Northern District of Texas
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Nancy E. Larson Named Acting United States Attorney, Becoming Chief Federal Prosecutor for the Northern District of TexasRead the Press Release
Nancy E. Larson was named as the Acting United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas following her appointment on May 29, 2025, by President Donald J. Trump.
Ms. Larson is now the top-ranking law enforcement official in the Northern District of Texas. The office is responsible for prosecuting federal crimes in a district encompassing 96,000 square miles and serving a population of approximately eight million, including those in Dallas, Fort Worth, Amarillo, Lubbock, Abilene, San Angelo, Wichita Falls and surrounding areas. Ms. Larson will oversee more than 80 Assistant United States Attorneys.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the office where I have spent my career representing the United States,” said Acting United States Attorney Nancy Larson. “As our district’s chief federal prosecutor, I will work relentlessly to implement the priorities of the President and the Attorney General and to protect our communities from criminals.”
Ms. Larson has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for more than 30 years. She began her career with the Department of Justice in the District of Columbia, serving as a federal prosecutor in the D.C. United States Attorney’s Office. There, she led successful prosecutions involving homicide, narcotics, violent crime, fraud, and other offenses.
In 1999, Ms. Larson joined the Northern District of Texas as the lead prosecutor for the Housing Fraud Initiative. After serving in the Criminal Division, Ms. Larson was named the Chief of the Appellate Division. She served in that role for over a decade and regularly appeared before the Fifth Circuit on behalf of the United States. Ms. Larson also has served as the district’s Executive Assistant United States Attorney and its Professional Responsibility Officer. Ms. Larson is an accomplished trial lawyer, having represented the United States in more than two dozen criminal trials. During her career, Ms. Larson received numerous awards for her service and leadership.
Ms. Larson is a native of New York and received her J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law. Ms. Larson’s father, whose father and grandfather served on the NYPD, was a career Special Agent in IRS Criminal Investigations. Her family’s legacy in law enforcement instilled in her a devotion to public service and the cause of justice.
Second large-scale methamphetamine trafficker in Duncanville sentenced to 20 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
The second defendant convicted of large-scale methamphetamine trafficking in Duncanville, Texas was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Moises Elias Saavedra Posadas, 45, a Mexican national illegally living in the United States, pled guilty to methamphetamine possession with intent to distribute in February 2025. He was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison yesterday, May 28, 2025, by United States District Judge David C. Godbey.
According to court documents, Saavedra Posadas helped codefendant Gerardo Barraza Ortiz deliver more than 4 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine on two separate occasions. Officers with the Duncanville Police Department executed a search warrant at an auto body shop located on South Cockrell Hill Road in Dallas, Texas, where several identifying documents belonging to Saavedra Posadas were located.
Testimony from codefendant Barraza Ortiz’s sentencing hearing revealed that on June 2, 2022, officers located approximately 48.66 kilograms (107.05 pounds) of crystalized methamphetamine during a search of the building. The majority of the methamphetamine was located in 1,022 small packages hidden in buckets and pallets. A further search of the auto body shop revealed a freezer, burners, coolers, storage bins, and barrels that were being used to store, cook, and convert liquid methamphetamine into a crystalized form. Officers also located three firearms and several pounds of marijuana during the search.
According to the Duncanville Police Department, the 48.66 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, if sold in ounce quantities, has a street value of approximately $3,128,400.00 in the Dallas, Texas area.
Barraza Ortiz was sentenced to a term of 262 months’ imprisonment in March 2025 by U.S. District Judge Godbey.
The Duncanville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Leal and Sarah Douglas prosecuted the case.
Dallas man sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for violent drug trafficking conducted in BuZen Suites HotelRead the Press Release
Kenneth Ray Peters, 44, of Dallas, was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison today for his role in a violent drug trafficking conspiracy operated from a hotel in Dallas, Texas, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Peters and multiple codefendants utilized rooms at the BuZen Suites Hotel located at 2030 W. Northwest Highway, Dallas, Texas to distribute quantities of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other drugs. In January 2025, Peters pled guilty to his role in the conspiracy, and today, he was sentenced to 216 months’ imprisonment by Senior U.S. District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn.
The drug conspiracy continued throughout 2022 and into March 2023. Court records revealed that Peters and other coconspirators—utilizing a serving station inside multiple hotel rooms that held quantities of various drugs, drug paraphernalia and digital scales—distributed the drugs to customers twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
According to court documents, a security camera was installed in the corner of the rooms that recorded the events each day. Other coconspirators inside the rooms were paid to fill capsules with powdered fentanyl and cut and prepare other drugs for distribution. Photographs introduced during court hearings captured cash, drugs, and other drug trade tools, as depicted below:
Peters admitted in court documents that violent acts committed by members of the conspiracy were common at the hotel, including multiple beatings, the pistol whipping of a customer, and the use of a lighter to burn the foot of a female customer that had passed out on the hotel room floor after ingesting drugs she had purchased in the room.
Court records show that on April 19, 2023, law enforcement agents executed multiple search warrants at the hotel. Agents recovered distribution quantities of methamphetamine, powder and crack cocaine, heroin, powdered fentanyl, and counterfeit M30 pills that contain fentanyl, morphine, hydrocodone, Alprazolam and multiple kilograms of marijuana. Officers also recovered multiple handguns, one AK-47 rifle, one AR-15 rifle, body armor, multiple digital scales, syringes, and other items consistent with drug distribution.
Other codefendants charged in Peters’ indictment have already been sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Lynn. In December 2024, codefendant Derrick Alan Richardson was sentenced to 54 months in prison. In January 2025, codefendant Antoine Marquin Thompson-Stevens was sentenced to 108 months in prison. In March 2025, codefendants Keenan Bernard Allen a.k.a. “King” and Glenn Malcolm Blair a.k.a. “Slim” were sentenced to 240 months in prison. On May 8, 2025, Allen’s younger brother, Corey Lanard Allen, Jr., was sentenced to 192 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Dallas Police Department – Narcotics Unit.
Two Texas Residents Operating a Visa Racket Indicted for Visa Fraud, Money Laundering, and RICO ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Two Texas residents, Abdul Hadi Murshid, 39, and Muhammad Salman Nasir, 35, both originally from Pakistan, a law firm, and a business entity were charged by indictment with conspiracy to defraud the United States, visa fraud, money laundering conspiracy, and Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act (RICO) conspiracy, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Murshid and Nasir were also charged with unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain United States citizenship.
According to the indictment, Abdul Hadi Murshid, Muhammad Salman Nasir, the Law Offices of D. Robert Jones PLLC, and Reliable Ventures, Inc. engaged in a scheme to commit visa fraud to enrich themselves and others, and to cause individuals to fraudulently obtain entry into and immigration status in the United States. It is alleged that Murshid, Nasir, and others submitted and caused to be submitted false and fraudulent visa applications for individuals who were not United States citizens (hereinafter referred to as “visa seekers”), and applications to adjust status of the visa seekers so the visa seekers could enter and remain in the United States.
“These defendants are charged with engaging in extensive measures to hide a massive, multi-year, immigration fraud scheme through which they reaped substantial personal financial gain,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “Pursuing criminal charges to deter and punish this type of flagrant disregard for the lawful immigration process is a top priority of this Office.”
“The defendants allegedly oversaw an international criminal enterprise for years that repeatedly undermined our nation’s immigration laws. These laws are necessary to protect national security and safeguard the lawful immigration process,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will hold any individual accountable that misuses their position of trust for personal profit.”
As part of the scheme, the indictment alleges that the defendants exploited the EB-2, EB-3, and H-1B visa programs. Specifically, the defendants caused classified advertisements to be placed in a daily periodical for non-existent jobs. These advertisements were placed in order to satisfy a Department of Labor (“DOL”) requirement to offer the position to United States citizens before hiring foreign nationals. Once they received the fraudulently obtained certification for from the Department of Labor, the defendants filed a petition to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) to obtain an immigrant visa for the visa seekers. At the time the petitions were submitted, the defendants also submitted an application for legal permanent residence so that the visa seekers could also obtain a green card. According to the indictment, to make the non-existent jobs look legitimate, the defendants received payment from visa seekers, then returned a portion of the money back to the visa seekers as purported payroll.
The defendants made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on May 23, 2025, and the government moved for their detention. The detention hearings are scheduled for May 30, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian McKay.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Murshid, Nasir, and the business entities are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison. Murshid faces denaturalization if convicted of unlawfully obtaining and attempting to obtain his United States citizenship.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. The Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, and the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General provided significant assistance to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Hocter, Tiffany H. Eggers, and Jongwoo Chung are prosecuting the case.
Previously convicted sex offender sentenced to twenty years in federal prison for possession of prepubescent child pornographyRead the Press Release
A previously convicted sex offender was sentenced to twenty years in federal prison for possession of prepubescent child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Ronnie Craig Lance, 54, of Amarillo, was charged in October 2024 and pled guilty in mid-January 2025, to federal charges of possessing prepubescent child pornography. According to court documents, Lance admitted to possessing nearly 1400 videos and over 71,000 images of child sex abuse material on his personal laptop and other devices. On May 20, 2025, he was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, who also ordered that Lance pay restitution of $140,000 to certain victims and serve lifetime supervision following his prison term.
Court records indicate that in 2011, while previously residing in Lubbock, Texas, Lance was found to be in possession of child pornography, resulting in federal charges. He was convicted after his guilty plea in June 2011 and was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings in September 2011.
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the work of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations –Amarillo and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Frausto prosecuted the instant case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam assisted in the prosecution of the earlier case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Justice Department Seizes Domains Behind Major Information-Stealing Malware OperationRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of two warrants authorizing the seizure of five internet domains used by malicious cyber actors to operate the LummaC2 information-stealing malware service.
“The Department will continue to use its unique tools, authorities, and partnerships to disrupt malicious cyber operations and criminal networks,” said Sue J. Bai, head of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s disruption is another instance where our prosecutors, agents, and private sector partners came together to protect us from the persistent cybersecurity threats targeting our country. We are grateful for their work and dedication.”
“Malware like LummaC2 is deployed to steal sensitive information such as user login credentials from millions of victims in order to facilitate a host of crimes, including fraudulent bank transfers and cryptocurrency theft,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s announcement demonstrates that the Justice Department is resolved to use court-ordered disruptions like this one to protect the public from the theft of their personal information and their assets. The Department is also committed to working with and appreciates the efforts of the private sector to safeguard the public from cybercrime.”
“The FBI is committed to disrupting the key services that cyber criminals rely on,” said Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of FBI’s Cyber Division. “That’s why, with our partners, we took action against the most popular infostealer service available in online criminal markets, which is responsible for millions of attacks against victims. Thanks to partnerships with the private sector, we were able to disrupt the LummaC2 infrastructure and seize user panels. Together, we are making it harder, and more painful, for cyber criminals to operate.”
As alleged in the affidavits filed in support of the government’s seizure warrants, the administrators of LummaC2 used the seized websites to distribute LummaC2, an information-stealing malware, to their affiliates and other cyber criminals. According to court documents, common targets for cybercriminals using malware like LummaC2 include browser data, autofill information, login credentials for accessing email and banking services, as well as cryptocurrency seed phrases, which permit access to virtual currency wallets. As alleged in the affidavits, the FBI has identified at least 1.7 million instances where LummaC2 was used to steal this type of information.
The government’s affidavit further alleges that the seized domains, also referred to as user panels, served as login pages for the LummaC2 malware, allowing credentialed users and administrators to access and deploy LummaC2. On May 19, 2025, the government seized two domains. On May 20, 2025, as detailed in court documents, the LummaC2 administrators informed their users of three new domains that they had set up to host the user panel. The next day, the government then seized those three domains.
The seizure of these domains by the government will prevent the owners and cybercriminals from using the websites to access LummaC2 to compromise computers and steal victim information. Individuals who now visit the websites will see a message indicating that the site has been seized by the Justice Department, including the FBI.
