Category: MIL-OSI

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Alegria Pompeya Mendoza-Castro, 30, of Tucson, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 60 months in prison. Mendoza-Castro pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl on November 16, 2023.

On April 20, 2023, Mendoza-Castro traveled from Mexico through the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales. During the inspection of her vehicle, approximately 453,000 fentanyl-laced pills and one kilogram of fentanyl powder were discovered in the spare tire. 

This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force operation. The OCDETF Strike Force Initiative identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR 23-00692-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-073_Mendoza-Castro

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, AZ—In support of Pride Month, FBI Phoenix is providing the following guidance to help ensure the safety of everyone participating in Pride Month celebrations across the state of Arizona.

The FBI’s mission is to protect the American people and uphold the Constitution of the United States. This responsibility includes affording protections against hate crimes and violence. The FBI asks for the public’s help in reporting any suspicious activities or threats to LGBTQIA+ events throughout the month of June.

In a May 10, 2024 IC3 report, the FBI and DHS issued a public service announcement providing information related to foreign terrorist organizations (FTOs) and/or their supporters potentially targeting LGBTQIA+ events during Pride Month. Currently, FBI Phoenix is not aware of any threats to the LGBTQIA+ community or events in Arizona.

The following are possible threat indicators that should be reported to the FBI or local law enforcement agencies:

• Violent threats made online, in person, or via mail.
• Unusual or prolonged testing or probing of security measures at events or venues.
• Photography of security related equipment, personnel, or access points consistent with pre-operational surveillance without a reasonable alternative explanation.
• Unusual surveillance or interest in buildings, gatherings, or events.
• Attempts to gain access to restricted areas, bypass security, or impersonate law enforcement officials.
• Observation of or questions about facility security measures, including barriers, restricted areas, cameras, and intrusion detection systems without a reasonable explanation.
• Eliciting information from facility personnel regarding the nature of upcoming events, crowd sizes, busiest times of day, etc. without a reasonable explanation.
• Attempts to enter a restricted area, bypass security, or impersonate law enforcement officials.

FBI Phoenix offers the following to everyone as we work with our partners to keep Arizonans safe:

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times and report suspicious activities to the authorities.
• If there is an emergency, contact local law enforcement or call 911 immediately.
• To report a threat to the FBI, submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov, or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).

Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, AZ—The FBI’s Phoenix Field Office and Gila River Police Department along with other law enforcement partners continue their investigation of the officer-involved shooting that occurred in District 4 of the Gila River Indian Community during the early morning hours of Saturday, June 1. Gila River Police Officer Josh Briese and a bystander were killed, and another police officer was wounded.

Two subjects have been identified and were taken into custody yesterday. One is an adult and the other is a juvenile. Both are males and both are receiving medical care for injuries they received during yesterday’s shooting.

While the FBI does not comment on operational specifics, the FBI and Gila River PD are conducting interviews, gathering evidence, sharing information, and collectively working to identify all angles of the investigation. There is a widely variable pace to investigations given the need for methodical and thorough evidence-gathering.

Once the FBI’s case is complete, it will be handed over to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona for a charging decision.

Department of Justice guidelines do not allow for investigative updates. As in any given matter, if/when charges are filed, they will eventually become a matter of public record.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Timothy Mikell Schultheis, 26, of Hilton Head, South Carolina, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 27 years in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. Schultheis also will have to register as a sex offender. Schultheis pleaded guilty to Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity on January 10, 2024.

Schultheis, aka Jackson Oden, transported a 12-year-old minor, from Arizona to South Carolina, with the intent to engage in sexual activity. After using social media to meet and groom the minor, Schultheis drove from South Carolina to Safford to pick up the minor and drive her back to his South Carolina residence. The investigation revealed Facebook communications between the minor and then-24-year-old Schultheis, which included his travel plans and detailed his intention to participate in sexual conduct with her. When Schultheis was arrested at his apartment in South Carolina on March 30, 2022, the minor was found inside.

