Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines — Service members from the United States, Philippines, Japan, Republic of Korea and United Kingdom will kick off Exercise KAMANDAG 9 on May 26, 2025, training across the Philippines to enhance multinational military readiness, interoperability, and regional defense capabilities.
Source: United States Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 05/06/2025 02:00 AM EDT
05/06/2025 01:39 AM EDT
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Kole Glen Brimhall, 27, of Orem, Utah, was sentenced today to 12 months’ and one day imprisonment after he defrauded approximately 135 investors through the sale of a fraudulent investment offered through Alpha Influence, LLC, a registered Utah company. Brimhall was also sentenced to three years’ supervised release, and ordered to pay a forfeiture money judgement in the amount of $1,097,709.82 and $5,003,400 in restitution to the victims.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge David Sam, comes after Brimhall pleaded guilty on November 18, 2024, to fraud in the offer and sale of securities. See prior press release: Utah Sales Agent Admits to Defrauding Clients of More than $4.9M.
According to court documents and statements made at the defendant’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, from March 2020 to June 2022, Brimhall sold fraudulent investment security contracts for Alpha Influence. As part of the scheme, Brimhall and others aggressively promoted, primarily through social media, that purchasing the Alpha Influence investment would generate life-changing passive income for investors in a very short amount of time exclusively through the efforts of the “Alpha Influence Team.”
As team lead within the Alpha Influence sales structure, Brimhall was responsible for the sale of approximately 135 Alpha investments to individual investors and received $1,097,709.82 in verified commissions for those fraudulent sales.
“Brimhall’s participation in defrauding investors not only left investors in financial devastation, but with a loss of trust that can have a lifelong impact in their personal and professional life,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Felice John Viti of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah. “It is our hope that by prosecuting these crimes, we will deter others from participating in affinity fraud schemes in our communities.”
“This $20 million fraud, driven by bold displays and false promises shared on social media, caused significant harm to over 500 Utahns,” says Executive Director of the Utah Department of Commerce, Margaret Busse. “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: such predatory actions will not be tolerated, and we stand firmly committed to protecting Utah investors. Fraudulent activities like this erode public trust in legitimate investments and undermine the very foundations of our financial system. I’m proud of the hard work and collaboration between our Utah Division of Securities, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office, and the FBI that went into bringing these individuals to justice.”
“Many of the victims in this case are members of the working class who have the least margin for loss. Yet the defendant shamelessly used their hard-earned money on fancy cars and extravagant vacations,” said Special Agent in Charge Mehtab Syed of the Salt Lake City FBI. “While fraud schemes are not violent in nature, they can be financially and emotionally devastating. The FBI is dedicated to holding accountable those who profit through deception.”
The case was investigated jointly by the Utah Division of Securities and the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorneys Mark E. Woolf, Jennifer E. Gully, and Brian Williams of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Source: United States INDO PACIFIC COMMAND
BATANES ISLAND CHAIN, Philippines — U.S. Marines and Sailors with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, supported by U.S. Marines with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, U.S. Soldiers with 25th Infantry Division, and Philippines Marines with Marines Battalion Landing Team 10, concluded the Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations event during Exercise Balikatan 25 with the retrograde of forces from the Batanes islands to Northern Luzon, May 2, 2025.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Marvin Jose Espana, 46, a citizen of Honduras, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, on April 15, 2025, Buffalo Border Patrol Station agents responded to a request for assistance from Amherst Police officers, who had detained two individuals following a traffic stop. A records check determined that one of the two individuals, Espana, was a citizen and national of Honduras, illegally present in the United States after having been previously removed. Espana was taken into custody. He was removed from the United States in June 2007, and again in August 2014.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Espana made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was detained.
The complaint is a result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Patrol Agent in Charge Juan Ramirez.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Alejandro Mendez Flores, 38, a citizen of Mexico, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with illegal re-entry of a removed alien, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, Flores was encountered by Customs and Border Protection officers on April 30, 2025, at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry. Flores was driving a vehicle with a State of Kentucky registration and inadvertently entered onto the bridge toward Canada, where he was refused admission. Flores then encountered CBP officers. A records check determined that Flores was previously arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Texas in July 2019 after having illegally entered the United States. He was physically removed from the United States.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Flores made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
DURANGO – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Blas Villa, 41, of Monte Vista, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl.
According to the plea agreement and information presented at sentencing, Villa is a well-known drug dealer in the San Luis Valley. Villa possessed close to a pound of pure methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills over three incidents in 2023. In August 2023, Villa and an associate were found at a home in Monte Vista with significant amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, a handgun, five cell phones, a scale with drug residue, and $13,400 in cash. A search of Villa’s phone revealed photos of Villa posing with firearms, as well as many photos of fentanyl pills associated with a pill counting app. Villa was originally charged in state court and bonded out of custody. While on bond, Villa was arrested again for possessing heroin and methamphetamine in November 2023. Villa bonded out of state custody again. In December 2023, law enforcement pulled over a car driven by Villa and found over 2,500 fentanyl pills and distribution amounts of methamphetamine. Prior to this case, Villa had fifteen prior convictions, including several felonies.
