District of Oregon

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Romanian national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for defrauding elderly victims by stealing their bank cards and taking money from their bank accounts.

Rexona Caldararu, 34, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, beginning in the summer of 2023 and continuing through the summer of 2025, Caldararu and her co-conspirators would memorize the debit card pin numbers of elderly victims as they checked out at the grocery store. Caldararu or one of her co-conspirators then followed each victim back to the parking lot, told the victim they dropped cash and insisted on helping place the cash back in their wallet while at the same time removing their debit card. Caldararu and her co-conspirators would then proceed to the victim’s bank and remove as much money as possible and sometimes also use the debit card to make purchases. Caldararu defrauded 12 victims from the District of Oregon and elsewhere and stole more than $73,500.  Caldararu had been previously arrested for similar conduct throughout the country, in the United Kingdom, and in France.

On Oct. 7, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 12-count superseding indictment charging Caldararu and her co-conspirators.  On Jan. 22, 2026, Caldararu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken prosecuted the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Lake Oswego, Oregon, man has been charged with sexually exploiting minor victims online and in person across multiple states and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Alex Miller Eldridge, 36, has been charged by criminal complaint with sexual exploitation of children and possession and distribution of child pornography. 

According to court documents, since May 2025, Eldridge used multiple online accounts to sexually exploit minors in multiple U.S. states and at least one foreign country. In December 2024, Eldridge flew from Hawaii to Pennsylvania to sexually abuse a minor victim he met on the Discord application. Eldridge recorded his sexual abuse of the minor victim and later sent those videos to multiple other minor victims.

Eldridge used the Discord and Session applications to engage in sexually themed chats with additional minor victims in 2025 and 2026. He directed one minor victim in Colorado and another in Greece to send him videos of themselves engaging in sexually explicit conduct, which he then threatened to distribute online. Discord also reported him for distributing multiple files of CSAM in November 2025.

Investigators executed a search warrant at Elridge’s home on May 20 and located additional evidence of sexual exploitation of minors and CSAM activity. Evidence found on Eldridge’s cell phone showed that he distributed CSAM on Discord the day before his arrest.

Eldridge made his first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. magistrate judge, who detained Eldridge pending further court proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mira Chernick is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children is encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

EUGENE, Ore.— Two Colombian nationals unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty in federal court for their roles in a multi-state burglary conspiracy that targeted Asian American small business owners in Oregon and Washington.

Derinson Martinez-Grandas, 34, and Steven Alexander Quiroga-Solano, 27, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods.

According to court documents, in early October 2025, Martinez-Grandas, Quiroga-Solano, and their co-conspirators burglarized four homes belonging to victims in multiple states, including Oregon and Washington.

Martinez-Grandas, Quiroga-Solano, and their co-conspirators traveled state to state and targeted homes for burglary by performing internet research on potential Asian American targets. They stayed in short-term rentals and identified and surveilled potential burglary victims, all Asian American small business owners, and then performed reconnaissance on the victims’ residences.

When they carried out the burglaries, the defendants employed signal jamming technology, perimeter countersurveillance, and communicated on seven-way group calls. They entered their victims’ homes by shattering glass doors. Once inside, they ransacked residences, stealing United States and foreign currency, jewelry, designer handbags, purses, wallets, travel documents, and other valuables. After the burglaries, the crew returned to their short-term rental to package the proceeds for transport, transfer, or transmittal.

Following a burglary in Salem, detectives learned that the defendants returned to their rental in Eugene and executed a search warrant at the rental that night. Investigators recovered money and property, believed to be stolen from the various residences, more than a dozen cell phones, believed to be used by the burglary crew, evidence of money wires to Bogota, Colombia, and various Colombian travel documentation, including passports. They also located commercial-grade Wi-Fi signal jammers that were plugged in and charging following their suspected use during the burglary that day.

A search of their devices revealed additional evidence of the conspiracy, including sending and receiving coordinates for the houses they burglarized, surveillance communications, and shared messages highlighting the burglary targets from the preceding days.

For instance, Quiroga-Solano researched Chinese restaurants two days before the burglary crew victimized a family owning a Chinese restaurant. He was in the vicinity of a victim’s home in Gresham the night before it was burglarized, which authorities believe was in preparation for the following day’s burglary. Martinez-Grandas secured short term rentals for the crew in Auburn and Eugene and mapped the address of the Salem home on the day of that burglary. Both Martinez-Grandas and Quiroga-Solano returned to the Eugene rental to package stolen property the night of the Salem burglary.

Martinez-Grandas and Quiroga-Solano each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. They will be sentenced on July 14, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eugene Police Department with assistance from the Salem Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, and the Gresham Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren.

EUGENE, Ore.— A Coos Bay, Oregon, man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court for causing a child to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM), attempting to cause an adult to produce CSAM with his minor child, and distributing CSAM to others.

Thomas Owen Barnett, 40, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. 

According to court documents, between September and December 2023, Barnett encouraged a minor victim to create and send him CSAM. In September 2024, Barnett distributed CSAM of that minor victim on Kik, an online chat platform, and sought money in exchange. The same month, Barnett posed as the minor victim online and asked a man in a foreign nation to make and send him CSAM depicting the man’s very young child.

On February 20, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a four-count indictment charging Barnett with sexual exploitation of a child, attempted sexual exploitation of a child, as well as possession and distribution of child pornography.

Barnett faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a supervised release term of five years to life. He will be sentenced on September 1, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge. Additionally, Barnett has agreed to pay restitution to the victim and forfeit certain property. 

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the North Bend Police Department and the Coos County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children is encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Justice Department to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—In honor of National Police Week, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement. This year’s commemoration is observed from Sunday, May 10, through Saturday, May 16, 2026.

“National Police Week is about gratitude for and remembrance of those men and woman who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. We are grateful for our federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners and their families for their daily service, sacrifice, and commitment to keeping our community safe,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.  

The names of 363 officers killed in the line of duty were added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C. These names were read on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at the 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington, D.C.  

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.

To learn more about National Police Week, please visit www.policeweek.org. 

PORTLAND, Ore.— Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has appointed U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford of the District of Oregon to serve on this Administration’s inaugural Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC). Established in 1973, the AGAC is composed of 18 U.S. Attorneys from across the country, providing geographic, operational, and subject-matter representation in advising the Attorney General and senior Department of Justice leadership on national priorities and other critical issues.  

“I am deeply honored to serve on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee and advance the Department of Justice’s priorities,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “I look forward to working alongside my distinguished colleagues on the AGAC’s important mission and making a meaningful impact in the communities we serve.”

Mr. Bradford joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon in 2009 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney and served in a variety of leadership roles within the office, including Chief of the White Collar Unit, Chief of the Economic, National Security, and Cyber Crimes Unit, and Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division.

In 2022, Mr. Bradford served as the U.S. Department of Justice’s Regional Cybercrime Attaché in Southeast Asia where he trained justice sector partners within the region to combat cybercrime. Prior to his return to Oregon as the U.S. Attorney, Mr. Bradford was the Acting Chief of the Counterintelligence and Export Control Section in the National Security Division in Washington, D.C.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Guatemalan national unlawfully residing in Culver, Oregon, was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for traveling hours across state lines to sexually abuse a minor victim.

Leonias Juber Ramos-Garcia, 26, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison and 5 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, in February 2025, Ramos-Garcia gave the minor victim a note with cash and professed his affection for the minor. In March 2025, Ramos-Garcia sent sexually explicit messages to the minor victim and secured a hotel in Central Oregon where he sexually abused the victim. In April 2025, Ramos-Garcia traveled from Oregon to Washington and booked a second hotel where he again sexually abused the victim.