“Our efforts to protect the public start with safeguarding our youth from predators on social media” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino.  “Defendant will have a long time in custody to reflect on his crimes, and upon release decades from now, his supervised release conditions will restrict his use of smart phones and encryption technology to further protect the community.”

“This sentencing puts a stop to Timothy Schulthies and his repeated offenses. He can no longer hurt children or their families across the country,” said FBI Phoenix Special Agent in Charge Akil Davis. “This case demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to follow the evidence wherever it leads. We will use all tools available to bring to justice those who seek to harm children. We are extremely grateful for the swift actions of our law enforcement partners who worked nonstop to locate and apprehend Schultheis.”

Schultheis had been previously arrested and released by South Carolina authorities for similar conduct involving a different 12-year-old and was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of his offense in this case. The plea agreement in this case required that Schultheis plead guilty to the South Carolina charges of Criminal Sexual Conduct with a Minor and Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor.

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

The Federal Bureau of Investigation in Sierra Vista and the Graham County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carin Duryee, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-22-00973-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-071_Schultheis

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Caleb Alfred Tifft, 29, of Tucson, was arrested on May 8, 2024, on a federal indictment warrant by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force on charges of Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats, for stalking and threatening a student at the University of Arizona.

On February 7, 2024, Tifft is alleged to have transmitted a threat in interstate commerce when he sent a message via Facebook Messenger to the victim, stating “Think I’ll just go rape and kill a girl at this point. I give up. I’m the bad guy.” The next day, Tifft was served with an Injunction Against Harassment, which prohibited contact with the victim. Tifft was also served with a 12-month Exclusionary Order from all University of Arizona properties.

Tifft continued to cyberstalk the victim when on March 1, 2024, he made an anonymous 911 call to the Pima County Sherriff’s Department (PCSD), stating that his friend had sent him a message that the friend was going to commit a mass shooting and that the friend was at the “[specific University of Arizona] building.” The call to PCSD was disconnected before it was able to be transferred to the University of Arizona Police Department (UAPD). However, PCSD provided the phone number to UAPD and UAPD recognized that the phone number belonged to Tifft.

Later that day, UAPD received a call from a Tucson Police Department dispatcher who transferred a 911 caller. A male caller, later identified as Tifft, told the UAPD dispatcher he was calling because a friend of his “sent some threatening messages about wanting to commit a mass shooting.” Tifft said the friend was “[the victim]” and confirmed the victim was at the “[specific University of Arizona] building.” The call was then disconnected. A UAPD officer familiar with Tifft from having interacted with him previously listened to the recorded call and determined the voice matched Tifft’s. The telephone number associated with the call was the same number used to contact the PCSD. Tifft turned himself in to the FBI on an indictment warrant.

A conviction for Cyberstalking and Transmitting Interstate Threats each carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both, and a maximum term of three years of supervised release.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Arizona Police Department, as part of the FBI’s Southern Arizona Violent Crime and Gang Task Force, conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-02373-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-067_Tifft

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Erik Alberto Beal, 26, of Oro Valley, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Tucson on May 1, 2024, on two counts of Assault of a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon, that is, a Firearm, and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. 

The indictment alleges that, on April 11, 2024, in Nogales, Arizona, Beal assaulted a United States Border Patrol Agent with a firearm while the agent was on duty. Border Patrol agents were working near the United States-Mexico Border when a subject jumped the International Boundary Fence and ran onto a nearby property. The victim agent ran in search of the suspected undocumented non-citizen. During the search, Beal came out of a residence adjacent to the border fence and confronted the agent. Beal pointed his firearm, a Sig Sauer, Model P250, .45 caliber pistol, at the victim agent before eventually being subdued and arrested.

A conviction for Assault of a Federal Officer with a Dangerous Weapon carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years up to life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000 or both.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of United States Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, is conducting the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Serra M. Tsethlikai, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-24-02352-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-064_Beal

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was arrested last week by the FBI on criminal charges related to recent robberies of a credit union and bank.

