District of Massachusetts

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Inc. (Dana-Farber) has agreed to pay $15,000,000 to resolve allegations that, between 2014 and 2024, it violated the False Claims Act by making materially false statements and certifications related to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants.

Dana-Farber is a cancer treatment and research center headquartered in Boston, with locations across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Dana-Farber receives research grant funding from federal government agencies, including NIH.

“NIH has limited resources to support important research being conducted at institutions across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice will pursue grantees that undermine the integrity of federal funding decisions by failing to use research funds appropriately or by failing to abide by grant awards’ terms and conditions.”

“There is no place in scientific research, particularly cancer research, for fraud, waste and abuse, and my office will continue to investigate institutions, no matter how prestigious, to ensure that research data is not tainted and that taxpayer funds are used appropriately,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “Patients, and the medical community, rely on the important research conducted by institutions like Dana-Farber. It is critical, to say the least, that all research findings are accurately reported,”

“The alleged falsification of research data and improper use of federal funds represents a serious breach of public trust and threatens the rigorous standards that uphold the credibility of the scientific process,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Individuals who violate federal grant-making rules not only risk legal consequences but also compromise the stewardship of taxpayer resources. HHS-OIG remains firmly committed to ensuring accountability and safeguarding the integrity of Department programs.”

As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber admitted that its researchers used funds from six NIH grants to conduct research that resulted in 14 publications in scientific journals containing misrepresented and/or duplicated images and data.  The publications reused images to represent different experimental conditions; duplicated images to represent different testing conditions, mice, and/or timepoints; or rotated, magnified, or stretched images.  Further, Dana-Farber admitted that a supervising researcher failed to exercise sufficient oversight over these researchers, and that Dana-Farber spent funds from those six NIH grants that were unallowable.  As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber also admitted that another researcher received four NIH grants after submitting grant applications that discussed a journal article authored by the researcher but did not disclose that certain images and data in that article were misrepresented and/or duplicated.  The United States contends that Dana-Farber caused the submission of false claims to NIH by falsely certifying compliance with grant terms and conditions, spending grant funds on unallowable expenses, and obtaining grants through false and misleading statements.

Dana-Farber cooperated with the government in this matter and received credit under the Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases.  Among other actions, Dana-Farber summarized voluminous materials relevant to the government’s investigation, voluntarily disclosed additional allegations of research misconduct relevant to the government’s investigation, voluntarily produced materials without a subpoena, sought to resolve this matter expeditiously, accepted responsibility for its conduct, and implemented remedial measures.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act by Sholto David.  Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. David will receive $2,625,000 under today’s settlement.  The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Sholto David v. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., No. 2:24-cv-11059-WGY (D. Mass.).

The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.

The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud.  One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act.  Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

The matter was handled by Trial Attorney Megan Engel of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Benjamin and Brian LaMacchia for the District of Massachusetts.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

BOSTON – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc. (Dana-Farber) has agreed to pay $15 million to resolve allegations that, between 2014 and 2024, it made materially false statements and certifications related to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research grants. Specifically, Dana-Farber admitted that its researchers mispresented data and images that resulted in misinformation about research being published in 14 scientific journal articles.

As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber admitted that publications reused images to represent different experimental conditions; duplicated images to represent different testing conditions, mice, and/or timepoints; or rotated, magnified, or stretched images. Further, Dana-Farber admitted that a supervising researcher failed to exercise sufficient oversight over the researchers responsible for these publications, and that Dana-Farber spent funds from six NIH grants for these publications that were unallowable. As part of the settlement, Dana-Farber also admitted that another researcher received four NIH grants after submitting grant applications that discussed a journal article authored by the researcher, but did not disclose that certain images and data in that article were misrepresented and/or duplicated. The United States contends that Dana-Farber caused the submission of false claims to NIH by falsely certifying compliance with grant terms and conditions, spending grants funds on unallowable expenses, and obtaining grants through false and misleading statements.

“There is no place in scientific research, particularly cancer research, for fraud, waste and abuse, and my office will continue to investigate institutions, no matter how prestigious, to ensure that research data is not tainted and that taxpayer funds are used appropriately. Patients, and the medical community, rely on the important research conducted by institutions like Dana-Farber. It is critical, to say the least, that all research findings are accurately reported,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley.

“NIH has limited resources to support important research being conducted at institutions across the country,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Department of Justice will pursue grantees that undermine the integrity of federal funding decisions by failing to use research funds appropriately or by failing to abide by grant awards’ terms and conditions.”  

“The alleged falsification of research data and improper use of federal funds represents a serious breach of public trust and threatens the rigorous standards that uphold the credibility of the scientific process,” said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Individuals who violate federal grant-making rules not only risk legal consequences but also compromise the stewardship of taxpayer resources. HHS-OIG remains firmly committed to ensuring accountability and safeguarding the integrity of Department programs.”

Dana-Farber is a cancer treatment and research center headquartered in Boston, with locations across Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Dana-Farber receives research grant funding from federal government agencies, including NIH. Dana-Farber cooperated with the government in this matter and received credit under the Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The relator will receive $2,625,000 under today’s settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Sholto David v. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., No. 2:24-cv-11059-WGY (D. Mass.).  

U.S. Attorney Foley; AAG Shumate; and AIG Globerman made the announcement today.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Benjamin and Brian LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Litigation Unit, handled the matter, along with Trial Attorney Megan Engel of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch (Fraud Section).  

BOSTON – PenRad Technologies, Inc. (PenRad), a software company headquartered in Raleigh, N.C., has agreed to pay $529,069 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing health care providers to bill Medicare and MassHealth for medically unnecessary breast cancer screenings.

PenRad’s software allowed health care providers to use the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator to assess patients’ breast cancer risk. The Tyrer-Cusick model is a publicly available risk-assessment tool that health care providers use to calculate patients’ risk of developing breast cancer and to make treatment decisions. The risk calculator, which was developed by researchers unaffiliated with PenRad, allows a user the option of either calculating a patient’s risk score by enabling or disabling “competing mortality.”  If enabled, competing mortality considers the risk that the patient will die from something other than breast cancer. The Tyrer-Cusick documentation recommended that, in a clinical setting, competing mortality be enabled.

At the time it released its Series 7 software, PenRad was aware that the Tyrer-Cusick documentation recommended enabling competing mortality in clinical settings, and internally, PenRad recommended to employees the enabling of competing mortality. However, if PenRad customers upgraded to Series 7 in subsequent years and added the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator function, PenRad sometimes installed the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator with competing mortality disabled for that customer and did not consistently communicate to its customers when enabling the Tyrer-Cusick risk calculator that competing mortality should be enabled. At least one PenRad customer unknowingly using the calculator with competing mortality disabled led to some patients receiving elevated risk scores, which caused those patients to receive medically unnecessary Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRIs).  Healthcare providers billed some of those medically unnecessary MRIs to Medicare and MassHealth.  

As part of the settlement, PenRad admitted, acknowledged, and accepted responsibility for the facts supporting the settlement. The settlement credits PenRad for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.

The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The relator will receive a portion of today’s settlement. The qui tam case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Community Health Programs, Inc. v. PenRad Technologies, Inc., No. 22-cv-10680-MGM (D. Mass.).  

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, handled the matter, along with Assistant Attorney General Scott Grannemann, Medicaid Fraud Division at the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General.

BOSTON – Kokusai Denki Electric America, Inc., formerly known as Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark, LLC (Comark), a company headquartered in Southwick, Mass., has agreed to pay $2,092,371 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by obtaining a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was not eligible.

Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administered the PPP in two rounds – the second began in early 2021. To be eligible for a second-round loan, an entity, among other things, had to have fewer than 300 employees, including affiliates’ employees.

As part of the settlement, Comark admitted that, in January 2021, it received a $1,342,232 second round PPP loan. Comark certified that it was eligible for the loan under the PPP regulations in effect at the time of the application and represented that it had 67 employees, including affiliates’ employees. Comark later sought and received forgiveness from SBA of the full amount of that loan. When it applied for the loan and when it applied for forgiveness, Comark did not qualify for the loan because it had more than 300 employees, when considering employees of its affiliates. Prior to 2021 and through 2022, Comark was a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Kokusai Electric Inc., a company based in Tokyo. Between 2021 and through 2022, Kokusai had more than 300 employees, not including Comark’s employees.  

The settlement credits Comark for cooperation under the Department of Justice’s Guidelines for Taking Voluntary Disclosure, Cooperation and Remediation into Account in False Claims Act Matters.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. LaMacchia, Chief of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.

