Category: MIL-OSI

Source: US FBI

SAN FRANCISCO – Kari Marie Russo was sentenced today to 33 months and one day in federal prison for submitting numerous fraudulent unemployment insurance claims using stolen identities.  U.S. District Judge James Donato handed down the sentence.

Russo, 46, and her co-defendant Steven Dunsmore, 35, both of Oakland, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Oct. 3, 2023.  A federal grand jury also indicted Russo on Sept. 17, 2024, on a single count of failure to appear.  On Dec. 10, 2024, Russo pleaded guilty to two counts of fraudulent use of unauthorized access device, two counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of failure to appear.  

According to court documents, beginning in June 2020, Russo and Dunsmore engaged in an elaborate scheme to submit fraudulent unemployment insurance claims to California’s Employment Development Department (EDD) using other people’s personally identifying information, such as their names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, without their authorization.  

As a result of the fraudulent applications, Dunsmore and Russo received approximately $336,545 in EDD funds.  

Additionally, while Russo was on pretrial release so that she could participate in a residential drug treatment program, Russo left the program without permission and failed to appear in court on Jan. 8, 2024, as ordered.  She was captured by the U.S. Marshals Service on June 11, 2024.

Dunsmore previously pleaded guilty on Feb. 26, 2024, to two counts of fraudulent use of unauthorized access device and two counts of aggravated identity theft.  Judge Donato sentenced Dunsmore on June 17, 2024, to 24 months and one day in federal prison and ordered him to pay $336,545 in restitution.  

In addition to the term of imprisonment, Judge Donato also ordered Russo to pay $336,545 in restitution, jointly and severally with Dunsmore.  

Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins, Quentin Heiden, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., made the announcement.  

Assistant U.S. Attorney Wendy Garbers is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Laurie Worthen.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DOL-OIG, FBI, DHS-OIG, and California’s Employment Development Department.  
 

Source: US FBI

SAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury has indicted Ricci Lee Wynne on charges of producing child sexual abuse materials.  Wynne made his initial appearance in federal court this morning.

According to the indictment filed March 18, 2025, Wynne, 39, of San Francisco, allegedly employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing videos and/or images of the conduct on or about April 9, 2022, and Oct. 29, 2022.

Wynne has been in federal custody since December 2024 following a report of a supervised release violation in another case.   He is next scheduled to appear in district court on March 26, 2025, for a status conference before Senior U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer.

Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.  

Wynne is charged with two counts of production of child pornography under 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a).  An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.  If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for each violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251(a).  Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.  

Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. Wistar Wilson and Eric Cheng are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Soana Katoa and Marina Ponomarchuk.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI appreciate the assistance of the San Francisco Police Department and HSI.  Anyone with information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at (415) 553-7400 or tips.fbi.gov.

Ricci Lee Wynne Indictment
 

Source: US FBI

OAKLAND – A federal jury today convicted former Antioch police officer Morteza Amiri of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law and one count of falsification of records.  The jury’s verdict followed an eight-day trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White.  

Amiri, 33, was previously employed as a police officer with the Antioch Police Department.  According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Amiri, a K-9 handler, deployed his K-9 to bite suspects even when it was not necessary.  Amiri kept a running bite count that he celebrated with other officers.  Amiri also took photographs of the dog bites and shared them with other officers, stating in one text message that “gory pics are for personal stuff” and “cleaned up pics for the case.”

“Morteza Amiri violated the oath he swore to protect the people of Antioch.  He flouted his duty as a police officer, misused his police dog, and inflicted unnecessary and excessive force against the victim.  This appalling conduct erodes public trust in law enforcement.  And it weakens law enforcement’s ability to carry out its primary mission of public safety.  As today’s jury verdict makes clear, officers who put themselves above the law will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Patrick D. Robbins.  

“Today’s guilty verdict against Morteza Amiri sends a clear message: no one is above the law, especially those sworn to uphold it.  Amiri’s actions betrayed the trust of the community and undermined the integrity of law enforcement,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani.  “The FBI remains committed to holding accountable any officer who violates their oath and deprives citizens of their constitutional rights. The people of Antioch, and communities everywhere, deserve better.”