“Mr. Villa is a serial offender,” said Acting United States Attorney for the District of Colorado J. Bishop Grewell. “I thank our law enforcement partners for removing him and his deadly wares from the San Luis Valley.”
“Villa consistently brought harm and poison to Colorado, and with his sentencing the state is that much safer,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen. “The men and women of DEA and our law enforcement partners will continue to take down people and organizations causing harm to Coloradans and those around the country.”
“The removal of these dangerous drugs is a testament to the tireless efforts of the Monte Vista Police Department, specifically the dedicated work of our Detective, in collaboration with key federal partners,” said Interim Monte Vista Police Chief Tyler Harford. “This operation represents a significant step forward in ensuring the safety and well-being of our community. We remain committed to addressing this issue and protecting our residents.”
United States District Judge Gordon P. Gallagher presided over the sentencing in Durango, Colorado. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Monte Vista Police Department handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey K. Graves handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 24-cr-00046-GPG-JMC
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
OKLAHOMA CITY – BRYAN DEVIN CRUZ, 25, of Texas, has been sentenced to serve 210 months in federal prison for interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
Public record reflects that, in April 2024, an officer with the Moore Police Department (MPD) was dispatched to a home on reports of a stranger peeking into the window of a 13-year-old girl. MPD then deployed a thermal imaging drone to survey the area and located the suspect, later identified as Cruz, moving away from the property. Cruz was arrested shortly after. The minor’s parents consented to the search of a laptop used by the teenager. Investigators learned the teen and Cruz met online through an online application, and that Cruz told the minor he was a high school student and claimed to be 17 years old. Eventually, Cruz expressed interest in meeting the minor, and traveled from Dallas, Texas, to the minor’s residence on April 5, 2024, with the purpose of engaging in illicit activity.
On May 7, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment against Cruz, charging him with coercion and enticement of a minor and interstate travel with intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor. On September 12, 2024, Cruz pleaded guilty to Count 2 of the Indictment, and admitted he traveled from Dallas, Texas, to Moore, Oklahoma, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
At the sentencing hearing on May 1, 2025, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Cruz to serve 210 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Wyrick noted the need to protect the public from further crime and the nature and circumstances of the offense, indicating that Cruz’s conduct was pervasive, rather than isolated.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Moore Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
SAN FRANCISCO – Vimaan Robotics, Inc. (Vimaan), a San Jose-based company that develops computer vision and AI warehouse management solutions, has agreed to pay $1.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by improperly accepting and drawing down funds from a grant award that it was ineligible to receive.
The settlement relates to a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II grant that Vimaan obtained from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The terms and conditions of the SBIR grant preclude companies that are majority-owned by one or more venture capital operating companies from applying for or receiving such an award. The settlement resolves allegations by the United States that at the time Vimaan received the award on April 16, 2020, Vimaan failed to disclose that it had become majority-owned by one or more venture capital companies one month earlier, making it ineligible for the award. Between June 2020 and August 2022, the United States contends, Vimaan submitted 14 separate requests to NSF for disbursement of the award funds and falsely certified its eligibility to receive the award funds in each of these payment requests.
“Federal small business research grants awarded by NSF are designed to support and foster innovative research by small businesses, not to provide taxpayer funding for businesses primarily owned by venture capital firms,” said Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins. “When companies evade program restrictions and obtain grants even though they are not eligible, this office will vigorously enforce the False Claims Act to ensure that federal dollars go to proper recipients.”
“The SBIR program is a valuable tool in advancing NSF’s mission to promote the progress of science by increasing opportunities for small businesses to undertake cutting-edge scientific research. Entities that misrepresent their eligibility in order to obtain government funding undermine the integrity and effectiveness of the program. The NSF Office of Inspector General is committed to vigorously pursuing oversight of these taxpayer funds and I commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its strong support in this effort,” said Megan E. Wallace, NSF’s Acting Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Savith Iyengar handled this matter for the government. The investigation and settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California and NSF-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating fraud in federal grants. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement involving NSF can be reported to NSF’s Office of Inspector General at https://oig.nsf.gov/contact/hotline.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
URBANA, Ill. – A Bismarck, Illinois, man, Jacob R. Kirkley, 48, was sentenced on May 2, 2025, to four years in prison for his second federal counterfeiting conviction, as well as an additional 18 months in prison for violating his federal supervised release, which was imposed following his first counterfeiting conviction. When Kirkley completes his combined five-and-a-half year sentence, he will be required to serve three years of federal supervised release.
The sentences followed a trial last December in Urbana where a federal jury convicted Kirkley of manufacturing, selling, and possessing counterfeited United States currency. During two days of trial testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that, on December 7, 2023, Kirkley sold an undercover officer with the Illinois State Police $1000 of counterfeited U.S. currency that he had made for $250. On December 13, 2023, and January 8, 2024, Kirkley sold the same undercover officer another $1000 and $5000 in counterfeit U.S. currency that he had made, respectively. On January 11, 2024, agents of the U.S. States Secret Service and Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group executed a federal search warrant at Kirkley’s residence in Bismarck and recovered additional counterfeit currency, as well as various items used to counterfeit the currency.
