Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque man has been charged with federal drug and weapons offenses after U.S. Marshals arrested him on a supervised release violation last month.

According to court documents, on September 8, 2025, Orlando Mario Jude Serrano, 44, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals Service on an active federal warrant for violating his supervised release. During the arrest in Albuquerque, agents recovered approximately 1,283 grams of fentanyl pills, 364 grams of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, and a Glock pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device inside a camera bag and lunch bag Serrano was carrying and inside his vehicle.

Serrano was previously convicted in 2015 for drug trafficking and felon in possession of a firearm.

Serrano is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and felon in possession of a firearm. If convicted of the current charges, Serrano faces no less than 10 years and up to life in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Jason T. Stevens, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, made the announcement today.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Oliver Stephanz is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

This press release was posted November 13, after the end of the federal government shutdown.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

LOS ANGELES – The Justice Department announced today that it filed legal action against Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber for the State of California’s newly adopted redistricting plan enacted with the passage of Proposition 50.

The lawsuit alleges that the plan mandates racially gerrymandered congressional districts in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Proposition 50 amends the California Constitution, allowing the legislature to draw a new congressional-district map. Substantial evidence, including that in the legislative record and public statements, indicate that the legislature created a new map in which Latino demographics and racial considerations predominated, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause.

“The race-based gerrymandered maps passed by the California legislature are unlawful and unconstitutional,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “The U.S. Department of Justice is moving swiftly to prevent these illegal maps from tainting our upcoming elections. California is free to draw congressional maps, but they may not be drawn based on race.”

“California’s redistricting scheme is a brazen power grab that tramples on civil rights and mocks the democratic process,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Governor Newsom’s attempt to entrench one-party rule and silence millions of Californians will not stand.”

“Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Prop 50,” said Jesus A. Osete, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “Californians were sold an illegal, racially gerrymandered map, but the U.S. Constitution prohibits its use in 2026 and beyond.”

The Department’s motion to intervene in Tangipa, et al. v. Newsom, et al. is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Assistant United States Attorney Julie A. Hamill of the Civil Division’s Civil Rights Section and Trial Attorneys David Goldman, Joshua R. Zuckerman, and Greta Gieseke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are representing the United States in this matter.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon has been recused from this case. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jesus A. Osete will represent the Department on this matter.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CLEVELAND – An Ohio man now faces additional charges—including attempted murder of a federal officer—in connection with an Oct. 15 incident that resulted as federal officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant.

On Oct. 29, a federal grand jury in Cleveland returned a four-count indictment charging Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, 55, of Cleveland, with:

• Count 1 – Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer
• Count 2 – Assault on Federal Officers with a Deadly Weapon
• Count 3 – Using, Carrying, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
• Count 4 – Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, for prior convictions that include Felonious Assault in 2010; Domestic Violence in 2009; Aggravated Robbery with Firearm Specification in 2000; Burglary in 1999; and Assault on a Police Officer in 1998.

According to the criminal complaint affidavit, on Oct. 15, members of the U.S. Marshals Service Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force went to an apartment unit in Cleveland to execute an arrest warrant on Wiley, who was wanted for felonious assault. Officers announced their presence as law enforcement and breached the door of the unit. Wiley, who was inside, allegedly fired a handgun in the direction of the officers, striking a deputy U.S. Marshal in the arm with a .380 caliber round. The deputy U.S. Marshal was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital where he received treatment for his injuries. Wiley then barricaded himself in the apartment, leading to a standoff that lasted several hours until he surrendered and was taken into custody.

If convicted, Wiley faces up to 20 years in prison for Counts 1 and 2; up to life in prison for Count 3; and up to 15 years in prison on Count 4. The defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal record, role in the offense, and characteristics of the violation.

This case is being investigated by the FBI Cleveland Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Cleveland Division of Police. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office also provided valuable assistance. The prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Sweeney, Scott Zarzycki, and James P. Lewis for the Northern District of Ohio.

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for engaging in sexual acts with a 14-year-old child.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, in February 2019, Daniel Washburn, 31, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in sexual act with a 14-year-old minor when he was 24 years old.

Washburn pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor. Upon his release from prison, Washburn will be subject to ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Jesse Pecoraro and Mia Ulibarri-Rubin are prosecuting the case.

This press release was posted November 13, after the end of the federal government shutdown.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CHEYENNE, WY – On September 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice rescinded previous guidance concerning the prosecution of simple marijuana possession. U.S. Attorney Smith promptly notified federal law enforcement agencies that marijuana offenses occurring on federal land, such as national parks, will now be rigorously prosecuted.

This comes after President Biden pardoned certain U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents for offenses related to simple possession, attempted possession, or use of marijuana and directed U.S. Attorney’s not to prosecute those offenses. This significantly curtailed federal prosecutions of misdemeanor marijuana offenses.

