DENVER – An indictment was unsealed on Wednesday in Denver charging Steve Randall Howe with twenty counts of bank fraud and seven counts of money laundering in connection with a scheme to defraud the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).
According to the indictment, between April 2020 and January 2022, Howe obtained more than $1.2 million in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans on behalf of six businesses he owned. To obtain the loans, Howe submitted false information and fabricated documents to lenders to make it appear that those companies were eligible for PPP loans when they were not. Howe then used the loan money for ineligible expenses, like purchases of residential properties, retail purchases, travel expenses, and transfers of money to China. The indictment alleges that Howe then applied for, and received, forgiveness on each loan, never making a single payment on them.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans dealing with the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created the PPP, a program administered by the SBA that provided loans to small businesses to retain workers, maintain payroll, and pay for certain other expenses consistent with PPP rules. Small businesses could subsequently request forgiveness of the loan after certifying the loan was used to pay for eligible costs.
The defendant made his initial appearance on July 2, 2025, in Denver in front of United States Magistrate Judge N. Reid Neureiter.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Taylor Glogiewicz and Craig Fansler.
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.
Greenville, MS – A Georgia man was sentenced today to 20 years in prison for attempting to coerce a Mississippi minor to send sexually explicit images through an online platform.
According to court documents, Davin Buckner, 24 years old, of Resaca, Georgia, engaged in an online conversation over a gaming platform with a ten-year old child in Lafayette County. Buckner invited and allowed the minor to access and use credits on Buckner’s account to play games. Once the minor used some credits, Buckner advised the minor that he would have to repay the money by sending explicit images of himself. Buckner thought the child was 9 years old. Using emojis, Buckner requested the minor send pictures of his penis “stimulated.” The minor complied and took a picture using his cell phone which he then sent to Buckner.
The minor’s parents discovered the messages and turned the cell phone over to the FBI. Buckner committed this online crime while out on bond awaiting trial for hands on sexual exploitation offenses out of Georgia that occurred in 2020.
District Judge Debra M. Brown sentenced Buckner to serve 240 months in federal prison followed by lifetime supervised release for the online offense.
“I can think of no more egregious crime than an adult who sexually exploits a child, and this office will continue to exercise zero tolerance for sexual predators, period,” said U.S. Attorney Clay Joyner. “AUSA Parker King and our invaluable partners at the FBI have yet again run an extremely dangerous individual to ground and provided protection and justice to the most vulnerable among us.”
“Protecting children from exploitation is one of the FBI’s highest priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. “Mr. Buckner, who was awaiting trial for sexual exploitation of another child, continued to violate the innocence of a minor. Buckner is a dangerous sexual predator who preyed on our most vulnerable victims, our children. The FBI maintains a steadfast commitment to protect minors and their innocence by aggressively investigating and holding accountable predators, like Buckner.”
This case was investigated by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of the Project Safe Childhood nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 28, 2025, through July 4, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 114 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 60 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 45 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one individual for assaulting a Customs and Border Protection Officer.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez: On June 27, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez while he was driving a vehicle on Arizona Highway 93. Garcia-Gonzalez failed to yield, attempting to flee law enforcement by driving over 106 miles per hour. He eventually slammed on the brakes and stopped in the median of the highway. Three subjects, including Garcia-Gonzalez, then exited the vehicle and ran across the northbound lanes of Highway 93. All three subjects were ultimately apprehended. The two passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. One of the passengers was an unaccompanied 14-year-old male. Garcia-Gonzalez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-01710]
United States v. Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola: On July 1, 2025, Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Zepeda-Arreola had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree for Purposes of Sexual Gratification, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06270]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZfor the latest news.
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from June 28, 2025, through July 4, 2025, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 114 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 60 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 45 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 7 cases against 8 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona. Protecting law enforcement officers is a key part of border vigilance, and federal prosecutors also charged one individual for assaulting a Customs and Border Protection Officer.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez: On June 27, 2025, Border Patrol Agents attempted to conduct a stop on Marselino Garcia-Gonzalez while he was driving a vehicle on Arizona Highway 93. Garcia-Gonzalez failed to yield, attempting to flee law enforcement by driving over 106 miles per hour. He eventually slammed on the brakes and stopped in the median of the highway. Three subjects, including Garcia-Gonzalez, then exited the vehicle and ran across the northbound lanes of Highway 93. All three subjects were ultimately apprehended. The two passengers were citizens of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. One of the passengers was an unaccompanied 14-year-old male. Garcia-Gonzalez was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. [Case Number: 25-MJ-01710]
United States v. Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola: On July 1, 2025, Victor Adolfo Zepeda-Arreola, was charged by criminal complaint with Re-entry of a Removed Alien. Zepeda-Arreola had been previously removed from the United States in 2023 after being convicted of Attempted Burglary in the Third Degree for Purposes of Sexual Gratification, a felony, in the Superior Court of Arizona, Pima County. [Case Number: 25-MJ-06270]
A criminal complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
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).
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/ Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZfor the latest news.
Elmer Yusay Ngo, 29, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 50 years of supervised release for child exploitation, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court records, Ngo utilized social media to sexually exploit female minors nationwide. This sexual exploitation included attempting to coerce, entice, and persuade the minors to produce child pornography of themselves at Ngo’s direction. Ngo persistently sought out minor females and engaged in similar patterns of behavior, which included befriending the minor on social media, obtaining at least one nude or partially nude image of the minor, using that image as leverage to demand the minors engage in video calls while nude, and ordering the minors to perform various sexual acts on themselves while on video. Ngo would keep his end of the video call blacked out so that the minors could not see his face.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Against Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from state and local police departments nationwide. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
Elmer Yusay Ngo, 29, of Stockton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kimberly J. Mueller to 20 years in prison, to be followed by 50 years of supervised release for child exploitation, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.
According to court records, Ngo utilized social media to sexually exploit female minors nationwide. This sexual exploitation included attempting to coerce, entice, and persuade the minors to produce child pornography of themselves at Ngo’s direction. Ngo persistently sought out minor females and engaged in similar patterns of behavior, which included befriending the minor on social media, obtaining at least one nude or partially nude image of the minor, using that image as leverage to demand the minors engage in video calls while nude, and ordering the minors to perform various sexual acts on themselves while on video. Ngo would keep his end of the video call blacked out so that the minors could not see his face.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internet Against Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from state and local police departments nationwide. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin F. Scott prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.
WASHINGTON — U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro today announced the sentencings of three District men — Jalonie Hooper, 26, Edward Frizell Williams, Jr., 53, and Dandre Goodwine, 30 — for their roles in a narcotics trafficking conspiracy that operated an open-air drug market in the Trinidad neighborhood in Northeast Washington D.C.
Goodwine, aka “Dreads,” pleaded guilty March 3 before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base. Judge Boasberg today sentenced Goodwine to 36 months in federal prison and ordered three years of supervised release.
Hooper, aka “JR,” pleaded guilty April 4 to conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine base. Judge Boasberg sentenced Hooper on July 1 to 15 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
Williams, aka “Pooh,” pleaded guilty March 3 to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, cocaine base, and heroin. Judge Boasberg sentenced Williams on July 1 to 22 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, during the course of the conspiracy, the Trinidad neighborhood crew sold approximately 468 kilograms of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and cocaine base on and around the 1100 block of Raum Street, NE.
