Tallahassee Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution Conspiracy & Illegal Weapons Charges

 

Garret Culpepper, 25, of Tallahassee, Fla., was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and unlawful possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The term of imprisonment will be followed by eight years on federal supervised release, and Culpepper was also ordered to forfeit property and U.S. currency connected to the drug trafficking activity.  

"THC vape devices containing Schedule 1 Controlled Substances are a real concern and DEA is treating them as such,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division.

The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is the result of the outstanding investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and our federal law enforcement partners, which dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking scheme by the defendant. My office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions, like this one, to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi through Operation Take Back America that our communities would be liberated from the scourge of drugs and criminal violence that has plagued our streets for far too long.”

Court documents reflect that beginning in 2023, investigators identified the defendant as a significant distributor of illicit marijuana and THC products, including THC ‘vape’ cartridges. Investigators were able to detail the defendant’s involvement in the manufacture and distribution of thousands of THC cartridges, hundreds of pounds of THC products such as wax, and thousands of pounds of raw marijuana.  This investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s Tallahassee residence on March 18, 2025, during which investigators recovered equipment designed to fill THC vape cartridges in bulk, just under 34 pounds of THC products, approximately 15 pounds of raw marijuana, body armor, multiple firearms, including rifles and handguns staged for easy access throughout the residence, and over $80,000 in U.S. currency.

The case involved a joint investigation by Tallahassee Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Russian Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Hacking into U.S. Companies and Enabling Major Cybercrime Groups to Extort Tens of Millions of Dollars

 

A court in the Southern District of Indiana today sentenced a Russian citizen, Aleksei Volkov, to 81 months in prison for assisting major cybercrime groups, including the Yanluowang ransomware group, in carrying out numerous attacks against U.S. companies and other organizations. Volkov facilitated dozens of ransomware attacks throughout the United States, causing over $9 million in actual losses and over $24 million in intended losses. Volkov was indicted for this activity in both the Southern District of Indiana and Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Police in Rome, Italy, then arrested Volkov, and he was extradited to the United States. He pleaded guilty to charges from both indictments.

According to court documents, Volkov, 26, of St. Petersburg, Russia, was an “initial access broker,” that is, a person who specializes in gaining unauthorized access to computer networks and systems of corporations and organizations and selling that access to other cyber threat actors such as ransomware groups. Volkov found vulnerabilities in computer networks and systems, identified ways to access those networks and systems without authorization, and sold that illicit access to conspirators who were also cybercriminals.

Volkov’s co-conspirators then used the access Volkov provided to infect the affected computer networks and systems with malware. This malware encrypted the victims’ data and prevented the victims from accessing it, damaging their business operations. The conspirators then demanded that the victims pay them a ransom in cryptocurrency — sometimes in the tens of millions of dollars — in exchange for restoring the victims’ access to the data and promising not to publicly disclose the hack or release victims’ stolen data on a “leak” website. In some cases, the victims paid the ransom and in others the conspirators posted the victims’ confidential data on the leak site. If the victims paid the ransom, Volkov received a share of the money.

On Nov. 25, 2025, Volkov pleaded guilty to four counts from the Southern District of Indiana indictment, namely, unlawful transfer of a means of identification, trafficking in access information, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft; as well as two counts from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indictment, namely, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after the  two cases were consolidated in the Southern District of Indiana. As part of his plea, Volkov admitted that he and his co-conspirators hacked into numerous victims’ computer networks, stole their data, deployed ransomware, demanded payment in cryptocurrency to exchange for restoring access to the data, and divided the ransom payments among themselves. In fact, they demanded tens of millions of dollars in ransom and received millions. Volkov agreed to pay full restitution to victims including at least $9,167,198.19 to known victims to compensate them for their actual losses as well as to forfeit equipment he used for his crimes.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Wheeler II for the Southern District of Indiana, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Attorney General James’ Health Care Helpline Recovers Over $1.5 Million for New Yorkers in 2025

 

OAG Helped Thousands of New Yorkers Resolve Medical Billing Errors, Insurance Denials, and Coverage Problems

New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) 2025 Health Care Bureau Annual Report, detailing how the office helped thousands of New Yorkers resolve health care disputes, correct medical billing errors, and obtain necessary medical treatment. In 2025, OAG’s Health Care Helpline handled 4,890 complaints from New Yorkers and secured $1.53 million in restitution and savings by correcting billing mistakes, reversing wrongful insurance denials, and addressing unlawful business practices.

