Source: United States SOUTHERN COMMAND
The United States and Panama will co-host the Central America Security Conference (CENTSEC), in Panama April 8-10. Through CENTSEC, SOUTHCOM seeks to promote and facilitate dialogue and cooperation among regional security partners focused on common challenges and objectives. This year’s conference will focus on regional defense through joint operations and cybersecurity.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LOS ANGELES – Working alongside law enforcement partners at United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal prosecutors this week filed criminal charges against 24 defendants who allegedly were found in the U.S. following removal, the Justice Department announced today.
Among these defendants included criminals who previously were convicted of felonies prior to their removal from the United States, including one previously convicted of narcotics crimes involving methamphetamine and cocaine.
The crime of being found in the United States following removal carries a base sentence of up to two years in federal prison. Defendants who were removed after being convicted of a felony face a maximum 10-year sentence and defendants removed after being convicted of an aggravated felony face a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.
Some of the recently filed cases are summarized below:
Criminal complaints and indictments contain allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating these matters.
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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Prakashkumar Prajapati and Bharat Awasarmol allegedly defrauded 7 victims in 5 states
PORTLAND, Maine: Two New Jersey men have been indicted for conspiring to commit wire fraud for their roles in an alleged multistate scheme to defraud and obtain money and other property from victims by posing as government officials.
As alleged in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on April 3, beginning in March 2023, Bharat Awasarmol and Prakashkumar Prajapati were involved in a conspiracy and scheme to defraud seven victims in five states, including Maine. As part of the scheme, victims received telephone calls from individuals posing as government officials. These imposters fraudulently instructed victims to withdraw cash and purchase gold to turn over to the government for safekeeping. The callers then arranged for victims to meet fake government agents to hand over the cash and gold. Awasarmol was intercepted when he was caught accepting a package from a victim in Maine. The Maine victim had been instructed to meet Awasarmol and turn over gold by an individual posing as an employee of the Federal Trade Commission. Awasarmol allegedly accepted cash and gold from six additional victims in New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, and Virginia. In furtherance of the conspiracy and scheme to defraud, Prajapati directed Awasarmol to meet the victims, and provided him with instructions and locations to meet victims.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Awasarmol made false statements to an FBI agent regarding his role in the scheme.
If convicted, Prajapati and Awasarmol face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the wire fraud conspiracy charge. Awasarmol also faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on the false statement charge.
The FBI is investigating 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.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
OKLAHOMA CITY – ADAM ROUSE, 32, BRENDAN SHANE HOLDER, 32, DAMION BLAIR BRADLEY GEORGE, 30, and KRISTOPHER HAUSER, 32, all of Oklahoma City, have pleaded guilty to maiming in aid of racketeering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On November 19, 2024, a federal Grand Jury returned a two-count Indictment against the defendants, charging them with maiming in aid of the racketeering activities of the Irish Mob Gang. According to the Indictment, the Irish Mob Gang is an enterprise engaged in, among other things, the distribution of controlled substances, firearms trafficking, and acts of violence. To further these day-to-day operations, the Irish Mob Gang depended on a robust enforcement group to ensure compliance with the organization’s orders, which included directing and permitting other members and associates to carry out acts in furtherance of the enterprise.
Specially, the Indictment alleges that, for purposes of gaining entrance to and maintaining and increasing their position within the Irish Mob Gang, Rouse and Holder severed a victim’s right pinkie finger with a hatchet, while Holder, George, and Hauser all participated in the burning of a gang tattoo off the back of a victim’s head with a heated machete.
As of April 1, 2025, each defendant has pleaded guilty to maiming in aid of racketeering. At sentencing, the defendants each face up to 30 years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and the Norman Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen Hoch and David McCrary are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
LAREDO, Texas – A federal judge has found a 42-year-old resident of Laredo guilty of bank robbery, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana determined Arturo Limon II was guilty on all four counts as charged following a one-day bench trial. She convicted him of two counts of bank robbery, one count of bank theft and one count of false statements during purchase of a firearm.
On April 27, 2024, Limon entered Falcon International Bank located at 10511 McPherson Road. He approached the bank tellers, handed them an empty camouflage backpack and demanded they put money in it. During the robbery he said, “yes this is happening.”
Limon stole a large amount of cash from the teller’s drawer, exited through the main lobby entrance and drove away in blue Ford Mustang.
Authorities responded, reviewed bank surveillance footage and issued a “be on the lookout” for an individual matching Limon’s description.
Later that day, he entered Arena Gun Club shortly after the robbery with the same green camouflage backpack and attempted to purchase a firearm with a large amount of cash. He left the club while employees conducted the mandatory background checks. They alerted law enforcement due to his suspicious behavior.
The court heard that he had lied about his residential address on the required form when he attempted to purchase five pistols and one rifle from the Arena Gun Club.
Authorities arrested Limon at his residence as he arrived driving a blue Mustang. At that time, they found marked currency in his vehicle and a green camouflage backpack.
