February Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments Announced (DOJ)

United States Attorney Clint Johnson today announced the results of the February Federal Grand Jury 2025-A Indictments.

The following individuals have been charged with violations of United States law in indictments returned by the Grand Jury. The return of an indictment is a method of informing a defendant of alleged violations of federal law, which must be proven in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt to overcome a defendant's presumption of innocence.

Andres Avila Pineda; Anthony Avila; Andres Avila, Jr.; Ranferi Manriquez. Firearms Trafficking Conspiracy; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of Firearms (superseding). Andres, 48, a Mexican national, Anthony, 22, Andres Jr., 24, and Ranferi, 31, of Houston, Texas, are charged with conspiring with others to transport firearms knowing that possession would constitute a felony. Andres is further charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Homeland Security Investigations are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Dowdell and Kenneth Elmore are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-460

Robin Christopher Black. Conspiracy; Benefits Fraud. Black, 63, of Tulsa, is charged with conspiring with others to obtain money from the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) by selling stolen benefits for cash. He is further charged with acquiring and possessing SNAP funds contrary to the Department of Agriculture regulations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of the Inspector General, the Oklahoma Department of Health Services - Office of the Inspector General, and the Tulsa Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Dowdell is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-035

Bryan Abisai Costeira-Hernandez. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Costeria-Hernandez, 38, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. He is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Further, Costeria-Hernandez is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in Sep. 2022 Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-036

Willis James Gray. Felon in Possession of Ammunition; Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country; Carrying, Using, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Gray, 41, of Bartlesville and a member of the Cherokee Nation, is charged with possessing ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. He is additionally charged with assaulting the victim with a dangerous weapon and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bartlesville Police Department are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Flesher is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-037

Crawford Don Harper, Jr. Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition. Harper, 38, of Indianapolis, Indiana, is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tulsa County Sheriff's Office are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Heign is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-038

Romiro Leonardo Hernandez. Alien Unlawfully in the United States in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Leonardo Hernandez, 33, a Mexican national, is charged with possessing a firearm, knowing he was unlawfully residing in the United States. Further, he is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after being removed in May 2017, January 2018, and August 2018. Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alicia Hockenbury is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-039

James Robert Hurley, aka James Gomes. Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Hurley, also known as James Gomes, 25, of Rose, is an individual who is knowingly required to register as a sex offender. He is charged with failing to register as a sex offender from July to on or about November 2025. The FBI is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Hulgaard is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-040

Jose Brian Jimenez Contreras. Possession of a False Immigration Document. Jimenez Contreras, 20, a Mexican national, is charged with knowingly possessing a fake Legal Permanent Resident card. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Briolara is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-044

Arturo Rodriguez Aguero. Unlawful Reentry of a Removed Alien. Rodriguez Aguero, 49, a Mexican national, is charged with unlawfully reentering the United States after having been previously removed in June 2017, February 2018, and August 2018. Homeland Security Investigations is the investigative agency. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ammon Brisolara is prosecuting the case. 26-CR-045

John Edgar Williams, IV; Jeremy Mindez Ruff; Savannah D'naisha May Gage; Nevaeh Charise Cox; Trinity Rinique Goudeau; Shavari Shantell Melton; Vanessa Lashay Bell; Ashley Elaine Charles. Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking (Count 1); Transporting an Individual for Prostitution (Counts 2, 3, 7, 9, 10, and 13); Interstate Travel to Aid Racketeering (Count 4); Distribution of Child Pornography (Count 5); Sex Trafficking (Counts 6, 12, and 15); Sex Trafficking a Minor (Counts 8, 11, 14, and 17); Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition (Count 16); Commission of Felony Sex Offense Involving a Minor by a Registered Sex Offender (Counts 18 & 19); Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity (Count 20); Child Exploitation Enterprise (Count 21) (third superseding). Williams, 38, Gage, 25, Cox, 39, Goudeau, 24, Melton, 20, Bell, 20, Charles, 37, of Tulsa, and Ruff, 39, of Dallas, Texas, are charged with conspiring with each other to recruit, entice, and harbor a person by threats of force to engage in a commercial sex act for payment. Williams, Gage, Ruff, and Goudeau are charged separately for transporting people to engage in prostitution and other sexual activities. Williams, Ruff, Gage, Cox, Goudeau, Melton, and Charles are further charged with using interstate and foreign commerce to promote and manage a business enterprise involving prostitution. Ruff, Cox, Gage, Goudeau, and Melton are charged with recruiting and enticing minor children, between 14 and 18 years old, to engage in sexually explicit acts. Williams is charged with possessing a firearm and ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony. Ruff is charged with committing a felony offense involving a minor while being required to register as a sex offender. Additionally, Williams, Gage, and Goudeau are charged with benefiting financially from recruiting, harboring, and providing transportation to an individual to engage in commercial sex acts. Cox is further charged with knowingly distributing visual images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Gage transported a minor child across state lines to engage in sexual activity. Lastly, Gage is charged with engaging in a child exploitation enterprise by working with others, in three or more incidents, to sex traffic more than three victims. The Tulsa Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are the investigative agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth Elmore, John Brasher, and John W. Dowdell are prosecuting the case. 25-CR-197