News from 2023


Texas Man Sentenced for Felony Conviction for Actions During January 6 Capitol Breach

News Release: Defendant Was in Crowd That Overwhelmed Officers Trying to Secure the Senate Wing Door.


Operator Of Tax Return Preparer Business Sentenced To Prison For Filing False Income Tax Returns

News Release: LAS VEGAS - A Las Vegas tax return preparer was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon to 15 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release for preparing false tax returns for clients and causing the returns to be filed with the IRS.


Former Servicemember Sentenced to 30 Years for Directing Minors to Produce Child Pornography

News Release: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - A Surprise, Arizona, man was sentenced this week to 30 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).


Colorado Pharmacy and Pharmacist Agree to Resolve Allegations that They Unlawfully Filled Dangerous Prescriptions for Controlled Substances

News Release: DENVER-The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced that People’s Pharmacy, Inc. and its owner and pharmacist-in-charge, Mahnaz Abharian, have agreed to resolve allegations that the pharmacy unlawfully dispensed controlled substances, including dangerous opioids and drug combinations.


Third Illinois Prison Guard Sentenced to Six Years of Imprisonment Following Guilty Plea to Civil Rights Deprivation Resulting in Bodily Injury and Death and Obstruction Charges

News Release: SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Willie Hedden, 43, a former sergeant at the Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, Illinois, was sentenced on March 22, 2023, to six years’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for civil rights deprivation resulting in bodily injury and death and obstruction of justice offenses in connection with the death of Larry Earvin, an inmate at the facility.


Center Line Resident Sentenced in Unemployment Fraud Scheme

News Release: DETROIT - A Center Line woman was sentenced to 18 months in prison today based on her conviction for stealing over $300,000 as part of a wire fraud scheme targeting pandemic unemployment assistance benefits, announced United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison.


Alleged Utah Drug Trafficker Arrested Following Seizure of Illicit Drugs, Including 41,000 Pills of Suspected Fentanyl

News Release: Salt Lake City, Utah - A federal grand jury in Utah returned an indictment today charging a foreign national with multiple drug and distribution charges after seizing 41,000 suspected fentanyl pills from a home in Herriman.


Deputy U.S. Marshal Convicted of Conspiracy, Cyberstalking, Perjury, and Obstruction

News Release: A federal jury convicted a deputy U.S. Marshal yesterday for conspiracy to commit cyberstalking, cyberstalking, perjury, and obstruction of a federal matter.


Rapid City Man Indicted for Illegal Possession of Firearm

News Release: RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Rapid City, South Dakota, man for Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person.


U.S. Marshals and West Virginia State Police Conduct Operation to Arrests Non-Compliant Sex Offenders

News Release: Charleston, WV -The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force and West Virginia State Police have completed “Operation Just & Necessary", a two weeklong operation targeting sex offenders in Kanawha County and the surrounding area. The operation began on March 6, 2023 and concluded...


“Ghost Preparer” Charged With Tax Fraud Appears In Federal Court

News Release: CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Tijan Mboob, a/k/a “TJ," a/k/a “Teejay McBoob," a/k/a “Sheikhtijan," 58, of Charlotte, appeared in federal court today on tax fraud charges, announced Dena J. King U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Mboob was arrested on Thursday, after a federal grand jury returned a 20-count criminal indictment charging him with aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false tax returns over a five-year span.


Pennsylvania Woman Sentenced for Felony and Misdemeanor Charges Related to Capitol Breach

News Release: WASHINGTON - A Pennsylvania woman was sentenced in the District of Columbia today on felony and misdemeanor charges for her actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. Her 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.


Two Individuals Charged with Operating Multimillion-Dollar Pyramid Schemes

News Release: A federal grand jury in Wisconsin returned an indictment that was unsealed yesterday charging an Illinois woman and man with running illegal multimillion-dollar pyramid schemes in at least four different states.


Raleigh County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug Crime

News Release: BECKLEY, W.Va. - Treyvon Pankey, 22, of Beckley, was sentenced today to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing methamphetamine.


Mexican Man Pleads Guilty To Illegally Re-Entering The United States And Trafficking Fentanyl

News Release: BOSTON - A Mexican man residing in Lawrence pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl intended for distribution and to illegally re-entering the United States after deportation.


U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects Over $50 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions in Fiscal Year 2022

News Release: COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Carolina collected $50,690,774.37 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2022. Of this amount, $11,935,768.98 was collected in criminal actions and $38,755,005.39 was collected in civil actions. The District of South...


Ghanaian National Sentenced to Prison for Role in Romance Fraud Scheme

News Release: HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Abdul Inusah, 32, of Ghana, was sentenced today to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a Huntington-based scheme that defrauded individuals in multiple states through the use of false online personas. Inusah was also ordered to pay $152,000 in restitution.


Jury convicts Browning man of raping girl on Blackfeet Indian Reservation

News Release: GREAT FALLS - A federal jury today convicted a Browning man who was accused of raping a girl in Heart Butte, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.


Wolf Point man admits role in kidnapping, assault of girl on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

News Release: GREAT FALLS - A Wolf Point man accused in the kidnapping and assault of a girl by a group of individuals on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in 2021 today admitted to his role in the abduction, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.


House GOP Targets Ad Group Over Efforts to Curb Misinformation

News Release: House Republicans are accusing an industry group of violating antitrust laws with its efforts to fight online misinformation.