News

U.S. Attorney Erik S. Siebert of the Eastern District of Virginia along with federal and state partners announced today the recently established Virginia Homeland Security Task Force.

Rick Tariq Rahim, 56, of Great Falls, was sentenced today to six years and six months in prison for tax crimes and his wire fraud scheme.

Dwayne Selman-Neville, 38, of Dumfries, was sentenced today to 19 years and two months in prison for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl.

Andrew Joseph Fernandez, 33, a married Machinist’s Mate in the U.S. Navy residing in Virginia Beach, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for attempted production and distribution of Child Sexual Abuse Material.

Norfolk payroll manager Courtney Johnson-Gregory, 47, pled guilty yesterday to wire fraud for embezzling $419,210 from her employer.

Jamahl Rennelle Burch, aka Jarod or Jerrod Burch, 43, of Hampton, was sentenced to nine years and three months in prison for healthcare and unemployment fraud schemes that resulted in nearly $1 million in loss. 

Theodore Nicholas Papouloglou, 45, of North Carolina, was sentenced today to two years and three months in prison for theft and tax charges related to his participation in a multi-state catalytic converter theft conspiracy.

Steven Frederick James, 51, of Portsmouth, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Michael Charles Schena, 42, of Alexandria, was arrested on criminal charges related to his alleged participation in a criminal conspiracy to gather, transmit, or lose national defense information.

Urain Alexander Robinson, 52, of Chesterfield, sentenced today to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

The Justice Department announced today a coordinated action with Germany and Finland to disrupt the online infrastructure of Garantex, a cryptocurrency exchange that allegedly facilitated money laundering by transnational criminal organizations (including terrorist organizations) and sanctions violations. 

Kendra Michelle Eley, 36, of Norfolk, and Rejohn Isaiah Whitehead, 28, of Portsmouth, pled guilty to their roles in a refund scheme involving pandemic relief tax credits.