Category: Security

Source: US FBI

ROCKFORD — An inmate at Thomson Penitentiary in Thomson, Ill., has been convicted of murder and hate crime in the death of a fellow inmate.

After a seven-day trial, the jury in U.S. District Court in Rockford on Tuesday found BRANDON SIMONSON, also known as “Whitey,” 41, of Moorhead, Minn., guilty of all four counts against him, including second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, hate crime, and assault relating to the death of Matthew Phillips.  U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for Aug. 22, 2025.

According to evidence presented at trial, Simonson conspired with a co-defendant, KRISTOPHER MARTIN, to beat Phillips because he was Jewish.  Simonson and Martin assaulted Phillips to gain recognition and membership into a white supremacist anti-semitic prison gang called the Valhalla Bound Skinheads.  Evidence showed Simonson punched and kicked Phillips in the face and head, despite Phillips being knocked unconscious and unable to defend himself.  The assault on March 2, 2020, led to Phillips’ death three days later. 

Martin, also known as “No Luck,” 43, of Brazil, Ind., pleaded guilty earlier this year and is awaiting sentencing.

The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Vincenza L. Tomlinson and Ronald DeWald.

“We are grateful to the jury for delivering justice in a very difficult case for Mr. Phillips’ family and the people of the Northern District of Illinois,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros.  “The significant convictions in this case are the result of the extraordinary dedication and commitment of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners.  We will not tolerate criminal acts such as these anywhere in our district, including in our prison system.”

“The FBI and our law enforcement partners hold those accountable who compromise the safety or lives of others, even those serving sentences in prison,” said FBI SAC DePodesta.  “We continue to ask the public to help keep our communities safe from any acts of violence like those detailed in this case by reporting threatening or suspicious behavior immediately to local law enforcement or the FBI.”

Source: US FBI

CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man who trafficked fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed a loaded handgun has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.

WILLIAM FILLYAW possessed the drugs and gun on Oct. 28, 2022, in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Gurnee, Ill.  Fillyaw carried a backpack that contained the cocaine packaged in quarter-ounce quantities, the fentanyl wrapped in three square bricks, and the handgun.  Fillyaw intended to sell the fentanyl and cocaine on the streets, and he acknowledged possessing the gun in connection with his drug trafficking activities. The firearm had no serial number and had been assembled from a gun kit, making it an untraceable “ghost gun.”

Fillyaw, 47, pleaded guilty earlier this year to federal drug and firearm charges.  U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed the 12-year prison sentence during a hearing on Friday in federal court in Chicago.

The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Michael E. Hensle, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Milwaukee, Wis., Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Milwaukee Police Department, Cudahy, Wis. Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol.

“Narcotics distribution and firearm offenses are serious crimes that adversely impact the people who live and work in the Northern District of Illinois,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirsten Moran and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.  “The increased presence of ghost guns in Chicago, and the country in general, is troubling, as they are often used in crimes and are difficult to trace.”

Holding illegal firearm possessors accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).  In the Northern District of Illinois, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN program to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.

Source: US FBI

            Montgomery, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the sentencing of a Phenix City, Alabama man for producing and distributing child sexual abuse material. On May 12, 2025, a federal judge ordered 46-year-old Corey Joseph Brand to serve 360 months in prison. The judge also ordered that Brand remain on supervised release for five years following his prison term and to register as a sex offender. There is no parole in the federal system.

            According to Brand’s plea agreement and other court records, in September 2023, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a tip about the online upload of child sexual abuse materials, including images of a nude young female, using a social media website. The user of the account claimed to be an active-duty soldier in Georgia. The tip was referred to the Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), which ultimately identified Brand as the source of the uploads. The investigation revealed that Brand deceptively used another individual’s identity to establish the account. Brand formally served in the Army but had previously been discharged.

            A search warrant was executed at Brand’s residence in Phenix City, where agents examined multiple electronic devices. Forensic analysis revealed numerous images of child sexual abuse materials stored on those devices along with evidence that the images had been distributed to others. Further investigation revealed that Brand had previously used a minor victim to produce child sexual abuse material.