According to the evidence at trial, on July 24, 2019, Amiri pulled over and stopped a bicyclist identified as A.A., who, according to Amiri, did not have his bicycle light on.  Amiri approached A.A., punched and took the victim to the ground, and then called for his K-9 to bite the victim.  As a result, A.A. sustained injuries.  At the time, Amiri was accompanied by a police officer with a neighboring agency as a ride-along, and that officer assisted with the deployment of the K-9.  Afterwards, Amiri shared pictures of the victim’s wounds with other Antioch police officers.  One officer responded, “Yeah buddy good boy,” referring to the K-9, and “Lol you bit [A.A.].”  In response to a question from another officer about what cut the dog’s face, Amiri responded, “that’s a piece of the suspect’s flesh lol.”  

Amiri later wrote to the officer who accompanied him on the ride-along, “you got to see [the K-9] in action lol,” and stated that detectives got the victim “a 45 day violation and we are gonna leave it at that so i don’t go to court for the bite. Easy,” referring to the victim going into custody for a parole/probation violation.  Amiri then falsified a police report of the incident, stating that one of the reasons he deployed his K-9 was because he was alone, when instead the ride-along police officer was with him at the time and had helped Amiri deploy the K-9.

The jury convicted Amiri of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242 and one count of falsification of records in a federal investigation in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1519.  The jury acquitted Amiri of one count of conspiracy against rights in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 241 and two counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242.  

Amiri was previously convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud following a jury trial in August 2024.  

Amiri is scheduled to appear on March 18, 2025, for a hearing on whether to remand him to custody pending sentencing, and on June 3, 2025, for sentencing.  He faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison on the count of deprivation of rights under color of law and 20 years in prison on the count of falsification of records.  Any sentence will be imposed by the Court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

The case is being prosecuted by the National Security & Special Prosecutions Section and the Oakland Branch of the United States Attorney’s Office.  This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. 

---

These civil rights charges against Amiri were brought as part of an investigation into the Antioch and Pittsburgh police departments that resulted in multiple charges against 10 current and former officers and employees of these two police departments for various crimes ranging from the use of excessive force to fraud.  The status of these cases, all of which are before Senior U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, is below:

Case Name and Number	Statute(s)	Defendant (Bold: multiple case numbers)	Status
Fraud 23-cr-00264	18 U.S.C. §§ 1349 (Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud; 1343 (Wire Fraud)	Patrick Berhan	Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 24-cr-157 on 9/5/24
		Morteza Amiri	Convicted at trial 8/8/24, sentencing pending
		Amanda Theodosy a/k/a Nash	Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release 11/15/24
		Samantha Peterson	Sentenced to time served, 3 years supervised release 4/24/24
		Ernesto Mejia-Orozco	Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 9/19/24
		Brauli Jalapa Rodriguez	Sentenced to 3 months custody, 3 years supervised release on 10/25/24
Obstruction 23-cr-00267	18 U.S.C. §§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations); 1512(c)(2) (Obstruction of Official Proceedings); 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)	Timothy Manly Williams	Pleaded guilty 11/28/23, status conference 4/15/25
Steroid Distribution 23-cr-00268	21 U.S.C. §§ 846 (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids), 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids)	Daniel Harris	Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 4/15/25
	21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids); 18 U.S.C.§ 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)	Devon Wenger	Trial set for 4/28/25
Civil Rights 23-cr-00269	18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law); § 1519 (Destruction, Alteration, and Falsification of Records in Federal Investigations)	Morteza Amiri	Convicted at trial 3/14/25 on counts 2 and 5, sentencing set for 6/3/25
	18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)	Eric Rombough	Pleaded guilty 1/14/25, status conference 4/22/25
	18 U.S.C. §§ 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights), 242 (Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law)	Devon Wenger	Pending
Steroid Distribution 24-cr-00157	21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and (b)(1)(E)(i) (Possession with Intent to Distribute Anabolic Steroids)	Patrick Berhan	Sentenced to 30 months custody, 2 years supervised release concurrent with 23-cr-264 on 9/5/24
Bank fraud 24-cr-00502	18 U.S.C. § 1344(1), (2) (Bank fraud)	Daniel Harris	Pleaded guilty 9/17/24, status conference 4/15/25

 

Source: US FBI

Defendant Allegedly Conspired to Set Fire to Tow Trucks to Drive Business to His Towing Companies and to Retaliate Against Competitors

Source: US FBI

SAN DIEGO – Brian Alexis Patron Lopez was found guilty by a federal jury today for his role in the kidnapping, hostage taking, torture, and murder of 18-year-old M.A.R., a U.S. citizen whose death was punishment for a dispute over a stolen load of methamphetamine that was supposed to have been smuggled into the United States.