Judge Saldana will impose sentencing at a later date. At that time, Limon faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine. He will remain in custody pending that hearing.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Cortez and Mike Makens are prosecuting the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON –Aron Williams, 33, of District Heights, Maryland, was sentenced today, for stabbing his romantic partner, on February 23, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Williams pleaded guilty to assault with intent to kill on January 27, 2025, before the Honorable Jason Park in D.C. Superior Court.
Today, Judge Park sentenced Williams to 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on February 23, 2024, an argument ensued between Williams and the victim, his romantic partner. During that argument, Williams became enraged and began strangling the victim with both hands around her neck before grabbing a large hunting knife from a chair. He then took the knife and stabbed the victim approximately ten times on both arms, both legs, her mouth, and her wrist. She started bleeding heavily, as the gash to her wrist was to the bone and the gash to her mouth nearly severed her lip from her face. He eventually fled, forcing his romantic partner and her son to call 911. She required emergency surgery to repair the cut to her wrist and stitches to close the wounds on her mouth, arms, and legs.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
They also acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Hyde from the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, who prosecuted the case.
Source: US Department of Homeland Security
WASHINGTON – On March 27 – 28, the Assistant Secretary for the DHS Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD), David Richardson, traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to meet with state and local representatives for the BioWatch and Securing the Cities (STC) programs.
During the March 27 BioWatch meeting, A/S Richardson met with the Chicago area BioWatch program representatives to discuss the future of the program, its value, and what actions CWMD could take to strengthen this valuable program further.
The BioWatch program operates 24/7/365 in over 30 major metropolitan areas to provide an early indication of any potential airborne biological attack. DHS CWMD manages the program, supported by other federal agencies. The program is operated by a network of scientists and laboratory technicians, along with emergency managers, law enforcement officers, and public health officials across federal, state, and local levels of government.
On March 28, A/S Richardson met with the Chicago STC program leadership. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss detection equipment needs, the program’s status, and to see if there are any areas CWMD can improve upon in supporting the state and local team.
The STC Program was established in 2007 and included in the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Act of 2018. STC’s mission is to prevent the illicit possession, movement, and use of radiological or nuclear materials and weapons in the United States by enhancing the nuclear detection capabilities of state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies.
Through STC’s coordinated planning and operations, federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial partners work together in the STC regions to defend against the threat of radiological or nuclear terrorism. CWMD provides radiological and nuclear detection equipment, training, exercise support, and operational and technical subject matter expertise to the STC regions through cooperative agreement grants.
CWMD supports STC implementations in broad areas centered on high-risk urban areas across the Nation. Urban areas include New York City/Newark, Los Angeles/Long Beach, National Capital Region, Houston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Denver, Phoenix/Maricopa County, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, and New Orleans.
CWMD serves as the Department of Homeland Security’s focal point for countering weapons of mass destruction efforts. By supporting operational partners across federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial levels, CWMD coordinates DHS efforts to safeguard the United States against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby sentenced Michael Cooley, Jr., aka “Micheal Cooley Jr.,” “5Micmusik,” and “Michael White,” age 26, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, to 87 months in federal prison. In January 2025, Cooley pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with a conspiracy and scheme to defraud the Maryland Department of Labor (MD-DOL) and California Employment Development Department (CA-EDD).
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, from at least June 2020 through March 2021, Cooley conspired with Isiah Lewis, 35, of Prince George’s County, and Alonzo Brown, 27, of Virginia, to devise and execute a scheme to defraud individuals and multiple state workforce agencies, including in Maryland and California, of more than $800,000 in unemployment insurance (UI) benefits, successfully obtaining more than $300,000. The scheme was sophisticated and used personal identifiable information — such as name, date of birth, and social security number — from more than 60 individuals to file online UI applications in Maryland and California, using anonymous email addresses to obscure their identities and avoid detection.
At sentencing, Judge Griggsby found that Cooley held a managerial role in the conspiracy. Additionally, Judge Griggsby ordered Cooley to pay restitution of $310,428.08 to the victims and to forfeit all money, property, and/or assets derived from the scheme, including a money judgment of $310,428.08.
This case is part of the District of Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force, a Strike Force that is one of five strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Bijon A. Mostoufi, who prosecuted the federal case, and Joanna B.N. Huber, who supported the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Source: United States Attorneys General 5
The United States filed a complaint under the False Claims Act against Vohra Wound Physicians Management LLC (Vohra) and its founder and majority owner, Dr. Ameet Vohra, for allegedly causing the submission of false claims to Medicare for overbilled and medically unnecessary wound care services. Vohra is one of the nation’s largest specialty wound care providers and contracts with hundreds of nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities throughout the country to provide wound care services to those facilities’ patients at their bedside.
“Providers that overbill the government for services, or bill for services that are unreasonable or medically unnecessary, undermine the integrity of the Medicare program and waste taxpayer dollars,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michael D. Granston of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will hold accountable providers who prioritize their own enrichment over the medical needs of their patients.”
“This office is committed to protecting our nation’s seniors and the important federal programs that support them,” said U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida. “When providers seek to misappropriate public funds for private gain, we will work with our partners to pursue those responsible.”