Concurrent with today’s actions and consistent with the Department’s approach to public-private operational coordination, Microsoft announced an independent civil action to take down 2,300 internet domains also claimed to be used by the LummaC2 actors or their proxies.
FBI’s Dallas Field Office is investigating the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section, and the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are handling the case.
The U.S. Department of State's Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, which is administered by the Diplomatic Security Service, offers a reward of up to $10 million for information on foreign government-linked individuals participating in certain malicious cyber activities against U.S. critical infrastructure in violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Anyone with information on any other foreign government-linked malicious cyber actors or activity targeting U.S. critical infrastructure should contact Rewards for Justice via the RFJ Tor-based tip line at: he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion (Tor browser required). Learn more about Rewards for Justice and their reward offers at RewardsforJustice.net.
If you believe you have a compromised computer or device, please visit the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). You may also contact your local FBI field office directly.
Former Theology Professor Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Pornographic Images of ChildrenRead the Press Release
A former professor of theology and librarian at the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Charles Kilby Bellinger, 63, was arrested in October 2024 by the Fort Worth Police Department after TCU’s IT staff reported they had detected pornographic images with concerning file names, including “infant” and “toddler,” on Bellinger’s work computer. He was charged by federal complaint, which stated that investigators found multiple sexually explicit images of pre-pubescent minors on a hard drive and an SD card removed from Bellinger’s office.
In early January 2025, Bellinger pled guilty to federal charges of possessing child pornography. Today, he was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman, who also ordered that Bellinger pay restitution of $6,000 to certain victims and that Bellinger be taken into custody immediately following the hearing.
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the work of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including the U.S. Secret Service, the Fort Worth Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit, and the Texas Christian University Campus Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling More Than $64,000 Worth of FentanylRead the Press Release
A fentanyl dealer was sentenced to more than four years in federal prison for his role in distributing over $64,000 worth of fentanyl, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
On May 15, 2025, Donald Derrell Slay, Jr., 31, of Richardson, Texas, was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Brantley Starr for conspiring to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Court filings reveal that, in late 2022 into early 2023, Slay and two others, Hakeem Aziz Wiley and Richard Daniel Gomez, sold several quantities of fentanyl to undercover officers on multiple occasions in the Dallas area. One delivery involved 6,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for $15,000.00.
Slay, Wiley, and Gomez each pled guilty to a conspiracy count after indictment. Hakeem Aziz Wiley, 26, of Frisco, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison by Judge Starr in January 2025. Richard Daniel Gomez, 24, of Carrollton, Texas, received a sentence of 37 months in federal prison from Judge Starr in February this year.
Fentanyl pills have an approximate street value of $10 per pill. The potential street value of the fentanyl pills seized in this case is approximately $64,690.00.
The case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant United States Attorney George Leal prosecuted the case.
Richardson Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
An 80-year-old Richardson man who sexually abused a seven-year-old was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
George Kenneth Orton, Jr., of Richardson, was convicted of two counts of sexual exploitation of a child by a jury of his peers in October 2024. According to evidence presented at trial, agents recovered a USB drive and two laptops containing child sexual abuse material at his home.On May 14, 2025, Orton appeared before District Judge Brantley Starr for sentencing. Judge Starr sentenced Orton to consecutive maximum sentences of 360 months on each count, for a total of 720 months in federal prison. Judge Starr described Orton’s conduct against Minor Victim 1 as “unspeakable” and, in handing down the sentence, stated that he found no reason to give Orton less than the statutory maximum on each count, regardless of his age.
“The FBI is proud to collaborate with our law enforcement partners every single day to ensure anyone involved in criminal behavior against a child is brought to justice. The significant sentence given to the defendant sends a clear message that crimes against children will not be tolerated,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “Together, through continued vigilance and cooperation, we can prevent abuse and protect the most vulnerable among us.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Richardson Police Department in conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Aulbaugh and Brandie Wade prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Illegal Alien with Prior Sex Assault of a Child Conviction Sentenced to 35 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
An illegal alien from Mexico, previously convicted of sexually assaulting a teenage girl, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison for illegally reentering the United States, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Enrique Campos-Gomez, 45, was indicted in November 2024 and pled guilty in January 2025 to illegally reentering the United States after he was deported by immigration authorities in 2014. He was sentenced on Thursday, May 8, to 35 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jane Boyle.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, prosecutors argued that Campos-Gomez was a danger to the community based on his violent criminal history, which included a 2008 Dallas County conviction for domestic violence, followed by multiple criminal violations of a protective order obtained by the same domestic-assault victim in 2008 and 2009, as well as his 2013 Dallas County conviction for sexually assaulting a fifteen-year-old girl. Campos-Gomez also failed to register as a sex offender, as he was required to do by federal law.
“This case highlights the continuing need to protect the public from offenders with violent tendencies who should not be in the United States in the first place,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “Individuals such as these attempting to hide illegally in this country will be found and brought to justice.”
“ICE and our federal law enforcement partners have an unrelenting commitment of protecting minors and other at-risk members in our society,” said ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Dallas acting Field Office Director Josh Johnson. “Criminal aliens like this one who repeatedly prey on our children are not welcome in our communities. We will track them down and remove them to ensure the safety of those who cannot protect themselves.”
ICE conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Garner prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Restore JusticeRead the Press Release
[May 9, 2025] – On Wednesday this week, the Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Restore Justice, a coordinated enforcement effort to identify, track and arrest child sex predators. The operation resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sexual abuse offenders in the nationwide crackdown. The coordinated effort was executed over the course of five days by all 55 FBI field offices, the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section in the Department’s Criminal Division, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.“The Department of Justice will never stop fighting to protect victims — especially child victims — and we will not rest until we hunt down, arrest, and prosecute every child predator who preys on the most vulnerable among us,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I am grateful to the FBI and their state and local partners for their incredible work in Operation Restore Justice and have directed my prosecutors not to negotiate.”
“Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children.”
“I am proud of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, who work tirelessly to bring to justice those that exploit children,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad Meacham. “United with their efforts, this Office will continue to aggressively prosecute these offenders.”
“Criminals who prey on children threaten the sanctity of our communities, and this operation highlights the FBI’s efforts to dismantle the threat,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The strength of each member of the North Texas Child Exploitation Task Force is crucial to protecting the most vulnerable, and together we will pursue offenders to the fullest extent of the law.”
Those arrested by the FBI and charged in the Northern District of Texas as part of Operation Restore Justice include:
Angel Ramirez Flores, arrested in Lamesa, Texas by the FBI with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Flores has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to Minors. If convicted, he faces up to ten years in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jen Schrauth is prosecuting the case.
Michael Huffman, arrested in Fort Worth, Texas by the FBI with assistance from the Fort Worth Police Department. Huffman has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Distribution of Child Pornography. If convicted, he faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. According to court documents, agents discovered Huffman sitting in his driveway with his laptop logged into one of the platforms used to view sexually explicit images of minors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is prosecuting the case.
Otho Earl London, arrested in Azle, Texas by the FBI with assistance of the FBI Dallas SWAT. London has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Possession of Child Pornography. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is prosecuting the case.
Harold Lee Hill, arrested in Rockwall, Texas by the FBI with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Rockwall Police Department, Dallas County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Office, and Arkansas State Patrol. Hill has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity. If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle A. Winters and Claire Demers are prosecuting the case.
Jose Lizandro Trevino Rodriguez, arrested in Dallas by the FBI with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department. Rodriguez has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Distribution of Child Pornography. If convicted, he faces a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandie Wade is prosecuting the case.
Emmanuel Jacobo Reyes, of Raleigh, North Carolina, arrested in Raleigh, NC by the FBI and the Raleigh Police Department. Reyes has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Production of Child Pornography. If convicted, he faces a minimum of 15 years and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allyson Monte is prosecuting the case.
Robert Rayel, of Benbrook, Texas, arrested in Florida by FBI Tampa - Pinellas County Resident Agency. Rayel has been charged in the Northern District of Texas with Attempted Sexual Exploitation, which carries a penalty of imprisonment from 15 to 30 years; Possession of Child Pornography, for which he faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment; and Receipt of Child Pornography, with an imprisonment range of five to 20 years in federal prison, if convicted. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aisha Saleem is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendants mentioned above are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Like those charged in the Northern District of Texas, others arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking. In Minneapolis, for example, a state trooper and Army Reservist was arrested for allegedly producing child sexual abuse material while wearing his uniforms. In Norfolk, VA, an illegal alien from Mexico is accused of transporting a minor across state lines for sex. In Washington, D.C., a former Metropolitan Police Department Police Officer was arrested for allegedly trafficking minor victims.
In many cases, parental vigilance and community outreach efforts played a critical role in bringing these offenders to justice. For example, a California man was arrested about eight hours after a young victim bravely came forward and disclosed their abuse to FBI agents after an online safety presentation at a school near Albany, N.Y.
This effort follows the Department’s observance of National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April and underscores the Department’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and raising awareness about the dangers they face. While the Department, including the FBI, investigates and prosecutes these crimes every day, April serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of preventing these crimes, seeking justice for victims, and raising awareness through community education.The Justice Department is committed to combating child sexual exploitation. These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI’s tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.Mansfield Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Keevon Carter-Hickmon, a 30-year-old Mansfield man, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Carter-Hickmon was indicted and pleaded guilty in January 2025 to production of child pornography. He was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor on May 2, 2025.
According to a factual resume signed by the defendant, Carter-Hickmon drove to a local middle school to pick up a minor after communicating with the minor online for several months. Carter-Hickmon took the minor to a motel in Arlington where they had sexual contact. Carter-Hickmon recorded and then distributed pornographic images of the minor over the internet. While awaiting trial on state charges, Carter-Hickmon solicited another minor online and received additional child pornography from that minor.
Acting United States Attorney Meacham praised the extraordinary efforts of the agencies involved in bringing justice on behalf of the victims. Those agencies included the Arlington Police Department, Stephenville Police Department, Mansfield Police Department, United States Secret Service, and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Allyson Monte prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Florida Man Sentenced for Assaulting Gate Agent at DFW AirportRead the Press Release
A Florida man who assaulted a gate agent at DFW Airport was sentenced to four months in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Keith Charles Owens, 53, was charged via criminal complaint in November 2024 and pleaded guilty to a criminal information charging interference with security screening personnel in January 2025. He was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, who also ordered Owens to pay nearly $6,000 in restitution.
In plea papers, Mr. Owens admitted that he assaulted an American Airlines gate agent at DFW Airport on Oct. 5, 2024. Security footage showed Mr. Owens repeatedly punched the gate agent in the head.According to court documents, around 4:42 p.m., Mr. Owens approached the gate agent at gate A36, explained he was late, and attempted to scan his boarding pass. When the gate agent informed him he was at the wrong gate, Mr. Owens cursed and walked away. The agent then radioed the correct gate, A35, to inform airline personnel that Mr. Owens was headed their way and appeared to be intoxicated.
Mr. Owens then walked onto the A35 jet bridge without scanning his boarding pass. Airline personnel removed him from the jet bridge.
A few moments later, at 4:48 p.m., Mr. Owens again approached gate A36. He began yelling at the gate agent, grabbed him by the shoulders, and punched him repeatedly in the face and neck. Eventually, airline personnel were able to restrain him.
Both the gate agent and the personnel who assisted in restraining Mr. Owens sustained minor injuries. The flight departing from gate A36 was delayed.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation with the DFW Airport Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Beck prosecuted the case.
Houston man pleads guilty to "jugging" robbery of ATM technician in MidlothianRead the Press Release
A Houston, Texas man pleaded guilty to the “jugging” robbery of an ATM technician that occurred on July 3, 2024, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. A “jugging” robbery is a type of theft where thieves follow a victim as they service or withdraw cash from ATMs or banks and then rob them.
