Category: Security

Source: US FBI

In keeping with our standard Election Day protocol, FBI Las Vegas has stood up an Election Command Post in preparation for the election on November 5. The command post is staffed 24 hours a day to provide a centralized location for assessing election-related threats in our area of responsibility. The FBI has a duty to plan for a host of potential scenarios related to election fraud, voter suppression, foreign malign influence, malicious cyber activity against election infrastructure, and threats to election workers. We are committed to protecting the American public’s right to a fair and safe election.

For decades, the FBI has served as the primary agency responsible for investigating allegations of federal election crimes, including campaign finance violations, ballot/voter fraud, and civil rights violations. In close partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the FBI established the Election Threats Task Force to identify and address reported threats targeting election workers.

The FBI takes our responsibility very seriously and works closely with our federal, state, and local partners to identify and stop any potential threats to public safety. We gather and analyze intelligence to determine whether individuals might be motivated to take violent action for any reason, including due to concerns about the election.

It is vital the FBI, our law enforcement partners, and the public work together to protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote. We encourage the public to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious activity to law enforcement. The FBI takes all threats of violence seriously, including threats targeting those who do the critical work of administering free and fair elections throughout the U.S.

The Justice Department has long recognized that the states—not the federal government—are responsible for administering elections, determining the validity of votes, and tabulating the results, with challenges handled by the appropriate election administrators, officials, legislatures, and courts. The Department’s role is limited to investigating and prosecuting violations of federal election laws and deterring criminal conduct.

FBI Las Vegas encourages citizens to report allegations of election fraud and other election abuses. You can reach the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).

Source: US FBI

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident made his initial appearance Tuesday for allegedly sending thousands of messages, including threatening messages, via Instagram to two employees of the University of Texas at Austin.

According to allegations contained in the indictment, beginning on or about June 6, 2024 to September 16, 2024, Brian Patrick Solomon, 38, sent direct messages threatening to injure two high level employees of the school. In May and June of 2024, Solomon requested a total of $450 via CashApp from a victim. A records check of Solomon revealed that on July 26, 2023, he was arrested in Austin for burglary of vehicle and criminal mischief; and on February 27, 2024,

Solomon was arrested in Nevada for stalking. As a result, a protection order was entered against Solomon. In July 2024, one victim attended the ESPYs and was scheduled for a speaking engagement. Solomon communicated to the victim that he had purchased a ticket for the event. While the event revoked his ticket due to safety concerns, the victim paid out of pocket to hire security.

On September 16, 2024, the FBI arrested Solomon. After he was advised of his Miranda rights, Solomon admitted that he used multiple Instagram accounts to send a few thousand direct messages to the victim and that he had become angry with her. Additionally, Solomon admitted he had requested money from the victim to travel to the victim, and he had previously traveled via airplane to Austin.

A jury trial has been scheduled for December 17, 2024, before United States District Judge Jennifer A. Dorsey. Solomon is charged with one count of interstate communications with threat to injure and one count of cyberstalking. If convicted, he faces the maximum statutory penalty of five years in prison.

United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the University of Texas Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Strange is prosecuting the case.

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

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Source: US FBI

A federal jury in the District of Nevada convicted a former Las Vegas city councilwoman and gubernatorial candidate yesterday on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud for executing a scheme to defraud charitable donors by falsely claiming she was raising money to memorialize police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Michele Fiore, 54, of Pahrump, Nevada, while serving as a Las Vegas city councilwoman, solicited donors for money to build statues honoring two Las Vegas police officers who had been killed in the line of duty. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Fiore promised donors that “100% of the contributions” would be used towards the construction of memorials for the fallen officers. However, Fiore did not use any of the more than $70,000 in charitable donations she raised for the memorials. Instead, Fiore spent the money donated by the victims on a variety of personal and political expenses, including political fundraising bills, personal rent payments, and payments to family members.

Fiore is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2025, and faces a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison on each count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Las Vegas Field Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorneys Dahoud Askar and Alexander Gottfried and paralegal specialist Heather DePremio of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada provided substantial assistance.

Source: US FBI

LAS VEGAS — A Las Vegas doctor was sentenced today by United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva to 27 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a fine of $75,000 for unlawfully distributing opioid pain medications without a medically legitimate purpose.

“By prescribing medically unnecessary prescription medications in exchange for cash payments, the defendant put vulnerable patients at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer L. Evans for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to find and investigate practitioners in the medical community who target and victimize vulnerable populations.”

According to court documents, Dr. William Alvear (69) unlawfully distributed Hydrocodone without a legitimate medical purpose and outside the usual course of professional practice. Instead, he prescribed opioids when a patient offered to pay him cash. In addition, Alvear unlawfully distributed and dispensed Alprazolam, common brand name Xanax. 

Alprazolam is a Schedule IV controlled substance that also has the potential for abuse and can lead to psychological or physical dependence. Hydrocodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, has a high potential for abuse and can lead to severe psychological or physical dependence.