“Healthcare fraud is harmful to all consumers, artificially and unnecessarily increasing the costs of care for everyone,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons for the Southern District of Georgia. “Identifying and ending fraudulent billing activity is essential to keeping healthcare costs manageable for patients and for taxpayer-funded healthcare programs.”
According to the United States’ complaint, Vohra and Dr. Vohra knowingly engaged in a nationwide scheme to falsely bill Medicare for surgical debridement procedures to maximize revenue. Debridement is a procedure to remove impediments to healing from a wound, such as dead or unhealthy tissue, and can be accomplished in several ways including nonsurgical and surgical methods.
The complaint alleges that the defendants pursued their fraudulent scheme in three primary ways. First, Vohra created a proprietary Electronic Medical Record (EMR) software that was programmed to bill debridements as surgical procedures even when they were not. Second, Vohra hired physicians without wound care expertise and provided training that omitted relevant Medicare payment rules and intentionally conflated the definitions of surgical and nonsurgical debridement procedures. Third, Vohra set corporate debridement targets based solely on revenue goals and pressured its physicians to meet those targets. As a result, Vohra allegedly caused the submission of claims for surgical debridement services that were not medically necessary and used billing codes that represented more complex procedures than were actually performed (commonly referred to as “upcoding”).
The complaint also alleges that the defendants programmed Vohra’s proprietary EMR software to improperly apply the Modifier 25 billing code and charge Medicare for exams that were not separately billable from surgical debridement procedures performed on the same day. Because surgical debridements are billed as global surgical packages and include payment for an examination, evaluation and management (E&M) services are only payable on the same day if a significant service is performed that is separately identifiable from the surgical debridement as signified by Modifier 25. According to the United States’ complaint, Vohra’s proprietary EMR software automatically added Modifier 25 to its E&M claims without regard to whether the modifier was appropriate, thereby causing the submission of claims for E&M services that were not payable.
This matter is being handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Florida and Southern District of Georgia. Investigative support is being provided by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector General. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida and is captioned United States v. Dr. Ameet Vohra; Vohra Wound Care Management, LLC; and VHS Holdings, PA, No. 25-cv-21570 (S.D. Fla.).
Trial Attorney Kirsten Mayer of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Grover for the Southern District of Georgia, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Cheek for the Southern District of Florida are handling the matter.
The investigation and prosecution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. 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 can be reported to the HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims asserted in the government’s complaint are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
EL PASO, Texas – The United States has reached agreements with several individuals and entities to resolve allegations of improper billing for medical imaging services at a surgical hospital in El Paso. Desert Imaging Services, L.P., In Tandem Solutions Group, LLC, and Leroy Candelaria agreed to pay the United States $693,913; Donald Burris and Vox Intus, LLC agreed to forfeit $325,000; and East El Paso Physician’s Medical Center, LLC, doing business as Foundation Surgical Hospital of El Paso, agreed to entry of a consent judgment in the amount of $2,081,739.
The United States alleged that the settling parties engaged in an illegal kickback and pass-through billing scheme in which Desert Imaging used Foundation Surgical Hospital’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) to submit claims for medical imaging services. Although the patients who received these services had no connection with the hospital, billing the claims as hospital outpatient services allowed Desert Imaging to obtain a higher rate of reimbursement from Federal healthcare programs. In exchange for letting Desert Imaging use its NPI, Foundation Surgical Hospital retained 17% of payments on the claims.
The settlements announced today resolve a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is captioned United States and Texas ex rel. Motts v. East El Paso Physician’s Medical Center, et al., Case No. EP-18-CV-348-LS (W.D. Tex.).
Assistant United States Attorney Thomas Parnham and former Assistant United States Attorney Eddie Castillo handled this matter on behalf of the government.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced yesterday to 21 years and 10 months in prison for selling fentanyl to a woman resulting in her death.
According to court documents, on July 14, 2022, a victim, identified as J.L., contacted Jason Jermaine Warren, aka Cuzzo, 47, for drugs and a ride to a nearby CVS in Chesapeake. Warren provided a mixture of heroin, fentanyl, and Xylazine to J.L. After visiting the CVS, J.L. returned to her hotel room with Warren. J.L. and Warren later left the room, and J.L. soon returned to the room alone.
On July 15, 2022, Chesapeake Police Department (CPD) responding to a report of a suspected drug overdose found J.L. deceased in her room. Officers recovered narcotics, drug paraphernalia, a cellphone, and various personal effects belonging to J.L. Among the narcotics and paraphernalia were a plastic bag containing heroin and fentanyl, a bag containing heroin, fentanyl, and Xylazine residue, and a straw with heroin and fentanyl residue.
The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner’s Report of Investigation states that J.L.’s cause of death was acute fentanyl and heroin toxicity.
Warren was advised of J.L.’s death and continued to distribute drugs. On Aug. 2, 2022, Warren distributed 2.30 grams of a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, and Xylazine to a confidential informant in Norfolk. On Aug. 9, 2022, Warren distributed 3.15 grams of a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, and Xylazine to a confidential informant in Norfolk.
