MS-13 gang members indicted for murder in Maryland

BALTIMORE, MD—Two Maryland MS-13 gang members have been indicted for murder in aid of racketeering, federal authorities announced. Manuel Erazo Alvarado, 46, and Erick Guillen Pleitez, 46, both of Annapolis, were charged in a federal grand jury indictment returned on February 13, according to the Department of Justice. On March 6, 2025, Guillen Pleitez made his initial appearance in the […]

Baltimore man sentenced to 32 years for sexually exploiting six minors

BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore man was sentenced on Friday to 32 years in federal prison, followed by 50 years of supervised release, for coercing and sexually exploiting six minors, including girls as young as 9, in a series of crimes that spanned several Maryland counties, federal authorities said. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander imposed the sentence on Delroy James Scott, […]

Baltimore County man sentenced to prison for role in elder fraud schemes

BALTIMORE, MD—A Baltimore County man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in various romance, business email compromise, and investment schemes, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Ambrose A. Obinna Warrior, 44, of Milford Mill, to 42 months in federal prison. Warrior acted as an unlicensed money transmitter, […]

High-ranking MS-13 leader arrested in Maryland

BALTIMORE, MD—A high-ranking leader in the MS-13 transnational terrorist organization was arrested in Hyattsville, Maryland last month, according to authorities. David Alejandro Orellana-Aleman, 27, was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the FBI on February 27, 2025. He is charged in his home country with possession of firearm, extortion, and terrorist affiliation, ICE said in a press […]

Former Maryland State Trooper pleads guilty to drug, bribery charges

BALTIMORE, MD—A former Maryland State Trooper pleaded guilty to federal drug and bribery charges after trying to sell information to a drug trafficking organization, federal authorities announced. Justin Riggs, 35, of Smithsburg, conspired to sell information to a drug trafficking organization, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland reports. Riggs pleaded guilty to federal charges of conspiracy to […]

Former Baltimore Department Of Finance employee sentenced To 4 years in connection with bribery, COVID-19 CARES Act scheme

BALTIMORE, MD—A former Baltimore City employee has been sentenced to prison after being sentenced for a bribery and wire fraud scheme. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Joseph Gillespie, 35, of Baltimore City, to four years in federal prison and three years of supervised release in connection with a bribery scheme and conspiracy to commit wire fraud scheme involving […]

DC man sentenced to 22 years in prison for role in armed robberies of Maryland cell phone stores

BALTIMORE, MD—A Washington, D.C. man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in robbing four cell phone stores across Maryland at gunpoint, officials say. Xavier Jones, 26, was involved in robberies at Verizon and AT&T stores in Baltimore County, Howard County, and Prince George’s County, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. During the robberies, Jones and his accomplices […]

Russian cybercrime group behind $16M Phobos ransomware attacks busted

BALTIMORE, MD—The US Department of Justice announced the unsealing of criminal charges against two Russian nationals, Roman Berezhnoy, 33, and Egor Nikolaevich Glebov, 39, this week. They are accused of operating a cybercrime group that used Phobos ransomware to attack over 1,000 organizations worldwide, earning more than $16 million in ransom payments. Berezhnoy and Glebov are alleged to have been […]