BOSTON – A Southbridge man pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, including possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a machinegun. 

Miguel Lopez, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2026. Lopez was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.

From in or about April 2023 through in or about April 2024, Lopez conspired with others to distribute cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts. On at least four different occasions during that period, Lopez was observed collecting packages suspected of containing controlled substances. On or about Jan. 29, 2024, a package addressed to Lopez was seized and found one kilogram of cocaine hidden inside. During an April 2024 search of Lopez’s residence, approximately two kilograms of cocaine was found hidden inside a package that had been delivered earlier that day. A Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device attached to the back along with ammunition, a 30-round magazine and a 50-round drum magazine were also found at Lopez’s residence.

The charge of conspiring to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession with the intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The unlawful possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

BOSTON – A New York real estate developer and investor has been charged in connection with a scheme to defraud pandemic relief programs in 2020 and 2021.

David Ebrahimzadeh, 45, of New York City, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on one count of bank fraud, two counts of wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of wire fraud and two counts of procuring a false tax return. The defendant was arrested and will make his initial appearance in federal court in Massachusetts later today.  

According to the charging documents, Ebrahimzadeh operated Corniche Capital, LLC as a holding company for various limited liability companies that he used to buy and sell commercial real estate and to lease out properties to commercial tenants. Under Small Business Administration rules, such businesses were allegedly ineligible for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, as well as for loans funded by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston as part of the Main Street Lending Program.

Soon after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ebrahimzadeh allegedly applied for and received loans through each of these programs. It is alleged that Ebrahimzadeh’s loan applications were riddled with false and fraudulent information, including false revenue and payroll figures. Ebrahimzadeh also allegedly provided false financial information about his debts and liabilities to lenders and applied for pandemic relief loans for a number of companies that had been dissolved years before the pandemic. It is further alleged that Ebrahimzadeh illegally spent loan proceeds on luxury items, on personal and business debt and a personal home on Long Island.  It is further alleged that, having succeeded in buying a personal home, he and a family member obtained another pandemic relief loan to buy a second Long Island home.

In 2021, it is alleged that Ebrahimzadeh also fraudulently applied for forgiveness of a PPP loan by falsely claiming that he had paid employees in 2020. As part of that alleged fraud, Ebrahimzadeh filed tax returns that falsely claimed expense deductions in 2019 and about $600,000 in wage expenses in 2020.

In total, Ebrahimzadeh allegedly obtained approximately $8.5 million in loans he was not entitled to.

The charges of bank fraud and wire fraud affecting a financial institution each provide for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of procuring a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Brian Tucker, Special Agent in Charge, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil and Elianna Nuzum of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – A Quincy man has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to allegedly injecting clients of his business, Rodrigo Beauty Inc., with unapproved botulinum toxin obtained from illegitimate sources outside the United States, resulting in numerous severe cases of botulism.

Rodrigo de Medeiros Siqueira, 33, was charged and agreed to plead guilty to one count of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Medeiros Siqueira was arrested and charged by complaint in October 2025.

According to the charging documents, beginning in or around August 2022, Medeiros Siqueira offered various cosmetic injection procedures, including the injection of botulinum toxin prescription drugs, to clients of Rodrigo Beauty, despite not being licensed to prescribe, dispense, or administer prescription drugs or perform injections. It is alleged that Medeiros Siqueira falsely represented to clients that he was a licensed medical professional authorized to perform injections and made false statements to clients regarding the identity and source of the botulinum toxin products he was using for their injection procedures. Beginning in or around late May 2025, numerous Rodrigo Beauty clients were diagnosed with botulism, allegedly as a result of injections Medeiros Siqueira performed using unapproved botulinum toxin.

Botulism is a rare and dangerous illness that can result from, among other things, the injection of botulinum toxin. Iatrogenic botulism is caused by botulinum toxin circulating in the blood and spreading beyond the injection site, potentially resulting in life-threatening symptoms, including blurred or double vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, and/or difficulty swallowing or breathing. While botulinum toxin is generally safe when administered by trained medical professionals, improper dosing, administration technique, or use of non-FDA-approved products can result in severe cases of botulism.

The charge of misbranding of a drug after shipment in interstate commerce with the intent to defraud or mislead provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

If you or a family member believe you received services involving illegal injections and/or unapproved drugs or devices from Medeiros Siqueira or Rodrigo Beauty, please complete the questionnaire located on the FDA’s website at: https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/criminal-investigations/oci-vw-assistance-rodrigo-beauty. Information about the status of the case is located on the U.S. Attorney’s Office website: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/united-states-v-rodrigo-de-medeiros-siqueira.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie A. Wright of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The former Chief Executive Officer and Senior Vice President of Mozaic Payment System, Inc. have been charged with defrauding a Boston-based investment firm out of $20 million in equity funding.

Marcus Cobb, 48, and Rachel Knepp, 39, both of Nashville, Tenn., have been charged with wire fraud conspiracy. Cobb was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston on Nov. 20, 2025 and was arrested on Dec. 8, 2025 in Chicago. He will appear in federal court in Boston on Jan. 8, 2026. Knepp was previously charged by an Information and, on Nov. 19, 2025, pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 19, 2026.

According to the charging documents, Mozaic Payment System was a technology company that purported to have an application that processed royalty payments for performers, recording labels and music distributors. Mozaic’s application did not work, however, and generated no revenue. Nevertheless, in the late spring of 2023, Cobb and Knepp allegedly engaged a Boston-based private equity firm to fund the business, which they represented to be growing and profitable. During due diligence by the Boston firm, Cobb and Knepp allegedly fabricated Mozaic bank and financial statements that falsely showed growing revenue and increasing cash on hand. It is alleged that based on these false representations, Cobb and Knepp obtained $20 million in funding from the investment firm in September 2023. Thereafter, to lull the investor, it is alleged that Cobb and Knepp regularly provided additional false financial documents that showed increasing revenue, when, in fact, Mozaic was burning through its cash. By February 2025, the investor discovered the alleged fraud and Mozaic collapsed.

The charge of wire fraud conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the monetary gain or loss, whichever is more, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kriss Basil and Elianna Nuzum of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – A New York doctor has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for receiving kickbacks in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.

Dr. Kenneth Fishberger, 76, of East Setauket, N.Y. was sentenced on Dec. 9, 2025 by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to two years of supervised release, one year of which will be served in home confinement with location monitoring. He also was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000, forfeiture in the amount of $48,000 and restitution of $342,876. In November 2024, Fishberger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud.

Fishberger, an internist in Long Island, N.Y., was a licensed medical doctor in the State of New York for approximately 47 years. From approximately June 2013 through December 2019, Fishberger conspired with others, including a principal for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, to order hundreds of medically unnecessary TCD scans in exchange for kickbacks. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain. Fishberger and his alleged co-conspirators used false diagnoses to order the unnecessary brain scans, for which a co-conspirator would submit claims to Medicare and other insurance companies, including private insurance companies, on behalf of the medical diagnostic company for payment. In exchange, Fishberger was paid cash kickbacks of approximately $100 per test. The scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $891,978 to Medicare and private insurance companies.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Kelly M.  Lawson, Acting Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Queenin, Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Lawrence has been sentenced in federal court in Boston on drug distribution charges.

Hector Santana Guzman, a/k/a “DJ Black,” 34, was sentenced on Dec. 10, 2025 by United States District Judge Patti B. Saris to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In September 2025, Santana Guzman pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of and possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl.

During an investigation of the transnational criminal organization 18th Street Gang, Santana Guzman met with a cooperating witness on two dates in June 2024 to sell fentanyl. On June 6, 2024, Santana Guzman sold approximately 50 grams of powder fentanyl to a cooperating witness. Later, on June 25, 2024, Santana Guzman again sold approximately 70 grams of powder fentanyl.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations; Suffolk County and Middlesex County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Boston, Chelsea, Everett, Falmouth, Lynn, Medford, Nantucket and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

BOSTON – Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged fentanyl distribution conspiracy, following a series of controlled purchases in Brookline and Boston.

Shaquylle Burden, 31, of Roslindale, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Burden was arrested this morning and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for Dec. 17, 2025. Co-defendant, Kerry Charlotin, a/k/a “KG,” 36, of Rockland, was also arrested this morning in South Carolina. Charlotin was ordered detained and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Charlotin is currently on federal supervised release for a 2020 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

According to the charging documents, in June 2025, law enforcement began an investigation into the alleged drug trafficking activities conducted by Burden and Charlotin. The investigation allegedly revealed that the defendants were actively selling fentanyl in the greater Boston area. On two separate dates in October and December 2025, Burden and Charlotin allegedly sold or arranged the sale of fentanyl to undercover law enforcement during controlled purchases. It is further alleged that one firearm was found in Burden’s Roslindale residence at the time of his arrest.