On Aug. 14, 2022, law enforcement arrested Warren, who was in possession of 2.43 grams of a mixture of fentanyl, heroin, and Xylazine. On Aug. 19, 2022, investigators searched Warren’s residence and recovered pill bottles with Warren’s name on them, multiple bags containing firearms and ammunition, and a bag containing drug paraphernalia.
On Jan. 10, Warrant pled guilty to distribution of fentanyl resulting in death.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Ibrar A. Mian, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Washington Division; Mark G. Solesky, Chief of Chesapeake Police; and Mark Talbot, Chief of Norfolk Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Jamar K. Walker.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda L. Cheney and Kristin G. Bird prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-52.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
WASHINGTON – Shannon Updike, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today, to 15 years in prison for shooting Chidzie Njoku, announced U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr. and Chief Pamela Smith, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Updike pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder while armed on December 19, 2024, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In sentencing Updike, the court accepted the 15-year sentence that was part of the plea agreement.
According to the government’s evidence, Updike used a homemade purple assault rifle to shoot Chidzie Njoku twice at close range. Updike fled on foot but was stopped by MPD patrol officers after a foot chase.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Martin and Chief Smith commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case form the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Grazy Rivera, and Victim/Witness Advocate Christina Bloodworth.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Ganjei, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Oseas Froilan Gomez-Tebalan, age 30, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 21 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge Jennifer P. Wilson for illegally reentering the United States.
According to Acting United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, Gomez-Tebalan was previously removed from the United States on March 18, 2017, through Phoenix, Arizona, having been convicted in California of assault with a deadly weapon. Gomez-Tebalan was subsequently found in the United States again, for a third time, without having first obtained legal permission to reenter the country.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney K. Wesley Mishoe prosecuted the case.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – A resident of Washington, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Derik Carothers, 29, on April 3, 2025.
According to information presented to the Court, on or about October 20, 2019, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Carothers possessed numerous firearms and ammunition as a convicted felon. Carothers was previously convicted on November 7, 2013, in the Cambria County Court of Common Pleas of burglary and carrying a firearm without a license, and, on March 20, 2017, of carrying a firearm without a license. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
On October 20, 2019, Carothers led the Pennsylvania State Police on a high-speed chase on State Route 28, resulting in a violent roll-over crash. Investigators recovered crack-cocaine, a digital scale, and $290 from Carothers’ person. Additionally, four loaded firearms including a Colt Model Official Police .38 caliber revolver; Ruger Model AR-556 rifle; Glock Model 23, .40 caliber handgun; and a Glock Model 22, .40 caliber handgun, as well as extended magazines and a bulletproof vest, were recovered from in or near the vehicle. Two of the recovered firearms had been reported stolen, one of which had an obliterated serial number.
Assistant United States Attorneys Maureen Sheehan-Balchon and Arnold P. Bernard Jr. prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Pennsylvania State Police, and Johnstown Police Department for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Carothers.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
RICHMOND, Va. – A Glen Allen man was sentenced yesterday to 12 years and seven months in prison for trafficking cocaine and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.
According to court documents, from at least the summer of 2023 through September 2024, Gregg Louis Gamble, 55, purchased kilogram quantities of cocaine from a source of supply in North Carolina and distributed it to other individuals in Virginia.
On Sept. 13, 2024, law enforcement conducted a search of Gamble’s residence and vehicle. During the search, investigators recovered three one-kilogram bricks of cocaine, two Ziploc bags of cocaine weighing a total of approximately 500 grams, $161,020, two firearms, and a total of 547 rounds of ammunition.
Gamble was previously convicted of, among other crimes, possession of a firearm by an unlawful user of controlled substances, driving while intoxicated, possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, and possession of a concealed weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Gable cannot possess firearms or ammunition.
Erik S. Siebert, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Christopher Heck, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica L. Wright and Ellen H. Theisen prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:24-cr-166.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Annapolis District RCMP is investigating an armed robbery that occurred at a convenience store on Main St. in Middleton.
On April 3 at approximately 8:35 p.m., officers responded to a report of a robbery involving a knife. Investigators learned that a man entered the store wearing a mask and demanded money from the till while pointing what appeared to be a knife.
The man left on foot, going east on Main St.
The employee did not report any injuries and there were no other people in the store at the time.
The man is believed to be between 5-foot-8 and 6-foot-0. He was wearing black pants, a black zip-up hoodie, a black toque, and a white neck warmer covering his face. His boots were brown with black soles.
RCMP Police Dog Services and RCMP Forensic Identification Services attended the initial call to support Annapolis District RCMP. The file is still under investigation.
Anyone who recognizes this man or who has information about this incident is asked to contact the Annapolis District RCMP at 902-825-2000. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Arquan Butler aka Easy, 26, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to narcotics conspiracy, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine up to $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis A. Testani, who is handling the case, stated that between May 9 and July 5, 2023, Butler conspired with his brother and co-defendant Jahaun Butler to sell fentanyl and crack cocaine. During the course of the conspiracy, they sold approximately 72 grams of fentanyl and approximately two grams of crack cocaine to an individual working with law enforcement on 10 occasions.