On November 18, 2025, Ramos-Garcia pleaded guilty to traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI, with assistance from the DEA and ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations. It was prosecuted by William M. McLaren, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children are encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.— A Ukrainian national was extradited from Thailand to the United States last Friday to face charges for her role in a global Ponzi and pyramid scheme.

Olena Oblamska, 42, has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to court documents, Oblamska and her co-conspirators advertised Forsage as a decentralized matrix project based on network marketing and “smart contracts,” which are self-executing contracts on the blockchain. The defendants falsely promoted Forsage to the public as a legitimate, low-risk, and lucrative investment opportunity through Forsage’s website and various social-media platforms, but, in reality, the defendants operated Forsage as a Ponzi and pyramid investment scheme that took in approximately $340 million from victim-investors around the world.

Consistent with a Ponzi scheme, as soon as an investor invested in Forsage by purchasing a “slot” in a Forsage smart contract, the smart contract automatically diverted the investor’s funds to other Forsage investors, such that earlier investors were paid with funds from later investors.

Oblamska made her initial appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. magistrate judge. She was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered detained pending a 4-day jury trial scheduled to begin on July 14, 2026.

If convicted, Oblamska faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The FBI Portland Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, HSI New York, and HSI Bangkok are investigating the case. Trial Attorneys Sara Hallmark and Tian Huang of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine A. Rykken and Meredith Bateman are prosecuting the case.

The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Thailand. The Justice Department thanks its Thailand law enforcement partners, including the Royal Thai Police and the Office of the Attorney General of Thailand. 

All investor victims of the Forsage scheme are encouraged to visit the webpage https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/united-states-v-vladimir-okhotnikov-et-al to identify themselves as potential victims and obtain more information on their rights as victims, including the ability to submit a victim impact statement.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.— Marvin Yahir Izaguirre-Varela, 22, a Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, on February 18, 2026, a drug detection K9 alerted to the presence of drugs in Izaguirre-Varela’s bag at the entrance of the Portland train station. Law enforcement officer searched Izaguirre-Varela’s bag and found over one kilogram of fentanyl that he was transporting for the purpose of distribution in Portland.

On March 18, 2026, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Izaguirre-Varela with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Izaguirre-Varela faces a maximum sentence of up to life imprisonment with a mandatory minimum of 10 years imprisonment, a $10 million fine, and 5 years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 3, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Portland Police Bureau Narcotics and Organized Crime Division, and the Amtrak Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kilcup is prosecuting the case.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty today for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that lead to a fatal fentanyl overdose and for unlawfully possessing firearms as an illegal alien.

Cristhian Martinez, 21, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and alien in possession of a firearm. Pursuant to the plea agreement,  Martinez also admitted as part of the conspiracy to distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of an adult victim.

According to court documents, in September 2023, members of the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) were called to investigate a fatal overdose in Clackamas County. While processing the scene, investigators discovered numerous counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills believed to be manufactured with fentanyl, as well as fentanyl powder. Martinez was soon identified as the person who sold fentanyl to the deceased victim’s dealer.

On November 16, 2023, investigators located Martinez traveling north from California into Oregon, followed his vehicle, and conducted a traffic stop in Gladstone, Oregon. During a K-9 sweep of Martinez’s vehicle, investigators found multiple concealed packages containing more than one kilogram of compressed fentanyl:

Later the same day, investigators executed a search warrant on Martinez’s Gladstone apartment where they seized more fentanyl, a 20-ton shop press used to produce “bricks” of fentanyl powder, multiple firearms, ammunition, and other materials consistent with drug trafficking:

Martinez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $10 million fine, and five years of supervised release. The government will seek a sentence of 210 months’ imprisonment. Martinez will be sentenced on August 4, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the FBI, CCITF, and Westside Interagency Narcotics team (WIN). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.

CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.

WIN is a Washington County-based interagency drug interdiction task force that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and HSI.

This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Two local methamphetamine distributors have been charged with trafficking narcotics at or near affordable housing complexes in Portland, Oregon.

William Andrew Fleming-Davis, 39, has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and felon in possession of a firearm.

Edward Mortenson, 55, has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on April 25, 2026, Portland Police Bureau East Precinct Officers received a tip from a community member that an unknown male was dealing drugs in Southeast Portland near the Lents neighborhood. Officers stopped Fleming-Davis, who matched the description of the drug dealer, and found methamphetamine, almost $600, multiple knives, brass knuckles, a firearm, and drug paraphernalia:

In April 2026, Portland Police officers with the Central Precinct Neighborhood Response Team/Bike Squad received a tip of narcotics trafficking at Musolf Manor, an affordable housing complex. Mortenson was seen on video dropping methamphetamine. On April 29, 2026, officers took Mortenson into custody after he was caught trafficking narcotics and seized six baggies containing methamphetamine and over $300. Officers executed a search warrant on Mortenson’s apartment and seized over 370 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, and bulk money from selling narcotics:

Following the arrest of the defendants, officers contacted the FBI to pursue the cases federally.

Mortenson made his first appearance in federal court yesterday before a U.S. magistrate judge. He was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

Fleming-Davis is currently being held on prior state charges.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The FBI and Portland Police Bureau are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Eugene, Oregon, man made his first appearance in federal court today after allegedly destroying federal property while attempting to breach the Eugene federal building.  

Soren Emery Polzin, 18, has been charged by criminal complaint with depredation of federal property.

“The harm in this case goes beyond the thousands of dollars’ worth of damage to the federal building on January 30, 2026,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “Federal employees were trapped inside, terrified of what would happen if the building were fully breached. This was a riot, not a lawful protest.”

“This arrest marks a huge step forward in our investigation of the damage to the Eugene federal building on January 30, 2026,” said FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Doug Olson. “Violence and destruction of property jeopardize the rights and safety of all citizens. The FBI will continue to pursue individuals who exploit a situation to pursue violent, extremist agendas—anarchists and other agitators who set out to sow discord and upheaval.”

According to court documents, on the evening of January 30, 2026, a group of individuals, including Polzin, damaged the exterior windows and doors and attempted to gain access to the Eugene federal building while federal civilian employees were inside. Polzin repeatedly banged on and kicked the lobby window, eventually shattering the window with his lower body.

Polzin made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. magistrate judge. He was ordered released pending further court proceedings.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Federal Protective Service are investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

EUGENE, Ore.—A federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Ryan Bruce Gaither Jr., 37, with assault on a federal employee involving physical contact and aggravated assault on a federal employee causing bodily injury.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 27, 2026, Gaither spit on a U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Special Response Team officer and bit a second officer.

Gaither made his initial appearance in federal court today before a U.S. magistrate. He was arraigned, pleaded not guilty, and ordered released pending a jury trial scheduled to begin on October 5, 2026.

If convicted, Gaither faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

Federal Protective Service is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A Medford, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for sexually abusing a minor victim in his care and distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

David Michael Burnett, 37, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison and a lifetime term of  supervised release.

According to court documents, starting in June 2024, Burnett sent five videos of himself sexually abusing a minor victim in his care. Investigators seized Burnett’s devices and found over 300 videos and almost 8,000 images of CSAM.

On August 1, 2024, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a two-count indictment charging Burnett with sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography. On February 3, 2026, Burnett pleaded guilty to both counts.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Medford Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Harper.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—The owners of a local real estate investment company were sentenced to federal prison today for their role in a $17 million fraud scheme. 

Robert D. Christensen, 56, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release and Anthony M. Matic, 56, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. 

According to court documents, from January 2019 through June 2023, as part of their scheme, Christensen and Matic told individual investors that they would use their investments to purchase and renovate undervalued residential real estate properties. Christensen and Matic also claimed they would rent the properties to generate income and refinance the properties to extract any increased value from the renovations. The pair further misled investors into believing they would be repaid their full principal investment along with interest as high as 8 to 15 percent and a large lump sum payout, all within periods as short as 30 to 90 days.

