MIL Security Engine-1

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

NEW ORLEANS, LA – RASHUN HUTCHINSON (“HUTCHINSON”), age 25 of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, plead guilty on September 11, 2025, to violations of the Federal Controlled Substances and Federal Gun Control Acts before United States District Judge Barry Ashe, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson.

Specifically, HUTCHINSON plead guilty to Counts 1, 16, and 17 of the indictment against him. Count 1 charged HUTCHINSON with conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1); § 841(b)(1)(A); § 841(b)(1)(B); and 846. Count 16 charged HUTCHINSON with possession with intent to distribute four hundred grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1) and § 841(b)(1)(A). Count 17 charged HUTCHINSON with possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c).

On Counts 1 and 16, HUTCHINSON faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and at least 5 years of supervised release following imprisonment. On Count 17, HUTCHINSON faces a consecutive mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to 5 years of supervised release. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee for each count.

According to the indictment, beginning on a time unknown, but continuing until at least September 10, 2024, HUTCHINSON, and seven other individuals, conspired to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the Tangipahoa Parish region of the Eastern District of Louisiana. The conspiracy was carried out through wire and electronic communications.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at http://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

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. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.

Acting United States Attorney Simpson praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Hammond Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Sarver of the Narcotics Unit.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for possessing and transferring three machine gun conversion devices.

Demetrius Harris, also known as “Meech,” 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to two and a half years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing and transferring machine guns – an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, multi-caliber firearm containing an AR-type machine gun conversion device, and two AR-type machine gun conversion devices.

On Jan. 24, 2024, Harris sold an AR-style firearm containing an auto sear, two additional auto sears, and ammunition to an undercover agent for $1,060.

Machine gun conversion devices, also known as “switches” or “auto sears,” are used to convert semi-automatic weapons into machine guns that fire multiple shots automatically through a single pull of the trigger, enabling more rapid and often less accurate gunfire. Whether or not they are attached to a firearm, these devices constitute machine guns under federal law. It is therefore illegal to possess, sell, or use machine gun conversion devices.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Project Safe Neighborhoods

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.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man with prior felony convictions who lied about his income and his criminal history to obtain COVID funds was found guilty by Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris yesterday, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Following a one-day bench trial, Raymond Marcellous Blair, 45, was found guilty of one count of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. Blair faces up to 20 years in prison on the wire fraud charge and up to ten years in prison on each money laundering count, as well as a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.

Chief Judge Morris presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for January 28, 2026. Blair was released on conditions pending sentencing.

The government alleged in court documents and at trial that Blair applied for COVID relief in the form of an Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) from the Small Business Administration (SBA) in August 2020. Blair claimed in the loan application that his business has gross revenues of $249,000, which was false. He also falsely claimed he not been convicted of a felony or placed on probation within the last five years. In truth, Blair was convicted of aggravated assault in 2011 and of failing to register as a violent offender in 2017 and was on probation in 2020 when he applied for the EIDL loan.

Relying on Blair’s representations, the SBA approved his EIDL loan application and wired $99,900 into his bank account on September 1, 2020. Blair twice transferred more than $10,000 out of that account and spent the majority of the loan proceeds on personal expenses. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Hargrove prosecuted the case. The investigation was conducted by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

CINCINNATI – James River Phillips, 21, of Mason, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to illegally transporting explosive materials. 

Phillips was arrested in April 2025 by the FBI Cincinnati Field Office’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) after agents executed search warrants in Mason, Oxford and Liberty Township.

According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2024, Phillips transported components of an improvised explosive device (IED) to a large soccer complex in Lebanon, Ohio. Phillips planned to detonate the IED but was stopped when a Lebanon police officer instructed him to leave the complex because it was closed. The officer discovered the live IED and it was seized by the Butler County Bomb Squad. Subsequent testing revealed that the IED contained Nickel Hydrazine Nitrate (NHN) and Erythritol Tetranitrate (ETN).

Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing.

Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Elena Iatarola, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati and officials with the Lebanon Police Department, Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Butler County Sheriff’s Office, Mason Police Department, Oxford Police Department, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Dayton Police Department and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole. Deputy Criminal Chief Emily N. Glatfelter is representing the United States in this case.

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Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Defendant tricked a Massachusetts resident into wiring more than $2 million abroad

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

The Defendant Sold Kilos of Fentanyl, Built Vending-Machine Sized “Pill Presses” and Possessed Millions of Fake and Deadly Pharmaceutical Pills and Multiple Firearms

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Olathe, Ks., man pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to stealing 41 firearms from a gun store in Raytown, Mo., and for transporting child pornography on his cell phone into the United States from Mexico.

Frank Guereca, 23, pleaded guilty today to one count of stealing firearms from a federal firearms licensee and one count of transportation of child pornography.

On June 16, 2023, Guereca and two others backed a stolen U-Haul truck into the store of a federally licensed firearms dealer, located in Raytown, Mo., creating a hole in the front of the business.  Thereafter Guereca and the others entered through the hole and took 41 firearms from the business.  One of the stolen pistols was recovered in Tracy, Ca., on Nov. 14, 2023. A second stolen pistol was recovered in Chihuahua, Mexico, on Dec. 19, 2023. A third stolen pistol was recovered in Juarez, Mexico, on Feb. 6, 2024.

