Category: Security

Source: US FBI

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Davon Hunter, age 27, of Richmond, Virginia, Christian Quivers, age 20, of Richmond, and Crystal Kurschner, age 44, of Brooklyn, New York, have pled guilty for their respective roles in a bank fraud conspiracy. United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.

As part of their pleas, Hunter, Quivers, and Kurschner each admitted that they were members of a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions all over the country by obtaining the personal identifying information (“PII”) of victims and using lower-level “workers” to impersonate the identity-theft victims to conduct fraudulent banking transactions in their names.  As part of a plea agreement entered today, Quivers admitted that he was a supervisor in the conspiracy and relayed instructions he obtained from supervisors, including Oluwaseun Adekoya, Kani Bassie, and Hunter, to lower-level members of the conspiracy who impersonated identity-theft victims and conducted fraudulent transactions in their names.  As part of a plea agreement entered earlier this week, Kurschner admitted that she was a “worker” who impersonated identity-theft victims and provided most of the fraud proceeds to her supervisors.  Earlier this month, Hunter admitted that he was a manager of the conspiracy who received directions and PII from supervisors including Adekoya and Bassie and orchestrated fraudulent transactions on their behalf.

Hunter and Quivers each pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.  Kurschner pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. 

These remaining defendants are charged as follows in the second superseding indictment: 

• Adekoya, age 39, a Nigerian citizen living in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and nine counts of aggravated identity theft;
• Bassie, age 36, of Brooklyn, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, one count of money laundering conspiracy, and two counts of aggravated identity theft; and
• Jermon Brooks, age 20, of Richmond, Virginia, is charged with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

As to these defendants, the charges in the second superseding indictment are merely accusations. These remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The prosecution is the result of an ongoing investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI-Albany, which began after the May 2022 arrest of Daniyan, Gaysha Kennedy, age 46, of Brooklyn, and Victor Barriera, age 64, of the Bronx, by the Cohoes Police Department after the trio traveled to the Capital Region to commit bank fraud.  According to documents previously filed in the case, the investigation has uncovered over $1.7 million in fraudulent transactions to date.  Eleven defendants have pled guilty and forfeited hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds, luxury apparel, and jewelry.

At sentencing later this year, Hunter, Quivers, and Kurschner each face a maximum term of 30 years’ incarceration for the bank fraud conspiracy, and Hunter and Quivers each face a mandatory consecutive term of 2 years’ incarceration for their convictions of aggravated identity theft.  The defendants will be ordered to pay restitution and will also face a term of post-incarceration supervised release of up to 5 years. 

FBI Albany is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Field Offices in New York, Newark, Richmond and Resident Agencies in Westchester, New York; Brooklyn/Queens, New York; Garrett Mountain, New Jersey; and Fort Walton Beach, Florida.  Additional assistance was provided by other law enforcement agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement & Removal Operations (New York Field Office & Albany sub-office); U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (Buffalo Field Office & St. Albans Resident Office); U.S. Social Security Administration – Office of the Inspector General; New York law enforcement agencies including the New York State Police; Cohoes PD; Colonie PD; Elmira PD; Corning PD; Plattsburgh PD; Florida law enforcement agencies including the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office; the Pennsylvania State Police; Alabama law enforcement agencies including the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office, Gasden PD, and Rainbow City PD; Georgia law enforcement agencies including the Georgia State Patrol, Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow PD; Kansas law enforcement agencies including Lawrence PD and Overland Park PD; New Hampshire law enforcement agencies including Rochester PD, Manchester PD, and Amherst PD; the Delaware State Police; Maryland law enforcement agencies including the Maryland State Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Baltimore County Sheriff’s Office; Wisconsin law enforcement agencies including Onalaska PD and Eau Claire PD; and Indiana law enforcement agencies including the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin S. Clark and Joshua R. Rosenthal are prosecuting this case.

Source: US FBI

Frank Twing, Sr., of West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of a 15-year-old victim.

Source: US FBI

ALBUQUERQUE – A Dulce woman has been charged with aggravated sexual abuse and abandonment of a child after an FBI investigation revealed allegations that she repeatedly sexually and physically abused minors over several years.

