Category: MIL-OSI

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Filiberto Walle, 24, of Edinburgh, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license.

According to the plea agreement, between approximately August 1, 2023, and September 30, 2023, Walle made a business of obtaining .50 BMG caliber rifles from legitimate federal firearms licensees in Colorado, which Walle then dealt unlawfully in the State of Texas and elsewhere. These rifles are also known as anti-materiel rifles which are designed for use against military equipment, structures, and other hardware targets. Walle conspired with others to conceal the fact that he was the actual purchaser of the firearms. For example, Walle arranged for third parties to complete what’s known as a straw transfer, where those parties completed the required background checks to gain physical possession of the firearms and then provide them to Walle.

The ATF’s investigation also led to federal convictions against others who committed their own firearms crimes when facilitating Walle’s illegal firearms dealing:

Mohamed Savane: 23-cr-468-RMR (convicted of Conspiracy to Engage in the Business of Dealing Firearms Without a License);

Malcolm Johnson: 23-cr-468-RMR (convicted of Making a False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm);

Adrian Cervantes: 24-cr-270-CNS (convicted of Making a False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm);

Torien Pryor-Parson: 24-cr-353-REB (convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Making a False Statement During Purchase of a Firearm and Retaliation Against a Witness or Informant).

United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the hearing. Sentencing will be held on January 30, 2026.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) handled the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Albert Buchman handled the prosecution.

Case Number: 24-cr-00270-CNS

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced yesterday to four years and six months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2024, law enforcement observed Desmond Mikal Hawkins, 31, walking in the Shockoe Bottom neighborhood in Richmond and noticed what they believed to be a concealed firearm. The officers approached Hawkins and asked him if he had a concealed carry permit, and Hawkins falsely claimed that he did but that he did not have it with him. Officers detained Hawkins and recovered a loaded handgun from underneath his shirt in his waistband.

Hawkins is a previously convicted felon, most recently in 2023 for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hawkins had been released from prison less than a month before the current offense and was on federal supervised release at the time. As a previously convicted felon, Hawkins cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.

Lindsey Halligan, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Anthony A. Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division; and Rick Edwards, Chief of Richmond Police, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge M. Hannah Lauck.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen H. Theisen prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-5.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

SAN DIEGO – Former Fallbrook business owner Andrea Nicole Doherty pleaded guilty in federal court today to defrauding customers of her former Porsche restoration and resale business, admitting to pocketing more than $827,000 and agreeing to pay over $8 million in restitution to 57 people.

In her plea agreement, Doherty, 38, admitted that she took over CPR Classic from her father after his death in 2021. The defendant did business as CPR Classic, which was never registered as a corporation or a limited liability company, restoring classic Porsches and selling them on consignment from its storefront in Fallbrook. Doherty pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud, relating to three specific vehicles sold on consignment by the defendant through CPR Classic.

Doherty was released on bail pending her sentencing on February 23, 2026, at 10 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Andrew G. Schopler.

During 2022 and 2023, Doherty sold a 1973 Porsche 911E Targa to two different buyers, accepting payment from both without informing or paying the seller. The seller eventually transferred the vehicle’s title after receiving a check from Doherty, which bounced when he attempted to cash it.

In February 2023, Doherty admitted that she agreed to sell a 1972 Porsche 911S for its owner, and found a buyer the very next day who wired her $280,000 within a week. Although this buyer received the vehicle, Doherty did not transfer legal title and admitted that she had not used the wired funds to pay the seller. Instead, in October 2023, Doherty sold the vehicle again to another buyer, who wired her $275,000, part of which she used to pay the seller, who then transferred title to the October 2023 buyer, unaware of the February 2023 sale.

Also in 2023, Doherty admitted that she sold a 1983 Porsche 930T Slantnose on consignment for $130,000, without telling (or paying) the owner. To complete the sale, Doherty forged the seller’s signature on the transfer of title document. More than a year later, this buyer contacted the vehicle’s owner, who then learned that his car had been sold and delivered to the buyer despite still being listed as available for sale on the CPR Classic website.

CPR Classic’s vehicle dealer license was suspended by the California Department of Motor Vehicles in September 2024, and it ceased operations soon thereafter.

