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16 July 2026
Three Charged in Money Laundering Conspiracy Using New Hampshire Business to Conceal FundsRead the Press Release
Three Charged in Money Laundering Conspiracy
Using New Hampshire Business to Conceal Funds
CONCORD – An indictment unsealed yesterday charges three men with a money laundering conspiracy related to numerous business email compromise fraud schemes targeting companies throughout the United States.
Bill Ying Li, 51, Bing Xun Gong, 56, and Sabir Magdeev, 33, were indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. Li appeared in federal court in California yesterday and will appear in New Hampshire for an initial appearance on July 29, 2026. Gong appeared in federal court in Illinois yesterday and will appear in New Hampshire for an initial appearance on July 29, 2026. Magdeev is currently awaiting extradition from Cyprus.
According to the charging documents and public record, the defendants are alleged to have conspired to launder proceeds derived from wire‑fraud schemes targeting compromised business email accounts. These compromised accounts were used to change bank payment information in order to divert legitimate payments from their intended recipients to various bank accounts, shell entities, and cryptocurrency wallets controlled by the defendants to conceal the source and ownership of the funds. The charging documents further allege that, beginning in late 2022, the conspirators routed portions of these illicit proceeds through Market Shark LLC, a company registered with the New Hampshire Secretary of State, which they sought to use as an additional vehicle to receive and transfer laundered funds. The defendants are alleged to have conspired to launder more than $3 million in fraud proceeds.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John J. Kennedy and Yasir Sadat are prosecuting the case.
This action is part of Operation Riptide, an ongoing FBI campaign targeting the criminal actors, infrastructure, and financial networks behind cybercrime, cyber-enabled crime, and fraud against the American people. Last year, Americans reported over $20 billion in losses to cybercrime, a 26 percent single-year increase. Operation Riptide is the FBI’s sustained enforcement response to that threat.
The Department of Justice Sues Maryland, Challenging its State Laws that Provide In-State Tuition to Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice sued Maryland, challenging its state law and regulation that provide in-state tuition and financial assistance for illegal aliens. The Department alleges in its filing that these laws unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced tuition rates or scholarships, create incentives for illegal immigration, and reward illegal aliens with benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for, all in direct conflict with federal law.
“Congress long ago made clear that Maryland cannot deny educational opportunities to American citizens that it gives to illegal aliens in the State,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “By granting illegal aliens in-state tuition, Maryland is not only violating federal law but subsidizing education for illegal aliens, costing Maryland taxpayers roughly $9M for just one academic year. This Department of Justice is committed to fulfilling President Trump’s promise that illegal aliens will not obtain taxpayer benefits or preferential treatment over our own citizens.”
“This is a simple matter of federal law: colleges cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country.”
In the complaint, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of a Maryland statute and regulation that requires colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain in-state residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Additionally, the complaint seeks to enjoin Maryland from enforcing those laws to afford financial assistance and scholarships to illegal aliens.
Today marks the Department’s 13th lawsuit challenging in-state tuition for illegal aliens. The Department’s efforts have already delivered wins for the American people, as four similar lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Nebraska have resulted favorable orders permanently enjoining and declaring unconstitutional analogous laws that gave reduced tuition to illegal aliens, including an order from the Fifth Circuit. Lawsuits against other states that similarly put illegal aliens ahead of U.S. citizens are pending across the country in Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia, California, New Jersey, Kansas, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.
Texas Resident Sentenced for Possessing Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ronald James Yates, age 61, of Tyler, Texas, was sentenced to 123 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Hugo Police Department, the Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration Regional Laboratory.
On October 6, 2025, Yates pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on February 24, 2025, Hugo officers received a tip from TDPS that Yates, who was wanted for a federal probation violation, had crossed from Texas into Oklahoma. Officers apprehended Yates at a Hugo business, and upon arresting Yates on the warrant, discovered Yates in possession of 148.6 grams of methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. At the time of arrest, Yates was serving a term of supervised release after having been previously convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas.
“The investigation, arrest, and prosecution of the defendant is a textbook example of state, local, and federal law enforcement working together to combat illegal drug trafficking,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “I commend all the agencies that assisted in taking a repeat drug offender off the streets.”
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Yates will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Texas Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Smuggling Six Kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Texas man has been sentenced for smuggling six kilograms of cocaine, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Judge Annmarie C. Axon sentenced Brandon Azael Lopez, 30, of McAllen, Texas, to 46 months in prison. In October 2025, Lopez pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
“Those who use the interstate highways in the Northern District of Alabama to transport narcotics will be held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr. “We are grateful for the outstanding interdiction work of the 17th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force.”
“Drug traffickers are routinely finding creative ways to hide their illicit cargo, but our partners at the 17th Circuit Judicial Drug Task Force proved that solid investigative work will always defeat these tactics,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge John P. Scott. “To anyone attempting to use Alabama’s highways as a pipeline for poison: no matter how well you think you’ve hidden your drugs, we will find them, and you will go to federal prison.”
According to the plea agreement, on December 12, 2023, an agent with the 17th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force conducted a traffic stop on Lopez for changing lanes without using a signal on Interstate 20/59 in Greene County, Alabama. The agent told Lopez that he would be writing him a warning. Lopez appeared to be extremely nervous during the conversation. Lopez told the agent that he and his brother were traveling to Charlotte, South Carolina, for three weeks to work for an oil company. When asked by the agent if he meant Charlotte, North Carolina, Lopez agreed that he meant North Carolina rather than South Carolina. The agent asked if he could search the vehicle and Lopez consented. Underneath the front passenger seat, the agent found a new battery jump box; and on the back floorboard, he found a set of jumper cables. The agent looked under the hood and noticed two batteries that had extensive tooling on the battery cable and the nuts holding the cable onto the battery. There were also pry marks and glue. The agent picked up the battery and noticed that it felt significantly lighter than a typical car battery. Upon searching the batteries, agents found six bundles of cocaine, which weighed one kilogram each.
DEA Birmingham Division investigated the case along with the 17th Judicial Circuit Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany T. Byrd prosecuted the case.
Texas Drug Dealer Gets 18 Years in Prison for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Mark Anthony Cavello, 52, of Dallas, Texas, to 18 years in federal prison. He had previously pleaded guilty on May 30, 2024, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of meth, distribution of more than 50 grams of meth, and money laundering.
“This is another example of federal, state, and local law enforcement working together to rid the poison that Cavello pushed into Eastern North Carolina.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “The residents of Eastern North Carolina will be safer while he’s locked up. Simple Lesson: Drugs Kill; Prison Awaits – Do Right.”
The investigation began in March 2021 after federal law enforcement identified Cavello as a key supplier, who led a drug trafficking organization (DTO) based in Dallas, TX. Cavello’s drug trafficking spanned at least a decade. Cavello regularly handled large quantities of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and meth. His DTO ran its drug business through mailing packages, wire transfers, and phone communication, with occasional in‑person meetings. To evade detection, Cavello used multiple homes to conceal his locations, used a post office box to handle money, changed phone numbers often, and worked a regular construction job during the day. He used his lawful business, and even a bank account under a relative’s name, to hide and launder his drug money. Cavello relied heavily on family members within his DTO and sometimes using drug runners to deliver drugs and collect cash. From 2017 to 2022, Cavello was a major supplier of meth traveling from Texas to Eastern North Carolina.
Between September 2021 and March 2022, ATF made three controlled drug purchases from Cavello, totaling about 11 pounds of highly potent meth. He mailed the drugs from Texas to Eastern North Carolina in the mail and received money payments back in the mail to various locations in Texas.
“Drug dealing and violent gun crimes are always closely connected,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “When we take down a drug trafficking network, we’re cutting off the flow of dangerous drugs and reducing the level of violence and gun crimes that threaten our communities.”
“This investigation highlights the reach and impact of interagency cooperation. This is a testament to the hard work, dedication and commitment of our local, state and federal partners to keeping our communities safe,” said Chief Ashley L. Weaver, Jacksonville Police Department.
This prosecution is part of Operation Polar Bear which is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after the sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. ATF, DEA, Jacksonville Police Department, and Goldsboro Police Department investigated the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for 5:24-CR-121-M
Ten-Time Felon Sentenced to Decade in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ten-time felon Robert Stokes of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 10 years in prison for his latest crimes: Trafficking PCP and methamphetamine and illegally possessing multiple firearms as a convicted felon.
According to court records, on August 28, 2025, members of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Narcotics Task Force and the San Diego Police Department were conducting proactive patrols in Logan Heights when they observed what appeared to be a drug sale involving Stokes and another individual. Officers stopped Stokes’ Jeep and found 67 small vials of PCP and several baggies of methamphetamine inside.
That seizure led investigators to identify two RVs Stokes owned in Julian, California. On September 18, 2025, law enforcement searched the RVs and recovered more than a kilogram each of PCP and methamphetamine, along with digital scales and six loaded firearms, including rifles and a handgun equipped with a suppressor.
Stokes was not present during the RV search. But within hours, investigators found him in Southeast San Diego driving another vehicle carrying additional PCP and methamphetamine packaged identically to the drugs seized during the August 28 traffic stop.
Stokes pleaded guilty to the most recent charges in April. The defendant is prohibited from possessing firearms because of his nine prior felony convictions. Court records show his criminal history in San Diego County includes burglary, robbery and drug crimes.
“Four decades of crime. Ten felony convictions. Finally, after this federal conviction, one problem solved,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms are a dangerous combination that threatens the safety of our communities,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge James Nunnallee. “For decades, the defendant has engaged in criminal activity that put lives at risk. DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to holding violent and repeat offenders accountable and protecting the communities we serve.”
“A combination of proactive police work, investigative follow-up and great prosecution is keeping San Diego communities safer,” said San Diego Police Deputy Chief Shawn Takeuchi. “This sentence keeps someone who was committed to criminal activity off our streets for a long time. We are grateful for the continued collaboration between local, state and federal law enforcement here in San Diego to hold criminals accountable.”
