Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A Chicago, Illinois man was sentenced today for operating a drug distribution organization that transported fentanyl from Chicago, Illinois, to Weirton, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Gerald Henry, also known as “Unc,” “G,” and “G-ball,” age 41, was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison for the possession and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Earlier today, a five-count superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn that includes new racketeering charges relating to defendants Kwyme Waddell and Paolo Alfarobarber, who, along with co-defendant Joel Myrie, are alleged to be members of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD).  The superseding indictment charges both Waddell and Alfarobarber with racketeering conspiracy including predicate acts of murder, robbery, fraud, and narcotics trafficking.  Waddell is charged with the murder of Franklin McPherson in September 2012 and Alfarobarber is charged with the murder of Armani Thomas in November 2015.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A Parker, Colorado woman pleaded guilty today to willfully failing to pay over employment taxes for more than a decade.

According to court documents, Donna M. Savoy owned and operated Donna Beth Creations (“DBC”), a bridal studio in Denver, Colorado. In her role, Savoy was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare and income taxes from her employees’ wages, paying those funds over to the IRS and filing quarterly employment tax returns.

For a decade – that is, from the first quarter of 2014 through the fourth quarter of 2024 – Savoy admitted that she withheld taxes from her employees’ wages but willfully failed to pay them over to the IRS. Savoy also willfully failed to file employment tax returns for that entire period. According to her plea agreement, Savoy spent the tax money she held in trust on personal and business expenses. In total, Savoy caused a tax loss to the United States exceeding $1.3 million.

Savoy pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over trust fund taxes. She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 15, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.

IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.

Trial Attorney Stuart A. Wexler of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section is prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A federal jury in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, convicted an Illinois woman and man for running illegal multimillion-dollar pyramid schemes in at least four different states.

“Today’s verdict holds Candice Cunningham and Joseph Johnson Jr. accountable for their lies to steal from victims through their pyramid schemes,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants stole millions of dollars from victims across America with false guarantees of earnings and refunds. This trial conviction reflects the dedicated work of the prosecutors and agents who brought this case to vindicate the victims. The Criminal Division will continue to investigate and prosecute those who prey on, trick, and defraud people.”

“The defendants ran illegal pyramid schemes in multiple states over several years that caused millions of dollars in losses to victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The losses sustained by the victims resulted in financial and emotional devastation that will bring lasting harm. The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to working with our partners to combat financial fraud schemes.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Candice V. Cunningham, 38, and Joseph E. Johnson Jr., 53, both of Chicago, operated a series of pyramid schemes that were advertised to victims under various names including Wealth Partners Publishing, Wealth Wise, Zero to Profit, 30 Day Success Formula, Lav Label, Beckett Group, and Dreams To Reality Group.  Marketing materials for the pyramid schemes misrepresented that if a victim-participant invested money in one of the schemes, that victims would receive payments from other participants he or she recruited.

The materials also falsely promised that if a victim did not receive payments from other participants, the victim was guaranteed that his or her initial investment would be fully refunded. Most victims did not receive any payments from other participants and were denied the return of their initial investment. Cunningham, Johnson, and others generated $5 million in proceeds as a result of these schemes. 

Cunningham and Johnson were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and six counts of mail fraud. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count.  They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

Trial Attorneys Christopher Berridge and Kashan Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Four people have entered guilty pleas in connection to methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. Steven Anthony Blatt, 63, and Jeanetta Nicole Sigler, 50, both of Paden City, West Virginia, each pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

A Maryland man was sentenced today to life in prison for forcibly sexually assaulting two minor girls in Burkina Faso in 2022 and 2023. After a two-week trial in October 2025, a federal jury in the District of Maryland convicted Fode Sitafa Mara, 41, of four counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor, as well as one count each of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted obstruction of justice. Mara, a U.S. citizen, was an employee at the U.S. Embassy in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, at the time of his offenses.

“The defendant, while representing the U.S. government abroad, violently sexually abused two acutely vulnerable child victims,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His crimes were reprehensible. While no sentence could undo the harm he caused, today’s outcome demonstrates that those who abuse children – domestically or abroad – will face significant consequences in the American justice system.  We thank our partners at the U.S. State Department for helping us pursue justice for these victims.”