At the time Kirkley committed those offenses, he was on federal supervised release for a previous federal counterfeiting conviction. In 2022, Kirkley was convicted of one count of manufacturing U.S. currency and two counts of passing U.S. currency after a 2020 incident where a Vermilion County Sheriff’s Deputy found over $20,000 of counterfeit U.S. currency in his truck and then learned Kirkley had passed counterfeit currency at Carnaghi’s Towing and McDonald’s in Danville, Illinois, and Dollar General in Tilton, Illinois. At the time, the Deputy also found over $20,000 counterfeit U.S. currency, plus four printers, a paper cutter, and numerous counterfeit-making implements in Kirkley’s hotel room at the Budget Inn in Danville. Kirkley served 27 months in federal prison for those offenses and was serving a three-year term of federal supervised release at the time that he committed his latest counterfeiting offenses. Kirkley was released from federal prison in May 2023, six months before committing these offenses.
At the time of sentencing, the government presented evidence that Kirkley violated his federal supervised release not only by committing a new counterfeiting offense, but also by testing positive for methamphetamine use on eight separate occasions. The government also presented evidence that Kirkley had told the undercover officer during a covertly recorded conversation that “my name’s a red flag for any kind of . . . counterfeit material at all,” that he learned how to use “Bible paper” to counterfeit currency when he was in federal prison the first time, and that he believed he would “be screwed” and would have “the book” thrown at him if he were caught counterfeiting again.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Kirkley had not accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct. Judge Bruce followed the government’s recommendation to impose a sentence above the range recommended by the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines because Judge Bruce was troubled by Kirkley committing his offense while on federal supervised release for the same crime and so soon after being released from federal prison.
The maximum statutory penalties for each of Kirkley’s five counts of conviction are up to twenty years of imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine. The maximum statutory penalty for Kirkley’s violation of his conditions of supervised release is up to two years of imprisonment.
“Counterfeiting offenses undermine the integrity and stability of our financial system and leave hardworking business owners who receive these false payments in the lurch,” said Acting U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois Gregory M. Gilmore. “Repeat offenses are particularly problematic. We are grateful to our federal and local law enforcement partners for their dedicated investigative work.”
“Protecting the nation’s currency and financial infrastructure have long been key missions for the U.S. Secret Service, along with safeguarding our country’s leaders,” said Resident Agent in Charge Michael Kurzeja, of the U.S. Secret Service Springfield Resident Office. “The Secret Service goes to extraordinary lengths to detect, investigate, and stop those who manufacture and try to profit from counterfeit currency, and attempt to weaken the nation’s financial infrastructure. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Central District of Illinois, as well as all our local partners who helped in this case.”
“The impact of counterfeiting can be widespread with the potential of hurting both businesses and individuals as false currency circulates,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at all levels to help protect the integrity of our U.S. currency and hold those who break the law accountable.”
The case investigation was conducted by the Springfield Division of the United States Secret Service, Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and Illinois State Police. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government at trial.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ST. LOUIS – A man on Monday admitted running a “chop shop” that aided car thieves connected to a local gang.
Jorge Alberto Luviano-Martinez, 41, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of operating a chop shop. As part of his plea, he admitted running a chop shop in the 2900 block of Cass Avenue in St. Louis. Members of a local gang, “Big 5,” discussed obtaining electronic keys for stolen vehicles from Luviano-Martinez and switching vehicle identification numbers (VINs) on stolen vehicles. Investigators conducted a court-approved search of the shop on June 10, 2024, finding eight stolen vehicles. One vehicle had its VIN replaced with a new VIN and another vehicle had a VIN removed.
Before the search warrant was served, investigators saw Luviano-Martinez leaving the property in a stolen Jeep. He refused to stop for police, instead leading officers on a chase that lasted about 15 minutes. After driving down a dead end street, Luviano-Martinez jumped out of the Jeep and over a fence, but was arrested.
“Our investigation shut down two chop shops, disrupting a scheme in which gang members were able to easily profit from vehicle thefts,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “The impact should help stem the flow of rising vehicle thefts across the region.”
Luviano-Martinez, also known as “Charlie Cruz,” is scheduled to be sentenced in August. The charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The FBI, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County Police Department, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen is prosecuting the case.
The investigation was conducted by the St. Louis Gateway Strike Force, which is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and includes members of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. The OCDETF strike forces are permanent, multi-agency, prosecutor-led teams that conduct intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – A San Luis Obispo County woman who operated a medical clinic pleaded guilty today to misusing physicians’ medical identities to create hundreds of fraudulent immigration documents to help immigrants obtain lawful status in the United States and for using a deceased doctor’s credentials to acquire and distributed controlled substances.