The jury deliberated for less than a full day at the end of a seven-day trial. The jury found Patron guilty on all counts, including Intentional Killing While Engaged in Drug Trafficking, Hostage Taking Resulting in Death, and Conspiracy to Commit Hostage Taking Resulting in Death.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy, where a young man lost his life, leaving his family shattered,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Drug traffickers are ruthless and will stop at nothing. But their resolve pales in comparison to the commitment of the United States to the safety of its citizens wherever they may be. This kidnapping and murder of a U.S. citizen happened in the dark corners and remote ravines of Tijuana, at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the incredible assistance of FBI San Diego and our Mexican counterparts, our prosecution team did not rest until justice was served for the victims of this heinous senseless cruelty.”

“Today’s verdict is an impactful outcome to a ruthless, vicious, and violent hostage taking and murder, and brings justice to the victim’s family,” said San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “FBI San Diego will continue to be a formidable force against drug cartels and cartel violence, which threaten the safety and security of Americans both here and abroad and devastate our communities.”

Patron is scheduled to be sentenced on July 7, 2025, before U.S. District Judge William Q. Hayes.

The victim was abducted from a hotel in Tijuana, Mexico on May 29, 2020. He was then beaten, tortured, and finally shot to death, all while his attackers sought a ransom from his family. His body was recovered on a hillside in Tijuana six days later.

According to evidence presented at trial, on May 29, 2020, at approximately 11:57 p.m., Patron and others forcibly removed the victim from his hotel room. Patron and others punched, kicked, and pistol-whipped M.A.R. Once subdued, the attackers put M.A.R. in a waiting car and drove away.

Patron and his co-conspirators then drove M.A.R. to Patron’s neighborhood, where they continued to beat and torture M.A.R. At around the same time, Patron and his co-conspirators began to make ransom demands on M.A.R.’s family over texts and calls, with the demand ranging from $2,000 to $3,000 to methamphetamine in exchange for M.A.R.’s release.

In the afternoon of May 30, 2020, Patron and his co-conspirators brought M.A.R. to a different motel and then to an apartment before bringing him to a deserted hillside on the night of May 30, 2020. There, Patron fatally shot M.A.R., even as his family attempted to pay his ransom.

During the trial, the government presented evidence connecting Patron to the crimes, including Facebook messages between Patron and co-conspirators about the crimes, plus surveillance video that captured the kidnapping outside a Tijuana hotel. In that video, Patron wore a jacket that matched the one he wore earlier in the night. Patron’s bracelet was left behind at the kidnapping and was later recovered by law enforcement. Patron was wearing the same bracelet in Facebook photos posted before the murder. Jurors were also presented with the call logs and WhatsApp messages with the ransom demands and proof-of-life evidence.

Assistant U. S. Attorneys Mario Peia and Alexandra F. Foster prosecuted this case.

DEFENDANT                                            Case Number 21CR1683-WQH

Brian Alexis Patron Lopez                            Age: 23            Tijuana

AKA Leobardo Garcia

SUMMARY OF CHARGE

Intentional Killing While Engaged in Drug Trafficking, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §848(e)(1)(A)

Maximum Penalty: Life in Prison

Minimum Penalty: Twenty years in Prison

Hostage Taking Resulting in Death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1203

Maximum Penalty: Life in Prison

Minimum Penalty: Life in Prison

Conspiracy to Take Hostages Resulting in Death, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1203.

Maximum Penalty: Life in Prison

Minimum Penalty: Life in Prison

INVESTIGATING AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation

This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership that brings together the combined expertise and unique abilities of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt, dismantle and prosecute high-level members of drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations and enterprises.