The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Columbia Field Office in South Carolina.  Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

   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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – A former science teacher at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston pleaded guilty today to coercing or enticing at least one underage female to engage in sexual conversations online and requesting she produce and send child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of herself. Defendant, who also previously worked at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and the Brookline Public Schools, possessed CSAM depicting rape of both female and male minors, ranging in age from approximately five to 17 years old.

John Magee Gavin, 35, of Brookline, pleaded guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor; one count of receipt of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for March 12, 2026. Gavin was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025, and remains in federal custody.

According to court filings, Gavin is a former teacher at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston. Prior to that, he was a 6th grade teacher at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and was a paraprofessional with the Brookline Public Schools.

In January 2025, Gavin was identified as the owner of a Discord account who messaged at least 20 underage females between the ages of 12 and 17 years old located throughout the country, including Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, as well as the United Kingdom and Canada. In these chats, Gavin disclosed that he was a teacher, engaged in sexual conversations and often asked the minors to send him pictures of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct – knowing that the children were underaged. He was arrested by local authorities in February 2025 and charged in Brookline District Court with enticing a child under 16, possession of child pornography and other offenses.

A forensic review of evidence seized from Gavin’s Brookline residence revealed approximately 147 files (94 images and 53 videos) on his iPhone depicting CSAM. The CSAM depicted rape of both female and male minors, ranging in age from approximately five to 17 years old.

Further analysis of Gavin’s Discord account identified numerous chats with underage females in which he engaged in online masturbation sessions with the minors; solicitated images from and exchanged images with the minors; and engaged in sexualized conversations with the minors while he was at school.

The chats also included conversations in which Gavin expressed his sexual interest in certain students at Josiah Quincy. In one conversation, Gavin discussed his sexual interest in a freshman student at the school where he was employed as a teacher and fantasied about having sex with her.

All victims involved in this matter have been identified and their families have been contacted by law enforcement.

The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookline Police Department; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations; and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

BOSTON – A Filipino national living in Baltimore, Md., pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to sexually exploiting and conspiring to sex traffic minor children.

Christopher Allan Tisoy, 27, a Filipino national residing in Baltimore, Md., pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children (and attempt and conspiracy) and one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for May 6, 2026.

Tisoy was arrested and charged in May 2025 along with Joshua DeWitte, a former local music teacher. The two were subsequently charged by an Information and indictment, respectively, in October 2025. Both defendants remain in federal custody.

According to the charging documents, at the time of the alleged conduct, DeWitte was a music teacher at a local school in Massachusetts. Tisoy, a citizen of the Philippines who lawfully entered the United States in September 2024 on a H-1B Visa, was employed as a medical technologist at the Sinai Hospital of Baltimore.

In December 2024, DeWitte was allegedly identified as the owner of a Snapchat account that uploaded child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the abuse of a boy who appears to be between approximately eight and 10 years old. Snapchat records showed that, in September 2024, DeWitte allegedly requested nude pictures from multiple purported minors; sent pictures of his genitals to the purported minors; and discussed previous and potential in-person meetups for sexual relations with minors. Additionally, it is further alleged that DeWitte paid, and offered to pay, another Snapchat user to obtain and produce child pornography and to recruit minor boys for himself.

Based on that information, DeWitte was arrested and charged in Cambridge District Court with six counts of disseminating obscene material to a child, one count of distribution of material depicting a child in a sexual act and one count of possession of child pornography. He was later released on conditions.

According to the charging documents, a Telegram conversation between DeWitte and Tisoy was located on DeWitte’s phone, in which they arranged for the production of videos depicting the sexual exploitation of minor boys in the Philippines. Specifically, it is alleged that in the conversations, DeWitte and Tisoy negotiated the terms of creating sexually explicit videos involving minors, including which minors should be involved; which sex acts the minors should perform; who should film, including whether a third party or one of the minors themselves should film; what angles should be filmed; and how much DeWitte should pay Tisoy for each video. The negotiation allegedly incorporated the sexual preferences of both DeWitte and Tisoy, with both agreeing on what they would each find sexually gratifying. Tisoy then relayed instructions to the minor victims to create a video.

DeWitte allegedly paid Tisoy for each video Tisoy produced and sent. Between July 3, 2023 and Dec. 27, 2024, DeWitte allegedly sent 87 PayPal payments to Tisoy, in amounts ranging from $27 to $958, to film the sexual exploitation of minors in the Philippines – totaling approximately $23,752. 

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].

The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cambridge Police Department; HSI-Baltimore; the Maryland Department of State Police; and the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra Gonzalez Sanchez and Anne Paruti of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Fall River woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her role in a sex trafficking conspiracy.

Cory Primo, 43, of Fall River, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Angel Kelley to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Primo was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution to the three victims in this matter. In August 2025, Primo pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.  She was among six individuals charged in July 2024.

From in and around April 2023 until August 2023, Primo conspired with others to traffic a Massachusetts adult woman and two minors. Primo indicated that she started helping her co-defendant sell the victims because she was “broke.” Primo sent pictures of the victims to sex buyers, communicated with sex buyers to schedule commercial sex acts and negotiated prices.  Primo joked about her role in the conspiracy, referring to it as like “playing a game of Tetris.” She also encouraged another co-defendant to be violent toward the victims and expressed indifference to what the victims had to endure, as long as they continued to make money.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Somerset Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – An Everett man pleaded guilty today to trafficking more than half a dozen firearms, including AM-15 rifles.

Joao Victor Da Silva Soares, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license and one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for April 1, 2026. Da Silva Soares was charged by criminal complaint in January 2025 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025.

Between August and September 2024, Da Silva Soares supplied firearms for sale in Eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, on Aug. 26, 2024, Da Silva Soares delivered two AM-15 rifles and sold them for $6,000 in a parking lot in Malden. On Sept. 11, 2024, Da Silva Soares participated in another sale involving a total of five firearms (consisting of rifles, pistols and a shotgun) outside a residence in Milford.

The charges of conspiracy and engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Malden and Milford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Dorchester man pleaded guilty yesterday to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

Robert Campbell, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Jan. 13, 2027. Campbell was charged in January 2025 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025.

On Jan. 28, 2025, in Dorchester, Campbell possessed a Glock 32, .357 caliber handgun, 14 rounds of .357 caliber ammunition, 40 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and 75 rounds of 9mm ammunition, after having been convicted of a felony.

The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Grady and Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Canton, Mass., man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to defraud Medicare of over $4 million by submitting claims for durable medical equipment (DME) that was medically unnecessary, not wanted by the Medicare beneficiaries and tainted by kickbacks.

Krishna Gidwani, 55, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 30 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gidwani was also ordered to pay more than $3 million in restitution to Medicare. In August 2025, Gidwani pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. 

Gidwani worked with Raju Sharma, and other co-conspirators, to own and operate a DME company that paid telemarketing companies for DME orders for orthotics such as ankle, wrist, knee and back braces. Often, the Medicare beneficiaries did not need or want the braces the defendants shipped them and as further alleged, the doctors whose signatures appeared on these DME orders often did not treat these beneficiaries and did not prescribe the DME.

This case is part of the Department of Justice’s 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown – a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and illegal drug diversion schemes that involved the submission of over $14.6 billion in intended loss and over 15 million pills of illegally diverted controlled substances. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets. The United States has seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles and other assets in connection with the takedown.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Sarah B. Hoefle of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Brockton woman has been arrested and charged with stealing a nearly $1 million United States Treasury tax refund check.

Lana Ruel, 70, was charged with one count of theft of government funds. Ruel was arrested today and released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.

According to the charging documents, Ruel attempted to deposit a United States Treasury tax refund check issued to a healthcare company in Brooklyn. Prior to the attempted deposit, Ruel allegedly incorporated a company in Massachusetts in the same name as Company A and then opened a bank account in the name of the victim company. After the attempted deposit, the bank froze Ruel’s account. Ruel then allegedly called the bank and said that she could “explain what the check was, where it came from, and what it’s for…”

It is further alleged that, over the past two years, Ruel created four additional companies in Massachusetts that do not appear to have a legitimate business purpose. With respect to one of those companies, Ruel allegedly opened an account at each of approximately eight different banks. Ruel also allegedly received wire transfers in some of the accounts and then wired the funds to different accounts or made cash withdrawals. The banks have closed all these accounts.