On May 23, 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at 1657 11th Place, NE, at a stash house where Goodwine was known to frequent. Agents recovered multiple five firearms, digital scales with white residue suspected controlled substance; a false book containing six twists and 27 small twists each containing a white substance suspected to be a controlled substance, and multiple magazines and rounds of various ammunition. Goodwine’s DNA was found on the magazine of a Glock 22 .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun.
On August 12, 2023, at 11 p.m., MPD officers were called to investigate an incident on the 1600 block of V Street, NW and arrested Hooper. Officers found approximately 50 grams of cocaine base on his person.
When law enforcement agents executed the search warrant at the 11th Place stash house, they found Williams outside within arms-length of a .40 caliber handgun. DNA on the firearm connected it to Williams.
This operation 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.
The Trinidad trafficking investigation was a multi-agency effort between the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Division, the Narcotics Enforcement Unit of the Violent Crime Suppression Division of the Metropolitan Police Department, and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nihar Mohanty and Daniel Seidel of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Criminal Division Trial Attorneys Christina Taylor and Gaelin Bernstein.
Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Judge Steven D. Merryday has sentenced Jared Borgesto Murray (41, St. Petersburg) to four years and nine months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud. Murray pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025.
According to court documents,between January 2019 and September 2020, Murray orchestrated a $1.2 million fraud conspiracy while he was incarcerated in a Florida state prison for a Pinellas County robbery conviction. From the state prison, Murray organized and directed the fraud conspiracy targeting a nationwide merchant. Murray used dozens of customers’ store accounts at the merchant to fraudulently purchase products. Murray and his conspirators sold the products online and retained the fraud proceeds, causing the merchant to lose $1,260,495.89.
Murray conducted the conspiracy using multiple contraband phones he had smuggled into the prison. Murray identified customers with merchant accounts and then called the merchant locations impersonating the customers to place orders for products using the customers’ open lines of credit.
Murray and his co-conspirators then advertised the products for sale online at a substantial discount. Murray communicated with potential buyers and sold the products from state prison via phone and email. Murray and the conspirators arranged delivery of the fraudulently purchased products to the purchasers who paid Murray and the conspirators via wire transfers and mailed checks. Murray directed several individuals to pick up fraud proceeds or fraudulently obtained products.
Murray used some of the fraud proceeds and fraudulently purchased products to build a house in Lake Placid, Florida. The house was forfeited by law enforcement along with $43,550 in fraud proceeds seized from two of Murray’s bank accounts.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Suzanne Nebesky.
Tampa, Florida –U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington has sentenced Zachary Rugen (34, Tampa) to 5 years in federal prison for wire fraud and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. As part of the sentence, the court also entered an order of forfeiture in the amount of $440,755.18. Rugen pleaded guilty on April 8, 2025.
According to testimony and court documents, between October 2020 and March 2022, Rugen was employed as the personnel director for a small company in St. Petersburg, Florida. Rugen exploited that role to embezzle at least $503,372.01 from the company. He used his access to the employer’s payment processing system to direct funds intended for vendors and contractors to bank accounts he controlled. Rugen also paid some of his outstanding debts with company funds. To cover the fraud scheme, Rugen electronically submitted falsified and fraudulent payment invoices. Rugen used the ill-gotten funds to live lavishly, including taking expensive vacations and gambling, and for his personal expenses. During the sentencing hearing, the victim-company’s chief operating officer testified that the fraud caused substantial financial hardship from which it will take the company at least five years to recover. As a result of the embezzlement, one of the company’s vendors nearly went out of business.
During the investigation of Rugen’s embezzlement, law enforcement learned that Rugen was also illegally possessing two firearms. Rugen was prohibited from possessing the firearms due to a prior felony conviction involving impersonating a law enforcement officer.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tiffany Fields and Jennifer L. Peresie.
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Travis Lee Harry, 40, of Kernersville, North Carolina, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation, including 90 days on home detention, and fined $4,000 with interest for making false statements under oath in a bankruptcy case.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Harry had owned and lived in a house in Princeton, West Virginia, which he sold on December 23, 2019. On February 5, 2020, Harry filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of West Virginia. On the Statement of Financial Affairs he submitted as part of the bankruptcy filing, and which he signed under penalty of perjury, Harry falsely stated that he and his spouse co-owned the house and sold it together. At a March 6, 2020, meeting of creditors as part of the bankruptcy proceeding, Harry falsely testified under oath that he had co-owned the house with his spouse. Harry admitted as part of his guilty plea that he solely owned the house, and that his spouse was never a co-owner. Harry further admitted that he falsely indicated during the creditors’ meeting that all of the proceeds from selling the house went to pay taxes.
Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The United States Trustee’s Charleston field office, which serves West Virginia, made the criminal referral of this case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The United States Trustee Program is a component of the Department of Justice whose mission is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders — debtors, creditors and the public.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-143.
ATLANTA – Malik Kiell Forte, 29, from Fairburn, Georgia has been sentenced for possessing a firearm after numerous felony convictions and stealing prescription drugs by burglarizing a warehouse and breaking into delivery vehicles parked outside of pharmacies around metro Atlanta.
“Criminals who steal prescription medications for profit will be identified, apprehended, and prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office remains committed to protecting vulnerable patients and punishing gun-toting thieves.”
“Forte’s actions not only harmed the businesses he targeted but impacted the safety and costs for anyone who relies on these medications,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “The FBI will hold anyone accountable who looks to line their own pockets by harming others.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between March 2021 and June 2022, Forte and others stole nine shipments of prescription drugs from delivery vehicles parked in front of various pharmacies. Forte, and a co-conspirator, Jaquay Joseph, also stole prescription shipments from a pharmaceutical distribution center in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The pharmaceutical drugs, which included hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine among other drugs, had a value of nearly $400,000. When agents searched Forte’s home, they found some of the stolen pharmaceuticals. Additionally, agents recovered a Glock pistol from Forte’s bedroom. As a multi-convicted felon, Forte was prohibited from possessing that gun.
On July 2, 2025, Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. sentenced Forte to four years, nine months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Forte was convicted of conspiracy to commit theft, theft of medical products, theft of interstate shipments, drug trafficking conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, after he pleaded guilty on February 5, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Dash A. Cooper prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at USAGAN.PressEmails@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
CHICAGO — A California businessman has pleaded guilty to a federal fraud charge for fraudulently obtaining more than $14 million in small business loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.
DARREN CARLYLE SADLER participated in a scheme to fraudulently apply for loans pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), which was created by the CARES Act to provide financial relief for small businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic. A PPP loan allowed for the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent a certain amount of the proceeds on essential expenses, such as payroll. Sadler admitted in a plea agreement that in 2020 he submitted and caused the submission of at least 63 PPP loan applications for himself and his clients. The applications falsely represented the number of employees, if any, and the average monthly payroll of the purported businesses. The false applications resulted in the issuance of more than $14 million in loan funds to Sadler and his clients. Sadler also received more than $1.9 million in fees from clients for fraudulently obtaining the loans on their behalf.
Sadler used the fraud proceeds to rent a villa for several months during the pandemic and to travel across the country on private jets to meet clients at bank branches to secure fund transfers. He also purchased luxury vehicles, including a Rolls Royce, multiple Mercedes-Benzes, and a Land Rover, and purchased designer clothing, a luxury watch, and numerous meals at expensive restaurants.