            In 2024, a federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama charged Brand with producing and distributing child sexual abuse material. Brand pleaded guilty to those charges on February 7, 2025.

            The Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated this case, with assistance from the Muscogee County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office, the Columbus, Georgia Police Department, the Phenix City, Alabama Police Department, the Auburn, Alabama Police Department, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Assistant United States Attorney Tara S. Ratz 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. 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 Justice.gov/PSC.

Source: US FBI

“CHOUDHURY presented himself as an investment expert promising significant profits with little to no financial risks. He took money from his own family and friends to cover massive trading losses and fund extravagant personal expenses. While fraud of this magnitude can have a lasting impact, we hope CHOUDHURY’s federal prison sentence will bring a sense of justice to his victims,” said Robert M. DeWitt, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in North Carolina.

The investigation was undertaken by Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ashley E. Waid.

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Source: US FBI

CHARLOTTE, N.C. –  A dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom was sentenced today to seven years in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar business email compromise (BEC) scheme, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, and Alamdar S. Hamdani, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas.

According to court documents, Oludayo Kolawole John Adeagbo, 45, conspired with others to participate in multiple cyber-enabled BEC schemes that defrauded a North Carolina university of more than $1.9 million, and attempted to steal more than $3 million from victim entities in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies, and a Houston-area college.

Adeagbo, also known as John Edwards and John Dayo, arrived in the United States in August 2022 after he was extradited from the United Kingdom to face criminal charges filed in Charlotte and in Houston. On April 8, 2024, Adeagbo pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his criminal conduct in both cases, following the transfer of the case in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina.

“BEC schemes, like the one perpetrated by Adeagbo and his co-conspirators, are sophisticated and devastating crimes that target the trust businesses and institutions place in their daily operations,” said U.S. Attorney King. “By exploiting this trust, fraudsters steal millions of dollars from unsuspecting victims. This case demonstrates the commitment of my office and our law enforcement partners to pursue justice for those impacted by these schemes and to hold cybercriminals accountable, regardless of where they are operating from.”

“Adeagbo ran a sophisticated 21st century cyber-criminal operation hiding behind fake email accounts and anonymous internet addresses to steal from the innocent, a crime as old as time itself,” said U.S. Attorney Hamdani. “BEC scams have become an epidemic with individuals and businesses suffering debilitating financial losses, while eroding society’s trust in digital communications and undermining overall economic stability. That’s why prosecutors and agents in two jurisdictions worked tirelessly to identify Adeagbo and reach across the Atlantic to bring him to justice.” 

“Oludayo Adeagbo thought he was pretty slick stealing other people’s money via this scam. His victims, however, strongly disagreed,” said Executive Assistant Director Michael Nordwall of the FBI. “Instead of enjoying the fruits of his illegal labors, Adeagbo will now be spending time in a federal prison. The BEC is one of the fastest growing and most costly scams and the only way to fight it is through cooperation, often international cooperation, and this case is a prime example of partnerships working.”

“As a North Carolina University planned for growth with a new construction project, Adeagbo worked on a scheme to defraud the school by stealing nearly two million dollars of its funding,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert M. DeWitt of the FBI Charlotte Field Office. “When he and his conspirators first committed this business email compromise more than seven years ago, they likely never expected to get caught. This federal prison sentence shows the FBI will do everything possible to find and hold international financial fraudsters accountable.”

“Mr. Adeagbo’s multimillion-dollar BEC scheme inflicted substantial financial damage on trusted educational institutions, government municipalities, and innocent businesses within our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams of the FBI Houston Field Office. “In a world increasingly reliant on the digital landscape, this sentencing serves as a powerful reminder that cybercrime has real consequences. FBI Houston will continue to investigate, attribute, and impose severe consequences on cyber criminals seeking to harm others through deceit and fraud.”

A BEC scheme, also referred to as “cyber-enabled financial fraud,” is a sophisticated scam that often targets individuals, employees, or businesses involved in financial transactions or that regularly perform wire transfer payments. Fraudsters are usually part of larger criminal networks operating in the United States and abroad.