Christensen and Matic used new investments to repay earlier investors to keep their business afloat. When they were unable to raise enough money from new investors, Christensen and Matic began submitting loan applications with false financial information to different commercial lenders and based on their misrepresentations, received millions of dollars in loans.

In total, Christensen and Matic’s two schemes defrauded individual investors out of more than $10 million and commercial lenders out of more than $7 million.

This case was investigated by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Trisotto. 

EUGENE, Ore.—Eight individuals have been charged for their role in a transnational criminal organization (TCO) transporting narcotics into California from Mexico and distributing it across the United States including Oregon.

The following individuals have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl:

1. Tania Argueta, 47, residing in Las Vegas, Nevada;
2. Patsy Escobar, 25, residing in Los Angeles, California;
3. Angel Lopez, 25, residing in Los Angeles;
4. Rene Cazares, 39, residing in Salem, Oregon;
5. Julia Dorfler, 32, residing in Springfield, Oregon;
6. Matthew Medieros, 38, residing in Coos Bay, Oregon;
7. Patrick Newport, 28, residing in Corvallis, Oregon; and
8. Felicia Waite, 40, residing in Eugene, Oregon.

According to court documents, the TCO transported drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl into California from Mexico before distributing it across the United States, including Oregon, through shipping carriers, sometimes hidden in children’s toys or cereal boxes, and vehicles.

Argueta was a drug and money courier for the TCO traveling all over the United States to pick up drug proceeds. Cazares operated a stash house in Salem receiving large amounts of controlled substances from couriers that he distributed at the direction of a co-conspirator to local Oregon customers. Escobar and Lopez operated a stash house in Corona, California, where they distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl across the United States. Dorfler, Newport, Waite, and Medieros were all local distributors for the TCO.

During the course of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately 56 pounds of fentanyl, 116 pounds of methamphetamine, more than $300,000, and 20 firearms from members of the TCO.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Oregon State Police, Springfield Police Department, Eugene Police Department, South Coast Interagency Narcotics Team, Linn Conty Interagency Narcotics Enforcement Team, Corvallis Police Department, Corona Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations are investigating the case, with assistance from the New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—An Aloha, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today for pointing a laser at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) helicopter landing at the Hillsboro, Oregon, airport and possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.

Brian K. Kapileo Nepaial, 38, pleaded guilty to aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

According to court documents, on October 3, 2025, a CBP helicopter was struck by a green laser, causing it to abort its planned landing. The flight crew observed an individual walking near a residence and disappearing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified the residence and, on October 10, 2025, executed a federal search warrant at the residence. FBI special agents seized a laser from the bedroom of Kapileo Nepaial and found over 100 grams of methamphetamine and evidence of drug trafficking.

On December 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Kapileo Nepaial with aiming a laser pointer at an aircraft and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

Kapileo Nepaial faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release for Count One. He faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine, and five years of supervised release for Count Two. Kapileo Nepaial will be sentenced on July 28, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

PORTLAND, Ore.—Two Romanian nationals unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty for their role in a conspiracy to steal benefits from low income and food insecure individuals and families.

Aramis Manolea, 35, and Cristina Manolea, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.

According to court documents, from April 2025 through November 2025, A. Manolea and C. Manolea conspired to use stolen Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account information and PINs to fraudulently purchase SNAP-eligible items, like infant formula. The stolen goods were packaged in storage units and loaded into vans and trucks for shipment to California. In total, A. Manolea and C. Manolea are responsible for  stolen benefits valued at almost $27,000.

On November 12, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 26-count indictment charging A. Manolea, C. Manolea and their co-conspirators with conspiracy to defraud the United States, unauthorized use of access devices, possession, production, and trafficking of device-making equipment, and aggravated identity theft.

A. Manolea and C. Manolea face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. C. Manolea will be sentenced on May 22, 2026, and A. Manolea will be sentenced on May 29, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

As part of the plea agreement, A. Manolea and C. Manolea agreed to pay restitution in full.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation are investigating the case with assistance from the United States Marshals Service for the District of Oregon, Eastern District of California, and the Central District of California, and the Oregon Department of Human Services. Geoffrey A. Barrow and Nicholas D. Meyers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon, are prosecuting the case.

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A former Postal Service employee pleaded guilty yesterday for engaging in a scheme to steal money orders from the U.S. Postal Service.

Jessica Alires, 46, of Nehalem, Oregon, pleaded guilty to misappropriation of postal funds.

According to court documents, from September 2024 through December 2024, as a U.S. Postal Service employee in Wheeler, Oregon, Alires voided money orders in the U.S. Postal Service electronic system after issuing them to paying customers. She then reissued the money orders and took them for herself. Alires also issued herself money orders reporting false cash and debit and credit payments to cover the cost of the money orders she issued to herself.

In addition to her money order scheme, Alires stole a credit card in the mail and charged $500 to purchase a money order and stole a letter from the mail containing $200 in cash.

On February 19, 2026, Alires was charged by information with misappropriation of postal funds.

Alires faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced on October 14, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

As part of the plea agreement, Alires has agreed to pay restitution in full.

The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Cardani is prosecuting the case.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Burns, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for repeatedly stealing mail while working as a U.S. Postal Service employee at the Hines, Oregon Post Office.

Patrick Wright, 44, was sentenced to 45 days in federal prison and two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay over $2000 in restitution.

According to court documents, from January 2024 through June 2024, while working as a U.S. Postal Service employee, Wright opened mail and stole the contents, including money and gift cards.

On April 17, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a one-count indictment charging Wright with theft of mail by a postal employee.

Wright pleaded guilty today to Count One.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Sweet.

PORTLAND, Ore.— Every April, the Justice Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) leads communities across the country in observing National Crime Victims’ Rights Week to honor crime victims, promote their rights, and recognize victim advocates. This year’s observance, the 45th annual commemoration, takes place April 19-25, 2026, with the theme: “Listen. Act. Advocate. Protect victims, serve communities.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office joins its federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement partners in taking this opportunity to highlight the importance of providing necessary services at the earliest possible stages of victimization, investigations, and prosecutions. Early intervention helps prevent further victimization and encourages victim involvement in the criminal justice system, mitigating the cycle of violence and restoring hope for the future.

“We remain steadfast in our mission to protect the rights of crime victims,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “My office will continue to vigorously advocate for crime victims and ensure justice is sought on their behalf.”

Over the last several months, the District of Oregon has prosecuted a number of victim-focused cases including:

• United States v. Hugo Gomez-Soto: A federal jury in Portland found Hugo Gomez-Soto guilty for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the fatal overdose death of a Portland, Oregon, man.
• United States v. Javier Francisco Vigil: Javier Francisco Vigil pleaded guilty on the second day of trial to attempted murder of a police officer, robbery, and felon in possession of a firearm (Armed Career Criminal Act) related to an armed robbery of the Wildhorse Resort and Casino on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in 2022.
• United States v. Misael Flores Ramirez: Misael Flores Ramirez was sentenced to over 21 years in federal prison for sexually exploiting multiple minors online and receiving sexually explicit images and videos of the minor victims.
• United States v. Daniel Andrew McGee: Daniel Andrew McGee was sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison for a federal hate crime after assaulting a victim on the basis of their sexual orientation.
• United States v. Eric Lamont Harris: Eric Lamont Harris pleaded guilty on day four of his jury trial and was sentenced to over 24 years in federal prison for sex trafficking three minors.
• United States v. Steven Daniel Griswold: Steven Daniel Griswold was sentenced to over 21 years in federal prison for ordering live-streamed child sexual abuse material from child sex traffickers in the Philippines in exchange for money.
• United States v. Michael Cambalik: Michael Cambalik was sentenced to over 33 years in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor after he directed the minor victim to send him child sexual abuse material.
• United States v. Harold Charley: Harold Charley was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for sexually abusing two minors on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
• United States v. Kenneth Green: Kenneth Green was sentenced to over 12 years in federal prison for ordering live-streamed child sexual abuse and traveling to the Philippines to engage in illicit sexual activity while working as a firefighter for the Lake Oswego Fire Department.

