Category: Security

Source: US FBI

CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury in Cincinnati has charged defendants believed to be operating as part of a South American Theft Group with transporting stolen goods interstate and falsifying records in a federal investigation. The three men allegedly committed the Dec. 9, 2024, burglary at the home of a local NFL player.

A federal complaint was filed on Feb. 3 and the indictment was returned today, charging Jordan Francisco Quiroga Sanchez, 22, Bastian Alejandro Orellana Morales, 23, and Sergio Andres Ortega Cabello, 38, all of Chile.

“Our investigation remains ongoing as these individuals seem to be the alleged tip of the iceberg of South American Theft Groups committing crimes throughout our district and elsewhere,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker. “We owe it to the victims, whether they are or are not professional athletes, to follow the evidence into these alleged criminal networks and hold the law-breakers accountable. I cannot thank our law enforcement partners enough for their commitment to working together to track down these perpetrators. Today is a day that law enforcement scored and spiked the ball.”

“South American Theft Groups have been a major concern in the Cincinnati area,” said FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “We appreciate the partnerships of all the agencies involved in the Southwest Ohio South American Theft Group Task Force for their hard work on this investigation.”

“The Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission was created for – and excels at – these types of complex, multi-jurisdictional cases,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. “I’m proud of the work done so far, and look forward to more results as our task force continues its work.” 

According to charging documents, law enforcement responded to the NFL player’s home around 8:14pm on Dec. 9, 2024, in reference to a reported burglary. An associate of the homeowner had been dropped off at the residence shortly after 8pm and discovered rooms were unusually messy and a primary bedroom window on the back side of the home had been broken.

It is believed the burglary likely occurred between 6pm and 8pm. The homeowner was away from his residence playing in an NFL game in Dallas. During a security detail shift change at the home at approximately 6pm, security personnel walked the perimeter of the house and no windows appeared to be broken at that time.

Continued investigation at the Cincinnati home led investigators to discover a trail camera image of a man carrying luggage and walking through the wooded area behind the home.

Law enforcement tracked the subjects in various states following the burglary, and subsequently located the vehicle at the La Quinta hotel on University Boulevard in Fairborn. The Ohio State Highway Patrol later stopped the vehicle for a traffic violation.

Phone analysis shows Cabello allegedly deleted photographs of the stolen goods and the back of the victim’s home during the traffic stop with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, thus falsifying records in a federal investigation. Additional cell phone analysis revealed other photos of the defendants in southeast Florida days after the burglary with luxury luggage and wearing the stolen jewelry.

Also in the car with the defendants were punch tools to break glass, as well as an old Louisiana State University shirt and a Cincinnati Bengals hat believed to be taken from the victim’s home.

The men were taken into local custody at the time of the traffic stop.

Interstate transportation of stolen property is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Falsification of records in a federal investigation carries a potential penalty of up to 20 years in prison. The three men were previously charged locally and those state charges remain pending.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission’s Southwest Ohio Burglary Task Force; Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey; Ohio State Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles A. Jones; Clark County Sheriff Christopher D. Clark; and Angie M. Salazar, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Detroit; announced the charges.

Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Springer is representing the United States in this case.

Charging documents merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

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Source: US FBI

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 204 months in prison for four armed robberies of Postal carriers. 

Thierno S. Bah, 22, of Columbus, used firearms and robbed postal carriers of their U.S. Postal Service keys on four occasions between December 2022 and May 2023. He was arrested in August 2023.

“Seventeen years in federal prison is a serious consequence in line with the seriousness of this type of violent crime. We have held numerous individuals accountable in the Southern District of Ohio in recent years for their crimes against United States Postal Service carriers who are simply doing their jobs. As a result of our focused efforts and the vigorous investigations by our federal law enforcement partners, we’ve seen a decrease in new assaults,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker.

Bah, who is also known as “Wopo” and “Wopoonese,” worked with others to steal service keys, which are then used to steal mail from USPS receptacles (a process known as “fishing”). Individuals then “cook” the mail by washing personal and business checks and other financial instruments to reflect new payees and new payment amounts. Bah and others would then recruit third parties to deposit the newly washed checks in their own accounts and split the profit.       

The thefts occurred in Central Ohio on:

• Dec. 29, 2022
• Jan. 3, 2023 (two separate robberies on this date)
• May 11, 2023

Bah pleaded guilty in November 2023 and admitted to using a handgun to rob a postal carrier in German Village on Dec. 29, 2022. Bah pointed the handgun at the victim’s stomach and demanded his vehicle and service keys.