There are many variations of BEC scams. Generally, the schemes involve perpetrators gaining unauthorized access to legitimate email accounts or creating email accounts that closely resemble those of individuals or employees associated with the targeted businesses or involved in business transactions with the victim businesses. The scammers then use the compromised or fake email accounts to send false wiring instructions to the targeted businesses or individuals, to dupe the victims into sending money to bank accounts controlled by perpetrators of the scheme. Generally, the money is quickly transferred to other accounts in the United States or overseas.

The North Carolina BEC Scheme

According to court documents and court proceedings, from August 30, 2016, to January 12, 2017, Adeagbo, his codefendant, Donald Ikenna Echeazu, 42, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United Kingdom extradited to the United States, and others defrauded a North Carolina university (the University) of more than $1.9 million via a BEC scheme.

Court records show that Adeagbo and his co-conspirators obtained information about significant construction projects occurring throughout the United States, including an ongoing multi-million-dollar project at the University. To execute the scheme, Adeagbo, Echeazu, and others registered a domain name similar to that of the legitimate construction company in charge of the University’s project and created an email address that closely resembled that of an employee of the construction company. Using the fake email address, the fraudsters deceived and directed the University to wire a payment of more than $1.9 million to a bank account controlled by an individual working under the direction of Adeagbo and his co-conspirators. Upon receiving the payment, Adeagbo and his co-conspirators laundered the stolen proceeds through a series of financial transactions designed to conceal the fraud.

The Texas BEC Scheme

According to information contained in court documents, from November 2016 until July 2018, Adeagbo conspired with others to participate in multiple cyber-enabled business email compromises in an attempt to steal more than $3 million from victim entities in Texas, including local government entities, construction companies and a Houston-area college. As with the scheme in North Carolina, Adeagbo and his co-conspirators registered domain names that looked similar to legitimate companies. They then sent emails from those domains pretending to be employees at those companies to clients or customers of the companies they impersonated and deceived those customers into sending wire payments to bank accounts the co-conspirators controlled.

Adeagbo remains in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

On May 16, 2023, Echeazu was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by a year of supervised release and was ordered to pay $655,408.87 in restitution for his role in the conspiracy. 

As part of his sentence, Adeagbo was sentenced to one year of supervised release following his sentence of incarceration and ordered to pay $942,655.03 in restitution for his role in the scheme. 

The FBI’s Houston Cyber Task Force and Charlotte Field Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the FBI’s Cyber and Criminal Investigative Divisions. The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, Metropolitan Police Service, City of London Police and Crown Prosecution Service also provided substantial assistance. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs helped secure the arrest and extradition.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Billings for the Western District of North Carolina, Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodolfo Ramirez for the Southern District of Texas, and Trial Attorney Brian Mund of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section prosecuted the case.

If you suspect you are a victim of a BEC scheme, you can file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Complaint Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at bec.ic3.gov. The IC3 staff reviews complaints to detect patterns or other indicators of significant criminal activity for potential criminal prosecution. The FBI provides a variety of resources relating to BEC scams through the IC3, which can be located at www.ic3.gov. For more information on BEC scams, visit: www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/business-email-compromise

 

Source: US FBI

COLUMBUS, Ga. –  A Columbus resident, arrested and prosecuted under the multi-agency law enforcement effort called Operation Sweet Silence, confessed to leading a major drug trafficking conspiracy in the community and agreed to serve 20 years in prison under a binding plea agreement with the final two co-defendants entering guilty pleas in federal court late Friday.

Tommie Mullins, Jr. aka “TJ” aka “Bo” aka “Mini,” 31, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute before U.S. District Judge Clay Land on May 6. As part of his binding plea agreement, Mullins will serve 20 years in prison to be followed by ten years of supervised release.