Additionally, in the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for District of Oregon has collected more than $20 million through criminal and civil actions, much of which is used to pay restitution to victims and to fund federal and state victim compensation and assistance programs.

During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, victim advocacy organizations, community groups and state, local, and tribal agencies host rallies, candlelight vigils, and other events to raise awareness of victims’ rights and services.

OVC and U.S. Attorney’s Offices encourage widespread participation in the week’s events and in other victim-related observances throughout the year. For additional information about this year’s National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and how to assist victims in your community, please visit OVC’s website at www.ovc.gov. For ongoing updates from OVC and ideas for how you can support crime victims throughout the year, please subscribe to OVC’s email notifications at https://ovc.ncjrs.gov/ncvrw/subscribe/.

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you believe you have been the target or victim of a crime, please contact your local law enforcement agency or your nearest FBI field office immediately. The FBI Portland Field Office can be reached at (503) 224-4181 or by submitting tips online at tips.fbi.gov.

EUGENE, Ore.— Anthony D’Montrez Crawford, 30, of Eugene, Oregon, pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking a minor.

According to court documents, Crawford began trafficking a 17-year old minor victim from July 2024 to August 2024 in Eugene and Springfield, Oregon. Crawford and his wife posted online commercial sex advertisements for the minor victim and coordinated sex acts through phone and text messages. Crawford also transported the minor victim to Seattle on two occasions to engage in prostitution.

On March 5, 2026, Crawford was charged by information with sex trafficking of a child.

Crawford faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years of supervised release. Crawford will be sentenced on August 19, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Huynh is prosecuting the case.

If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Seaside, Oregon, woman was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for submitting fraudulent pandemic unemployment applications, falsely claiming over two dozen employees, and causing the government to pay her over half a million dollars in benefits.

Tamara Fulmer, 48, was sentenced to 28 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $581,283 in restitution. 

“Fraudsters who steal benefits are not just stealing from the government – they are depriving other Oregonians who depend on those benefits to live,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Our office will continue to prioritize and prosecute theft of government funds.”

“This case sends a clear message: those who attempt to defraud government programs will be held accountable. Tamara Fulmer stole nearly $600,000 from the unemployment insurance program at a time when Americans needed those funds most. The Office of Inspector General, together with local U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the U.S. Department of Justice’s newly established National Fraud Enforcement Division, and our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue individuals who seek to exploit government benefit programs. No fraud is too large or too small,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.

According to court documents, between May 2020 and October 2021, Fulmer used the personal information of 27 individuals she claimed to be her employees to fraudulently apply for pandemic unemployment insurance benefits (UI benefits).

Based on Fulmer’s misrepresentations, the Oregon Employment Department (OED) paid out more than $567,000 in UI benefits. Fulmer deposited at least 236 UI checks totaling nearly $69,000 into her own personal account and cashed many of the UI checks at a gas station in Seaside without the applicants’ knowledge or permission.

OED paid Fulmer an additional $13,353 after she submitted her own fraudulent UI application where she falsely claimed she had not applied for or received disability benefits, despite receiving disability payments since 2004.

On February 19, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a one-count indictment charging Fulmer with theft of government property. On November 4, 2025, Fulmer pleaded guilty.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Meredith D.M. Bateman and Ethan G. Bodell, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars.  Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

PORTLAND, Ore.— A Baker City, Oregon, man has been charged with stealing his clients’ shares of stocks, selling them, and transferring the proceeds into his personal bank account for almost seventeen years.

Jeffrey Thomas Higgins, 54, has been charged by information with investment fraud.

According to court documents, from December 2007 through June 2024, Higgins worked as an investment adviser in Baker City. To entice investors, Higgins lied, falsely claiming he purchased stocks on their behalf at deep discounts when he actually purchased the stocks at market value. Higgins then sold the stocks without the investors’ knowledge and stole the proceeds from the sales – transferring the money to his personal bank account.

To keep the scheme going, Higgins created fictitious annual statements that exaggerated profits. Statements reflecting the true costs of stock purchases were mailed directly to a post office box controlled by Higgins. As a result of Higgins’ scheme, victim investors suffered a financial loss totaling more than $1.6 million.

Higgins made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. magistrate judge. He was ordered released pending further court proceedings.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Chinwuba and Andrew T. Ho are prosecuting the case.

An information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland found Hugo Gomez-Soto, 51, a Honduran National unlawfully residing in Oregon, guilty today for distributing fentanyl that resulted in the fatal overdose death of a Portland man.

“This case highlights the devastating toll of fentanyl in our community. Fentanyl claims too many lives and leaves families heartbroken,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We remain committed to fighting this epidemic and holding fentanyl traffickers in Oregon accountable.”

As presented at trial, Gomez-Soto sold illicit fentanyl in the form of powder and counterfeit pills to a 29-year-old resident of Southwest Portland. The following day, the victim overdosed on the illicit fentanyl, dying just moments after using it, despite life-saving measures, including Narcan, by those on scene. On January 25, 2024, Gomez-Soto was arrested on state charges. At the time of his arrest, he was in possession of both fentanyl powder and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.

On June 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Gomez-Soto with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

Gomez-Soto faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. He will be sentenced on July 10, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott M. Kerin and Nicole Bockelman.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.

If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.

If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.

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.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A convicted felon was sentenced to federal prison today for illegally possessing firearms.

Devon James Wright, 31, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Wright was caught on two separate occasions with firearms. First, on June 23, 2024, Wright was in a car that was stopped for a traffic violation. In Wright’s backpack, police found a semi-automatic pistol and a full magazine. At the time, Wright was on parole for a previous conviction for unlawfully possessing a firearm.

Second, on October 26, 2024, Wright was stopped in a stolen vehicle and before exiting placed a loaded handgun inside the purse of another occupant next to a fully loaded extended magazine.

On March 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a two-count indictment charging Wright with felon in possession of a firearm. On December 8, 2025, Wright pleaded guilty to both counts.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Portland Police Bureau and the Central Point Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. LeRitz and John C. Brassell.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Umatilla County man pleaded guilty yesterday on the second day of trial to attempted murder, robbery, and felon in possession of a firearm (Armed Career Criminal Act) related to an armed robbery of the Wildhorse Resort and Casino on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in 2022.

Javier Francisco Vigil, 54, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, robbery, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (Armed Career Criminal Act).

According to court documents, on August 17, 2022, Vigil entered the Wildhorse Casino, walked straight to the cashier cage in the gaming area, and handed the cashier a note demanding $1 million. Vigil then drew a holstered pistol, pointed it at the cashier, and threatened to “bathe everyone in blood.” After getting nearly $70,000 in cash, Vigil exited the casino and shot at the responding Umatilla tribal police officer, who returned fire striking Vigil.

On December 19, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 6-count superseding indictment charging Vigil with attempted murder, interference with commerce by robbery, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (Armed Career Criminal Act).

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.

Vigil will be sentenced on August 4, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Umatilla Tribal Police Department, with the assistance of ATF, the Hermiston Police Department, the Pendleton Police Department, Oregon State Police, Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams and Arin Heinz are prosecuting the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.—An Aloha, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for accessing with the intent to view child sexual abuse material while on probation for a 2023 conviction for sex abuse.

