News and reports from the Department of Justice.

News Release: NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - A federal jury convicted a Hampton man on charges of conspiracy, drug and firearm charges.

News Release: NEWARK, N.J. - A New York man admitted participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine in New Jersey from locations in Manhattan, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

News Release: Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANTRUM COSTON, 40, of New Haven, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to fraud, money laundering and drug offenses.

News Release: KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The owner of the Rockstar Burgers restaurant in Kansas City, Mo., has pleaded guilty in federal court to allowing his former restaurant building to be used in a drug trafficking conspiracy that is alleged to have distributed more than 150 kilograms of methamphetamine and more than 10 kilograms of heroin, valued at more than $1.7 million.

News Release: PITTSBURGH, PA - A resident of Columbus, Ohio, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on charges of violating federal narcotics trafficking and firearms laws, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.

News Release: ANCHORAGE - The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld James Wells’ murder convictions which were handed down by a trial jury in October 2019 for the April 2012 murders of two U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) employees, Electrician’s Mate First Class James Hopkins and retired Chief Boatswain’s Mate Richard Belisle at a United States Coast Guard base on Kodiak Island, Alaska.

News Release: St. Thomas, VI - United States Attorney Delia L. Smith announced today that Victor Hugo Ruiz, age 32, of California, appeared before Magistrate Judge Ruth Miller for his initial appearing hearing after being charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana arrested on Dec. 11, 2022, at the Cyril E. King Airport.

News Release: Jacksonville, Florida - U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard has sentenced Patrick Joseph McAloon (67, St. Augustine) to 7 years and 2 months in federal prison for distributing videos and images of children being sexually abused. The court also ordered McAloon serve a 10-year term of supervised release and pay $15,000 to victims of his offenses. McAloon had pleaded guilty on July 28, 2022.

News Release: ROME, Ga. - Mohammed Ajmal, a Cartersville businessman, has been sentenced for making and subscribing a false tax return. Ajmal failed to report income from over two million dollars in “kickback" payments from the use of coin-operated amusement machines in his service stations and convenience stores.

News Release: BECKLEY, W.Va. - After five days of trial, a federal jury convicted Bisheem Jones, also known as “Bosh," 37, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of leading a scheme to traffic over 140 firearms from the Beckley area to Philadelphia.

News Release: OKLAHOMA CITY - Earlier this week, OCTAVIO JUAN SANCHEZ, 36, of Norman, was sentenced to serve ten years, the statutory maximum sentence, in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

News Release: PROVIDENCE - A North Providence woman convicted of defrauding multiple publicly-funded programs was sentenced on Tuesday to eighteen months in federal prison for making false statements when applying for a Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-backed mortgage, a Small Business Association (SBA) loan, and for fraudulently applying for government-funded COVID unemployment benefits, announced United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha.

News Release: MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA - Eliseo Jerome Rozas, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, has admitted to a drug charge, United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld announced.

News Release: CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Todd Christopher Roatsey, 43, of Elkview, a former counselor at Pinch Elementary School in Kanawha County, was sentenced today to 25 years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. Roatsey must also pay $23,000 in restitution to his victims and register as a sex offender.

News Release: PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Steven Mazzone, 59, of Philadelphia, PA, was sentenced to five years in prison, three years of supervised release by United States District Judge R. Barclay Surrick, for his role in several conspiracies to commit racketeering...