Posts

Posted on

Christopher G. Raia Named Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office

Source: US FBI

Director Kash Patel has named Christopher G. Raia as the assistant director in charge of the New York Field Office. He most recently served as a deputy assistant director in the Counterterrorism Terrorism Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Mr. Raia joined the FBI as a special agent in 2003 and reported to the Texas City Resident Agency, a satellite office of the Houston Field Office. Mr. Raia spent 10 years investigating violent crime, gangs, drugs, and white-collar crime at the resident agency and served as the coordinator of the Safe Streets Task Force.

In 2012, Mr. Raia reported to FBI Headquarters as a supervisory special agent to serve as a program manager in the International Terrorism Operations Section of the Counterterrorism Division. Mr. Raia oversaw all international terrorism cases in the Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi; and Mobile, Alabama, field offices.

Mr. Raia was promoted in 2014 to senior supervisory resident agent at the Bryan/College Station Resident Agency of the Houston Field Office, where he oversaw all national security and programs. In 2020, he was named the assistant special agent in charge of the Houston Field Office’s Violent Crime Branch and then of its National Security Branch in 2021.

In 2023, Mr. Raia was selected to serve as the chief of staff for the executive assistant director of the National Security Branch at FBI Headquarters. Mr. Raia managed strategic initiatives, supervised executive staff, and directed communications projects. In addition, he coordinated major projects for external entities, such as Congress and the White House.

Mr. Raia was promoted to deputy assistant director in the Counterterrorism Division at Headquarters in 2024 and oversaw all international counterterrorism program-management for the FBI.

Mr. Raia graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and served as a Coast Guard officer in Florida before joining the FBI.

Posted on

FBI: Scammers Stole More Than $243 Million From Coloradans in 2024

Source: US FBI

Scammers stole $243,517,403 from Colorado victims in 2024, according to the latest report from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Colorado was 7th in the nation in terms of complaints filed per capita, with 14,848 reports made to IC3.

Reported losses in the state increased nearly $56 million over the 2023 dollar amount.

The top three schemes with the largest dollar amount losses in 2024 in Colorado were investment fraud ($90 million); business email compromise ($48 million); and personal data breach ($23 million).

The top three schemes in terms of numbers of reports from Colorado were extortion (2,320); phishing/spoofing (1,385); and personal data breach (1,187).

The age group that reported the most complaints was people age 60 and older: 3,125 individuals reported losing $74,462,501.

“This report serves as a sobering reminder that Coloradans — especially senior citizens — continue to be prime targets for scammers who will jump at every opportunity to defraud potential victims,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. “Public vigilance is critical as cyber-enabled threats become more sophisticated and pervasive, impacting both our workplaces and our personal lives.”

In 2024, the IC3 received 859,532 complaints nationwide of suspected Internet crime with reported losses of $16.6 billion. That is a 33 percent increase in losses from 2023.

These are only the reports made to IC3; not every victim files a complaint—or even realizes he or she is a victim—so the actual numbers are probably higher in terms of victims and losses.

Nationwide, the top three scams most frequently reported by victims were phishing/spoofing, extortion, and personal data breaches. Victims of investment fraud, specifically those involving cryptocurrency, reported the most losses — totaling more than $6.5 billion.

Cryptocurrency investment fraud increased 29 percent over 2023. Ransomware complaints were up 9 percent across the country

As a group, people 60 and older suffered the most losses in 2024 at nearly $5 billion and submitted the greatest number of complaints.

If you feel you have been a victim of a cyber-enabled crime, file a complaint at IC3.gov.

Read the full IC3 report here: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024_IC3Report.pdf

Breakdowns by state are here: https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2024State/

Posted on

Former Delivery Driver Pleads Guilty to Defrauding San Francisco Food Delivery Company of More Than $2.5 Million

Source: US FBI

SAN JOSE – Sayee Chaitanya Reddy Devagiri pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to steal more than $2.5 million from DoorDash, Inc., a San Francisco-based delivery company.

Devagiri, 30, of Newport Beach, Calif., and three other defendants were indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2024.  Devagiri was charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1349.  He pleaded guilty to that count today.

