Tomu Fujinuma Arrested for Fraud Scheme Involving High School Student
Osaka, March 25 (Jiji Press) – A 29-year-old Japanese man, Tomu Fujinuma, was arrested by Osaka prefectural police on Tuesday after being detained in Thailand. He is accused of tricking a Japanese high school student into committing fraud from Myanmar.
Jermaine Antwon Knowles Arrested for Insurance Fraud in Priceville
Priceville, Ala. (WHNT) – Officers from the Priceville Police Department arrested 49-year-old Jermaine Antwon Knowles of Harvest after stopping his gray Porsche on I-65 on Saturday evening. The stop occurred around 10:40 p.m. near mile marker 335 as part of a criminal interdiction operation.
Nigerians Olutayo Ogunlaja and Abel Daramola Convicted in $560K Romance Scam
A federal jury in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has convicted two Nigerians—Olutayo Sunday Ogunlaja (39) and Abel Adeyi Daramola (37)—for orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded a victim out of $560,000. Each faces up to 20 years in prison following their convictions, revealed in a joint statement from U.S. Attorney Alexander Uballez and FBI Albuquerque Field Office Special Agent Raul Bujanda on January 6.
Reason Sanford Arrested for Burglary at Holiday Towers in Sinajana
A 20-year-old man, Reason Sanford, is under arrest after being accused of breaking into a unit at the Holiday Towers in Sinajana last Friday. Sanford is facing charges of burglary and theft.
Two Arrested for Stealing Copper Wiring in Cass County, Virginia
Authorities in Cass County, Virginia, swiftly put a stop to a pair’s alleged attempt to turn copper into gold. On Thursday, deputies responded to a report of copper wiring theft from a rural site in the county. Within hours, they had arrested Stephen M. Spears (55) of Beardstown and Jacob A. Green (32) of Meredosia on felony theft charges.
Dalton Smith Arrested for Stealing John Deere Gator in Hancock County, Ill.
A 33-year-old man, Dalton B. Smith, of Lomax, Ill., has been arrested in connection with the theft of a 2017 John Deere Gator side-by-side from rural Colusa, Ill., in December 2024. Following an extensive investigation, authorities obtained an arrest warrant for Smith on charges of theft of property exceeding $10,000.
Quincy Men Charged in Western Illinois Meth Trafficking Conspiracy
Nicholas Strieker, 27, and Bruce Pinnick, 49, both from Quincy, Illinois, are among six individuals charged in connection with a drug-trafficking conspiracy in western Illinois. The U.S. Department of Justice announced the charges on Friday, revealing that Strieker and Pinnick are accused of conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine in the Quincy area. They are also charged with illegally using a communication facility in the operation.
Charles Robert Thomas Arrested on Felony Meth Charges in Keokuk, Iowa
Charles Robert Thomas, 64, of Keokuk, Iowa, has been arrested on multiple felony drug charges. He was taken into custody by Keokuk police officers following an arrest warrant issued by the Lee County Narcotics Task Force.
Luis Ricardo Solis Arrested After Vehicle Chase and Foot Pursuit in Webb County
Luis Ricardo Solis, 33, was arrested by the Webb County Sheriff’s Office after a vehicle chase and foot pursuit on March 21. The Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division had executed an arrest warrant at a residence located off U.S. 59.
Hadleigh Ruth Olson Arrested for Fifth-Degree Theft in Sioux Center
Hadleigh Ruth Olson, a 22-year-old woman from Clarkfield, MN, was arrested on March 21 in Sioux Center, Iowa, on a fifth-degree theft charge.
Yahir Ivan Soto-Arguelles Arrested for Marijuana Possession in Rock Valley
Yahir Ivan Soto-Arguelles, a 21-year-old resident of Rock Valley, Iowa, was arrested on March 19 after a search warrant was executed at his residence on Main St. The arrest occurred around 1:35 p.m., and Soto-Arguelles faces charges of first-offense possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Joshua Thomas Smalls Charged with Murder in North Charleston Shooting
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) – Joshua Thomas Smalls, 29, has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime after a shooting in North Charleston left one man dead Saturday afternoon.