Chantelle Lavergne Woods, 54, of Nipomo, pleaded guilty to one count of presentation of false immigration document or application and one count of possession with intent to distribute phendimetrazine. Woods is free on $10,000 bond.
According to her plea agreement, Woods formerly operated and managed a clinic in Arroyo Grande that at times was known as “Medical Weight Loss and Immigration Services.” Beginning in February 2021, Woods knowingly misused the identities of three physicians to create hundreds of fraudulent documents pertaining to medical examinations of individuals seeking to register for a lawful permanent resident (LPR) card – commonly known as a “green card” – or otherwise adjust their immigration status.
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requires the submission of a medical examination and vaccination record that assess several physical and mental health factors to determine if an applicant is inadmissible to the United States on health-related grounds.
Federal law requires licensed physicians to perform these examinations and then sign a form attesting, in part, that the physician performed the medical examination and truly and accurately completed the form based on the examination and the information provided by the applicant. Woods completed at least 328 such forms on which she falsely included the signature of medical doctors, thereby representing that the individual had been medically examined by a doctor, when in fact they had not.
At times, there were no physicians present at the clinic, Woods acted without physician authorization, and the clinic did not provide legitimate medical services.
Woods further admitted that – from February 2021 to June 2022 – she used the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number of a deceased physician to order more than 150,000 tablets of controlled substances, including testosterone, codeine, alprazolam (sold under the brand name Xanax), diethylpropion (an appetite suppressant), and phentermine (weight-loss medicine).
In July 2022, at the clinic, Woods knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute phendimetrazine – a weight-loss drug – as well as a loaded firearm.
United States District Judge Fernando M. Olguin scheduled a July 31 sentencing hearing, at which time Woods will face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each count.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Ventura Resident Office Tactical Diversion Squad and USCIS Fraud Detection and National Security investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy K. Beecher of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DARNELL D. LEE (“LEE”), age 26, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 24, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to thirty (30) months incarceration after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8). LEE was also placed on supervised release for three (3) years following release from imprisonment and ordered to pay a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. Further, Judge Fallon ordered that his term of imprisonment run consecutive to the prison terms imposed by the 24th Judicial Court, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.
According to court records, on November 24, 2023, New Orleans Police Department Officers patrolling the 300 block of Bourbon Street observed LEE with what appeared to be a handgun concealed in the front waistband of his pants. When NOPD Officers approached LEE to investigate , LEE fled but was quickly apprehended. Officers recovered a Smith and Wesson Model SD9VE, nine-millimeter handgun that had fallen from his waistband. LEE was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm due to his prior felony convictions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigating this matter. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Irene M. Gonzalez of the General Crime Unit.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – John Parker, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 27-months in prison in connection with distributing the designer synthetic stimulant called “boot” near a school and for being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr., Special Agent in Charge Sean Ryan of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Chief Jessica M. E. Taylor of the United States Park Police, and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Parker pleaded guilty on March 5, 2025, to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute N, N-Dimethylpentylone near schools and to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 27-month prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Jia M. Cobb ordered Parker to serve 72 months of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Aug. 24, 2023, about 8:30 p.m., USPP officers saw an unidentified male approach Parker near 7th and H Streets, about 400 feet from a school, and hand Parker an unknown amount of cash. Parker then handed the male an unknown quantity of white powder. Officers followed Parker into a nearby drug store, stopped him, and arrested him.
During a search, officers recovered a loaded Ruger LCP semi-automatic pistol that Parker had tucked in his pants. Parker previously was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of carrying a pistol without a license.
In addition, police recovered a clear-knotted plastic bag which contained a white rock-like substance weighing 54.6 grams. a plastic bag that contained 75 clear capsules filled with a white rock-like substance, six purple capsules each containing a white rock-like substance, and $211 in cash. The rock-like substance was sent to a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) lab for analysis. The bag containing the 54.6 grams of a white rock-like substance tested positive for N, N-Dimethylpentylone, a Schedule I controlled substance.
This case was investigated by U.S. Park Police and the Metropolitan Police Department with assistance from the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory Cole.
23cr307
##
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – SONIA MILLER (“MILLER’), age 54, a resident of New Orleans, was sentenced on April 24, 2025, by United States District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown, after previously pleading guilty to theft of U.S. mail matter by a postal employee, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709(a).
MILLER was sentenced to three (3) years of probation. Judge Brown also ordered that MILLER pay a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on or about March 14, 2023, MILLER unlawfully removed the contents of several parcels of mail entrusted to her as a postal employee.
Acting U.S. Attorney Simpson praised the work of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary Katherine Kaufman of the General Crimes Unit.
Source: United States Department of Justice
Under our Constitution, no government may distribute different burdens or benefits on the basis of race without facing strict judicial scrutiny. This is especially true in the criminal justice system. Any attempt to subject Americans to different punishments or penalties based on race violates the Constitution and a number of federal civil rights laws.