Sadler, 38, of Costa Mesa, Calif., pleaded guilty on Monday to a federal wire fraud charge, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin has not yet set a sentencing date.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The investigation was worked jointlywith the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
CHICAGO — A federal investigation into fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine sales in Chicago has resulted in a grand jury returning multiple drug and/or firearm charges against six individuals.
A superseding indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago accuses the six defendants of conspiring to distribute the drugs in Chicago in 2024. Two of the defendants are charged with firearm offenses for illegally possessing semiautomatic handguns as previously convicted felons.
Charged with drug conspiracy are ANDRE DEBRUCE, 40, of Schiller Park, Ill., TERRANCE PATTON, 40, of Chicago, CRAIG CALDWELL, 43, of Chicago, TIMOTHY BELIN, 48, of Chicago, JENNIFER WORD, 39, of Chicago, and DENOMOIUS WELLS, 41, of Chicago. Patton and Caldwell are the previously convicted felons charged with illegal firearm possession. Caldwell also faces an additional gun charge for allegedly possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The charges against Caldwell carry a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years. Patton and Debruce face maximum sentences of 40 years, with a mandatory minimum of five years. Belin, Word, and Wells each face up to 20 years, with no mandatory minimum.
Wells pleaded not guilty to the charges during his arraignment on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman. The five other defendants have also been arraigned and also pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The superseding indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Substantial assistance was provided by IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, the Chicago Police Department, and the Evanston, Ill. Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hayley Altabef and Adam Rosenbloom.
The superseding indictment in this case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, among other areas of focus. 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 public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A former bank president and contractor appeared in federal court and admitted to committing bank fraud by conspiring together to falsify loan applications and obtain funds.
Francis Eversman, 74, of Collinsville, and Gregg Crawford, 65, of Columbia, each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud for their roles in a scheme that extended from 2011 to 2020.
“The integrity of our banking system relies on the integrity of loan officers and applicants,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate their fiduciary duties and those who obtain loans through fraud are brought to justice.”
According to court documents, Eversman was a senior loan officer at former Tempo Bank in Trenton. Crawford was the owner of construction companies in southern Illinois. Eversman and Crawford admitted in district court that Crawford recruited straw purchasers to act as nominal loan applicants on what were often highly overvalued properties.
“Every American citizen deserves to walk into their bank and trust the people behind the counter. In southern Illinois, these people are usually our neighbors and friends, people that we trust with our money and wellbeing. The defendants in this case violated that trust through schemes aimed to self-serve and increase wealth,” said FBI Springfield Assistant Special Agent in Charge Karen Marinos. “FBI Springfield and our partners with the Office of Inspector General – Treasury and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency will always look out for the wellbeing of the citizens of Illinois and ensure their money is being put in the hands of people they can truly trust.”
His brother-in-law, Eversman, steered these loans through the approval process. Crawford then used the loan proceeds for other purposes. In some cases, Crawford provided fake lease agreements to purport to show rental income from subject properties. When at audit by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency discovered the suspect loans, Crawford instructed a straw purchaser to provide investigators with false information.
Both Crawford and Eversman waived their right to be indicted by a grand jury and pled guilty to an Information.
Conspiracy to commit bank fraud carries penalties of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and fines up to $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14, 2025.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Springfield Field Office, the Office of Inspector General – Treasury Department, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Burke is prosecuting the case.
EVANSVILLE- Michael Jerome Wright, 45, and Cortney Lashea Young, 36, of Princeton, Indiana, have been sentenced to 12 and 2 years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in a mail theft scheme.
Wright pleaded guilty to mail theft, unlawful possession of a mail key, access device fraud, aggravated identity theft, possession of ammunition by a felon, and possession of a machinegun. Young pleaded guilty to mail theft and possession of a firearm by a felon. Both will serve three years of supervised release following their prison sentence.
According to court documents, in 2023, law enforcement officials began receiving numerous complaints about mail theft and check forgery.
In March and April of 2024, Evansville Police Department officers surveilled local United States Postal Service (USPS) collection boxes. On six different occasions, investigators saw Wright open collection boxes with an arrow key around 4:30 in the morning, sort through the mail, then drive off with stolen mail. On at least two of those occasions, investigators saw Young behind the wheel of the getaway car.
The USPS uses a unique type of lock known as an “arrow lock” to secure collection boxes, lockers, and apartment mailbox panels. These locks can only be opened with an arrow key. It is a crime for anyone not authorized by the Postal Service to knowingly have or use arrow keys.
On April 3, 2023, law enforcement officers stopped the pair just as they drove away from another mail theft. Officers searched the vehicle and uncovered an arrow key and stolen mail on the passenger floorboard.
Investigators conducted a court-authorized search of Wright and Young’s apartment in Princeton and located hundreds of checks and their corresponding envelopes, many of which had been previously reported as stolen. The stolen checks had a total face value of $1,857,460.91.
Investigators also found two handguns under the mattress in Wright and Young’s bedroom. On Wright’s side of the bed was a partially 3D printed, privately made firearm with no serial number. This type of weapon is commonly referred to as a “ghost gun” because it has no records related to its manufacture or sale. Investigators also recovered two, 30-round extended magazines. The ghost gun had a machinegun conversion device, also called a “Glock switch,” installed, allowing it to fire as a fully automatic weapon. Glock switches are themselves considered machine guns under federal law, whether they are installed in a firearm or not. On Young’s side of the bed was a Ruger pistol.
Wright has sustained multiple felony convictions including murder, dealing in a synthetic drug, operating a vehicle as a habitual traffic violator, and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Young has sustained a felony conviction for fraud. These prior felony convictions prohibit Wright and Young from ever legally possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Also in the bedroom of the apartment, law enforcement found two backpacks. In Wright’s backpack, investigators found 30 debit and credit cards bearing the names of other individuals, as well as a piece of notebook paper that had the names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers for three other individuals written on it.
“Americans rely on the U.S. Postal Service to securely deliver everything from birthday cards to critical financial documents,” said John E. Childress, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This couple exploited that trust through a widespread mail theft and identity fraud scheme that caused two million dollars in losses, while arming themselves with very dangerous illegal weapons. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who target the public and abuse systems we all depend on.”
“This case highlights the distinguished partnership between the Indianapolis Field Office, the Evansville Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Secret Service has a duty to safeguard the nation’s financial infrastructure, but we protect far more than just the economic interest of the communities we serve,” said Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis Field Office, Ike Barnes. “This case is a prime example of how those who look to victimize our communities will do so in numerous ways. Michael Wright and Cortney Young not only exploited our community of roughly $1.8 million in illicit funds but also brought dangerous weapons into our neighborhoods to carry out their depraved scheme.”
“Protecting the U.S. mail and its customers is at the core of our mission as postal inspectors,” said Acting Inspector in Charge Sean McStravick of USPIS – Detroit Division. “Thanks to incredible collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, we were able to do just that by putting these individuals behind bars. This sentencing should be considered a warning to anyone else looking to prey on the Postal Service or its customers – we will bring you to justice.”
The U.S. Secret Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Judge Matthew P. Brookman.
Acting U.S. Attorney Childress thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew B. Miller and Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Rodney Alan Signor, 49, of Inchelium, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner in Indian Country. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 57 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on June 9, 2022, Signor assaulted his intimate partner by striking her and causing her to suffer bruising. In addition to beating his victim, Signor also strangled her, which caused her to lose consciousness. Signor also gagged his victim, wielded a knife toward her, and threatened to kill her.