In December 2024, Houston residents Johnny Juwan Clark, 32, Corey Dashun Holloway, Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg, and Roosevelt Ford Valentine were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in a jugging robbery in Midlothian, Texas. On April 22, 2025, Clark pleaded guilty to interference with commerce by robbery before Senior United States District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn.
Clark, Brandyberg, Holloway, and Roosevelt have been linked to a Houston-based criminal organization called the “Hiram Clarke Money Team.” HCMT members are known to routinely travel to areas outside of Houston and engage in “jugging” style robberies and other forms of theft.
Clark admitted that at approximately 5:35 p.m. on July 3, 2024, he approached the ATM technician as he was servicing an ATM at a Chase Bank located in Midlothian, Texas. Clark was wearing a hoodie and face covering to disguise his appearance. Clark approached the technician from behind and forced him to the ground. Clark kept his fist to the back of the victim’s head as cannisters containing United States currency were removed from the ATM by codefendants. Approximately $247,000 in United States currency was taken during the robbery. According to court documents, Clark admitted that he was the individual forcing the technician to the ground, captured in a security photo.
After the robbery, Clark and two of his codefendants fled from the Chase Bank in the rental car and met a fourth accomplice at an apartment complex in close proximity to the bank. The stolen money was loaded into a Range Rover and driven back to Houston, Texas.
Clark’s sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2025. He faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Codefendant Tierra Toneisha Brandyberg has filed documents advising the court of her intention to plead guilty. A rearraignment date for Brandyberg has not been set. Codefendants Holloway and Valentine are set for jury trial in September 2025.
The FBI (Dallas Division) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.
Former Abilene preschool teacher sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
A former Abilene preschool teacher, Mark Penfield Eichorn, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison for producing child pornography, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Eichorn admitted that he paid two young boys, ages 12 and 13, to record videos of themselves performing sexual acts on each other.
Mark Penfield Eichorn, 28, was indicted in June 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to Production of Child Pornography. He was sentenced to 360 months’ imprisonment, the statutory maximum, by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered Eichorn to pay $66,087.50 in restitution.
“Stopping horrendous acts against children, such as those in this case, is a core mission of this Office,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “We hope that the maximum punishment in this case serves as a message to other child predators, and that the victims and their families find some measure of comfort knowing that this abuser will be off the streets for a very long time.”
“This defendant made the depraved decision to exploit children, not only failing to meet any standard of human decency but choosing to victimize them through the production of sexually explicit materials,” said Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard Homeland Security Investigations Dallas. “I’m grateful for the collaborative effort between our law enforcement partners who assisted in this investigation, ensuring Mr. Eichorn will spend the next 30 years behind bars, unable to harm an innocent child again.”
According to court documents, Eichorn admitted to struggling with desires to sexually assault children since 2019. During this time, he continued to work with children. He also admitted to being involved in child pornography trading groups across various Internet platforms, such as Kik and Telegram. Eichorn confessed to possessing and trading prepubescent child pornography online. Among the disturbing material was a video involving a child between the ages of 10 and 12-years-old engaged in sexually explicit conduct.At the time of his arrest, Eichorn was employed as a teacher at a local private school. Eichorn initiated contact with one of the child victims in this case and offered to send him $100 per week to be his “Sugar Daddy.” Eichorn admitted that he subsequently paid both victims hundreds of dollars to produce videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
At sentencing, Judge Hendrix told Eichorn that the maximum sentence is warranted especially for “protection of the public.” In imposing the maximum sentence, Judge Hendrix said, “I have to make a lot of difficult decisions. This is not one of them.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the joint efforts of the law enforcement agencies that conducted the investigation, including Homeland Security Investigations—Abilene Resident Agency, the Abilene Police Department, and the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in Georgia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Turns 45 - Dallas Division Reflects on Past Success, Continues VigilanceRead the Press Release
DALLAS – This week, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) R. Joseph Rothrock is joining FBI offices around the country in marking the 45th anniversary of the FBI’s first Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF). Formed in New York in 1980, the first JTTF became a model for law enforcement cooperation across the nation.
JTTFs can be found at each of the FBI’s 55 field offices and many resident agencies—around 280 locations in all. The Dallas Field Office organized the North Texas JTTF in 1995 and it is comprised of dozens of investigative personnel from more than 20 agencies across the Division’s territory.
JTTFs gather trained investigators, intelligence analysts, linguists, and tactical experts from federal, state, local, territorial, tribal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Task force members share intelligence and investigative leads and respond to threats and incidents.
“We know from each potential crisis or thwarted attack that we cannot do this job alone,” said SAC Rothrock. “Each member of the North Texas JTTF brings unique skills and specialized resources from their agency to enhance our collective investigative capabilities. We are proud to work side-by-side with our partners in the fight against terrorism, and will continue to vigorously defend the Dallas Division’s territory.”
The FBI’s JTTF model dates to 1979, when the New York Police Department and the FBI’s New York Field Office created a joint task force to tackle violent bank robberies. They imitated the model in 1980, when terrorist bombings, bomb threats, and other violence plagued the city, and announced the formation of the first JTTF in April 1980.
“The JTTF has proven to be a world class model of what can be accomplished when law enforcement resources from federal, state, and local agencies converge to combat terrorism and disrupt the plans of evil actors throughout the United States,” said Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr. “The JTTF has been called upon to investigate some of the most horrific acts of violence imaginable and we should all be thankful for the work the JTTF does daily to keep communities across the United States safe.”
After the 9/11 attacks, FBI leadership directed all FBI field offices to establish a JTTF. In addition, the FBI established its National Joint Terrorism Task Force to support the local task forces in June of 2002. The NJTTF, at FBI Headquarters, enhances communication, coordination, and cooperation from partner agencies.
“This Office depends on the critical work of the JTTF in keeping Americans safe,” said Acting U. S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “We applaud the JTTF’s decades of significant efforts in partnership with the USAO-NDTX.”
Nationally, JTTFs have disrupted dozens of plots in the past four decades. Notable investigations in Dallas’ territory include:
• Hosam Maher Husein Smadi: Sentenced to 24 years in prison for his attempted bombing of a downtown Dallas skyscraper in September 2009. According to documents filed, Smadi knowingly took possession of a truck that contained a weapon of mass destruction, and while the bomb was inert when Smadi took possession of it, it was a readily-convertible weapon of mass destruction.
• Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari: Sentenced to life in prison for the attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction in connection with his 2011 purchase of chemicals and equipment necessary to make an improvised explosive device (IED) and his research of potential U.S. targets, including persons and infrastructure.
• Omer Kuzu: Pleaded guilty in 2020 to conspiring to provide material support to terrorism. In March 2019, Kuzu was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces, alongside 1,500 suspected ISIS fighters. He was handed over to FBI custody, returned to American soil, and charged with conspiring to provide material support to ISIS.
Report suspicious activity to 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). You can also submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov tips.fbi.gov.
Machining Supplier Settles PPP Lawsuit for $1.5 MillionRead the Press Release
SW North America, Inc., a machining and automation supplier, agreed to pay $1,520,958.14 to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by applying for and receiving a loan it was not eligible for in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified for a PPP loan depended on various factors, including employee-count size standards for applicants.
SW North America applied for and received a PPP loan in the principal amount of $1,204,400 in 2021, which was later forgiven in full. It was alleged in the lawsuit, however, that SW North America with its affiliates exceeded the applicable size standards for the loan, and was ineligible for that reason.
“PPP loans were intended, first and foremost, to help eligible small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “This office will continue to aggressively pursue loan recipients who were not eligible to obtain taxpayer funds, whether due to their size or for any other reason.”
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is case number 3:24-CV-1123-N in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and the qui tam relator, GNGH2 Inc., will receive $187,003.05 in connection with the settlement.
The government was represented in the lawsuit by Assistant United States Attorney Andrea Hyatt, with assistance from Amber Perez of the SBA. The civil claims settled by the agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
San Angelo man posing as 11-year-old in child pornography production case sentenced to 50 years in federal prisonRead the Press Release
A San Angelo man who impersonated an 11-year-old child and persuaded a 9-year-old female child to produce child sexual abuse material was sentenced Tuesday to 50 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
James Wilson, 57, was indicted in September and pleaded guilty in December 2024 to Production of Child Pornography and Transportation of Child Pornography. He was sentenced Tuesday to 600 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix, who also ordered Wilson to pay $106,500 in restitution.
According to court documents, Wilson employed a 9-year-old victim to produce at least two videos of her engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Wilson admitted to using a social media application to transport multiple videos of child pornography over the Internet. He also admitted to possessing and transporting a video that depicted a 10-year-old female child engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Wilson admitted to law enforcement that he had viewed and downloaded child pornography for several years.
The vast collection of child pornography possessed by Wilson included videos from multiple identified child pornography series. Minor victims from 13 of the series requested restitution due to trauma from their sexual abuse. The Court awarded $106,500 in restitution to those victims.
FBI’s Dallas Field Division – San Angelo Resident Agency and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney Ohlhausen prosecuted the case.
Man Who Conspired to Traffic Child from Behind Bars Sentenced to More Than 15 YearsRead the Press Release
A Dallas man who coordinated the trafficking of a 17-year-old girl was sentenced on April 9, 2025, to more than 15 years in federal prison, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Christopher Jabar Jenkins, 33, was indicted in August 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. He was sentenced Wednesday to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Karen Gren Scholer, to be followed by 35 years of supervised release. Jenkins was also ordered to pay $82,300 in restitution to the victim.
According to plea papers, Jenkins admitted that between July 2022 and November 2022, he advertised the 17-year-old victim’s sexual services on commercial sex websites. He also rented hotel rooms for commercial sex dates and negotiated with patrons.
In an interview with the child, it was revealed that Jenkins physically assaulted her, threatened her at gunpoint, forced her to “brand” herself with a tattoo to indicate his ownership of her, and kept her identification as a way to ensure that she could not leave him.
At the sentencing hearing, prosecutors described how the child was forced to work seven days a week, up to fourteen-hour days, and Jenkins took all of the resulting proceeds for himself.
According to court documents, when Jenkins was arrested in September 2022 for unrelated charges, he passed the victim off to another trafficker. Jenkins continued to traffic the victim while in jail. During the recorded calls, Jenkins instructed the victim to continue participating in commercial sex acts. He also coordinated with other coconspirators regarding the pricing, advertisements, work hours, travel, and other logistics to ensure the success of the criminal enterprise. Jenkins specifically instructed a coconspirator to collect all of the money that the minor victim earned and to set it aside for him or add funds to his jail commissary account. Records confirmed that an individual deposited money to Jenkins’ jail commissary account no less than seven times from September 13 to September 29, 2022.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation, with invaluable assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle A. Winters prosecuted the case.
Justice Department Files a Proposed Statement of Interest Supporting Equal Access to Southwest Airlines Travel ProgramRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a proposed statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to make clear that federal law protects the equal right of all Americans to make and enforce contracts regardless of their race.
According to the allegations in the case, the 2024 ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Travel Award Program was an annual program in which college and graduate students could receive free Southwest Airlines flight vouchers, but only Hispanic students were eligible to apply. The American Alliance for Equal Rights sued Southwest alleging that by denying that opportunity to all other students on the basis of their race or ethnicity, Southwest’s program facially discriminated against non-Hispanic students in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The Department’s proposed statement of interest affirms its continuing commitment to eradicating racially exclusionary practices across the government and in the private sector.
“Every person in the United States should have equal and nondiscriminatory rights to make and enforce contracts, and race should never be a consideration,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is working to end discrimination using all of the tools at our disposal.”
“Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham for the Northern District of Texas. “Our office will continue to enforce federal anti-discrimination laws to address racial discrimination affecting our residents.”
To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt, and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov.
Justice Department Files a Proposed Statement of Interest Supporting Equal Access to Southwest Airlines Travel ProgramRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a proposed statement of interest today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to make clear that federal law protects the equal right of all Americans to make and enforce contracts regardless of their race.