The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Saltzman of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. 

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law. 

BOSTON – A Boston man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly sex trafficking three victims, including a minor, between New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

Orland Reyes, a/k/a “Snow,” 33, was charged with one count of attempted sex trafficking of a child; one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in prostitution; one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution; two counts of transporting an individual with intent to engage in prostitution; and two counts of coercion and enticement of an individual to engage in prostitution. The defendant was arrested in Puerto Rico on Aug. 20, 2025. Reyes made his initial appearance in Massachusetts on Dec. 9, 2025 and was ordered detained pending a hearing scheduled for Dec. 18, 2025 in federal court in Worcester.

It is alleged that Reyes was the sole occupant in a vehicle that was stopped by law enforcement and that he had outstanding arrest warrants. A subsequent search of Reyes’ three cellphones allegedly revealed numerous communications detailing his sex trafficking operation.

According to the charging documents, beginning as early as June 2023, Reyes coerced and enticed women from New Hampshire to travel to Massachusetts to engage in prostitution at his direction. It is alleged that one victim was a 17-year-old minor at the time. It is further alleged that Reyes encouraged another victim to take Percocet to “help her feel better,” about engaging in prostitution at his direction and, eventually, the victim became drug dependent as a result. Reyes also allegedly transported an 18-year-old victim and her infant to his apartment in Boston and, when the victim refused to engage in prostitution at his direction, he kicked her and her infant out of his apartment.  

The charges of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, transportation of a minor with intent to engage in prostitution and coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of transporting an individual with intent to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of coercion and enticement of an individual to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and Brian A. Fogerty of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – A South Carolina businessman has been charged today in federal court in Worcester with COVID relief fraud.

David Breen, 54, of Mount Pleasant, S.C., was charged by an Information with one count of theft of government property, for allegedly misappropriating COVID-19 funds for personal use.

According to court filings, Breen allegedly spent more than $1.2 million in Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) money that he obtained from the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) to build a home and purchase motor vehicles. Through the EIDL program, the SBA provided loans to small businesses that suffered substantial economic injury due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Specifically, it is alleged that in March 2022, Breen applied for EIDL funds on behalf of ‘Fun Zone,’ an entity through which he operated ‘Pinz,’ a bowling alley and other entertainment venue in Milford, Mass. To obtain the loan, Breen allegedly entered into a loan agreement with the SBA in which he agreed, among other things, to use the loan proceeds as working capital for his business. After receiving approximately $1.5 million from the SBA, Breen allegedly used more than $1.2 million of this money, through June 2023, to build a home for himself in Mount Pleasant, S.C., to purchase a $111,000 truck and for a downpayment on a $98,289 Mercedes.

The charge of theft of government property carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Massachusetts Inspector General Jeffrey S. Shapiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Region. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit  https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via theNCDF Web Complaint Form.
        
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

 

BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty yesterday to benefitting financially from trafficking two women for sex and knowingly persuading and coercing both women to travel to another state to engage in prostitution.

Anthony Coleman, 36, pleaded guilty to two counts of benefitting financially from trafficking and one count of knowingly persuading and coercing a person to travel to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2026. Coleman was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2024. He remains in federal custody.

Coleman targeted victims who had lost their jobs or homes during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns in March through August of 2020. Coleman had his victims move with him into a house in Lawrence, posted or controlled online commercial sex advertisements for them, provided them scripts to negotiate payment and terms with commercial sex buyers and transported his victims to hotels and other places to engage in commercial sex – requiring them to give him all the money they made. Coleman also regularly coerced and forced his victims to have sex with him.

Specifically, in March 2020, Coleman recruited one victim who had lost her job due to the pandemic. The victim would sometimes serve up to 10-16 clients per day, with Coleman taking all the profits. Coleman also took the victim to Florida on multiple occasions and had her engage in commercial sex in Florida. Coleman also physically abused the victim – one time holding the victim underwater and threatening to drown her.

Around March and April 2020, Coleman recruited a second victim, convincing her to come live with him after she was kicked out of her home by a relative following their disagreements around COVID-19 safety practices. The victim was unable to get a job because many businesses were closed due to COVID-19. The victim began engaging in commercial sex for Coleman and in May 2020, Coleman persuaded the victim to travel to California to engage in commercial sex. When she wanted to leave Coleman threatened the victim – telling her that if she left, he would hurt her mother and her sibling.

The charges of benefitting financially from trafficking provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of knowingly persuading and coercing a person to travel to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Revere and Cambridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Brookline man has been arrested and charged for allegedly attempting to coerce and entice the transfer of obscene material to a minor.

William Kahn, 28, was charged with attempted coercion and enticement and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Following an initial appearance in federal court yesterday, Kahn was detained pending a detention hearing on Dec. 17, 2025.

According to the charging document, between June 2025 and August 2025, Kahn engaged in online conversations with an undercover agent purporting to be a 14-year-old girl. It is alleged that Kahn engaged in sexually explicit chat discussions with the purported minor, sent a photograph of adult genitalia and discussed meeting in person with the purported minor.

The charge of attempted coercion and enticement provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuabe assistance was provided by the Brookline, Boston and Arlington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse.  Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – Two previously convicted gang members have been indicted by a federal grand jury on drug and firearm charges. At the time of the alleged offenses, the defendants were on federal supervised release and state probation for prior drug and firearm offenses, respectively.

Stanley Earl Jenkins, a/k/a “Poolside Stixx,” 42, of Boston and Xavier Puello, a/k/a “Bodega,” 22, of Lawrence, were indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendants are currently in state custody and appeared in federal court in Boston today.

According to court documents, Jenkins is a member of the Franklin Hill street gang. At the time of his arrest, Jenkins was on supervised release for a prior federal drug conspiracy conviction. Additionally, in 2013, Jenkins was convicted of two counts of Manslaughter in Suffolk County Superior Court in connection with the shooting deaths of two victims in the Franklin Hill Projects in July 2007. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Puello is alleged in court documents to be a member of the Trinitarios transnational criminal organization, reporting to the Lawrence chapter. At the time of his arrest, Puello was on probation in Lawrence District Court following a two-year jail sentence for unlawfully carrying a loaded firearm and discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building.

According to the charging documents, during a search of a residence in Abbot, Maine in May 2025, Jenkins and Puello were located in a downstairs bedroom with a large amount of cash. Puello also allegedly had a paper with notations identified as a “menu” of prices for different amounts of crack cocaine and fentanyl. It is further alleged that two loaded firearms – a Ruger 9mm pistol and an Anderson Arms 5.56 caliber rifle with a 60-round magazine – as well as a digital scale and numerous tied-off baggies containing cocaine, crack cocaine and ketamine were located above a ceiling tile. Jenkins and Puello were immediately taken into custody.

It is alleged that cell phones seized during the search were found to contain numerous text messages in which Jenkins and Puello discussed drug dealing and arranged sales of fentanyl and cocaine to customers. Phone records indicated that Jenkins was allegedly directing the drug conspiracy from Massachusetts at times when he was away from the Abbot residence.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 280 grams or more of cocaine base and 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, consecutive to the term of imprisonment for the drug trafficking crime, supervised release for up to life and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Piscataquis County (Maine) Sheriff’s Office, Greenville (Maine) Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Office of the Maine Attorney General and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Dorchester man has pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.

Rickey Simmons, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Senior Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for March 6, 2026. Simmons was charged in January 2025 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025.

On Jan. 28, 2025, Simmons possessed a Tisas, Model Zig M1911, .45 caliber firearm, eight rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and nine rounds of .22 caliber ammunition, after having been convicted of a felony.

The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Grady and Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester pleaded guilty on Friday in federal court in Boston to his role in a large-scale fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.

Anderson Ernesto Andujar Echavarria, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; three counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl; one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2026. The defendant was arrested and charged in September 2024 along with three co-conspirators: Waner Bernabel Presinal; Carlos Fabal; and Freddy Artemio Guerrero Soto.

In November 2023, law enforcement identified Andujar as a large-scale drug trafficker distributing various narcotics. Over the course of the investigation, Andujar distributed tens of thousands of press fentanyl tablets as well as powdered fentanyl, cocaine and crystal methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement.