If you believe that you are a victim in this case, please submit a report to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at https://www.ic3.gov, or to the California Department of Motor Vehicles at https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/customer-service/dmv-complaints-ffinv-1/. Victims can also file a claim through the Consumer Motor Vehicle Recovery Corporation at www.CMVRC.org.

This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Hill.

DEFENDANT                                                            Case Number 25cr4683-AGS

Andrea Nicole Doherty                      Age: 38                                   Fallbrook, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Wire Fraud – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1343 (three counts)

Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine per count

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

California Department of Motor Vehicles – Criminal Investigations

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Antonio Lamar Jeffries, 36, of St. Albans, was sentenced today to 17 years and six months in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Jeffries admitted to a key role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that operated in the Charleston area.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between November 2022 and March 22, 2023, Jeffries conspired with others to distribute quantities of methamphetamine. Jeffries admitted that he arranged for a co-conspirator to drive to Bluefield, West Virginia, on February 4, 2023, to obtain methamphetamine from his supplier. Jeffries used a cell phone to arrange the meeting, provided the co-conspirator with money to deliver as payment for the methamphetamine, and instructed her to meet his supplier at the Mercer Mall in Bluefield. The co-conspirator exchanged the money for the methamphetamine as instructed. Law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of her vehicle as she drove back to Charleston and seized approximately 3.1 kilograms of methamphetamine from her vehicle. Jeffries admitted that he intended to distribute some of the seized methamphetamine to others and allow the co-conspirator to keep the rest.

“This defendant chose to profit from destroying lives. Today, that ends,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Thanks to the relentless work of law enforcement, 70 pounds of lethal drugs will never reach our families. And let me be clear: this is only the beginning. We will keep pushing forward, we will dismantle these networks, and we will seek the harshest sentences the law allows for those who target our community.”

Jeffries has a criminal history that includes two prior convictions for drug offenses. At the time of the current offense, Jeffries was serving a term of supervised release as a result of his conviction for possession with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base in United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia on July 11, 2011. On August 20, 2025, Jeffries was sentenced to two years and six months in prison for violating the terms of supervised release, with the sentence to run consecutively to the sentence imposed for the current offense for a total term of incarceration of 20 years.

Jeffries is among 31 defendants convicted of federal crimes as a result of Operation Smoke and Mirrors, a major drug trafficking investigation that yielded the largest methamphetamine seizure in West Virginia history. Law enforcement seized well over 400 pounds of methamphetamine as well as 40 pounds of cocaine, 3 pounds of fentanyl, 19 firearms and $935,000 in cash.

Capito commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the West Virginia State Police, the West Virginia National Guard Counter Drug program, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston Police Department, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office. MDENT is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.

United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe prosecuted the case.

The investigation was part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The program was established in 1982 to conduct comprehensive, multilevel attacks on major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and is the keystone of the Department of Justice’s drug reduction strategy. OCDETF combines the resources and expertise of its member federal agencies in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations, transnational criminal organizations and money laundering organizations that present a significant threat to the public safety, economic, or national security of the United States.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-cr-31.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Nigerian citizen who illegally resided in Houston has pleaded guilty for his role in a business email compromise conspiracy and for running a romance scam that targeted victims nationwide, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Leslie Chinedu Mba, 40, admitted to his role in conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit false statements in immigration documents.

“These online scams that Mba and others perpetrated jeopardized the livelihood of family-run businesses, the ability of elderly individuals to retire, and exploited the trust on which our economy is based,” said Ganjei. “The Southern District of Texas remains committed to holding such fraudsters accountable, and protecting our people and companies from financial harm, especially when these scammers remain in our country under false pretenses and deceive immigration authorities.”

From April 2018 to December 2023, Mba and others inside and outside of the United States carried out business email compromise and romance scams targeting unsuspecting victims. The schemes began overseas, where co-conspirators gained unauthorized access to business email accounts and redirected payments to fraudulent bank accounts.

Victims believed they were sending money to legitimate businesses, but Mba and others instead funneled the funds to accounts they controlled. Mba and others acted as money mules, opening or using existing bank accounts to collect and move proceeds from the fraud.

Additionally, Mba tried to obtain U.S. permanent residency through multiple fraudulent marriages after his initial application was denied and he was ordered to be removed from the country.

The scheme resulted in a total loss of $4 million.

