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Alabama Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Firearms Offenses in District of Columbia and Alabama

Source: US FBI

Defendant Brought Firearms and Components of Molotov Cocktails on Jan. 6, 2021, to Area Near U.S. Capitol

            WASHINGTON – Lonnie Leroy Coffman, 72, of Falkville, Alabama, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal and local firearms offenses stemming from the discovery of weapons in his pickup truck parked near the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

            According to court documents, Coffman traveled from Alabama to the District of Columbia several days prior to Jan. 6, 2021. He parked his red GMC Sierra pickup truck in the 300 block of First Street SE, on the morning of Jan. 6. Less than half a mile away in the U.S. Capitol Building, a joint session of the U.S. Congress was scheduled to meet in the afternoon to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.

            Coffman admitted in his plea agreement that he exited the pickup truck at 9:20 a.m. and walked in the direction of the U.S. Capitol Building, and towards a rally near the National Mall. Inside the pickup truck were several loaded firearms within arms-reach of the driver’s seat, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, a crossbow with bolts, machetes, camouflage smoke devices, a stun gun, and a cooler containing 11 mason jars filled with ignitable ingredients for Molotov cocktail incendiary weapons. Coffman also carried a loaded handgun and a loaded revolver as he walked around the area that day. A search of Coffman’s residence in Alabama later that month led to the discovery of 12 additional mason jars containing ignitable substances, each constituting the component parts of Molotov cocktails.

            Coffman did not have a license to carry a pistol in the District of Columbia and had not registered any firearms or destructive devices in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, as required by law.

            Coffman has been in custody since his arrest on Jan. 6, 2021. Coffman will be placed on three years of supervised release following his prison term.

            Coffman was sentenced in the District of Columbia by the Honorable Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in two separate criminal cases, one brought in the District of Columbia on Jan. 7, 2021, and the other brought in the Northern District of Alabama and transferred to the District of Columbia for purposes of plea and sentencing. Coffman had pleaded guilty on Nov. 12, 2021, to two counts of possession of an unregistered firearm, a federal offense, regarding the component parts of Molotov cocktails discovered in his pickup truck in Washington, D.C., and at his residence in Alabama. Coffman also pleaded guilty to carrying a pistol without a license, a District of Columbia offense. Judge Kollar-Kotelly sentenced him to 46 months in prison on each of the federal offenses, and 15 months on the District of Columbia offense, with the time running concurrently.

            The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Alabama, and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Birmingham and Washington Field Offices, and the U.S. Capitol Police.

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Athens City School Administrator Found Guilty in Virtual Education Fraud Scheme

Source: US FBI

           Montgomery, Ala. –    On March 18, 2022, Athens City Schools administrator, William Richard (“Rick”) Carter, Jr., 46, was convicted for his role in a scheme to defraud the Alabama State Department of Education (ALSDE), announced Acting United States Attorney Alice S. LaCour, FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Reginald J. France of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Southeastern Regional Office.

           According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Carter, conspired with other school officials to fraudulently enroll students in public virtual schools and then falsely reported those students to the Alabama State Department of Education in order to illegally receive additional education funding. Carter’s co-conspirators include former superintendent of the Athens City Schools district Dr. William L. (“Trey”) Holladay, III; David Webb Tutt, of Uniontown, Alabama; Gregory (“Greg”) Earl Corkren, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and former superintendent of the Limestone County School district Thomas Michael Sisk.

           During Carter’s four-week trial, the jury heard evidence that he and his co-defendants obtained student identities to use in their scheme from various private schools located across the state—particularly private schools in the Black Belt region of Alabama. The defendants offered the private schools computers, direct payments, and access to online curriculum to persuade them to share their students’ academic records and personal identifying information with the public school districts. Multiple private school parents and former students testified that during the school years that the scheme occurred, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018, they had little to no connection with the public-school districts in which they were supposedly enrolled. The parents continued to pay private school tuition and the students continued to attend the brick-and-mortar private schools each day, receiving instruction from teachers at those private schools.

           There was also testimony provided about a meeting with the ALSDE in March of 2016 where the state notified Athens City School officials that private school students were being erroneously listed as public-school enrollees and directed the Athens School officials to correct the problem. However, evidence presented at trial showed that instead of following that guidance, Carter and his co-conspirators took steps to conceal and continue their scheme. For example, they created fake report cards, manufactured false addresses for the students of the private schools who lived outside of Alabama, and submitted falsified course completion reports to the state department of education. When shown the fake report cards and completion reports during the trial, the parents and former students testified that they had never seen them before and did not know any of the teachers listed on them.