DEFENDANT Case Number 25-CR-4665-JES
Robert Thomas Stokes Age: 62 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Possession with intent to distribute 1 or more kilograms of PCP — 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Possession with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine — 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Felon in Possession of a Firearm — 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and INTERPOL, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Ten Charged in Alleged Peach County Armed Drug Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes today announced the unsealing of a 38-count federal indictment charging 10 Fort Valley, Georgia, men with alleged crimes associated with an armed drug trafficking ring resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office.
The ATF, the United States Marshals Service, and Peach County deputies assisted in executing arrest warrants early this morning in Peach County, Georgia, and Miami, Florida, resulting in six arrests. As part of the ongoing investigation, law enforcement seized 68 firearms, two of which were equipped with switches that converted them into machine guns. The initial appearances for the defendants will occur at times determined by the Court.
The federal indictment in Case No. 5:26-CR-00029-MTT-CHW, filed on July 14 and unsealed on July 16, charges the following individuals, all of Fort Valley:
Kerry Ross, 52, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, six counts of distribution of cocaine base, seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of distribution of powder cocaine, and one count of use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating the commission of a felony under the controlled substances act and faces life in prison.
Bruce Jolly, 37, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, four counts of distribution of cocaine base, and four counts of distribution of methamphetamine and faces life in prison.
Chris Jolly, 19, is charged with one count of illegal receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment and one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces 20 years in prison.Danny Hicks, 60, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and two counts of distribution of methamphetamine and faces life in prison.
Paul Leslie, 38 , is charged with two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and seven counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces 30 years in prison.
Darius Dassau, 37, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces 20 years in prison.
Taqwan McCrary, 32, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces 20 years in prison.
Dextric Harris, aka “Young Jefe” and “Jefe Sackright,” 34, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and three counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces 20 years in prison.
Michael Joseph, 59, is charged with one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces 20 years in prison.
Jamiei Leslie, 36, is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and faces 20 years in prison.
According to the indictment, the defendants conspired in an armed drug trafficking ring, distributing cocaine and methamphetamine in Middle Georgia. Sixty-eight firearms, including pistols, revolvers, rifles, and two machine guns, were seized as part of the ongoing investigation. Six defendants are in custody. Bruce Jolly, Chris Jolly, Kerry Ross, and Dextric Harris are at large. If you have information about their whereabouts, please contact the ATF or the Peach County Sheriff’s Office at 478-825-8269; the USMS at 478-870-1017; or Macon Regional Crimestoppers at 1-877-68CRIME.
The collaborative effort is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
The ATF and the Peach County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case in partnership with the USMS.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Lynes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Sumter County Men Sentenced to More than 17 years in Federal Prison for Armed Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Three Sumter County men have been sentenced to a combined 205 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine and fentanyl.
- Zuri Laxenda Cokley, 23, of Sumter
- Jashai Dyrell Mellette, 26, of Sumter
- Denetrick Devontae Holland, 24, of Sumter
According to facts presented in court, the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, launched an investigation in 2023 after receiving a tip that the men were operating a stash house containing large quantities of various narcotics. Agents determined that Cokley was managing the drug operation and that Mellette and Holland used the stash house to sell narcotics. Agents utilized confidential informants to conduct controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack cocaine from the residence. Cokley, Mellette, and Holland each sold informants fentanyl and crack cocaine during those transactions.
On Aug. 31, 2023, agents executed a search warrant at the property. During the search, investigators recovered 45 grams of fentanyl, 109 grams of crack cocaine, 415 grams of marijuana, digital scales, packaging materials, cash, a stolen pistol, and a semiautomatic firearm. Cokley and Mellette were present and arrested at the scene.
Cokley was released on bond in October 2023 but continued distributing narcotics. In April 2024, he sold additional fentanyl to an informant while on bond. He was arrested again in June 2024 and charged with distribution of a controlled substance.
All three defendants had prior criminal histories. Cokley had multiple prior drug‑related convictions and convictions for failure to stop for blue light, driving under suspension, and hit-and-run resulting in property damage and minor injury. Mellette had prior convictions for failure to stop for a blue light, driving under suspension, unlawful distribution to a minor, and public disorderly conduct. Holland had multiple convictions for assault and battery, possession of marijuana, and unlawful firearm possession.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Cokley to 78 months’ imprisonment, Holland to 70 months’ imprisonment, and Mellette to 57 months’ imprisonment, each to be followed by a three-year term of court ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.
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Successful Transfer of Abdikerm Eidleh from Somalia to Minnesota to Face Charges for Role in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was successfully transferred to Minnesota on July 16, 2026, after his lawful surrender in Somalia.
Eidleh was among the defendants originally charged by indictment in the Feeding Our Future scheme in September 2022 and is facing 31 charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.In September 2022, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota signed a warrant for Eidleh’s arrest.
Almost four years later in June 2026, Eidleh was located by law enforcement in Somalia. As a result of strong international law enforcement partnerships between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia, and the Somali Police Force, Eidleh was escorted to the District of Minnesota by Special Agents of the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing Eidleh’s return to the United States.
“Fraudsters like Abdikerm Eidleh should know full well that they cannot escape the full weight of the Justice Department,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “I commend our law enforcement partners for swiftly and securely returning Eidleh to the United States, where he will now face justice for his crimes.”
“Abdikerm Eidleh is second only to Aimee Bock in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. His capture and transfer back to Minnesota show how far the arm of American law enforcement can reach, and that you can run, but you cannot hide,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Today is a historic moment in this FBI’s war on fraud,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The transfer of Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh brings to justice one of the alleged ringleaders of the $250 million ‘Feeding our Future’ fraud scandal out of Minnesota – where this FBI has already helped secure over 70 guilty pleas from fraudsters in partnership with the Justice Department. These are individuals who stole critical, taxpayer funded resources from kids in need during the COVID pandemic – and Eidleh was allegedly right at the top of the operation. He fled overseas after being charged in 2022, but thanks to the leadership of the Trump administration, our partners at the Justice Department, and counterparts in Somalia, this FBI got him. Criminals around the world should note: this is the 25th such transfer executed by this FBI in the last month alone, meaning no matter where you try to hide, we will find you.”
“The FBI will exercise all of its lawful authorities at home—and all of its extensive law enforcement partnerships abroad—to bring alleged criminals and fraudsters to justice,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “There is no safe harbor for criminals, no corner of the planet, where we will not work to seek justice for crime victims and the American taxpayer. The FBI extends its sincere gratitude to the National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia and the Somali Police Force for their dedicated work in locating and apprehending an alleged leader in one of the most significant frauds against the American taxpayer ever detected in Minnesota. We also recognize the cooperative efforts of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia in facilitating this defendant’s transfer to the United States to answer the charges brought in this case.”
“While families relied on a vital assistance program to feed their children during the pandemic, Abdikerm Eidleh stole from it and fled the country rather than face justice,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “His return makes clear that time and distance cannot shield those who steal from the American people. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents used their forensic accounting expertise to follow the money, unravel this massive fraud scheme, and help bring Eidleh back to answer for his crimes alongside his already convicted co-conspirators.”
Eidleh is expected to make his initial appearance on July 17, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Note: Previous press release detailing Eidleh’s apprehension here.
Successful Transfer of Abdikerm Eidleh from Somalia to Minnesota to Face Charges for Role in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was successfully transferred to Minnesota on July 16, 2026, after his lawful surrender in Somalia.
Eidleh was among the defendants originally charged by indictment in the Feeding Our Future scheme in September 2022 and is facing 31 charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, federal programs bribery, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering.
In September 2022, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota signed a warrant for Eidleh’s arrest.
Almost four years later in June 2026, Eidleh was located by law enforcement in Somalia. As a result of strong international law enforcement partnerships between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia, and the Somali Police Force, Eidleh was escorted to the District of Minnesota by Special Agents of the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance in securing Eidleh’s return to the United States.
“Fraudsters like Abdikerm Eidleh should know full well that they cannot escape the full weight of the Justice Department,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “I commend our law enforcement partners for swiftly and securely returning Eidleh to the United States, where he will now face justice for his crimes.”
“Abdikerm Eidleh is second only to Aimee Bock in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme. His capture and transfer back to Minnesota show how far the arm of American law enforcement can reach, and that you can run, but you cannot hide,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Today is a historic moment in this FBI’s war on fraud,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The transfer of Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh brings to justice one of the alleged ringleaders of the $250 million ‘Feeding our Future’ fraud scandal out of Minnesota – where this FBI has already helped secure over 70 guilty pleas from fraudsters in partnership with the Justice Department. These are individuals who stole critical, taxpayer funded resources from kids in need during the COVID pandemic – and Eidleh was allegedly right at the top of the operation. He fled overseas after being charged in 2022, but thanks to the leadership of the Trump administration, our partners at the Justice Department, and counterparts in Somalia, this FBI got him. Criminals around the world should note: this is the 25th such transfer executed by this FBI in the last month alone, meaning no matter where you try to hide, we will find you.”
“The FBI will exercise all of its lawful authorities at home—and all of its extensive law enforcement partnerships abroad—to bring alleged criminals and fraudsters to justice,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “There is no safe harbor for criminals, no corner of the planet, where we will not work to seek justice for crime victims and the American taxpayer. The FBI extends its sincere gratitude to the National Intelligence and Security Agency of Somalia and the Somali Police Force for their dedicated work in locating and apprehending an alleged leader in one of the most significant frauds against the American taxpayer ever detected in Minnesota. We also recognize the cooperative efforts of the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs of the Federal Republic of Somalia in facilitating this defendant’s transfer to the United States to answer the charges brought in this case.”
“While families relied on a vital assistance program to feed their children during the pandemic, Abdikerm Eidleh stole from it and fled the country rather than face justice,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “His return makes clear that time and distance cannot shield those who steal from the American people. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents used their forensic accounting expertise to follow the money, unravel this massive fraud scheme, and help bring Eidleh back to answer for his crimes alongside his already convicted co-conspirators.”
