Category: Security

Source: US FBI

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Cameron D. Newton, 21, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 240 months and one day in prison for his roles in four armed robberies against postal carriers.

According to court documents, between December 2022 and May 2023, Newton aided and abetted the aggravated robberies of mail and the use of a firearm during the crimes of violence.

Newton, who was on probation and consequently wearing a GPS ankle monitor at the time, recruited two juveniles to assist with an armed robbery in German Village on Dec. 22, 2022. Newton also arranged for the use of the handgun that his co-conspirator used during the crime.

On Jan. 23, 2023, Newton provided surveillance for an armed postal robbery on East Columbus Street. Newton was in his vehicle nearby, using the cover of making DoorDash deliveries to evade his home confinement.

Later that same day, Newton provided surveillance again for a third postal robbery and worked to arrange buyers for the stolen postal keys.

Newton also obtained a firearm for a co-conspirator to use in the May 11, 2023, robbery of an elderly female postal worker. He picked up accomplices near Goodale Park following the robbery. Newton then paid the robbers several hundred dollars via CashApp.

On May 18, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Newton’s residence and discovered $22,000 in cash, hundreds of washed and altered checks and money orders totaling more than $590,000, two Postal keys and hundreds of pieces of stolen mail.

A total of six defendants have been charged in connection with six separate armed robberies of postal carriers in central Ohio.

“Newton and his accomplices terrorized postal workers in an effort to steal their keys and loot mailboxes,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola. “Through the hard work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local police, and the FBI, we were able to arrest those responsible for these violent crimes and ensure they are held accountable.”

Kelly A. Norris, Acting 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 this afternoon by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorney Noah R. Litton is representing the United States in these cases.

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Source: US FBI

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –  A recidivist sex offender was sentenced to 120 months in prison yesterday for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Registered sex offender Ricky Grover Aaron, 62, of Charlotte, a was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release and pay restitution to his victims.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in North Carolina joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, the FBI was conducting an undercover online investigation to identify individuals sharing CSAM using peer-to-peer file sharing networks. Investigators determined that Aaron was utilizing a BitTorrent application to make CSAM available for others, and on multiple occasions, were able to download CSAM files from one or more of Aaron’s electronic devices.

In November 2022, a search warrant was executed at Aaron’s residence. Several electronic devices were seized and forensically examined. In total, investigators found that Aaron possessed the equivalent (when taking videos into account) of more than 300,000 CSAM images that depicted, among other things, minors including infants, toddlers, and children under the age of 12, being sexually abused and exploited, having violence inflicted upon them, appearing in bondage, and otherwise subjected to sado-masochistic conduct.

At the sentencing hearing, the Court also heard that Aaron failed to register as a sex offender in Mecklenburg County after he moved to North Carolina, as he was required to do because he had two convictions prior to this one, a federal conviction for receipt and possession of CSAM, and a state conviction for false imprisonment and aggravated exploitation of a minor in Tennessee.  Under the provisions of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) convicted sex offenders are required to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any state or jurisdiction where they work or reside.

On October 29, 2024, Aaron pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained age 12. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

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

Assistant United States Attorney Katherine Armstrong of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Operation Restore Justice

This week, the FBI in North Carolina announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, following a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrest of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The enforcement action was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

Among those arrested as part of Operation Restore Justice was a former Charlotte resident, Terrell Shawn Anderson, 30, who is charged in the Western District of North Carolina with distributing child sexual abuse material and possession of child sexual abuse material. Anderson was arrested in Atlanta and faces at least five years in federal prison and up to twenty years on each distribution count and up to twenty years on the possession count.

“We will aggressively prosecute these cases, as we do all cases against those who seek to exploit and abuse children,” said Russ Ferguson in the joint announcement made with the FBI. “The individuals charged and arrested in this operation are accused of engaging in conduct that harms children and perpetuates their abuse. I commend the FBI in North Carolina and the entire law enforcement community for their ongoing efforts to identify these perpetrators and bring them to justice so they cannot hurt another child.”

You can find additional information about the national Operation Restore Justice initiative here.