In November 2023, following a six-day jury trial, Alvear was found guilty of three-counts of distributing a controlled substance – Schedule II and five-counts of distributing or dispensing a controlled substance – Schedule IV.

United States Attorney Jason M. Frierson for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Evans made the announcement.

The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys for the District of Nevada prosecuted the case.

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Source: US FBI

Former banker Russell Lucius Laffitte, 54, of Estill, has pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud crimes.

Source: US FBI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – The last of three defendants was sentenced today to prison for harboring aliens that arrived in Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic.

Together, defendants Katia Janette Nieves, Junior Melo, and Iris J. Nieves-Ríos coordinated the pickup in August 2023 of at least 50 individuals arriving unlawfully via boat on the west side of Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic. Despite knowing that these individuals were aliens not lawfully in the United States, the defendants transported them to a residence in San Juan, Puerto Rico, harbored them, and demanded money from family members in order to release the individuals.

Junior Melo was sentenced on December 16, 2024, to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Katia Janette Nieves was sentenced on January 15, 2025, to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Iris J. Nieves-Ríos was sentenced today to 24 months in prison and five years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora and Assistant U.S. Attorney Linet Suárez prosecuted the case.

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Source: US FBI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On February 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted María De Lourdes Martínez-Garriga, a former United States Postal Service City Carrier, for unlawfully delaying and not delivering four pieces of election mail.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on August 5, 11 and 15, 2022, Martínez-Garriga, 34, a then City Carrier assigned to the 65th Infantry Postal Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico unlawfully delayed four certified mail envelopes containing ballots for the 2022 Special Election for the District of San Juan. All affected voters confirmed, and four of them testified at trial, that despite having requested early vote ballots from the Puerto Rico Elections Commission they never received the Election Mail envelopes.

“Our democracy depends on the right of eligible voters to cast a ballot and to have that ballot counted. If voters do not receive their ballots, they cannot execute one of our fundamental rights as United States citizens — the right to vote,” said United States Attorney Muldrow. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office along with our law enforcement partners will continue to protect this fundamental pillar of our society.”

“Placing mail into the hands of the Postal Service is an act of public trust all postal employees must uphold,” said Tammy Hull, Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service. “Ms. Martínez violated that trust by delaying the delivery of election mail. Through our investigation USPS OIG special agents brought her to justice and she has been convicted of her crimes by a jury.”

“The FBI is committed to protecting the integrity of our democratic processes, including ensuring that every voter’s voice is heard. Any attempt to interfere with election mail is a violation of public trust and a threat to the foundation of our democracy,” said Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “This case is the result of our unwavering dedication to holding accountable those who undermine the electoral system.”

Three other former U.S. Postal Service employees were charged in separate indictments, and they are all pending trial. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General (USPS-OIG) is investigating the case with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), consistent with the mission to ensure efficiency, accountability, and integrity in the U.S. Postal Service.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Colón and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tania Salas-De Jesús from the USPS-OIG are prosecuting the case.

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Source: US FBI

An indictment was unsealed today charging Calvert White, the commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Sports, Parks, and Recreation (SP&R), and Benjamin Hendricks, a local businessman, with participating in a bribery scheme. Both defendants made their initial court appearances today in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

According to court documents, White, 49, of St. Thomas, solicited and accepted a bribe from a then-government contractor, David Whitaker, through Hendricks, 62, also of St. Thomas, who acted as an intermediary. The indictment alleges that the scheme began in at least December 2023 and continued until June 2024. In exchange for the bribe paid by Whitaker, White allegedly agreed to assist Whitaker in obtaining a $1.43 million contract with SP&R. White, amongst other acts, allegedly provided confidential bid information to Whitaker and took official action to encourage the awarding of the contract to Whitaker. Hendricks allegedly served as a middleman for the payments and facilitated the bribery scheme.

White and Hendricks are each charged with one count of honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison; and one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brent S. Wible, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Delia Smith for the District of the Virgin Islands; and Special Agent in Charge Joseph Gonzalez of the FBI San Juan Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI San Juan Field Office, St. Thomas Resident Agency is investigating the case.

Trial Attorneys Alexandre Dempsey and Steve Loew of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Conley for the District of the Virgin Islands are prosecuting the case.

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

Source: US FBI

St. Thomas, VI – United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that William Giraldo Cabanzo, 59, of Columbia, was sentenced by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy to six months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Bring Aliens to the United States.

According to the court documents, Cabanzo facilitated the illegal entry of a family of four Venezuelans into the United States using fabricated travel documents. Cabanzo arranged for the family to travel from Venezuela to the British Virgin Islands and thereafter to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, by private vessel. From St. John, the family traveled on a commercial ferry to St. Thomas where their illegal entry into the United States was discovered by law enforcement. Upon completion of his incarceration, Cabanzo, himself an illegal alien having been removed from the United States in 2021, will be deported to his native Colombia, pursuant to federal immigration laws.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Cherrisse R. Woods.