In pleading guilty, Devagiri admitted to working with others in 2020 and 2021 to cause DoorDash to pay for deliveries that never occurred.  At the time, Devagiri was a delivery driver for DoorDash orders.  Under the scheme, Devagiri used customer accounts to place high value orders and then, using an employee’s credentials to gain access to DoorDash software, manually reassigned DoorDash orders to driver accounts that he and others controlled.  Devagiri then caused the fraudulent driver accounts to report that the orders had been delivered, when they had not, and manipulated DoorDash’s computer systems to prompt DoorDash to pay the fraudulent driver accounts for the non-existent deliveries.  Devagiri would then use DoorDash software to change the orders from “delivered” status to “in process” status and manually reassign the orders to driver accounts he and others controlled, beginning the process again.  This procedure usually took less than five minutes, and was repeated hundreds of times for many of the orders.

The scheme resulted in fraudulent payments exceeding $2.5 million.

Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.

Devagiri is the third defendant to be convicted for his role in this conspiracy.  Co-defendant Manaswi Mandadapu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on May 6, 2025.  Tyler Thomas Bottenhorn, who was separately charged, pleaded guilty on Nov. 7, 2023.

Devagiri is next scheduled to appear before U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman for a status hearing on Sept. 16, 2025.  He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.  Any sentence will be imposed by the court only after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. Pitman is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sahib Kaur.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI. 
 

Posted on

Steven J. Jensen Named Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office

Source: US FBI

Director Kash Patel has named Steven J. Jensen as the Assistant Director in Charge of the Washington Field Office. Mr. Jensen most recently served as the special agent in charge of the Columbia Field Office in South Carolina.

Mr. Jensen joined the FBI as a special agent in 2006. He was first assigned to the New York Field Office, where he investigated health care fraud, domestic terrorism, and Asian organized crime. Mr. Jensen also served on the SWAT team and as a firearms and defensive tactics instructor.

In 2012, Mr. Jensen was promoted to supervisory instructor at the FBI Academy in Quantico, where he was a firearms instructor. He moved in 2014 to the Rockford Resident Agency of the Chicago Field Office to serve as the supervisory senior resident agent. The office covered the 10 northwestern counties outside of Chicago.

Mr. Jensen was named assistant special agent in charge for the Jackson Field Office in 2017 and oversaw the National Security, Criminal, and Administrative branches. In 2020, Mr. Jensen reported to the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters in Washington as the section chief of the Domestic Terrorism Operations Section.

In 2021, Mr. Jensen was promoted to deputy assistant director of the Training Division, where he oversaw all basic field training programs and the National Academy training programs. He was named special agent in charge of the Colombia Field Office in South Carolina in 2023.

Mr. Jensen also served temporary duty assignments to the Attorney General Protection Detail, the Safe Streets Gang Program, and as the director of the High Value Interrogation Group.

Prior to joining the FBI, Mr. Jensen was a police officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department. He earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Stony Brook University in New York and a master’s degree in leadership studies from Northeastern University.

Posted on

Alameda Man Sentenced to Four Years and Nine Months in Federal Prison for Unlawful Firearm and Ammunition Possession

Source: US FBI

OAKLAND – Adesola Kehinde was sentenced yesterday to 57 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition as a felon.  U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín handed down the sentence.

Kehinde, 38, of Alameda, was charged by complaint in January 2024 and by information in May 2024.  On Dec. 16, 2024, Kehinde pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1).  According to the plea agreement, Kehinde admitted that on Jan. 9, 2024, officers with the Alameda Police Department detained him while he was seated in the driver’s seat of his car, which was parked outside of his apartment building.  At the time, Kehinde was on parole after serving a state prison sentence for human trafficking of a minor, threats with intent to terrorize, and robbery.  Officers searched Kehinde’s car and located a loaded Glock pistol with one round in the chamber and six rounds inside the magazine inserted into the pistol.

Acting United States Attorney Patrick D. Robbins and FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani made the announcement.  

In addition to the prison term, Judge Martínez-Olguín also sentenced Kehinde to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered him to forfeit the firearm and ammunition he possessed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonah Ross is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James.  The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Alameda Police Department. 
 

Posted on

California Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Supreme Court Justice in Maryland

Source: US FBI

Nicholas John Roske, 29, of Simi Valley, California, pleaded guilty today to attempting to kill a U.S. Supreme Court Justice.