           The submission of this false documentation allowed payments to continue from Alabama’s Education Trust Fund to the Athens City Schools district and the Limestone County Schools district. Carter and his co-conspirators then received, for their own personal use, portions of the state funding. They skimmed the state money through direct cash payments and payments to third-party contractors owned by the various co-conspirators. During the course of the scheme, the total potential loss was approximately $10 million.

            The jury found Carter guilty on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. At some upcoming date, Carter will be sentenced. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as substantial monetary penalties and restitution. He is also facing a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence on each count of aggravated identity theft. Co-defendants William L. Holladay, III, Gregory Earl Corkren, David Webb Tutt, and Thomas Michael Sisk, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the government. Gregory Corkren also pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft.

           “We trust every educator to make teaching our children the top priority,” said Alice S. LaCour, acting United States Attorney for this case. “In this case, Mr. Carter violated that trust and put profit ahead of the well-being of students. I am proud of the work of the law enforcement agents who spent countless hours uncovering the disheartening fraud perpetuated by Mr. Carter and his co-conspirators.”

           “Today’s verdict is the result of hard investigative work by my office and our partners,” stated FBI Special Agent in Charge Johnnie Sharp. “The FBI will continue to work to hold accountable public officials who fail the citizens of their community by misusing their positions of trust for personal gain.”

           “Today’s action shows that this former school official not only knowingly and willfully abused his position of trust for personal gain, but did so at the expense of the educational development of children. That is unacceptable,” said USDOE-OIG Special Agent in Charge Reginald J. France. “Deservedly, Mr. Carter will be held accountable for cheating Alabama students and taxpayers.”

           “Integrity and trust are character traits common to teachers and administrators across Alabama,” stated Alabama State Department of Education Superintendent Dr. Eric G. Mackey. “As much as this case saddens educators everywhere, the State Department of Education is proud to have worked with the U.S Attorney’s Office, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (OIG), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Alabama Attorney General’s Office to bring this fraud to light. When the Board selected me as Superintendent, I made it clear that core tenants of my administration would be integrity and transparency. The U.S. Attorney, FBI, and OIG, like us, are determined to make sure every taxpayer dollar is accounted for and every dollar intended for the classroom is spent on the classroom. We appreciate their hard work and dedication throughout the investigation and adjudication.”

           This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Alabama Attorney General’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan S. Ross, Alice S. LaCour, and Brett J. Talley prosecuted the case.

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Houston Custom Home Builder Heads to Prison for Misusing Construction Funds

Source: US FBI

HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Houston man has been sentenced for wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Brett Michael Detamore pleaded guilty Aug. 23, 2024.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks has now ordered Detamore to serve 51 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a total of $2.3 million in restitution to over 10 victims. At the hearing, the court heard additional testimony from several victims who described how Detamore had abused their trust and devastated them financially.

Detamore, operating as a custom home builder under Detamore Development LLC, fraudulently obtained at least $1.5 million for his personal use as a result of misusing funds intended for the construction of private residences.

Detamore submitted false and fraudulent invoices to banks holding construction loans for single-family residences he was contracted to build. The false invoices caused the banks to send funds to bank accounts Detamore controlled. He then used the funds for his personal benefit.

He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of the West University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen Lansden and Suzanne Elmilady prosecuted the case.

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New Orleans Man Caught on Video Firing Gun and Driving Stolen Car Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Machine Gun and Drug Trafficking Crimes

Source: US FBI

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RENARD SANTIAGO (“SANTIAGO”), age 19, was sentenced on May 13, 2025 by U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to fifteen (15) years in prison, followed by four (4) years of supervised release, along with a mandatory $400 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy, and possession with the intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).

According to court documents, in 2024, SANTIAGO was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and the New Orleans Police Department.  Specifically, an arrest warrant had been issued for SANTIAGO for an armed robbery committed on October 10, 2023.  On December 25, 2023,he was captured on surveillance video firing a handgun with a drum magazine attached and then driving away in a stolen SUV.  During their investigation into his whereabouts, law enforcement officers saw stories on SANTIAGO’s social media account showing SANTIAGO in possession of a handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device, posing with large amounts of cash, and advertising the sale of marijuana.  The next day, officers executed a search warrant at SANTIAGO’s residence.  SANTIAGO hid in the attic for four hours before he was finally forced out of the house.  Inside the attic, officers found SANTIAGO’s handgun, with the machinegun conversion device still attached, a distributable quantity of marijuana, and over $400 in cash.