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced an investigation into the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, led by County Attorney Mary Moriarty, to determine whether the Office is depriving its residents of their federal rights to be free from race-based prosecutorial decision making. According to public reporting, the Hennepin County Attorney recently adopted a policy requiring her prosecutors to consider “racial identity” during prosecutorial decision making, including when negotiating plea agreements that influence the burdens that criminal defendants face, and the benefits that they receive, in criminal prosecutions. The investigation announced today will involve a comprehensive review of all relevant Hennepin County Attorney’s Offices policies and practices that may involve illegal consideration of race.
“As a longtime prosecutor, I firmly believe in the paramount importance of a colorblind criminal justice system,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This Department of Justice will avail itself of every tool at its disposal to protect all Americans from illegal DEI discrimination.”
“It is unconstitutional and morally abhorrent to make different prosecutorial decisions based on a person’s race,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will not tolerate any attempt to do so.”
Source: United States Coast Guard
U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 05/05/2025 06:45 PM EDT
05/05/2025 06:15 PM EDT
Source: United States Attorneys General 1
The Justice Department today announced it has opened a civil rights investigation into the development and passage of Washington State Senate Bill 5375, signed into law on May 2, 2025, by Governor Bob Ferguson, which appears on its face to violate the First Amendment.
Washington State’s new law adds “members of the clergy” to a list of other professionals who are required to report information received in a confessional setting relating to child abuse or neglect to law enforcement or other state authorities, with no exception for the absolute seal of confidentiality that applies to Catholic Priests.
Furthermore, the State of Washington’s new law singles out “members of the clergy” as the only “supervisors” who may not rely on applicable legal privileges, including religious confessions, as a defense to mandatory reporting.
The Civil Rights Division will investigate the apparent conflict between Washington State’s new law with the free exercise of religion under the First Amendment, a cornerstone of the United States Constitution.
“SB 5375 demands that Catholic Priests violate their deeply held faith in order to obey the law, a violation of the Constitution and a breach of the free exercise of religion cannot stand under our Constitutional system of government,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Worse, the law appears to single out clergy as not entitled to assert applicable privileges, as compared to other reporting professionals. We take this matter very seriously and look forward to Washington State’s cooperation with our investigation.”
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBUQUERQUE – A Ohkay Owingeh man was federally indicted on multiple counts of aggravated sexual abuse for allegedly using force and threats to commit violent sexual acts.
According to court documents, Ashkia Randy Lee Trujillo, 30, an enrolled member of the Ohkay Owingeh Tribe, is accused of unlawfully and knowingly engaging in sexual acts with the victim on August 29, 2019. The indictment alleges that Trujillo used force, threats, and placed the victim in fear of death, serious bodily injury, or kidnapping during the commission of these acts.
Trujillois charged with three counts aggravated sexual abuse and will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Trujillofaces up to life years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs investigated this case with assistance from the Ohkay Owingeh Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany DuChaussee is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Paducah, KY – A Hopkinsville man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for his role in a methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking and money laundering conspiracy.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, Special Agent in Charge Rana Saoud of the Homeland Security Investigations Nashville, U.S. Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the Pittsburgh Division, and Chief Jason Newby of the Hopkinsville Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Jay Brown, 55, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute and distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and more than 400 grams of a fentanyl mixture, one count of distributing methamphetamine, two counts of attempting to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, and one count of engaging in a money laundering conspiracy. The events related to his convictions spanned from January 25, 2021, through September 20, 2023, in Christian County, Kentucky. Brown was on supervised release for a previous federal conviction at the time he committed these offenses.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the DEA Paducah Post of Duty, the Hopkinsville Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the ATF Bowling Green Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Paducah, the United States Postal Investigations Service Bowling Green, with assistance from the Kentucky State Police, the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office, and the Madisonville Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Leigh Ann Dycus, of the U.S. Attorney’s Paducah Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case was sentenced under 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).
###
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Louisville, KY – Last week, a Franklin, Kentucky, pharmacist was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison and his wife was sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for engaging in a conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, conspiracy to commit health care fraud, and health care fraud, among other charges.
U.S. Attorney Michael A. Bennett of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott of the DEA Louisville Field Division, Director Tommy Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, Commissioner Phillip Burnett, Jr. of the Kentucky State Police, Warren County Sheriff Brett Hightower, and Acting Inspector General Tricia Steward of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
According to court documents, pharmacist Joseph Huff, 46, was sentenced to 3 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, twelve counts of health care fraud, one count of aggravated identity theft, and one count of making a false statement. His wife, Jenifer Huff, 46, was sentenced to 2 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for one count of conspiracy to commit theft of medical products, one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances, and two counts of health care fraud.