According to court documents, Tyler Ching, 34, entered the Global Credit Union on Industry Way in Anchorage on Sept. 19. He approached two customers who were speaking with a bank teller, and he pointed what appeared to be a handgun at them. The defendant placed a bag on the counter and demanded the teller put money inside. The defendant left the credit union with roughly $2,320.

On Sept. 20, Ching allegedly entered the Wells Fargo Bank branch on Jewel Lake Road in Anchorage. He approached a teller who was speaking to a customer and pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the customer and teller. He demanded the teller put money in a bag he brought with him. The defendant fled with around $2,820.

Law enforcement received multiple tips on Sept. 20 stating the suspect resembled Ching. After further investigation, the suspect was identified as Ching, and he was arrested in Cooper Landing on Sept. 22.

Ching is charged with two counts of bank robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2113(a). If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and the Anchorage Police Department, is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Alana Weber is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: US FBI

FAIRBANKS, Alaska – An Anchorage man was sentenced on Sept. 5 to 14 years in prison for distributing large quantities of controlled substances in Alaska.

According to court documents, Darrell Latory Moss Sr, 45, sold over 1,300 grams of methamphetamine and 100 fake prescription pills containing fentanyl over a three-month period.

The defendant was arrested in Bethel, Alaska, in March 2023. The defendant pleaded guilty to one count of distributing a controlled substance, in violation of 21 U.S.C.§841(a)(1). Moss was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison, five years’ supervised release, and he is required to forfeit two vehicles and over $8,500 cash.

”Mr. Moss’s sentence brings us another step closer in our efforts to keep Alaskans safe,” said U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker for the District of Alaska. “Drugs are affecting communities and villages large and small and create serious public safety issues. Our office will continue to prioritize working with our Federal, State and local law enforcement partners to identify, investigate and prosecute people who choose to push dangerous drugs out into our communities. Their actions will not be tolerated.”

“This defendant sought to financially gain from distributing dangerous drugs, including deadly fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone pills, at the expense of Alaska’s communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “This sentencing ensures accountability for those crimes, and is a result of law enforcement partnerships across Alaska working to keep illicit drugs out of our communities.”

The FBI Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), IRS Criminal Investigation, Alaska State Troopers, Anchorage High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) team, Fairbanks HIDTA team and Mat-Su Valley HIDTA team investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Tansey prosecuted the case.

This investigation and prosecution were part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (“OCDETF”), which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.

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Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Eagle River man pleaded guilty today to one count sexual exploitation of a child for production of child pornography and one count possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, Michael V. Ross, 32, coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct and documented some of the abuse through pictures and videos kept on his cell phone. It is alleged that the abuse occurred between March 2017 and August 2021, sometimes occurring weekly.

The defendant faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska made the announcement.

The FBI Anchorage Field Office and Anchorage Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Brickey and Adam Alexander are prosecuting the case.

Source: US FBI

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was arrested by the FBI yesterday on criminal charges related to recent alleged robberies of a local credit union.

According to court documents, Etuale Ioane, 20, allegedly stole more than $3,400 after robbing the Credit Union 1 branch on Debarr Road in July and August.

On July 17, around 1:15 p.m., Ioane allegedly entered the credit union and waited in line until being called forward by a teller. The defendant produced a handwritten note commanding the employee to give him money, and stated to hurry up because he had a gun and would shoot everyone inside. The defendant left the credit union with roughly $2,118.

On Aug. 28, around 2:42 p.m., Ioane allegedly entered the same credit union and presented a demand note that stated people within the building would be harmed if his demands were not met. The note said to not alert anyone, press any buttons or try to give him bait bills. The defendant fled with around $1,340.

The Anchorage Police Department received a tip on Aug. 30, stating the suspect was Ioane and he was in a van near a grocery store on East Northern Lights Boulevard. Local officers located and detained Ioane shortly after receiving the tip.

A search warrant was executed on Ioane’s residence and clothing consistent with those worn by the suspect in both July and August robberies were recovered.

Ioane is charged with four counts of credit union robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2113(a) and 2113(b). If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department, is investigating the case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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