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Tuesday 2 June 2026
Nurse Indicted and Arrested for Tampering with FentanylRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an 8-count indictment charging Jackeline Correa-Vázquez, 45 years old, with tampering with fentanyl, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, beginning on or about a date unknown but not later than March 28, 2023, defendant Jackeline Correa-Vázquez was licensed by the Puerto Rico Board of Nursing, Department of Health, as an Advanced Practice Nurse with a Clinical Concentration in Anesthesia. By virtue of her employment and position of trust within the medical field, Jackeline Correa-Vázquez engaged in a scheme where she repeatedly accessed and illegally obtained vials of Fentanyl Citrate, entrusted for legitimate patient care, tampered with those vials by removing the Fentanyl Citrate, and replacing it with clear liquid substances intended to conceal the theft. Through these acts, Correa-Vázquez abused her professional position, jeopardized patient safety, and falsified the integrity of controlled substances maintained by her employers.
“The defendant betrayed the trust of patients and her employers by tampering with critical medicine,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “Today’s charges reflect the seriousness of these offenses and should make clear that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our law enforcement partners, will work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute anyone who endangers the safety of patients seeking medical treatment.”
“The people of Puerto Rico place their trust in our healthcare institutions during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives. When that trust is violated, the DEA will act decisively,” said Michael Mayer, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Caribbean Division. “This investigation demonstrates our commitment to protecting patients, safeguarding the integrity of controlled substances, and holding accountable anyone who abuses a position of trust for personal gain. Through our Fentanyl Free America initiative and the strong partnerships we maintain with healthcare providers and law enforcement agencies, we will continue to pursue those who jeopardize public safety and undermine confidence in our medical system.”
“The FDA oversees the U.S. drug supply to ensure that it is safe and effective, and those who knowingly tamper with medicines put patients’ health at risk,” added Acting Special Agent in Charge Juan Berríos, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Miami Field Office. “The FDA will continue to hold accountable those who compromise the safety and security of our healthcare system.”
Correa-Vázquez is charged with four counts of tampering with consumer products in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1365(a), which have a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. She is also charged with four counts of acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, subterfuge in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 843(a)(3) which have a maximum penalty of four years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The defendant is scheduled for her initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Héctor Ramos Vega of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Puerto Rico Police Department, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Puerto Rico Department of Health are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Myriam Y. Fernández-González, Chief of the Asset Recovery, Money Laundering & Transnational Organized Crime Section, and AUSA María L. Montañez-Concepción, Deputy Chief of Asset Recovery, Money Laundering & Transnational Organized Crime Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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New Jersey Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl on the Dark NetRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A New Jersey man was sentenced to federal prison last Friday for conspiring to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Mark T. Eager, 34, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
“This defendant showed a blatant disregard for human life by trafficking fentanyl across the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Bradford. “My office will continue to pursue those who profit from poisoning our communities, and we will use every available resource and partnership to combat fentanyl trafficking and keep Oregonians safe.”
“This investigation brought together law enforcement agencies from across the nation,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Seattle acting Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “Homeland Security Investigations special agents from Portland, Newark, and Houston contributed to the case, along with the Portland Police Bureau and HIDTA HIT officers, who were instrumental in identifying Eager. His 11-year sentence sends a clear message: no matter where you are in the country or the world, if you attempt to sell narcotics online to Americans, we will find you.”
“Fentanyl trafficking poses a grave threat to communities across the United States, and Homeland Security Investigations is committed to working with our partners to disrupt and dismantle the criminal networks responsible,” said HSI Houston Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas. “This case demonstrates the power of interagency collaboration under the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, leveraging resources from across the country to hold traffickers accountable and protect the American people. We will continue to pursue those who endanger lives through the distribution of dangerous synthetic opioids, and we remain steadfast in our mission to safeguard our communities from the violence and instability caused by transnational criminal organizations.”
“By following this offender’s digital trail, Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners nationwide executed federal search warrants, dismantled an active dark web fentanyl packaging operation and recovered deadly amounts of fentanyl, thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency, and a trove of electronic devices and packaging materials,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This case is a powerful example of how coordinated, data-driven investigations can disrupt dangerous networks and help protect our communities from lethal synthetic opioids.”
According to court documents, from November 2023 through June 2024, Eager and his co-conspirator sold fentanyl on the Dark Net and Telegram. Eager operated as the vendor WRSEH10 and marketed the fentanyl as “China White Synthetic Heroin.”
