on behalf of the former President of the Union, but also fraudulently reduced the tax liability of HBC and its partners, including OSTERMANN.
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OSTERMANN, 68, of East Rockaway, New York, pled guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of a false and fraudulent U.S. income tax return, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison. OSTERMANN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Schofield on August 29, 2025.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the IRS-CI and Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexandra Rothman is in charge of the prosecution.
Coalinga Gang Member Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Methamphetamine Distribution and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Juan Carlos Ruiz Jr., aka “Goer”, 26, of Coalinga, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court documents, Ruiz distributed more than 4 kilograms of methamphetamine and sold 19 firearms over several occasions. Ruiz is also a felon and documented Bulldog gang member.
Ruiz joins several other co-defendants that have now been sentenced to prison.
- On March 31, 2025, Javier Alfonso Lopez Lopez was sentenced to four years in prison for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.
- On Jan. 6, 2025, Sostenes Quintero Lopez was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine.
- On June 24, 2024, Angel Sanchez was sentenced to 14 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine and firearms trafficking with Ruiz, who is his cousin.
- On Sept. 25, 2023, Alma Sanchez was sentenced to over 16 years in prison for distributing methamphetamine to Ruiz, who is her son.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Coalinga Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Tulare County High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Unit (HIDTA), and the Fresno Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio J. Pataca prosecuted the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
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 U.S. Department of Justice 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.
Clovis CPA Sentenced to Prison for Stealing over $800,000 from a BankRead the Press Release
Kenneth Gould, 69, formerly of Clovis, was sentenced to one year in prison for stealing more than $800,000 from a bank, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced today.
According to court records, Gould was a CPA and operated a payroll services company in Clovis. From October 2017 through March 2018, he initiated several fraudulent electronic payments from one of his clients’ accounts to his payroll company’s account at the bank. While the payments were pending, the bank credited significant portions of the funds to Gould’s account. Gould then quickly withdrew those funds in cashier’s checks. The bank later realized that there were insufficient funds to cover the payments, denied the payments, and attempted to recover its money. But it was too late. Approximately $830,000 of the credited funds was already gone.
Gould gave the stolen money to the client from whose account he initiated the fraudulent payments because he had loaned that individual money and was hopeful that the individual would one day pay him back. The client then gambled the money away.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Clewiston Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – U.S. District Judge Sheri Polster Chappell today sentenced Antowan Jabaar Cain (45, Clewiston) to 12 years in federal prison for distribution of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered Cain to forfeit the firearm used during the offense. Cain pleaded guilty on February 26, 2025.
According to court documents, on December 12, 2024, Cain sold a firearm and methamphetamine in Hendry County.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Morgan.
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.
Centre County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in prison for Production of Child Pornography and Online EnticementRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Louis Bradley Wetzel, age 41, of Howard, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to 360 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on charges related to the production of child pornography and online enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity. Chief Judge Brann also ordered Wetzel to pay $50,000 in restitution to the victims.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, pursuant to an ongoing investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in Williamsport, Wetzel was found to be in possession of a trove of child sexual exploitation material during a search warrant conducted at his home in December of 2023. A forensic review of his digital devices revealed conversation between Wetzel and a 12-year-old minor in which he coerced the child to produce and distribute, to him, child pornography. Wetzel also purported, during chats, to have the ability to offer up children for sale to other adults to engage in sexual acts for money.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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California Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day for Federal Cares Act FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that NIPUN DESAI (“DESAI”), formerly of Hammond, La., but now a California resident, age 56, was sentenced to 12 months plus one day by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter for making false statements related to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act).
On March 27, 2020, the President of the United States signed into law the CARES Act, which provided emergency assistance, administered by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA), to small business owners affected by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The two primary sources of funding for small businesses were the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program.
According to court records, on or about January 25, 2021, DESAI made false statements to an approved lender in order to obtain an SBA backed PPP loan in the amount of $146,947.50 for a hotel in Metairie, LA. At the time of the loan application, DESAI’s hotel was permanently closed and had no employees or payroll.
In addition to incarceration, which is to be divided between time in the Bureau of Prisons and home incarceration, DESAI was sentenced to 2 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to repay the SBA approximately $234,000 and the Louisiana Workforce Commission $26,000. He also paid a mandatory special assessment fee of $100 and a fine of $25,000.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
As part of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force, this investigation was conducted by U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General. The PRAC was established to promote transparency and facilitate coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC’s 20 member Inspectors General identify major risks that cross program and agency boundaries to detect fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in the more than $5 trillion in COVID-19 spending, including spending via the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. This case was also supported by the PRAC’s Pandemic Analytics Center of Excellence, which applies the latest advances in analytic and forensic technologies to help OIGs and law enforcement pursue data-driven pandemic relief fraud investigations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, the Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee’s Office (Region 5) in investigating this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera of the Financial Crimes Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
California Man Involved in Methamphetamine Trafficking Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine and launder money was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison.
Francisco Murillo, age 31, from San Bernardino, California, received the prison term after a December 20, 2024, guilty plea to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Murillo was involved in a large-scale drug trafficking organization that was responsible for sending methamphetamine from California to Iowa through the United States Postal Service. Murillo and others in California sent packages containing methamphetamine through the United States Postal Service to several addresses in Cedar Rapids. Murillo’s co-conspirators in Iowa sent the cash proceeds from the distribution of controlled substances back to California in packages that listed fake names and return addresses.
Murillo was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Murillo was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Murillo is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force. The DEA Task Force consists of the DEA, the Linn County Sheriff's Office, the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Marion Police Department, and the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 22-CR-91.
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