 

The charges against Anderson are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

 

 

Source: US FBI

Winston-Salem, NC – William Lamar Rhew, III of Summerfield pled guilty today, May 6, 2025, to wire fraud, money laundering, securities fraud, tax evasion, and failure to file tax return in connection with a $20 million Ponzi scheme, announced Acting United States Attorney Randall S. Galyon.  

According to court documents, from November 2017 to December 2023, Rhew defrauded at least 117 investors of at least $24 million.  He induced victims to invest with his company Chadley Capital, LLC which would allegedly buy accounts receivable at a discount, sell them for a profit, and provide consistently high rates of return on investment.  Rhew touted the company’s increasing deal flow and underwriting standards and, in offering materials, claimed $300 million in transactions in 2023, consistent returns in excess of 20% per year, and nearly 74% total growth over 24 months.  All of Rhew’s representations were false.  Instead of investing victims’ funds as promised, Rhew used their money to pay his personal expenses including the purchases of a boat, a beach house, and luxury cars, and to make “interest” and “withdrawal” payments to other victim-investors as part of the Ponzi scheme.  In addition, for Tax Years 2018 through 2022, Rhew willfully failed to report nearly $9 million in income to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).  As part of the plea agreement, Rhew has agreed to pay restitution to the victims in the amount of $14,868,815.67 and to the IRS in the amount of $3,056,936.

Sentencing is scheduled to take place on August 22, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before United States District Judge Thomas D. Schroeder. At sentencing, Rhew faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison, a period of supervised release of up to three years, and monetary penalties.

“Sadly, we see an abundance of investment fraud schemes in which perpetrators exploit people who know and trust them,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Galyon. “We are committed to pursuing justice for victims in these cases but encourage the public to beware of any investment opportunity that sounds too good to be true, no matter who is promoting it.”

“Today’s guilty plea represents the dedication of our agency in ensuring the actions of one individual are not at the expense of others,” said Special Agent in Charge Donald “Trey” Eakins, Charlotte Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “In this case, the defendant not only victimized his investors, but he also defrauded American taxpayers by concealing his income from the IRS and evading his tax liability. IRS Criminal Investigation’s special agents will continue to use their financial expertise to find and investigate these types of investor fraud schemes alongside our law enforcement partners.”

“It’s unlikely fraudsters will be up front and admit they’re taking your money and pumping it into a Ponzi scheme.  But there are warning signs: investors should be wary anytime you’re guaranteed high returns with little or no risk,” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt.  “Hopefully, the defendant’s acceptance of responsibility will offer some comfort and closure to the victims.”

“This guilty plea marks another significant victory in the pursuit of justice for the citizens of North Carolina,” said the Director of the NC SBI. “The victims in this case are hardworking men and women, many of whom are small business owners.  The Financial Crimes Investigations Unit of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation will continue to work diligently to combat fraud against the citizens of our great state.  The SBI would like to thank the IRS and FBI for their efforts in ensuring justice for the victims involved in this case.”
    
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Jeanne Dildine.

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Source: US FBI

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal jury convicted a Fayetteville man on Friday on one charge of bank robbery, three charges of armed bank robbery, and three charges of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Karim Brown, 32, engaged in a serial bank robbery spree that spanned a month from December 2021 to January 2022. The robberies occurred in Hope Mills, Angier, Fuquay-Varina, and Fayetteville.  Karim Brown was the robber who entered each of the banks and brandished a firearm in three of them. Shiheem Brown, who pled guilty to one of the armed bank robberies and a charge of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison on December 11, 2024.

Karim Brown began his spree by robbing the PNC Bank in Hope Mills.  He entered the bank and demanded money from the teller, which totaled $4,674.  On New Year’s Eve 2021, Shiheem Brown was captured on surveillance footage scouting the First Bank in Angier, before Karim Brown entered, brandished a firearm, and demanded cash.  He got away with $4,611.  Two weeks later, on January 14, 2022, Karim Brown robbed the PNC on Main Street in Fuquay-Varina, brandishing a firearm and getting away with $9,000. For the final act in their spree, Shiheem Brown was again captured on surveillance footage scouting the Fidelity Bank on Village Drive in Fayetteville. Karim Brown then entered the bank, brandished a firearm equipped with a laser sight, and demanded cash. During this robbery he passed a note to the teller indicating that he was willing to shoot her.  A bank manager at Fidelity exited her office to see what the commotion was about, and Karim Brown pointed his firearm at her and ordered her to walk across the bank to the teller counter while the tellers placed $15,336 in a bag.   Karim Brown then fled, but during the flight, Shiheem Brown took a selfie as he drove away, capturing himself driving and Karim Brown removing his disguise in the back seat. The selfie was taken approximately 7 minutes after the robbery (pictured below).