The defendants conspired to divert oxycodone and hydrocodone from the pharmacy from May 2, 2020, to January 17, 2023, with Jenifer Huff selling or trading the controlled substances for cocaine, methamphetamine, and marijuana. They also fraudulently billed Kentucky Medicaid for prescriptions that were not ordered by a physician or nurse practitioner. In addition, Joseph Huff fraudulently billed various insurance companies for brand name Adderall when in fact generic Adderall was issued to patients. Joseph Huff also fraudulently billed an insurance company for medication never dispensed to the patient. Additionally, Joseph Huff falsely reported a pharmacy robbery to the DEA when in fact no drugs had been stolen. Finally, Joseph Huff used another medical professional’s name and National Provider Identifier, a unique 10-digit number used to identify health care providers, to issue prescriptions without the medical professional’s knowledge or consent.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Joseph Huff was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17,518.19 and Jenifer Huff was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,730.43.
This case was investigated by the Bowling Green/Warren County Drug Task Force, the Kentucky State Police, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, and the DEA with the assistance of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Ansari prosecuted the case.
###
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
OKLAHOMA CITY – JESSE WAYNE JAMES KEENAN, 18, of Duncan, has pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on July 19, 2024, officers with the Duncan Police Department (“DPD”) responded to a Duncan apartment complex on a reported shooting. At the apartment, DPD located a male victim who had been shot and attempted to provide medical care, but the victim died on scene. Witnesses at the complex identified Keenan as the person who shot the weapon. He was located and arrested a short time later. After speaking with Keenan, FBI agents learned Keenan went to the apartment complex after an argument between Keenan and his girlfriend. After Keenan arrived, a fist fight ensued between Keenan and the victim. During the altercation, Keenan shot the victim with a pistol and fled from the scene. The pistol was later recovered by the FBI.
On April 7, 2025, Keenan was charged by Superseding Information with voluntary manslaughter and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
On May 1, 2025, Keenan pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information, and admitted that during a quarrel, he intentionally and unlawfully shot the victim, while intending to cause serious bodily injury, which resulted in the victim’s death. At sentencing, he faces no less than 10 years and up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $500,000.
This case is in federal court because Keenan is a member of the Choctaw Nation, and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Duncan Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Bow Bottomly are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
OKLAHOMA CITY – SHERRIE BILLINGS, 53, of Midwest City, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, in January 2017, Billings worked as a regional property manager for Manhattan Management Company, LLC (“MMC”), out of New York. MMC owned four apartment complexes in Oklahoma City. Her duties included maintaining daily upkeep, maintenance, and inspections of the properties, and she had access to an MMC bank account and credit card for such maintenance. Court documents allege that from January 2017 through July 2022, Billings defrauded MMC by issuing unauthorized checks from MMC’s bank account and utilizing the company credit card, both for her own personal use. During this time period, Billings issued approximately 385 unauthorized checks, illegally withdrawing approximately $1,660,238.00 from MMC’s account. To conceal her scheme, Billings manufactured fraudulent payment vouchers to legitimate vendors and emailed the fraudulent vouchers to MMC’s bookkeeper to be added to the company ledger. Billings also used the MMC credit card for personal expenses, which defrauded the company out of approximately $49,798.00. Public record further alleges that on April 14, 2022, Billings filled out a federal income tax return form on which she reported income that was substantially lower than the actual income she received as a result of the criminal behavior described above.
On April 2, 2025, Billings was charged by Information with wire fraud and making and subscribing a false tax return. On May 2, 2025, Billings pleaded guilty to the two-count Information, and admitted she knowingly devised a scheme to defraud MMC, and that she knowingly filed a federal income tax return form on which she reported an income amount she knew was substantially lower than what she received for the year.
At sentencing, Billings faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud charge and up to three years in prison for the tax charge, as well as a fine of up to $250,000 per count.
This case is the result of an investigation by the IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Brown is prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Antonio Marquis Nicholson, 33, of West Columbia, and Terrell Counts, 33, of Columbia, have pleaded guilty to human trafficking conspiracy and aiding and abetting the coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to evidence presented in court, from at least December 2022 through August 2023, Nicholson and Counts worked together with co-defendants Monesha Gary and Rebecca Perry to exploit three minor victims to engage in the commercial sex trade, despite several members of the conspiracy knowing they were minors.
The investigation revealed that Nicholson was the leader of this operation. Nicholson targeted and exploited minor victims to engage in commercial sex. Nicholson recruited one minor victim who was a runaway, drove her across state lines, and introduced her to commercial sex work. Nicholson and Counts recruited two additional minor victims near a local high school and exploited the minors on days they were not in school. Nicholson provided the minor victims with lingerie, took photographs of them, posted advertisements online for commercial sex on the internet, instructed them to lie about their age, and confiscated between 50% and 100% of proceeds from commercial sex acts. The advertisements were posted advertising commercial sex in the Midlands, the Upstate, Myrtle Beach and Fayetteville, North Carolina.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Nicholson used force, violence and weapons to maintain control and keep the minor victims involved. Nicholson pointed a firearm at one of the exploited victims, directed assaults, and threatened to harm the minor victims if they left.
Counts facilitated the conspiracy and assisted Nicholson, including running the operation when Nicholson was not around. Counts knew how photographs were taken, and advertisements were posted, how money was transferred from customers to the conspiracy, how proceeds were divided, and how the conspiracy responded to customers. Counts was present during commercial sex acts, present when the minor victims were photographed, and collected proceeds from commercial sex acts. He provided the minor victims with condoms, transportation to and from hotels, and watched for law enforcement at hotels during commercial sex acts.