Jason McConnell Yount Charged with Attempted Murder After Stabbing Mount Pleasant Officer
MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCIV) — A 42-year-old man accused of stabbing a Mount Pleasant Police officer and being shot in return during an altercation Tuesday is now facing criminal charges.
Sean Johnson Bonds Out After Harassing Hispanic Men in Viral Video
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — A Huger man who gained attention for harassing Hispanic men in a viral video has been released on bond after turning himself in to the Sullivan’s Island Police Department on Friday.
Two Arrested After Stolen Vehicle Pursuit in Moncks Corner
MONCKS CORNER, S.C. (WCIV) — Two men are in custody following a vehicle pursuit with a stolen car in Moncks Corner on Saturday, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) reports.
Woman Arrested for Stealing Over $16K from Target in Tulsa
TULSA, OK (WCIV) — A woman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from a Target store in Tulsa, according to police reports.
Suspect Arrested in San Jose Armed Robbery, Thousands Stolen
SAN JOSE, CA (WCIV) — San Jose police confirmed the arrest of a suspect involved in a January armed robbery where thousands of dollars were stolen from the victim.
Shannon Smallwood Arrested for Theft and Assault in Charles County
CHARLES COUNTY, MD (WCIV) — A Waldorf woman, Shannon Nicole Smallwood, 36, has been arrested on multiple charges after two separate theft incidents, with one escalating into an assault on a store employee.
Keokuk Man Arrested on Drug Charges, Faces Felony and Misdemeanor Counts
KEOKUK, IA (KHQA) — A Keokuk man, Richard Buchanan Rhodes, 59, has been arrested on multiple drug charges following a traffic stop in Lee County.
Rhonda Hahn Arrested for Operating Prostitution Ring at Southfield Massage Parlor
SOUTHFIELD, MI (FOX 2) — A 61-year-old woman, Rhonda Hahn, has been arrested for running a massage parlor that secretly operated as a front for prostitution for over a decade.
11 Individuals Charged in Major Drug Trafficking and Kidnapping Ring Linked to Mexican Cartel
A federal grand jury returned a five-count indictment charging 11 individuals connected to a transnational drug trafficking organization tied to a Mexican cartel with drug distribution and kidnapping offenses, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, announced on March 21, 2025.
Tracy Gulzow Sentenced to 17.5 Years for Meth Distribution
Tracy Gulzow, 56, of Council Bluffs, Iowa, was sentenced to 17.5 years in federal prison after being convicted of possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine. The announcement, made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska on March 24, revealed Gulzow’s involvement in a significant methamphetamine trafficking operation.
Jose Miguel Perez Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking in Fresno
Jose Miguel Perez, 42, from Corona, California, pleaded guilty on Monday to trafficking significant amounts of cocaine, heroin, and ketamine, following a large-scale drug seizure on Interstate 5 in Fresno County. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California confirmed Perez’s plea in federal court.
Eric Mathison Pleads Guilty in CDL Extortion Scheme with MSP Troopers
Eric Mathison, 48, of Boston, pleaded guilty on March 21 to conspiracy charges related to an extortion scheme involving former Massachusetts State Police (MSP) troopers. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts confirmed Mathison’s involvement in falsifying Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) test results in exchange for bribes.
Juan Onofre Flores Carrillo Sentenced to 10 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking
Juan Onofre Flores Carrillo, 49, of Vancouver, Washington, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms, including an assault rifle with a grenade launcher. The sentence was announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
Marvin Murphy Convicted for Cocaine Trafficking and $340K Deal
Marvin Murphy, 48, of Camden, Pennsylvania, was convicted in federal court for conspiring to distribute cocaine as part of a coordinated drug trafficking operation that involved over $300,000 in cash and undercover agents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey announced the conviction on Monday.
Willie Frank Peterson Back Behind Bars After Sentence Commuted by Biden
Willie Frank Peterson, 52, a convicted criminal whose prison sentence was commuted by former President Joe Biden, is back behind bars after his recent arrest on multiple drug-related charges. Peterson had been convicted of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and sentenced to six years and three months in September 2023. However, after receiving clemency from President Biden in January 2024, Peterson’s sentence was reduced to 20 months, allowing him to leave custody shortly thereafter.
15-Year-Old Arrested in Connection to Fatal New Mexico Park Shooting
A 15-year-old boy has become the fourth person arrested and charged with three counts of homicide following a deadly mass shooting at Young Park in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Friday night. The shooting claimed the lives of three victims and left 15 others injured.
Derek Gochanour Pleads Guilty to Social Security Fraud, Owes $253K
Derek Gochanour, 50, of Westport, Washington, pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud on Monday after admitting to illegally collecting more than $126,000 in disability benefits while actively working. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, Gochanour failed to inform the Social Security Administration (SSA) that his medical condition had improved, allowing him to work.
Seattle Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Wire Fraud and Identity Theft
Westcott Francis-Curley, 31, of Seattle, was sentenced to three years in federal prison on March 21 for wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington detailed Francis-Curley’s fraudulent activities, which began in 2019 while he was employed at a company with access to cloud computing resources.
Lewiston Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy in $1.8M Fraud Scheme
John L. Hutchins, 71, of Lewiston, New York, pleaded guilty Thursday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York announced the plea, revealing that Hutchins, along with co-defendant Roberto Soliman, submitted fraudulent loan applications for federal relief under the CARES Act.
Former NM GOP Candidate Guilty in Politically Motivated Shootings
Solomon Peña, 40, a former Republican candidate for the New Mexico House of Representatives, was convicted by a federal jury for his involvement in a series of politically motivated shootings and a plot to murder witnesses. Peña’s crimes, which were related to his 2022 election loss, were announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico on Monday.
Texas Parole Officer Symone Miller Indicted for Human Trafficking
Symone Miller Faces Multiple Charges Related to Trafficking of People for Prostitution, Including a Minor
Fernando Espinosa Leon Sentenced to 6 Years for Medicare Fraud
Fernando Espinosa Leon, 60, a Cuban national, has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for his role in a healthcare fraud and identity theft scheme. The sentencing, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida on March 24, stems from Espinosa Leon’s fraudulent activities between June and September 2020.
Bethel Man and Two California Residents Charged in Tramadol Trafficking Scheme
A 38-year-old Bethel man, along with two California residents, has been charged with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute Tramadol, a Schedule IV controlled substance, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska announced on Monday.
Attorney Andrew Coldicutt Convicted of Securities Fraud in Scheme
Andrew Coldicutt, a 44-year-old securities attorney from San Diego, was convicted on all 17 counts related to securities fraud, false securities registration statements, and wire fraud for his involvement in two pump-and-dump stock manipulation schemes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California announced on Monday.
James Schwab Charged in August 2024 Danbury Kidnapping Plot
James Schwab, 22, from Peachtree Corners, Georgia, has been charged for his role in the kidnapping of two people in Danbury, Connecticut, in August 2024. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut announced the charges on Monday.
Sergio Zacarias Lopez Arrested for $1 Million Bank Fraud Scheme
Sergio Zacarias Lopez, 57, a Mexican citizen residing in Fresno, has been arrested and charged with bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and unlawful reentry after deportation, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California announced on March 20.
Justin Drew Hanson Sentenced for $2 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Justin Drew Hanson, the co-owner of Noah Associates, a clinical laboratory in Milwaukee, was sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison for violating the Anti-Kickback Statute, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin announced Monday.
Tyree Duprei Scott and Leroy Alonzo Owens Arrested in Drug Bust
A routine traffic stop in Prince Frederick, Md., turned into a narcotics investigation, leading to the arrests of Tyree Duprei Scott, 31, and Leroy Alonzo Owens, 52, both of Prince Frederick. The arrest took place after the two men were seen leaving a location known for drug-related activity and driving erratically near Main Street and Wilson Court.