In June 2024, HSI agents executed search warrants on two residences associated with Eager in Kearny, New Jersey, and seized over 360 grams of powdered fentanyl, counterfeit M30 pills, drug ledgers, cellular phones, two computers, and drug packaging consistent with three deliveries that were sent to Oregon.
On September 4, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a four-count indictment charging Eager with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
On February 4, 2026, Eager pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
HSI Portland and HSI Houston investigated this case with assistance from HSI Newark, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Interdiction Task Force (HIT). Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Kerin prosecuted the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey assisted the U.S. Attorney’s in Oregon in obtaining the search warrants that were executed in Kearny.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Rigging Bids for Healthcare-Related and Other Air Force ProjectsRead the Press Release
A former employee of a shelving and storage distributor pleaded guilty today to two felonies for conspiring to rig bids and defraud the U.S. Department of War. As the defendant admitted in open court, his crimes related to the sale of shelving and storage products to the U.S. Air Force to service multiple healthcare and operations facilities.
According to the information and plea agreement filed in the Middle District of Georgia, Scott G. Srodes, 65, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and his co-conspirators submitted collusive bids for multiple projects at healthcare facilities at Air Force Base Moody in Valdosta, Georgia, and for aircraft maintenance facilities at Air Force Base Nellis in Las Vegas, Nevada. Srodes and his co-conspirators exchanged pricing information prior to submitting them, at times instructing each other exactly what price to quote for certain projects. The projects, which had a total value of more than $1.8 million, were funded through the Defense Logistics Agency’s Facilities Maintenance, Repair, and Operations Program. The guilty plea is the second in an ongoing investigation into bid rigging and fraud impacting U.S. military facilities in the United States.
“America’s warfighters deserve the best healthcare, and bid rigging that distorts healthcare procurement deprives them of free and fair competition,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel W. Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force and its partners will continue to hold accountable those whose schemes increase healthcare-related costs in the United States.”
“We will pursue and bring to justice those who cheat the federal procurement system, while we work to protect taxpayers and honest contractors from the harm caused by bid rigging,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our partnership with the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division demonstrates our resolve to root out fraud and uphold the law.”
“The Air Force Office of Special Investigations remains steadfast in our mission to protect the integrity of Department of Defense procurement processes and safeguard resources critical to the readiness and welfare of our Airmen,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrell Freeman of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Southeast Field Office. “Bid rigging schemes like this undermine fair competition, inflate costs for essential healthcare infrastructure, and ultimately harm the brave men and women serving in our military. Working alongside our partners at the Antitrust Division, DCIS, and DLA OIG, we will continue to vigorously investigate and hold accountable those who seek to defraud the United States.”
“Bid rigging on military healthcare contracts undermines the competitive process that protects taxpayer dollars and the service members these facilities exist to serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office. “This additional guilty plea reflects the scope of this investigation and the consequences awaiting those who conspire to defraud defense contracting programs. DCIS and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue every individual and company responsible for defrauding the programs that support our nation’s military.”
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Defense Logistics Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Daniel P. Chung and Christian Neumeister of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
The maximum penalty for a conspiracy to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act for an individual is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to defraud the United States is five years in prison and a $250,000 criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
Nevada Man Pleads Guilty to Rigging Bids for Healthcare-Related and Other Air Force ProjectsRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A former employee of a shelving and storage distributor pleaded guilty today to two felonies for conspiring to rig bids and defraud the U.S. Department of War. As the defendant admitted in open court, his crimes related to the sale of shelving and storage products to the U.S. Air Force to service multiple healthcare and operations facilities.
According to the information and plea agreement filed in the Middle District of Georgia, Scott G. Srodes, 65, of Las Vegas, Nevada, and his co-conspirators submitted collusive bids for multiple projects at healthcare facilities at Air Force Base Moody in Valdosta, Georgia, and for aircraft maintenance facilities at Air Force Base Nellis in Las Vegas, Nevada. Srodes and his co-conspirators exchanged pricing information prior to submitting them, at times instructing each other exactly what price to quote for certain projects. The projects, which had a total value of more than $1.8 million, were funded through the Defense Logistics Agency’s Facilities Maintenance, Repair, and Operations Program. The guilty plea is the second in an ongoing investigation into bid rigging and fraud impacting U.S. military facilities in the United States.
“America’s warfighters deserve the best healthcare, and bid rigging that distorts healthcare procurement deprives them of free and fair competition,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel W. Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force and its partners will continue to hold accountable those whose schemes increase healthcare-related costs in the United States.”