Jahaun Butler was previously convicted and sentenced to serve 41 months in prison.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Frank A. Tarentino III, New York Field Division, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Chamberlin.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 4, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Vilardo.
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Source: United States Coast Guard
04/04/2025 01:40 PM EDT
In recognition of 406 Day on April 6, a national campaign led by NOAA to spread awareness of the importance of emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB), the Coast Guard is urging mariners to properly register and dispose of their emergency beacons.
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Source: Office of United States Attorneys
RAPID CITY – United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of two counts of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner. The sentencing took place on March 31, 2025.
Jared Red Cloud, 24, was sentenced to nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for each count. The counts were orded to run concurrently. Red Cloud was also ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Red Cloud was indicted for Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to an Intimate Partner and Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation by a federal grand jury in August 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 21, 2025.
The conviction stems from a years-long pattern of violence by Red Cloud against his child’s mother. Law enforcement learned Red Cloud had beaten the victim in 2021 and 2024, bruising her face and body. The district court cited the pattern of abuse in the relationship in denying Red Cloud’s request for probation or time served and imposed a nine-month sentence.
Domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain power and control over another intimate partner. Domestic violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, economic, psychological, or technological actions or threats of actions or other patterns of coercive behavior that influence another person within an intimate partner relationship. This includes any behaviors that intimidate, manipulate, humiliate, isolate, frighten, terrorize, coerce, threaten, blame, hurt, injure, or wound someone. Resources are available via the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women, as well as through local law enforcement.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Red Cloud was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
OKLAHOMA CITY – DONALD EUGENE COOKS, 50, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 92 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit mail theft, possession of stolen mail, and witness tampering, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
On October 3, 2023, a federal Grand Jury returned a four-count Second Superseding Indictment against Cooks, charging him with conspiracy to commit mail theft, two counts of being in possession of stolen mail, and witness tampering. On March 28, 2024, after a three-day trial, a federal jury found Cooks guilty on all counts.
According to evidence presented at trial, in July of 2022, Cooks and co-defendant IRVIN HERBERT SAWYER, 41, of Norman, conspired together to steal mail from an Oklahoma City Post Office. At the time, Sawyer was employed as a rural carrier associate and knew the access code to enter the Post Office, which he shared with Cooks. The jury heard testimony that on July 19, 2022, on at least two occasions, Cooks entered the Post Office after hours using the code given by Sawyer. On the first occasion he successfully stole mail, which he took back to his motel room. Returning for more, Cooks and another person attempted to steal a large amount of mail, which they loaded into the bed of Cooks’ truck. However, while still loading the mail, the alarm was tripped and the Oklahoma City Police arrived before the mail could be taken from the parking lot. Cooks fled the scene but was soon detained and arrested. The investigation quickly led to Cooks’ motel, where Oklahoma City Police found several items of stolen mail in his room and empty mail packaging in the dumpster. The jury heard further testimony that in July of 2023, while in jail, Cooks had a message passed to a government witness attempting to intimidate the witness and keep them from testifying at his trial. On July 18, 2023, Sawyer pleaded guilty to conspiring with Cooks to commit mail theft.
At the sentencing hearing on March 26, 2025, Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Cooks to serve 92 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Sawyer was sentenced to 36 months of probation on April 15, 2024. In announcing the sentences, Judge DeGiusti noted the need to deter future criminal conduct and to protect the public. As to Cooks’ sentence, in particular, Judge DeGiusti noted that the sentence was warranted by Cooks’ continued criminal activity while in custody, as well as the fact that Cooks has a long history of serious criminal conduct.
Public record reflects that Cooks has previous felony convictions that include:
This case is the result of an investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bow Bottomly and Charles Brown prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama has charged 15 individuals with immigration crimes, announced U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona.
The following defendants were indicted for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported:
The following defendants were charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm:
Maria Monserrat de Jesus Bautista-Hernandez, 41, of Mexico, has been charged with illegal re-entry after a prior removal and for being an alien in possession of a firearm.
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). Operation Take Back America partners, Homeland Security Investigations – Atlanta, U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Houston Division, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Nashville Field Division, investigated these cases.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Source: Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Victoria County District RCMP, supported by the Nova Scotia Fire Marshal’s Office and the Nova Scotia Medical Examiner Service, is investigating a fatal house fire that occurred in Big Harbour.
On April 3, at approximately 2:30 a.m., RCMP officers and fire services responded to a report of an active structure fire at a property on Big Harbour Rd. Upon arrival at the scene, first responders found a residence fully engulfed in flames.
One occupant of the home was located deceased.
At this time, the investigation, which is at an early stage, indicates that the cause of the fire is not suspicious. The investigation, however, is ongoing.