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 the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit.

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Mission, Texas, Real Estate Agent Indicted for Fraud Scheme

Source: US FBI

McALLEN, Texas – A 45-year-old Mission man has made an appearance in McAllen federal court on wire fraud charges, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

According to the four-count indictment, Sergio Efrain Zamora Jr. sold multiple homes by forging signatures on the documents and transferring titles to his business.

The charges allege, beginning in June 2021, Zamora orchestrated a real estate fraud scheme by selling multiple homes without the homeowners’ authorization. He allegedly forged signatures on documents and transferred property titles to his business.

The victims-some of whom were his own family and friends-were unaware their homes were being sold, according to the charges. Zamora allegedly created fraudulent documents, including warranty deeds and contracts of sale, to make the transactions appear legitimate.

According to the indictment, he forged paperwork as part of the scheme. He allegedly profited illegally by using the proceeds to pay off debts and, in some cases, by receiving funds directly from the fraudulent closings.

The charges allege the scheme caused a total loss of $655,000 to the victims and the title company.

If convicted, Zamora faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

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Pediatric Physician Sentenced to 25 Years for Producing Child Pornography

Source: US FBI

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Overland Park, Ks., pediatric physician was sentenced in federal court today for producing child pornography and possession of child pornography.

Brian Aalbers, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian C. Wimes to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Aalbers to serve supervised release for Life following his incarceration.

Aalbers, a pediatric neurologist at Overland Park Regional Hospital in Overland Park, Ks., had pleaded guilty to using concealed video cameras to secretly record 13 child victims for the purpose of producing child pornography over a three-year period.  Aalbers also had admitted that he was in possession of child pornography.

Concerns were received by both the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office regarding the potential victimization of patients of Aalbers’s pediatric practice. During the investigation, it was determined there was no evidence to indicate any current or former patients were victimized by Aalbers. To protect and maintain the privacy of Aalbers’s victims, no additional information regarding the victims will be released.

According to the plea agreement, Kansas City, Mo., police officers investigated a report regarding concealed video cameras that had been found on Oct. 28, 2023. A witness later contacted officers to report that Aalbers was sending suicidal text messages. Lenexa, Ks., police officers located Aalbers and transported him to a local hospital to obtain voluntary mental health treatment. The hospital took possession of two laptop computers, two iPad tablets, and a cell phone that were inside a backpack Aalbers brought with him when he entered the facility.

Investigators obtained search warrants for those devices, as well as other cameras and electronic devices owned by Aalbers. Investigators found more than 50,000 video files associated with the hidden video cameras used by Aalbers, including more than 1,000 videos that contained pornographic depictions of the 13 child victims.

Investigators also obtained a search warrant for Aalbers’s iCloud account, which contained 1,000 additional images and 163 additional videos of child pornography, which included videos of the identified child victims that had been produced by Aalbers.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, and Lenexa, Kansas Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

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Columbia Sex Offender Charged with Child Pornography Offense

Source: US FBI

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man has been indicted in federal court for transportation and possession of child pornography.

Andrew Charles Nicholls, 38, previously charged by complaint, was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 13, 2025.  The indictment alleges that Nicholls, who has a prior conviction for child molestation in the second degree, transported and possessed child pornography images and videos depicting pre-pubescent children engaging in sexually explicit conduct using TOR, a dark web browser intended to conceal one’s online activities.   

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

Under federal statutes, if convicted, Nicholls faces federal prison sentence of up to 40 years to be served without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Cyber Crime Task Force with assistance from the FBI.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”

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Man Who Supplied Illegal Drugs in Eastern Washington Sentenced to More Than 16 Years in Federal Prison

Source: US FBI

Spokane, Washington – Acting United States Attorney Richard R. Barker announced that United States District Judge Thomas O. Rice sentenced David Velasquez Jr., age 32, to 200 months in federal prison for Conspiracy to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl. Judge Rice also imposed 5 years of supervised release.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, In November 2022, The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) developed information that Velasquez was the source of supply for a large amount of illegal drugs in Eastern Washington. FBI agents later learned that Velasquez and a man named David Fulmer had met multiple times in Utah for the purpose of transporting drug shipments from Arizona to Eastern Washington. Velasquez provided Fullmer with at least 10,000 fentanyl-laced pills during each meeting. Fullmer later was arrested and sentenced to federal prison on drug trafficking charges.