Thomas Allen Vetsch, 56, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release. He is a registered sex offender due to a 2006 conviction for encouraging child sex abuse.

“Protecting our children is the District of Oregon’s top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. “Today’s sentence reflects our commitment to holding repeat offenders accountable.”

“Mr. Vetsch’s 10-year sentence is clearly warranted, as he is a repeat offender with previous convictions for sexual abuse of a minor and accessing child sexual abuse material,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “HSI will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify those engaged in the exploitation of children, whether directly or indirectly, and will continue to seek out and arrest those who access these materials.”

According to court documents, on July 22, 2024, investigators searched Vetsch’s residence and seized a laptop containing 43 images of child sexual abuse material.

On August 20, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Vetsch with transportation of child pornography and access with intent to view child pornography.

On January 12, 2026, Vetsch pleaded guilty to accessing with intent to view child pornography.

This case was investigated by HSI. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mira Chernick and Pamela Paaso.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children is encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

Federal law defines child pornography as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a minor. It is important to remember child sexual abuse material depicts actual crimes being committed against children. Not only do these images and videos document the victims’ exploitation and abuse, but when shared across the internet, re-victimize and re-traumatize the child victims each time their abuse is viewed. To learn more, please visit the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at www.missingkids.org.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Mexican National pleaded guilty today for conspiring to distribute and distributing narcotics in and around Portland after being extradited from Canada.

Fernando Adolip Cruz-Lerma, 25, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute controlled substances.

According to court documents, in April and May 2019, Cruz-Lerma conspired with others to engage in drug trafficking. In April, Cruz-Lerma transported a victim from the state of Washington to Clackamas County due to a drug debt that the victim owed to members of the drug trafficking conspiracy. The victim was killed by members of the drug trafficking conspiracy in furtherance of the conspiracy. Cruz-Lerma assisted with leaving the victim’s body along a rural road in Clackamas County after the victim had been killed.

In May 2019, Cruz-Lerma distributed approximately two pounds of methamphetamine.

On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a superseding indictment charging Cruz-Lerma with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute controlled substances and to use a communication facility and distribution of methamphetamine.

Cruz-Lerma faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $10 million. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years of imprisonment and five years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on July 8, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

As part of the plea agreement, Cruz-Lerma has agreed to pay restitution in full. Marcos Alonso Castillo-Bernal has previously been sentenced as part of this investigation.

U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford of the District of Oregon made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Portland Police Bureau, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Canadian authorities to secure the arrest and July 2024 extradition of Cruz-Lerma from Canada.

CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.

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.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A McMinnville, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison last Tuesday after possessing methamphetamine with the attempt to distribute in Yamhill County, Oregon.

John Billy Donnahoo, 52, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on May 25, 2024, police officers executed a search warrant on Donnahoo’s residence and seized over one pound of methamphetamine, multiple firearms, ammunition, digital scales, and over $16,000 in cash.

On July 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a multi-count indictment. On November 19, 2025, Donnahoo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

This case was investigated by the McMinnville Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in an interstate drug trafficking organization.

Luis Garcia Zurita, 38, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Garcia Zurita was both an interstate drug transporter and local distributor for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization operating in Portland. In August 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) determined that Garcia Zurita was traveling from Los Angeles, California, to Oregon. Investigators conducted a stop of Garcia Zurita and subsequently applied for and were granted a search warrant for his vehicle. Agents seized from the vehicle approximately 4 kilograms of fentanyl pills and 2 kilograms of cocaine.

On March 5, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Garcia Zurita with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.

On December 1, 2025, Garcia Zurita pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

This case was investigated by the DEA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul T. Maloney.

CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

PORTLAND, Ore.— Today the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon filed a petition seeking information from four Oregon counties, Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah, and Washington, to locate violent felons who are likely subject to removal from the United States and under these counties’ supervision.

On November 24, 2025, the U.S. District Court granted a similar petition against the same counties for information to locate 10 violent criminal aliens Oregon officials released into the community. The violent criminal aliens had been convicted in Oregon of a variety of crimes, including rape and sodomy of a minor child, assault, kidnapping, and manslaughter. In its order, the court noted that Oregon law “explicitly permits state law enforcement agencies to ‘exchange information with a federal immigration authority.’”

Currently, there are more than 300 active immigration detainers at the Oregon Department of Corrections for criminals likely subject to removal from the United States.

“The District of Oregon will continue to prioritize the safety of all Oregonians,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We will continue our efforts to prevent violent criminal aliens from further harming our community.”

This petition seeks information possessed by the counties to locate more than 30 violent criminal aliens who have victimized Oregonians through a variety of criminal conduct like sexual abuse, rape, assault, and domestic violence. Following prison sentences, Oregon officials released these violent criminal aliens into Oregon communities rather than to federal immigration authorities, who sent immigration detainers to Oregon officials. State officials did not honor those detainers and released the following violent criminal aliens into Oregon communities:

Criminal Alien 3 was convicted in 2019 of three counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving a victim under the age of 14. He was sentenced to 225 months in prison and 45 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 5 was convicted in 2018 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 75 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 6 was convicted in 1996 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, sentenced to several years of supervised probation, and required to register as a sex offender. In 2018, he was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 45 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 7 was convicted in 2018 of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Attempted Rape in the First Degree, Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and Strangulation– Constituting Domestic Violence, and sentenced to 160 months in prison, 24 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 8 was convicted in 2017 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, one count of Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct, and one count of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. He was sentenced to 160 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 9 was convicted in 2020 of Attempted Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree and sentenced to 45 months in prison and 75 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 11 was convicted in 2015 of Recklessly Endangering Another Person. In 2016, he was convicted of one count of Rape in the First Degree and one count of Sodomy in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 200 months in prison, 144 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 12 was convicted in 2011 of three counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree involving a victim under the age of 14, sentenced to 60 months supervised probation, and required to register as a sex offender. He was convicted in 2018 of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine and sentenced to 18 months supervised probation. In 2019, he was convicted of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and sentenced to 8 months in prison. In 2021, he was convicted of Burglary in the Second Degree and sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation. In 2023, he was convicted of Burglary in the Second Degree and sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation.

Criminal Alien 13 was convicted in 2012 of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree. In 2016, he was convicted of Attempted Murder with a Firearm and sentenced to 90 months of prison and 36 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 14 was convicted in 2020 of one count of Rape in the First Degree, one count of Kidnapping in the Second Degree, one count of Extortion, one count of Coercion, two counts of Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and one count of Assault in the Fourth Degree. He was sentenced to 194 months and 364 days in prison, several years’ post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 19 was convicted in 2020 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and one count of Strangulation–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment and 36 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 20 was convicted in 2008 of one count of Rape in the First Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 175 months of imprisonment, 120 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. In 2016, he was convicted of one count Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving a victim under the age of 14 and sentenced to 75 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 21 was convicted in 2012 of Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 24 months of supervised probation. In 2016, he was convicted of two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving a victim under the age of 14 and sentenced to 150 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 22 was convicted in 2016 of one count of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to a total of 175 months in prison, 140 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 23 was convicted in 2017 of two counts of Attempted Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct and two counts of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison, 24 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. 

Criminal Alien 24 was convicted in 2016 of Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and Strangulation–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 36 months of probation. In 2018, he was convicted of Attempted Rape in the First Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was sentenced to 195 months in prison, 95 months post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 25 was convicted in 2015 of one count of Rape in the First Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 100 months in prison, 3 years of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 26 was convicted in 2015 of one count Rape in the First Degree and sentenced to 100 months in prison, 140 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.