Bernabel was identified as a co-conspirator who worked with Andujar to distribute fentanyl pills and Fabal was identified as a fentanyl pill supplier to Andujar. Fabal was previously convicted in 2007 in federal court in Boston of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, for which he was sentenced to 67 months in prison and five years of supervised release.

At the time of the arrests, 30,000 blue pressed fentanyl pills were seized along with and 500 grams of powder fentanyl from Andujar and Guerrero Soto.

All three of Andujar’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty. Fabal and Bernabel each pleaded guilty in September 2025 and October 2025, respectively, and are scheduled to be sentenced in March 2026. Guerrero Soto pleaded guilty in February 2025 and, in May 2025, was sentenced to 30 months in prison.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least five years up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and Boston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Rockland, Mass. man was sentenced on Dec. 3, 2025 in federal court in Boston for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Lamont Boswell, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 83 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In September 2025, Boswell pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon as well as violating the terms of his supervised release.

On April 2, 2025, while conducting a wellness check on Boswell who appeared to be passed out in the driver’s seat of his parked car, law enforcement found a pistol inside the vehicle. The recovered firearm was a Smith and Wesson semi-automatic handgun, loaded with 13 9mm rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one 9mm round in the chamber.

At the time of the offense, Boswell was under federal supervision after being convicted in 2021 of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, for which he was sentenced to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In that case, Boswell was also found to have illegally possessed a loaded firearms while driving his car.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office and the Scituate Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

BOSTON – A Quincy man pleaded guilty today in connection with the December 2024 armed robbery of a Santander Bank in Weymouth.

Glenn Legere, 46, pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for March 10, 2026. Legere was arrested and charged in June 2025.

At approximately 4:52 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2024, law enforcement was dispatched to a Santander bank branch in Weymouth for a reported bank robbery. There, a bank teller told law enforcement that as employees were preparing to close the bank, a man wearing a sweatshirt, baseball hat, face covering and gloves entered the bank through the main entrance. The suspect approached a teller’s window, removed a black firearm from the front pocket of his sweatshirt, opened a black cloth bag and demanded all the money. As the bank teller handed the suspect money from the cash box, the suspect yelled words to the effect of “I need money,” “I want the money” and “I don’t play.” At various times, the suspect pointed the firearm directly at the teller. The suspect also ran towards other teller windows, gesturing towards the cash box areas and demanding more money, but the teller explained that there was no more money and displayed an empty cash drawer. The suspect then left the bank with approximately $947 in stolen cash.

A subsequent review of surveillance video footage from nearby locations determined that the suspect drove to and from the robbery location in a silver or grey Jeep Grand Cherokee. A vehicle matching the description was captured on cameras in Quincy immediately before and after the robbery. The vehicle was registered to Legere. 
    
Legere has multiple prior convictions for committing armed and unarmed robberies, including a 2011 conviction of armed robbery in Norfolk Superior Court for which he was sentenced to three to five years in state prison, as well as a 2010 conviction for armed and unarmed robbery of banks in Braintree, Hanover, Duxbury and Plymouth for which he was sentenced to three years in state prison.

At the time of Legere’s arrest, a firearm and some of the clothing believed to be used by Legere during the robbery were recovered.

The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Weymouth Police Chief Richard M. Fuller made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police, the National Insurance Crime Bureau and the Wellesley Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier pleaded guilty today to stealing packages containing prescription medications from postal customers on his route.

Michael Vernon, 52, of Somerville, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by a postal officer or employee. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for April 2, 2026. Vernon was arrested and charged in September 2025.

On Jan. 31, 2024, over 1,000 pieces of undelivered mail and 17 bottles of pills prescribed to 10 different postal customers on Vernon’s route were discovered in his personal vehicle. Most of the customers whose medications Vernon stole were elderly. The medications included Gabapentin, Chlorthalidone, Citalopram, Bupropion, Glipizide, Butalbital, Atomoxetine, Escitalopram and Tamsulosin Hydrochloride. These medications are used to treat nerve pain, seizures, diabetes, high blood pressure, enlarged prostate, depression, anxiety and ADHD. The pill bottles were dated as far back as June 2022.
The charge of theft of mail by a postal employee provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Burlington, Mass. man was convicted yesterday following a three-day jury trial of attempting to send obscene material to an undercover agent posing as a 14-year-old girl on Kik messenger.

Stephen James Lemelin, 51, was convicted of three counts of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for March 26, 2026. Lemelin was arrested and charged in May 2024 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024.

Evidence presented at trial established that, over the course of five months, Lemelin – a Burlington High School wrestling coach at the time – sent sexually explicit messages and obscene material over Kik Messenger to an undercover officer posing as a 14-year-old girl. In the messages, Lemelin sent three separate obscene photographs of his genitals to the purported child and proposed meeting in person for sex.

The charges of attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and the Arlington, Boston, Brookline, Burlington, Salisbury and Winchester Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David G. Tobin and Eric L. Hawkins are prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

BOSTON – A Brockton man has been arrested and charged for allegedly trafficking fentanyl from his residence while on GPS home confinement for two pending drug cases in Massachusetts Superior Court. Hundreds of fentanyl pills, a respirator mask, cutting agents and other drug trafficking paraphernalia were allegedly recovered during a search.

Edmund Kelsey, 26, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Kelsey is currently in state custody and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, during a search of Kelsey’s Brockton residence on Oct. 30, 2025, Kelsey fled upon seeing law enforcement, ran inside the residence and locked the door. Kelsey then ran down to the basement, where he allegedly attempted to flush hundreds of grams of multi-colored pills and other material down the toilet. A sample of the pills field-tested positive for a fentanyl/methamphetamine compound. Kelsey was immediately taken into custody.

A respirator mask, two large containers of cutting powder, over 1,000 grams of marijuana, approximately 10 cell phones and over $1,000 in cash were also located inside the residence.

At the time of the search, Kelsey was on home confinement with GPS monitoring as a condition of release on two pending Massachusetts Superior Court drug trafficking cases.  Kelsey was previously sentenced to a total of five years in state prison for multiple Superior Court convictions involving drug dealing and firearms.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brockton Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Washington State man has been arrested and charged with allegedly threatening to murder a Massachusetts minor, distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and distributing videos of animals being crushed.

Joseph Pacheco, 23, of Everett, Wash., was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for knowingly distributing child pornography to a minor; five counts of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce; and possession and distribution of animal crushing videos. The defendant was arrested this morning and will appear in the Western District of Washington this afternoon. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

It is alleged that Pacheco’s communications with a minor victim in Massachusetts and the contents of his social media accounts espoused goals shared by Nihilistic Violent Extremists (NVEs). According to the indictment, NVEs engage in criminal conduct to further the goal of bringing about society’s collapse by sowing chaos and social instability. NVEs frequently use social media to connect with individuals, particularly minors, to desensitize them to violence by breaking down societal norms regarding the commission of violent acts, normalizing the possession and distribution of CSAM as well as gore material and otherwise corrupting and grooming the individuals towards committing future acts of violence.

It is alleged that Pacheco knowingly distributed CSAM to a minor victim, distributed animal crushing videos and, on five occasions, threatened to murder a minor victim:

Approximate Date

Description of Threat

After you were messaging her without telling me

Don’t do it again

Cause omg. If I caught you one more time

I’ll swear I’ll f*****g kill you.

If you don’t add me back

I promise you

I’ll f*****g kill you

Kill your whole family.

The charge of knowingly distributing child pornography to a minor provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of sending threatening communications in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of animal crushing videos provides for a sentence of up to seven years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chief Paul B. Saucier of the Worcester Police Department made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of the National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – A Chicago man has been arrested and charged with allegedly sexually exploiting a 14-year-old minor victim from Massachusetts.

Joshua Rogers, 30, of Chicago, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of sexual exploitation of children. Roger was arrested this morning in Chicago and will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, in July 2025, local law enforcement in Brookline were notified of an individual purporting to be a 17-year-old boy named ‘John’ – allegedly later identified as Rogers – engaging in sexually explicit communications with a 14-year-old female minor victim via Snapchat. A review of cell phone data allegedly revealed numerous explicit communications from Rogers in which he allegedly coerced the minor to engage in sexually explicit acts – many of which he demanded be documented by photo or video. It is further alleged that, in his communications, Rogers discussed kidnapping the minor or the minor running away.

The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chief Jennifer Paster of the Brookline Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – A Wakefield man pleaded guilty today to his role in a conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine.

Daniel Loughman, a/k/a “Swiss,” 40, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV scheduled sentencing for March 10, 2025.