“This case raised serious concerns for the victim’s safety, and I’m incredibly proud of the FBI’s swift and decisive response once the crime came to light,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “Our office remains firmly committed to protecting victims and holding domestic abusers accountable through aggressive prosecution.”
“Mr. Signor treated his former partner reprehensibly, endangering her safety in multiple violent attacks. We hope this sentence sends a clear message to Mr. Signor and others like him that violent crime will not be tolerated. The FBI is committed to continuing our work to reduce violent crime in tribal communities alongside our tribal partners,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office.
Compared to all other groups in the United States, Native American women experience some of the highest rates of domestic violence. Particularly pervasive among violent crime is nonfatal strangulation by intimate partners. Nearly half of domestic violence victims report being choked. Although nonfatal strangulation often leaves few visible signs of injury, it can cause severe physical, neurological, and psychological complications and too often forebodes future domestic homicide. A woman who has been nonfatally strangled is over seven times more likely to be killed by the same intimate partner. The recent increased focus on the dangers of nonfatal strangulation confirms what survivors of it have known for years—that many domestic violence perpetrators do not strangle their intimate partners to kill them; they strangle them to let them know they can kill them any time they wish.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen and Assistant United States Attorney Nowles H. Heinrich.
Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that Rodney Alan Signor, 49, of Inchelium, Washington, was sentenced after pleading guilty to Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner in Indian Country. United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice imposed a sentence of 57 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, on June 9, 2022, Signor assaulted his intimate partner by striking her and causing her to suffer bruising. In addition to beating his victim, Signor also strangled her, which caused her to lose consciousness. Signor also gagged his victim, wielded a knife toward her, and threatened to kill her.
“This case raised serious concerns for the victim’s safety, and I’m incredibly proud of the FBI’s swift and decisive response once the crime came to light,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “Our office remains firmly committed to protecting victims and holding domestic abusers accountable through aggressive prosecution.”
“Mr. Signor treated his former partner reprehensibly, endangering her safety in multiple violent attacks. We hope this sentence sends a clear message to Mr. Signor and others like him that violent crime will not be tolerated. The FBI is committed to continuing our work to reduce violent crime in tribal communities alongside our tribal partners,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office.
Compared to all other groups in the United States, Native American women experience some of the highest rates of domestic violence. Particularly pervasive among violent crime is nonfatal strangulation by intimate partners. Nearly half of domestic violence victims report being choked. Although nonfatal strangulation often leaves few visible signs of injury, it can cause severe physical, neurological, and psychological complications and too often forebodes future domestic homicide. A woman who has been nonfatally strangled is over seven times more likely to be killed by the same intimate partner. The recent increased focus on the dangers of nonfatal strangulation confirms what survivors of it have known for years—that many domestic violence perpetrators do not strangle their intimate partners to kill them; they strangle them to let them know they can kill them any time they wish.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Colville Tribal Police Department. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Michael L. Vander Giessen and Assistant United States Attorney Nowles H. Heinrich.
Two California residents pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with their roles in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and to laundering the proceeds of the fraud as part of a multi-year scheme.
According to court documents, Karpis Srapyan, 35, of Winnetka, California, conspired with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Juan Carlos Esparza, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. To conduct their fraudulent scheme, they used a series of four sham hospice companies: one owned by Esparza and the other three owned by foreign nationals but controlled by the defendants. Srapyan and his co-defendants concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also misappropriated names and other identifying information of several doctors, two of whom were deceased, to fraudulently bill Medicare for purported hospice services. In total, Medicare paid the fake hospice companies nearly $16 million.
Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others to launder the fraudulent proceeds from their hospice scheme. Susanna Harutyunyan, 39, of Winnetka, was aware that her husband and co-defendant Mihran Panosyan was involved in illegal activity with Srapyan and Fichidzhyan. As part of the money laundering scheme, Harutyunyan and her co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents, bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in the residence where she and Panosyan lived and another residence that was owned in her name. Srapyan conducted dozens of financial transactions, totaling approximately $3.2 million, moving funds between accounts in the names of the sham hospice companies, accounts in the names of foreign nationals that were controlled by the defendants, and other accounts involved in the money laundering scheme. Harutyunyan knowingly spent fraudulent proceeds on personal expenses, including payments for a BMW automobile.
Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17; she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Harutyunyan faces deportation.
Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering in June and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Juan Carlos Esparza’s change of plea hearing is scheduled for July 14.
The guilty pleas today are the most recent convictions in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Michael Bacharach, Sarah E. Edwards, and Allison L. McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Two California residents pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with their roles in defrauding Medicare of nearly $16 million through sham hospice companies and to laundering the proceeds of the fraud as part of a multi-year scheme.
According to court documents, Karpis Srapyan, 35, of Winnetka, California, conspired with others, including co-defendants Petros Fichidzhyan and Juan Carlos Esparza, to bill Medicare for hospice services that were not medically necessary and never provided. To conduct their fraudulent scheme, they used a series of four sham hospice companies: one owned by Esparza and the other three owned by foreign nationals but controlled by the defendants. Srapyan and his co-defendants concealed the scheme by using foreign nationals’ personal identifying information to open bank accounts, submit information to Medicare, and sign property leases. They also misappropriated names and other identifying information of several doctors, two of whom were deceased, to fraudulently bill Medicare for purported hospice services. In total, Medicare paid the fake hospice companies nearly $16 million.
Fichidzhyan, Esparza, and Srapyan worked with others to launder the fraudulent proceeds from their hospice scheme. Susanna Harutyunyan, 39, of Winnetka, was aware that her husband and co-defendant Mihran Panosyan was involved in illegal activity with Srapyan and Fichidzhyan. As part of the money laundering scheme, Harutyunyan and her co-defendants maintained fraudulent identification documents, bank documents, checkbooks, and credit and debit cards in the names of purported foreign owners in the residence where she and Panosyan lived and another residence that was owned in her name. Srapyan conducted dozens of financial transactions, totaling approximately $3.2 million, moving funds between accounts in the names of the sham hospice companies, accounts in the names of foreign nationals that were controlled by the defendants, and other accounts involved in the money laundering scheme. Harutyunyan knowingly spent fraudulent proceeds on personal expenses, including payments for a BMW automobile.
Srapyan pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 6. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Harutyunyan pleaded guilty to money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 17; she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine their sentences after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Harutyunyan faces deportation.
Co-defendant Petros Fichidzhyan previously pleaded guilty to health care fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering. In May, Fichidzhyan was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Co-defendant Mihran Panosyan pleaded guilty to money laundering in June and is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 8. Co-defendant Juan Carlos Esparza’s change of plea hearing is scheduled for July 14.
The guilty pleas today are the most recent convictions in the Justice Department’s ongoing effort to combat hospice fraud in the greater Los Angeles area. Last year, a doctor was convicted at trial for his role in a scheme to bill Medicare for hospice services patients did not need, and two other defendants were sentenced for their roles in a hospice fraud scheme.
Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Michael Bacharach, Sarah E. Edwards, and Allison L. McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara B. Vavere for the Central District of California is handling asset forfeiture.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of 9 strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Shooter was neutralized by brave law enforcement officers
TEXAS – Yesterday morning, a gunman, preliminarily identified as Ryan Louis Mosqued, opened fire at the entrance of the United States Border Patrol (USBP) sector annex in McAllen, Texas.