“Our message is clear, those who prey on our children will pay a hefty price,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “Mara targeted and abused two innocent young girls, and now he’ll be behind bars for a long time where he belongs. We’re committed to partnering with our community and law-enforcement partners to ensure that justice is served by relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting predators who commit these deplorable acts.”

“The Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) is committed to protecting the integrity of U.S. diplomatic missions and ensuring the safety of local communities where we serve,” said Deputy Assistant Director George Semertsidis of the DSS Office of Special Investigations. “We will thoroughly investigate any allegations of criminal conduct by those associated with U.S. diplomatic facilities and work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to bring offenders to justice. This case demonstrates our unwavering commitment to accountability and the protection of the most vulnerable.”

“Protecting children and safeguarding vulnerable populations from sexual exploitation and abuse is a core priority of the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG) and we will continue to pursue those who violate that trust wherever they operate,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Laura Rousseau of USAID OIG. “With continued oversight jurisdiction over foreign assistance, USAID OIG will ensure significant consequences for perpetrators, holding accountable anyone who exploits their overseas positions — including individuals employed by the United States, aid organizations, or the United Nations.”

“Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in Maryland, with assistance from federal law enforcement partners, demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism in bringing justice for the victims in this case,” said Acting Executive Director John Condon of HSI. “Their relentless pursuit of the facts and commitment to protecting vulnerable children across the world exemplifies HSI’s mission to investigate crimes that threaten the safety and security of our communities at home and abroad. HSI remains steadfast in its efforts to combat child exploitation and ensure that those who harm children are held fully accountable. I commend our agents for their outstanding work and unwavering dedication to uphold the values of justice and integrity.”

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mara, on multiple occasions, forcibly raped two teenage Burkinabé girls at his Embassy-leased residence in Ouagadougou. Because the residence was reserved for use by U.S. diplomatic personnel, it fell under the United States’ jurisdiction for prosecution. The previous resident of Mara’s residence had developed a relationship with the minor victims and their family, providing them with nourishment and safety. The minor victims lived in abject poverty in a structure without running water a short distance from what became Mara’s residence.

When Mara arrived, he saw opportunity and immediately capitalized on his access to the victims. Mara repeatedly sexually abused them for approximately one year, beginning when the victims were 13 and 15 years old. He used the girls’ mother’s life-threatening illness as an opportunity to demand sex, telling them he could not help them without receiving something in return. Mara provided the girls with phones so he could summon them while his wife was away at work. Mara was also convicted for sending sexually enticing messages to one of the minor victims and for attempting to persuade his housekeeper to lie to U.S. investigators to help him conceal his crimes.

The DSS Office of Special Investigations and the DSS Regional Security Office at U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou, as well as USAID OIG and HSI, investigated the case. The Burkinabe authorities provided significant assistance.

Trial Attorney Adam Braskich of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ranganath Manthripragada and Brooke Oki for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case.

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 Attorney’s 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.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, is pleased to announce the recent hiring and assignment of five (5) new Assistant U.S. Attorneys, one (1) new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (JAG SAUSA), and two (2) new support staff positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “With the dramatic increase in our case filings since October, these new positions are much needed, and a welcome addition to our outstanding staff who effectively represents the United States, enforces the rule of law, and protects public safety in West Tennessee every day,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant.Jennifer Collins, Assistant U.S. Attorney, is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where she graduated cum laude with…

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced it has filed federal lawsuits against five states — Utah, Oklahoma, Kentucky, West Virginia, and New Jersey — for failure to produce their full voter registration lists upon request. This brings the Justice Department’s nationwide total to 29 states and the District of Columbia.

“Accurate, well-maintained voter rolls are a requisite for the election integrity that the American people deserve,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “This latest series of litigation underscores that This Department of Justice is fulfilling its duty to ensure transparency, voter roll maintenance, and secure elections across the country.”

“The Justice Department will continue to fulfill its oversight role dutifully, neutrally, and transparently wherever Americans vote in federal elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Many state election officials, however, are choosing to fight us in court rather than show their work. We will not be deterred, regardless of party affiliation, from carrying out critical election integrity legal duties.”

According to the lawsuits, the Attorney General is uniquely charged by Congress with broad authority to request  election records under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. This Act allows her to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of statewide voter registration lists that can be cross-checked effectively for improper registrations. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Jeremy Dewayne Hawkins, age 45, of Zachary, Louisiana, to 180 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and heroin and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.