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. [use if applicable] 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: US FBI

SAN DIEGO – Rodolfo Benjamin Silva, a prolific cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl trafficker who called himself the “King of Coke,” was sentenced in federal court today to 17.5 years in prison for distributing large quantities of illicit drugs in the U.S. and for facilitating the movement of cartel hitmen into the United States.

At today’s hearing, prosecutors described Silva as a long-time San Diego-based drug distributor who worked directly with Mexican counterparts to receive narcotic shipments from Mexico. According to his plea agreement, in October 2022, Silva provided a drug courier with 114 pounds of methamphetamine and a kilogram of fentanyl for transport to Indianapolis, but it was interdicted in Oklahoma.

Silva also admitted in his plea agreement to threatening, directing or using violence as part of his drug trafficking activities. Prosecutors told the court today that Silva assisted in bringing assassins known as “sicarios” from Mexico into the San Diego area for cartel enforcement operations. On one occasion, Silva hired a sicario from Mexico to come to San Diego where that individual attempted to fatally shoot one of Silva’s rivals, prosecutors said.

This investigation was led by FBI and DEA in San Diego with integral assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Indiana and FBI’s Indianapolis Field Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Goff.

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.

DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 23CR02513-WQH                            

Rodolfo Benjamin Silva, aka “Rudy”            Age: 44                       San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine – Title 21, U.S.C., Sections 841(a)(1) and 846

Maximum penalty: Mandatory minimum 10 years and up to life in prison, $10 million fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Drug Enforcement Administration

Source: US FBI

SAN DIEGO – Denny Thakorbhai Bhakta, who was convicted by a federal jury in October 2024 of securities fraud, bank fraud and money laundering in connection with a $35 million swindle that left his own elderly uncle bankrupt, was sentenced in federal court today to 235 months in custody. Bhakta was convicted of all 25 charges after a two-week trial.

The evidence at trial showed Bhakta solicited investors in his companies Fusion Hotel Management LLC and Fusion Hospitality Corporation (collectively “Fusion”). Between at least 2016 and up to 2021, Bhakta falsely told investors that Fusion routinely acquired discounted blocks of hotel rooms from Hilton, which Fusion then sold to United Airlines at a higher price for a significant profit.

To support these lies, Bhakta provided fabricated bank statements, fake contracts, and profit and loss statements purporting to show millions in revenue and profit. Instead of buying blocks of hotel rooms with investors’ funds, however, Bhakta used the money he obtained from investors for gambling, to make Ponzi-style payments to other investors, and to pay for Bhakta’s personal expenses, including luxury vehicles.

According to court documents, Bhakta targeted friends, family members and close acquittances during the multi-year fraud scheme. Among the victims was Bhakta’s uncle, who was swindled out of $4.5 million, and who testified during the trial that he came to the U.S. as an immigrant with a suitcase and $8 in his pocket, and because of the defendant, he “lost everything he had worked for in 57 years in America. Everything.”

Bhakta’s other victims included a childhood friend who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars; his former boss and his wife; a friend of his family who lost $1.6 million; a high school classmate and her father who together lost more than $800,000; and an 88-year-old investor who lost $50,000.

During the trial, prosecutors introduced evidence that Bhakta was flown to Las Vegas on the Wynn Las Vegas private jet. And in just one 7.5-hour gambling binge in 2018, Bhakta lost $1 million at the casino. Through a trove of casino records, prosecutors demonstrated how Bhakta repeatedly took investors’ money straight to casinos and gambled (and lost) millions of investor money.

“I haven’t seen a case quite like this,” said U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino, who found Bhakta’s conduct “could not have been more deliberate [and] could not have been more calculated.”  In pronouncing the 235-month prison sentence, Judge Sammartino noted Bhakta’s only apparent motive was “greed and gambling,” his victims included his own friends and relatives, and he showed “nothing resembling remorse” for his criminal conduct that spanned years.

“This defendant didn’t just betray investors—he callously swindled his own family and closest friends, leaving his elderly uncle bankrupt,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “Instead of safeguarding their hard-earned money, he funneled millions straight to casinos, gambling away their futures along with his own. His lies, deceit, and reckless greed have finally caught up to him. Today’s sentence makes clear that those who gamble with other people’s trust and livelihoods will face the consequences.”