Criminal Alien 27 was convicted in 2016 of Coercion–Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to 3 years of probation. Then in 2017, he was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 120 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 28 was convicted in 2017 of Theft in the Second Degree and sentenced to 12 months of probation. She was convicted in 2020 of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 120 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 30 was convicted in 2020 of two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 150 months in prison and 120 months of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 31 was convicted in 2018 of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree and sentenced 5 years of probation. That probation was revoked in 2023 and he was sentenced to 19 months in prison and 3 years of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 32 was convicted in 1992 of two counts of Public Indecency and sentenced to 3 years of probation. He was convicted in 1994 of Theft in the Second Degree and sentenced to 30 days in jail and 2 years of probation. In 1996, Criminal Alien 32 was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 19 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision. In 2025, he was convicted of Failure to Report as a Sex Offender and sentenced to 2 years of probation.

Criminal Alien 33 was convicted in 2017 of three counts of Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct and two counts of Rape in the Third Degree and sentenced to 238 months in prison and 3 years of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 34 was convicted in 2014 of three counts of Sodomy in the First Degree, eight counts of Sodomy in the Second Degree, three counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and one count of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and sentenced to over 1,000 months in prison and 3 years of post-prison supervision. In 2024, however, the judgment was amended to reflect convictions only for three counts of Attempted Sodomy in the Second Degree.

Criminal Alien 35 was convicted in 2017 of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 36 was convicted in 2016 of Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to 36 months of probation. In 2019, he was convicted of two counts of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to a total of 36 months in prison and 5 years of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 38 was convicted in 2016 of Rape in the First Degree, Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to 287 months in prison and 20 years of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 40 was convicted in 2017 of Sodomy in the First Degree and two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 250 months in prison and 20 years of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 42 was convicted in 2011 of Menacing – Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to two years of probation. In 2015, he was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision.

Criminal Alien 44 was convicted in 2020 of Rape in the Second Degree and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 150 months in prison. After a successful appeal, however, the judgment was modified to one conviction for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and one conviction for Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree with a total sentence of 89 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Guatemalan National unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty today after intentionally striking a government vehicle with his car.

Alvaro Carrillo, 33, pleaded guilty to depredation of government property.

According to court documents, on November 11, 2025, federal border patrol agents assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers initiated a traffic stop of a car Carrillo was driving. Carrillo put the car in drive and fled the scene. Carrillo struck the border patrol agents’ vehicle several times during the pursuit, ultimately losing control of his car and colliding with a concrete barrier.

On December 9, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Carrillo with aggravated assault and depredation of government property.

Carrillo was sentenced today to time served after serving nearly five months in custody and he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,409.27.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon prosecuted the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man has been charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Aaron Nathaniel Gabbert, 50, made his initial appearance on Friday before a U.S. magistrate judge.

According to court documents, on March 25, 2026, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office conducted a search warrant for Gabbert’s residence after identifying Gabbert as a narcotics distributor. During the search warrant, investigators seized 34 firearms, including rifles, a shotgun, and handguns, many of which were loaded. Investigators also located a ballistic helmet and vest, along with approximately one pound of cocaine.

The majority of the cocaine was located in the basement along with multiple firearms, over $11,000 in cash, and an apparent 3-D printed firearm suppressor, also known as a “silencer.” Investigators also located what appeared to be two destructive devices.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office- Special Investigation Unit- Dangerous Drugs Team are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott M. Kerin and Kemp Strickland are prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.

This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from multiple agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

EUGENE, Ore.— A Colombian national unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty today in federal court for his role in a multi-state burglary conspiracy that targeted Asian American business owners in Oregon and Washington.

Jhon Alexander Quintero, also known as Edwin Andres Cadena-Pineda, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods.

According to court documents, in early October 2025, Quintero and six co-conspirators targeted homes for burglary in Oregon and Washington by traveling from state to state, staying in short-term rentals, identifying and surveilling potential burglary victims—who were all Asian American business owners—and then performing reconnaissance on the victims’ residences.

When they carried out the burglaries, Quintero and his co-conspirators employed signal jamming technology, perimeter countersurveillance, and seven-way group calls. They entered their victims’ homes by shattering glass doors. Once inside, they ransacked the residences, stealing United States and foreign currency, jewelry, designer handbags, purses, wallets, travel documents, and other valuables. After the burglaries, the crew returned to their short-term rental and package the proceeds for transport, transfer, or transmittal.

The investigation revealed that Quintero and the crew burglarized a home in Auburn, Washington, on October 3, 2025, then a home in Gresham, Oregon, on October 5, then a home in Eugene, Oregon, on October 6, and a home in Salem, Oregon, on October 9. All the burglary victims were Asian American business owners who were away working at their businesses. Between the Eugene and Salem burglaries, detectives with the Eugene Police Department became aware of the group’s movements and began surveillance. 

Following the burglary in Salem, detectives learned that Quintero and his co-conspirators returned to their rental in Eugene and executed a search warrant at the rental that night. Investigators recovered money and property, believed to be stolen from the various residences, more than a dozen cell phones, believed to be used by the burglary crew, evidence of money wires to Bogota, Colombia, and various Colombian travel documentation, including passports. They also located commercial-grade Wi-Fi signal jammers that were plugged in and charging following their suspected use during the burglary that day.

Upon noticing the officers executing the search warrant, Quintero and the rest of the crew fled into a nearby wooded area. Law enforcement eventually detained all seven individuals. Investigators later performed searches of the devices, which revealed additional evidence of the conspiracy, including sending and receiving coordinates for the houses they burglarized, surveillance communications, and shared messages containing messages highlighting the burglary targets from the preceding days. For instance, Quintero researched the value of jewelry the night of the Auburn burglary, received the contact information for a Colombian shipping company two days after the Eugene burglary and then called that company, and returned to the Eugene rental to package stolen property the night of the Salem burglary.

On November 20, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Quintero and the other six members of the burglary crew with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods.

On December 3, 2025, Quintero made his initial appearance in federal court and was ordered detained.

Quintero faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 30, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Eugene Police Department with assistance from the Salem Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, and the Gresham Police Department.  It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren.

PORTLAND, Ore.— The owner of Oregon Clinical Laboratory in Klamath Falls, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with healthcare fraud after allegedly participating in a scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare Advantage insurance plans for laboratory testing services never performed.

Jahangeer Ali, 34, a citizen of Pakistan, made his first appearance on February 27, 2026, in the Central District of California. A detention hearing was held on March 4, 2026, in the Central District of California and Ali was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.

According to court documents, from June 2025 through January 2026, Oregon Clinical Laboratory submitted more than $46 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage plans. However, no providers actually ordered testing services and none of the Medicare Advantage beneficiaries on the claims actually received testing services from the company. As a result of the fraud, Medicare Advantage plans paid out over $28 million on the fraudulent claims.

On February 26, 2026, Ali was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport prior to boarding a flight to Turkey with an ultimate destination of Pakistan.

A detention hearing was held today in the District of Oregon and Ali was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew T. Ho is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Woodburn, Oregon, man made his initial appearance today after threatening to kill a United States Senator.

Donald Leroy Smith, Jr., 51, has been charged by information with threatening a federal official with the intent to intimidate that official for the performance of official duties.

According to court documents, on November 12, 2025, Smith left a voicemail for a U.S. Senator stating he was “coming to kill you,” that “you need to be dead,” and that he was going to “put a bullet in your head.”

Smith made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate judge. He was ordered released pending further court proceedings.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from United States Capitol Police, United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, Oregon State Police, and the Woodburn Police Department. First Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Narus and Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Kilcup are prosecuting the case.

An information is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

MEDFORD, Ore.— The owner and operator of Tienda Santa Maria II LLC has been charged with money laundering after using his money service businesses to launder narcotics trafficking proceeds and structure financial transactions to avoid suspicion of law enforcement.