“We will pursue and bring to justice those who cheat the federal procurement system, while we work to protect taxpayers and honest contractors from the harm caused by bid rigging,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes for the Middle District of Georgia. “Our partnership with the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division demonstrates our resolve to root out fraud and uphold the law.”
“The Air Force Office of Special Investigations remains steadfast in our mission to protect the integrity of Department of Defense procurement processes and safeguard resources critical to the readiness and welfare of our Airmen,” said Special Agent in Charge Derrell Freeman of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Southeast Field Office. “Bid rigging schemes like this undermine fair competition, inflate costs for essential healthcare infrastructure, and ultimately harm the brave men and women serving in our military. Working alongside our partners at the Antitrust Division, DCIS, and DLA OIG, we will continue to vigorously investigate and hold accountable those who seek to defraud the United States.”
“Bid rigging on military healthcare contracts undermines the competitive process that protects taxpayer dollars and the service members these facilities exist to serve,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southeast Field Office. “This additional guilty plea reflects the scope of this investigation and the consequences awaiting those who conspire to defraud defense contracting programs. DCIS and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue every individual and company responsible for defrauding the programs that support our nation’s military.”
The Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section, Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Defense Logistics Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Trial Attorneys Daniel P. Chung and Christian Neumeister of the Antitrust Division’s Washington Criminal Section are prosecuting the case, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
The maximum penalty for a conspiracy to rig bids in violation of the Sherman Act for an individual is 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to defraud the United States is five years in prison and a $250,000 criminal fine. The fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
Navajo Nation Woman Pleads Guilty to Assault ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Navajo Nation woman pleaded guilty to shooting and seriously injuring a man in 2024.
According to court documents, on November 17, 2024, Beverleta Tayah, 54, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted John Doe at a residence on the Navajo Nation after she armed herself with a handgun and shot John Doe in the chest causing serious bodily injury.
Tayah pleaded guilty to two federal felony offenses—Assault resulting in serious bodily injury and Assault with a dangerous weapon, each of which carries up to 10 years in prison at sentencing. Tayah will also be subject to up to three years of supervised release following any prison sentence, as well as victim restitution for monetary expenses encountered by the victim that are directly related to Tayah’s criminality.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Multiple Illegal Aliens Plead Guilty to Immigration ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Multiple aliens, unlawfully in the United States, recently pled guilty to illegal immigration crimes. These prosecutions are in connection with the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty pleas with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
On May 5, 2026, Israel Reyes-Medina, 39, of Mexico, pled guilty to illegal re-entry by a previously deported alien. Prior to this prosecution, federal authorities convicted Reyes-Medina of illegal entry and removed him from the United States on four previous occasions. On January 8, law enforcement found the Mexican citizen in Middle River, Maryland, during an area enforcement operation.
Then on May 27, Nery Adelso Asmen-Raymundo, 43, of Guatemala, pled guilty to illegal entry into the United States. Authorities removed Asmen-Raymundo from the U.S. on two prior occasions – once in November 2009, and again in March 2010. On April 23, law enforcement found the Guatemalan citizen and national in Baltimore.
These cases are 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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO and FBI for its work in these investigations. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who is prosecuting these federal cases.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Monterey County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of Two MinorsRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE - Edy Antonio, Jr. was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to coerce and entice two minors to engage in sexual activity. U.S. District Judge Noël Wise handed down the sentence.
Antonio, 31, of Salinas, was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 6, 2025, and pleaded guilty on February 9, 2026, to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. According to his guilty plea, on April 21, 2025, Antonio responded to an advertisement on a website dedicated to promoting commercial sex services. The advertisement depicted persons Antonio believed to be two minor girls, ages 12 and 14 years old. Antonio responded via text message and agreed to pay $500 to engage in sexual conduct with the minors. Antonio then traveled to the agreed location at a hotel in Salinas, where he was arrested by Salinas Police Department officers. The complaint describes that Antonio worked as a respiratory therapist at two hospitals in Salinas and Monterey.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Jeff Brannigan made the announcement.
Antonio has been in custody since March 3, 2026. He will begin serving his prison term immediately. In addition to the prison term, Judge Wise also sentenced the defendant to a 15-year period of supervised release which will begin after his term of imprisonment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Griswold is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Elise Etter. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by HSI and the Salinas Police Department.
Mexican National Sentenced to Time Served for Reentry of Removed Alien OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Bernardo Chagala-Cosme, 34 years old, of a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to felony Reentry of Removed Alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Chagala-Cosme was sentenced to time served.