According to the allegations in the case, the 2024 ¡Lánzate!/Take Off! Travel Award Program was an annual program in which college and graduate students could receive free Southwest Airlines flight vouchers, but only Hispanic students were eligible to apply. The American Alliance for Equal Rights sued Southwest alleging that by denying that opportunity to all other students on the basis of their race or ethnicity, Southwest’s program facially discriminated against non-Hispanic students in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 1981. The Department’s proposed statement of interest affirms its continuing commitment to eradicating racially exclusionary practices across the government and in the private sector.
“Every person in the United States should have equal and nondiscriminatory rights to make and enforce contracts, and race should never be a consideration,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice is working to end discrimination using all of the tools at our disposal.”
“Discrimination of any kind will not be tolerated in our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham for the Northern District of Texas. “Our office will continue to enforce federal anti-discrimination laws to address racial discrimination affecting our residents.”
To learn more about the Civil Rights Division visit www.justice.gov/crt, and to report possible violations of federal civil rights laws go to www.civilrights.justice.gov.
North Texas man who threatened to shoot and kill ICE agents charged in federal courtRead the Press Release
A North Texas man who threatened to shoot and kill ICE agents was arrested and charged in federal court, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Robert Wilson King, 35, was charged on April 3, 2025, via criminal complaint with transmitting an interstate threat. King made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renée Harris Toliver this morning and was detained pending a detention hearing set for Wednesday, April 9, 2025, at 1:00 p.m.
According to the complaint, on March 29, 2025, King allegedly posted a threat on a social media platform, stating, “If I see ICE agents in my neighborhood I’m opening fire. It’s time to stop being p****** and put the second amendment to work. ICE are not real cops, they are a secret police force with no real legal authority. Kill them.”
Later, King allegedly posted on another social media platform that he wanted to “double down” on his threat to shoot and kill ICE agents.
The complaint, filed in case no. 3:25-mj-00324, details other instances of King’s alleged violent rhetoric this year.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. King is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham praised the joint efforts of the law enforcement agencies investigating this case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Secret Service, with the assistance of the Texas Department of Safety, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, and the McKinney Police Department.
Unsealed Complaint - King.pdfAssistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas Brasher and Tiffany H. Eggers are prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report potential threats to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
Man Under Indictment in Heroin OD Case Sentenced to 51 Months for Illegal Machinegun PossessionRead the Press Release
A Fort Worth man who was on deferred adjudication for dealing the heroin that killed a 21-year-old in 2013 was sentenced today to 51 months in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Brennan Trainor Rodriguez, 33, was indicted in October 2024 and pled guilty in December 2024 to illegal possession of a machinegun. He was sentenced on April 4, 2025, to 51 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor.
According to court records, Mr. Rodriguez was charged on June 7, 2013, with injecting heroin into a 21-year-old man who suffered a fatal overdose. He admitted to causing the man’s death and was placed on 10 years of deferred adjudication beginning on Nov. 26, 2014. Conditions of his community supervision prohibited him from possessing firearms.
On Aug. 6. 2024, law enforcement responded to a domestic disturbance call from Mr. Rodriguez’s former girlfriend, who told police that the defendant had been stalking and harassing her since their breakup. She also reported that Mr. Rodriguez frequently shot guns, including one that fired fully automatic.
The following week, Mr. Rodriguez was arrested for stalking. In searching his home, law enforcement found nine firearms, including a Smith & Wesson rifle equipped with a machinegun conversion device, commonly known as a “switch” or “auto sear.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division – Fort Worth Resident Agency and the Fort Worth Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric B. Chen prosecuted the case.
Lubbock Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a 10-year-old ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually abused a child for over two years was sentenced to life in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.Alec Mendoza, 26, of Lubbock, Texas, was indicted in May 2024. He pleaded guilty in August 2024 to enticement of a minor and was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
According to court documents, Mendoza first met the victim, “Jane Doe” and Doe’s mother at a party in 2020 when Doe was 10 years old, and Mendoza was 22 years old. Mendoza began messaging Doe online and on Valentine’s Day 2021, Mendoza began sexually abusing Doe. At the time, Doe was 11 years old, and Mendoza was 23 years old.
Soon after Mendoza began abusing Doe, Mendoza moved into Doe’s family home. For the next two and a half years, Mendoza had sexual intercourse with Doe approximately 30-50 times. Mendoza would also send messages to Doe discussing sex and would remind Doe to delete her messages.
In December 2023, Mendoza was caught sending text messages to Doe in the middle of the night from his bedroom down the hall. Doe’s mother confronted Mendoza about the messages and Mendoza admitted to having an ongoing sexual relationship with Doe.
At sentencing, the government noted that following his conviction, Mendoza agreed to take a polygraph examination. Mendoza failed the polygraph. In his post-polygraph interview, Mendoza confessed to also sexually abusing a second child. A search warrant of Mendoza’s phone also revealed Mendoza to be in possession of 20 videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Mendoza admitted to law enforcement to receiving and distributing CSAM over the Internet.
At sentencing, Judge Hendrix told Mendoza that he could not “capture with words the trauma you caused that will last for lifetimes.” In imposing a life sentence, Judge Hendrix said: “I have to make a lot of difficult decisions. This is not one of them.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation along with the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case.
Dallas Man Convicted of Selling Machinegun Conversion DevicesRead the Press Release
On Thursday, March 27, 2025, Corey Wilson, 20, was convicted by Senior United States District Judge Barabara M. G. Lynn for possession of an unregistered machinegun on May 30, 2023 and June 6, 2023, announced Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
According to evidence presented at trial, Wilson advertised machinegun conversion devices—which can be installed in an AR-platform to allow the firearm to fire fully automatic—for sale on his Instagram account. Although these devices can be made quickly from a few dollars’ worth of material, Wilson asked for $150 apiece.
Testimony at trial revealed that undercover ATF agents contacted Wilson to purchase the devices. During the first purchase of six devices, Wilson explained that the devices had to be “activated” and demonstrated how to adjust and place them in a rifle to get them to fire “fully,” meaning fully automatic. He sold six to the agents on May 30, 2023 and twenty on June 6, 2023, all within the Project Safe Neighborhood area of Northeast Dallas.
Wilson is facing up to ten years in federal prison on each count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Robert Withers, Walt Junker, and Elise Aldendifer are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of “Operation Texas Kill Switch,” a statewide initiative taking aim at machinegun conversion devices, also known as “switches,” which transform commercially available semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic weapons capable of firing faster than military-grade machineguns.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Armed Serial Robber of Five Cash Stores Convicted at TrialRead the Press Release
An armed serial robber and convicted felon was found guilty by a jury on March 26, 2025, of robbing five cash loan businesses across the Fort Worth metroplex in May 2024, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Charles Lenard Brownlee, 37, was charged via criminal complaint in July 2024 and indicted in August 2024. After two-and-a-half days of trial, a jury convicted him of one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Hobbs Act Interference with Commerce by Robbery, five counts of Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm during a Crime of Violence, and one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
According to evidence presented at trial, between May 9 and May 21, 2024, Brownlee robbed at gunpoint five Cash Store businesses in Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine. Trying to conceal his identity, Brownlee covered his face with a medical mask and wore different baseball caps and outfits for the robberies.
Reviewing hours of surveillance footage from nearby businesses and other camera systems, detectives from the Grand Prairie, Fort Worth, Euless, Hurst, and Grapevine police departments ascertained that Brownlee used the same vehicle—a black Hyundai Santa Fe equipped with a blue fuzzy steering-wheel cover—to drive to and from each of the five robberies.
At trial, the jury heard from an eyewitness who observed the robber drop a Black & Mild cigarillo as he was running from one of the robberies and thereafter enter the backseat of a black SUV that had a blue fuzzy covering on its steering wheel. Law enforcement collected that cigarillo for DNA testing, and the DNA test results were consistent with Brownlee being the robber from that incident.
The jury also heard testimony from a member of the FBI’s Cellular Analysis Survey Team who testified that the cellular phones tied to Brownlee placed him at or near each Cash Store location when it was robbed.
For two of the robberies, Brownlee enlisted the help of his girlfriend and co-conspirator, who testified that she and Brownlee conspired to rob the Fort Worth and Euless Cash Stores—driving there together in the black Hyundai SUV and with her serving as Brownlee’s getaway driver. She also testified that after committing these “licks” (robberies), Brownlee planned to target jewelry stores and ultimately obtained a Mini Draco-style firearm to do so, since that gun had more “muscle.”
Shortly after committing the May 21 Grapevine robbery, Brownlee was arrested, and—upon searching the vehicle he was in—law enforcement found a black leather bag that Brownlee used in the Hurst and Grapevine robberies, a blue hat that Brownlee wore during the Euless robbery, a disposable medical mask matching what he wore for all of the robberies, and two loaded firearms—a black Smith & Wesson handgun matching the make and model of the gun identified by one of the victim-witnesses and a Century Arms Mini Draco AK-style pistol. Law enforcement also seized the black Hyundai Santa Fe with the blue fuzzy steering wheel cover, which at the time was being driven by Brownlee’s sister.
Brownlee’s cell phone showed that he had conducted multiple online searches of and for Cash Stores during the time span of the robbery spree and that he ran searches for nearby jewelry stores and where to purchase a Mini Draco gun. The jury also saw videos and images from Brownlee’s and his co-conspirator’s phones showing them posing with piles of cash and Brownlee smoking a Black & Mild cigarillo like that observed to have been dropped by the perpetrator of the Euless robbery.
Brownlee now faces a statutory minimum of 35 years and up to life in federal prison. His sentencing date is set for July 11, 2025, before the Honorable Reed O’Connor, who also presided over this trial.
Brownlee’s co-conspirator pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery and faces a statutory maximum of 20 years in federal prison. She is set to be sentenced on April 8, 2025.
"A strong relationship with our local law enforcement partners is crucial to tackling violent crime,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The collaboration with multiple agencies from Tarrant County resulted in a successful guilty verdict and sends a message that we will not tolerate acts of violent crime in our communities.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, Fort Worth Resident Agency, Grand Prairie Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, Euless Police Department, Hurst Police Department, and Grapevine Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric B. Chen and Levi Thomas prosecuted and tried the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Gordon for the Northern District of Texas provided appellate support.
23 Lubbock-Area Defendants Charged in Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Trafficking CasesRead the Press Release
Twenty-three alleged methamphetamine and fentanyl traffickers in Lubbock, Texas, have been federally charged with drug crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
The defendants, charged in nine indictments, were apprehended on Wednesday, March 26th. Initial appearances began today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda ‘Amy’ R. Burch.
This investigation began in March 2023. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 43 kilograms of methamphetamine, 285.4 grams of fentanyl (approx. 1,902 pills), 335.5 grams of cocaine, 2,296.7 grams of marijuana, and six firearms. The 285.4 grams of seized fentanyl equals potentially 21,662 lethal doses of fentanyl.
Those charged in the indictments include:
• Vida Tamor Overstreet, 49, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, distribution of methamphetamine
• Patrick Wayne Frazier aka Pat Pat, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine
• Juantay Dewayne Frazier aka Broadway, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• David Wayne Frazier aka Dinky, 39, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, unlawful use of communication facility, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Santiago Daniel Baltazar aka Chago, 26, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
• Walter Wood, 36, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl
• Santos Moncada aka Tos, 28, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine
• Jessie Franco, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Shondra Christine Walker, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Orian Emanuel Garcia, 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Rudolfo Luna aka Roy Luna, 43, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine
• Adam Lee Arredondo, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Justin Lee Dominguez, 37, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine
• Anthony James Lockett, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, distribution of methamphetamine
• Rita Adelita Castillo, 44, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine
• Paul Wayne Frazier, 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Charles Andre Sykes, 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Heather Jane Whitehead, 40, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Henry Tienda, Jr., 35, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Gary Dewayne Bolton aka Bay Bay, 36, charged with distribution of fentanyl
• Arhmad Rashad Fountain aka Ra Ra, 47, charged with distribution of methamphetamine
• Rubith Diaz Rodriguez, age 24, charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Tyler Kristian Piseno, 37, charged with distribution of fentanyl.