Nine co-defendants pleaded guilty:

Trenton Thomas aka Bubbles, 25, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 9 and faces a maximum of life imprisonment;

Trenton Clemons, 48, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 9 and faces a maximum of life imprisonment;

Adrian Palmer aka AP, 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on May 6 and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years imprisonment;

Darius Jenkins, 23, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on April 25 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment;

Christopher Hill, 36, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate drug felony on April 25 and faces a maximum of four years imprisonment;

Corey Turner aka “Lito” aka “Lito Red,” 33, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess controlled substances with intent to distribute on April 22 and faces a mandatory minimum of ten years up to a maximum of life imprisonment;

Anthony Champion, 45, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine on April 22 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment;

Javonta Paden, 24, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana on April 22 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment; and

Adrian Pleasants, 29, of Columbus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana on April 22 and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment.

The sentencing for Mullins and his co-defendants is scheduled for Aug. 7. There is no parole in the federal system.

“Armed criminal organizations that traffic methamphetamine and large quantities of illicit drugs pose a serious threat to the safety of our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney C. Shanelle Booker. “Our office is dedicated to collaborating with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to dismantle criminal organizations and hold their associates accountable.”

“Illicit drugs devastate our communities, resulting in significant suffering by those addicted and their families,” said FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Paul Brown. “We will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to prevent this poison from finding its way onto our streets.”

“The DEA is deploying all resources available to combat criminal organizations that are destroying our communities with drugs, guns and violence,” said Jae W. Chung, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division.

“This is a huge victory for the citizens we serve,” said Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. “There is strength in collaboration when we combine our resources to go after criminal enterprises involving street gangs, drug dealers and convicted felons. We will continue this fight for safer streets and a safer community.”

According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal and local law enforcement conducted Operation Sweet Silence from Aug. 2022 until May 2024, an extensive investigation into the illegal activities of the Zohannon criminal street gang involving armed drug trafficking. Mullins coordinated multiple drug transactions with co-conspirators in Columbus and drug suppliers elsewhere, including a major supplier in Seattle, Washington, for the distribution of methamphetamine and marijuana.

Under surveillance, investigators determined that Mullins used his Cove Circle residence—where he resided with his brother, co-conspirator Turner—as a primary distribution location frequented by members of his drug trafficking organization. Based on intercepted calls during a court-authorized wiretap, FBI and DEA agents learned co-conspirators facilitated and received directions from Turner and Mullins to conduct drug transactions on their behalf. For example, on March 7 and 18, 2023, federal agents monitored the coordination and delivery of a one-kilogram methamphetamine package from California via the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to a house on Urban Avenue in Columbus used by Turner and his co-conspirators.

On March 22, 2023, co-conspirators Trenton Thomas, Paden, Pleasants and Palmer, flew to Seattle, Washington, to purchase marijuana and transport it back to Columbus. Before the trip, intercepted calls between Thomas and a middleman in Seattle, Washington, discussed arrangements for the purchase of 300 pounds of marijuana from a Hispanic supplier in Seattle, and that Mullins was supposed to communicate with the middleman. Mullins received incoming calls from the Hispanic supplier during this time. The four co-conspirators were taken into custody by the FBI at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport two days later; eight pieces of luggage were seized containing 232 pounds of marijuana. The marijuana seizure then triggered a series of calls and messages over court-authorized wiretaps and the Muscogee County Jail (MCJ) communication system between co-conspirators, including Clemons, and others expressing frustration over the marijuana seizure.

Clemons was also a known distributor in the Mullins drug trafficking organization. On April 15, 2024, FBI and DEA agents surveilled Mullins and Clemons to travel from Columbus to a music studio in Atlanta and meet with a co-conspirator. A few hours later, a GMC Denali arrived across the street; the co-conspirator retrieved three large bags, including a green gift bag, from the GMC Denali and returned inside the studio. Mullins and Clemons then exited the studio carrying the same green gift bag. Clemons emptied the contents of the green gift bag into a blue suitcase and placed the suitcase into Mullins’ vehicle. Mullins then dropped Clemons at the Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta; Clemons subsequently caught a Groome transportation bus back to Columbus with the blue suitcase. Agents were waiting at the Groome headquarters in Columbus when the shuttle arrived approximately two hours later; they observed Clemons exit the bus, retrieve the blue suitcase, and place it in a car driven by a woman. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and based on the positive alert by a drug canine, agents searched and located 3,952 grams of methamphetamine separated into four bags inside the blue suitcase. Clemons was arrested.