“This calculated attempt on the life of a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a heinous attack on the Court itself,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Anyone who thinks they can use violence or intimidation to influence our courts will be met with the full force of the law and face up to life in prison.”

“Nicholas Roske sought to commit a despicable, premeditated attack on a Supreme Court Justice and today is another step toward accountability,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “No violent attacks can be tolerated, whether those targeted are public officials or private citizens – and the FBI and our partners will aggressively investigate and bring to justice all those who engage in such plots.”

“The attempted assassination of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice is an extreme, brazen act, one that we — along with our federal, local, and state law-enforcement partners — will not tolerate,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “It’s through these partnerships that we’re able to hold criminals accountable and uphold the rule of law. We are committed to relentlessly pursuing and prosecuting those who are involved in planning and executing acts of violence against others.”

As part of his guilty plea, Roske admitted that on June 7, 2022, he flew from Los Angeles International Airport to Dulles International Airport with a firearm and ammunition in his checked baggage. He then took a taxi from the airport to Montgomery County, Maryland, with the intent to kill the Supreme Court Justice.

According to the criminal complaint and the Government’s factual allegations, on June 8, 2022, at approximately 1:05 a.m., two Deputy U.S. Marshals, protecting the residence of a Supreme Court Justice, observed Roske arrive in and get out of a taxi in front of the residence. Roske wore black clothing and had a backpack and suitcase. Upon observing Roske, the two Deputy U.S. Marshals started to get out of their vehicles as the defendant proceeded to walk down the street.

Shortly after, Roske told a Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center call taker that he was having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, had a gun in his suitcase, and flew from California to kill a specific Supreme Court Justice.

Montgomery County Police Department officers responded to the location and took Roske into custody. A search of Roske’s suitcase and backpack revealed a firearm; black tactical chest rig and tactical knife; two magazines, each containing 10 rounds of ammunition; 17 additional rounds of ammunition; pepper spray; zip ties; a hammer; screwdrivers; a nail punch; a crowbar; a pistol light; duct tape; hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles; and lock-pick tools, along with other items.

Law enforcement transported Roske to a Montgomery County Police Department station where he was read his Miranda rights. Roske then stated that he was upset about a recently leaked Supreme Court draft decision on abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. The defendant also admitted that he came from California with the intent to use the firearm and burglary tools and to kill the Supreme Court Justice.

Roske faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Oct. 3. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, MCPD, and Police Department for the U.S. Supreme Court for their work and cooperation in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Sullivan and Coreen Mao for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from Trial Attorney John Cella of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

Posted on

Twenty-Seven Members of Little Rock Drug Trafficking Organization in Custody Following Arrest Operation

Source: US FBI

More than $100,000 and 19 guns also seized during investigation.

      LITTLE ROCK—Twenty-seven defendants accused of distributing large amounts of fentanyl, as well as methamphetamine and cocaine, in central Arkansas are in custody after federal and state authorities made a series of arrests in Pulaski County this morning as part of an ongoing drug-trafficking investigation. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Warner Benson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Little Rock Field Office, announced today’s arrests.

      According to a federal superseding indictment that was unsealed today following the arrests, the large-scale drug organization in central Arkansas is headed by Eric Dillard, 44, and Jimmie McDaniels, 49, both of Little Rock. A team of law enforcement agencies in the area coordinated to arrest 27 of the 29 defendants listed in the indictment this morning. Dillard was already in federal custody based on a federal indictment filed against him on September 11, 2024.

      The superseding indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on March 4, 2025. The defendants were charged with a series of drug and gun crimes, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine,  felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. A financial investigation also led to money laundering charges, including conspiracy, against six defendants.

      “The lethality of fentanyl requires our continued resolve to prioritize these types of investigations,” Ross said. “We will also keep our focus on other deadly drugs such as methamphetamine, which remains the most abused drug in our state, and cocaine, both of which were involved this case.”

      The arrests stem from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, or OCDETF, investigation that began in September 2023. Most the defendants listed in the indictment are from Little Rock and surrounding towns. The investigation, which was headed by the DEA, involved numerous controlled purchases of fentanyl from members of the conspiracy, as well as the seizure of 19 firearms and approximately a pound of fentanyl. According to information learned throughout the investigation, it is believed this organization has trafficked hundreds of pounds of fentanyl to people in Arkansas.