“Cooperation of local, state and federal law enforcement led to success in disrupting a drug trafficking organization,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “These arrests will have a considerable impact on the distribution of methamphetamine in the greater-Lubbock area, and law enforcement will continue work together to ensure the safety and security of our communities.”
“This operation sends a clear message that we will not tolerate the flow of illegal drugs into our neighborhoods,” said Eduardo A. Chavez, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA. “By working together at every level of law enforcement, we are leveraging all available resources to destroy these criminal networks and commit to safeguard our communities from drug trafficking and violent crime.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some of the defendants face up to life in federal prison.
Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Office, the Caprock HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area) Task Force, the U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations, the Lubbock Police Department, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Anti-Gang Center, the Levelland Police Department, and the Hockley County Sheriff’s Office. The cases are being prosecuted by the West Texas Branch of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
This prosecution stems from an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transitional criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. Additional information about the OCDETF program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
This investigation is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs).
Illegal Alien and Convicted Criminal Felon Charged with Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
An illegal alien and convicted felon was charged with federal firearm crimes, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Manuel Najera-Garcia, a Mexican citizen and illegal alien, was indicted by a federal grand jury on February 26, 2025 with one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Najera-Garcia made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Rutherford on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 and was ordered detained.
According to the indictment, on December 22, 2024, Najera-Garcia possessed a .38-caliber revolver after having been convicted of a felony offense in 2012. After his felony conviction, Najera-Garcia returned to Mexico. However, it is alleged that sometime thereafter Najera-Garcia re-entered the United States prior to possessing the firearm on December 22, 2024.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Najera-Garcia is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. If convicted, Najera-Garcia faces up to 15 years in federal prison on each count.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives Dallas Field Division and the Dallas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Hocter is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Convicted Nurse Practitioner to Forfeit over $40 million from Foreign Accounts for Health Care Fraud, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Trivikram Reddy, 43, a Waxahachie nurse practitioner previously convicted of wire fraud conspiracy and sentenced to 20 years in 2021, will now forfeit over $40 million from foreign accounts into which he moved the funds, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham.
Following Mr. Reddy’s conviction, the government filed a civil forfeiture action alleging that Mr. Reddy and others transferred and laundered the fraud proceeds to nearly 200 bank accounts located in India. Through forensic financial analysis, the government traced the proceeds to these accounts and obtained seizure warrants to forfeit and restrain the funds. On Monday, March 3, 2025, after Mr. Reddy and two family members stipulated up to $41,237,703.16 of the funds’ return from India, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown issued a judgment ordering the funds to be transferred to U.S. government custody.
According to court documents, Mr. Reddy, a licensed nurse practitioner, devised a scheme to defraud Medicare, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, and Cigna. Mr. Reddy and co-conspirators created false patient bills using the provider numbers of six doctors as the treating physicians on the claims. All the claims were false, as none of the six doctors provided billable services to any of Mr. Reddy’s medical clinics. In response to federal agents’ investigative inquiries, Mr. Reddy and his staff manufactured fake medical records in a failed attempt to justify the false claims. Mr. Reddy pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in October 2020. In May 2021, Judge Brown sentenced Mr. Reddy to 20 years imprisonment and ordered over $50 million in restitution to the victims of his offense.
The civil forfeiture case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha. Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly Chapman is handling the restitution. The case was investigated by the FBI Dallas Field office and Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
North Texas Concrete Manufacturer Settles PPP Lawsuit for $1.8 MillionRead the Press Release
Speed Fab-Crete Corporation, a precast concrete manufacturer in Kennedale, Texas, agreed to pay $1,817,546.25 to resolve allegations that the company violated the False Claims Act by applying for and receiving a loan it was not eligible for in the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020, as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether an applicant qualified for a PPP loan depended on various factors.
Speed Fab-Crete applied for and received a PPP loan in the principal amount of $1,170,000 in 2020, at a time when certain of its owners were facing criminal charges. The government contends that Speed Fab-Crete was ineligible for the loan for that reason, because applicable SBA rules disqualified a business from PPP eligibility if any owner of 20% or more of the business’s equity was subject to criminal charges.
“This office is committed to finding and recovering PPP funds that were obtained by ineligible recipients during the pandemic,” said Acting United States Attorney Chad E. Meacham. “We will continue to investigate and take action as necessary to reclaim those funds on behalf of the American taxpayer.”
“This settlement highlights the enhanced efforts of the SBA, working with the Department of Justice, SBA’s Office of Inspector General, and other Federal law enforcement agencies, as well as private individuals who have information about possible fraud in connection with PPP loans, to pursuing those who violated PPP program requirements and holding them accountable,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
The settlement resolved a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit is case number 3:23-CV-2162-S in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, and the qui tam relator, Aidan Forsyth, will receive a 15% share of the government’s recovery as part of the settlement.
The government was represented by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Stoltz in the lawsuit, with assistance from Lane Siems of the SBA. The civil claims settled by the agreement are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Illicit Massage Parlor Operators SentencedRead the Press Release
Shaoping Wen and her son, Xu Wang, were sentenced on March 18, 2025, for their roles in operating massage parlors that operated as fronts for commercial sex operations, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
In September 2024, Wen, 65, and Wang, 42, were indicted by a federal grand jury in Lubbock, Texas, for conspiracy to commit interstate travel and use of interstate facilities in aid of racketeering enterprises and other offenses related to the operation of illicit massage parlors in Texas and New Mexico and money laundering. According to court documents, Wen owned and operated at least seven massage parlors where Asian women engaged in illegal commercial sex. Wang operated the parlors on Wen’s behalf when Wen was out of state.
Shaoping Wen pled guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate travel and use of interstate facilities in aid of racketeering enterprises in November 2024. She was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk, to be followed by a one-year term of supervised release. Wen was also ordered to forfeit $291,990.88 in U.S. currency and pay a money judgment of $1,771,360 to the United States.
Xu Wang pled guilty to misprision of a felony in November 2024 and was sentenced by Judge Kacsmaryk to time served (362 days), to be followed by a one-year term of supervised release.
Court documents revealed that, on at least 10 occasions between June 2023 and February 2024, undercover officers purchased massages for varying dollar amounts at Wen’s parlors in Texas and New Mexico. The officers were generally greeted by lingerie-clad women who agreed to have sex with them for an additional fee of between $140 and $200. Several of the women used translation apps to negotiate for sexual services. When the women were arrested for prostitution, they identified themselves as Chinese citizens and listed their occupation as simply, “laborer.” On several occasions, Wen or Wang facilitated payment of the arrested women’s cash bond.
Officers also observed Wen’s vehicle transporting Asian females directly from the airport to her massage parlors. Neighbors said the women never left the building. Searches of the premises revealed beds placed on the floors, suggesting the women lived at the massage parlors.
On at least one occasion, a passerby heard a woman screaming and entered the parlor to check-in. He reported seeing three women between the ages of 30 and 50 dressed in provocative clothing.
Officers found the massage parlors advertised on sites often used to advertise for commercial sex. The ads included photos of partially naked women and promoted “100% sexy” girls who “like to spend time with nice upscale gentlemen.” They advertised the “girlfriend experience,” “porn star experience,” and “fantasy outfits on request.” Prostitution is illegal in Texas and New Mexico.
In March 2024, Wen’s seven illicit massage parlors were searched. During the search, law enforcement located further evidence that the women were residing in the parlors, as well as condoms and other items indicative of sexual activity, and approximately $291,990.88 in U.S. currency. Casino records revealed that Wen frequently traveled to California to launder the proceeds of her illicit massage parlor businesses. From between January 2018 and August 2023, Wen cashed out approximately $1,771,360 in chips from the casino.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency, Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Lubbock Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, HSI’s Albuquerque Field Office, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Wolfforth Police Department, the Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, the Carlsbad Police Department, the Roswell Police Department, the Clovis Police Department, the Roswell Fire Department, the Carlsbad Fire Department, the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam prosecuted the case.
Methamphetamine Trafficker Sentenced to over 30 years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Erik Jeovany Garcia Brizuela, a Mexican national illegally living in the United States, was sentenced to over 30 years in federal prison for his role in a drug-trafficking conspiracy that involved approximately 92.4 pounds of methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
On March 11, 2025, United States District Judge Jane J. Boyle sentenced Garcia Brizuela, 35, to 365 months’ imprisonment. According to court documents, in December 2023, Garcia Brizuela pled guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine in 2021, during which he sold methamphetamine to a confidential human source and enlisted a co-conspirator, Melissa Enit Alvarado, to translate between Spanish and English drug-price negotiations and other details such as meeting times and places with methamphetamine purchasers.
At Garcia Brizuela’s sentencing hearing, a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation testified that Garcia Brizuela cooked liquid methamphetamine into crystal form for his suppliers from Mexico. Testimony further revealed that, after he stopped cooking methamphetamine, he sold methamphetamine for $3,200 to $7,000 per kilogram. On one occasion, Garcia Brizuela received as much as 40 kilograms of methamphetamine. In all, the methamphetamine for which Garcia Brizuela was held responsible had a wholesale value ranging from $134,000.00 to $296,100.00. Sentencing testimony also revealed that Garcia Brizuela sold heroin, at a price of $14,000 per kilogram, aided by Alvarado’s translation assistance.
Melissa Enit Alvarado pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine in September 2022 and was sentenced to 46 months’ imprisonment on June 23, 2023 by United States District Judge Jane J. Boyle.
“Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together to hold the defendant accountable for his leadership role in an organization that distributed a large amount of methamphetamine,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “Drugs inflict our communities with crime and addiction. The FBI thanks our partners for their continued collaboration in disrupting criminal organizations that threaten the well-being of our residents.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Dallas Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration Dallas Field Division, the Dallas Police Department, the Department of Homeland Security, the North Richland Hills Police Department, the Grand Prairie Police Department, the Coppell Police Department and members of the North Texas Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force. Assistant United States Attorney George Leal prosecuted the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Man Sentenced to over 21 Years for $3,128,400.00 of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Gerardo Barraza-Ortiz, a Mexican national illegally living in the United States, was sentenced to more than 21 years in federal prison for his role in trafficking over 48 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
On March 10, 2025, Barraza-Ortiz, 42, was sentenced to 262 months’ imprisonment by United States District Judge David C. Godbey. According to court documents, Barraza-Ortiz pled guilty on September 5, 2023, to possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.
Testimony at sentencing revealed that in June 2022, after two controlled methamphetamine purchases of approximately one ounce each, officers with the Duncanville, Texas police department executed a search warrant at an auto body shop located on South Cockrell Hill Road in Dallas, Texas. As officers entered the building, Barraza-Ortiz fled from officers but was soon apprehended.
A Duncanville police officer testified that a search of the building revealed approximately 48.66 kilograms (107.05 pounds) of crystalized methamphetamine. Most of the methamphetamine was located in 1,022 small packages hidden in buckets and pallets. A further search of the auto body shop also revealed a freezer, burners, coolers, storage bins, and barrels that were being used to store, cook, and clean liquid methamphetamine into a crystalized form. Officers also located three firearms and several pounds of marijuana during the search.
According to the Duncanville Police Department, the 48.66 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, if sold in ounce quantities, has a street value of approximately $3,128,400.00 in the Dallas, Texas area.
“This conviction sends a clear message that our community will not tolerate the distribution of dangerous narcotics. The successful prosecution of this case is a testament to the dedication and hard work of personnel of the Duncanville Police Department and the United States Attorney’s Office. Removing over $3 million worth of methamphetamine from our streets is a significant victory in our ongoing fight against drug trafficking, and we remain committed to protecting our neighborhoods from the devastating impact of illegal drugs,” said Chief of Police Matthew Stogner.
Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham praised the joint efforts of all law enforcement agencies involved in the case, including the Duncanville Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Leal and Sarah Douglas prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Traveling to have Sex with ChildRead the Press Release
A Florida man who traveled from Florida to the Northern District of Texas to have sex with a minor was sentenced on March 11, 2025 to 30 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Carlos Robles, 31, was indicted in May 2020 and pleaded guilty in August 2022 to Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in a Sexual Act with a Minor. He was sentenced on March 11, 2025 to the statutory maximum of 360 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Karen G. Scholer, who also ordered him to 24 years of supervision following his release and registration as a sex offender.
According to court documents, on or about January 31, 2020, the defendant traveled via commercial airline from Florida to the Northern District of Texas for the purposes of engaging in sexual conduct with the victim, who was under the age of 18. In handing down the sentence, the court emphasized the need to protect society from further crimes of the defendant. Specifically, the Court noted multiple facts of the case when imposing the sentence, including the age of the victim, the fact the defendant had over 5,000 messages with the victim in a four-month span, and that the defendant traveled from Florida four times to meet the victim, including once at a roller-skating rink.
“The sentence today is a message to anyone who even thinks about traveling to the Northern District of Texas to prey on children – you will go to prison for a very long time,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Meacham.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Garland Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jongwoo Chung and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Camille Sparks prosecuted the case.
The 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. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Texas Pharmacist Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $405M in Assets for Defrauding the Department of LaborRead the Press Release
On Feb. 21, Texas pharmacist Dehshid “David” Nourian, 62, of Plano, was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison and ordered to pay over $115 million in restitution for his role in a $145 million scheme to defraud the Department of Labor through the submission of fraudulent claims for prescription compound creams. On March 6, the court also forfeited $405 million in assets tied to Nourian’s fraud and money laundering schemes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nourian and others conspired to pay doctors to prescribe medically unnecessary compound creams to injured federal workers. Nourian and others owned and operated three pharmacies located in Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas. Over the course of the scheme, they paid doctors millions of dollars in illegal bribes and kickbacks for referring expensive compound medications to be filled by those pharmacies. Evidence at trial showed these compounds were being mixed in the back rooms of the pharmacies by untrained teenagers at a cost to the defendants of around $15 per prescription and then billed to the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) for as much as $16,000 per prescription. Patients who received the creams testified at trial to the creams’ ineffectiveness and, in some instances, that using the creams resulted in painful, irritating skin rashes.
“Protecting victims and safeguarding the public fisc are two of the Criminal Division’s highest priorities,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Today’s 17-year sentence sends a clear message that our prosecutors, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our investigative partners, will identify, investigate, and prosecute even the most sophisticated fraud schemes that target taxpayer money and endanger patients. As a result of our tireless efforts, this defendant was tried, convicted, and ordered to forfeit more than $400 million – the highest forfeiture ever obtained in a health care fraud case in the Department’s history – and now his ill-gotten proceeds will be returned to the taxpayers and programs designed to care for our most vulnerable citizens.”
“This sentence sends a strong message to those who would defraud our federal healthcare programs for personal gain,” said Inspector General Tammy Hull of the U.S. Postal Service. “The outstanding work by the legal and investigative teams stopped a multi-year health care fraud scheme responsible for tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent billing to government agencies. Along with the Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement partners, the USPS Office of Inspector General will remain committed to investigating those who would engage in this type of fraud and abuse.”
In less than three years, between May 2014 and March 2017, the pharmacies billed the DOL-OWCP and Blue Cross Blue Shield more than $145 million and were paid more than $90 million for unnecessary prescriptions referred by medical providers in exchange for the illegal bribes and kickbacks. Nourian and others then attempted to conceal their ill-gotten gains by laundering the money through purported holding companies and attempted to evade paying $24 million in federal income taxes on the illicit proceeds.
In November 2023, a federal jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted Nourian of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to launder money, five counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States by failing to report and attempting to evade the collection of taxes owed to the IRS.
In an order issued following Nourian’s sentencing, the court also ruled that Nourian will forfeit $405 million in seized assets tied to his crimes. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Nourian and his co-conspirators used a complex web of bank accounts and shell companies to launder their fraud proceeds, ultimately depositing tens of millions of dollars into Nourian’s and other family members’ bank and investment accounts. The forfeiture order returned that money to the taxpayers and included the forfeiture of $395 million in brokerage accounts, over $2 million in bank accounts, real estate in Dallas and Austin worth $8 million, and a BMW luxury vehicle.
Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas; Inspector General Tammy Hull of the U.S. Postal Service; Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard of the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), Dallas Regional Office; Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), South Central Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, DOL-OIG, VA-OIG, and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ethan Womble and Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha for the Northern District of Texas handled the criminal forfeiture for the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Texas Pharmacist Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison and Ordered to Forfeit $405M in Assets for Defrauding the Department of LaborRead the Press Release
On Feb. 21, Texas pharmacist Dehshid “David” Nourian, 62, of Plano, was sentenced to 17 years and six months in prison and ordered to pay over $115 million in restitution for his role in a $145 million scheme to defraud the Department of Labor through the submission of fraudulent claims for prescription compound creams. On March 6, the court also forfeited $405 million in assets tied to Nourian’s fraud and money laundering schemes.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Nourian and others conspired to pay doctors to prescribe medically unnecessary compound creams to injured federal workers. Nourian and others owned and operated three pharmacies located in Fort Worth and Arlington, Texas. Over the course of the scheme, they paid doctors millions of dollars in illegal bribes and kickbacks for referring expensive compound medications to be filled by those pharmacies. Evidence at trial showed these compounds were being mixed in the back rooms of the pharmacies by untrained teenagers at a cost to the defendants of around $15 per prescription and then billed to the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) for as much as $16,000 per prescription. Patients who received the creams testified at trial to the creams’ ineffectiveness and, in some instances, that using the creams resulted in painful, irritating skin rashes.
“Protecting victims and safeguarding the public fisc are two of the Criminal Division’s highest priorities,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This 17-year sentence sends a clear message that our prosecutors, working shoulder-to-shoulder with our investigative partners, will identify, investigate, and prosecute even the most sophisticated fraud schemes that target taxpayer money and endanger patients. As a result of our tireless efforts, this defendant was tried, convicted, and ordered to forfeit more than $400 million – the highest forfeiture ever obtained in a health care fraud case in the Department’s history – and now his ill-gotten proceeds will be returned to the taxpayers and programs designed to care for our most vulnerable citizens.”
“This sentence sends a strong message to those who would defraud our federal health care programs for personal gain,” said Inspector General Tammy Hull of the U.S. Postal Service. “The outstanding work by the legal and investigative teams stopped a multi-year health care fraud scheme responsible for tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent billing to government agencies. Along with the Department of Justice and our federal law enforcement partners, the USPS Office of Inspector General will remain committed to investigating those who would engage in this type of fraud and abuse.”
“Dehshid Nourian defrauded the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) by submitting false claims for medically unnecessary services. His actions placed illegal profits above patient safety,” said Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG) Central Region. “We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and OWCP to protect the integrity of DOL’s worker compensation programs.”
In less than three years, between May 2014 and March 2017, the pharmacies billed the DOL-OWCP and Blue Cross Blue Shield more than $145 million and were paid more than $90 million for unnecessary prescriptions referred by medical providers in exchange for the illegal bribes and kickbacks. Nourian and others then attempted to conceal their ill-gotten gains by laundering the money through purported holding companies and attempted to evade paying $24 million in federal income taxes on the illicit proceeds.
In November 2023, a federal jury in the Northern District of Texas convicted Nourian of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to launder money, five counts of money laundering, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States by failing to report and attempting to evade the collection of taxes owed to the IRS.
In an order issued following Nourian’s sentencing, the court also ruled that Nourian will forfeit $405 million in seized assets tied to his crimes. Evidence at trial demonstrated that Nourian and his co-conspirators used a complex web of bank accounts and shell companies to launder their fraud proceeds, ultimately depositing tens of millions of dollars into Nourian’s and other family members’ bank and investment accounts. The forfeiture order returned that money to the taxpayers and included the forfeiture of $395 million in brokerage accounts, over $2 million in bank accounts, real estate in Dallas and Austin worth $8 million, and a BMW luxury vehicle.
Supervisory Official Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attorney Chad E. Meacham for the Northern District of Texas; Inspector General Tammy Hull of the U.S. Postal Service; Special Agent in Charge Casey Howard of the DOL-OIG Central Region; Special Agent in Charge Kris Raper of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG), South Central Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucy Tan of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Houston Field Office made the announcement.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, DOL-OIG, VA-OIG, and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Ethan Womble and Senior Litigation Counsel Catherine Wagner of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dimitri Rocha for the Northern District of Texas handled the criminal forfeiture for the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Plainview Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Alejandro Aguirre, 28, of Plainview, Texas, pleaded guilty to Production of Child Pornography announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham. Aguirre pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda ‘Amy’ R. Burch and was immediately remanded to custody pending sentencing.
According to court documents, in June 2023, officers with the Amarillo Police Department received information that Aguirre was contacting minors through a social media application and that he had sexual intercourse with at least one minor. One of the minors, who was 16 years old, was forensically interviewed and stated that Aguirre had sexual intercourse with her in Amarillo.
When APD detectives interviewed Aguirre, he admitted to having sex with the minor and recording it on his cell phone. APD detectives obtained a search warrant for Aguirre’s cell phone and recovered the video Aguirre described. However, the minor in the video was not the one that had been forensically interviewed.
APD officers contacted a detective with the Plainview Police Department to help identify the minor in the video. The Plainview Police Department detective was able to identify the minor as a 16-year-old Plainview resident.
That minor was forensically interviewed and stated that Aguirre had messaged her on a social networking application. The minor stated that Aguirre made a video of them having sexual intercourse in Plainview, which was the video found on Aguirre’s cell phone.
Aguirre faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not been set.
The Amarillo Police Department and Plainview Police Department conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt is prosecuting the case.
Mansfield Tax Preparer Sentenced in Tax and PPP Loan Fraud Schemes, Ordered to Pay $10.2 million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
A former Mansfield tax preparer who previously pled guilty to charges related to his false preparation of tax returns was sentenced last week to nearly 5 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Festus Adenisimi, 65, pleaded guilty in September 2024 to one count of Conspiracy to Defraud the United States. He was sentenced on March 6, 2025 to 57 months in federal prison by U.S. Senior District Judge Barbara M. G. Lynn, who also ordered him to pay $10,283,737.65 in restitution.
According to court documents, Adenisimi was the owner of a tax preparation business, FA Tax, where he and other tax preparers prepared fraudulent tax returns for their clients, often causing the IRS to issue refunds to those clients. Adenisimi admitted to falsely preparing his own tax returns as well.
As part of the plea agreement, Adenisimi also admitted that he fraudulently obtained two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans totaling $760,415 under the Small Business Administration’s COVID -19 relief program. The Court ordered Adenisimi to pay restitution in relation to both the tax fraud and the PPP loan fraud.
IRS-Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.
Nigerian Man Charged with Defrauding Unemployment Insurance, Paycheck Protection ProgramsRead the Press Release
A Nigerian man who overstayed his visa has been charged with defrauding the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Benefits Program and the Paycheck Protection Program, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Oluwanishola Oyedyipo Jinadu, 25, was charged on February 26, 2025 in a seventeen-count indictment with five counts of theft of government money, three counts of wire fraud, eight counts of aggravated identity theft, and one count of false statements in immigration documents. He made his initial appearance Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian McKay.
The indictment alleges that Mr. Jinadu, who was in the United States illegally after overstaying his B1/B2 nonimmigrant Visa, defrauded the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, which provided supplemental unemployment insurance benefits to qualified claimants pursuant to the CARES Act, and unlawfully obtained unemployment benefits.