Eidleh is expected to make his initial appearance on July 17, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge John F. Docherty.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Note: Previous press release detailing Eidleh’s apprehension here.
Sterling man sentenced to five years in prison for trading in child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Sterling man was sentenced today to five years in prison for receipt of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in June of 2024, John Joseph Chanel, 37, uploaded two videos depicting CSAM to an Internet-based cloud storage platform and requested and received images and videos depicting CSAM via an Internet-based peer-to-peer platform. Forensic analysis of Chanel’s devices and social media accounts revealed that in June 2024, a user on the KiK social media platform asked the Chanel if he had child sexual abuse material (CSAM) to trade. Chanel confirmed he did and provided a link to his Dropbox account, which contained numerous images and videos of CSAM. The other user reciprocated. Chanel asked for more, and the other user provided more. A similar exchange occurred on the same messaging platform three days later.
On Sept. 25, 2024, law enforcement searched Chanel’s residence in Sterling and seized Chanel’s cellphone and computer. Investigators identified dozens of CSAM files on his devices, as well as in his social media and cloud storage accounts. The files included graphic depictions of the sexual abuse of children.
Chanel pled guilty on March 13.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case. Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Lyndi McVey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Vanessa Strobbe prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-44.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to Nine Years for Racially Motivated ShootingRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced that Jonathan Andrew Felkel, 34, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Columbia, South Carolina to 9 years in prison for violating the housing rights of his black neighbor, J.M., in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 3631.
“Today, we have delivered justice for Jonathan Andrew Felkel’s disturbing, racially motivated attack on the victim,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Hate crimes not only harm individuals, but undermine the fabric of our communities. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute such cases to restore safety and confidence in our neighborhoods.”
“Racially motivated violence will not be tolerated in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina.
“The defendant’s violent actions last July caused irreparable harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “It is our hope that the victim and this community can begin to heal, knowing that we remain fully committed to their safety. Anyone who commits a crime motivated by race or by any other class under the Fair Housing Act will be met with the full weight of the justice system.”
At his earlier plea hearing, Felkel admitted that on July 17, 2025, he was driving into the community where both he and J.M. lived when he fired a gun and shouted at J.M., “You better keep running, boy!” while J.M. was standing at the community gate. During the investigation, Felkel admitted to law enforcement officers that he believed black people were committing crimes in his neighborhood, that he had assumed J.M. was a criminal due to his race, and that he had hoped to convey to J.M. that he should “leave” and “not be around this area.”
The FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall of the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.
South Carolina Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Racially Motivated ShootingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. —The Justice Department announced that Jonathan Andrew Felkel, 34, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Columbia, South Carolina to nine years in federal prison for violating the housing rights of his black neighbor, J.M., in violation of 42 U.S.C. § 3631.
“Today, we have delivered justice for Jonathan Andrew Felkel’s disturbing, racially motivated attack on the victim,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Hate crimes not only harm individuals, but undermine the fabric of our communities. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute such cases to restore safety and confidence in our neighborhoods.”
“Racially motivated violence will not be tolerated in South Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina.
“The defendant’s violent actions last July caused irreparable harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “It is our hope that the victim and this community can begin to heal, knowing that we remain fully committed to their safety. Anyone who commits a crime motivated by race or by any other class under the Fair Housing Act will be met with the full weight of the justice system.”
“It’s sad that we’ve got individuals, like Felkel, who have hate in their heart,” said Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott. “Today, justice was served. Our partnership with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office shows that crimes like this are not going to be tolerated.”
At his earlier plea hearing, Felkel admitted that on July 17, 2025, he was driving into the community where both he and J.M. lived when he fired a gun and shouted at J.M., “You better keep running, boy!” while J.M. was standing at the community gate. During the investigation, Felkel admitted to law enforcement officers that he believed black people were committing crimes in his neighborhood, that he had assumed J.M. was a criminal due to his race, and that he had hoped to convey to J.M. that he should “leave” and “not be around this area.”
The FBI Columbia Field Office and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle Klein and Lamar Fyall of the District of South Carolina and Trial Attorney Sarah Armstrong of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section prosecuted the case.###
Six defendants plead guilty to conspiracy to steal crude oil in the Permian BasinRead the Press Release
LUBBOCK – Six men and women have pleaded guilty to charges arising from a seven-count indictment alleging that 14 defendants conspired to steal crude oil from Permian Basin oil producers and resell it for significant profit announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
On July 15, Gyardo Gonzalez, 47, Mario Mendoza, 40, Miguel A. Soto, 41, all of Lovington, New Mexico; Luis Rojo, 51, of Seminole, Texas; Diana Marquez Rojo, 47, and Jesus Martin Hernandez-Borja, both of Hobbs, New Mexico; have all pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to steal crude oil.
“Oil theft is not a victimless crime. Every barrel stolen weakens our energy infrastructure and threatens our energy security. The defendants placed personal profits and greed over the pocketbooks of Texans,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “My office is committed to continuing to investigate and prosecute these fuel theft schemes.”
“Oil theft isn’t a harmless shortcut. It’s a crime that hurts honest producers and disrupts fair markets,” said Eric Kriley, BLM Director of Law Enforcement. “Conspiring to steal and transport crude oil across state lines is a serious federal offense, and today’s guilty pleas show the commitment the BLM and our law enforcement partners have to pursuing these cases.”
“In collaboration with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, we were able to disrupt an organized theft group responsible for stealing tens of thousands of barrels of crude oil across Texas and New Mexico,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to combat the large-scale theft and distribution of stolen goods.”
In filed plea papers, the defendants admitted to stealing tens of thousands of barrels of crude oil from producers in Eastern New Mexico and selling it to Louis George Edgett, 69, of Lovington, New Mexico, and Brenden Floyd Strickland, 26, of Hobbs, New Mexico, who are also charged in the case. The defendants further admitted that Edgett and Strickland purchased the stolen crude oil at prices significantly below West Texas Intermediate, most often at between $10 and $15 per barrel.
For example, according to plea papers, one conspirator sold 10,975 barrels of stolen crude oil to Edgett and Strickland between June 2022 and July 2024. That oil had an approximate fair market value of $888,975, but Edgett and Strickland paid only $15 per barrel, for a total of $164,625. Another conspirator sold 9,090 barrels of stolen crude oil to Edgett and Strickland during a six-month period between January and June 2024. That oil had a market value of $724,200.30, but Edgett and Strickland paid approximately $136,350. Another conspirator admitted in plea papers that the crude oil he stole was valued at up to $1.5 million.
Plea papers also indicated that James Darrell Reid, 65, and Randell Reid, 41, both of Electra, Texas, also charged in the case, purchased the stolen oil from Edgett and Strickland at prices significantly below WTI and transported it across the New Mexico-Texas state line to their business site in Seminole, Texas. The Reids then sold the stolen crude oil to midstream buyers at prices below WTI.
Each defendant who pleaded guilty, except for Diana Marquez Rojo, faces up to five years in federal prison. Diana Rojo faces up to three years in federal prison. These defendants also face a $250,000 fine, payment of restitution to victims of the theft, and forfeiture. The Court has not yet set sentencing dates.
A seventh defendant, Tavares Montrail Cole, 49, has admitted in filed plea papers to participating in the conspiracy and his rearraignment is scheduled for August 3.
The remaining seven defendants who were also indicted in the oil theft conspiracy, some of whom are charged with transportation of stolen property in interstate commerce, face imprisonment for terms ranging from five years up to 65 years imprisonment and millions of dollars in fines.
The Bureau of Land Management; FBI; Texas Department of Public Safety-Criminal Investigation Division; Lea County, New Mexico, Sheriff’s Office; and Eddy County, New Mexico Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag is prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Howey previously spearheaded this case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The outstanding defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on July 14, 2026.
Anthony Little Hoop, age 36, was sentenced to 2 years and 4 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Little Hoop was indicted by a federal grand jury in April 2026. He pleaded guilty on May 7, 2026.
Little Hoop was convicted of Sexual Abuse in United States District Court, District of South Dakota in September 2012. As a result of his conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and update his registration within three business days of relocation or change in employment or student status. In November 2025, Little Hoop updated his sex offender registration to reflect that he was residing at a residence in Sioux Falls. Little Hoop left that residence in December 2025 and did not update his registration. An arrest warrant was issued, and on March 11, 2026, Little Hoop was arrested in Sioux Falls.
This case was brought as a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Zachrison prosecuted the case.
Little Hoop was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls Crypto Investor Indicted for Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal grand jury has indicted a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man on charges of Wire Fraud, Money Laundering, Bank Fraud, and Aggravated Identity Theft.
Benjamin Paul Wiener, age 43, was indicted last month on 29 counts. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on July 10, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to the Indictment.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Wire Fraud and Money Laundering is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both imprisonment and a fine, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Bank Fraud is up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, or both imprisonment and a fine, up to 5 years of supervised release, and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
The maximum penalty upon conviction for Aggravated Identity theft is a mandatory minimum consecutive term of two years’ imprisonment in addition to any term of imprisonment imposed for any other counts of conviction.
According to the indictment, Wiener devised a fraud scheme to obtain money and digital currency from victims who invested with Wiener’s companies. Wiener made materially false statements and fraudulent representations to induce his victims to invest money with his companies. His fraud scheme has negatively impacted dozens of victims throughout the region, including in South Dakota and Minnesota.
After obtaining funds from his victims, Wiener then allegedly moved victims’ funds to conceal and disguise the location, source, ownership, and control of the funds. In other words, as alleged in the indictment, Wiener laundered the fraud proceeds through and into various financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges to cover his conduct and to control and expend the funds on personal expenses. In furtherance of this scheme, as alleged, when victims’ funds became depleted or a certain investor requested the return of their investment, Wiener would seek new investors to then use new funds to use on personal expenses and to pay back previous investors. As a result of Wiener’s conduct, the government alleges the estimated total loss is approximately $20 million.