The suspect was neutralized by law enforcement who acted heroically to stop the shooter before there was any loss of life, however three were injured. A McAllen police officer was shot in the leg. Both a Border Patrol officer and Border Patrol employee also sustained injuries. All three were taken to the hospital in non-critical condition. This incident is being investigated by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility in coordination with the FBI.
This attack comes as federal law enforcement is facing a staggering surge in assaults and politicians continue to vilify and attack law enforcement. Just yesterday Axios published a post quoting a democratic lawmaker saying: “Our own base is telling us that what we’re doing is not good enough … [that] there needs to be blood to grab the attention of the press and the public.”
“Yesterday’s heinous and unprovoked attack in McAllen could have been a bloodbath if not for the fearless actions of Border Patrol and McAllen law enforcement,”said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.“This vile assault on our officers is a disgusting escalation fueled by toxic rhetoric vilifying those who protect our borders. This must end now, and those stoking this violence will face consequences.”
PORTSMOUTH, N.H., July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Mantis, a leading provider of digital strategy and services specializing in managed services, cybersecurity and cloud solutions, today announced that it has been selected as a preferred vendor by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to deliver Cyber Incident Response Plan (IRP) and Tabletop Exercise (TTX) services to state agencies as part of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. This federal grant program enables Blue Mantis to further its commitment to strengthening the Commonwealth’s overall cybersecurity posture at the state and local level.
Empowering State Agencies to Build Resilience Against Cyber Threats With the growing sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks, state agencies face mounting pressure to safeguard sensitive data, maintain critical operations, and demonstrate compliance with evolving statutes and regulations. The Blue Mantis IRP and TTX program provides Massachusetts agencies with comprehensive, scalable, and actionable solutions for incident response planning and cyber readiness.
Through this contract, agencies can access:
Custom-Tailored Cyber Incident Response Plans (IRPs): Developed in alignment with industry best practices (NIST, CISA), these plans provide clear protocols, role assignments, and communication strategies, ensuring agencies are equipped to respond effectively to cyber incidents.
Scenario-Based Tabletop Exercises (TTXs): Interactive exercises based on the MITRE ATT&CK® framework allow agencies to test and validate their incident response plans, uncover potential gaps, and enhance cross-team coordination.
Proven Methodologies and Expertise: Drawing on over 30 years of experience supporting public sector and enterprise organizations, Blue Mantis combines deep technical expertise with a collaborative, customer-first approach that prioritizes measurable outcomes.
Accelerated Service Delivery: With the capacity to support multiple agencies simultaneously and a streamlined engagement lifecycle, Blue Mantis ensures agencies receive timely, high-quality support tailored to their unique operational environments.
Alignment with Compliance and Security Standards: All services are designed to meet or exceed the Commonwealth’s information security policies, accessibility standards, and regulatory requirements.
A Partnership Built on Experience and Results This initiative is supported by Blue Mantis’ partnership with the Executive Office of Technology Services & Security (EOTSS). Together, these organizations are ensuring that Commonwealth agencies have access to best-in-class cybersecurity services, driving greater resiliency and preparedness across the public sector.
“Cybersecurity is a team sport, and protecting the Commonwealth’s agencies requires public-private collaboration, expertise, and unwavering commitment,” said Josh Dinneen, CEO of Blue Mantis. “Thanks to our partnership with EOTSS, Blue Mantis is uniquely positioned to help state agencies anticipate, withstand, and recover from cyber threats. Our IRP and TTX services empower agencies to achieve new levels of resilience, compliance, and confidence as they serve the people of Massachusetts.”
Contract Highlights:
Statewide Availability: The contract streamlines procurement, allowing all Commonwealth agencies to quickly and cost-effectively access Blue Mantis IRP and TTX services.
Scalable Engagements: Blue Mantis supports projects of all sizes, from individual departments to enterprise-wide initiatives, delivering consistent quality and measurable improvements.
Track Record of Success: Blue Mantis brings a history of successful engagements with municipalities and public sector organizations across Massachusetts and beyond, helping clients respond to and recover from real-world cybersecurity incidents.
Strategic Advocacy: Partnership with EOTSS ensures alignment with the Commonwealth’s overarching cybersecurity objectives and priorities.
For more information about Blue Mantis’ cybersecurity services and the IRP/TTX program, visit www.bluemantis.com.
About Blue Mantis Blue Mantis is a security-first IT solutions and services provider with a 30+ year history of successfully helping clients achieve business modernization by applying next-generation technologies including managed services, cybersecurity, cloud and collaboration. Headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with offices in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the company provides digital technology services and strategic guidance to ensure clients quickly adapt and grow through automation and innovation. Blue Mantis partners with more than 1,500 leading mid-market and enterprise organizations in a multitude of vertical industries and is backed by leading private equity firm, Recognize. For more information, please visit www.bluemantis.com.
Inquiries: David Knox Director of Public Sector Blue Mantis david.knox@bluemantis.com (781) 987-2013
PORTSMOUTH, N.H., July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Blue Mantis, a leading provider of digital strategy and services specializing in managed services, cybersecurity and cloud solutions, today announced that it has been selected as a preferred vendor by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to deliver Cyber Incident Response Plan (IRP) and Tabletop Exercise (TTX) services to state agencies as part of the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program. This federal grant program enables Blue Mantis to further its commitment to strengthening the Commonwealth’s overall cybersecurity posture at the state and local level.
Empowering State Agencies to Build Resilience Against Cyber Threats With the growing sophistication and frequency of cyberattacks, state agencies face mounting pressure to safeguard sensitive data, maintain critical operations, and demonstrate compliance with evolving statutes and regulations. The Blue Mantis IRP and TTX program provides Massachusetts agencies with comprehensive, scalable, and actionable solutions for incident response planning and cyber readiness.
Through this contract, agencies can access:
Custom-Tailored Cyber Incident Response Plans (IRPs): Developed in alignment with industry best practices (NIST, CISA), these plans provide clear protocols, role assignments, and communication strategies, ensuring agencies are equipped to respond effectively to cyber incidents.
Scenario-Based Tabletop Exercises (TTXs): Interactive exercises based on the MITRE ATT&CK® framework allow agencies to test and validate their incident response plans, uncover potential gaps, and enhance cross-team coordination.
Proven Methodologies and Expertise: Drawing on over 30 years of experience supporting public sector and enterprise organizations, Blue Mantis combines deep technical expertise with a collaborative, customer-first approach that prioritizes measurable outcomes.
Accelerated Service Delivery: With the capacity to support multiple agencies simultaneously and a streamlined engagement lifecycle, Blue Mantis ensures agencies receive timely, high-quality support tailored to their unique operational environments.
Alignment with Compliance and Security Standards: All services are designed to meet or exceed the Commonwealth’s information security policies, accessibility standards, and regulatory requirements.
A Partnership Built on Experience and Results This initiative is supported by Blue Mantis’ partnership with the Executive Office of Technology Services & Security (EOTSS). Together, these organizations are ensuring that Commonwealth agencies have access to best-in-class cybersecurity services, driving greater resiliency and preparedness across the public sector.