On September 19, 2023, the FBI obtained a federal arrest for Velasquez and on October 13, 2023, Velasquez’s phone was tracked to Iowa. He was subsequently pulled over driving a truck near Dallas County, Iowa. He was arrested and law enforcement recovered 39,095 fentanyl pills hidden in the truck’s tailgate. Two loaded handguns were found in the glove compartment and a third handgun was found under the rear seat.

“Fentanyl is a deadly drug that continues to devastate communities across Eastern Washington and the nation,” stated Acting U.S. Attorney Barker. “Mr. Velasquez trafficked tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills into our region, putting numerous lives at risk. My office will continue to hold drug traffickers accountable, and we are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to keep Eastern Washington communities safe.”

“Mr. Velasquez was the source of large amounts of Fentanyl flowing into the Spokane area.” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Seattle field office. “Knowing this poison can easily kill its users, countless lives may have been saved by taking him off the streets. The FBI and our partners will continue the work of keeping these illegal drugs out of the communities we all call home.”

This case was investigated by the FBI. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nowles Heinrich and Patrick J. Cashman.

2:23-cr-00102-TOR

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Illegal Alien Admits to Role in Nationwide Scheme to Sell Fake Texas Paper Vehicle Tags

Source: US FBI

HOUSTON – The final man charged in a large-scale conspiracy to commit wire fraud in relation to the sale of hundreds of thousands of fraudulent Texas paper license plates has pleaded guilty, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Emmanuel Padilla Reyes, 35, was a fugitive until authorities apprehended him in September 2024. 

Reyes and co-conspirators used the internet, email and iMessage to sell fraudulent state-issued buyer tags and deliver them to buyers nationwide. As part of his plea, Reyes admitted to using at least two aliases, including another person’s name and Social Security number, to get used car dealer licenses. He used them in a scheme to fraudulently issue and sell at least 550,000 Texas temporary buyer tags without selling any vehicles. 

The illegal tags pose a danger to the public and law enforcement as buyers use them to avoid registration, safety inspections and liability insurance. They can also be used to conceal identities from law enforcement. The investigation revealed fake vehicle tags gave criminals the means to create ghost cars that were invisible to law enforcement and used to commit crimes ranging from driving with no insurance to committing robberies and drive-by shootings. 

In Texas, used car dealers must obtain an independent General Distinguishing Number (GDN) license via the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles’ online eLicensing portal to legally buy, sell or exchange vehicles. Licensed dealers can access the secure eTag portal to create temporary buyer tags and may add other users to their account. At the time of the original indictment in the case, there were no restrictions on the data entered into the portal. 

Reyes provided false information, such as fake identities, drivers licenses, lease agreements and business signs, in an online application portal to obtain GDN licenses for two fictitious dealerships “King’s Ranch Autoland” and “Texas Motor Company.” Reyes and his co-conspirators then advertised Texas buyer tags for sale on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks will impose sentencing July 23. At that time, Reyes faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Co-defendants Leidy Areli Hernandez Lopez, 44, Octavian Ocasio, 53, and Daniel Christine-Tani, 36, were also charged and convicted in the scheme and were sentenced to prison. Lopez, also in the United States illegally, failed to report to prison. A federal grand jury returned an indictment Feb. 20 charging her with failure to surrender. Lopez is considered a fugitive, and a warrant remains outstanding for her arrest. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

The FBI conducted the investigation with assistance from Travis County Constable Office – Precinct 3, Houston Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Belinda Beek and Adam Goldman are prosecuting the case.

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Richmond Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Child Pornography

Source: US FBI

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Richmond, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for receiving child pornography, after having a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography.

Derek Shain, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to 25 years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Shain to serve supervised release for Life following his incarceration.

On January 16, 2025, Shain pleaded guilty to one count of receiving child pornography, after having a prior state conviction for possession of child pornography. According to court documents, Shain communicated with a 15-year-old minor female on a social media platform.  He requested and received an image of child pornography from the minor female.  A background investigation of Shain confirmed that Shain was a registered sex offender at the time of this offense. Shain also has prior state convictions for attempted child molestation in the first degree and age misrepresentation with intent to solicit a minor.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sugar Creek, Missouri Police Department.

Project Safe Childhood

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”