Wiener allegedly used the following entities to perpetrate the fraud scheme and money laundering activities: Benaiah Capital LLC; Benaiah Holdings, Inc.; Benaiah Digital Fixed Income LP; Benaiah Digital LP; Benaiah Management Company, Inc.; Benaiah Enterprises, LLC; Aslan Management, LLC; and Runway Four10.
In addition, the indictment alleges Wiener defrauded a financial institution located in Sioux Falls. In April 2025, as alleged, he secured a line of credit for $1,000,000 by falsifying to the bank various documents, information, and correspondence. To do so, he utilized, without authority, another individual’s personal identifying information.
As with any indictment, the charges are merely accusations, and Wiener is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
The investigation is being conducted by IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the FBI, and the United States Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri is prosecuting the case.
Wiener was released on bond pending trial. A trial date of September 15, 2026, has been set.
Sioux City Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Meth ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty July 15, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Damian Havens, 52, from Sioux City, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Havens admitted that between March and May 2026, he and others conspired to distribute methamphetamine in Sioux City. Evidence showed that in those two months Havens was involved in the distribution of more than 1 ½ pounds of methamphetamine. On May 7, 2026, law enforcement was called to check on a suspicious person (and oddly parked vehicle), later identified as Havens. Officers seized about ¼ pound of methamphetamine and an airsoft pistol in Havens’ backpack. Havens admitted he planned to distribute the methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Havens remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Havens faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-4026. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Shelburne Man Charged with Four Counts of Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on July 2, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Myrkel Latroy Staley, 43, of Shelburne, Vermont, with bank fraud. Staley entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on July 14, 2026 before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered Staley released on conditions.
According to the indictment, between June 2021 and March 2023, Staley devised a scheme to defraud TD Bank by submitting fraudulent documents in connection with a mortgage loan on a property in Shelburne, Vermont and a home equity loan on the same property. To obtain the loans, Staley submitted fraudulent tax returns to TD Bank. He also fraudulently obtained $283,000 from another person and used those funds to pay for the downpayment on the Shelburne property. To legitimize the source of funds for the downpayment on the property, Staley submitted additional fraudulent documents to the bank.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Staley is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Staley faces up to 30 years and a $1,000,000 fine, or both, if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the FBI, the United States Secret Service and the IRS-Criminal Division.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Wendy L. Fuller. Staley is represented by Mark Kaplan, Esq.
Ross Township Resident Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Production and Possession of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Ross Township, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his convictions of production and possession of material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Chief United States District Judge Cathy Bissoon imposed the sentence on Ralph Talerico, 46, on July 15, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, in and around June through July 2023, Talerico produced videos of two children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, on or about June 6, 2024, Talerico possessed videos and still images depicting the sexual exploitation of minors, some of whom were prepubescent and under 12 years of age.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General and Homeland Security Investigations for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Talerico.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Roseville Man Indicted for Possessing Heroin and Cocaine for DistributionRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury today returned a two-count indictment charging Julian Beall, 37, of Roseville, with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on June 10, 2026, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at Beall’s Roseville residence and a Midtown Sacramento apartment used as a stash location. At the apartment, officers seized more than 51 pounds of heroin, more than 22 pounds of cocaine, and drug-trafficking paraphernalia, including scales and heat-sealing equipment. At Beall’s residence, officers seized $133,420 in cash.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Sacramento Police Department, and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Cornell is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Beall faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Redi-Bag USA and CEO Agree to Pay $7.3 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Relating to Evaded Customs DutiesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – New York Packaging II LLC d/b/a Redi-Bag USA, a New York-based supplier of custom bags, liners, and packaging, along with the company’s CEO, Jeffrey Rabiea, have agreed to pay a total of $7.3 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by misrepresenting on customs entry forms the country of origin of polyethylene retail carrier bags (PRCBs), thereby evading antidumping duties owed to the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer.
“Antidumping duties help protect American taxpayers, workers, and businesses. This settlement agreement shows that our Office will continue to vigorously investigate and pursue allegations that businesses are evading those duties through unlawful conduct.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
To enter goods into the United States, an importer must declare, among other things, the country of origin of the goods, the value of the goods, whether the goods are subject to duties, and the amount of duties owed. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) collects applicable duties, including antidumping duties assessed by the Department of Commerce. Antidumping duties protect against foreign companies “dumping” products on U.S. markets at prices below cost. During the relevant time period, PRCBs from the People’s Republic of China (China) were subject to antidumping duties.
The settlement resolves allegations that Redi-Bag USA and Mr. Rabiea knew that PRCBs they imported and supplied to customers across the United States were manufactured in China and transshipped through Hong Kong. Redi-Bag USA and Mr. Rabiea nevertheless misrepresented on customs entry forms that the country of origin of the PRCBs was Hong Kong, thus evading antidumping duties assessed by the United States under Antidumping Duty Order No. A-570-886 (ADD Order). When applicable, the ADD Order imposed an antidumping duty of up to 77.57% on the value of PRCBs manufactured in China and imported into the United States.
The United States alleged that Redi-Bag USA and Mr. Rabiea concealed the PRCBs’ true country of origin by hiding information from others, including the company’s customs broker and CBP, by directing employees to cover up “Made in China” markings, directing the manufacturer to remove “Made in China” markings, and directing the cancelation of orders after learning the orders would be inspected by customs authorities.
“Companies that benefit from access to U.S. markets must follow U.S. law, including by paying import duties that protect American manufacturers and workers from unfair foreign competition,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department will hold accountable those who evade duties owed to the United States.”
“CBP ensures that all companies comply with U.S. customs and trade laws,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott. “With this settlement, we are protecting the integrity of our nation’s borders and holding those who attempt to evade customs duties accountable. We continue to work closely with our partners to safeguard fair trade and support lawful commerce.”
The settlement with Redi-Bag USA and Mr. Rabiea resolves a civil lawsuit filed by relator John Maierhoffer, a former contracted sales representative for Redi-Bag USA, under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and is captioned United States ex rel. Maierhoffer v. New York Packaging II LLC, et al., Civil No. 21-20170 (D.N.J.). As part of today’s resolution, Mr. Maierhoffer will receive approximately $1,332,250 of the settlement proceeds.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules.
In 2025, the Department of Justice launched a cross-agency Trade Fraud Task Force to enhance efforts to combat and prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force augments existing coordination mechanisms within the Department of Justice, leveraging expertise from both the Civil and Criminal Divisions, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to aggressively pursue enforcement actions against any parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Department’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at [email protected] using the form available here.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey and the Department of Justice Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Associate Chief Counsel, New York, Northeast Region; CBP’s Office of Trade, Trade Regulatory Audit; and CBP’s Industrial & Manufacturing Materials Center, Office of Field Operations.
Assistant United States Attorney David Simunovich of the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Gavin Thole of the Justice Department’s Civil Division handled the case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
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Counsel for New York Packaging II LLC: Peter Baldwin, Esq., New York, NY
Counsel for Relator John Maierhoffer: Bruce Judge, Esq., Boston, MA
redi-bag.agreement.pdfRaleigh Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Escape from Residential Reentry CenterRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Carlos Todd, 31, of Raleigh to one year and three months in federal prison for escaping from the South Raleigh Residential Reentry Center (RCC).
Todd began serving the last part of his previous prison sentence at the reentry center on July 8, 2025. The facility is a contracted halfway house operated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). The reentry program helps by gradually transitioning inmates from prison at the end of their term back into the community by supporting work, treatment, and personal responsibility. However, less than two weeks after arriving, Todd tested positive for marijuana, and the BOP recommended removing him and returning him to prison.
“At the end of their time in BOP, Federal inmates have an excellent opportunity to adjust to their return to society by successfully completing a stay in a RCC. These RCCs provide an opportunity for them to reintegrate and land on their feet,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Inmates who abuse this process and escape by leaving without permission will be pursued and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Take your time and learn from it, or we will add years onto your federal prison stay.”
On July 30, 2025, officials from the Riverside Regional Prison in North Prince George, Virginia arrived at the halfway house to transfer several inmates including, Todd, to prison because of his noncompliance, but Todd refused to leave and board the bus. After the officials departed, Todd absconded from the center without permission. He remained at large until U.S. Marshals apprehended him on February 27, 2026.
“Our deputies responded quickly, worked collaboratively, and safely apprehended the fugitive without incident. This successful outcome reflects the professionalism, preparedness, and unwavering commitment of the men and women of the United States Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners,” said Glenn M. McNeill, Jr., United States Marshal. “Every successful apprehension strengthens public safety and reinforces our commitment to protecting the communities we serve. I am proud of the outstanding work performed by our team and grateful for their dedication to the mission every day.”
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the sentencing before U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. This investigation resulted from collaboration between the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, and the South Raleigh Residential Reentry Center.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:26-CR-00028-FL
Prior felon facing new felony charge following incident at large street partyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Anthony Dean, 24, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with being a felon in possession of a weapon, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, on July 15, 2026, at approximately 10 p.m., Buffalo Police and the FBI responded to a large, unruly street party at Eddie Dawson Park on Roetzer Street in Buffalo. When officers and agents arrived, they were met with a large crowd of individuals in the street. One law enforcement officer observed Dean reach towards his waist band with his right hand and retrieve a firearm as he turned away from the responding officers to flee the scene. An officer announced “gun,” and began chasing Dean on foot, accompanied by multiple other officers. As Dean was apprehended, he was observed throwing the firearm in the direction of a responding New York State Police trooper, striking the trooper in the leg with the firearm. The recovered firearm was a loaded semi-automatic handgun. Dean was convicted of a felony in Erie County Court in April 2024 and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Dean made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Michael J. Romer and was held pending a detention hearing on July 21, 2026.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis II.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Petersburg methamphetamine dealer sentenced to 10 years in prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on Nov. 19, 2024, law enforcement conducted a controlled purchase of 102.81 grams of 95% pure methamphetamine from Rayquan Tyrell Coleman, 30. On Dec. 13, 2024, law enforcement searched two residences associated with Coleman in Chester and Colonial Heights, along with two vehicles. In the vehicle and residence in Chester, investigators located a rifle, two safes, vehicle registrations, money count sheets, $69,107, two cellphones, methamphetamine, marijuana, and packaging materials. From the vehicle at the Colonial Heights residence, investigators recovered a handgun, methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy tablets, $4,349, packaging materials, and a digital scale with residue. The total weights of the substances recovered were 839.51 grams of methamphetamine, 85.89 grams of cocaine, 310.86 grams of methamphetamine tablets, and 967.16 grams of marijuana.