“Health care is complicated enough without families being forced to fight insurers for the care and coverage they are entitled to,” said Attorney General James. “My office’s Health Care Helpline helps New Yorkers cut through red tape, correct billing mistakes, and access the care they need. Whether someone is facing a surprise bill, a wrongful denial of coverage, or confusion about their benefits, my office is here to help.”

The Health Care Helpline serves as a direct resource for New Yorkers seeking help with medical bills, insurance claims, and access to care. In 2025, helpline advocates directly intervened in 3,279 complaints and helped thousands more by providing information or referrals to other agencies. In addition to resolving individual complaints, the report, “Real Solutions for New Yorkers,” highlights how consumer complaints help OAG identify broader systemic issues in the health care system and launch investigations when necessary.

In 2025, the most common categories of complaints to the Health Care Helpline were provider billing (42 percent), wrongful practices such as improper collections or refund issues (24 percent), claim-processing errors (13 percent), and health plan denials of coverage (10 percent). Other complaints involved obtaining or maintaining insurance coverage and access to prescription drugs. 

Many of the complaints handled by the Health Care Helpline involve significant financial or medical consequences for patients. Highlights from the report include:

• The OAG helped secure approval for a life-saving double-lung transplant for a patient with Stage 4 lung cancer whose insurance company initially denied coverage because he had not been cancer-free for five years. As the patient only had one to three years left to live, meeting that requirement was impossible, and his doctors had approved an earlier transplant as part of a clinical trial. After an OAG advocate challenged the denial and highlighted flaws in the insurer’s reasoning, the company reversed its decision and approved the procedure.
• The OAG successfully convinced a health plan to reduce outstanding debt for a disabled Social Security recipient from $262,466 to $1,297 after her health plan wrongfully refused to cancel claims following retroactive Medicare coverage. The health plan had sent her bills to debt collectors, but after significant pressure from OAG, the plan agreed to reprocess the claims in accordance with Social Security Administration guidance.
• A New Yorker was left with a five-figure ambulance bill after her son had to be transferred to another hospital due to emergency surgery complications. An OAG advocate intervened and negotiated with the insurer to reduce the bill to just $100 for the consumer.
• A cancer patient needed an MRI after being diagnosed with lymphoma, but the test was rejected by her insurer. The consumer later learned that her online insurance account had been wrongfully closed, and her attempts to reopen it failed. The OAG contacted the insurance plan and successfully restored the consumer’s account, allowing the MRI to be scheduled.
• An OAG advocate recovered $4,287 in premiums that a consumer paid for a fake health plan that did not provide adequate coverage. After the consumer discovered the plan was fraudulent and was unable to cancel it herself, OAG intervened to secure a full refund.
• A consumer was saddled with a $79,721 surprise bill after her insurance company suddenly stopped paying for her son’s mental health treatment and sought reimbursement for prior payments. The OAG intervened to remind the insurer of its legal obligations and existing settlements with OAG, ultimately forcing the plan to repay the denied claims, plus interest.

New Yorkers can contact the Health Care Helpline through the online complaint form to report and resolve health care complaints ranging from simple billing errors to complex deceptive business practices. Consumers can also call 1-800-428-9071 to file a complaint. Any consumer who believes that they may have been treated unfairly by a health care provider, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), insurance plan, or other health-related business should contact the helpline for assistance. Helpline advocates also work to ensure that any negative impacts from improper medical billing or insurance claims are removed from credit reports.