Records show that Mr. Jinadu allegedly received stolen unemployment benefits into his bank accounts. Applications were submitted in the names of at least five victims in Washington, Massachusetts, and Kansas without their authorization.
The indictment further alleges that Mr. Jinadu also defrauded the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which provided forgivable loans to small businesses to cover payroll, rent, and certain other expenses pursuant to the CARES Act.
Mr. Jinadu allegedly received more than $65,000 in stolen PPP funds into his bank accounts. Applications were submitted in the names of at least three victims in Oklahoma without their authorization.
Not long after allegedly committing these frauds, Mr. Jinadu applied to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States. When asked on his application, “Have you EVER committed a crime of any kind (even if you were not arrested, cited, charged with, or tried for that crime)?” Mr. Jinadu allegedly answered, “no.” He then certified, under penalty of perjury, that all of the information he provided was “complete, true, and correct.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Jinadu is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 96 years in federal prison.
The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General and the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany H. Eggers and Madeline S. Case are prosecuting the case.
Eight Gang Members Arrested in Operation Targeting Area Known as "Dead End"Read the Press Release
Eight gang members were arrested Tuesday in ATF-led “Operation Blue Laces,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Monday’s takedown, which occurred in the Wheatley Place Neighborhood in South Dallas, resulted in the apprehension of eight members of the 42 Oakland Crips street gang. They made their initial appearances Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee H. Toliver.
Those charged in three separate indictments include:
- Kendrick Jamal Young, aka “Peanut,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-15 style pistol), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Christopher Jamiel Love, aka “Black,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Springfield Hellcat 9mm pistol, a Ruger 9mm pistol, and a FedArm AR-style pistol) and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime
- Alex Jerome Bowman, aka “Big A,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Victor Scott Wingham, aka “Johnny Joe,” charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Joshua Jimond Wheatley, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances
- Travion Williams, aka “Traa Savage,” charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
- Jihadd Thies Gorree Thomas, charged with carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence (a Taurus 9mm pistol and a Glock 9mm pistol)
- Jamarian Augustus Hewitt, charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substances, felon in possession of a firearm (a Ruger 9mm pistol), possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime , and using a communication facility (cell phone) to facilitate a drug felony
At a detention hearing on Friday, prosecutors said defendants had been dealing drugs on a daily basis on Dallas’ Casey Street, in an area known as the “Dead End.” Phone records introduced into evidence showed that several members of the conspiracy texted to warn one another about upcoming law enforcement raids, sent young people in to look for missing dope following the raids, and went right back to dealing drugs after the raids concluded.
Many of the arrestees had extensive criminal histories, with rap sheets that included drug and gun crimes.
During the takedown, agents seized 14 firearms, more than a kilogram’s worth of methamphetamine pills, as well as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, alprazolam, marijuana, TXC wax, hash, and more than $47,000 in cash. They also seized six vehicles, several pieces of Crips -themed jewelry, and a caiman alligator, which was transported to the Dallas Zoo.
Indictments are merely allegations of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, some defendants face up to life in federal prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, the Dallas Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, IRS – Criminal Investigative Division, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Game Wardens. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service assisted with care and transportation of the seized alligator. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick Calvert is prosecuting the case.
Cartel Boss Tied to Southlake Murder-for-Hire Among Defendants Expelled from MexicoRead the Press Release
Among the 29 cartel bosses expelled from Mexico and transferred to the custody of the United States on Thursday was Northern District of Texas defendant Jose Rodolfo Villarreal Hernandez, aka “El Gato,” announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Mr. Villarreal Hernandez, a Mexican national who held a high-level position in the Beltran-Leyva Organization (BLO) Drug Cartel, was charged in June 2018 with interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire in the brutal slaying of a 43-year-old Southlake, Texas lawyer in 2013.
He was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List in October 2020 and arrested by Mexican law enforcement agents in Atizapán de Zaragoza, Mexico in January 2023.
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced his successful expulsion yesterday, pledging to prosecute all cartel bosses “to the fullest extent of the law in honor of the brave law enforcement agents who have dedicated their careers — and in some cases, given their lives — to protect innocent people from the scourge of violent cartels.”
Mr. Villarreal Hernandez will make his initial appearance in federal court next week.
According to evidence presented at the trial of his coconspirators, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez allegedly directed and financed a multi-year effort to locate and assassinate his victim, an attorney with ties to a rival cartel. Testimony revealed that Mr. Villarreal Hernandez allegedly believed the attorney was involved with the death of Mr. Villarreal Hernandez’s father and wanted revenge.
The victim was shot while sitting in the passenger seat of his vehicle outside an upscale shopping center in Southlake on May 22, 2013. His wife was standing near the driver’s side door when her husband was killed.
Three men who, acting on orders from Mr. Villarreal Hernandez, tracked the victim prior to his death were convicted and sentenced in 2016: Jose Luis Cepeda-Cortes and Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Cepeda were convicted at trial of interstate stalking and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire; Mr. Cepeda-Cortez was also convicted of tampering with documents or proceedings. Both men received life sentences. Jesus Gerardo Ledezma-Campano, son of Mr. Ledezma-Cepeda, pleaded guilty prior to trial to one count of interstate stalking and was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
A fourth defendant, Ramon Villarreal-Hernandez, the brother of Jose Rodolfo, was arrested in Mexico and extradited to the United States in 2020. He pleaded guilty to interstate stalking in June 2022 and was sentenced to ten years in prison.
According to the U.S. State Department, in addition to allegedly ordering the Southlake murder, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez is believed to have overseen the importation of large quantities of cocaine into the United States as well as committing violent acts within the Republic of Mexico and the United States to maintain his organization’s power and status.
“After more than a decade, Mr. Villarreal Hernandez will have to answer for his alleged crimes in an American courtroom,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “Since the victim was gunned down in a public parking lot in 2013, law enforcement’s commitment to this case has never wavered. I extend my sincere thanks to the federal, state, local, and international partners who have pulled together to ensure this defendant will be brought to justice.”
“FBI Dallas and the Southlake Police Department have been determined to bring this individual to justice since he orchestrated a brutal murder in one of the many communities we serve in North Texas,” said R. Joseph Rothrock, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Dallas Field Office. “We would like to thank the United States Marshals Service for ensuring that Villarreal-Hernandez arrived safely and is now in federal custody on U.S. soil.”
“An investigative success such as this one does not come easily or through individual efforts. Policing is a team sport,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge, Eduardo A. Chávez. “We are proud to stand hand-in-hand with our colleagues from the FBI to secure Villarreal Hernández’ indictment, arrest, and transfer. Violence and drug trafficking are evil bedfellows, but together we will ensure communities remain safe and criminals face justice.”An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Mr. Villarreal Hernandez is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The statutory maximum penalty for interstate stalking is life in prison; the statutory maximum for the murder-for-hire charge is life in prison or death.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division, with assistance from the Southlake Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, the Fort Worth Police Department, and the Grapevine Police Department. The Mexican Secretariat of the Navy, Fiscalía Generalde la República (FGR), Coordinación Nacional Antisecuestro (CONASE) coordinated in the arrest of Mr. Villarreal-Hernandez. The U.S. Marshal Service for the Northern District of Texas assisted in securing the defendant upon his arrival in Texas. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI’s Legal Attaché Office in Mexico City, and the U.S. Marshals Mexico City Foreign Field Office provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joshua Burgess (fmr) and Aisha Saleem prosecuted the case against Mr. Luis Cepeda-Cortes, Mr. Ledezma-Cepeda, and Mr. Ledezma-Campano. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shawn Smith and Laura Montes are prosecuting the case against Mr. Villarreal Hernandez.
Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 10+ Years in Federal Prison for Robbery Committed While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
A serial bank robber who robbed three banks while on supervised release for a prior bank robbery conviction was sentenced Thursday to more than 10 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Taurick Demon Walker, 43, was charged via criminal complaint in August 2023 and indicted the following month. He pleaded guilty in October 2024 to bank robbery and was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle to 105 months for the bank robbery plus 24 months for violating the conditions of his supervised release – which prohibited committing any felonies – for a total of 129 months in federal prison.
According to court records, Mr. Walker was convicted of bank robbery in March 2018 and sentenced to six years in federal prison. He served his time and was released in March 2023.
Just five months after his release, on Aug. 10, 2023, Mr. Walker entered a Regions Bank in Irving, passed a teller a note, and demanded “all your money now.” The teller handed over a wad of cash and Mr. Walker fled the scene.
Eight days later, on Aug. 18, Mr. Walker robbed two other banks: a Truist Bank in Dallas and a Wells Fargo in Garland. On both occasions, he approached a teller and pressed a note against the glass that read “Bank Robbery 20,000.”
Investigators were able to link Mr. Walker to both robberies using a network of FLOCK license plate readers.
In an interview with law enforcement, a family member told police she recognized a cowboy hat worn during one of the robberies as Mr. Walker’s.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Dallas, Garland, and Irving Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Withers prosecuted the case..
Owner of School Equipment Company Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Fort Worth ISDRead the Press Release
The owner of a company that distributed school swag pleaded guilty to defrauding the Fort Worth Independent School District, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Virenkumar Patel, the 33-year-old owner of VR Group Promotions, was indicted in January. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to three counts of wire fraud.
According to court documents, Mr. Patel admits that in the spring of 2021, the principal of a Fort Worth ISD high school told Mr. Patel she needed to purchase planners, notepads, and flash drives for the school. Knowing that the district required principals to obtain three quotes before agreeing to purchase such items, Mr. Patel fabricated to quotes from competitors, along with a quote from VR Group Promotions, which quoted the lowest price. Mr. Patel hand-delivered the quotes to the principal, who selected VR Group’s $18,287 quote.
In the winter of 2022, the principal of another Fort Worth ISD high school told Mr. Patel he needed to purchase flash drives. Mr. Patel again fabricated two competitor quotes, along with a quote from VR Group Promotions, which quoted the lowest price. The principal selected VR Group’s $5,250 quote.
In spring 2023, the principal of the first high school again contacted Mr. Patel, and told him that she needed to purchase headphones, wireless charges, and power banks for the school. Once again, Mr. Patel fabricated competitor quotes, and once again, the principal selected VR Group Promotion’s $9,245 bid.
Mr. Patel now faces up to 30 years in federal prison per count. His sentencing hearing has been set for June 6, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney P.J. Meitl is prosecuting the case.
Dallas Man Sentenced to 13+ Years in Multi-Million Dollar Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
The architect of a nearly $5 million insurance fraud was sentenced today to more than 13 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Jordan Ford, 32, was charged via criminal complaint in June 2024 and pleaded guilty in September 2024 to a criminal information charging conspiracy to commit wire fraud. He was sentenced Thursday to 157 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman, who also ordered him to pay $4,471,338.92 in restitution to the defrauded insurance companies.
According to court documents, Mr. Ford and his coconspirators recruited insurance company employees to pull clients’ personal information from legitimate insurance claims. The employees handed those details over to Mr Ford.
Using the stolen information, Mr. Ford – posing as the client – called the insurance companies and requested they update the payment information to accounts he and his coconspirators controlled.
Other times, Mr. Ford paid insurance employees to lend him their company-issued laptops, logged onto the companies’ systems, and authorized and issued payments, which were sent to accounts he and his coconspirators controlled.
In total, the coconspirators misdirected funds from at least three insurance companies, netting more than $4.4 million.
All nine defendants charged in the scheme have pleaded guilty, including Mr. Ford’s lieutenant, Humberto Corona; Jaquan Hall and Elexis McLain, who recruited insurance employees and received and distributed fraudulent proceeds; and insurance employees Timothy Starling, Desiree Thomas, Daja Webb, and Sesedrick Wedlow, who were compensated for handing over stolen client information and allowing Mr. Ford to access company systems.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Texas Department of Insurance conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weybrecht is prosecuting the case.