Guereca was arrested on April 25, 2024, as he attempted to cross back into the United States from Mexico. Guereca had in his possession a Samsung Galaxy cell phone, which was seized by law enforcement.  Subsequent review of the contents of the phone pursuant to a federal search warrant revealed at least approximately 250 images and 70 videos depicting child pornography, which Guereca transported into the United States from Mexico.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records, Guereca had previously crossed the border approximately 20 times since the burglary and theft on June 16, 2023.

Under federal statutes, Guereca is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison without parole for the firearm theft, and up to 20 years in prison without parole for the transportation of child pornography. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley K. Kavanaugh and Alison D. Dunning. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Raytown, Mo., Police Department.

Operation Take Back America

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).

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Michael Fazio, a teacher at a middle and high school on Long Island, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.  The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury.  When sentenced, Fazio faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ricky J. Patel, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the guilty plea.

“Fazio possessed unthinkable graphic images of child sexual abuse, all while employed in a position of trust as a middle and high school music teacher,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Prosecuting those who victimize children by feeding the market for child pornography will always be a top priority of our Office and our law enforcement partners.”

As set forth in court filings and statements, Fazio, a music teacher at the W.T. Clarke Middle and High School in East Meadow, possessed hundreds of images of child pornography in his Dropbox account and cellphone.  During the execution of a search warrant at his residence in April 2025, Fazio admitted that he uploaded three images of child pornography to his Dropbox account in October 2024.  A search of one of the defendant’s cellphones revealed more than 700 additional images of child pornography.  Another cellphone belonging to the defendant contained a “Hidden Pictures” folder, which he used to store adult pornographic images as well as images and videos of some of Fazio’s students that he surreptitiously recorded during music instruction.   

This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division.  Assistant United States Attorney Bradley T. King is in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

MICHAEL FAZIO
Age:  40
Bellmore, Long Island

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-206 (NJC)

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DETROIT – Hassan Chokr, 38, of Dearborn, Michigan, was sentenced today to 34 months for illegally possessing multiple firearms inside a gun store after leaving a local synagogue where he went on an aggressive, antisemitic tirade, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.    

Joining in the announcement was Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to court documents, in December 2022, Chokr drove through the parking lot of a local synagogue in Bloomfield Hills as Jewish parents walked their preschoolers into the building. Chokr yelled antisemitic profanities, attacked their support for Israel, and threatened that they would “pay.” After being asked to leave, Chokr drove to a gun store in Dearborn. While there, he possessed a Landor Arms, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun; a Del-ton, 5.56mm rifle; and a Glock, 9mm semi-automatic pistol. He held each firearm, and at times pointed and aimed it with his finger on the trigger. After deciding to purchase the three firearms, Chokr lied about his eligibility to possess firearms by indicating that he had never been convicted of a felony offense when in fact, he had been convicted of a felony several years prior. While awaiting the results of the background check, Chokr indicated that he would “even the score” and use the guns for “God’s wrath.” He ultimately was denied the purchase of the firearms after the background check.

United States Attorney Gorgon stated: “Chokr’s sickening antisemitic threats and his apparent attempt to make good on them with guns are part of an alarming pattern of violence against believers. And we will do everything in our power to fight against this hatred and to protect the American family and their right to worship God without fear.”

“The sentencing of Hassan Chokr reaffirms that reckless actions endangering children and their parents outside of a daycare, have no place in our society,” said Reuben Coleman, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The FBI in Michigan has zero tolerance for threats to our citizens and remains firmly committed to protecting the communities we call home. I would like to thank the dedicated members from the FBI Oakland County Resident Agency, Dearborn Police Department, Bloomfield Township Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for their tireless work and partnership in bringing this case to justice.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Frances Carlson.

Source: United States Department of Justice Criminal Division

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Ameen Alai, aka Adam Powars, 52, of Broomfield, Colorado, was sentenced to 48 months in prison after pleading guilty to one count of distribution of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of ibogaine.  Ibogaine is a psychedelic compound derived from the root of a Tabernanthe iboga plant.  In the United States, ibogaine is a Schedule I controlled substance and currently has no accepted medical use and has a high potential for abuse.

According to the plea agreement, between April 2019 and March 2021, Alai advocated to others that ibogaine was a means to “reset” the body’s “receptors” to break addictive tendencies.  In March of 2021, Alai intentionally distributed one or more doses of ibogaine to a person in Broomfield, Colorado, and supervised the person’s use of the substance.  Alai left that person unattended for a period of time and when Alai returned, the person was unresponsive and later died.  At the sentencing hearing, the court found that the ibogaine Alai distributed caused the person’s death.

“As the tragic results of Mr. Alai’s conduct make clear, ibogaine is dangerous,” said United States Attorney Peter McNeilly.  “We want the public to know that, like many of the more well-known drugs in our community, taking ibogaine can have deadly consequences.” 

“This sentence underscores the devastating impact of illegal drug trafficking while also serving as a reminder that those who profit from poisoning our communities will be held accountable for the lives lost to their actions,” said DEA Rocky Mountain Special Agent in Charge David S. Olesky.  “Make no mistake, if someone knowingly and intentionally distributes a controlled substance that results in death, we will seek justice.”

United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing.

The Drug Enforcement Administration handled the investigation.  Assistant United States Attorneys Alyssa C. Mance and Michael F. Houlihan handled the prosecution.

Case Number: 22-cr-00339-CNS