Category: Security

Source: US FBI

PORTLAND, Ore.—United States Attorney Natalie Wight announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Ethan Knight will lead the efforts of this office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election.

AUSA Ethan Knight, Cyber and National Security Unit Chief, has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Oregon, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the district’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Department of Justice Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

“The Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process,” said Natalie Wight, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.

The Justice Department has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation on Election Day, threats of violence directed at election officials and workers, and election fraud. The department will address these violations wherever they occur. The department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.

Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).   

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please call 911.

The FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. To report allegations, contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or www.tips.fbi.gov.

Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.

If you have questions about the Justice Department’s Election Day Program in Oregon or need assistance directing election-related complaints to the proper authorities, District Election Officer Knight can be reached by calling (503) 727-1000.

Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.

Source: US FBI

MEDFORD, Ore.— A federal jury found a Klamath Falls, Oregon man guilty after he kidnapped and sexually assaulted two women, and held one in a cell he constructed in his garage.

Negasi Zuberi, 30, also known as Justin Joshua Hyche, was found guilty of kidnapping, transporting a victim for criminal sexual activity, and illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

According to court documents, on July 15, 2023, while in Seattle, Zuberi posed as a police officer and used a taser and handcuffs to detain his victim in the backseat of his vehicle. Zuberi then transported the victim approximately 450 miles to his home in Klamath Falls, stopping along the way to sexually assault her.

When Zuberi arrived at his residence, he moved the victim from his vehicle into a cell he had constructed in his garage. The woman repeatedly banged on the cell door until it broke open and she escaped. The victim retrieved a handgun from Zuberi’s vehicle, fled his garage, and flagged down a passing motorist who called 911.

The next day, on July 16, 2023, Reno Police Department officers and Nevada State Patrol officers located Zuberi in a parking lot in Reno, Nevada. After a short standoff, Zuberi surrendered to law enforcement and was taken into custody.

While investigating Zuberi’s crimes, federal agents discovered that approximately six weeks prior to the kidnapping in Seattle, on May 6, 2023, Zuberi kidnapped and sexually assaulted another victim. While being held by Zuberi, his first victim observed stacked cinder blocks in his garage that he later used to construct the cell where he detained his second victim.

On August 2, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Zuberi with kidnapping and transporting a victim with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Later, on February 15, 2024, a second kidnapping charge and charges for illegally possessing firearms, ammunition, and attempted escape were added by superseding indictment.

Kidnapping is punishable by up to life in federal prison and transporting a victim across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity by up to 10 years. Illegally possessing firearms and ammunition, and attempted escape are punishable by up to 15 years.

This case was investigated by the FBI Portland Field Office, Klamath Falls Police Department, and Oregon State Police with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada; Klamath County District Attorney’s Office; Reno, Nevada Police Department; Washoe County, Nevada District Attorney’s Office; and Nevada State Police. It was prosecuted by Jeffrey S. Sweet, Marco A. Boccato, and Nathan J. Lichvarcik, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, with assistance from Appellate Chief Suzanne Miles, also of the District of Oregon.

Source: US FBI

SEATTLE—A Washington State defense attorney was arraigned in federal court Monday after he was indicted for joining a criminal conspiracy to smuggle drugs into the King County Correctional Facility (KCCF), a jail located in Seattle, during client visits.

John M. Sheeran, 60, of Pierce County, Washington has been charged with conspiring to distribute controlled substances, possessing and distributing methamphetamine, distributing buprenorphine, and illegally using a communication facility.

According to the indictment, Sheeran used his status as an attorney to smuggle controlled substances, including methamphetamine, ketamine, buprenorphine, and THC, to two of his then- clients and inmates at KCCF during legal visits. During the conspiracy, Sheeran distributed, or possessed with an intent to distribute, sheets of paper that had been soaked in drugs, chewing tobacco cans that swapped out the tobacco with drugs, and trial clothes that had drugs concealed in the soles of the shoes. After Sheeran successfully smuggled the drugs into KCCF, Sheeran’s co-conspirators sold the drugs to other inmates for significant sums.