Coleman pled guilty on Jan. 15.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-137.
Pensacola Tax Preparers Plead Guilty to Tax Fraud Conspiracy & Filing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – D’ontrinique K. Johnson, formerly known as D’ontrinique K. Wilkerson, 30, and Tequilla D. Nairn, formerly known as Tequilla D. Robinson, 37, both of Pensacola, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to aid or assist in preparation of false tax returns and to stealing government money and filing false tax returns and three counts of filing a false tax return. Nairn additionally pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated identity theft and one count of wire fraud. The guilty pleas were announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution by my office should be a warning to fraudsters anywhere in the Northern District of Florida: your time is up. If you rip off the U.S. taxpayer by defrauding the federal government, you have punched a one-way ticket for yourself to federal prison. Vice President J.D. Vance is spearheading the whole-of-government effort to combat fraud, waste, and abuse wherever it exists, while the National Fraud Enforcement Division is laser-focused on investigating and aggressively prosecuting frauds against the U.S. Government, and my office will ensure fraudsters pay for their crimes.”
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Court documents reflect that Johnson worked as a tax preparer for Nairn, who owned and operated First Premium Solutions, a tax return preparation business in Pensacola. Between 2021 and 2023, Nairn and Johnson conspired to routinely prepare fraudulent federal income tax returns for their clients as well as fraudulent personal returns, collectively preventing the payment of more than $192,000 in federal taxes owed to the Internal Revenue Service. Nairn and Johnson knew the returns they prepared contained materially false items, such as fraudulent credits or business information, which were never provided to them by their clients. In 2020 and 2021, Nairn also fraudulently filed for and obtained unemployment insurance benefits from both Florida and Virginia by falsely claiming she was not working due to the COVID pandemic and had not applied for benefits from other states, all while working as a tax preparer and not reporting the additional benefits on her tax returns.
Johnson’s sentencing is scheduled for July 28, 2026, at 1:00 P.M. and Nairn’s sentencing is scheduled for October 8, 2026, at 9:00 A.M. in Pensacola, Florida, before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II. If convicted, Johnson and Nairn face up to 5 years’ imprisonment for the conspiracy count and up to 3 years’ imprisonment for each filing a false tax return count. Nairn additionally faces a mandatory consecutive 2 years’ imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft count and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for the wire fraud count.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Operation Return to Sender Results in Numerous Arrests and Law Enforcement Seizing More Than 300 Pounds of Methamphetamine Intended for Central ArkansasRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK— A large-scale federal investigation into methamphetamine trafficking in Little Rock and North Little Rock that spanned two years and multiple states resulted in the arrest of 13 individuals in Operation Return to Sender on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. Twenty-three defendants accused of participating in an extensive methamphetamine trafficking conspiracy were charged in an indictment unsealed in conjunction with the arrests. Sixteen of those individuals are scheduled to appear today for plea and arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe. Fourteen defendants are in custody, and two defendants remain fugitives.
Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas and Warner “Brooks” Benson, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock District Office for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), announced the arrests that took place in Arkansas, California, and Texas. During Tuesday’s arrest operation, law enforcement seized 120 pounds of methamphetamine, four firearms (two stolen), and approximately $35,000 in U.S. currency. Additional seizures include 186 pounds of methamphetamine seized from packages mailed from October through November 2025, and approximately six pounds of methamphetamine seized directly from defendants. In total, law enforcement involved in the operation recovered approximately 312 pounds of methamphetamine that conspiracy members are alleged to have attempted to distribute in central Arkansas.
“If you bring death to our streets, we will come to your doors to bring you to our courts to answer for your crimes,” United States Attorney Ross said. “According to the Arkansas State Crime Lab, methamphetamine is the leading cause of death for Arkansans who die of a drug overdose. And so, in the era of fentanyl and other illicit opioid synthetics, investigating and disrupting methamphetamine trafficking remains essential. Because of the diligence of the DEA and their law enforcement partners on this investigation, 312 pounds of methamphetamine have been removed from the streets. We are grateful to these officers and Special Agents for their grit and resolve to find and remove this poison from our Arkansas communities.”
Operation Return to Sender is a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation headed by the DEA Little Rock Field Office that began in 2024. The DEA Little Rock Field Office and HSTF partnered with numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to dismantle the sophisticated drug-trafficking organization operating throughout central Arkansas and being sourced out of California that is alleged to be responsible for distributing hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement used nine court-authorized wiretaps between December 2024 and November 2025 to investigate the drug-trafficking organization.
The indictment alleges that Christerious Wooten directed a drug-trafficking organization based in Little Rock and North Little Rock. The indictment further alleges that after members of the conspiracy transported United States currency from Arkansas to the greater Los Angeles, California, area to pay supplier Ronji Hill for the drug-trafficking organization’s methamphetamine, Hill arranged for methamphetamine packages to be mailed via commercial shipping services to residential addresses in Pulaski County, Chicot County, and other locations in the Eastern District of Arkansas. The indictment further alleges that in October 2025, after members of the conspiracy traveled to Los Angeles to pay Hill, Hill sent eight packages totaling 186 pounds of methamphetamine to Wooten’s drug-trafficking organization in Arkansas. These packages were intercepted by law enforcement in Arkansas between October 27, 2025, and November 3, 2025, before they reached their intended destinations. According to the indictment, members of the conspiracy maintained and purchased residential properties in Little Rock, North Little Rock, and Los Angeles for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine and to convert drug proceeds into legitimate property. On Tuesday, during the arrest operation, law enforcement seized an additional 120 pounds of methamphetamine from one of those properties in North Little Rock. Also at that residence, law enforcement seized three firearms, two of which were stolen, and more than $20,000 in U.S. currency. More than $15,000 and an additional firearm were seized in other locations. Previously and during the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized six pounds of methamphetamine.
“Operation Return to Sender is a testament to the unwavering commitment and collaboration of our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in combating drug trafficking organizations that threaten the safety of our communities. This investigation successfully dismantled a significant methamphetamine distribution network by targeting every level of the organization from its California-based source of supply to its local distributors and the assets that fueled its criminal enterprise,” Assistant Special Agent in Charge Benson said. “The DEA remains steadfast in its mission to identify, investigate, and dismantle organizations responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs into Arkansas while holding those responsible accountable under the law.”
“Drug trafficking organizations exist for one reason—to generate illicit profits. Working alongside our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, the women and men of IRS Criminal Investigation remain committed to tracing illicit proceeds and exposing the financial networks that support these organizations,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus, Jr. of IRS Criminal Investigation, Dallas Field Office. “Operation Return to Sender demonstrates how coordinated law enforcement efforts strengthen our ability to protect the safety of our communities.”
“Arkansas State Police is committed to helping our local and federal partners make Arkansas communities safer,” said Colonel Mike Hagar, Director of Arkansas State Police. “Operation Return to Sender is a natural extension of our mission, and we’re proud to support it and other operations that prevent deadly, illegal drugs from entering our state and removing them before they cause additional harm to Arkansas families. The distribution and sale of illicit drugs is the driving force behind criminal activity in Arkansas cities. Fracturing the drug supply pipeline is one of the best ways to make our communities safer.”
“With the support of our state, local, and federal partners, the Little Rock Police Department is committed to eradicating methamphetamine from our streets,” said Interim Chief of Police Joe Miller, Little Rock Police Department. “We will relentlessly pursue those who traffic this drug and continue working to improve the quality of life for all who call Central Arkansas home.”
“The North Little Rock Police Department is committed to utilizing all possible resources to protect our neighborhoods from drug traffickers and other criminal organizations,” said Chief of Police Hayward Finks, North Little Rock Police Department. “Operation Return to Sender is a significant example of what can be accomplished when local, state, and federal partners work together to combat criminal activity. Special thanks to all law enforcement personnel that participated in this operation.”
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Little Rock comprises agents and officers from the DEA, IRS Criminal Investigation, Arkansas State Police, Little Rock Police Department, and the North Little Rock Police Department with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
Those arrested and their respective charge(s) are listed below. David Ellis and Corey Lucas remain fugitives.