Police broke the case open when they were able to track the vehicle used in the Fuquay-Varina bobbery back to Shiheem and Karim Brown. Shiheem Brown was arrested at an apartment in Fayetteville by Fayetteville PD and the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force on January 27, 2022. During the arrest, Shiheem Brown threw a loaded firearm off the balcony of the apartment, which was recovered. The firearm matched the description of the firearm used in the robberies. Police also recovered $2,650 cash during Shiheem Brown’s arrest. Karim Brown was arrested at this residence the same day.

Karim Brown faces a mandatory minimum of 31 years’ imprisonment and a statutory maximum of life in prison when sentenced on a later date.

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 verdict. The Federal Bureau of Investigations, Hope Mills PD, Angier PD, Fuquay-Varina PD, Fayetteville PD and the United States Marshals Service helped investigate the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Phil Aubart and Kimberly Dixon 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-251.

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Source: US FBI

RALEIGH, N.C. – Three Raleigh-based individuals appeared in federal court today to face charges for kidnapping a mother and toddler from their Garner, North Carolina home.  Eleodoro Estrada-Hernandez, age 37, and siblings Paola Duran Duran, age 25, and Miguel Duran Duran, age 23, are charged in federal criminal complaints with kidnapping and aiding and abetting.  The complaints were unsealed today at the defendants’ initial appearances.  Their federal detention hearings are scheduled for May 12, 2025.

The federal criminal complaints allege that Paola, Miguel (wearing a ski mask) and Hernandez (wearing a ski mask and armed with a semi-automatic handgun) forcibly entered a home in Garner on the evening of April 28, 2025.  Inside the home was a husband and wife and their 13-month-old child.  The complaints allege that Hernandez and Miguel overpowered the husband, taped his hands behind his back and covered his eyes and mouth, and then demanded $1 million.  Miguel and Paola forced the mother and toddler out the back door of the house and into a car, according to the complaints.  Hernandez left the house a short time later. Once alone, the complaints allege that the husband was able to free himself and call police.  He provided law enforcement with a description of a car he believed the kidnappers were driving.

Police issued an Amber Alert, and a short time later, the complaint alleges that the kidnappers dropped the mother and child off on a dirt road approximately 30 miles away from their house.  The victims were able to walk to a nearby house and contact police and were returned home safely.

The FBI arrested Paola and Miguel on April 29, 2025. They have been detained since that date on related state charges.  The FBI arrested Hernandez on May 2, 2025.  According to information presented in court today, all three defendants are allegedly illegally present in the United States.

“These significant federal charges result from the prompt response of law enforcement and demonstrate the close partnership between all of the agencies involved,” Acting United States Attorney Daniel P. Bubar stated today.  “Investigating and prosecuting violent crimes like those alleged in the complaints will remain a top priority for our office.”

“When our partners at the Garner Police Department requested FBI assistance with a kidnapping, we surged resources from across the state in the middle of the night. Alongside local and state partners, a fast-moving and complex case unfolded. Through the combination of investigative technology, tactics, and tools, thankfully the victims were recovered safely. The FBI will continue to support our partners and work towards justice for innocent victims caught up in violent criminal actions,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina. 

Eleodoro Estrada-Hernandez, Paola Duran Duran and Miguel Duran Duran are all charged with Kidnapping and Aiding and Abetting. All three face a maximum punishment of life in prison if convicted.

Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement. The FBI Raleigh-Durham Safe Streets Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, Garner Police Department, NC State Bureau of Investigation, and the Wake County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Avera is prosecuting the case.

Related court documents and information are located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case Nos.5:25-MJ-1559 and 5:25‐MJ‐1571.