Governor Hochul Addresses Collision Accident at LaGuardia Airport

Governor Hochul: “ I want to acknowledge the tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport late last night, a collision with an Air Canada jet and a Port Authority firetruck. First of all, my heart goes out to the families of the two pilots, Canadian pilots — certainly a very tragic outcome — and also the dozens of individuals who were injured, some seriously, some have already been discharged in the hospital.”

Hochul: “I spoke with a number of people, including Kathryn Garcia, the relatively new executive director of the Port Authority, who's been doing all the media briefings… We're working in close contact with them. I've left a message for Secretary Duffy that we're willing to be of assistance in any way possible. I know he's scheduled to be there and certainly we're hoping they'd be able to get air traffic back on schedule starting at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon.”

 Let me start with this. I want to acknowledge the tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport late last night, a collision with an Air Canada jet and a Port Authority firetruck. First of all, my heart goes out to the families of the two pilots, Canadian pilots — certainly a very tragic outcome — and also the dozens of individuals who were injured, some seriously, some have already been discharged in the hospital.

I've been fully briefed on the incident and the investigation. I spoke with a number of people, including Kathryn Garcia, the relatively new executive director of the Port Authority, who's been doing all the media briefings. And those of you who know Albany know Kathryn Garcia is the best of the best, and so I have confidence in her helping work with the investigations out of the federal government. We're working in close contact with them. I've left a message for Secretary Duffy that we're willing to be of assistance in any way possible. I know he's scheduled to be there and certainly we're hoping they'd be able to get air traffic back on schedule starting at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon. So I just wanted to put that out there.

 

HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr.'s Annual Easter Egg Hunt

 

Friends & Neighbors, 

 

Spring has sprung and it’s time to get out those Easter baskets, fancy hats, and pastel colors. It’s time for our annual Pelham Parkway Easter Egg Hunt!

 

This year, we’re thrilled to bring you an afternoon filled with music, games, face painter, popcorn, and of course, lots of Easter eggs. Here are the details: 

 

WHEN: Saturday, March 28, 2026 THIS SATURDAY

WHERE: Pelham Parkway Greenway (across from Peace Plaza)

TIME: 11:00AM - 2:00PM

 

Events like these are what makes our community so special. Come out, enjoy the afternoon, and spend time with old and new friends. 

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone then! 

 

In Gratitude, 

John Zaccaro, Jr.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - JOIN US: EmpowerHer Career Fair

 

DEC ANNOUNCES RECORD-BREAKING 2025 BEAR HARVEST ESTIMATES

Southern Zone Harvest is Highest Recorded Since DEC Began Monitoring in 1955

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced that hunters harvested an estimated 1,759 black bears during the 2025-26 hunting seasons. According to DEC’s tracking of the annual bear harvest since 1955, the 2025 statewide bear harvest was second only to the 2003 season and Southern Zone estimates set a new harvest record. 

"The recovery and growth of New York’s bear population is testament to DEC’s vigilant wildlife management efforts,” said Commissioner Lefton. “New York’s big game management plans help maintain populations at levels that are acceptable for local communities and provide sustainable hunting opportunities.” 

Statewide, hunters harvested approximately 4% more bears than the 2024 season and 18% above the 10-year average. The Southern Zone take included an estimated 1,202 bears taken, including the 10 heaviest bears recorded for the year. The Northern Zone harvest estimate of 557 bears was slightly lower than 2024, but still above the 10-year average. 

The record-setting bear season in the Southern Zone is the culmination of a long-term pattern DEC documented in New York’s bear populations. In the 1950s, bears only occupied the most remote and mountainous regions of New York, such as the Adirondack, Catskill, and Allegheny mountains. Over the past 70 years, bears gradually expanded their range in the State, and DEC began opening new areas for bear hunting. 