Conspiracy to Distribute/Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – 500 Grams or More
Penalties: Not less than 10 years, not more than life imprisonment, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, five years to life supervised release
Allysia Brown, aka Lisa, aka Liss, 29, Alexander, Arkansas
Sergio Burgueno, 51, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Jeremie Calvin, 22, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Shandreckqualin Chatman, aka Shandra, aka Shan, 34, Little Rock, Arkansas
David Ellis, 42, Malvern, Arkansas *fugitive
Charnice Frazier, aka Dookie, 29, Fort Worth, Texas
Ronji Hill, 57, Los Angeles, California
Nicolette Jones, aka Trip, 35, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Timothy Jones, 47, Sherwood, Arkansas
Robert Raper, aka Bobby, 49, Jacksonville, Arkansas
Desmond Rowe, Jr., aka Junior, 19, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Tristen Taylor, aka Bag, 28, Little Rock, Arkansas
Grealin Thomas, aka Maine, 47, Hot Springs, Arkansas
Scott Vest, aka Scotty, 47, Little Rock, Arkansas
Santadius Wilbarger, aka G, 44, Little Rock, Arkansas
Christerious Wooten, aka CJ, 34, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Conspiracy to Distribute/Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – 50-500 Grams
Penalties: Not less than 5 years, not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $5,000,000, four years to life supervised release
Christopher Chambers, 35, Morrilton, Arkansas
Clay Glasco, 46, Lonoke, Arkansas
Jacki Hogue, aka Jacki Wylie, 41, Redfield, Arkansas
Otis Kelly, 44, Greenbrier, Arkansas
Daniella Pruitt, 40, Morrilton, Arkansas
Conspiracy to Distribute/Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Less Than 50 Grams
Penalties: Not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, three years to life supervised release
Alexander Cruz, 54, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Corey Lucas, 48, Little Rock, Arkansas *fugitive
Distribution of Methamphetamine – 50 Grams or More
Penalties: Not less than 5 years, not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $5,000,000, four years to life supervised release
Sergio Burgueno, 51, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Jeremie Calvin, 22, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Desmond Rowe, Jr., aka Junior, 19, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Christerious Wooten, aka CJ, 34, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Santadius Wilbarger, aka G, 44, Little Rock, Arkansas
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – 50 Grams or More
Penalties: Not less than 5 years, not more than 40 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $5,000,000, four years to life supervised release
Christopher Chambers, 35, Morrilton, Arkansas
David Ellis, 42, Malvern, Arkansas *fugitive
Daniella Pruitt, 40, Morrilton, Arkansas
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – Less Than 50 Grams
Penalties: Not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $1,000,000, three years to life supervised release
Alexander Cruz, 54, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Corey Lucas, 48, Little Rock, Arkansas *fugitive
Scott Vest, aka Scotty, 47, Little Rock, Arkansas
Attempt to Distribute Methamphetamine – 500 Grams or More
Penalties: Not less than 10 years, not more than life imprisonment, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, five years to life supervised release
Ronji Hill, 57, Los Angeles, California
Attempt to Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine – 500 Grams or More
Penalties: Not less than 10 years, not more than life imprisonment, a fine of not more than $10,000,000, five years to life supervised release
Christerious Wooten, aka CJ, 34, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises
Penalties: Not more than 20 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $500,000, not more than three years supervised release
Sergio Burgueno, 51, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Christerious Wooten, aka CJ, 34, North Little Rock, Arkansas
Santadius Wilbarger, aka G, 44, Little Rock, Arkansas
Law enforcement partners who worked with the DEA Little Rock District Office and Homeland Security Task Force program, were:
IRS Criminal Investigation, Little Rock POD/Dallas Field Office,
Arkansas State Police,
Little Rock Police Department, and,
North Little Rock Police Department.
Assisting law enforcement agencies include:
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives,
Federal Bureau of Investigation,
Homeland Security Investigations,
U.S. Marshals Service,
Arkansas National Guard Counterdrug Task Force,
Arkansas Highway Police,
Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office,
Fifth Judicial Drug Task Force,
Benton Police Department,
Hot Springs Police Department,
Malvern Police Department,
Sherwood Police Department, and,
Los Angeles, California, Police Department
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters.
An Indictment contains only allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Ontario Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distributing NarcoticsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—An Ontario, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison last week for distributing methamphetamine.
Cody Bernal Carroll, 31, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison and four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in January 2023, law enforcement learned Carroll was distributing controlled substances. On February 9, 2023, Carroll sold a half a pound of methamphetamine, and, on February 23, 2023, he sold approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine. Pursuant to a search warrant at Carroll’s residence, investigators seized multiple firearms, including machine guns.
On October 5, 2023, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a three-count indictment charging Carroll with distribution of methamphetamine and felon in possession of a firearm.
On March 10, 2025, Carroll pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
ATF and FBI investigated this case with assistance from the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crime Task Force, Ontario Police Department, and Oregon State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa E. LeRitz prosecuted the case.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Collin D. Jerabek, 29, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on July 14, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for one count of production of child pornography and one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Jerabek to 360 months’ imprisonment on the production count and 240 months’ imprisonment on the receipt and distribution count. The sentences will run concurrent to each other. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jerabek’s release from prison, he will begin a ten-year term of supervised release.
From on or about December 9, 2023, through on or about January 19, 2024, Jerabek posed as a teenage girl on Snapchat to induce four Minor Victims to provide Jerabek with sexually explicit material. Jerabek collected sexually explicit images of teenage girls from the internet and sent those images to the Minor Victims to convince them Jerabek was a similar-aged female. The Minor Victims each produced for and sent to Jerabek, while he was posing as a teenage girl, visual depictions of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct, including masturbating and, in at least two instances, anal penetration by an object. In a mirandized interview, Jerabek admitted to knowing the Minor Victims were all under the age of 18. The Minor Victims ranged from 11 to 15 years of age. Jerabek distributed the sexually explicit images sent to him by the Minor Victims to third parties on Snapchat, and in at least one instance, back to the Minor Victim who had sent the image to Jerabek.
“Any sex offender that targets Nebraska’s children can expect the same level of prosecution as Mr. Jerabek, which is to say the maximum authorized under the law for these offenses,” vowed U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods. “ Children need more protection now than ever from this type of online predator. We stand ready to provide it.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Ohio woman pleads guilty to meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Celina Serva aka Ce Ce, 27, of Akron, OH, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a maximum penalty of life, and a $10,000,000 fine.
On or about April 3, 2025, law enforcement observed a vehicle, driven by Serva, arrive in the driveway of a house known for drug activity. Serva got out of the vehicle and approached the front door. When law enforcement pulled in behind her vehicle, Serva immediately returned to her vehicle and threw a bag back inside the vehicle. Four children and Serva’s mother were inside the vehicle at the time. Law enforcement executed a federal search warrant on the vehicle and recovered 960 grams of methamphetamine inside the bag Serva had thrown into the vehicle.
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.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster and the Ellicott Police Department, under the direction of Chief Daniel Ingrao.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 11, 2027, at 2:00 p.m. before Judge Sinatra.
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Oakland Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Human Trafficking on the Oakland BladeRead the Press Release
OAKLAND — Michael Simon, 37, of Oakland, pleaded guilty in federal court today to Conspiracy to Commit Human Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion.
Simon was charged by Information on May 26, 2026, with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Human Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion.
In pleading guilty, Simon admitted to engaging in a conspiracy to commit human trafficking on the Oakland Blade and other locations between June 2023 and September 2025. Simon conspired with others to recruit, entice, harbor, maintain, obtain, transport, provide, and advertise Victim 1 and Victim 2, and other victims, knowing that force, threats, fraud, or coercion would be used to cause them to engage in commercial sex acts.
Simon agreed that Victim 1 and Victim 2, and other victims, would be advertised online and that they would solicit customers for commercial sex acts and that individuals would pay to have sex with them. Simon and his co-conspirators booked and used hotel rooms in Oakland to harbor and maintain the victims. The hotel rooms were to be used for commercial sex acts.
Simon and his co-conspirators used cellular telephones to field phone calls from prospective clients, identify prospective clients for commercial sex acts, and to communicate with the victims about their commercial sex work. Simon instructed Victim 1 and Victim 2 via text message to engage in prostitution. He instructed them to go to specific hotel rooms to engage in commercial sex acts and he instructed them to post online advertisements for commercial sex services.
The victims were not allowed to keep the money paid to them for commercial sex. The victims were expected to engage in commercial sex work when they were told, and did not have any say in their hours, their fees, or the location in which they were to perform commercial sex acts. When a victim refused to engage in commercial sex work as instructed or failed to hand over money received for sex work, Simon would physically punish them for non-compliance by physically assaulting them, including by hitting them in their head and face.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble made the announcement.
Simon’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 1, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1594(c). Any sentence will be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ivana Djak is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Jessie Chelsea. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Oakland Police Department.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Materials and Producing Animal Crush VideoRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Andrew Eric Childs, age 41, of Apex, North Carolina, was sentenced today to 216 months in prison followed by 10 years of supervised release for distribution of child sexual abuse material (one count) and production of an “animal crush” video (one count). Childs was also ordered to pay $24,800 in restitution to the victims. He pleaded guilty to the charges on April 7, 2026.
According to court records, the defendant possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material and produced a video depicting his sexual abuse of a dog. Childs worked for Durham Emergency Medical Services at the time of his arrest, though the crimes were not connected to his employment.
Dan Bishop, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Field Office, Raleigh Resident Agency and the Durham Police Department with assistance from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Assistant United States Attorney Karla Painter for the Middle District of North Carolina prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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North Carolina Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Employment Tax CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A North Carolina woman was ordered to serve a year and a day in prison followed by two years of supervised release for her willful failure to account for and pay over almost $1 million in employment taxes on behalf of her business, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Brenda Wymer owned and operated Haven Home Care, Inc. (HHC), a North Wilkesboro, North Carolina company that provided home healthcare services. Wymer exercised control over HHC’s business and financial affairs and was responsible for withholding Social Security, Medicare, and federal income taxes from HHC’s employees and paying over those funds to the IRS. The timely payment of these taxes is critical to the functioning of the U.S. government because, among other things, they are the primary source of funding for Social Security and Medicare. The federal income taxes that are withheld from employees’ wages also account for a significant portion of all federal income taxes collected each year.
Between 2015 and 2024, Wymer caused HHC to withhold taxes from her employees’ paychecks but did not file tax returns accounting for these withholdings and did not pay this money to the IRS. Instead, she kept those tax funds for herself and her business.
Wymer pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to account for and pay over trust fund taxes. In total, Wymer caused a tax loss to the IRS of more than $973,000.