Mullins and Palmer shared a source of supply located on the West Coast. A search warrant was executed for Mullins’ Instagram account, which found a series of messages between Mullins and a West Coast supplier of marijuana between April 23, 2023, and May 18, 2023. Subsequent intercepts with others, including Palmer, showed several drug conversations for “squares” (usually denotes a pound or kilogram of hard narcotics, typically methamphetamine) and marijuana. A conversation involving Palmer discussed “loading up on these squares” and getting “about 10 of them” to recoup some money they lost from the large marijuana seizure.

Palmer utilized co-defendant Jenkins to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana. Palmer was arrested at Club Hill Apartments on Sept. 27, 2023, in possession of drugs, a digital scale and plastic baggies. FBI located approximately a kilogram of methamphetamine in his car, packaged in 33 separate baggies. Inside his apartment, agents located a plastic container and spoons with suspected methamphetamine residue, over 50 pouches of prepackaged suspected marijuana and other drug paraphernalia.

On Sept. 24, 2023, Turner was arrested during a traffic stop by the Columbus Police Department, where he was the front seat passenger. At the time, Turner tossed a stolen, loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol from the window. Turner possessed 439 grams of marijuana and two baggies of cocaine.

Agents intercepted calls with Champion in March 2023, who was seeking to purchase a half-kilogram of cocaine. Under surveillance, agents observed a co-conspirator visit a trap house operated by other co-conspirators and then enter Champion’s car; Champion was recorded shortly later calling the co-conspirator to complain about the contents and the weight of the drug package, stating, “This ain’t even a whole, it’s a half” and returning to the trap house. A later call discussed arrangements to meet the co-conspirator to remedy the drug shortage.

On Oct. 5, 2022, Mullins was at the Sacramento International Airport when a canine alerted to the presence of narcotics in Mullins’ suitcase. A search of that suitcase revealed over $29,000 in cash, which was confiscated as suspected drug proceeds. Federal agents discovered messages in Mullins’ Instagram account related to the Sacramento search and seizure as part of this investigation.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The case was investigated by FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office with critical assistance from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office; the Russell County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office; the Sacramento County, California, Sheriff’s Office; and the Muscogee County District Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica Hansis of the Middle District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Matthew P. Mattis of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case for the Government.

Source: US FBI

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the extradition of Liridon Masurica (33, Gjilan, Kosovo), also known as “@blackdb.” Masurica is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and five substantive counts of fraudulent use of 15 or more unauthorized access devices. If convicted on all counts, Masurica faces a maximum penalty of 55 years in federal prison.

Masurica, a citizen and resident of Kosovo, was taken into custody by authorities in Kosovo on December 12, 2024, and extradited on May 9 to the United States pursuant to the extradition treaty between the United States and the Republic of Kosovo. Masurica made his initial appearance in federal court in Tampa on May 12, 2025, before United States Magistrate Judge Lindsay Saxe Griffin, and was ordered detained pending trial.

According to the indictment, Masurica was the lead administrator of BlackDB.cc—an online criminal marketplace in operation from 2018 until present. BlackDB.cc illegally offered for sale compromised account and server credentials, credit card information, and other personally identifiable information of individuals primarily located in the United States, including those located within the Middle District of Florida. Once purchased, cybercriminals used the items purchased on BlackDB.cc to facilitate a wide range of illegal activity, including tax fraud, credit card fraud, and identity theft.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This investigation was led by the FBI in cooperation with Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Directorate. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carlton C. Gammons. Substantial assistance was provided by the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Sofia, Bulgaria and the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs in securing the arrest and extradition of Masurica. Additionally, Special Prosecution of the Republic of Kosova and Kosovo Police’s Cybercrime Investigation Directorate provided substantial assistance in the arrest of Masurica.