According to court documents, Muniz is charged with aggravated sexual abuse and abandonment of a child and will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been set. If convicted of the current charges, Muniz faces up to life in prison.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Jicarilla Apache Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.

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

Source: US FBI

ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man was sentenced to 22 years in prison for the prolonged sexual abuse of a minor over nearly a decade in the Navajo Nation.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, between May 16, 2009, and May 15, 2012, Cedric Martinez, 31, engaged in unlawful sexual contact with a minor victim, who was under the age of 12, at a residence in Upper Fruitland, New Mexico, within the Navajo Nation.

Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to fifteen years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany DuChaussee and Meg Tomlinson are prosecuting the case. 

Source: US FBI

ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni Pueblo man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison following an armed standoff with law enforcement.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court documents, on July 6, 2024, law enforcement responded to a disturbance at a residence in Zuni, where Eric Bowannie, 28, barricaded himself inside his home and fired multiple rounds at responding Zuni Police Department officers. During the incident, Bowannie charged an officer with an ax, retrieved a shotgun and a rifle, and repeatedly fired at officers positioned outside the residence. FBI agents arrived on scene and also came under fire as they attempted to negotiate a peaceful surrender.

After a prolonged standoff and multiple exchanges of gunfire, Bowannie attempted to flee the area but was apprehended by local law enforcement without further incident. A subsequent search of the property recovered 57 spent casings and five spent shotgun shells.

On November 13, 2024, Bowannie pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and to using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.

Upon his release from prison, Bowannie will be subject to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Assistant United States Attorney Kirk Williams are prosecuting the case. 

Source: US FBI

ALBUQUERQUE – A Thoreau woman has pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after driving while intoxicated and fatally striking John Doe with her vehicle following an altercation.

According to court records, on the morning of May 28, 2023, Nora Abeita, 50, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, and several others, including the victim, John Doe, consumed alcohol together. After an altercation with John Doe, Abeita attempted to leave the residence with a friend. While driving away, Abeita struck John Doe with their vehicle. She did not immediately realize she had run over him until alerted by others. John Doe died from his injuries.

Abeita’s blood alcohol concentration was measured at .16 approximately five hours after the incident—more than double the legal limit in both New Mexico and the Navajo Nation.

At sentencing, Abeita faces up to eight years in prison. Upon her release from prison, Abeita will be subject to up to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Ryan G. Ellison and Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.

Source: US FBI

ALBUQUERQUE – A previously convicted felon has been sentenced to 84 months in prison after violently assaulting his pregnant partner and threatening her with a loaded rifle during a domestic incident.

There is no parole in the federal system.

According to court records, on August 13, 2023, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call reporting a violent domestic assault at a residence in the South Valley. The victim, who was six months pregnant, reported that Marlando Luis Martinez, 36, had physically assaulted her throughout the night, including punching her, striking her with a whip, choking her multiple times to near unconsciousness, and threatening her with an AR-15 rifle, which he discharged near her face. Deputies observed visible injuries on the victim, including welts, bruising, and a cut lip.

The victim recounted to responding officers that Martinez threatened to kill her and her unborn child if she contacted law enforcement. After Martinez fell asleep, the victim escaped and sought help from a neighbor. Deputies transported her to safety and documented her injuries. A subsequent search of the residence uncovered multiple firearms, ammunition, and evidence corroborating the victim’s account, including a rifle with a round in the chamber and a bullet hole in the headboard.

The loaded rifle, ammunition and extended magazine

Second rifle, ammunition and extended magazine

Martinez was apprehended later that day with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service Task Force. He was arrested without incident and federally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, having previously been convicted of aggravated battery against a household member.

Upon his release from prison, Martinez will be subject to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison, Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Haynes is prosecuting this case as part of an agreement with the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

Through the agreement, Assistant District Attorneys are designated Special Assistant United States Attorneys (SAUSAs) in the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA from the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office screens felony criminal complaints filed in Bernalillo County for federal criminal offenses, prioritizing federal charges against those who drive violence in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Since 2020, the United States Attorney’s Office has reviewed almost 3,000 cases and has charged more than 300 criminal cases pursuant to this program.