In addition to her prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Matthew E. Orso for the Western District of North Carolina ordered Wymer to pay $973,727.04 in restitution to the United States.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Daniel Lipkowitz of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Caryn Finley of the Western District of North Carolina are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Nicholas County Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Jonathan Wayne Vickers, 35, of Summersville, was sentenced today to four years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2024, a law enforcement officer responded to a reported ATV crash in Nicholas County and encountered emergency responders treating Vickers, the ATV’s operator who was injured in the crash. While Vickers was being treated, a SCCY Industries model CPX-2 9mm pistol fell from his person onto the gurney. As part of his guilty plea, Vickers admitted that he possessed the firearm.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Vickers knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for burglary and grand larceny on February 10, 2021, and conspiracy to commit breaking and entering on March 12, 2015, both in Nicholas County Circuit Court.
Vickers has a criminal history that includes two additional prior felony convictions
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Nicholas County Sheriff's Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the assistance provided by the Nicholas County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-185.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced to a Decade in Prison for Committing Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TYRONE WHITTINGTON (“WHITTINGTON”), age 41, was sentenced on July 16, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $200 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to two counts of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, WHITTINGTON was arrested by New Orleans Police Department officers on August 19, 2023, and by Louisiana State Police troopers on December 30, 2024. For each of those arrests, WHITTINGTON was in possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine that he intended to distribute, as well as two handguns that furthered those drug-trafficking crimes.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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New Castle Resident Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of New Castle, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on July 15, 2026, to charges of trafficking fentanyl and cocaine base, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Akeem Evans, 30, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge David Stewart Cercone to possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, a quantity of fentanyl on March 13, 2024, and possession with intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base on September 12, 2024.
Judge Cercone scheduled sentencing for November 13, 2026. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, or both on each of the two counts. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Craig W. Haller is prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, New Castle Police Department, and Lawrence County Drug Task Force conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Evans.
Missouri woman pleads guilty to oxycodone traffickingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Missouri woman who was part of a Chicago-based drug ring that illegally obtained oxycodone from Montana pharmacies admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Whit’lee Laurie Amari Miller, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. Miller faces 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, at least three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided at the change of plea. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Miller remained out of custody on conditions pending sentencing which was set for November 12, 2026.
The government alleged in court documents that Miller, along with a group of associates, flew into Montana, visited various pharmacies across the state, and used falsified prescriptions to get oxycodone and other controlled substances. Miller and others in the group would give the oxycodone to Brandon Lavelle and Winfrey Jaylan Javier Wash, who then distributed it. Winfrey and Wash, who pleaded guilty to drug charges earlier this month, paid for expenses and directed group members which pharmacies to hit and when to enter.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and DEA conducted the investigation.
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Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Samuel Jermaine Caples, also known as “EJ,” 25, of Pontiac, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 9, 2026, Caples sold approximately 216.7 grams of 100 percent pure methamphetamine to a confidential informant at a Huntington residence in exchange for $1,600. As part of his guilty plea, Caples admitted that he conducted the transaction after the confidential informant arranged it with another individual.
Caples further admitted that he sold a mixture containing approximately 30.18 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $450 on December 2, 2025, and sold approximately 7.11 grams of fentanyl in exchange for $800 on January 14, 2026. Each transaction took place in Huntington.
Caples is scheduled to be sentenced on November 2, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams and third-year law student intern Chloe A. Bailey are prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-43.
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Mexican National Sentenced for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jorge Luis Mejia-Mejia, 40, of Mexico, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
According to investigators, on March 29, 2025, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper conducting a routine traffic stop on Interstate 40 near Sallisaw arrested Mejia-Mejia after discovering over 878 grams of fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, concealed in an airbag panel of the vehicle.
The Honorable John F. Heil, III, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Mejia-Mejia will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Methamphetamine Trafficker and Tax Fraudster Sentenced to Federal Prison in Homeland Security Task Force CaseRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Leeman Brown has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virgina M. Hernandez Covington to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aiding and assisting false and fraudulent tax returns. Brown pleaded guilty on October 27, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe mad the announcement.
According to court documents, Brown conspired with others to smuggle methamphetamine, hidden in packages in the mail, from California to the Tampa area. At the same time, Brown submitted more than 80 false tax returns to the IRS that included fraudulent amounts of gambling losses, winnings, and federal income tax withholdings. The submissions requested large refunds from the IRS to which taxpayers are not entitled. Brown earned over $260,000 in proceeds from the scheme.
“The expertise and diligence by our HSTF law enforcement partners in this case is a clear example of our commitment to stem the flow of illegal drugs and protect our nation’s financial system against fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe.
“Tax fraud isn’t a game—and anyone who tries to cheat the system will quickly learn that IRS Criminal Investigation plays to win,” said Ron Loecker, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Florida Field Office. “IRS Special Agents are unwavering in their mission: protect America’s taxpayers, defend the integrity of our tax system, and hold offenders accountable. If you think you can beat the IRS, think again.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Stoia.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
Member of South L.A.-Based Crips Street Gang Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Role in $2.8 Million Bank Fraud Advertised on InstagramRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A member of the South Los Angeles-based Crips street gang was sentenced today to 108 months in federal prison for his role in a $2.8 million scheme in which he stole checks in the mail, altered them, then used Instagram to recruit bank account holders to give him access to their accounts so he could deposit the checks and quickly withdraw the funds before banks could detect the fraud.
Chase Matthew Griffin, 26, a.k.a. “Trey,” of Atlanta, who also resided in Ontario and South Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who also ordered him to pay $307,386 in restitution.
Griffin pleaded guilty on March 5 to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. He has been in federal custody since September 2025.
According to court documents, from 2022 to September 2025, Griffin participated in a criminal conspiracy in which he and others obtained checks stolen from the mail, then altered them or created counterfeit versions so they appeared to be payable to their accomplices.
Griffin recruited these accomplices online, often through Instagram, where he posted photographs of himself holding stacks of currency that were more than one foot high. He advertised for holders of various bank accounts to give him access to their accounts.
After he recruited an accomplice, Griffin and his co-conspirators deposited these fraudulent checks, which were typically for tens of thousands of dollars, into the accomplice’s bank account, then raced to withdraw the funds before the bank could detect the fraud.
For example, in December 2023, a North Hollywood business reported to law enforcement that it had mailed three checks totaling approximately $84,490 from a United States Postal Service collection box in Tarzana. However, the checks were stolen then deposited into JPMorgan Chase accounts not belonging to the intended recipients. The business representative provided images of the checks that had been deposited and confirmed the listed payee on each check had been changed from the intended recipient.
A law enforcement review of a Chase bank account where one of those checks was deposited revealed a previous deposit of approximately $22,487 made at an ATM in Upland. This check, along with another check for approximately $29,081, was stolen and used to create counterfeit checks with the same date, check number, and amount as the original, but with different payees.
The money was quickly withdrawn from the account and used for ATM withdrawals, Zelle and CashApp payments, a plane ticket, and card purchases at a San Bernardino County casino. Law enforcement later traced the scheme to Griffin.
The United States Postal Inspection Service investigated this matter with assistance from Upland Police Department
Assistant United States Attorney Andrew Brown of the Major Frauds Section prosecuted this case.
Manson Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A man who conspired to distribute methamphetamine pled guilty on July 15, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Tanner Thomas Rokes, age 36, from Manson, Iowa, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
At the plea hearing, Rokes admitted that from 2021 to July, 2025, in Webster County, Iowa, he was involved in distributing over five pounds of methamphetamine. In May 2025 law enforcement officers received information that Rokes was a pound-level distributor of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers then made multiple controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Rokes.
On July 15, 2025, officers stopped Rokes while he was driving without a valid driver’s license. Prior to stopping his car, officers observed Rokes throw 80 grams of methamphetamine out the car’s window. Rokes ultimately stopped the car and officers found additional methamphetamine inside the car. Officers also found the discarded methamphetamine.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Rokes remains free on bond previously set. Rokes faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick T. Greenwood and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Fort Dodge Police Department, the Webster County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa State Patrol.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-03059. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Man Sentenced for Suborning Perjury in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
FLINT —Omar R. Pouncy, 39, of Flint, was sentenced on July 14, 2026, to five years in federal prison for suborning perjury, U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
U.S. District Court Judge F. Kay Behm imposed sentence on Pouncy following his guilty plea to suborning perjury. Pouncy pleaded guilty after a trial and while the jury was deliberating. Judge Behm ordered Pouncy’s sentence to be served consecutively to his state sentences for armed robbery and carjacking. Pouncy’s earliest release date for his state sentences is February 2055, and Pouncy’s state sentences could run until December 2074. Pouncy will serve his federal sentence after his state sentences. Judge Behm also ordered Pouncy to pay a $50,000 fine.
According to court documents and the testimony and evidence elicited at trial, Pouncy was convicted of committing multiple carjackings and armed robberies in Genesee County in 2005. The trial court sentenced Pouncy to a lengthy term of incarceration. After exhausting all of his appeals in state court, Pouncy filed a federal habeas corpus petition in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in 2013. During the federal habeas proceedings, Pouncy alleged, among other things, that he was innocent of the carjackings for which he had been convicted, and that another man, Jaakawa McGruder, had committed the carjackings instead of Pouncy.
On May 22, 2018, the U.S. District Court conducted an evidentiary hearing on Pouncy’s actual innocence claims. During the hearing, Jaakawa McGruder testified falsely that he, not Pouncy, committed the carjackings. During the hearing, McGruder also testified falsely that he had not been offered and was not receiving any money for his testimony or his presence at the hearing, when in fact, Pouncy paid McGruder $10,000 to testify. Pouncy’s scheme was uncovered when employees of the Michigan Department of Corrections found, and later searched, two cell phones that Pouncy was using from inside prison. Text messages on the phones revealed that Pouncy coached McGruder on how to testify, providing him with details of the carjackings and robberies that only the perpetrator would know. The text messages also revealed Pouncy’s directives to others to ensure payment to McGruder in order to secure his testimony in the habeas proceeding.
McGruder and another person who assisted Pouncy in his scheme were previously convicted for their roles.