Nicholson, and Counts face a penalty of up to life in prison. They also face a fine of up to $250,000 and lifetime supervision to follow a term of imprisonment and mandatory sex offender registry requirements. Pursuant to plea agreements, Nicholson and Counts agreed to pay victims restitution.
United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon accepted the guilty pleas and will sentence the Nicholson and Counts after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Gary and Perry pleaded guilty previously and are awaiting sentencing.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice 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, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office, with assistance from the Columbia Police Department, Richland County Sheriff’s Department, West Columbia Police Department, Darlington County Sheriff’s Office, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, Horry County Sheriff’s Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, and Jefferson County, Alabama Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are prosecuting the case.
###
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – Ranje Reynolds, 28, of Beltsville, Maryland, was found guilty today by a jury of first-degree murder while armed and other charges related to a shooting that took place on a January evening on M Street in Georgetown, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Superior Court Judge Jason Park scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2025.
According to the government’s evidence, as of Jan. 31, 2022, the defendant and Mr. Tarek Boothe were friends who had worked together for two years at the marijuana dispensary located at 1204 Eton Court. Despite their friendship, at some point earlier that evening, the defendant and Mr. Boothe got into a fight at the dispensary. Around 6:00 p.m., Mr. Boothe left the dispensary and went to the corner of 33rd and M Street N.W., where he was waiting for his ride home. The defendant followed Mr. Boothe and sat next to Mr. Boothe as Mr. Boothe was waiting for his ride. The defendant then left briefly and returned seconds later to shoot Mr. Boothe in the eye, killing him. The defendant fled to Jamaica on Feb. 3, 2022. He was returned to the United States to face criminal charges on Sept. 15, 2022.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natalie Hynum and Jessica Keefer.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
TEXARKANA, Texas – A Dallas man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
Emmanuel Robles, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Robert W. Schroeder III on May 5, 2025.
According to information presented in court, between 2019 and 2021, Robles conspired with others to bring methamphetamine to East Texas for distribution. During this time, Robles distributed more than 1.5 kilograms of actual methamphetamine. Robles admitted to providing controlled substances to another co-conspirator in July 2019; August 2019; September 2019; October 2019; December 2019; January 2020; February 2020; March 2020; and April 2020. Robles also agreed to a forfeiture of a money judgment in the amount of $20,000.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Texas Department of Public Safety – Criminal Investigation Division, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.
###
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault resulting in serious bodily injury following a fatal rollover crash that killed two people and injured two others.
According to court documents, on the afternoon of November 14, 2024, emergency responders were dispatched to mile marker five on Navajo Route 54 after reports of a single-vehicle rollover. Investigators determined that Marvin Wauneka, 40, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, was driving at excessive speeds of up to 95 MPH-while consuming alcohol. The crash resulted in the deaths of two occupants and left three others, including Wauneka, hospitalized with serious injuries.
A witness at the scene reported seeing Wauneka exit the vehicle after the crash, and a bottle of vodka was recovered near one of the victims. Surviving passengers confirmed Wauneka was driving and drinking at the time of the crash. Wauneka’s blood alcohol content was measured at .298 upon arrival at the hospital. He has a prior record of multiple DWI offenses and failures to appear in state court.
Wauneka is charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in custody trial. If convicted of the current charges, Wauneka faces up to 26 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations are investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark A. Probasco is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
BOSTON – An Agawam man was charged with possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Warren Messeck, 75, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. He made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Katherine A. Robertson in Springfield.
In 2021, Messeck was identified as a user of an internet-based peer-to-peer network downloading CSAM. A subsequent search of his residence resulted in the recovery of over 40 electronic devices including a laptop, hard drives and other electronic storage devices. A forensic examination allegedly revealed over 10,000 files depicting CSAM on six of the seized devices.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and James Crowley, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Agawam Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
Defendant Jalon Lenny Garrett is One of Six Defendants Arrested in Connection with the July 25, 2024 Crime Spree
Earlier today, a seven-count second superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jalon Lenny Garrett, also known as “Lips,” Marcus Pittman, also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese,” Delonta Pittman, also known as “D Lo,” and Jerome Waters, also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome,” for their alleged roles in the kidnapping, robbery, and shooting of marijuana dealers on July 25, 2024. Garrett was arrested this morning in Baltimore, Maryland, and will make his initial appearance in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Marcus Pittman is also newly charged with being a felon in possession of ammunition for his role in the fatal shooting. The remaining defendants are already in custody and will be arraigned at a later date.
John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrests and charges.
“As alleged, the defendants took part in an interstate armed robbery and kidnapping scheme that resulted in the brutal murder of a targeted victim. This prosecution underscores the ongoing threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Durham. “This Office is committed to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring justice for every victim.”