According to documents in the case, Chagala-Cosme is not a citizen of the United States. He was previously removed from the United States in September 2013, but he quickly reentered the United States. He was removed again in October 2013, and again in April 2015. Police found Chagala-Cosme in LaPorte in January 2026 after they responded to the scene of a car crash. Police followed a trail of leaking fluid, which led directly to the house where Chagala-Cosme was living. He had 0.5 grams of cocaine in his pocket, and his blood alcohol content tested at 0.35. Police discovered he was in the country illegally when they booked and fingerprinted him.
“The Defendant was a drunk illegal alien with cocaine in his pocket and found at the end of fluid trail after a car crash. He has been removed after two previous violations of our nation’s borders, and does not seem to think the rules apply to him. He clearly does not respect our nation’s laws or its sovereignty,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the LaPorte Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Luke N. Reilander.
Mexican National Sentenced to Time Served for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Edgar Omar Ortiz-Alvarado, 44 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Edgar Omar Ortiz-Alvarado was sentenced by Judge Simon to time served followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 Special Assessment. The supervised release term will go into effect if Ortiz-Alvarado remains in, or returns to, the United States within that period following expected removal proceedings.
“The Defendant is an illegal alien who has three prior convictions for operating while intoxicated/driving under the influence and multiple other traffic-related convictions. He has also been previously removed twice from the United States in March and April 2015. The Defendant disrespected our nation’s laws and sovereignty as he repeatedly violated our borders,” U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred said.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Wardrip.
Mexican National Sentenced to Time Served for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Luis Alfredo Meneses-Silva, 35 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Luis Alfredo Meneses-Silva was sentenced to time served followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 Special Assessment. The supervised release term will go into effect if Meneses-Silva remains in, or returns to, the United States within that period following expected removal proceedings.
“The Defendant does not believe our nation’s laws apply to him and has been previously removed twice from the United States in 2017. He also has prior convictions for public intoxication and interference with official acts. He needs to return home and not violate our nation’s borders again,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Wardrip.
Mexican National Sentenced to 6 months in Prison for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Victor Manuel Arellano-Cetina, 34 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Victor Manuel Arellano-Cetina was sentenced to 6 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 Special Assessment. The supervised release term would go into effect should the Defendant remain in, or return to, the United States within that period following expected removal proceedings.
According to documents in the case, Arellano-Cetina’s history includes three prior deportations from the United States in 2010, 2023, and 2023.
“The Defendant has been deported three prior times and clearly does not respect our nation’s laws or her sovereignty. After his jail sentence, he needs to return to his home country and not come back,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Crown Point Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan.
Member of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 19 ½ Years in Prison for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
An Essex County, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 234 months in prison and five years of supervised release for the distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues and money laundering.
According to court documents, Thomas Padovano, 52, of Newark, New Jersey, admitted that from approximately January 2014 through September 2020, he and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl-related substances, methylone, and ketamine. Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that contained fentanyl analogues. Padovano additionally admitted to having engaged in financial transactions aimed at concealing the origin and true ownership of more than $300,000 in drug proceeds.
“Mr. Padovano led a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed massive amounts of dangerous opioids in New Jersey, and then he laundered the profits,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These illegal narcotics destroy families and wreak havoc in the community. The Criminal Division will actively pursue offenders who distribute such poison in our neighborhoods.”
“Today’s sentence sends an important reminder: those who profit from trafficking deadly drugs and laundering the proceeds of their crimes will be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “For years, Padovano helped lead an organization responsible for distributing massive quantities of fentanyl analogues and other dangerous controlled substances in New Jersey. This sentence — nearly twenty years in prison — reflects the devastating harm caused by that conduct and our office’s unwavering commitment to dismantling the organizations that fuel the illegal drug trade.”
“Padovano is behind bars for his direct role in unleashing the deadly scourge of fentanyl across America,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Division. “This decisive outcome underscores HSI Newark’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and our relentless pursuit of justice alongside our law enforcement partners.”
The Newark Field Division of HSI led the investigation, with assistance from HSI in Philadelphia, the FBI Newark Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service Newark Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey, New York and Kentucky, the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Chief Stephen Sola of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit in the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra for the District of New Jersey.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Medina Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Manufacturing and Selling Drugs Out of His HomeRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – A 29-year-old Medina County man who was possessing controlled substances and manufacturing illegal drugs out of his home, which he intended to distribute throughout Summit and Medina Counties, has been sentenced to prison.