Perryton Coach Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of Teenage StudentRead the Press Release
A Perryton ISD coach who sexually abused a 15-year-old student was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Cole Underwood, 29, was charged via criminal complaint in June 2024 and indicted later that same month. In September 2024, he pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor. He was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk to 30 years in federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. He will also be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents, Perryton ISD’s superintendent reached out to law enforcement in May 2024 to report a possible inappropriate relationship between Mr. Underwood and a female student. According to the superintendent, surveillance video allegedly showed Mr. Underwood meeting with the girl alone after hours, despite being given a specific directive not to be alone with her.
Agents reviewed the footage and observed Mr. Underwood propping an exterior door open and then shutting off lights. Approximately 15 minutes later, the girl entered the darkened building through the propped door and walked into Mr. Underwood’s office.
In interviews with law enforcement, the child said Mr. Underwood had sex with her in his office more than a dozen times between February and May.
She said that after she added him as a contact on Snapchat, he established a personal friendship with her, and even invited her to his office to confide in him. She said that Mr. Underwood began messaging her in a flirtatious and sexual manner in December, and eventually used Snapchat to arrange sexual encounters.
A search of the girl’s cell phone revealed multiple late-night conversations – some lasting more than six hours – between her and Mr. Underwood, who allegedly occasionally referred to the child as “wifey” and told her he loved her.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, the student detailed how the situation escalated from the defendant acting as a confidant during a stressful period to isolating her and continually pressuring her for sex:
“I had no idea that he was slowly in the process of grooming me, I genuinely thought that he actually cared about me,” she said in a victim impact statement. “I didn't know how to stop it… He convinced me to shut everyone out. I felt like I seriously had no one but him.”
“I hope if there is a girl out there who is going through what I have been through, she has the chance to hear my story to know it's okay to speak up. There are people who want to help,” she bravely added. “Just because you have one bad chapter does not mean your story is over.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Amarillo Resident Agency, the Ochiltree County Sheriff’s Office, and the Perryton Police Department conducted the investigation with the full cooperation of the Perryton Independent School District. Assistant U.S. Attorney Callie Woolam is prosecuting the case.
Truck Driver Who Dumped 25-Year-Old’s Body Convicted of Kidnapping Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
A truck driver who kidnapped a 25-year-old woman and dumped her dead body in the woods has been convicted at trial, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham.
Naasson Hazzard, 28, of Austin, was charged via criminal complaint in August and indicted in October. After nine days of trial and approximately an hour of deliberation, a jury on Tuesday convicted him of kidnapping resulting in death.
“A young woman’s life was cut tragically short, her last moments likely spent in terror,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “But those final moments do not define her life. She mattered, her life had worth, and we are proud to put her kidnapper behind bars.”
“Just a few months ago, this violent criminal not only kidnapped an unsuspecting victim, but also took her life. From that time, our commitment has been to seek justice,” said Travis Pickard, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Dallas. “With this guilty verdict, we are one step closer to achieving justice. HSI remains steadfast in using every method at our disposal to apprehend those who commit heinous acts in our communities.”
According to evidence presented at trial, surveillance video caught Hazzard’s victim, a young sex worker, entering his semi-truck in Dallas at 9:27 p.m. on Aug. 15.
Eight days later, her decomposing body was found in a wooded area off Texas Highway 11 in Pittsburg, Texas with a black plastic bag tied around her head.
Cell phone records showed that on the evening of Aug. 15, Mr. Hazzard traveled from the pickup location to a nearby parking lot, where he remained for approximately 17 minutes. He then drove over three hours to a wooded area off Highway 11 in Pittsburg, Texas, where he texted his boss that he would be out sick the following day and remained for almost an hour before completing a load for work.
The next day, he and his wife returned to the scene before going to dinner in Tyler, Texas.
In the days that followed, Mr. Hazzard switched cell phones and deleted his Google and Life360 location sharing accounts. He also cleaned the truck with bleach and searched “how many years for first second and third degree murders.” Meanwhile, his wife searched for “Pittsburg Texas news.”
On Aug. 23, the same day the victim’s body was recovered, agents found her cell phone shattered on the side of the road along Mr. Hazzard’s route the night she was killed.
Mr. Hazzard now faces an automatic life sentence.
The North Texas Trafficking Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of the following agencies: the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, the Dallas Police Department, the Midlothian Police Department, the Texas Rangers, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the Titus County Sheriff’s Office, the Buda Police Department, the Austin Police Department, the Hayes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office leads the Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandie Wade and Renee Hunter prosecuted the case with the help of appellate liaison Jonathan Bradshaw.
Man Who Fired Shots into the Air Outside San Angelo Home Sentenced to 2.5 Years for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
A man who fired shots outside a San Angelo residence was sentenced to 30 months in prison for a federal gun crime, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Edgar Eduardo Gamez-Rodriguez, a 22-year-old citizen of Mexico, was indicted in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2024 to illegal alien in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
According to a plea papers, at around 5:05 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2023, law enforcement responded to a call of “shots fired” outside a home in San Angelo. Witnesses, who were attending a party there, reported that Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez had fired several rounds from a handgun into the air.
A sheriff’s office incident report details how Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez – intoxicated and irate at having his keys taken away – pulled out his gun, racked the slide, and pointed it straight at two musicians who’d been hired to play at the party. He climbed into his vehicle, then fired four to six shots into the air before driving off, according to multiple witnesses. He later allegedly told a partygoer he “knows people” who could “shoot up” the house.
According to plea papers, law enforcement later executed a search warrant at Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez’s residence, where they recovered a Taurus 9mm semi-automatic handgun along with two 9mm magazines. In the drawer where the gun and ammunition were stored, they found an employment contract with Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez’s signature and the keys to his vehicle.
Officers also reviewed Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez’s facebook profile photo, which showed him holding a black handgun.
A query of the defendant’s immigration records showed that he was a citizen of Mexico based on his birth in Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico. Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez had never been given permission to enter or remain in the United States, and had been removed to Mexico previously via Laredo.
After serving his sentence, Mr. Gamez-Rodriguez will once again face deportation proceedings.
Homeland Security Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Haag prosecuted the case.
29-Year-Old Arrested, Charged with Threatening to Shoot up Elementary SchoolRead the Press Release
A man who threatened to shoot up a Lubbock elementary school has been arrested and charged, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Stephen Patrick Furr, 29, was charged via criminal complaint with interstate threatening communications and arrested Monday afternoon. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda ‘Amy’ R. Burch Wednesday morning.
“The foresight of a single tipster – coupled with the prompt action of law enforcement – may have saved dozens of young lives,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “The adage holds true: If you see something, say something. You may help law enforcement avert a tragedy.”
“The defendant’s concerning social media posts were reported to the FBI, and the resulting law enforcement response ensured no one was harmed,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our partners are committed to protecting the communities we serve, and we encourage the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious or threatening behavior to law enforcement.”
According to the complaint, on Feb. 2, the FBI received a tip about threats posted on BlueSky, a microblogging site.
“Thinking about going out and buying a gun,” the user posted. “When in Texas, shoot [expletive] [expletive] am I right? Good thing I live next to an elementary school.”
The posts escalated from musings about a possible future shooting to statements that the user had a gun and intended to carry out a school shooting:
“Will be fun to legally shoot up a school,” the user posted. “I can already smell the blood.”“Anyone wanna sign my gun?” he added.
The user also posted images from the March 2019 shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand, which killed 51 people and injured 89 more.
Agents identified the user of the account as Mr. Furr and visited him at his home in Lubbock on Feb. 3.
According to the complaint, Mr. Furr was “disheveled and unkempt.” He allegedly screamed incoherent profanities and stated that he would not talk to the agents until the President confirmed their identity.
Officers contacted two of Mr. Furr’s family members, who stated that Mr. Furr had also threatened them.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Furr is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to five years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency conducted the investigation with the Lubbock Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Haag is prosecuting the case.
Members of the public can report potential threats to the FBI by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
13 Alleged Meth, Cocaine Traffickers Charged in 15-Count IndictmentRead the Press Release
Thirteen alleged drug traffickers operation out of the Texas Panhandle were federally charged in DEA-led Operation Put It In Reverse, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Those charged in a 15-count indictment filed include:
• Juan Gabriel Castro, aka “Big Boy,” charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
• Luis Gilberto Garcia, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
• Terry Deon Noble, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, distribution of methamphetamine
• David Dewayne Keelin, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine
• Charlotte Ann Villanueva, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Kody Ryan Patterson, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Melissa Lynn Nelson, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Joshua James Tarver, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine,
• Danny James Wise, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Christopher Steven Conley, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Reba Lynn McLaughlin, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Mario Socorro Martinez, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, distribution of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
• Alfredo Olivares Jimenez, aka “Freddie,” charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine
The defendants were arrested last week.
Over th course of the investigation, law enforcement seized approximately 70 kilograms of methamphetamine, four kilograms of cocaine, two kilograms of fentanyl, $70,000 in assets, and eight firearms.
“These arrests demonstrate the continued resolve of DEA Amarillo Resident Office to investigate this organization to the fullest extent possible,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. “Local street dealers, transporters, bulk suppliers, and anyone in between should know DEA is committed to holding everyone in this organization, and others like it, accountable for selling deadly drugs to our communities.”
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants face as much as twenty years to life in federal prison.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Dallas Field Division – Amarillo Resident Office conducted the investigation with the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Criminal Investigation and Highway Patrol Divisions, the Amarillo Police Department, the Randall County Sheriff’s Department, the Potter County Sheriff’s Department, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Agents of the Texas Attorney General’s Office (OIG), Texas Game Warden Officers, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives’ Dallas Field Division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office, the United States Marshal’s Service, and Texas State Probation – Amarillo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Marie Bell is prosecuting the case.
Lubbock Man Pleads Guilty to Cyber Stalking Ex-GirlfriendRead the Press Release
An 29-year-old man who sent sexually explicit images of his ex-girlfriend to her father, brother, and employer pleaded guilty to cyberstalking, announced acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad Meacham.
Huston Tyler McLearen, of Lubbock, was indicted in November 2024. He pleaded guilty Wednesday to cyber staking before U.S. Magistrate Judge Amanda “Amy” R. Burch.
“Cyberstalking is a uniquely vicious crime with devastating impacts on its victims. And unfortunately, online intimidation and harassment can quickly escalate to physical violence,” said U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham. “We applaud this victim for pushing past her fear and shame and reporting her experience to law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas is proud to stand up for her.”
"The defendant’s alarming behavior was countered by the bravery of his victim who so courageously reported him to law enforcement despite the threats he made to kill her," said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to do everything in our power to seek justice for victims and their families, hold perpetrators accountable and protect others from harm."
According to court documents, in June 2024, Mr. McLearen’s ex-girlfriend – identified in court documents as Jane Doe – submitted a tip to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center (NTOC) stating that Mr. McLearen had been harassing her, her family, her friends, and her work colleagues.
During an interview with law enforcement, Ms. Doe said that after she broke up with Mr. McLearen and moved out of their shared apartment, he hounded her with texts and calls urging her to kill herself and threatening to share sexually explicit photographs of her online.
Cell phone records confirmed that Mr. McLearen called the victim as many as 39 times per day.
Ms. Doe showed officers social media profiles Mr. McLearen created to share lewd images of her with the public. Officers later uncovered posts in which Mr. McLearen claimed Ms. Doe was “looking for a man that would pay for sex.”
In a recorded phone call, Mr. McLearen admitted to an acquaintance that he also sent nude images of the victim to her own brother and father as well as her employer.
In the same phone call, introduced into evidence at Mr. McLearen’s detention hearing, the defendant described women as devils who deserve to be tortured, killed, and raped, and remarked that if the conditions were right, he would kill Jane Doe.
“It would be a bullet shot going through her window,” he said.
Mr. McLearen now faces up to five years in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been set.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Tech University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt is prosecuting the case.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline urges victims of cyberstalking to implement a safety plan. For more information, click here or dial 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).