“Trying to buy your freedom with lies and fabricated testimony is a foolish attempt to pervert the integrity of our justice system. These deceptive efforts nearly put a violent offender back on our streets, and this sentence ensures he will face the consequences,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the exceptional work of our FBI Flint Resident Agency and the critical partnership of the Michigan Attorney General’s Office and Michigan Department of Corrections in helping expose this conspiracy. I also want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan for its work in prosecuting this case and recognize the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance throughout the trial. Let this sentence serve as a warning to those who attempt to undermine our justice system: the FBI and our partners will pursue the truth, protect the integrity of our courts, and hold you accountable.”
This investigation was conducted by special agents of the FBI’s Flint Resident Agency.
Man Charged with Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center ArsonRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced that Vincent Lang, 60, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was arrested today and charged by criminal complaint with one count of maliciously damaging or destroying by means of fire any building or property used in interstate commerce, or attempting to do so, in connection with an arson fire last week at a city mosque.
The criminal complaint alleges that, in the early hours of July 5, 2026, the defendant approached the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center, located on the 1400 block of Tyson Avenue, ignited an improvised incendiary device, and threw the device into the entryway of the mosque, causing a fire inside the structure.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years’ imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by the Eastern District of Pennsylvania with the assistance of the Civil Rights Division. The case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Arson and Explosives Task Force, with assistance from the FBI, Philadelphia Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office Special Investigations Unit, Philadelphia Police Department, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda R. Reinitz and J. Jeanette Kang.
The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Liberty, Missouri Man Sentenced for Attempted Production, Receipt, and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Liberty, Mo. man was sentenced in federal court today for attempted production of child pornography, and receipt and possession of child pornography.
Trevor Scott Teegarden, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Beth Phillips to 188 months in federal prison without parole. The Court also ordered Teegarden to serve a 15-year term of supervised release following his incarceration.
Teegarden will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.
Teegarden pleaded guilty on Jan. 29, 2026, to attempting to produce, receiving, and possessing child pornography. According to court documents, Teegarden engaged in explicit sexual communications with a person Teegarden believed to be a 14-year-old child but was an undercover law enforcement officer. On June 28, 2024, Teegarden requested a nude image of the alleged minor and expressed an interest in meeting with the purported 14-year-old child to engage in sexual conduct. A federal search warrant was executed at Teegarden’s residence in Liberty, Mo., and additional images of child pornography were discovered in his possession.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen A. Brackett. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Lawrence Man Sentenced to Prison for Bank EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday for embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from a Citizens Bank branch in Tewksbury, Mass.
Jefry Castro, 34, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Patti B. Saris to one year and one day in prison, five years of supervised release and $375,233 in restitution. In April 2026, Castro pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a bank employee.
Castro worked as the manager of the Citizens Bank branch in Tewksbury. Between May 2024 and August 2025, he embezzled $374,233 from the bank. Castro embezzled the money primarily by taking cash from two ATMs at the bank. He covered his theft by moving money from cash deposits and cash shipments to the bank to replace the cash in the ATMs. Castro also changed numbers on the bank’s balance sheets to falsify the total amount of cash at the bank.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Las Vegas Man Pleads Guilty to Receipt and Possession of over 23,000 Images and Videos of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas resident pleaded guilty today to receiving and possessing thousands of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) after a forensic analysis of his digital devices.
"By securing this guilty plea, we have fast-tracked justice for victims and ensured that this predator will be removed from our community,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “We will continue to deploy every technological resource available to intercept this type of material and hold perpetrators fully accountable."
“Every image or video depicting child sexual abuse represents evidence of a real child, including infants and toddlers, who has endured harm,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “The exploitation of our nation's most vulnerable children is unconscionable. The FBI remains steadfast in our mission to identify and apprehend these offenders. In partnership with other law enforcement agencies, we are committed to holding those responsible for these violent online crimes fully accountable.”
According to court documents and statements made at court proceedings, from August 27, 2021, to April 4, 2024, Jesse Ross Cowie purchased the entire catalogue of CSAM from a convicted producer of CSAM. The catalogue was predominantly CSAM depicting infants and toddlers. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence. A forensic analysis of his digital devices found over 23,125 images and 1,861 videos of CSAM depicting infants and toddlers, and children under the age of 12.
Cowie pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
The statutory minimum sentence is five years in prison and statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison for receipt of child pornography; and the statutory maximum penalty is 20 years in prison for possession of child pornography. Sentencing is scheduled for October 14, 2026, before United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon. A judge will impose a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Assistant United States Attorney Afroza Yeasmin is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Lake City Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Meth and Firearm ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Clayton Brown, age 34, from Lake City, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City, on July 16, 2026, to 210 months’ imprisonment. Brown pled guilty on March 18, 2026, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Brown has seven prior felony convictions that prohibited him from possessing guns, including three for drugs and two high-speed eludings.
Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that Brown was involved in a conspiracy that distributed at least four pounds of methamphetamine in about eight-months in 2025. Twice in October 2025, Brown distributed over 80 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement. During a search of Brown’s home, officers seized a Glock handgun, methamphetamine, marijuana, over $2,000 in cash, and other items related to drug distribution.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Brown to 210 months’ imprisonment along with a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Brown remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, the Iowa DCI Laboratory, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3057. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
LS Cable and System USA Inc. Agrees to Pay $4 Million to Resolve Allegedly False PPP Loan and Forgiveness ClaimsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – LS Cable & System USA, Inc., agreed to pay $4 million to the United States to resolve allegedly false claims for payments under Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and PPP loan forgiveness.
“This civil fraud settlement demonstrates our commitment to protect taxpayer money and to guard the integrity of our federal programs,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Our office will zealously pursue those who wrongfully take funds in violation of program requirements.”
The settlement arises from allegations that LS Cable knowingly misrepresented the number of its employees and affiliated personnel and unlawfully sought and obtained Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds and loan forgiveness totaling
over $2,004,414 for which it was not legally eligible.
The False Claims Act allows the Government to seek recovery of three times the amount of falsely obtained money, plus substantial penalties for each false claim submitted, and attorneys’ fees to the whistleblower who initiated this action. It should be noted that the civil claims resolved by settlement here are allegations only, and that there has been no judicial determination or admission of liability. LS Cable denies the fraud allegations.
This matter was addressed through close partnership and coordinated efforts between the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
A copy of this press release can be located on our website. Related court documents and information can be located on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CV-130-BO.
July term of the Federal Grand Jury returns indictments for firearms and immigration chargesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants have been indicted by the July term of the federal Grand Jury in the Southern District of Georgia for firearms offenses and immigration violations.
Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced the indictments. Those facing federal charges include:
- Robert Lee Jones, 22, of Richmond County, indicted for Illegal Possession of a Machinegun and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Steven Allan Darby, 39, of Richmond County, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Tavis Tallent, 26, of Richmond County, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Raheem Kirkland, 30, of Savannah, indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
- Luis Alvarado-Pavedes, 18, of Honduras, indicted for Illegal Possession of a Machinegun and Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien.
Statutory penalties for illegal possession of a machinegun can result in up to 10 years in prison. Possession of a firearm by a convicted felon or illegal alien may result in up to 15 years in prison and each may also be accompanied by significant financial penalties and up to three years of supervised release.
In addition, six men are charged with Re-entry After Removal or Deportation, a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal:
- Juan Capulin-Martinez, 52, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Camden County.
- Juan DeSantiago-Castillo, 40, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Atkinson County.
- Juan Carlos Martinez-Perez, 41, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Bulloch County.
- Francisco Javier Mendez-Villa, 32, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Camden County.
- Hector Ezquivel Mireles, 35, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Camden County.
- Juan Miguel Osorio Rojas, 40, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the U.S., arrested in Glynn County.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases listed above have been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement agencies. These cases are being prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karl I. Knoche, Kelsey L. Scanlon, Makeia R. Jonese, Lauren C. Olsen, Henry W. Syms Jr., and Matthew A. Breedon.
Jefferson Parish Man Guilty of Being Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On June 25, 2026, JAEQUAN BAILEY (“BAILEY”), age 31, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
BAILEY faces up to 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, at least three years of supervised release, and payment of a mandatory special assessment fee of $100. Sentencing in this case is set for October 15, 2026.
According to court documents, on September 26, 2024, BAILEY drove a black Acura to the intersection of Tullis Drive and Woodland Drive in New Orleans, accompanied by another individual in the passenger seat. Upon arrival, BAILEY fired multiple shots from a Glock Model 19X, 9-millimeter caliber pistol, while the other individual fired a semiautomatic rifle, at two individuals in the area. After the shooting, BAILEY and his accomplice fled the scene in the Acura.
Shortly after the shooting, New Orleans Police Department officers (NOPD) received a 911 call reporting a shooting at the intersection of Tullis Drive and Woodland Drive. Upon arrival, officers learned that a victim was located on Tullis Drive not far from the shooting. When officers arrived at that location, they found a male victim laying on the ground with a gunshot wound to his upper right thigh. A search of the scene revealed five 9-millimeter cartridge casings and seventeen 7.62- millimeter casings.
In November of 2024, an arrest warrant for an unrelated matter was issued for BAILEY. On November 26, 2024, NOPD officers confirmed that BAILEY lived in Elmwood, Louisiana (Jefferson Parish) with his girlfriend. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s deputies assisted NOPD in executing the arrest warrant and a search warrant. Upon arriving at BAILEY’s residence, deputies discovered the black Acura that BAILEY drove during the shooting on September 26, 2024.
Deputies also searched BAILEY’s apartment. During the search, deputies recovered BAILEY’s cellphone that he attempted to hide in the toilet tank inside the bathroom. Deputies also recovered the Glock Model 19X, 9-millimeter caliber pistol that BAILEY possessed in the September 26, 2024, shooting, hidden in a dresser drawer. During the investigation, officers confirmed that the 9-millimeter cartridge casings found at the scene of the September 26, 2024, shooting ballistically matched the same Glock Model 19X, 9-millimeter caliber pistol, found in BAILEY’s apartment.
The case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations, New Orleans Police Department, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy L. Bell of the Violent Crime Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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