On Jan. 3, 2023, Bah pushed a postal carrier into her mail truck while she was sorting mail in the back of the truck on East Columbus Street. He then pushed a gun into the victim’s side before stealing her keys.

Later that day, Bah committed another armed postal robbery, this time in Whitehall. Bah approached the victim and pushed the handgun into her stomach before stealing her personal car keys and the USPS service keys.

On May 11, 2023, Bah robbed a Postal worker at the Post Office Retail Store on West Broad Street. Bah approached the victim while she was outside on a break. Bah asked the victim for her keys, and when she asked, “What keys?” he pistol-whipped her in the head with his handgun. Bah forcibly accompanied the victim into the post office to retrieve her service keys.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant; Westerville Police Chief Charles Chandler; and Whitehall Police Chief Mike Crispen announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in this case.

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Source: US FBI

CINCINNATI – A New Jersey man pleaded guilty in federal court in Cincinnati today to conspiracy related to his involvement with online groups dedicated to creating and distributing “animal crush” videos depicting acts of extreme violence and sexual abuse against monkeys.

According to court documents, Giancarlo Morelli, of Wharton, conspired with others to create and distribute videos depicting acts of sadistic violence against baby and adult monkeys. The conspirators used encrypted chat applications to direct money to individuals in Indonesia willing to commit the requested acts of torture on camera. 

According to a statement of facts signed by Morelli, the videos in question included depictions of monkeys having their genitals burned and cut off.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio made today’s announcement.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and FBI investigated the case.

Senior Trial Attorney Adam C. Cullman of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Oakley for the Southern District of Ohio are prosecuting the case.

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Source: US FBI

CINCINNATI – Joseph Lentine III, 55, of Cincinnati, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 63 months in prison for orchestrating a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme involving millions of dollars.

According to court documents, Lentine oversaw a fraud scheme in which he prepared and filed fraudulent loan applications and controlled a significant portion of the loan proceeds once obtained. He knowingly and intentionally made false statements to receive funds to which he and other applicants were not entitled. In addition to defrauding Small Business Administration loan programs, Lentine also fraudulently sought unemployment assistance and emergency rental assistance.

In total, Lentine submitted more than 20 loan applications seeking more than $3 million and obtaining $1.5 million.

The defendant personally received more than $450,000 in PPP loan proceeds related to this scheme and used the money to buy a yacht and a Mercedes Benz vehicle.

As part of his sentence, Lentine was ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution to the Small Business Administration and nearly $33,000 to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.

Lentine pleaded guilty in April 2023 to conspiring to commit bank fraud and making a false statement on a loan or credit application.

Kenneth L. Parker, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed yesterday by U.S. District Court Judge Jeffery P. Hopkins. Assistant United States Attorney Ebunoluwa A. Taiwo is representing the United States in this case.

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Source: US FBI

NEW BERN, N.C. – An Ahoskie man was sentenced today to 71 months in prison for gun and drug crimes.  Nyjawaun Ezell, a.k.a. “Nike,” age 28, pleaded guilty to the charges on November 13, 2024.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Ezell, a high-ranking member of the G-Shine set of the Bloods gang, unlawfully obtained multiple firearms over a 10-month period while under indictment for allegedly murdering a rival gang member in Hertford County. In one instance, Ezell tried to purchase an AR-style rifle at a local gun store and made a false statement on the ATF gun-purchase form about being under the felony indictment, which disqualified him from being able to purchase a firearm. The evidence also showed that Ezell was engaged in dealing narcotics and other controlled substances in Hertford County during this time period.

Ezell pleaded guilty to three counts of receipt of a firearm while under felony indictment; one count of knowingly making a materially false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer; and one count of possession with intent to distribute a quantity of oxycodone.

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF); the Down East Drug and Violent Crime Task Force; and the Hertford County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:23-CR-22-FL-RJ.

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Source: US FBI

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A federal jury in Asheville returned a guilty verdict late yesterday against Stephanie Miranda Neace, 32, of Blairsville, Georgia, for the 2023 kidnapping and robbery of an elderly victim, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Neace’s co-defendant, Jordan Nathaniel Hedden, 31, of Murphy, N.C., pleaded guilty to kidnapping and will be sentenced on April 14.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.