Source: US FBI

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A physician assistant was sentenced to prison today for his role in a $10 million Medicare fraud scheme involving genetic testing, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Colby Edward Joyner, 37, of Monroe, N.C., was sentenced to 72 months in prison and ordered to pay over $3.6 million in restitution. Last June, a federal jury convicted Joyner of health care fraud and making false statements relating to health care matters.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Kelly Blackmon, Special Agent in Charge with the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to today’s sentencing hearing and evidence presented at Joyner’s trial, in 2018 and 2019, Joyner was a physician assistant in the Charlotte area who worked as an independent contractor for a physician staffing and telemedicine company. During the relevant time frame, Joyner signed fraudulent prescriptions for medically unnecessary genetic testing, specifically cancer genomic and pharmacogenetic testing, for over 600 Medicare beneficiaries residing in North Carolina. Joyner had never met, seen, or treated the beneficiaries, and only had brief telephone conversations with them or no interactions at all.

According to court records, Joyner received from the telemedicine company and its clients pre-populated prescription forms and related records for patients who were pre-selected for genetic testing, which he then electronically signed and returned, in exchange for $12 – and later $15 – for each purported consultation that he performed.

As trial evidence showed, to conceal that Joyner was not the beneficiaries’ treating physician and that he did not conduct medical evaluations or examinations of the beneficiaries, Joyner falsified medical records in connection with the unnecessary prescriptions and falsely certified that the genetic tests were medically necessary. Joyner’s scheme resulted in the submission of more than $10 million in fraudulent reimbursement claims to Medicare, and more than $3.6 million in

payments.

In announcing Joyner’s sentence, U.S. District Judge Robert J. Conrad, Jr. stated that Joyner “abused his position of trust” as a Medicare provider and referred to Joyner’s “cheap and easy” opportunity to make money and “willingness to sign and attest to things, knowing them not to be true.” Judge Conrad further noted the potential impact of Joyner’s conduct on Medicare beneficiaries’ future ability to obtain certain genetic tests.

Joyner will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

The FBI in Charlotte and HHS-OIG investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Armstrong and Matthew Warren, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Frick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

Source: US FBI

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced James Kareen Day, 43, of Landover, Maryland, to 16 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a series of armed and attempted armed robberies of businesses located in Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County, Maryland. 

Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentences with Special Agent in Charge William J. DelBagno of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD); Chief Marc Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief Malik Aziz, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).

According to the guilty plea, between December 2022 and February 2023, Day committed three armed robberies and four attempted armed robberies of several businesses located within Howard County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County, Maryland. Day fled with money and other property of the businesses and victims. During some of the robberies, Day brandished a short-barrel shotgun while demanding cash and valuables.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, HCPD, MCPD, and PGPD for their work in the investigation.  Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dawn Williams and Timothy Hagan who are prosecuting the case.

For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.

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Source: US FBI

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rashad Dominic Griggs, 36, of Hickory, N.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a felon, announced Dena J. King, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.

Robert M. DeWitt, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Reed Baer of the Hickory Police Department (HPD), join U.S. Attorney King in making today’s announcement.

According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, on August 20, 2022, HPD officers responded to a call for service following reports that Griggs was waving a gun at his girlfriend. The officers knew Griggs had active warrants for his arrest for violating a domestic violence protection order and carrying a concealed firearm. Upon arriving at the location, Griggs emerged from the residence and was arrested on the existing warrants. Following a search of the residence, HPD officers found a white powdery substance that was later lab tested and confirmed to be fentanyl. In addition, officers recovered multiple firearms from the residence, including an AR-15 type rifle, multiple magazines including a drum magazine with shotgun rounds, and multiple rounds of ammunition. The officers knew Griggs had prior convictions and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Court records show that Griggs pleaded guilty to a state offense and was placed on probation.

According to court documents, on June 28, 2023, law enforcement conducted a search of the defendant’s home pursuant to his probation terms. During the search, law enforcement found a rifle magazine loaded with 30 rounds of ammunition, a pistol, and multiple rounds of ammunition. During an interview with law enforcement, Griggs acknowledged that he had obtained a pistol approximately seven to eight months prior and stated that he kept the firearm for protection.

On May 16, 2024, Griggs pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon. He remains in federal custody until he is transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney King thanked the FBI and HPD for their investigation of the case, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Community Supervision, for their invaluable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Regina Pack and Alfredo De La Rosa of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.