On October 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Seattle returned an indictment charging Sheeran and four co-conspirators. Sheeran was arrested Monday without incident in Washington Place, Washington.

Sheeran made his initial appearance in federal court Monday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge in Seattle. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on December 20, 2024.

If convicted, Sheeran faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, a minimum of three years’ supervised release, and a fine up to $1 million.

The case was investigated by the FBI and King County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Robert S. Trisotto, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon, acting as Special Attorney for the Western District of Washington.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON – An Oregon man was found guilty of assaulting law enforcement with a weapon and other charges related to his conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

             Ryan Wilson, 41, of Athena, Oregon, was found guilty of six felonies, including civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a dangerous weapon; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon.

            In addition to the felonies, Wilson was found guilty of misdemeanor offenses of disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings.

            Wilson was convicted following a bench trial before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden. Judge McFadden will sentence Wilson on Jan. 16, 2025.

            According to evidence presented during the trial, Wilson and his father traveled from Oregon to Washington, D.C., and attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on Jan. 6, 2021, at the Ellipse, where they listened to the former President address the crowd. Wilson and his father then walked with the crowd to the Capitol and then men made their way to the doorway to the Lower West Terrace, also referred to as the Tunnel. The Tunnel was the site of some of the most violent attacks against law enforcement on January 6^th.

            Before entering the Tunnel, Wilson put on a black balaclava which covered his face and entered at approximately 2:56 p.m. Court documents say that Wilson and his father made their way into the Tunnel toward the police line and, at about 2:58 p.m., Wilson threw a water bottle at the police. By approximately 3:00 p.m., Wilson was standing directly in front of the police line, separated only by shields that the police officers were using to defend themselves.

            At that time, a rioter behind Wilson began to thrust a pipe toward the police. Wilson then grabbed the pipe and rammed it toward the police repeatedly and forcefully. Wilson then took steps to re-position himself and used the pipe to thrust near the heads and faces of the officers. The police then deployed OC spray, which hit Wilson. He then threw the pipe toward the police line, turned around, and exited the Tunnel.

            The FBI arrested Wilson on Sept. 7, 2023. 

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Portland and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 45 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,532 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 571 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: US FBI

OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted JOSEPH FRANCIS BUTLER, 34, of Illinois, of committing aggravated sexual abuse at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

On July 17, 2024, a federal Grand Jury charged Butler with aggravated sexual abuse. On March 14, 2025, after a 4 day-trial, a federal Jury found Butler guilty of the charge. According to evidence presented at trial, on June 4, 2023, Butler, an inmate at the FTC, entered the cell of another inmate and sexually assaulted him. During the sexual assault, Butler held a shank to the victim’s neck and side. The victim soon after reported the assault to a corrections officer.

At sentencing, Butler faces up to life in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Brandon Hale are prosecuting the case.

Reference is made to public filings for additional information. 

Source: US FBI

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Wilmer Medardo Guerrero, age 24, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Robbery in Indian Country.

The Indictment alleged that on December 18, 2020, Guerrero took and attempted to take items of value from the person and presence of another by force, violence, and intimidation.

The crime occurred in Pontotoc County, within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Ada Police Department, and the District 22 Task Force.

The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, U.S. Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.  Guerrero will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael E. Robinson and T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.

Source: US FBI

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Christopher Dean Robinson-Holm, age 26, of Lynnwood, Washington, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for one count of Receipt of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.  This term of imprisonment will be followed by 10 years of supervised release.

The charge arose from an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.