“This was a frightening crime against an elderly victim who was just trying to help out of the kindness of her heart,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson.  “People who commit crimes like this affect how we treat one another, and we are committed to bringing them to justice.”

According to court documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, on November 30, 2023, the victim, a 71-year-old female, was driving from Georgia to North Carolina, when she saw the defendants walking. The victim offered the defendants a ride because it was cold outside. The defendants accepted the ride, and soon after they entered North Carolina, Hedden instructed the victim to drive to his car. When they arrived at the location, a car was not there. Hedden then ordered the victim to stop the vehicle, and when the victim refused, Hedden forced the victim to stop the car and get in the back seat. Hedden then took over driving.

According to evidence presented at trial, the victim began to cry and Hedden yelled at her and told her to shut up. Trial evidence showed that Hedden appeared to be high and agitated and became paranoid that the victim had a tracking device. At one point, Hedden stopped the vehicle, and he and Neace searched the car and the victim herself for tracking devices. Then, they took the victim’s phone and disabled it. Hedden also demanded money from the victim, but the victim only had $2. Fearing for her safety, the victim told the defendants to take her to an ATM and the defendants agreed. During the drive into Tennessee, Hedden made the victim promise that she would not identify them to the police.

During the drive to the ATM, the victim convinced Hedden to let her withdraw money from a gas station ATM instead of a bank. The victim also told Hedden that she would give the defendants the money if they let her stay behind safely at the gas station. When they arrived at the gas station, the victim took her purse and her car key fob. She told Hedden to turn off the car so the headlights could not be seen from the people inside the gas station, and Hedden complied. As the victim and Hedden were walking toward the gas station, the victim began to run to the door and scream for help. Hedden ran back to the car, attempted to use it to flee but was unable to start the car without the key fob. Hedden and Neace then fled on foot and escaped into the woods but were apprehended days later.

Neace was convicted of kidnapping which carries a maximum prison sentence of up to life imprisonment. On November 13, 2024, Hedden pleaded guilty to kidnapping. Both Hedden and Neace are currently in custody awaiting sentencing.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI for their investigation of the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Don Gast and Alexis Solheim of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville are prosecuting the case.

 

Source: US FBI

WILMINGTON, N.C. – An American citizen living in Thailand pleaded guilty Wednesday to threatening to kill United States Senator Thom Tillis and his staff.  Eric Charles Welton, 53, pled guilty to one count of threatening a federal official on account of his duties.

According to court documents and information presented in court, Welton made multiple harassing and intimidating calls to the offices of Republican elected officials and GOP organizations in the United States. Welton claimed he made the threatening calls because he was angry about the large number of unsolicited political emails he received.  In September of 2021, Welton spoke with a staff member at the Senator’s Raleigh office and threatened to show up and “put a bullet through each of [their] heads.” Welton also threatened to come to North Carolina and “mow…down” the “whole [expletive] state,” and find the person who emailed him and cut off his hands.

“Threatening to kill a public official and his staff is not only despicable, but also an affront to our democratic system of government,” Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today.  “Our office will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute threats or intimidation against public officials, so they can properly carry out their important duties.”

“It is unacceptable to make violent threats against anyone. But when threats are directed at elected officials, it can impact their ability to effectively serve their constituents and their country. The FBI will not tolerate this type of intimidation for any reason especially when it comes to those who help run our democracy,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the Special Agent in Charge of FBI in North Carolina.

Welton pleaded guilty to violating 18 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(B) and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison when sentenced in July.

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II accepted the plea. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Warlick is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-192-M-RN.

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Source: US FBI

NEW BERN, N.C. – A Fayetteville man was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distributing a quantity of cocaine.  Charles Bernard Veal, age 50, pled guilty to three counts of drug trafficking on January 15, 2025.

According to court documents and other information presented in court, Veal supplemented his income as a screen-printer by selling dangerous narcotics. Known as “T-Shirt Man,” law enforcement identified him as a source of both cocaine and fentanyl in the Fayetteville area. As part of the investigation, law enforcement purchased cocaine from Veal in October 2021. Veal provided law enforcement with approximately 56 grams of cocaine for $2,600 in the parking lot of a local restaurant.

In February 2022, law enforcement made two undercover purchases of fentanyl from Veal. On the first occasion, Veal sold approximately 57 grams of fentanyl for $3,600 in the parking lot of a Lowe’s Home Improvement. On the second occasion, Veal sold law enforcement approximately 54 grams of fentanyl for $3,600 at a location near Cross Creek Mall.