Jose Alonso Paramo Arguello, 45, a citizen of Mexico and unlawfully residing in the United States, has been charged by criminal complaint with money laundering.

According to court documents, Arguello is the owner and operator of Tienda Santa Maria II in Phoenix, Oregon, along with two other businesses, Tienda Santa Maria in Medford, Oregon, and Paramos Barber Shop in Central Point, Oregon. Arguello uses his three businesses to transfer narcotics trafficking proceeds to Mexico by breaking down transactions into smaller amounts and using fake names and addresses for the money senders to conceal the true nature and source of the funds.

From January 2, 2024, through December 3, 2025, Arguello’s three money service businesses transferred more than $13 million in wire transfers of $500 or more to Mexico, an amount often indicative of narcotics trafficking. Of that, over $7 million was sent to locations in Mexico associated with narcotics trafficking.   

The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) provided an informant with cash to attempt to wire money to Mexico. The informant told Arguello he was a drug dealer to which Arguello responded, “You sell whatever you want, you’re a merchant, period.” From November 2025 through January 2026, Arguello laundered over $45,000 in what the informant represented as drug trafficking proceeds through 22 wire transfers. While doing so, Arguello received a 10% commission to launder the funds. Arguello referred to this commission as a bribe.

Arguello made his first appearance in federal court today before a U.S. Magistrate judge. He was ordered detained pending a further court proceeding scheduled for March 23, 2026, in Medford.

IRS-CI is investigating the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, the Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET), and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Cardani and Julia Jarrett are prosecuting the case.

This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air and Army National Guard Counterdrug program, Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.— A federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment last Tuesday charging a Portland man with threatening an elected official and a minor victim online.

Travis William Juhr, 41, has been charged with transmitting interstate threats.

According to court documents, Juhr threatened an elected official in Nevada when he left a threatening voicemail and posted on his X account, “I hope you have your doors and windows locked. Because I love a challenge when hunting my PREY…” along with a photograph of the victim.

Additionally, Juhr threatened a minor victim because the victim attended a counter-protest to support Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The minor victim received several threatening messages from Juhr from different X accounts after the victim’s personal identifying information was posted online.

Juhr made his first appearance in federal court Friday before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned and pleaded not guilty.

If convicted, Juhr faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.

The FBI is investigating the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Ethan G. Bodell is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Beaverton, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for sexually exploiting multiple minors online and receiving sexually explicit images and videos of the minor victims.

Misael Flores Ramirez, 35, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison and 15 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, it was reported that, from April 2023 through September 2023, Flores Ramirez was in contact with a 12-year-old minor victim. Flores Ramirez sent over 30 sexually explicit images and videos of himself to a minor victim who he met on the social media application Wink. Flores Ramirez requested and received over 30 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from the minor victim and threatened to stop talking if the images were not sent.  

A search of Flores Ramirez’s phone revealed over 2,000 images of CSAM and contact with other minors. Specifically, beginning in February 2023 through March 2023, Flores Ramirez requested and received sexually explicit images from a 14-year-old minor victim.  He then shared the videos and images of the minor victim with multiple Telegram users. Flores Ramirez used WhatsApp and Telegram chatrooms devoted to trading CSAM to receive images and share videos of minor victims.

On September 10, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a five-count indictment charging Flores Ramirez with sexual exploitation of children, transfer of obscene matter to a minor, and distributing, receiving, and possessing child pornography.

On September 18, 2025, Flores Ramirez pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlotte Kelley prosecuted the case.

Anyone who has information about the physical or online exploitation of children is encouraged to contact HSI at (866) 347-2423 or submit a tip online at report.cybertip.org.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

A Springfield, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for a federal hate crime after assaulting a victim on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,”  said U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”

“Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres of the FBI Portland Field Office. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.”

According to court documents, on the evening of July 5, 2021, McGee met the victim at the victim’s apartment after communicating on the dating application Grindr, an application originally designed for, and primarily used by, gay men. McGee assaulted the victim over the course of several minutes, striking the victim on the head with a wooden tire thumper and using his hands to try to gouge the victim’s eyes out. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries during the assault, including serious head wounds.

The investigation revealed McGee had been researching and planning the attack for weeks. For at least one month prior to the attack, McGee searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay material. McGee planned for the attack by purchasing the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searching the internet for suggestions on how to get away with murder.

On Nov. 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill.

On Nov. 25, 2025, McGee pleaded guilty to count one of the indictment.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Huynh for the District of Oregon and Trial Attorney Tenette Smith for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section prosecuted the case.

EUGENE, Ore.— A Springfield, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for a federal hate crime after assaulting a victim on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Daniel Andrew McGee, 26, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.

“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right. The District of Oregon remains committed to combatting hate crimes and protecting that right for all,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford. “While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”

“Hate crimes impact not just individuals, but entire communities,” said Acting FBI Portland Special Agent in Charge Matt Torres. “The FBI works together with our partners to prevent hate crimes from impacting our communities, and every attack on someone because of who and what they are deserves to be acted on by the full extent of the law.” 

According to court documents, on the evening of July 5, 2021, McGee met the victim at the victim’s apartment after communicating on the dating application Grindr, an application originally designed for, and primarily used by, gay men. McGee assaulted the victim over the course of several minutes, striking the victim on the head with a wooden tire thumper and using his hands to try to gouge the victim’s eyes out. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries during the assault, including serious head wounds.

The investigation revealed McGee had been researching and planning the attack for weeks. For at least one month prior to the attack, McGee searched the internet for homophobic and graphically violent anti-gay material. McGee planned for the attack by purchasing the weapon and other materials from Amazon and searching the internet for suggestions on how to get away with murder.

On November 18, 2021, a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with a federal hate crime involving an attempt to kill.

On November 25, 2025, McGee pleaded guilty to count one of the Indictment.

The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Eugene Police Department. Joseph Huynh, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon and Tenette Smith, Trial Attorney for the Civil Rights Division Criminal Section, prosecuted the case.

EUGENE, Ore.—A Bend, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition after officers responded to gunfire in the Deschutes National Forest.

Cody Joe Hunt, 38, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on Feb. 13, 2025, U.S. Forest Service law enforcement officers responded to gunfire in the Deschutes National Forest near China Hat Road. Officers arrived to find Hunt fleeing into the woods, leaving behind an assault rifle and shell casings.  They tracked him through the snow and discovered ammunition in his pockets matching the assault rifle. He was arrested on separate charges. A search warrant for Hunt’s devices revealed additional evidence that he had possessed the rifle found in the woods in the preceding weeks after participating in its purchase at a local firearm dealer. Hunt is a convicted felon and is therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.

On Sept. 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned a two-count superseding indictment charging Hunt with felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On Nov. 18, 2025, Hunt pleaded guilty to counts one and two.

The U.S. Forest Service investigated the case with support from the Deschutes County Digital Forensics Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren prosecuted the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland, Oregon, found Brandon Charles Nelson, 40, guilty yesterday of escape after failing to report to the Northwest Regional Re-entry Center (NWRRC) in Portland.

According to court documents, Nelson was convicted of felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 36 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release. On Feb. 25, 2025, after violating his release conditions for a third time, Nelson’s supervision was revoked, and he was sentenced to 12 months in prison and 18 months of supervised release. While in custody at Victorville Federal Corrections Institute (FCI), Nelson met criteria for placement in a residential re-entry center and was referred to the NWRRC. He was approved to travel unescorted and required to report no later than Nov. 20, 2025. Nelson absconded and failed to report as directed and required. Victorville FCI reported Nelson as an escapee to the United States Marshals Service (USMS) on Nov. 21, 2025, and the USMS arrested him on Dec. 5, 2025, without incident.