Source: US FBI

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On December 12, 2024, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 34 individuals with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances within the Puerto Rico prison system, and other offenses, including charges relating to four overdose deaths.

According to court documents, defendants distributed fentanyl, suboxone, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and synthetic marijuana within Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities. Members of the drug organization smuggled the drugs into the jails using unmanned aerial vehicles (“drones”) that carried packages containing the illegal substances. Other smuggling methods included the use of legal mail, family visits, official corruption/indifference, catapulting or throwing drugs into the prison yards (“picheos”), and hiding drugs inside other items brought into the prisons (e.g., PlayStations, remote controls, food items, and bags of ice).

During the time period relevant to the Indictment, the illegal substances introduced by this drug trafficking organization also caused many overdoses, including at least four overdose deaths attributed to a drug mixture containing fentanyl.

Many of the defendants arrested today were part of a prison gang known as Group 31 or “Los Tiburones”. Group 31 established and maintained control of the distribution of significant quantities of illegal substances within numerous institutions operated by the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Those institutions included, but were not limited to: Institución Correccional Guerrero, Aguadilla; Complejo Correccional Las Cucharas Sgto. Pedro Joel Rodríguez Matos, Ponce; Institución Correccional Bayamón (501); and Institución Correccional Guayama Máxima Seguridad (1000). The defendants charged in the indictment are:

[1] Juan Carlos Ortiz-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Flaco”

[2] Cristina Guevara-Casellas

[3] Elías Martínez-Rivera, a.k.a. “Viejo-Coli”

[4] José Luis Audain-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Wichy/Negre/Doble V-W/Dobleta”

[5] Christopher Sánchez-Asencio, a.k.a. “Guayna”

[6] Moisés Mojica-Torres, a.k.a. “Moi”

[7] Ernesto Malavé-Santiago, a.k.a. “Ponce”

[8] Steve Vergeli-Negrón, a.k.a. “Bocillo”

[9] Jim Almodóvar-Quirindongo, a.k.a. “Jim Ball”

[10] Ángel Abdiel Archilla-Montalvo

[11] Efraín González-Serrano, a.k.a. “El Señor De Los Cielos/Junito”

[12] Ernesto Vargas-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Golo”

[13] Eddiber Pérez-Burgos, a.k.a. “Coamo”

[14] Abraham Rodríguez-Cruz, a.k.a. “Bebe”

[15] Alexander Alvarado-Almestica, a.k.a. “Bala”

[16] Jensen Medina Cardona

[17] Edgardo Santiago-Colón, a.k.a. “Cuco”

[18] Edwin Sánchez-Rijos, a.k.a. “Tocayo”

[19] Félix Serrano-Román, a.k.a. “Coba”

[20] Harry Acevedo-Méndez, a.k.a. “La H”

[21] Heriberto Romero-Corchado, a.k.a. “Eri”

[22] James Santana-González, a.k.a.  “Pilin”

[23] Julio Vargas-Jiménez, a.k.a. “Julio Gatillo”

[24] Kervin López-Torres, a.k.a. “Beethoven/Gordo/Gemelo”

[25] Kevin Hernández-Ruiz, a.k.a. “Pesadilla”

[26] Miguel González-Concepción, a.k.a. “Omy Barber/Omy Gallina”

[27] Luis Meléndez-García, a.k.a.  “Luisito Humacao”

[28] Aníbal Ramírez-Alicea, a.k.a. “Nibby/Aníbal Martínez-Alicea”

[29] Benny Rodríguez-Mercado

[30] Christian Candelaria-Feliciano, a.k.a. “Garbanzo”

[31] Donato Cortés-Matos

[32] Wesley Correa-López

[33] Milagros Jeanette Rivera-González, a.k.a. “Janet”

[34] Minerva Román-Domínguez

“Gang activity poses a grave risk of harm to our communities and within correctional institutions,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “For several years, these gang members and their associates distributed significant quantities of lethal drugs within the local prison system, through the enforcement of strict rules and violence. This indictment is the culmination of a coordinated federal and state law enforcement investigation aimed at dismantling this criminal organization.”

“This operation represents a critical step in our fight against the influx of fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into Puerto Rico’s correctional facilities,” said Denise Foster, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Caribbean Division. “By dismantling this organization and disrupting their use of drones to smuggle contraband, we are not only holding criminals accountable, but also saving lives. This success highlights the power of collaboration between federal, state, and local agencies, and underscores our commitment to protecting the people of Puerto Rico from the devastating effects of drug trafficking.”

The defendants are scheduled for their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison on the drug trafficking and firearm charges, and a maximum sentence of ten years for the money laundering charges.  A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Drug Enforcement Administration is in charge of the investigation with the collaboration of the Puerto Rico Police Bureau Ponce Strike Force, Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Puerto Rico Department of Justice, Puerto Rico Forensic Sciences Institute, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the United States Border Patrol, United States Customs and Border Protection, the United States Marshals Service, the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Homeland Security Investigations.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jorge L. Matos of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting the case.

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

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

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