“Denny Bhakta orchestrated an elaborate investment fraud scheme that caused extensive financial harm to unsuspecting victims, including close family and friends, all for his own personal gain,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy.  “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for his greed and deceitful conduct, bringing justice to the victims he exploited.”

According to the government’s sentencing materials, in 2020, Bhakta doubled down on the fraud. Through the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), Bhakta applied for 18 separate PPP loans totaling $4.4 million. To fraudulently obtain the PPP loans, Bhakta created fake W-2 and other IRS documents and used the names and personally identifying information of his victim-investors to claim them as employees of Fusion and other entities under Bhakta’s control.  Bhakta used the more than $4.4 million he received in PPP loans to keep the Ponzi scheme going and to continue gambling and losing money at casinos.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Mokhtari and Eric Olah.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 21cr3352-JLS                            

Denny Thakorbhai Bhakta                             Age: 42                                   San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Securities Fraud—Title 15, U.S.C. §§ 78j(b), 78ff; Title 17, C.F.R. § 240.10b-5

Maximum penalty:  Twenty years in prison and $5,000,000 fine

Bank Fraud—Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1344(2)

Maximum penalty:  Thirty years in prison and $1 million fine

Money Laundering– Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1957

Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison and fine twice the amount of the criminally derived property involved in the transaction

INVESTIGATING AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Source: US FBI

SAN DIEGO – Odyssey Carrillo, a member of the Emerald Hills Bloods gang, was sentenced in federal court today to 168 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy involving coordinated violent crimes by street gangs.

Carrillo is the ninth and final member of the conspiracy to be sentenced. He pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity and Hobbs Act Robbery. According to court documents, the crimes committed by the enterprise included armed robbery, sex trafficking, prostitution, violence and other profit-driven illegal activities.

The defendants were charged with racketeering conspiracy – the statute’s original inspiration was to combat organized-crime syndicates and mobsters. But as criminal street gangs have become more sophisticated and prolific in their illicit business pursuits, this statute has become an effective tool to address all aspects of coordinated violent criminal conduct.

Previously sentenced defendants include Jerome Brunson, Cedric Jordan, Stephen Nathaniel Calhoun, Jr., Carl Moore, Maurice Johnson, Dajay Leon Scott, Taashawn Henderson and Sergio Valentin Louden.

In his plea agreement, Carrillo admitted that he joined the conspiracy that engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that included robbery, prostitution and sex trafficking. Carrillo further admitted to committing racketeering activity himself, including two specific armed robberies.

Carrillo, Calhoun and Moore admitted to participating in the January 19, 2019, armed robbery of San Carlos Jewelers in San Diego and the February 11, 2019, armed robbery of the Bert Levi Family Jewelers in San Diego.

Calhoun also admitted to robbing the Medicine Shoppe in San Diego by gunpoint on May 20, 2019. Calhoun and Moore both admitted to being Lincoln Park Bloods (LPK) gang members; Carrillo admitted to being an Emerald Hills gang member, a Bloods-aligned street gang that often works cooperatively with LPK. Calhoun and Moore were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cynthia Bashant to 176 months and 105 months in custody, respectively.

According to their plea agreements, in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy, Jerome Brunson admitted to being an LPK member who participated in the November 19, 2019, armed robbery of a Jared’s jewelry store in National City. Judge Bashant sentenced Brunson to 57 months in custody. Dajay Scott and Sergio Louden admitted to being LPK members who robbed numerous women of their purses outside nail salons in January 2020. Judge Bashant sentenced Scott and Louden to 48 months and 72 months in custody, respectively.

Cedric Jordan, Maurice Johnson, and Taashawn Henderson admitted to being LPK members who, during the course and in furtherance of the conspiracy, engaged in sex offenses related to sex trafficking and transportation for purposes of prostitution. Judge Bashant sentenced Jordan, Johnson, and Henderson to 63 months, 60 months, and 58 months in custody, respectively.

“Every member of our community is put at risk when criminal street gangs engage in armed robberies, sex trafficking, and other violent criminal acts,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Andrew Haden. “This case is the result of outstanding teamwork and collaboration between our local and federal law enforcement partners. We will continue to hold these violent groups accountable, using the RICO tools at our disposal, to bring justice to crime victims and to make our community safer.”

