News from May 2023
Virginia Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Ordering Cell Phones on Behalf of Her Non-Profit Employer and Reselling Them for Cash
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: WASHINGTON - Celeste Santifer, 56, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 41 months in prison for committing wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Albuquerque Man Charged with Firearms Offenses
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, and Brendan Iber, Special Agent in Charge of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), announced that Marquez Martinez was charged with dealing in firearms...
Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty To Aggravated Identity Theft And Bank Fraud Charges
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: Jacksonville, Florida - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Kiana Fiona Alphonse (29, Covington, Georgia) has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, seven counts of bank fraud, five counts of false representation of a Social Security number, and five counts...
U.K. Citizen Extradited and Pleads Guilty to Cyber Crime Offenses
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: A U.K. citizen pleaded guilty today in New York to his role in cyberstalking and multiple schemes that involve computer hacking, including the July 2020 hack of Twitter.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced To 30 Years In Federal Prison On Drug Trafficking And Firearm Offenses
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA - Carlos Kentral Kerney, 43, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to a total of 30 years in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, carrying a firearm during and in relation to drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a felon. Jason R. Coody, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the sentence.
Laguna Hills Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Selling Fentanyl that Resulted in Two Fatal Overdoses in Six Weeks
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: LOS ANGELES - An Orange County man was sentenced today to 240 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the overdose deaths of two victims - one in Utah, the other in Aliso Viejo - within six weeks of each other in early 2021.
Justice Department Files Statement of Interest in Religious Land Use Case Involving Faith-Based Group that Feeds Homeless in Orange County
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: SANTA ANA, California - The Justice Department has filed a statement of interest in a federal lawsuit explaining that the act of distributing food and drinks to people who are homeless by Micah’s Way, a faith-based organization in Santa Ana that helps people in need, could be religious exercise under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA).
Lead Defendant in Multimillion-Dollar Boiler Room Scam that Targeted Timeshare Owners Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: SANTA ANA, California - A former Long Beach resident pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for leading a telemarketing scheme in which boiler room tactics were used to scam dozens of timeshare owners out of more than $3.5 million by giving them false promises of financial relief.
Member of FBI Imposter Ring that Intimidated, Defrauded Victims Sentenced to Federal Prison
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: MIAMI - Reinaldo Miralles Gonzalez, 52, of Doral, Florida, has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and ordered to pay $123,000 in restitution after pleading guilty late last year to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
Florida Man Found Guilty of Felony and Misdemeanor Charges Related to Capitol Breach
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: WASHINGTON - A Florida man and self-identified Proud Boy was found guilty in the District of Columbia of all charged felony and misdemeanor counts for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Cheyenne Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of an Illegal Firearm
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: Michael Langley, age 26, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence, which also included three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment, on May 2, 2023.
Dallas Woman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Non-U.S. Citizens Resulting in Migrant’s Death
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: EL PASO, Texas - A Dallas woman pleaded guilty in a federal court in El Paso Wednesday to charges in connection to her role as a stash house operator and coordinator of a human smuggling organization operating in far west Texas.
Recidivist Felon Sentenced for Illegal Reentry into the United States
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: TUCSON, Ariz. - Hermelindo Velazquez-Rivera, 45, of Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on April 18, 2023, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to a total of 90 months in prison. Velasquez-Rivera pleaded guilty to Reentry of a Removed Alien and admitted to violating conditions of supervised release.
Massachusetts Man Indicted for Acting as an Illegal Agent of the People's Republic of China
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: BOSTON - A Massachusetts man was arrested on May 9 for allegedly acting as an agent of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) without providing notification to the U.S. Attorney General.
Key West Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Tax Fraud
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: MIAMI - Abel Raphael, 65, of Key West, Florida has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay almost $150,000 in restitution for aiding and assisting the preparation and presentation of false tax returns. Following his guilty plea in October 2022.
New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation Charges
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: BOSTON - A New Bedford man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to receiving and possessing over 1,500 files of child pornography.
Former Fulton High School Coach Arrested on Federal Charges for Receiving, Transporting, and Possessing Child Pornography
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: SYRACUSE, NEW YORK - Joshua Demars, age 37, of Fulton, New York, was arrested today on a federal complaint charging him with receiving, transporting, and possessing child pornography.
45 Minneapolis Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Federal Charges
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: Two indictments were unsealed today in the District of Minnesota charging 30 members and associates of two Minneapolis-based street gangs - the Highs and the Bloods - with racketeering (RICO) conspiracy involving alleged murder, attempted murder, robbery, obstruction of justice, and drug trafficking.
Former Modesto Doctor Pleads Guilty to Illegally Prescribing Opioids
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: FRESNO, Calif. - Sawtantra Chopra, 76, of Modesto, pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of illegally prescribing opioids and other medication, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.
Pharr man convicted of kidnapping for ransom in Mexico
By DOJ Newswire | May 17, 2023
News Release: McALLEN, Texas - A 26-year-old Pharr man has admitted to hostage taking, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.