The United States Attorney’s Office has similar agreements with the New Mexico Department of Justice and the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office and plans to expand the program throughout the state. 

Source: US FBI

TRENTON, N.J. – A Warren County man was charged with possessing videos and images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Marc Panchenko, 53, of Washington Township, New Jersey, was charged in a one-count complaint with possession of child pornography. He had an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rukhsanah L. Singh in Trenton federal court and was ordered detained.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Following Panchenko’s release from federal custody in November 2023 for a prior offense, Panchenko was placed on supervised release and a monitoring software was installed on his cellular telephone to detect any images of child sexual abuse materials (“CSAM”). On or about March 3, 2025, the software alerted the authorities to the existence of CSAM on Panchenko’s phone. A further examination of the contents of the phone revealed the presence of over 600 videos of varying length and over 12,000 digital photos, an ongoing review of which has revealed numerous images of CSAM, including images depicting prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct as further outlined in the complaint.

The charge of possession of child pornography carries a statutory maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but due to his prior conviction on a similar charge, Panchenko is also facing a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. He is also facing a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force—Newark Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly, the Washington Township Police Department, Warren County, under the direction of Chief of Police Christopher M. Jones, and the Warren County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Jessica Cardone, with the investigation leading to the charge.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek of the Criminal Division in Newark.

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

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Defense counsel: Candace Hom, Esq.

Source: US FBI

NEWARK, N.J. – A Somerset County, New Jersey, disbarred attorney was sentenced to 30 months in prison for a wire fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Lawrence Coven, 61, of Hillsborough, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with one count of wire fraud. Judge Kirsch imposed the sentence.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Coven operated and controlled Sunrise Enterprises LLC, which purported to provide financial services to investors. In reality, Coven induced victim investors into sending him funds by falsely representing that he would invest their money through Sunrise in exchange for large profits by providing short-term loans to borrowers who could not obtain standard loans. He falsely guaranteed investors returns of between 10 to 15 percent on their investments and told investors that their investments were risk-free. But instead of investing the money as he promised, Coven diverted investor funds for personal expenses, including utilities, entertainment, real estate, credit card bills, and cash withdrawals. And when investors began asking questions, Coven provided them with false assurances that their money was safe and used money from existing investors to make payments to other investors in a Ponzi-like fashion.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Kirsch sentenced Coven to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Habba credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, with the investigation leading to this sentence.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fatime Meka Cano and Olta Bejleri of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Jeffrey Chiesa, Esq. 

Source: US FBI

NEWARK, N.J. – Two Essex County, New Jersey men admitted their roles in an armed robbery of a U.S. Postal Service employee, U.S. Attorney Alina Habba announced.

Dyshawn Williams, 28, of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to one count of conspiring to interfere with commerce by robbery and one count of assaulting certain federal officers or employees.  Karieem Stamps, 26, also of Newark, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Claire C. Cecchi to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

In November 2023, three individuals – including Williams – robbed a U.S. Postal Service employee at gunpoint in Newark, New Jersey.  The assailants stole the victim’s cell phone, keys, and wallet – including a credit card and debit card.  The robbery impeded the victim from delivering mail, which interfered with interstate commerce.  Shortly following the robbery, two individuals – including Stamps – used the stolen debit card to make purchases.  Both transactions passed through servers located outside of New Jersey.

On August 1, 2024, Stamps – who was convicted of a felony offense in 2020 – possessed a Glock 29 Gen5 handgun bearing serial number CCRT895 with an extended magazine and 26 rounds of 9-millimeter ammunition.

As to Williams, the counts of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery and assaulting or impeding a federal employee carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  As to Stamps, the count of wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine; the count of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence; and the count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

U.S. Attorney Habba credited postal inspectors with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Christopher A. Nielsen, with the investigation.  She also thanked special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly in Newark, deputies of the U.S. Marshals Service, under the direction of United States Marshal Juan Mattos Jr., police officers and detectives of the Newark Police Department, under the direction of Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda, officers of the New Jersey State Parole Board, under the direction of Chairman Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Newark Division, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli Jacobs of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel:

Williams: Laura K. Gasiorowski, Westfield, New Jersey

Stamps: Joseph Z. Amsel, Newark, New Jersey