“Cybersecurity is a team sport, and protecting the Commonwealth’s agencies requires public-private collaboration, expertise, and unwavering commitment,” said Josh Dinneen, CEO of Blue Mantis. “Thanks to our partnership with EOTSS, Blue Mantis is uniquely positioned to help state agencies anticipate, withstand, and recover from cyber threats. Our IRP and TTX services empower agencies to achieve new levels of resilience, compliance, and confidence as they serve the people of Massachusetts.”
Contract Highlights:
Statewide Availability: The contract streamlines procurement, allowing all Commonwealth agencies to quickly and cost-effectively access Blue Mantis IRP and TTX services.
Scalable Engagements: Blue Mantis supports projects of all sizes, from individual departments to enterprise-wide initiatives, delivering consistent quality and measurable improvements.
Track Record of Success: Blue Mantis brings a history of successful engagements with municipalities and public sector organizations across Massachusetts and beyond, helping clients respond to and recover from real-world cybersecurity incidents.
Strategic Advocacy: Partnership with EOTSS ensures alignment with the Commonwealth’s overarching cybersecurity objectives and priorities.
For more information about Blue Mantis’ cybersecurity services and the IRP/TTX program, visit www.bluemantis.com.
About Blue Mantis Blue Mantis is a security-first IT solutions and services provider with a 30+ year history of successfully helping clients achieve business modernization by applying next-generation technologies including managed services, cybersecurity, cloud and collaboration. Headquartered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, with offices in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the company provides digital technology services and strategic guidance to ensure clients quickly adapt and grow through automation and innovation. Blue Mantis partners with more than 1,500 leading mid-market and enterprise organizations in a multitude of vertical industries and is backed by leading private equity firm, Recognize. For more information, please visit www.bluemantis.com.
Inquiries: David Knox Director of Public Sector Blue Mantis david.knox@bluemantis.com (781) 987-2013
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Jesús Chuy García (IL-04)
WASHINGTON, D.C. —Congressman Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) issued the following statement after voting against H.R.1, the “One Big, Ugly Bill”:
“I cannot support a bill that strips health care from working families while writing checks to billionaires and ICE.
“Trump’s ‘Big, Ugly Bill’ includes the largest Medicaid cuts in American history, leaving 17 million people with no health care. In my district, 278,000 people are enrolled in Medicaid, and thousands will lose their coverage under this bill. It raises costs, eliminates care, and punishes everyday families.
“It jeopardizes nutrition benefits for more than 40 million people, taking food off the table for children, seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.
“If that was not enough, this bill will pour $100 billion into ICE, building it into the largest police force in the country—even bigger than the FBI—and with more detention capacity than the entire federal prison system. All to supercharge Trump and Stephen Miller’s deportation agenda, which means more raids, more kidnappings, more people taken from the streets with no regard for due process, and more families separated.
“My vote is for working families—not for billionaires, not for fear, and not for cruelty.”
Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)
SAN ANTONIO –The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is on alert for fraudsters seeking to profit off the catastrophic and deadly flooding in Texas.
Millions of people fall victim to scams every year. Natural disasters and severe weather can create opportunities for fraud, occurring at a time when people may be especially vulnerable, or targeting charitable intentions.
Scammers are known to carry out a variety of fraud schemes, targeting those in the in affected communities. These methods include using phone, text, mail, email, and even going door to door to target residents impacted by damaging storms.
If you think you may have been preyed upon, submit a report to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or www.justice.gov/disastercomplaintform.
Learn how you can donate safely and avoid scams at the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice webpage.
You can also report disaster related complaints to your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). For more information on common charity and disaster fraud schemes, visit FBI.gov/how-we-can-help-you.
Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)
SAN ANTONIO –The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is on alert for fraudsters seeking to profit off the catastrophic and deadly flooding in Texas.
Millions of people fall victim to scams every year. Natural disasters and severe weather can create opportunities for fraud, occurring at a time when people may be especially vulnerable, or targeting charitable intentions.
Scammers are known to carry out a variety of fraud schemes, targeting those in the in affected communities. These methods include using phone, text, mail, email, and even going door to door to target residents impacted by damaging storms.
If you think you may have been preyed upon, submit a report to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or www.justice.gov/disastercomplaintform.
Learn how you can donate safely and avoid scams at the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice webpage.
You can also report disaster related complaints to your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). For more information on common charity and disaster fraud schemes, visit FBI.gov/how-we-can-help-you.
Source: United States Department of Justice (National Center for Disaster Fraud)
SAN ANTONIO –The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas is on alert for fraudsters seeking to profit off the catastrophic and deadly flooding in Texas.
Millions of people fall victim to scams every year. Natural disasters and severe weather can create opportunities for fraud, occurring at a time when people may be especially vulnerable, or targeting charitable intentions.
Scammers are known to carry out a variety of fraud schemes, targeting those in the in affected communities. These methods include using phone, text, mail, email, and even going door to door to target residents impacted by damaging storms.
If you think you may have been preyed upon, submit a report to the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud at 866-720-5721 or www.justice.gov/disastercomplaintform.
Learn how you can donate safely and avoid scams at the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Advice webpage.
You can also report disaster related complaints to your local FBI field office by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). For more information on common charity and disaster fraud schemes, visit FBI.gov/how-we-can-help-you.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)
Defendant Recruited the Underage Victim While on Federal Supervision for Sex Trafficking a Minor
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Yusef Reynolds, 34, formerly of Delaware, was sentenced today to 27 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, or coercion, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Reynolds was on supervised release for a prior federal sex trafficking conviction in Delaware when he met and lured the underage victim, forcing her to engage in commercial sex.
James C. Barnacle, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Johnny Jennings, of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Today’s lengthy sentence is appropriate for a defendant who while on supervised release for sex trafficking a minor engaged in the same behavior—using violence and physical abuse to control a minor and force her to engage in sexual acts for his profit,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “I am proud of the hard work of my office to protect children and hold accountable those who prey on them.”
“After serving federal prison time for sex trafficking an underage girl, Yusef Reynolds went right back to his predatory ways. Once again, he lured a victim through social media and exploited her for his own profit. The FBI will continue to work with our partners and prioritize punishing those who abuse children,” said Special Agent in Charge Barnacle.
According to court documents, in 2012, Reynolds was convicted of federal charges for sex trafficking a minor and illegal possession of firearms in Delaware and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Reynolds was released in 2021 and was placed under federal supervision. Court records show that, from December 2021 through January 2022, while on federal supervised release, Reynolds sex trafficked a 16-year-old runaway from Massachusetts he met online. According to court documents, Reynolds used Facebook to contact the minor, who at the time was in North Carolina. Using promises of a better life to lure the victim, Reynolds convinced her to join him in Delaware even though he knew the victim was underage.
Filed court documents show that Reynolds sent two other individuals to pick up the minor victim and bring her to Delaware. Once there, Reynolds immediately began to sex traffic the minor. Reynolds took pictures of the minor and posted them on a website advertising for commercial sex. After that, Reynolds, either himself or through other individuals he knew or controlled, booked commercial sex appointments for the victim and took all the money the victim earned from the sexual encounters. During that time, Reynolds used a combination of physical and sexual violence, threats, and verbal abuse to force the victim to engage in commercial sex acts and plied the victim with drugs to further coerce her to continue to engage in the commercial sex trade.