On August 26, 2024, Robinson-Holm pleaded guilty to the charge.  According to investigators, in June 2022, Robinson-Holm knowingly received a visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.  The subject of that image resided in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

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 individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

We encourage anyone who suspects or has information regarding child sexual exploitation, trafficking of minors, sextortion, child pornography, or any other means of child exploitation to immediately contact law enforcement.  You can file a report through the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678 or online at www.cybertipline.com, through the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324), or through Homeland Security Investigations at 1-877-4-HSI TIP.

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Robinson-Holm will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Caila M. Cleary represented the United States.

Source: US FBI

MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nicholas Lapez Scarborough, age 32, of Redbird, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 405 months in prison for two counts of Second Degree Murder in Indian Country.

The charges arose from an investigation by the Wagoner County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

On May 6, 2024, Scarborough pleaded guilty to two counts of Murder in Indian Country—Second Degree.  According to investigators, on October 24, 2023, Scarborough intentionally stabbed two individuals with a steak knife.  One victim died after completing an emergency call for help.  A second victim died two weeks later from injuries sustained in the attack.  The crimes occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.

The Honorable John F. Heil, III, U.S. District Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.  Scarborough will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson represented the United States.

Source: US FBI

James Dean Bledsoe of Muldrow, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to three counts of child abuse in Indian Country.

Source: US FBI

CLEVELAND – Darmani Hawkins, 21, of Aurora, was sentenced to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud; conspiracy to commit bank fraud; and mail theft, as part of schemes to fraudulently obtain coronavirus disease (COVID)-era state unemployment benefits and, separately, to steal checks from the mail, alter them, and deposit them. He was also ordered to pay $681,114.14 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment.

According to court documents, from 2020 through 2021, Hawkins conspired to fraudulently obtain COVID pandemic unemployment insurance benefits by submitting fake claims, and in 2023, he conspired to steal checks out of the United States mail, deposit them, and keep the proceeds.

In the COVID fraud scheme, Hawkins and his co-conspirators exploited the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security), which had been established to assist people who were out of work because of the COVID-related shutdown. They submitted false unemployment applications to multiple states, making it appear as if they were eligible to receive benefits when, in fact, they were not. Once a state’s unemployment agency approved the applications, the state mailed the unemployment benefits to Hawkins and his co-conspirators in the form of debit cards, which they used to withdraw cash for their personal benefit.

In the bank fraud and mail theft scheme, Hawkins used a social media platform to recruit postal workers to steal checks from the U.S. Postal Service in exchange for a fee. Hawkins also offered to pay people to use their established bank accounts to deposit the checks stolen from the mail. Those who agreed to participate in mail theft deposited the stolen checks into bank accounts that Hawkins had paid others to allow him to access.  Hawkins then withdrew or received the stolen deposited funds. 

“Mr. Hawkins shamelessly exploited federal resources intended to help those who became unemployed as a result of an uncontrollable, life-changing world event. His deceitful actions were selfish and heartless, diverting much-needed funds away from those who lost their jobs through no fault of their own,” said U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko for the Northern District of Ohio. “He also manipulated others to steal checks and misuse our banking system in a greedy effort to make easy money. Those, like Mr. Hawkins, who seek to capitalize on the misfortune of others by abusing federal safety nets established to protect the needy, and who steal from the U.S. taxpayer and private citizens, will be held to account and brought to justice.”

“The sentencing of Mr. Hawkins should send a strong message to anyone who believes they can deceive government programs designed to help the American public in times of need. As part of our mission, postal inspectors will aggressively work to protect the public and prevent criminal misuse of the mail,” said Postal Inspector in Charge Lesley Allison of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Pittsburgh Division. “We value our relationships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the law enforcement partners involved in bringing Mr. Hawkins to justice.”

During the investigation, officials determined that Hawkins had caused a loss of approximately $425,000 in the COVID fraud scheme and more than $700,000 in the stolen check scheme.  

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, and the FBI Cleveland Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erica Barnhill for the Northern District of Ohio.

To report fraud, visit https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/unemployment-insurance-payment-accuracy/UIFraudReporting or https://www.uspis.gov/report.