Source: US FBI

RALEIGH, N.C. – Today, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown.  The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”

“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”

The FBI’s Charlotte Field Office arrested six people as part of this operation across North Carolina.

• John Matthew Miller, of Wilmington, 35, is charged with sex trafficking of a minor; enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct; and producing, distributing, receiving, and possessing child sexual abuse material. Miller was previously convicted of sexual battery and was a registered sex offender at the time of the offense. Miller faces at least 25 years and up to life in prison if convicted on all counts.
• Jesse Lonzo Teal, of Bolivia, 72, also known as “Lonnie” and “Mark,” is charged with sex trafficking of a minor, enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual conduct, producing child sexual abuse material, and using the internet to promote an illegal prostitution business enterprise. He faces at least ten years and up to life imprisonment if convicted on all counts.
• William Justin Lewis, of Louisburg, 54, is charged with distributing child sexual abuse material and possessing child sexual abuse material. He faces at least five years in federal prison and up to twenty years on each distribution count and up to twenty years on the possession count.
• Donte Melvin Peek, of Durham, 34, is charged with attempted enticement of a minor, distribution of child sexual abuse material, receipt of child sexual abuse material, and possession of child sexual abuse material. He faces at least 10 years imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the enticement charge and up to twenty years in federal prison on the possession count, if convicted.
• Jonathan Robert Davlin, of Huntersville, 48, is charged with transportation of child sexual abuse material and possession and access with intent to view child sexual abuse material involving prepubescent minors. He faces at least five years and up to twenty years imprisonment on the transportation count and up to twenty years imprisonment on the possession count.
• Terrell Shawn Anderson, previously of Charlotte, 30, is charged with distributing child sexual abuse material and possession child sexual abuse material. He faces at least five years in federal prison and up to twenty years on each distribution count and up to twenty years on the possession count. He was arrested by FBI Atlanta.

“These important cases reflect the unwavering commitment of our office and our justice system to protect the most vulnerable members of our community—our children. We will continue to work closely with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners to ensure that those who commit such heinous acts are held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “There is no place in our community for those who prey on children, and we will do everything we can to not only seek justice for the victims, but to prevent additional child exploitation crimes.”

“Producing and exchanging child sexual abuse material (CSAM) is a sickening reality in our world and it’s not just happening on the dark web. Pedophiles use the same platforms your family and friends use. No matter where this crime is occurring the FBI will find you. The Violent Crimes Against Children (VCAC) program is uniquely positioned to work complex global and multijurisdictional crimes against children with the capacity to counter threats of abuse and exploitation of children,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

Others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims. 

In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.

This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.

The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org. The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.

Other online resources:

Electronic Press Kit

Violent Crimes Against Children

How we can help you: Parents and caregivers protecting your kids

 

An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: US FBI

Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Harmeet K. Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General of the United States; Christopher G. Raia, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”); and Jessica S. Tisch, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging TAREK BAZROUK with three counts of committing hate crimes in connection with his repeated assaults of Jewish victims in New York City between 2024 and 2025.  BAZROUK was arrested this morning and will be presented later today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stewart D. Aaron.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton said: “As alleged, on three separate occasions, Tarek Bazrouk deliberately targeted and assaulted Jewish victims at protests relating to the Israel/Gaza war.  Despite being arrested after each incident, Bazrouk allegedly remained undeterred and quickly returned to violently targeting Jews in New York City.  This Office is dedicated to seeking justice for victims of hate-based crimes and will aggressively prosecute those who spread bigotry and discrimination through violence. ”

Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon said: “The Civil Rights Division will continue to relentlessly pursue allegations of antisemitic violence and will not stop until justice is served for the victims and their families. Under Attorney General Pam Bondi’s leadership, we will use all available resources to investigate and charge those who target and assault others because of their faith.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Christopher G. Raia said: “Over the course of nine months, Tarek Bazrouk allegedly targeted and violently attacked multiple Jewish victims in a series of physical assaults, while demonstrating a pattern of supporting anti-Semitic terrorist organizations. These alleged hate crimes not only violated the victims’ ability to exercise their first amendment rights, but also intimidated and sparked fear among a broader population. The FBI won’t tolerate this behavior and will apprehend any individual who commits a federal crime seeking to harm others for their religious beliefs.”

NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said: “As alleged, Tarek Bazrouk deliberately set out to harm Jewish New Yorkers — targeting them at protests, singling them out, and assaulting them for nothing more than their identity. The NYPD worked closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to track him down and ensure he faces real consequences. Antisemitism and all forms of bigotry have no home here in New York — period. New Yorkers of all faiths are welcome to live and worship in our city freely, and we will never stop fighting to protect that right.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment unsealed today, other public filings, and statements previously made on the record in this case[1]:

Over the course of approximately nine months, BAZROUK physically assaulted three Jewish individuals at protests concerning the Israel/Gaza war.  First, on April 15, 2024, BAZROUK—while wearing a green headband typically worn by Hamas terrorists—attended a protest concerning the Israel/Gaza war in Lower Manhattan, outside the New York Stock Exchange.  During the protest, BAZROUK was arrested by officers from the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) after lunging at a group of pro-Israel protestors.  As BAZROUK was being escorted to an NYPD vehicle, BAZROUK kicked a different individual—Victim-1, a Jewish college student—in the stomach.  At the time of the assault, Victim-1 was standing near other Jewish protestors, who were wearing kippahs (that is, brimless skullcaps traditionally worn by Jewish men), carrying Israeli flags, and singing Jewish songs.

Approximately eight months later, on December 9, 2024, BAZROUK assaulted another individual at a protest relating to the Israel/Gaza war next to a university campus in upper Manhattan.  The victim of the second assault—Victim-2—is a Jewish student who attended the nearby university.  On the date of the assault, Victim-2 and his brother were wearing kippahs, Victim-2 had an Israeli flag draped around his shoulders, and Victim-2 was singing Jewish songs.  As the protest continued, BAZROUK—with his mouth covered—stole an Israeli flag from Victim-2’s brother and fled.  After Victim-2 and his brother followed BAZROUK through a crowd to retrieve the flag, BAZROUK snuck up beside Victim-2 and struck him in the face with a closed fist.

Roughly one month later, on January 6, 2025, BAZROUK assaulted a third Jewish victim—Victim-3—at a protest concerning the Israel/Gaza war near 1st Avenue and East 18th Street in Manhattan.  At this protest, Victim-3 was wearing an Israeli flag around his shoulders, a hat with an Israeli flag, and a chain with a Jewish star.  During the protest, BAZROUK, who was wearing a keffiyeh on his face, made contact with Victim-3’s shoulder and wrapped his foot around Victim-3’s ankle.  Victim-3 attempted to push BAZROUK away and cursed at him.  BAZROUK then punched Victim-3 in the nose with a closed fist. 

Pursuant to judicially authorized warrants, law enforcement subsequently searched cellphones used by BAZROUK.  Evidence from those devices revealed BAZROUK’s anti-Semitic bias and his support for anti-Jewish terrorist groups including Hamas, demonstrating his motivation for repeatedly assaulting Jewish victims.  In text messages, for example, BAZROUK identified himself as a “Jew hater,” labeled Jews as “worthless,” extorted “Allah” to “get us rid of [Jews],” called an acquittance a “Fucking Jew,” and told a friend to “slap that bitch” in reference to a woman with an Israeli sticker on her laptop.  BAZROUK also told a friend that he was “mad happy” to have learned that certain of his family members overseas are part of Hamas.  BAZROUK’s phones also contained extensive pro-Hamas and pro-Hizballah propaganda, showing his support for organizations that have murdered thousands of Jews and Israelis.

*                *                *

BAZROUK, 20, of New York, New York, is charged with three counts of committing hate crimes, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and thanked the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD for their assistance.

The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Criminal Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Adelsberg and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.    

Source: US FBI

Joshua Schuster Stole Millions of Dollars From Investors in Real Estate Development Projects

Source: US FBI

The Defendant, Omar Antonio Villalta, a.k.a. “Anticristo,” Also Committed a Fifth Murder in Virginia After Fleeing Long Island to Evade Law Enforcement

Source: US FBI