On March 29, 2024, Reynolds pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud, or coercion. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson credited the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for its investigative work and thanked CMPD and the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, both task force members, for their coordination and partnership with the FBI, which led to today’s outcome. FBI Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Forces operate in nearly every FBI field office. The most effective way to investigate human trafficking is through a collaborative, multi-agency approach among federal, state, local, and tribal partners. The ultimate goal of the task forces is to recover victims and investigate traffickers at the state and federal level.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Fairmont, West Virginia, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of distribution of child sexual abuse material and interstate transmission of extortionate communication, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Ronald John Kirkham Jr., 56, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, Kirkham met his victim online when the victim was 17. In or around 2017, Kirkham persuaded the victim to send naked pictures and videos of herself engaging in sexually explicit acts. Years later, Kirkham sent the victim’s photographs back to her, threatening to publish the material online if the victim did not either send him additional photos or videos, or pay him money.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and North Fayette Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (8th District of New York)
New York, NY – Today, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries appeared on ABC’s The View where he highlighted the devastating impacts of Donald Trump and House Republicans’ One Big Ugly Bill that was signed into law last week.
SARA HAINES: Well, when you first started speaking, people thought that you would delay the vote by an hour. And instead, you spoke on the Senate floor for eight hours and 44 minutes. This is becoming a trend for you. What was behind the decision to keep going?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I thought first of all, that this kind of bill, which is going to have such a dramatic impact on people all across the country. I mean, literally millions of everyday Americans are going to be hurt. And it’s all being done to reward billionaires—Unacceptable, right, unconscionable, un-American—that it needed to be debated in the light of day, not passed in the middle of the night, which was the original intention. This debate started at 3:28 a.m. And so, you know, this is such an unprecedented assault on healthcare, on the economy, on nutritional assistance, on higher education, on everything, that we just wanted to be able to do everything that we could to fully air the challenges with the bill, but also see if we can persuade just a handful of Republicans to do the right thing by the American people.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Well, you persuaded two and one person as I understand was absent from the vote, which could’ve changed it. But you’re calling this the One Big Ugly Bill. And not only is it projected by the Congressional Budget Office to add $3.4 trillion to our national debt, it extends tax cuts for the rich, as you mentioned. It also includes though, big cuts to healthcare programs, such as Medicaid, cuts to SNAP benefits for the poor. My understanding is in New York, about 1 million people will be affected by this. Can you talk about the implications for healthcare and how it affects people who don’t even use these programs?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, first of all, like, in America, healthcare shouldn’t simply be a privilege, it should be a right to every single American. Presidents throughout the years, whether that’s, you know, Roosevelt or Truman, you know, President Johnson, President Clinton, President Obama, President Biden, have all worked to expand access to healthcare. But what’s so extraordinary about this bill is that more than 17 million people will lose healthcare as a result of the, you know, cuts to Medicaid, the attack on Medicare, the attack on the Affordable Care Act, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and Planned Parenthood.
ANA NAVARRO: And by the way, MAGA kept saying that it was illegal aliens that were going to be kicked out. Explain to folks that there’s not 17 million illegal aliens that are receiving free Medicaid.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Actually federal law, to your point, Ana, explicitly prohibits federal dollars from being used to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants. And so, that was always a lie. But we’re dealing with some folks where facts don’t matter, hypocrisy is not a constraint to their behavior and people actually have concluded that shamelessness is a superpower. And so, our view is we just have to aggressively push back with righteous intensity, continue to press on, as I indicated, as John Lewis would always inspire us to do, speak up, show up, stand up so we can get the type of America that this country deserves.
SUNNY HOSTIN: But don’t you then also—I think that’s right—shouldn’t you and other Democrats be screaming from the mountaintops and tether the Republicans to this bill, tether because there’s going to be true human loss here, right? People are going to really feel it.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, real pain and suffering. I mean, the attack on healthcare is not just going to result on millions of people losing access, but hospitals will close, nursing homes will shut down, community-based health clinics won’t be able to provide assistance.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Rural hospitals.
LEADER JEFFRIES: Rural hospitals in particular are at great risk. And in fact, people who have private insurance, once you attack the healthcare ecosystem, premiums, co-pays and deductibles for tens of millions of others are going to go up. And so it’s a big problem. It’s an immoral thing that just took place on the floor of the House of Representatives. An immoral thing.
ANA NAVARRO: And at the same time that this bill—by the way, I think instead of calling it the Big Ugly Bill, you should call it BUL—Big Ugly Law. But at the same time that it cuts SNAP benefits and it cuts healthcare for the neediest amongst us, it sets aside 170 billion for ICE mass deportation efforts, a bigger budget than the FBI and federal prison system combined. And last week, we saw the administration opened a new migrant detention center in my home state of Florida. They’re calling it Alligator Alcatraz. And we’ve also seen military style ICE raids throughout cities in this country. People are being imprisoned and deported and disappeared and taken away by masked men without any due process. And the worst part is, you know, my community in particular, Latinos, are being racially profiled and targeted. Communities and families are being torn apart. But for me, the saddest part is that people feel helpless and hopeless, that there is nothing they can do. They feel there’s nothing you can do, as a minority in the House. What’s your message to these people that feel such lack of hope and such fear?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, we are seeing sort of an unprecedented flood of extremism being unleashed on the American people. And it’s happened from the very beginning, January 20, months and months and months, you know, of chaos, of cruelty, of corruption. But I think we can never lose hope in the resilience of the American people to face turbulence—and this is an incredibly turbulent moment—but to power our way through it and to come out stronger on the other side. It’s not to say it’s going to be easy. It will be challenging. But I think I still believe in the fundamental goodness of the American people. A recognition—one of the reasons why this bill is so deeply unpopular and it is, is because they recognize that this is not what America should be all about in terms of the deportation situation. One, we have to, of course, secure the border. We have a broken immigration system. We need to fix it. We should fix it in a bipartisan and comprehensive way. But we should also never abandon the fact that, yes, we are a nation anchored in the rule of law. We are also a nation of immigrants. E pluribus unum. Out of many, one. It’s one of the great strengths of the United States of America. We should not abandon it. And so, as House Democrats, our view is that while we, you know, work on making sure the border can remain secure, while we work to fix our broken immigration system, we also are going to stand up for Dreamers, for farmworkers and for law-abiding immigrant families at all times, at all times.
[…]
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: So Leader Jeffries, you wear many hats, and one of your jobs is to try to win back the House for Democrats. I mean, we were talking about immigration before we went to break. Now, some Democrats, amid the criticisms of ICE right now to do these ICE raids, have started calling for defunding ICE. Do you think that’s effective going into the midterms, and do you support those calls?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, I definitely think that we need aggressive oversight as it relates to the overly aggressive behavior that we’ve seen, you know, from ICE, from the Department of Homeland Security. It’s not what the American people actually, in my view, voted for. Donald Trump and Republicans promised to go after violent felons. But instead, they’re going after law-abiding immigrant families, and in fact, in some cases, deporting American citizens and children, some with cancer. And America is better than this, and that’s the reality. In terms of what House Democrats stand for, we believe that in this country, you work hard and you play by the rules, you should be able to experience the American dream. You should able to afford to live the good life. And we believe that that’s, you know, that’s a good paying job, good healthcare, good housing, good education for your children and a good retirement. And a good retirement, by the way, means keep your hands off of Social Security and Medicare, now and at all times. That’s the good life.
