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Criminal Prosecution

Fitchburg Man Pleads Guilty to Wide-Ranging Cocaine Conspiracy

News Release: BOSTON - A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.


Criminal Prosecution

St. Louis Lawyer Admits Faking Legal Documents for At Least 30 Clients

News Release: ST. LOUIS - A lawyer from St. Louis, Missouri on Thursday admitted faking legal documents and forging judges’ signatures in cases involving at least 30 clients.


Criminal Prosecution

Justice Department Investigation Leads to Takedown of Darknet Cryptocurrency Mixer that Processed Over $3 Billion of Unlawful Transactions

News Release: The Justice Department announced today a coordinated international takedown of ChipMixer, a darknet cryptocurrency “mixing" service responsible for laundering more than $3 billion worth of cryptocurrency, between 2017 and the present, in furtherance of, among other activities, ransomware, darknet market...


Criminal Prosecution

Battle Creek Woman Charged In $3,500,000 Computer Scam

News Release: Lavonne Kemp alleged to be cash clearinghouse for nationwide “mistaken refund" fraud.


Criminal Prosecution

Man Sentenced to 42 Months in Federal Prison For Cape Girardeau County Gun Store Burglary

News Release: CAPE GIRARDEAU - U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. on Tuesday sentenced Chayce Harrell, 21, of Cairo, Illinois, to 42 months in federal prison for his role in a 2020 gun store burglary in Cape Girardeau County and ordered him to pay $1,700 in restitution.


Criminal Prosecution

Former embassy employee sentenced to imprisonment for domestic violence against his spouse

News Release: ATLANTA - - Ilirjan Shema has been sentenced for the violent assault of his spouse, a U.S. diplomat serving overseas in the U.S. embassy housing in Moldova.


Criminal Prosecution

Former Employee Federally Charged with Embezzling $150,000 from Jasper Healthcare Nonprofit Over Nearly a Decade

News Release: EVANSVILLE- A federal grand jury indicted Michele Rose, 61, of Jasper, Indiana, on twelve counts of wire fraud and twelve counts of forging checks related to an alleged near-decade-long scheme to embezzle over $150,000 from a nonprofit healthcare organization headquartered in Jasper. The indictment was unsealed on Feb. 28, 2023, following Rose’s arrest and initial appearance.


Criminal Prosecution

Court Sentences Colombian Drug Smuggler Caught with Nearly Five and a Half Tons of Cocaine

News Release: On March 2, 2023, United States District Court Chief Judge Terry F. Moorer sentenced Fernando Preciado, a Colombian national, to 210 months imprisonment for smuggling 4,951 kilograms of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Preciado had previously pled guilty to the offense.


Criminal Prosecution

Grand Junction Man Sentenced to Prison for Enticing Children Online

News Release: DENVER - The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces Benjamin David Harbin, age 33, of Grand Junction, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison and a life term of supervised release for enticing minors to engage in the production of child pornography.


Criminal Prosecution

Omaha Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Distribution of Methamphetamine

News Release: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Eric D. Waller, 54, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 10, 2023, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Waller to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a four-year term of supervised release.


Criminal Prosecution

United States & Tennessee Settle False Claims Act Allegations Against Three Medical Providers

News Release: NASHVILLE - Three Tennessee medical providers have agreed to settle allegations of False Claims Acts violations relating to the submission of claims seeking reimbursement for autonomic nervous system testing, announced U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis and Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.


Criminal Prosecution

Honduran National Indicted for Illegal Re-Entry

News Release: NEW ORLEANS - DARLIN AMINADAK BANEGAS-CRUZ, a/k/a “Darlis Mindak Banegas-Cruz," age 28, was indicted on March 10, 2023 for illegal reentry of a removed alien in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.


Criminal Prosecution

Kentucky Man is Last of Six Sentenced in Anabolic Steroids and Pill Distribution Conspiracy

News Release: United States Attorney Steven Russell announced that Justin T. Hail, 37, of Somerset, Kentucky, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, methamphetamine, N-Ethylhexedrone, and Alprazolam, and conspiracy...


Criminal Prosecution

Mexican citizen admits to alien smuggling resulting in death of child

News Release: BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 30-year-old Mexican citizen has pleaded guilty to attempted alien smuggling resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.


Criminal Prosecution

Two Men Plead Guilty to $1.3 Million Penny-Stock Scheme

News Release: ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Two men pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud in connection with a penny-stock manipulation scheme.


Criminal Prosecution

Baltimore Felon Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone and for a Drug Conspiracy

News Release: Baltimore, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Gregory Santos, age 49, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 102 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for illegal possession of a firearm in a school zone and for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.


Criminal Prosecution

Two Wolf Point residents admit roles in kidnapping, assault of minor girl on Fort Peck Indian Reservation

News Release: GREAT FALLS - Two Wolf Point residents suspected in the kidnapping and assault of a girl on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation in 2021 today admitted their roles in the abduction, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.


Criminal Prosecution

British Nationals Sentenced for Interference with Flight Crew, Assault during Flight Diverted to BGR

News Release: BANGOR, Maine: Two men from Manchester, England were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Bangor today to interference with a flight crew and assault. The charges stem from an incident on a Jan. 2, 2023 TUI Airways flight that diverted to Bangor International Airport (BGR).


Criminal Prosecution

Informational: Federal Court arraignments

News Release: The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced that the following persons were arraigned or appeared this week before U.S. Magistrate judges on indictments handed down by the Grand Jury or on criminal complaints. The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.


Criminal Prosecution

Evansville Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison After Recording his Sexual Abuse of a Seven-Year-Old Girl

News Release: EVANSVILLE- Shane C. Collins, 34, of Warrick County, Indiana was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing child sexual abuse material.