In March 2022, the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office arrested Veal after a traffic stop on Interstate 95. During that traffic stop, law enforcement found 57 grams of cocaine, a 9mm magazine, and a BB gun in Veal’s car.

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Fayetteville Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan W. Liles  prosecuted the case.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:23-CR-00277-FL.

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Source: US FBI

NEW BERN, N.C. – A Cary man was sentenced today to 61 months in prison for access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.  Ibrahim Abiodun Aderounmu, 27, pled guilty to the charges on November 4, 2024.  The court also ordered Aderounmu to pay $536,782 in restitution to the victims.  

According to court documents and other information presented in court, between approximately 2020 and 2022, Aderounmu engaged in multiple access device fraud schemes involving the theft and misuse of personal identifying information (PII) of victims across the United States.  The schemes resulted in attempted losses of more than $650,000.

As part of one scheme, victim PII was used to submit hundreds of applications for Chase Bank business credit card accounts.  If the application was successful, the physical credit card was mailed to Aderounmu’s apartment in Cary.  Aderounmu then used the credit cards to make online and in-store purchases.

The investigation into the Chase Bank scheme resulted in a search warrant of Aderounmu’s apartment.  During the search, officers recovered, among other things, more than 400 access devices, including debit cards for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. According to the investigation, victim PII was fraudulently used to apply for and initiate UI benefits from multiple state workforce agencies, including in North Carolina, California, Nevada, and Arizona.  If approved, the benefits were loaded onto debit cards and mailed to addresses under the control of Aderounmu and others.  Aderounmu was captured on surveillance footage withdrawing the UI benefits from the debit cards at ATMs in Raleigh, Cary, and other locations in the Eastern District of North Carolina.   

The seized access devices also included multiple USAA debit cards in the names of victims.  The investigation found that victim PII was used to open USAA accounts with addresses linked to Aderounmu.  The fraudulent accounts, in turn, were funded with fraudulent check deposits, the proceeds of which were withdrawn from ATMs in Raleigh, Cary, and elsewhere.   

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig prosecuted the case for the government.

Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-222-FL.

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Source: US FBI

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Rasheedul Mowla, a U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support or resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a foreign terrorist organization.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Ann M. Donnelly. When sentenced, Mowla faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea.

“Mowla sought to join a violent foreign terrorist organization that has conducted and inspired terrorist attacks worldwide, killing numerous innocent victims, including American citizens,” stated United States Attorney Durham.  “Thanks to the diligent efforts of law enforcement, Mowla’s plan to join ISIS was thwarted.  This Office remains steadfast in its efforts to pursue and bring to justice those who support terrorism.”

Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force for their outstanding work on the case.

“Rasheedul Mowla made a concerted attempt to travel to Syria to join ISIS and expressed his willingness to actively support their extremist ideologies with physical violence.  He sought to jeopardize the welfare of his own country to align with a foreign terrorist organization known for killing American soldiers and innocent civilians,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia.  “This is evidence of the FBI’s enduring commitment to leveraging the NY JTTF to interdict any United States citizen seeking to participate in terrorist activities, and ensure they no longer pose a threat to this nation.”

“Rasheedul Mowla wasn’t just planning to join ISIS—he was ready to kill and die for them,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “That kind of threat demands a swift response, and thanks to the work of the NYPD and our federal partners, it was stopped before anyone got hurt.  This case underscores the importance of constant vigilance and the critical role our investigators play in keeping New York and the entire country safe.”

As detailed in publicly filed court documents, the defendant traveled to Saudi Arabia in June 2017, purportedly to celebrate an Islamic religious holiday.  Upon his arrival in Saudi Arabia, the defendant attempted to travel to Syria to join ISIS.  He was apprehended before entering Syria and, on August 29, 2017, was deported back to the United States.

The defendant previously admitted to law enforcement authorities that, prior to traveling to the Middle East, he knew that ISIS was a terrorist organization that committed terrorist attacks and killed people.  He further admitted that, had he successfully arrived in Syria to join ISIS, he was planning to shoot weapons and willing to die on behalf of ISIS.             

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Meredith A. Arfa is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. 

The Defendant:

RASHEEDUL MOWLA
Age:  28
Brooklyn, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-487 (AMD)