ALYSSA FARAH GRIFFIN: I also want to ask you, because I could argue you’re the most important Democrat in New York right now, and Zohran Mamdani won the Democratic primary, is poised to become the next mayor of New York City. Now, he ran as an avowed socialist. He called for defunding the police in 2020. That would mean the New York Police Department. You have yet to endorse him. Will you be endorsing him, and do you have any concerns about some of his past positions?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Well, you know, he’s actually said that he plans to keep the police fully funded. I’m scheduled to meet with him next week, and we’ll have a conversation about his vision. He did run a campaign that was actually focused largely on affordability, and that was the right issue to focus on because New York City’s too expensive. America right now is too expensive.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Ain’t nobody got any money because money is all dissipated.
LEADER JEFFRIES: It’s a very—you’re right—it’s a very challenging situation in terms of affordability that we have to lean in on. In fact, Donald Trump promised that he would lower costs on day one. Costs haven’t gone down, they’re going up in America. And now we have to deal with the consequences of this One Big Ugly Bill, which is now One Big Ugly Law, Ana, as you pointed out. So, we’ll sit down, we’ll talk. I also want to talk to him about the importance of Democrats taking back control of the United States House of Representatives next year so we can have some balance in the country, which is what the founders envisioned.
SUNNY HOSTIN: Can’t you also roll back this Big Ugly Bill some, because it doesn’t take effect until after the midterms, correct?
LEADER JEFFRIES: It has several provisions in the legislation that will not take effect until after the 2026 midterm elections.
ANA NAVARRO: Before you go, I want to ask you—I want you to say something about Texas, because the entire country is in mourning and people have questions about why this happened, and could it have been avoided? Is there something that you can do?
LEADER JEFFRIES: Yeah, it’s an unspeakable and horrific tragedy. And, you know, our thoughts and prayers go out to every single family that has experienced a loss. And we know, you know, I mean, no parent should ever have to bury their child. And dozens will now have to bury their children. And so, with extreme weather events and the climate crisis and these natural disasters, we should never play politics, ever. Not play politics with the wildfires, not play politics with these floods and get the American people the relief that they need and deserve. That’s my commitment.
WHOOPI GOLDBERG: Our thanks to House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
NEWARK, N.J. –U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations Newark and multiple federal, state and local partners made 18 arrests of alleged co-conspirators for roles in a drug trafficking organization July 1 in Newark, New Jersey.
The arrests are a result of a 14-month HSI Newark investigation with the Newark Police Department and the U.S. District Attorney for the District of New Jersey.
“In addition to the 18 arrests, HSI’s investigation led to federal charges filed against 24 individuals and we executed seven federal search warrants in and around Essex County, New Jersey,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel during a press conference following the operation. “Law enforcement partnership and teamwork were essential in our success. I am proud to say these alleged conspirators operating the sale of narcotics primarily from the Bradley Court Public Housing Complex have been stopped thanks to thousands of hours of police work. The livelihood of the tenants throughout 10 three-story apartment buildings who have been plagued by this dangerous enterprise for far too long can now feel a sense of safety and security.”
On July 2, two additional defendants were arrested. Four remain at large.
HSI Newark’s investigation uncovered a complex criminal enterprise with ties to transnational organized crime, that distributed more than 400 grams of fentanyl and a kilo of heroin. During the takedown operation, approximately $113,000 dollars in bulk cash/drug proceeds, illicit firearms, ammunition, narcotics, including 28 bricks of fentanyl and heroin, and vehicles were seized.
According to the investigation, the defendants are members or associates of Sex, Money, Murder—a Blood affiliated criminal street gang that controls the drug trade in Bradley Court Housing Complex located near North Munn Avenue and Tremont Avenue in Newark. The enterprise is also known as Munn Block, M-Blok, and Tombstone Gang. Munn Block are closely aligned with another Blood affiliated gang known as Voorhees, who operate around Voorhees Street—members and associates of the enterprise refer to the collective union as “MunnHees”.
“It is critical for the public to understand that these individuals engaged in the most dangerous of action, were armed and were involved in shootings,” said Patel. “They peddled narcotics to include fentanyl, heroin, and crack cocaine, all while risking the lives of those around them for power and money. Surveillance, undercover activity and electronic monitoring were just some of the necessary steps needed to bring these individuals to justice.”
For over a year, law enforcement conducted extensive surveillance of the area, conducted numerous controlled purchases of narcotics, seized narcotics through enforcement action, and analyzed telephone records, all of which demonstrated extensive interactions between and among the charged defendants. Members and associates of the enterprise are known to use social media on a variety of platforms and mobile applications, including Instagram, YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), Signal, Telegram, and WhatsApp to conduct the business of the enterprise, communicate with one another, promote the Enterprise through sharing photographs and videos, and further the enterprise’s goals. Specifically, the enterprise uses the release and promotion of drill rap songs and music videos on social media to intimidate rival gang members, witnesses, and other members of the community, and to promote the enterprise.
“For far too long, the Bloods have overtaken the Bradley Court Housing Complex — turning its courtyards and residential buildings into a hub for pumping deadly fentanyl into the city of Newark, while endangering the lives of the citizens who call this community home.” said U.S. Attorney Alina Habba. “This poison has ripped families apart and stolen countless lives. That stops today. These arrests affirm my office’s commitment to taking guns and drugs off the streets and serves as a clear warning to anyone who considers engaging in violent activity. The defendants in this case, as in all criminal cases, are presumed innocent unless, and until proven guilty. However, everyone should understand that if you spread this poison or engage in this violent activity, we will use every resource necessary to find you, dismantle your operation, and prosecute you.”
Other agencies who supported HSI Newark’s investigation and operations included U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, the New Jersey State Police, Newark Police Department, East Orange Police Department and the Newark Housing Authority Security Department.
The following Essex County residents were each charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, heroin and cocaine:
Shamon Freshley aka Hitta, 26.
Orlando Pizzaro aka Lando, 26.
Zakir Jefferson aka Gu, aka Tank 26.
Quayyon Johnson aka Weeze, 22.
Melvin Faines, aka Spaz, 34.
Afrika Islam, aka Sexx, 29.
Shaheem Webb, aka YC, 23.
Eustace Weeks, aka Juxx, 26.
Ali Baker, aka Surf, 34.
Jose Ward aka Hec, 22.
Brandon Sneed aka Pops, 31.
Eric Banks aka Lil Maneskii, 19.
Tauheed Carney aka Bmunn, 21.
Tykee Stokes aka Big, 32.
Shafeek Barker aka Sha, 28.
Ibn Perry aka Loop, 38.
Alvin Jones aka Lucky, 41.
Kirk Mansook aka Crow, 39.
Tyjanique Green aka Ski, 24.
Jubar Hughes aka Dudu, 27.
Daisean Williams aka Khaos, 22.
Jason Wardlaw aka Jayr, 30.
Rana James aka Pooh, 28.
Sebastian Pierrecent aka Sosa, 21, Quayyan Johnson, and Tauheed Carney are also each charged with possession of a machine gun. In addition, Pierrecent is charged with possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
Pierrecent, Johnson, and Carney, are also charged with possession of a machine gun that was used in the June 17 shooting in rival gang territory near Mapes Avenue in Newark.
The defendants charged in the drug conspiracy face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, with potential penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Pierrecent, Johnson, and Carney each face up to 10 years in prison for possession of the machinegun. Pierrecent faces up to 15 years in prison for possession of firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon.