Latest news with #U.SAttorney'sOffice
Business Mayor
06-05-2025
- Business Mayor
USCIS Assists in Investigation Leading to Conviction of Indian Citizen for Submitting Fraudulent Immigration Application
BURLINGTON, Vt. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services provided valuable assistance to the investigation that led to the conviction of an Indian citizen for submitting a fraudulent immigration application. The U.S Attorney's Office in Vermont announced the conviction and sentencing of Nasir Hussain for submitting a false statement of material fact on an immigration application, specifically an I-360 Violence Against Women Act ('VAWA') self-petition. Immediately following his conviction at trial, Hussain was sentenced to time-served. According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Hussain traveled to Connecticut in October of 2021 for the purpose of entering a sham marriage to a U.S. citizen. Hussain never saw the woman prior to or after the date of the wedding. Hussain then paid for insurance policies in the name of his 'wife,' subscribed to magazines in her name, and ordered merchandise in her name, all to manufacture evidence that Hussain and his 'wife' were living together at his Orlando residence. After manufacturing this evidence, Hussain went to an urgent care facility, and falsely claimed he was abused by his 'wife.' Hussain submitted the manufactured evidence and medical records to USCIS in support of an I-360 VAWA self-petition, claiming he was the spouse of an abusive U.S. citizen with whom he had been living in an Orlando apartment. Evidence at trial, including testimony of his 'wife' and former roommates, established beyond a reasonable doubt that Hussain's 'wife' never lived in Florida, and therefore could never have abused him as he alleged. Had Hussain's immigration petition been successful, he would have been awarded a VAWA visa and potentially lawful permanent residence status in the United States. Hussain has been in federal custody since his arrest in May of 2023 on a wire fraud conspiracy charge. The wire fraud case went to trial in October 2024, resulted in a jury verdict of guilty, which was subsequently set aside by the court via a judgment of acquittal. The United States has entered a notice of appeal of the judgment of acquittal that remains pending. This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with valuable support provided by USCIS. To report suspected immigration benefit fraud or abuse to USCIS, please use the USCIS Tip Form. For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit or follow us on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn. READ SOURCE
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Westerville man sentenced to 20 years in prison for role in robbing postal workers
A Westerville man who participated in multiple armed robberies of postal workers for their postal carrier keys was sentenced to prison on May 2 in the U.S. District Court in Columbus. Cameron Newton, 21, was sentenced to 20 years and one day in prison. Newton aided and abetted four armed robberies of postal carriers between December 2022 and May 2023, according to a news release from the U.S Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Ohio. Newton, who was on probation and wearing a GPS ankle monitor, recruited two juveniles for an armed robbery on Dec. 22, 2022, in German Village, according to prosecutors. Newton also arranged for one of his conspirators to use a handgun for the robbery. Newton acted as a lookout for a second armed robbery of a postal worker on Jan. 23, 2023, on East Columbus Street. Prosecutors said that Newton was in his vehicle and acted as though he was making DoorDash deliveries to escape his home confinement. Later that same day, Newton again acted as a lookout for a third postal robbery and arranged buyers for the stolen postal keys taken from postal workers, according to prosecutors. Newton again acquired a firearm for one of his co-conspirators to use in a robbery of an elderly female postal worker in May 2023. Following the robbery, he picked up his accomplices near Goodale Park and paid the robbers several hundred dollars through CashApp, according to prosecutors. On May 18, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Newton's home and discovered $22,000 in cash, hundreds of altered checks and money orders totaling more than $590,000, hundreds of pieces of stolen mail and two postal carrier keys. "Newton and his accomplices terrorized postal workers in an effort to steal their keys and loot mailboxes,' FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Elena Iatarola said in a prepared statement. 'Through the hard work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, local police, and the FBI, we were able to arrest those responsible for these violent crimes and ensure they are held accountable.' Newton is one of six men who have been charged in connection with armed robberies of postal carriers in central Ohio. Several of the defendants have already been sentenced to prison for their roles in the robberies. Reporter Shahid Meighan can be reached at smeighan@ at ShahidMeighan on X, and at on Bluesky. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cameron Newton sentenced to prison for robbing postal workers
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Yahoo
Man sentenced to 151 months in prison for fentanyl and cocaine trafficking in Phoenix
The Brief A 34-year-old Mexican national was arrested in Jan. 2024, leading to the discovery of a stash house with more than 100 pounds of drugs inside. Miguel Angel Gaytan-Ramirez was sentenced to 151 months in prison for his role in the drug bust. PHOENIX - A convicted drug trafficker living in Phoenix was sentenced to 151 months in prison, according to a release by the U.S Attorney's Office from the District of Arizona. What we know Miguel Angel Gaytan-Ramierz, a 34-year-old Mexican national living in Phoenix was arrested in 2024 after a DEA agent agreed to buy 15 kilograms of fentanyl from him. Gaytan-Ramirez, who is believed to be part of a Drug Trafficking Organization based in Mexico, told the agent to meet him in a parking lot in Phoenix. When the agent arrived, Gaytan-Ramirez was found waiting in a Dodge Ram pickup truck. Dig deeper Once he was detained, investigators discovered a nearby apartment that authorities described as a stash house. A rifle, 74 pounds of fentanyl pills, 17 pounds of fentanyl powder and 41 pounds of cocaine were seized from the house, along with $18,000 in cash.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Yahoo
Columbus felon sentenced to prison for illegally owning weapon
COLUMBUS, Ga. () — A Columbus man, who the U.S Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia says has a violent criminal history in the city, was sentenced to over 13 years in prison for illegally owning a firearm. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Christopher Gilliam, 36, was sentenced to 162 months in prison on Jan. 28 followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land. The U.S. Attorney's Office says Gilliam is known to be a member of the Gangster Disciples. Gilliam pled guilty to to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon back on Oct. 29, 2024. The office adds it is illegal for convicted felons to possess a firearm. 'Violent convicted felons caught illegally with firearms in the Middle District of Georgia will find their cases in federal court,' says Shanelle Booker, Acting U.S. Attorney. 'This case is another example of the kind of effective law enforcement partnerships helping us track down and hold the most dangerous repeat offenders accountable.' Court documents say Gilliam was wanted for aggravated assault when officers tracked him to his girlfriend's home back on July 21, 2023. At the time, Gilliam was arrested and authorities found a stolen 9mm semiautomatic pistol with a laser and a loaded 15-round magazine in plain sight. 'We will continue to work with our federal partners to promote safer neighborhoods and communities,' says Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman. The case was investigated by the Muscogee County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. It was also a part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, which aims to help make neighborhoods safer by reducing violent crimes in communities. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