Loughman was one of four individuals charged in connection with a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in Eastern Massachusetts by members and associates of the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club.  

In approximately October 2023, law enforcement received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Eastern Massachusetts area. Over the next several months, investigators identified Loughman as a drug trafficker who distributed methamphetamine to customers throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Investigators also conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Loughman, as well as from his co-conspirators James Snow, of Tewkesbury, Danielle Steenbruggen, of Peabody, and, allegedly, James Adams, of Byfield. Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine and four firearms were seized throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and search warrants.

Loughman is the third defendant to plead guilty in the case. Steenbruggen pleaded guilty in August 2025 and, in November 2025, was sentenced to 93 months in prison. Snow pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 5, 2026.

The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief Steven A. Skory of the Wakefield Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Newbury, Newburyport, Haverhill, Peabody and Hampton (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Stoneham man was indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 20, 2025 for allegedly using an explosive to damage an ATM in Woburn, Mass.

Christopher Silva, 43, was indicted on one count of maliciously damaging by means of an explosive real property used in and affecting interstate commerce. Silva was arrested and charged by complaint in October 2025 and remains in custody pending trial. He will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on Dec. 9, 2025.

According to the charging documents, shortly after 4:00 a.m. on Sept. 4, 2025, Silva, wearing a blue balaclava over his face and a black jumpsuit, allegedly approached an ATM at Eastern Bank in Woburn. It is alleged that Silva then placed an explosive device on the ATM and ran away. Several seconds later, the device exploded, causing significant damage to the frame and lower right section of the ATM. Silva was allegedly identified through DNA evidence and surveillance footage.

The charge of maliciously damaging by explosive property used in and affecting interstate commerce provides for a sentence of at least five years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Woburn and Stoneham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Dominican national in state custody at Souza-Baronowski Correction Center in Lancaster, Mass., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly unlawfully reentering the United States after deportation.

Carlos Alexander Martinez-Jimenez, 48, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. Martinez-Jimenez currently is serving a state prison sentence and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, in February 2017, Martinez-Jimenez was convicted of Furnishing a False Name or Social Security Number as well as Identity Fraud in Fall River District Court, for which he was sentenced to 134 days in state prison.

He was subsequently removed from the United States in April 2017 after serving his sentence.

On Jan. 31, 2024, Martinez-Jimenez was convicted of Trafficking 18 grams or more (Less Than 36 grams) of Heroin/Morphine/Opium/Fentanyl in Essex Superior Court.  He was sentenced to three-and-a-half to five years in state prison and is currently serving that sentence.

The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Meghan C. Cleary and Zachary Stendig of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Wakefield woman was convicted of money laundering conspiracy on Nov. 24, 2025, following a six-day jury trial.

Christiane Fischer, 42, was convicted of one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for March 5, 2026. Fischer was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2022.

Fischer owns PK Motor Cars, a used car dealership in Peabody that also repairs cars and rents used cars. In 2016, law enforcement began an investigation into a large-scale drug trafficker named Phillip Morose who sold hundreds of thousands of counterfeit fentanyl pills.

Evidence presented at trial established that Fischer conspired to launder Morose’s drug proceeds through her business, PK Motor Cars. In August 2016, Fischer added Morose as CEO of PK Motor Cars and thereafter Morose deposited nearly $1 million in cash into Fischer’s business bank accounts. At the end of 2016, Fischer used cashier’s checks from those same business bank accounts to buy Morose a house in Lynnfield. The house was purchased in the name of Fischer’s business in order to conceal the true ownership of the house and where the proceeds to buy the house came from. Fischer also allowed Morose to use luxury vehicles owned by her business to promote his drug trafficking.

In 2019, Morose was sentenced to 30 years in prison for drug trafficking and money laundering in the Middle District of Florida. In March 2025, Morose was sentenced to 80 months in prison, to be served concurrently to the 2019 sentenced imposed, for money laundering in the District of Massachusetts.

The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the laundered funds. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the DEA Tampa District Office Task Force 1; Massachusetts State Police; and the Newton, Millis, Waltham, Framingham, Haverhill, Brookline, Natick, Wakefield, Burlington, Lynnfield and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea E. Porter and K. Nathaniel Yeager of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.

BOSTON – A Lowell man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to receiving and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Steven Estrada Ramirez, 23, pleaded guilty on Nov. 24, 2025, to receipt and possession of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris who scheduled sentencing for March 10, 2026. Estrada was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024.

Estrada was identified as a participant in multiple groups on a mobile chat application in which the primary purpose of the groups was for users to share and view CSAM. At the time of his arrest, Estrada was found to be in possession of a USB drive containing over 700 video files depicting CSAM, including files depicting children who appeared to be approximately one to eight years old. Additionally, the home screen of Estrada’s cell phone depicted an image of CSAM and the phone contained thousands of images and videos depicting CSAM.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant will also be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

BOSTON – A former accounting and real estate executive in Sudbury has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to perpetrating a multi-year scheme to cheat the Internal Revenue Service by getting paid more than $1.6 million in compensation and fringe benefits under the table, all while allegedly lying to the U.S. Attorney’s Office about his income to avoid paying restitution he owed to victims of an earlier fraud scheme.

Stephen L. Hochberg, 77, of Marlborough, was charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States and with obstruction of justice. The defendant will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Dec. 11, 2025.

According to the charging documents, Hochberg and Charles D. Katz agreed as early as 2014 to cheat the IRS. They allegedly agreed that Hochberg, who served as the Director of Corporate Services at Katz’s accounting firm and as Chief Operating Officer at Katz’s real estate firm, would be paid significant compensation off the books so that Hochberg would have tax-free income and so that Katz’s firms – CD Katz LLC and Gebsco Realty Corporation – would have lower employment taxes. Over time, Katz allegedly paid Hochberg’s family, provided rent-free housing to Hochberg’s ex-wife, paid college tuition for his children and paid personal expenses that Hochberg and his ex-wife charged on corporate credit cards.

All told, Katz allegedly paid Hochberg at least $1,668,487 in unreported income and avoided taxes of at least $835,105.

In 2008, Hochberg was convicted of eight counts of wire fraud and nine counts of securities fraud, for which he was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison and ordered to pay $1,791,500 to his victims. It is alleged that, in addition to his and Katz’s scheme, he lied to the U.S. Attorney’s Office about his income from Katz’s firms and obstructed the collection of restitution he owed to victims.

Katz was charged and agreed to plead guilty in October 2025. The Court accepted his plea and scheduled a sentencing hearing for Feb. 2, 2026.

The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.  

BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been convicted following a four-day jury trial of drug trafficking conspiracy involving methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine.

Jose Dolores Batista, 65, was convicted on Nov. 20, 2025 of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine. The defendant will be sentenced before U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV at a later date. Batista was arrested and charged in June 2023.

Batista, a taxi driver, served as a courier for a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine in various quantities – including half and whole kilograms. In his role, Batista would deliver drugs, drive drug traffickers and collect drug money from various customers of the DTO on a daily basis.

Evidence presented at trial established that on multiple dates, Batista travelled to pick up drugs and drug proceeds. Specifically, evidence showed that Batista travelled on one occasion to pick up $8,000 as a partial payment for a kilogram of fentanyl. On another occasion, Batista travelled to South Lawrence to pick up a kilogram of cocaine and then drove the cocaine to Boston where he exchanged it for $15,000. On another occasion, he drove to Lowell to pick up 350 grams of fentanyl.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Natick, Newton, Waltham and Brookline Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case. 
        
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

BOSTON – A Saugus man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy involving thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl.

George Krabey, 47, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; three counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine; one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine; and one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for March 4, 2026.  In July 2025, Krabey was indicted by a federal grand jury.

Between December 2024 and April 2025, Krabey repeatedly met with a cooperating source and sold the source thousands of counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine and fentanyl. On April 22, 2025, Krabey was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by law enforcement in Danvers. Krabey was enroute to Salisbury to sell the cooperating source 4,000 counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine. During a search of the vehicle, a shoebox was located in the back seat that contained 5,296 pills containing methamphetamine with a weight of approximately two kilograms.

The charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances involving 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, each provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charges of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jared A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Revere, Saugus and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Springfield, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for possession and receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and sexual exploitation of children. At the time of these offenses, the defendant was on state pre-trial release for aggravated rape and abuse of a child; posing or exhibiting a child in a state of nudity; disseminating CSAM; trafficking of a person for sexual servitude; extortion; larceny; assault and battery; and trafficking of a person under 18 years of age for sexual servitude. He was later convicted of the state charges in 2019 and sentenced to 10-12 years in prison.