U.S. Attorney Smith stated, “Marijuana possession remains a federal crime in the United States, irrespective of varying state laws. The detrimental effects of drugs on our society are undeniable, and I am committed to using every prosecutorial tool available to hold offenders accountable.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming remains steadfast in its mission to uphold the rule of law, including the enforcement of federal statutes prohibiting the possession of marijuana and other controlled substances.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Carlos E. Mendoza has sentenced David Andrew Ogden (40, Winter Park) to 170 years in federal prison for production and possession of child sexual abuse material. Ogden pleaded guilty on August 20, 2025.

According to court documents, on September 8, 2024, Ogden entered an apartment without permission where three minor children were sleeping. He began touching two of the children and used his cellphone to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of them. Following Ogden’s arrest later that night, a search warrant was executed on his cellphone which revealed additional CSAM Ogden had produced in 2022 and 2024 involving two other minor children. Ogden’s phone also contained more than1,000 AI-generated CSAM images and 10 AI-generated videos, some of which portrayed the abuse of children between the ages of 2 and 6 years old.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Winter Park Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Megan Testerman. The forfeiture was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole Andrejko.

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.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it filed legal action against Governor Gavin Newsom and Secretary of State Shirley Weber for the State of California’s newly adopted redistricting plan enacted with the passage of Proposition 50. The suit alleges that the plan mandates racially gerrymandered congressional districts in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Proposition 50 amends the California Constitution, allowing the legislature to draw a new congressional-district map. Substantial evidence, including that in the legislative record and public statements, indicate that the legislature created a new map in which Latino demographics and racial considerations predominated, in violation of the Equal Protection Clause.

“California’s redistricting scheme is a brazen power grab that tramples on civil rights and mocks the democratic process,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Governor Newsom’s attempt to entrench one-party rule and silence millions of Californians will not stand.”

“Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Prop 50,” said Jesus A. Osete, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. “Californians were sold an illegal, racially gerrymandered map, but the U.S. Constitution prohibits its use in 2026 and beyond.”

“The race-based gerrymandered maps passed by the California legislature are unlawful and unconstitutional,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli of the Central District of California. “The U.S. Department of Justice is moving swiftly to prevent these illegal maps from tainting our upcoming elections. California is free to draw congressional maps, but they may not be drawn based on race.”

The Department’s motion to intervene in Tangipa et al v Newsom is pending before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon has been recused from this case. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jesus A. Osete will represent the Department on this matter. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Kris Roglieri Is the Third Defendant to Plead Guilty to Participating in the Scheme

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A former resident of Youngstown, Ohio, was sentenced to 480 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl resulting in death and conspiring to distribute large quantities of fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and cocaine, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab imposed the sentence on Eliot Gentry, 28, who previously pleaded guilty in the case to distributing fentanyl resulting in death in Mercer County, Pennsylvania, on January 23, 2022, and conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fluorofentanyl, and five kilograms or more of cocaine between May 2021 and October 2022. Judge Schwab also ordered Gentry to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.

According to information presented to the Court, Gentry—who had prior convictions and state prison sentences for violent and drug trafficking crimes—orchestrated and operated a multi-state drug trafficking scheme throughout much of 2021 and 2022 involving large quantities of fentanyl, fluorofentanyl, and cocaine in Mercer and Lawrence counties of Pennsylvania and Youngstown, Ohio. This included the trafficking of fentanyl that led directly to the death of an individual in Western Pennsylvania in January 2022.

As part of the large-scale illegal activities, Gentry employed dealers, including juveniles, to work traphouses he established in Mercer County. The traphouses, along with Gentry’s residence, were stocked not only with narcotics, but also with firearms for use in intimidating rivals and enforcing payment as needed.

Gentry continued to operate the drug trafficking scheme even while incarcerated for a brief time in 2022, and also continued to engage in criminal misconduct following his indictment in federal court and detainment pending trial and sentencing. He was repeatedly sanctioned for possessing contraband, including controlled substances and a weapon, while detained in local detention facilities.

Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.

Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General; United States Postal Inspection Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Lawrence County Drug Task Force; Mercer County Drug Task Force; New Castle Police Department; Sharon Police Department, and Pennsylvania State Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Gentry.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that James Clemons, a/k/a James Brown a/k/a Womp, 45, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who handled the case, stated that in February and March 2023, investigators with the New York State Police conducted four controlled purchases of fentanyl from Clemons. On March 4, 2023, Clemons was operating a Porsche Cayenne in Lancaster, NY. A Lancaster Police officer conducted a stop on the vehicle because the Porsche did not have an up-to-date inspection. The officer discovered that Clemons’ license had been revoked, and he was arrested. The officer search Clemons and recovered $1,720.50 in cash. A search of the vehicle recovered plastic bags of suspected fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. On March 31, 2023, Clemons was arrested on a federal arrest warrant by the FBI, which seized multiple bags of suspected narcotics from Clemons.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, and the Lancaster Police Department, under the direction of Chief William Gummo.

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