News and reports from the Department of Justice.

News Release: CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Nathaniel Blayn Becker, 43, of Marietta, Ohio was sentenced today to eight years and one month in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, in connection with pipe bombs found on tugboats on the Ohio River.

News Release: LOS ANGELES - A downtown Los Angeles man was found guilty today by a jury of federal criminal charges for fraudulently obtaining more than $150,000 - and attempted to obtain an additional $1.85 million - in COVID-relief loans for several companies he claimed to own and operate.

News Release: Jacksonville, Florida - United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Jacob Deandre Byrd (20, Lake City) has pleaded guilty to wire fraud involving COVID Relief Fraud through the Paycheck Protection Program. Byrd faces up to 20 years in federal prison and payment of restitution to the United States government. Byrd has agreed to forfeit $20,833, representing the proceeds of the offense.

News Release: PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Shawn Money Jones, 33, of Lancaster, PA, was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Court Judge Joseph F. Leeson, Jr., for being convicted of possession with intent to distribute a variety of illegal narcotics, and illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.

News Release: HOUSTON - A 47-year-old Colorado man has been sent to federal prison following his conviction of stalking and threatening a woman with releasing sexually-explicit images unless she moved with him across the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.

News Release: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging JAMES ROBINSON and DAVID KENNEDY, both citizens of the United Kingdom, with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud for engaging in a scheme to defraud victims by...

News Release: PHILADELPHIA - United States Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero announced that Dimitre Hadjiev, 41, of Upper Darby, PA, was convicted at trial of charges including trafficking in counterfeit goods and financial fraud offenses related to his sale of counterfeit luxury wristwatches.

News Release: MIAMI - An Atlanta sex trafficker has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for forcing a young woman and a girl into selling themselves for sex.

News Release: ATLANTA - Gary Terrell Davis, an associate of the 135 Piru gang responsible for a series of violent acts throughout the Northern District of Georgia, is the last defendant to be sentenced for his role in a federal RICO conspiracy. The main targets in the case, including lead defendant Maurice Antonio Kent, were previously convicted and sentenced for their roles in the execution-style murder of a 17-year-old boy and other offenses.

News Release: MADISON, WIS. - Timothy M. O’Shea, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced today that Christa Johnson, 57, Cambria, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty and was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Madison, Wisconsin by U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson. Judge Peterson ordered Johnson to serve one year in prison and pay a $25,000 fine. She was also ordered to pay $326,905 in restitution to the IRS, which she paid immediately.

News Release: FBI Warning: ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Scams.

News Release: Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that CARY YAN, a/k/a “Hong Hui Yan," a/k/a “Chen Hong," and GINA ZHOU, a/k/a “Chaoting Zhou," a/k/a “Angel Zhou," pled guilty to conspiring to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA") in connection...

News Release: The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced today that Jonathan Castro, a.k.a. “Jose," 33, of Springfield, Vermont and Springfield, Massachusetts; Anibal Castro, Sr., a.k.a. “Papi," 54, of Springfield, Vermont; and Derek Arie, 34, of Springfield, Vermont were indicted...

News Release: SOUTH BURLINGTON, Vt. - The United States Attorney’s Office stated Cameron Yee, 21, of South Burlington, was arrested yesterday based upon a one count indictment charging him with making a materially false statement in connection with his acquisition of a Glock handgun from a South Burlington federally licensed firearm dealer. Yee will be arraigned on the indictment this afternoon at 2:30 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle.

News Release: Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Central Islip, Sharon Gardner, the former Director of Food Services for the Hempstead Union Free School District (“HUFSD"), pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud in connection with her participation in a kickback scheme. Gardner’s...