Bairon Ubeda, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to 40 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. In August 2025, Ubeda was convicted by a federal jury of one count of possession of child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of sexual exploitation of children. Ubeda was previously indicted in May 2023.

“Ubeda is a vile predator who spent years exploiting fear, shame and manipulation to dominate his victims, including coercing the horrific sexual abuse of a defenseless three-year-old child. His conduct was calculated, deliberate and among the most disturbing crimes we see in federal court,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This sentence ensures that he can never again terrorize women or children, and it reaffirms our office’s unwavering commitment to protecting the most vulnerable from those who prey on them.”

“Ubeda was the mastermind behind the calculated manipulation and coercion of women, using fear and shame to control them. He successfully manipulated one woman into sexually exploiting her own child at his direction – an unimaginable act.” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “With a forty-year federal prison sentence imposed for his horrific crimes, our commitment to bringing peace and justice to the victims of these predators has never been stronger.” 

From at least 2015 to 2019, Ubeda sought to trick and coerce women using fraudulent social media persona and accounts while claiming to represent a fictitious adult modeling company. Ubeda would trick victims targeted by the scheme into providing explicit images as well as personal information and identification. Ubeda would then threaten to make the images and information public if the victims did not agree to engage in sexual acts with him.

Ubeda coerced one woman to sexually abuse a three-year-old minor victim and document it for the purpose of producing CSAM for his gratification. If she did not comply, Ubeda threatened to send the CSAM and her identifying information to child protective services, so that she would lose custody of her children.

U.S. Attorney Foley; HSI SAC Krol; Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi; and Superintendent Lawrence Akers of the Springfield Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Maynard and Mark Grady of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

BOSTON – A former corrections officer employed by the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Department pleaded guilty today to submitting fraudulent information in an effort to obtain loans through CARES Act programs like the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program and the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

Christnel Orisca, 25, of Boston, pleaded guilty to five counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement to a financial institution, arising out of PUA, traditional Unemployment Insurance and PPP loan benefits obtained prior to his employment at the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Department. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2026. Orisca was arrested and charged in December 2024.

Orisca was a Corrections Officer with the Suffolk County Sherriff’s Department from late 2021 to December 2024. Orisca fraudulently applied for pandemic unemployment and small business loan benefits while working full-time, initially for a security company and later for a delivery company. While employed full-time, Orisca collected approximately $54,700 in unemployment benefits and small business loan funds.

In his PUA application, Orisca made fraudulent representations about his employment status and thereafter falsely claimed, on a weekly basis, that he did not work and did not receive any income during the prior week. In his PPP loan application, Orisca submitted false statements to SBA-approved lenders, including about the income and/or payroll of his purported small businesses, in order to obtain his loan. He also made false representations on forms submitted to request that his PPP loans be forgiven.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of making false statements to a financial institution provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Joseph V. Cuffari, Ph.D., Inspector General, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud.  The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts.  For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline via the https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/webform/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

BOSTON – The former CEO, COO and Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs for Magellan Diagnostics, Inc. (Magellan), a medical device company headquartered in Billerica, Mass., have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for concealing a device malfunction that produced inaccurately low lead test results for thousands of children and other patients.

Amy Winslow, 54, of Needham, Mass., was sentenced on Oct. 27, 2025 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to one year of home detention. Winslow was also ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. In March 2025, Winslow pleaded guilty to one felony count of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce.

Hossein Maleknia, 66, of Bonita Springs, Fla., was sentenced by Judge Saris on Oct. 30, 2025 to nine months of home detention. Maleknia was also ordered to pay a $20,000 fine. In March 2025, Maleknia pleaded guilty to two felony counts of introduction of misbranded medical devices into interstate commerce.

On Nov. 21, 2025, Reba Daoust, 69, of Amesbury, Mass., was sentenced by Judge Saris to one year of probation, with the first six months to be served in home detention. Daoust was also ordered to pay a $600 fine. In March 2025, Daoust pleaded guilty to one felony count of making false statements.

Magellan’s LeadCare II and LeadCare Ultra devices detected lead levels and lead poisoning in the blood of children and adults using either venous (i.e. blood draws through the arm) or fingerstick samples. LeadCare II, which was predominantly used to test fingerstick samples, accounted for more than half of all blood lead tests conducted in the United States from 2013 through 2017. LeadCare Ultra was predominantly used to test venous samples.

Winslow, Maleknia and Daoust – Magellan’s former CEO, COO and Director of Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs, respectively – misled Magellan customers and the FDA about a serious malfunction that affected Magellan’s LeadCare devices when they were used to test venous blood samples. By hiding the malfunction and later misleading customers and the FDA about when they discovered the malfunction, the nature, extent and frequency of the malfunction, as well as the risks associated with the malfunction, the defendants caused an estimated thousands of children and other patients to receive inaccurately low lead test results.

“These defendants knowingly misled the FDA about a device malfunction that caused thousands of children and adults to receive inaccurate blood lead test results. They understood the risks: that patients could receive falsely low readings, when their actual blood lead levels met or exceeded CDC intervention thresholds. They knew this failure could delay critical care, allow continued lead exposure and endanger the health of vulnerable families. Yet they chose to conceal the truth, prioritizing corporate profits, job security, and personal gain over patient safety. Regardless of the sentences imposed, their actions jeopardized the wellbeing of thousands,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “We will continue to uncover and prosecute those who violate the public’s trust and put public health at risk.”

“Individuals and companies whose lead testing devices produce inaccurate results can put the health of all patients, especially vulnerable children, at significant risk,” said Fernando McMillian, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office. “We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who endanger public health and safety.”

“Misleading consumers and federal regulators about a significant flaw in a medical device to boost your company’s bottom line is reprehensible. These three executives did exactly that, and in the process ignored the well-being of thousands of children and other patients who received inaccurate test results of the lead levels in their blood,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Their egregious conduct victimized vulnerable patients and eroded their trust in our healthcare system. The FBI is gratified all involved are being held accountable.”

“These three former executives deliberately concealed a known defect in medical devices used to detect lead poisoning—a condition with potentially irreversible consequences,” said Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “The criminal sentences announced today mark an important step toward justice for the thousands of children and vulnerable patients who were put at risk by the corrupt actions of these defendants.”

The FDA ultimately found that the LeadCare devices could not accurately test venous samples, leading to a recall of all LeadCare devices using venous samples and a warning to the public not to use the devices for venous blood samples because of the malfunction.

According to court documents, as referenced by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there is no safe level of lead in the blood. Lead exposure may cause irreversible lifelong physical and mental health problems. Young children and pregnant women are most vulnerable to lead exposure, especially those from low-income households and those who live in housing built before 1978 because those homes are more likely to contain lead-based paint and have fixtures containing lead.

U.S. Attorney Foley, FDA-OCI SAC McMillan, FBI SAC Docks and HHS-OIG SAC Coviello made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie Wright and Mackenzie A. Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – An associate of the Asian Boyz gang was convicted on Friday following a five-day jury trial for his role in a distribution network of homemade methamphetamine pills, branded as “Adderall.”

Richard Nguyen, a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Cheeseburger,” 30, of Lowell, was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Feb. 26, 2026. Nguyen was arrested and charged in January 2025.

In 2021, an investigation began into the Asian Boyz gang to disrupt the manufacturing and distribution of substantial quantities of methamphetamine pills impacting the City of Lowell. Nguyen was part of the large drug distribution network that profited from the sale of thousands of these counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Between March 2022 and January 2025, Nguyen and other defendants sold counterfeit Adderall pills to undercover officers and cooperating witnesses working with law enforcement on 47 different occasions.

Evidence presented at trial established that Nguyen sold counterfeit Adderall pills to a cooperating witness at least three times between January 2024 and April 2024. Each time, Nguyen directed the cooperating witness to meet him at his home to conduct the deal, on a back porch covered with a tarp and accessible only from a narrow alleyway. Nguyen negotiated the deals with the cooperating witness using an Instagram account, “Cheese.” He gave the cooperating witness a price of $0.80 per pill, explaining that he could only get the pills for $0.70 per pill, and that he had to “make [his] dollar.” During the first deal on his back porch, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness approximately 1,000 pills. During the next two deals, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness twice as much – approximately 2,000 pills each time.

The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Superintendent Greg C. Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III and Brendan D. O’Shea of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit https://www.justice.gov/PSN.

The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.