Anyone with information about this fire, or with surveillance video or dashcam footage that could support the investigation, is asked to call the Victoria County District RCMP at 902-295-2350. To remain anonymous, contact Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Source: United States Attorneys General
After an 11-day trial, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Zimnako Salah, 45, of Phoenix, Arizona, convicting him of strapping a backpack around the toilet of a Christian church in Roseville, California, with the intent to convey a hoax bomb threat and to obstruct the free exercise of religion of the congregants who worshipped there. The jury’s verdict included a special finding Salah targeted the church because of the religion of the people who worshipped there, making the offense a hate crime.
According to the evidence at trial, from September to November of 2023, Salah traveled to four Christian churches in Arizona, California, and Colorado, wearing black backpacks. At two of those churches, Salah planted those backpacks, placing congregants in fear that they contained bombs. At the other two churches, Salah was confronted by security before he got the chance to plant those backpacks.
While Salah had been making bomb threats by planting backpacks in Christian churches, he had been building a bomb capable of fitting in a backpack. During a search of his storage unit, an FBI Bomb Technician seized items that an FBI Bomb Expert testified at trial served as component parts of an improvised explosive device (IED).
A search of Salah’s social media records revealed that he had consumed extremist propaganda online. Specifically, those records showed that Salah had searched for videos of “Infidels dying,” and he had watched videos depicting ISIS terrorists murdering people.
“This Department of Justice has no tolerance for anyone who targets religious Americans for their faith,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The perpetrator of this abhorrent hate crime against Christians will face severe punishment.”
“Planting a hoax bomb at the Roseville church was not an isolated incident or a prank for this defendant,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith for the Eastern District of California. “His actions were designed to threaten and intimidate the congregation because he disagreed with their religious beliefs. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of federal and local law enforcement and the attorneys from my office and our DOJ partners in Washington D.C., our communities are safer with yesterday’s verdict. People of all religions should be able to worship freely and exercise their First Amendment rights in this country without fear of violence.”
“The Sacramento Division of the FBI is proud of our collaboration with local partners in bringing Mr. Salah to justice. His deliberate targeting of multiple places of worship and calculated efforts to spread panic were intended to terrorize people of faith and disrupt the peace of our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel of the FBI Sacramento Field Office. “The FBI remains committed to protecting the American people and will continue to work within the confines of the law to hold individuals accountable for acts of terrorism whether those acts are true threats or intended as hoaxes.”
Salah faces a maximum penalty of six years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Salah is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18 by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Roseville (CA) Police Department, the San Diego Police Department, the San Diego Harbor Police Department, and the Arapahoe County (CO) Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Christopher Perras and Trial Attorney Sarah Howard of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, and Assistant United States Attorney Shea Kenny for the Eastern District of California.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)
ST. LOUIS – A jury in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Thursday found a St. Louis County man guilty of all nine charges related to five armed robberies in Missouri and Illinois in 2023.
Ronald O. Perkins, 29, of Black Jack, Missouri, was found guilty of four counts of robbery, one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, three counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence and one count of transporting a firearm in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony.
According to evidence and testimony at trial, Perkins was armed with a handgun during each of the robberies, and often banged the gun on the counter while demanding money or pointed it at victims, who were left shaken and afraid.
Perkins robbed a gas station and convenience store on Riverview Drive in St. Louis on Sept. 8, 2023. He entered the store, banged a pistol on the countertop and demanded money. He then grabbed money out of the register and fired several shots.
On Nov. 8, 2023, Perkins robbed a gas station on Clayton Road in Richmond Heights, stealing cash and a pack of cigarettes. Less than two hours later, he robbed a 7-Eleven on Hoffmeister Avenue in St. Louis County, stealing cash.
Four days later, he robbed a gas station on Fee Fee Road in St. Louis County of cash.
Five days after that, he robbed a liquor store on St. Louis Road in Collinsville, Illinois, again stealing money from the register.
Investigators obtained surveillance video showing each robbery, and later found clothes matching those worn by the robber in Perkins’ home and in one of the vehicles used by him to commit the robberies, evidence and testimony at trial showed. A distinctive scar on his hand matched the robber’s scar. The vehicles he drove matched those spotted in surveillance video from all five robberies. Officers recovered the gun that was a ballistic match to the firearm used in the first robbery from Perkins’ pants. Finally, Perkins’ left an electronic trail from his home to each robbery.
“Taken together, it is a staggering amount of evidence,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bluestone told jurors during a closing statement Thursday. The trial began Monday.
Perkins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3. Each robbery charge carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The discharge of a firearm charge carries a penalty of at least 10 years consecutive to the other charges. The brandishing charge carries a penalty of at least seven years consecutive to any other charge. The transporting charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison. Altogether, Perkins is facing at least 31 years in prison, with a maximum sentence of life.