On Dec. 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Nelson with escape from custody.

Nelson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 8, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.

The USMS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin Heinz prosecuted the case.

MEDFORD, Ore.—A licensed real estate broker pleaded guilty Monday after avoiding reporting requirements and drafting fake property leases when her client’s illegal marijuana grow was raided.

Tyra Foxx, 46, pleaded guilty to avoiding reporting requirements and obstruction of justice.

According to court documents, between January 2020 through November 2020, Foxx was a real estate broker for Jose Orozco and assisted with his purchase of agricultural properties to grow hemp and marijuana. When Orozco purchased these properties, Foxx made large cash payments to the property owners outside of escrow, and knowing RE/MAX did not accept cash payments, converted $100,000 into money orders and used a third-party broker’s trust account to transfer over $2 million dollars into escrow accounts.

On October 13, 2020, Foxx received $175,000 from Orozco to purchase agricultural property in Josephine County, Oregon. Foxx did not file a Form 8300 upon receipt of the funds as required, but instead, transferred the money to a client trust account at another real estate office. This caused a Currency Transaction Report to be filed in that real estate office’s name rather than Orozco’s name.  

After learning that law enforcement had raided one of Orozco’s illegal marijuana grows, Foxx drafted fake property leases for Orozco and suggested he place phony construction liens to be levied on the property to prevent it from being forfeited by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

On February 23, 2026, Foxx was charged by an amended superseding information with avoiding reporting requirements and obstruction of justice.

On count one, Foxx faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. On count two, Foxx faces 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. She will be sentenced on May 11, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.

Jose Orozco previously pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and is scheduled to be sentenced April 6, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.

The Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team, HSI, and IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Brassell is prosecuting the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.—An owner and president of a collection of healthcare staffing companies was sentenced to federal prison today for willfully failing to pay over employment taxes to the IRS on behalf of the companies he owned and operated.

Jeffrey A. Kruse, 56, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay over $2.8 million in restitution.

According to court documents, Kruse was the founder, owner, and president of a collection of healthcare staffing companies that provided temporary staffing of medical and healthcare workers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington. Kruse was in charge of payroll for the businesses and responsible for collecting and accounting for and paying over to the IRS on a periodic basis employment taxes for the businesses’ employees. Kruse falsely underreported and underpaid his employment tax obligations by creating two sets of tax forms for his employees – a false set of tax forms that he sent to the government that underreported his employees’ compensation and the employment tax due, and an accurate set of tax forms that Kruse sent his employees for use in reporting their own tax obligations.

Kruse’s conduct caused a total tax loss of over $3.6 million.

On June 20, 2025, Kruse was charged by information with one count of willful failure to collect, account for, and pay over trust fund taxes.

On August 6, 2025, Kruse pleaded guilty to count one of the information.

IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew T. Ho prosecuted the case.

PORTLAND, Ore.— A Cameroonian national residing in Anchorage, Alaska, was sentenced to federal prison today for fraudulently obtaining more than $172,000 in taxpayer money from emergency programs intended to help small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Peter Igwacho, 65, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $182,225.15 in restitution.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between April 2020 and October 2021, during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Igwacho filed at least five fraudulent applications for pandemic stimulus funds through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. The information on those forms, in support of his request for stimulus funds, was fraudulent. The applications submitted by Igwacho were filed on behalf of a sole proprietorship that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, payrolled employees, or the reported gross revenues. 

Further, upon receipt of the stimulus funds, Igwacho did not spend those funds on approved pandemic-related expenses but instead spent the money on personal expenses. The PPP and EIDL programs were designed to help small businesses facing financial difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On July 23, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a three-count superseding indictment charging Igwacho with wire fraud.

On August 21, 2025, Igwacho was convicted of all three counts following a three-day jury trial.

This case was investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. It was prosecuted by Robert Trisotto and Meredith Bateman, Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Oregon.

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, among other methods, 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.

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 at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for sex trafficking three minor victims.

Eric Lamont Harris, 51, was sentenced to 292 months in federal prison and 10 years of supervised release.

According to court documents, Harris began trafficking 15-year-old Minor Victim 1 in Spring 2022. Minor Victim 1 was a ward of the state and reported missing in March 2022. Harris began trafficking 16-year-old Minor Victim 2 in June 2022. In July 2022, Harris brought Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 from Portland to Kennewick, Washington, with the intent that they engage in prostitution at a hotel he booked in Kennewick. After Minor Victim 2’s parents reported her missing, the FBI and Kennewick Police recovered Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2 in Kennewick. Harris met 17-year-old Minor Victim 3 in June 2022 and began trafficking her in August 2022.

Each victim lived with Harris while he trafficked them. Harris booked hotel rooms for the minor victims’ commercial sex dates, transported them to and from those dates, facilitated the posting of online escort advertisements featuring the minor victims, and received thousands of dollars’ worth of commercial sex proceeds from the minor victims.

On September 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an eight-count second superseding indictment charging Harris with transportation with intent to engage in prostitution, three counts of sex trafficking of a child, three counts of sex trafficking of a child – benefitting from participation in a venture, and sexual exploitation of children.

On November 6, 2025, Harris pleaded guilty to the eight-count indictment on the fourth day of his ten-day trial.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Portland Police Bureau, the Kennewick Police Department, and the Medford Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charlotte Kelley and Robert Trisotto prosecuted the case.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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.  

If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Gearhart, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today for secretly filming a minor victim while nude and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

Joseph Tyler Biamont, 35, pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.

According to court documents, Gearhart Police discovered that Biamont was in possession of a thumb drive containing secretly recorded videos of the minor victim while nude. The videos were filmed from what appeared to be a dummy smoke detector above the victim’s bed, behind a teddy bear, and from Biamont’s cell phone, depicting the minor victim going to the bathroom, showering, and changing clothes. Biamont is visible in some of the videos. Investigators also found files of CSAM of other minor victims on Biamont’s thumb drive and videos of an adult victim nude in the bathroom.

On May 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a six-count indictment charging Biamont with sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.

On count one, Biamont faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervised release. On count six, Biamont faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and five years to life of supervised release. He will be sentenced on August 19, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.

As part of the plea agreement, Biamont has agreed to pay restitution to the victims.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office and the Gearhart Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlotte Kelley is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

PORTLAND, Ore.—A Salem, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for ordering live-streamed child sexual abuse material from child sex traffickers in the Philippines in exchange for money.

Steven Daniel Griswold, 44, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a $12,000 special assessment under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.

According to court documents, from 2018 through 2019, Griswold paid for and received livestreamed “shows” featuring the sexual abuse and exploitation of children as young as three years old in the Philippines. During the livestreams, Griswold gave child sex traffickers in the Philippines specific instructions on how to abuse the children and received child sexual abuse material from the traffickers. Griswold typically paid traffickers between $20 to $40 for the livestreams. Griswold left the United States for the Philippines in 2020 after learning he was under investigation for uploading child pornography to Snapchat in an unrelated case.

On November 14, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Griswold with sexual exploitation of children, attempted sexual exploitation of children, and receiving child pornography.

Griswold was arrested in the United States in March 2024 after being deported from the Philippines. He was transported to Portland, Oregon, for his arraignment on May 9, 2024. On November 5, 2025, Griswold pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of children.

Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eliza Carmen Rodriguez and Charlotte Kelley prosecuted the case.

This case was brought in collaboration with 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 www.justice.gov/psc.

If you or someone you know are victims of human trafficking or have information about a potential human trafficking situation, please call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center (NHTRC) at 1-888-373-7888 or text 233733. NHTRC is a national, toll-free hotline, with specialists available to answer calls from anywhere in the country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also submit a tip on the NHTRC website.