BOSTON – An Indian national was indicted by a federal grand jury yesterday for allegedly stabbing two minor victims with a metal fork while on board a Lufthansa flight from Chicago to Germany on Oct. 25, 2025. The defendant was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa and was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. At the time of the alleged incident, the defendant did not have lawful status in the United States.

Praneeth Kumar Usiripalli, 28, was indicted on two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Usiripalli was apprehended immediately following the incident and charged by complaint on Oct. 27, 2025. He remains detained pending trial and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.

According to the charging documents, on Oct. 25, 2025, while on board Lufthansa flight 431 enroute from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, Usiripalli allegedly stabbed a 17-year-old male passenger (Minor A) in the shoulder area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly stabbed a second 17-year-old male passenger (Minor B) in the back of the head with the same metal fork.

Specifically, following meal service, Minor A was sleeping lightly in a middle seat when he allegedly awoke to see Usiripalli standing over him. It is alleged that Usiripalli used his right hand to strike Minor A in the left clavicle area with a metal fork. Usiripalli then allegedly lunged toward Minor B – who was seated to Minor A’s right in a middle seat in the center row of the aircraft – and struck Minor B in the back of his head with the fork. Minor B suffered a laceration to the rear of his head.

When flight crew members attempted to subdue Usiripalli, he allegedly raised his hand, formed a gun with his fingers, put it in his mouth and pulled an imaginary trigger. Immediately afterwards, Usiripalli allegedly turned toward a female passenger and slapped her with his hand. Usiripalli also allegedly attempted to slap a flight crew member.

As a result of the disturbance, the flight was diverted to Boston Logan International Airport, where Usiripalli was immediately taken into custody.

Usiripalli was previously admitted to the United States on a student visa. Most recently, he was enrolled in a master’s program in biblical studies. Usiripalli presently does not have lawful status in the United States.

The charge of assault with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm while traveling on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Worcester has been indicted by a federal grand jury for distributing fentanyl pills.

Miguel Gonzalez Duarte, 37, has been indicted on one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Gonzalez Duarte was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 29, 2025 and remains in federal custody.  

According to the charging documents, on Aug. 21, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte distributed approximately 191 counterfeit pills that contained fentanyl, methamphetamine and xylazine, with a total approximate weight of 21.9 grams, in a store parking lot on Main Street in Worcester. On Sept. 3, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte allegedly distributed approximately 482 pills, weighing approximately 54.9 grams, containing the same mixture in the same parking lot. It is further alleged that, in the store parking lot on Sept. 24, 2025, Gonzalez Duarte distributed approximately 2,000 suspected fentanyl pills with an approximate weight of 226 grams.

On Oct. 15, Gonzalez Duarte also allegedly distributed approximately 20,000 suspected fentanyl pills in the parking lot of a restaurant in Worcester. It is alleged that, when approached by law enforcement shortly after the transaction, Gonzalez Duarte dropped the bag of pills and attempted to flee before being apprehended.

At the time of the alleged offenses, Gonzalez Duarte was on probation for an April 2025 conviction of possession with intent to distribute Class A and B drugs in Worcester District Court.

The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl each provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.        

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan O’Shea and Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.  

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – Three Massachusetts men have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with the seizure of approximately 99 kilograms of cocaine in Revere, Mass.; Colton, N.Y.; and San Juan, P.R.  

Joel Betances, 43, of Revere; Noel Betances, 42, of Chelsea; and Reylin Segura, 31, of Boston, were indicted on one count each of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Joel Betances and Noel Betances were also charged with possession with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. Noel Betances was charged with distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine. Segura was also charged with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. The defendants will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.

Noel Betances and Segura were previously arrested and charged by complaint in August 2025. Joel Betances was arrested in the Dominican Republic on Nov. 19, 2025.  

According to court records, in 2023, an investigation began into packages sent from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts that were suspected to contain narcotics. One such package intercepted in Puerto Rico in June 2023, allegedly contained five kilograms of cocaine. Between June 2023 and September 2023, it is alleged that Noel Betances and Joel Betances were observed picking up additional suspected cocaine packages from locations in Chelsea, Revere and Boston, and delivering them to different location – including a residence in Revere.  

It is further alleged that approximately two years later, on July 26, 2025, Joel Betances supplied an individual with 25 kilograms of cocaine to be transported to New York. The cocaine was subsequently seized from a vehicle in Colton, N.Y.

Additionally, it is alleged that on Aug. 12, 2025, Betances was observed exiting a residence in Revere with a box, which he transferred to Segura in exchange for a plastic bag. The box was allegedly later found to contain four kilograms of cocaine and the bag allegedly contained approximately $58,000 in bundled cash. A subsequent search of the Revere residence resulted in the seizure of an additional 65 kilograms of cocaine and approximately $341,780 cash.  

The value of the cocaine seized in the case is estimated to be at least $1.4 million.

The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving five kilograms or more of cocaine) and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provide for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $10 million. The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 500 grams or more of cocaine), distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, provide for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Revere Police Department, the Boston Police Department and the Worcester Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.  

BOSTON – A Lawrence man was arrested today in connection with an investigation targeting a drug manufacturing ring. Over two kilograms of suspected controlled substances and a pill press were allegedly recovered during related search warrants.

Aris Arvelo Gonzalez, 37, was charged today with one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute and manufacture controlled substances. Following an initial appearance today in federal court in Boston, Gonzalez was detained pending a hearing scheduled for Nov. 25, 2025.

According to the charging documents, Gonzalez and La Culebra controlled a large drug manufacturing location inside an apartment in Methuen. During a search of the Methuen apartment in August 2025, over 18 kilograms of controlled substances and a pill press were allegedly recovered. Gonzalez’s alleged co-conspirators, Joshua Morales, Manuel Santana-Soto and Jose Vasquez Lantigua were subsequently arrested and charged following the search.

While on pretrial release following a January 2025 arrest for drug offenses in Salem District Court in New Hampshire, Gonzalez allegedly sold over 1,500 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl to a confidential informant and an undercover agent on four occasions between July 2025 and November 2025.

At the time of Gonzalez’s arrest this morning, he was allegedly found in possession of thousands of counterfeit pills bundled into smaller bags as well as a large quantity of cash:

Following his arrest, search warrants were executed at three locations in Lawrence that were allegedly tied to Gonzalez and the “La Culebra” drug trafficking organization. During those searches, various items and materials used in the manufacturing of counterfeit Percocet containing fentanyl were allegedly recovered – including a pill press and a 25-kilogram bag of pill binding agent.

The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute or manufacture provides for sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of manufacturing and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute or manufacture provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.

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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.

Carlos Yuniol Pimentel-Ortiz, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun to 15 months in prison and one year of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. On Oct. 14, 2025, Pimentel-Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.

Pimentel-Ortiz was deported from the United States in November 2023. Prior to his removal, in November 2020, Pimentel-Ortiz was convicted in Essex Superior Court of assault with a dangerous weapon, carrying a firearm without a license and possessing ammunition without a license. Additionally, in October 2022, he was convicted in Middlesex Superior Court of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Sometime after his November 2023 removal, Pimentel-Ortiz illegally reentered the United States without permission. In March 2025, agents were executing a drug search warrant at a location in Boston. Pimentel-Ortiz was present at the search location and determined to be unlawfully present in the United States. He was immediately taken into custody.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert E. Richardson of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Colombian national, who was previously unlawfully residing in Everett, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing nearly half a kilogram of cocaine.

Juan Restrepo-Madrid, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 34 months in prison. In August 2025, Restrepo-Madrid pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of cocaine distribution. Restrepo-Madrid was arrested and charged in February 2020 along with co-conspirator Sebastian Arbelaez-Perez.

In August 2019, a cooperating witness arranged to meet with Restrepo-Madrid and Arbelaez to discuss purchasing cocaine. At the pre-arranged meeting on Aug. 9, 2019, only Restrepo-Madrid was present and provided the cooperating witness with a half-kilogram of cocaine.

Restrepo-Madrid was arrested in February 2020 and subsequently released on conditions pending trial. In early 2021, in advance of his scheduled change of plea hearing, Restrepo-Madrid absconded to Colombia in violation of his conditions of release. Restrepo-Madrid was arrested in Colombia in June 2023 and was extradited to the United States in June 2025 to face these charges.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by Boston Police Department, Massachusetts State Police, Revere Police Department, Winthrop Police Department, Massachusetts National Guard, U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Massachusetts and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement Removal Operations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren A. Graber and Jared C. Dolan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.