      Additionally, during the investigation law enforcement agents intercepted numerous phone calls in which the conspiracy members discussed trafficking fentanyl and layering profits through various channels to disguise the source of the proceeds. Throughout the investigation more than $100,000 in illegal proceeds was seized by law enforcement.

      “This morning’s arrest operation represents a significant blow to a criminal network that was flooding our communities with deadly fentanyl,” said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Warner Benson. “Along with our federal, state, and local partners, we are committed to dismantling these organizations and protecting the citizens of Central Arkansas from the devastating consequences of drug trafficking.”

      This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (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 https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

      Those arrested today will be arraigned before United States Magistrate Judge Jerome T. Kearney on Thursday. Today’s arrests are the result of a joint investigation between the DEA Little Rock District Office; DEA New Orleans Field Division, DEA Houston, FBI, U.S. Marshal Service, North Little Rock Police Department, Arkansas State Police, Sherwood Police Department, Cabot Police Department, Arkansas Community Corrections, Central Arkansas Drug Task Force, Faulkner County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas Attorney General’s Office, U.S. Postal Service; and the Arkansas National Guard Counter Drug Task Force. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Eldridge.

# # #

Additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

X (formerly known as Twitter):

@USAO_EDAR 

Posted on

Winslow Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Biological Weapon

Source: US FBI

FAYETTEVILLE – A Winslow, Arkansas man was sentenced yesterday to 96 months in prison without the possibility of parole for Possession of a Biological Agent.  The Honorable Judge Timothy L. Brooks presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court documents, in January 2024, a concerned citizen made an anonymous tip to the Washington County Sherriff’s office that Jason Kale Clampit, age 44, was manufacturing and may have poisoned one of his family members with ricin. Thereafter, an investigation revealed that Clampit had, in fact, produced ricin at his residence in Winslow, Arkansas, for the stated purpose of setting traps for trespassers. The investigation likewise revealed that during the manufacturing process, Clampit inadvertently exposed himself to ricin, which made him extremely ill. On January 24, 2025, a federal search warrant was executed by both the Bentonville Bomb Squad and an FBI Bioweapon Specialist team, which resulted in the confiscation of several items associated with processing ricin, and suspected ricin byproducts. On that same day, Clampit was taken into custody. While in jail, he made statements on a monitored phone call in which he directed others to dispose of liquid ricin contained in a jar that was secreted in a camper on his property. After listening to the monitored call, FBI agents responded quickly, contacted the individual Clampit directed, and located, in a trash can, a jar containing processed ricin.

Clampit was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in March 2024. He entered a plea of guilty in October 2024.

U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Bentonville Police Department, and the Arkansas Department of Corrections Division of Community Correction (probation and parole) all investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Roberts prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website @ www.pacer.gov. 

Posted on

Arrest of Jean Paul Cotto Rosario

Source: US FBI

SAN JUAN, PR—Special Agent in Charge Devin J. Kowalski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), San Juan Field Office, announced today the arrest of Jean-Paul Cotto Rosario (Cotto Rosario).

Cotto Rosario was charged under a Federal Criminal Complaint with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(I) (Carjacking) for events that took place on or about April 22, 2025, in Carolina, Puerto Rico. Police officers of Puerto Rico located the stolen vehicle shortly after it was reported stolen at gunpoint that same day. A pursuit ensued, and the subject charged herein was taken into custody.

“I want to thank the brave Police of Puerto Rico officers who gave pursuit to the vehicle involved in this carjacking incident and arrested the subject, with no consideration for their own safety. Carjackings are violent crimes that disrupt the safety of our communities,” said Kowalski. “The FBI remains committed to working with our local, state, and federal partners to identify, locate, and arrest those who threaten innocent lives. There is much work to be done, but anyone out there thinking about committing a carjacking should expect to face the consequences.”

This case is being investigated by the FBI San Juan Field Office and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico. This outcome would not have been possible without them.

Tips and information assist the FBI and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. The FBI reminds the public that anyone with information on this case should contact the FBI San Juan Field Office by calling 787-987-6500 or submit tips through the FBI’s Internet complaint portal at Tips.FBI.Gov. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty by a court of law. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Please relay any media requests by replying to this email or calling 787-685-2066. As always, thank you for your interest in our work and your support of the FBI mission.