Bears now occupy most areas of the state except Long Island and New York City, and all areas of the state are open to bear hunting except Long Island and areas closed to big game hunting. The expansion of bear range was particularly notable in the Southern Zone. The Southern Zone bear harvest exceeded the Northern Zone for the first time in 1998 and accounted for most of New York’s bear harvest for the past 20 years. 

While bear populations and hunting opportunities increased in the Southern Zone, the Northern Zone remains a traditional destination for many New York bear hunters. Northern Zone bears typically grow slower in the wilderness ecosystems of the Adirondacks but tend to survive to older ages than their Southern Zone counterparts. All but one of the oldest bears on DEC record were taken in the Northern Zone. 

Notable Numbers from the 2025 Bear Season: 

• 74: The number of Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), out of 88 open to bear hunting, with reported 2025 bear harvests.
• 562 pounds: The dressed weight of the heaviest 2025 reported bear, harvested in the town of Olive, Ulster County, WMU 3C.
• 668: The number of harvested bears from which DEC received pre-molar teeth to determine the bear’s age in 2025.
• 26 years: The age of the oldest bear harvested in 2024 (the most recent year for which age data are available). The bear was harvested in the town Mooers, Clinton County, WMU 5A.
• 21: Bears harvested per 100 square miles in WMU 3C, the highest harvest density of any WMU for the 2025 seasons. 

Black bear harvest data are gathered from two main sources: harvest reports required of all successful bear hunters, and the physical examination of bears by DEC staff, cooperating taxidermists, and meat processors. Harvest estimates are made by cross-referencing these two data sources and determining the rate at which hunters report their bear harvests in each zone. In fall 2026, DEC will send a commemorative 2025 Black Bear Management Cooperator Patch and a letter confirming each bear’s age to all hunters who reported their bear harvest and submitted a tooth for age analysis. 

DEC’s 2025 Bear Harvest Summary report provides tables, figures, and maps detailing the bear harvest around the state. Past harvest summaries are also available on DEC’s website. DEC’s  Black Bear Management Plan (PDF) provides information on how DEC determines black bear population objectives throughout the state.

Wave Hill Weekly Events (Mar 26 – Apr 2) | Worlds of Artistry Await at Wave Hill!

Nature, technology, and uncovering stories untold are inspiring artists in the garden this season of Winter Workspace. Walk through Glyndor and transport into different worlds through the studios, allowing the art to express the different narratives being told by these artists. Visit the gardens and blossom your own inspiration through the tall trees and tiny corners of the grounds.  

  

Nature & Wellness 

 

Garden Highlights Walk 

Sun, Mar 29, 1:00PM – 1:30PM    

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.    

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide; each walk varies with the Guide leading it.  

 

Art 

 

Winter Workspace Drop-In Sunday 

Sun, Mar 29, 1:00PM  –  3:00PM    

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.    

The Winter Workspace Drop-In Sunday series provides an opportunity for Wave Hill visitors to deepen their connection with both the arts and their experience of the garden by learning how artists are drawing inspiration from our site. During this event, visitors can mingle with participating Workspace Artists in their studios, ask questions, and learn about their creative practice. 

 

Atom Moore: Second Nature 

March 24  –  July 12 | All Day    

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.    

Still life and product photographer Atom Moore has built a career in macro photography, taking extreme close-ups of small subjects to capture the minute details that are typically missed by the unaided eye. Through this project of closely observing the garden with his camera, discover how Moore captures evidence of nature’s deep design and constant transformation.  

 

Family 

 

Family Art Project: Wear a Garden 

Sat, Mar 28, 10:00AM – 1:00PM   

Sun, Mar 29, 10:00AM – 1:00PM   

Free with admission to the grounds     

Registration not required.    

What is pollination all about? Why is it so important for our gardens? Let’s make a hat inspired by early spring flowers to help us learn about the wonders of pollination.  

  

HOURS STARTING MARCH 15: 10AM–4:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday  

Shuttle Service free from Subway and Metro-North, Saturday–Sunday 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.