Four others had also previously pleaded guilty to the same charges – Grace Morisho, 30, Rodgers Kadikilo, 29, Kristin Smith, 37, and Alexandra Golovko, 35, all of Houston.

U.S. District Judge David Hittner accepted the plea and set sentencing for Feb. 26, 2026. At that time, Mba faces up to 20 years for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five years for committing false statements on immigration documents as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He will remain in custody pending that hearing.

FBI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen M. Lansden and Alexander Alum are prosecuting the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ST. LOUIS – Jurors in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on Thursday found a St. Louis man guilty of selling the fentanyl that killed an 18-year-old woman in 2023.

Jurors convicted Bobby Lee Jones, 27, one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Jones’ started Monday.

The 18-year-old victim initially reached out to Jones on the morning of Jan. 15, 2023, asking in a text message for marijuana, evidence and testimony during the trial showed. After a series of messages, he offered to also sell her the pain pill Percocet, and they met shortly after 7 p.m. to exchange cash for the drugs, the messages show. But the pills were fake and contained a fatal dose of fentanyl, evidence showed. Around midnight, when her boyfriend tried to reach her, she was not answering calls or texts. He found her the next day.

Jones’ sentencing has yet to be scheduled. The fentanyl charge carries a penalty of at least 20 years in prison.

Jones’ trial on unrelated carjacking and firearm charges is scheduled for January 5, 2026. Charges set forth in that indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Szczucinski and Nicholas Lake are prosecuting the case.   

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

ALBUQUERQUE – A Peñasco man was sentenced to more than 21 years in prison for the stabbing death of another man.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on December 25, 2022, Byron Sanchez, 49, an enrolled member of the Picuris Pueblo, was involved in an altercation with John Doe at his residence in Peñasco, New Mexico, within the exterior boundaries of the Picuris Pueblo. During the altercation, which occurred while both individuals were under the influence of alcohol, Sanchez fatally stabbed John Doe and placed his body in a bedroom. Law enforcement officials discovered John Doe’s body at the residence on January 11, 2023.

Sanchez subsequently pled guilty to second degree murder. Upon his release from prison, Sanchez will be subject to five years of supervised release.

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 Santa Fe Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs and District 7 of the New Mexico State Police. Assistant United States Attorney R. Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.

This case is being prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Regional Outreach Program, which aims to aid in the prevention and response to missing or murdered Indigenous people through the resolution of MMIP cases and communication, coordination, and collaboration with federal, Tribal, state, and local partners.  The Department views this work as a priority for its law enforcement components.  Through the MMIP Regional Outreach Program, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify MMIP cases and issues in Tribal communities and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. This prosecution upholds the Department’s mission to the unwavering pursuit of justice on behalf of Indigenous victims and their families. 

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Ocala, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that a federal jury has found Obdy Mencia Guerrero (42, Honduras) guilty of attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Following the guilty verdict in September 2025, Mencia Guerrero separately entered a guilty plea to the felony offense of illegal reentry into the United States. Mencia Guerrero faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the attempted enticement offense and a maximum of 2 years’ imprisonment for the illegal reentry offense. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 15, 2026. 

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Mencia Guerrero was previously removed from the United States on four prior occasions between 2003 and 2014. On July 27, 2024, Mencia Guerrero began communicating online with someone whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The “girl” was a deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office working in an undercover capacity. After learning of her age, Mencia Guerrero traveled to a location in Marion County to pick up the “girl” to engage in sexual activity. When he arrived at the meeting location, Mencia Guerrero was arrested by law enforcement. Mencia Guerrero’s fingerprints confirmed he was the individual previously removed from the United States on four prior occasions. Mencia Guerrero had never applied for or received permission to apply for readmission to the United States. 

This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

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.

This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

This case was investigated by the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team and the Drug Enforcement Administration. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Ocala, Florida – United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber has sentenced Jon Don Bannister, Jr. (31, Clermont) to 28 years in federal prison for two counts of production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Bannister entered a guilty plea on July 21, 2025.

According to court documents, on April 26 and May 4, 2023, in Lake County, Bannister produced CSAM by filming himself engaging in sexual activity with a 14-year-old child. An investigation by law enforcement showed that Bannister had been supplying vape pens and drugs to minors. In return for these items, Bannister had asked the minors to provide him with nude images of themselves.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Mascotte Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.

This is another case 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.justice.gov/psc.