Andrew Meyers, of Medina, Ohio, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison after pleading guilty to:
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; prior conviction in the state of Wyoming for Conspiracy to Manufacture, Possess, or Deliver Marijuana in 2019
- Possession with Intent to Distribute 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Ketamine
- Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana
- Engaging in Money Laundering Transactions in Property Derived from Unlawful Activity
He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and forfeit a property. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher A. Boyko imposed the sentence May 28.
According to court documents and evidence presented before the judge, investigations into suspected drug trafficking activity in Medina, Portage, and Summit Counties led federal agents to identify the defendant. In August 2024, during a search warrant execution of Meyers’ residence on Saxon Avenue in Akron, agents discovered a laboratory, packaging materials, digital scales, a drug press, and a money counter. Agents also seized 882.1 grams of MDMA and 363 grams of Ketamine. Other substances found, which are used for the manufacture of THC products, included 2,010.1 grams of Tetrahydrocannabinol, and 900.4 grams of delta-9-Tretrahydrocannabinol. Law enforcement also discovered a Glock 19, semiautomatic firearm and ammunition in his bedroom. Additional items seized throughout the investigation include a BMW motorcycle, a Suzuki dirt bike, a motorhome, and more than $15,000 in cash. Investigators also found that Meyers was attempting to hide the profits from his drug activities through the purchase and improvement of two properties in Akron.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI Akron Resident Agency.
The prosecution was led by Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District of Ohio.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Role in HSTF Multi-Million Dollar Money Laundering Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland man received a federal prison term, today, in connection with a multi-million-dollar money laundering scheme.
Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Bright Boateng, 45, of Bladensburg, to nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to engage in a large, multi-member, money laundering conspiracy. Additionally, Judge Maddox ordered Boateng to pay $1,247,950 in restitution, and to forfeit $431,750. Boateng, who pled guilty to participating in the money laundering conspiracy on February 6, 2026, admitted that nearly $1.5 million in money laundering occurred pursuant to his direct participation in the conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Akil Baldwin, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG). This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud as well as the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).
According to court documents, beginning in 2020, and continuing into November 2023, Boateng conspired with multiple individuals to launder proceeds of a large-scale wire fraud in connection with Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL). The co-conspirators engaged in various financial transactions to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the wire-fraud proceeds, while carrying out the conspiracy.
The victims included government agencies, organizations, and companies, including an environmental trust, urban redevelopment program, medical center, transportation and logistics company, school district, college, and county government, among others.
As part of the scheme, Boateng and his co-conspirators worked together to create limited liability companies to serve as shell entities; open bank accounts and/or cause bank accounts to be opened in the name of shell entities; and receive and launder fraud proceeds.
Specifically, Boateng received money from at least seven different EIDLs and used a shell entity to obtain the illegal proceeds. Additionally, he stole the identity of another individual to open business and personal bank accounts that were used to receive fraud proceeds and engage in other financial transactions. Boateng also used a fraudulent Maryland driver’s license bearing his photo with another person’s information.
Court records show that Boateng has an extensive criminal history, with more than 20 criminal convictions and more than 40 arrests. Boateng’s criminal history consisted of a wide range of conduct, including theft, fraud, drugs, and violence.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland previously charged 14 defendants in connection with the money laundering conspiracy – 13 already pled guilty. Faizou Gnora, 28, previously of Alexandria, Virginia, remains a fugitive from justice.
The District Court previously sentenced:
- Victor Killen, 33, of Hyattsville, Maryland, to 63 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, restitution of $7,070,656.46, and a $3 million forfeiture order
- Gedeon Agbeyome, 31, of Montgomery County, Maryland, to 72 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, along with restitution of $2,938,424.65, and a $2.8 million preliminary order of forfeiture
- Lawrence Ogunsanwo, 33, to 40 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $5,648,816.23
- Lakeisha Parker, 33, of Baltimore, to 36 months in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release, and restitution of $8,306,930.95
- Martin Ogisi, 37, of Severn, Maryland, to 33 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $11,077,044.17
- Kevin Colon, 34, of Curtis Bay, Maryland, to 27 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and restitution of $2,515,159.63
- Areal Harris, 27, of Hanover, Maryland, to 24 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $3,159,482.83
- Lorena Perez Herrera, 29, of Washington, DC, to 24 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $1,473,125.58
- Blondel Ndjouandjouaka, 31, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 24 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release, and restitution of $733,941.48
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.