The St. Louis County Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the Richmond Heights Police Department, the Columbia (Illinois) Police Department and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bluestone and Tiffany Becker are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – Acting United States Attorney Michael M. Simpson announced that HENRY MITCHELL (“MITCHELL”), age 25, and JAYLAN WASHINGTON (“WASHINGTON”), age 29, former residents of New Orleans, pled guilty on April 1, 2025, before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to drug and gun charges contained in an indictment previously returned against them. Listed below are the charges to which MITCHELL and WASHINGTON pled guilty and the possible sentence that can be imposed:
| CHARGE | DEFENDANT | PENALTY |
| Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute marihuana, Fentanyl, tapentadol and tramadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 846 |
MITCHELL WASHINGTON |
Up to 20 Years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release |
| Possession With Intent to Distribute marihuana, Fentanyl, tapentadol and tramadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) | MITCHELL | Up to 20 Years imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release |
| Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) | MITCHELL | Up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release |
| Possession of a Machine Gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o) | MITCHELL | Up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, not more than and up to 3 years of supervised release |
| Possession of a Machine Gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o) | MITCHELL | Up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release |
| Possession with Intent to Distribute marihuana, and tapentadol, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(C) | WASHINGTON | Up to 20 Years imprisonment , a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least 3 years of supervised release |
| Felon in Possession of a Firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1) | WASHINGTON | Not more than up to 15 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release |
| Possession of a Machine Gun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(o) | WASHINGTON | Not more than up to 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to 3 years of supervised release |
Each offense also carries a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
Sentencing will occur on July 8, 2025, at 10:00 am. Both will remain detained without bond.
Documents filed in court reflect that MITCHELL and WASHINGTON were openly selling various controlled substances in the Seventh Police District of New Orleans. FBI Violent Task Officers observed this activity after receiving multiple citizen complaints and summoned New Orleans Police Department officers who surrounded the area and arrested MITCHELL and WASHINGTON. A search of their vehicles revealed both controlled substances and firearms. Officers also recovered “Glock switches”, devices that make semiautomatic weapons fully automatic. These devices are considered machineguns under federal law. Additionally, documents reveal that both MITCHELL and WASHINGTON have several 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.
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation Violent Crime Task Force, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Mark A. Miller of the Narcotics Unit is assigned the prosecution.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
DETROIT – A 52-year-old Detroit man, Israel Crumpton, was sentenced to 40 months in prison yesterday for trafficking heroin laced with fentanyl and cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck announced.
Beck was joined in the announcement by James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
For over a six-month period in 2018 and 2019, Crumpton and several lesser co-conspirators distributed substantial quantities of heroin laced with fentanyl and crack cocaine in the 7700 block of East Palmer Street in Detroit. Crumpton led and organized the drug distribution business. As the leader, he secured bulk narcotics from his suppliers and sold or directed others to sell those drugs to resellers or users, generating significant cash proceeds.
In November 2018, the County of Macomb Enforcement Team (COMET) became aware of Crumpton’s drug distribution business. COMET members subsequently surveilled Crumpton’s “trap house” and “stash house” in the 7700 block of East Palmer Street, observing numerous apparent illicit drug transactions occurring there. Based on its surveillance and other investigative activities, COMET secured search warrants for the two E. Palmer Street locations and another location on the westside of Detroit. Upon executing the search warrants, COMET members found and seized large quantities of distributable narcotics, drug paraphernalia, numerous firearms and ammunition, and over $40,000 in cash proceeds. Crumpton and a co-conspirator were charged with multiple counts of drug trafficking and one count of firearm possession. The co-conspirator pled guilty to drug trafficking. And, in May 2024, a jury convicted Crumpton of the drug trafficking charges.
Yesterday, the Honorable Denise Page Hood sentenced Crumpton to 40 months in prison.
“Our office aggressively pursues drug traffickers who push substantial quantities of dangerous drugs like heroin, fentanyl, and crack cocaine into our neighborhoods for personal gain and with indifference to the tragedy they inflict. Thanks to the outstanding teamwork among the Michigan State Police’s County of Macomb Enforcement Team, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Attorney’s Office, a dangerous drug trafficker has been removed from our streets,” stated Acting United States Attorney Julie A. Beck.
“Isreal Crumpton sold a poison in our community out of pure greed, all while armed with illegal firearms. ATF and the Michigan State Police are united in their partnership to identify and target for federal prosecution armed drug traffickers of fentanyl in our community. Mr. Crumpton’s plight should serve as a reminder that accountability is inevitable across Michigan for people who illegally possess firearms in furtherance of peddling poison in our community. The message should be very clear: If you deal deadly drugs while armed with an illegal firearm, you’re not just on our radar – you’re on the fast track to prison; so, pack a bag, we’re coming for you,” said James Deir, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Detroit Division.
This case was investigated by the Michigan State Police’s County of Macomb Enforcement Team, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by AUSAs Pat Martin and Sarah Alsaden and investigated by AUSA Paul Kuebler.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
OKLAHOMA CITY – JOHN CALVIN MOORE, 58, of North Carolina, has been sentenced to serve 84 months in federal prison for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public record, on December 22, 2023, Moore was pulled over by an officer with the Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) for speeding while driving eastbound on I-40. During the stop, the officer noticed what appeared to be several gift-wrapped Christmas presents in the trunk of the vehicle. Moore told the officer he was traveling to North Carolina from California. During the stop, OCPD learned Moore’s vehicle was a rental, and was due to be returned to Ontario, California, on December 23, 2023, the day following the stop. OCPD called in a K-9 unit, which alerted to the presence of drugs in the vehicle. OCPD officers then searched the vehicle and found more than 42 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 38 pounds of cocaine inside heat-sealed bags, hidden within the Christmas presents in the trunk. Law enforcement estimates the street value of the drugs to be more than $350,000.
