Palestinian man thought he was a young boy, but he was an undercover agent

PITTSBURGH, PA – U.S. Attorney Eric G. Olshan announced today that Huthayfa Almassri, a 33-year-old Palestinian citizen, has been sentenced to 90 months in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release.

The sentencing was carried out by U.S. District Judge Marilyn J. Horan after Almassri pleaded guilty on April 15, 2024, to one count of traveling with the intent to engage in an unlawful sexual act.

Court documents show that Almassri traveled from Palestine to the United States on May 31, 2022, where he was admitted as a lawful permanent resident.

Shortly after his arrival, on June 14, 2022, Almassri began an online interaction with someone he believed to be a minor. Unbeknownst to him, the person was a police officer conducting an undercover operation. Almassri misrepresented his age and identity during these interactions.

On October 16, 2022, he arranged to meet the alleged minor to perform sexual acts. Upon arrival, he was arrested.

As part of his guilty plea, Almassri agreed to a court order of deportation from the United States, which stated that he would be deported after his sentence was served.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi M. Grogan, with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FBI Pittsburgh Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force leading the investigative activities that resulted in Almassri’s conviction.

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WASHINGTON, DC – Ray Holmberg, an 80-year-old former North Dakota state senator from Grand Forks, has pleaded guilty to charges related to engaging in illicit sex acts with minors in Prague, Czech Republic.

Court documents show that Holmberg traveled to Prague approximately 14 times between 2011 and 2021, where he engaged in commercial sex acts with underage boys.

Holmberg used the pseudonym “Sean Evans” during some of these visits. He stayed in brothels and went to public places to solicit sexual services from minors.

His communications under this alias contained disturbing references to his activities, such as discussing “his twink” and remarking, “no one is ever too young… don’t forget Prague.”

He also sent an email to a friend promoting a visit to a well-known brothel, Villa Mansland, emphasizing the low cost of hiring young boys for sex.

The former senator pleaded guilty to one count of traveling with the intent to engage in an unlawful sexual act, a charge that carries a maximum prison sentence of 30 years.

The sentencing date has yet to be determined. A federal district judge will determine the sentence, taking into account, among other things, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.

The case was announced by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Puhl for the District of North Dakota, and Special Agent in Charge Jamie Holt of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul. The investigation is being conducted by HSI and the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigations, with prosecution led by Trial Attorney Charles Schmitz of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Puhl.

WASHINGTON, DC – Deon Cannon, a 30-year-old resident of Washington, DC, has been found guilty of multiple charges, including assault with intent to kill while armed of a minor, following a shooting on Labor Day in 2021. U.S. District Attorney Matthew Graves and Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith announced the verdict, which was delivered by a jury in the District Court on August 7, 2024.

The incident occurred at approximately 5:40 p.m. on September 5, 2021, at Naylor Gardens on Terrace Road SE. According to evidence presented by the prosecution, Cannon was waiting for the victims, a father and his 6-year-old son, to arrive as they walked from a playground.

Cannon initiated the attack by firing two shots at them, prompting the father to return fire in defense. A second gunman then emerged and fired another 17 shots.

Cannon attempted to flee the scene but was captured shortly after the shooting, in part because his clothing matched surveillance video from nearby homes. Prosecutors also presented DNA and ballistics evidence linking Cannon to the crime.

In addition to the assault charge, Cannon was also found guilty of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, possession of an unregistered firearm and unlawful possession of ammunition.

The Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for October 11, 2024, with Cannon facing a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison. He has been in custody since his arrest.