“Today’s sentencing reflects the hard work, determination, and collaboration of multiple agencies to dismantle an organized crime conspiracy,” said FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The violent crime and gang threats are too diverse, too dangerous, and too all-encompassing for any of us to tackle alone. FBI will continue to work with our partners to disrupt violent crime, human traffickers, and violent gangs whose criminal acts devastate our communities.”

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mario J. Peia, Katherine E. A. McGrath, and Matthew Brehm.

DEFENDANTS                                             Case Number 21cr2909-BAS                           

Jerome Brunson                                              Age: 27                                   San Diego, CA

Cedric Jordan                                                  Age: 36                                   San Diego, CA

Stephen Nathaniel Calhoun, Jr.                      Age: 24                                   San Diego, CA

Carl Moore                                                      Age: 34                                   San Diego, CA

Maurice Johnson                                             Age: 34                                   San Diego, CA

Dajay Leon Scott                                            Age: 26                                   San Diego, CA

Taashawn Henderson                                      Age: 29                                   San Diego, CA

Sergio Valentin Louden                                  Age: 36                                   San Diego, CA

Odyssey Carrillo                                             Age: 23                                   San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1962(d)

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

Interference with Commerce by Robbery – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1951

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

Brandishing a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 924(c)

Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a seven-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

San Diego Police Department

San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force

San Diego County Sheriff’s Department

National City Police Department

San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: US FBI

Kevin Leslie Gipson, 58, of Oroville, pleaded guilty today to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, Acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced.

According to court documents, in July 2024 Gipson communicated with an individual he believed to be the father of a 10-year-old girl, but who was in fact an undercover officer. Gipson communicated his desire to perform sex acts on the child and planned to meet the undercover officer and child at a hotel room to do so. Gipson purchased various sex items in preparation for the meeting and bought a stuffed animal with the intent to provide the stuffed animal to the child. When Gipson approached the undercover officer with the stuffed animal, he was arrested by law enforcement officers.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force/Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney is prosecuting the case.

Gipson is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on Feb. 5, 2026. Gipson faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.

Source: US FBI

Today, FBI Sacramento Field Office Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel marks the FBI’s commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list. “The FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive’s List has helped the media and public be informed and engaged in the effort to locate and apprehend some of our nation’s most dangerous criminals,” said Patel. “We are grateful to all who have provided tips. Their commitment to justice and community safety is to be commended.”

The FBI’s Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitives initiative is designed to publicize particularly dangerous fugitives and enlist the public to assist the FBI in locating them. It is an extremely important law enforcement tool, and media and public involvement is crucial to its success. At a minimum, a reward of up to $250,000 is offered by the FBI for information that leads directly to the arrest of a Ten Most Wanted Fugitive.

The Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list was borne from a newspaper story in 1949. A reporter for the International News Service asked the FBI for the names and descriptions of the “toughest guys” the FBI would like to capture. The story generated so much positive publicity that on March 14, 1950, former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover implemented the “Ten Most Wanted Fugitives” program. Since the list’s inception, 496 individuals wanted by the FBI have been apprehended or located.

Since March 14, 1950, eighteen fugitives from the 34-county region the FBI Sacramento Field Office serves have been added to the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, including escaped federal prisoners, burglars, murderers, and bank robbers.

• Howard Jay Barnard was the first fugitive from the region to be added to the list on April 12, 1963. The escapee was apprehended in Sacramento on April 6, 1964, when fleeing a robbery.
• Glen Stewart Godwin, an escapee, was added to the list on December 7, 1996. He was removed from the list due to the fact he no longer met with FBI Top Ten Fugitives list criteria but remains wanted by the FBI.
• Nikolay Soltys, who was wanted for fleeing to avoid prosecution for the murder of six of his family members in Sacramento, was the last fugitive placed on the list on August 23, 2001. He was apprehended in Citrus Heights on August 30, 2001.

Information about the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list can be found on the www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten; @FBIMostWanted on X, Facebook and Instagram; the FBI’s YouTube page; on the FBI Wanted mobile app (available for download on Apple and Android devices); and featured on episodes of Inside the FBI podcast series. As technology continues to advance and innovative applications surface, the FBI will continue to utilize all the tools available to publicize fugitives and engage the public in helping to locate them.