U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
Recent News About U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia
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A Honduran national has been arrested on charges related to witness tampering tied to an ongoing sexual exploitation case involving a minor in Virginia. Authorities allege she threatened the victim via social media messages about releasing explicit material if she testified.
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Authorities have issued a warning about scam phone calls in the Western District of Virginia. Officials say scammers are impersonating government agencies and making threats while demanding payment. Residents are urged not to share personal information and to report suspicious activity.
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A Giles County man has been arrested following allegations he imported large quantities of psychedelic drugs for distribution across the country. Federal authorities detail multiple intercepted shipments addressed to him as well as undercover drug sales arranged by police.
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A Hillsville man received a sentence of over twelve years for exploiting minors online after an FBI investigation revealed he paid underage girls for explicit content via Discord. Authorities say evidence included chats with multiple victims along with illicit images found on his phone.
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A Springfield man has been convicted by a federal jury for assaulting his then-girlfriend with a hatchet while camping in Shenandoah National Park last August. Multiple witnesses reported hearing violence before authorities intervened and arrested Soufiane Bougria at the scene.
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A Maryland man has been sentenced to over three years in prison for his role in a multi-state drug distribution scheme involving fraudulent prescriptions coordinated with a Northern Virginia doctor. Authorities say this marks the first sentencing among several defendants facing charges connected to illegal opioid and cough syrup sales.
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A North Carolina resident has admitted guilt to federal charges related to fentanyl trafficking into Virginia.
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A Tennessee man has pleaded guilty in federal court to charges related to trafficking fentanyl-laced pills and powder into Southwest Virginia.
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A man from Bristol, Virginia has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after failing to register as a sex offender and spending two years as a fugitive in Mexico.
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The Western District of Virginia has announced its participation in National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, aligning with the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS) to strengthen efforts against human trafficking.
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A Buckingham County resident has admitted guilt in federal court to charges related to drug distribution and illegal firearm possession.
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Joseph Rimero Rutherford, a 34-year-old resident of North Carolina, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender after moving to Bristol, Virginia.
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The former acting director of the Lynchburg Community Corrections & Pretrial Services Department (LCCPS), Jennifer Peters, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison.
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A federal grand jury in Abingdon, Virginia has indicted Bryce Cleveland, the President and CEO of Scalpa, Inc., on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, and related offenses.
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A citizen of El Salvador, Leonel Hernandez-Zelaya, has been sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for illegal reentry into the United States after being previously removed.
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A Danville man has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl.
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A Danville man has been sentenced to 107 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to drug distribution charges.
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A Danville man has been sentenced to more than nine years in federal prison for drug and firearm offenses.
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A Wise County man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in a drug distribution conspiracy and illegal firearm possession.
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A federal grand jury has indicted two Franklin County residents, Melissa Diana Simmons, 50, and James Patrick Brown, 59, on charges related to the financial exploitation of a 75-year-old Navy and Vietnam War veteran.