“These four defendants allegedly traveled across the northeast to brutally kidnap and rob two unsuspecting individuals, ultimately murdering one of the victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Raia. “This alleged fatal robbery highlights the volatile and random violence that the illicit drug trade can fuel. With our law enforcement partners, the FBI will continue to dismantle any organization implementing lethal tactics to bolster their criminal lifestyles and jeopardize the safety of our city.”
“These individuals came to New York City armed with guns and zip ties — ready to rob, kidnap, and kill,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “It was a deliberate, brutal attack meant to terrorize our communities. They thought they could hit and run. They were wrong — and anyone else thinking the same should take note. I’m grateful to our partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods for their shared commitment to protecting New Yorkers.”
According to the superseding indictment and other public court filings, the defendants are members of a Baltimore-based robbery crew that conspired to commit an armed robbery and kidnapping of marijuana dealers in Queens, New York. On the evening of July 24,2024, the defendants and their co-conspirators executed a violent armed robbery and kidnapping plot that resulted in John Doe #1’s death. As described below, Garrett robbed and kidnapped John Doe #2 at gunpoint, and Marcus Pittman shot and killed John Doe #1.
Specifically, the defendants drove from Maryland to New York for the purpose of robbing two drug dealers, John Doe #1 and John Doe #2. Once in New York, defendants Jerome Waters and William Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens, New York, under the guise of purchasing marijuana.
At the stash house, Waters and Barnett pulled out their weapons and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at gunpoint. Next, they let their co-defendants into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping. While in the stash house, the defendants and their co-conspirators tied up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van, which were driven by Barnett and Israel. At the same time, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house.
The defendants and their co-conspirators drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still tied up, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money. Garrett held a gun to John Doe #2 as he was being driven through Queens. Marcus Pittman shot John Doe #1 to death in the back of the U-Haul van. When his body was found by first responders, John Doe #1 still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana. After the shooting, the defendants fled back to Maryland.
If convicted, defendants Marcus Pittman, Delonta Pittman, and Waters each face mandatory minimum sentences of life imprisonment, and Garrett faces a mandatory minimum of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Chand Edwards-Balfour and Adam Amir are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Samuel Ronchetti.
New Defendant:
JALON LENNY GARRETT
Age: 20
Maryland
Previously Charged Defendants:
MARCUS PITTMAN (also known as “Nacho” and “Cheese”)
Age: 30
Maryland
DELONTA PITTMAN (also known as “D Lo”)
Age: 31
Maryland
JEROME WATERS (also known as “the Engineer” and “Rome”)
Age: 23
Maryland
CALVIN ISRAEL
Age: 23
Maryland
WILLIAM BARNETT
Age: 27
Maryland
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-413 (S-2) (KAM)
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Breyanna Cornish, 30, Jawayne Brown, 40, and Ahmad Nasir, aka Hussain Abdussamad, 44, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, entered pleas of guilty before United States District Court Judge Gerald J. Pappert this week in connection with a scheme to smuggle contraband — including drugs, phones, chargers, cigarettes, and knives — into the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center (“PICC”) from April through July of 2021.
The defendants were charged by indictment in August of last year, with Nasir pleading guilty this morning to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine.
Brown pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, one count of federal program bribery, and one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of buprenorphine.
Cornish pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery and one count of federal program bribery.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendants, Nasir, who was then detained pre-trial at PICC, worked with Brown, who was not incarcerated, Cornish, who was then a PICC correctional officer (“CO”) employed by the Philadelphia Department of Prisons (“PDP”), and several other associates to purchase and assemble contraband. Cornish then smuggled the contraband into PICC, where Nasir sold the contraband to other inmates for a profit. Nasir then instructed associates to pay Cornish for her role smuggling the contraband into the prison and Brown for his work purchasing and assembling the packages.
On July 10, 2021, PDP conducted a search of the cell Nasir shared with another inmate. In a compartment in the ceiling behind a light fixture, officers recovered 19 cellphones, 20 cellphone chargers, one rapid charger, two super glues, two screwdrivers, one roll of tape, three hunting knives, one Ziploc bag containing the synthetic cannabinoid commonly known as K2, one Ziploc bag of tobacco, one alprazolam pill, and at least 110 packets of Suboxone.
Following the search of the cell, officers conducted a search of Nasir and his cellmate. Officers recovered a cellphone from the person of each of them. Text messages and WhatsApp messages extracted from the cell phone recovered from Nasir’s person revealed that from June 19, 2021, to July 6, 2021, CO Cornish, Nasir, and Brown discussed via text specific contraband items to be acquired, the delivery of contraband packages, and payments for the items and to co-conspirators. Nasir simultaneously sent messages to multiple inmates about the purchase and delivery of contraband.
The defendants are scheduled to be sentenced in August. Cornish faces a maximum possible term of 15 years’ imprisonment, Brown a maximum possible term of 25 years’ imprisonment, and Nasir a maximum possible term of 35 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the FBI, with significant assistance from the Philadelphia Department of Prisons, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Meghan Claiborne and Ruth Mandelbaum.