Moore was charged by Superseding Information on August 30, 2024, with possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He pled guilty to the Superseding Information on September 26, 2024, and admitted he possessed meth, which he intended to distribute, and that he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony conviction. Public record reflects that Moore has a previous felony conviction in New Jersey for possessing weapons for an unlawful purpose.
At the sentencing hearing on March 28, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Moore to serve 84 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, the Court noted the seriousness of the crime—that Moore acted as a courier to transport controlled substances across the country—and Moore’s criminal history.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew E. Davis prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Source: Office of United States Attorneys
DETROIT, MI – In observance of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW), April 6-12, 2025, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan, along with the Detroit Crime Victims’ Action Team, will be recognizing crime victims and those who have dedicated their lives to serve and assist victims of crime.
“My office stands ready to support victims and ensure they know their rights,” stated Acting United States Attorney Julie Beck. “Our staff of professionals are dedicated to supporting federal crime victims by providing them with essential services they need to help reshape their futures.”
“We have deep respect and gratitude for crime victims who courageously come forward to report their crimes to the police and come to testify in court. We ask a lot from them since they must re-live the violence and trauma they have experienced. Their families and friends are often victims of secondhand trauma. We thank you for your commitment to the criminal justice system. We could not perform our work without you,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.
Each year in April, the federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities throughout the country in their annual observances of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week by raising awareness of victims’ rights and honoring crime victims and those who advocate on their behalf. This year’s theme of KINSHIP is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins.
This year’s Crime Victims’ Rights Week events will kick off with a Survivor Walk-Sunday, April 6, 2025 @ 10:00 am on Belle Isle. The meeting point is adjacent to the Fountain. A second event – Crime Victim Awareness Event- Know the Signs- Education, Awareness and Action – will take place on Tuesday April 8, 2025 @ 2:30 pm at Henry Ford College- Rosenau Rooms, Bldg L (5101 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, MI). The main event will be a community and resource fair on Friday, April 11 @ 12pm at the Criminal Justice Center, 5301 Russel Street, Detroit.
Nicole Marcell, a survivor of domestic violence will be the guest speaker and share her emotional story of how she is using her voice to help others.
Following the event, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office, Michigan, will be hosting a Wellness Event featuring vendors, food trucks, resources, and more. For additional information about 2025 National Crime Victims’ Rights Week activities or about victims’ rights and services in Wayne County, please contact Mechelle Donahoo, Director Victim Services, 313-224-5626 or visit our website at https://www.waynecounty.com/elected/prosecutor/home/aspx
All are welcome to attend this event.
This year marks the 41st anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act, commonly shortened to VOCA. This act was passed by Congress and signed into law on October 12, 1984. VOCA established the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), a Federal Victim Notification System, discretionary grants for victim service organizations, victim assistance positions in the Department of Justice, financial support for the Children’s Justice Act Program, and assistance and compensation for victims and survivors of terrorism.
For more information about how to support all victims of crime, visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.ojp.gov.
Source: United Kingdom London Metropolitan Police
Police are currently looking for 14-year-old Chidubem, who is missing from Woolwich.
He was last seen at around 10:45hrs on Friday, 4 April wearing a full Woolwich Polytechnic uniform.
Officers remain across Woolwich looking for Chidubem and appealing for the public’s help to find him.
If you see him, please call 999, quoting CAD 3280/4APRIL.
Source: US Marshals Service
Fort Smith, AR – A three-day U.S. Marshals Service led operation in Fort Smith and the surrounding river valley area resulted in the apprehension of repeat wanted violent offenders on various state charges. Operation April Fool took place between April 1 – 3, as a multi-agency effort to arrest the most wanted individuals in the area, targeting repeat violent offenders and those that had eluded law enforcement with outstanding state felony warrants.
The operation was led by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Western Arkansas Fugitive Task Force and included the FBI and USMS task force officers from the Arkansas State Police, Arkansas Community Correction, Sebastian County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Smith Police Department, Van Buren Police Department, Alma Police Department, Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Baxter County Sheriff’s Office, Mountain Home Police Department, Bentonville Police Department, and Rogers Police Department.
Arrest warrants executed during the operation resulted in the apprehension of 21 wanted fugitives from justice. The individuals arrested are facing various state charges including aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, sexual assault, battery, felon in possession of firearms, possession and distribution of narcotics, kidnapping, and parole violations with extensive criminal history.
U.S. Marshal Gary Grimes stated, “Our partnerships with law enforcement in the Western District of Arkansas directly contributed to the successful apprehension of these violent offenders.”
The operation was conducted in support of the U.S. Marshals Service and Department of Justice’s efforts to reduce violent crime by partnering with federal, state, county, and local enforcement. In FY 2024, the USMS apprehended and cleared 33,960 federal fugitive and 57,210 state fugitive cases nationwide.