This prosecution is alsopart of the 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 Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI-led Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, and thanked IRS-CI and EPA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes praised the Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County Police Departments for their assistance. She also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bijon A. Mostoufi, Harry M. Gruber, and Jared M. Beim, who prosecuted the federal case, and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Mississippi Woman Sentenced to 57 Months in Prison for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Diamondhead, Mississippi woman was sentenced to 57 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $928,988.37 in restitution for wire fraud.
According to court documents, Bobbie Jean Margiotta, 65, worked as bookkeeper for a physician located in Hancock County, Mississippi. Over the course of nearly seven years, Margiotta stole $928,988.37 from the physician and his companies. Part of her scheme involved the use of interstate wires.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case.
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
Leader of Mexican Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads Guilty to Supplying Dozens of Kilograms of Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine from Mexican Cartel into Horry CountyRead the Press Release
FLORENCE, S.C. – Rafael Contreras Ramos, 40, of Mexico, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute controlled substances in South Carolina.
Evidence presented at his change of plea hearing showed that Contreras was a leader of an international drug trafficking organization that was responsible for bringing more than 40 kilograms of cocaine, 14 kilograms of fentanyl, and 1 kilogram of heroin into South Carolina for further distribution. The organization operated primarily in Tucson, Arizona, and had ties to Las Vegas, Nevada, Burlington, North Carolina, and Horry County, South Carolina. The organization was supplied with narcotics and support by a Mexican cartel.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified Contreras’ organization as a source of supply to a local drug network operating in and around Horry County during a joint investigation with local, state, and federal agencies in 2021. Thereafter, agents confirmed through multiple overt and covert investigative techniques and operations that Contreras and his associates had been trafficking narcotics into Horry County since at least 2016 until its operation was disrupted by federal charges in 2022. Contreras and his associates are also responsible for collecting more than $5 million in drug sale proceeds during this time.
“With our Homeland Security Task Force partners, we are stopping the influx of dangerous, illegal narcotics at the source,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “Dismantling drug organizations like this makes South Carolina safer.”
“The defendant played a direct role in flooding Horry County with illegal drugs, and the consequences were that of violence on our streets, addiction in our neighborhoods, and real harm to people,” said FBI Columbia Special Agent in Charge Kevin Moore. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners are sending a strong message: we’re not only investigating individual dealers. We’re pursuing entire networks from local distribution all the way to the source, no matter their location.”
Contreras was arrested in Mexico and extradited to the United States for prosecution. He is currently detained awaiting sentencing. United States District Judge Joseph Dawson accepted his guilty plea and will sentence Contreras after a presentence report is prepared by the United States Probation Office. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life imprisonment. He will be deported to Mexico after serving his sentence.This prosecution 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.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office, along with Horry County Sheriff’s Office, Myrtle Beach Police Department, and Horry County Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Everett McMillian is prosecuting the case.###
Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 234 Months for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man and one of the leaders of a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues was sentenced today to 234 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
“Today’s sentence sends an important reminder: those who profit from trafficking deadly drugs and laundering the proceeds of their crimes will be held accountable. For years, Padovano helped lead an organization responsible for distributing massive quantities of fentanyl analogues and other dangerous controlled substances in New Jersey. This sentence—nearly twenty years in prison—reflects the devastating harm caused by that conduct and our Office’s unwavering commitment to dismantling the organizations that fuel the illegal drug trade.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Mr. Padovano led a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed massive amounts of dangerous opioids in New Jersey, and then he laundered the profits,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva. “These illegal narcotics destroy families and wreak havoc in the community. The Criminal Division will actively pursue offenders who distribute such poison in our neighborhoods.”
“Padovano is behind bars for his direct role in unleashing the deadly scourge of fentanyl across America,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “This decisive outcome underscores HSI Newark’s unwavering commitment to protecting our communities and our relentless pursuit of justice alongside our law enforcement partners.”
Defendant Thomas Padovano, 52, of Newark, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to drug trafficking conspiracy and concealment money laundering conspiracy. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. A co-defendant, William Panzera, was previously convicted by a jury and sentenced to 144 months in prison. Seven other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, Thomas Padovano and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine. Members of the conspiracy placed orders with a source in China and agreed to distribute, and did distribute, the controlled substances and analogues in New Jersey, both in bulk and in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills that actually contained fentanyl analogues. They also sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the drugs. Padovano, who was one of the two leaders of the conspiracy, additionally engaged in financial transactions aimed at concealing the origin and true ownership of more than $300,000 in drug proceeds.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Padovano to 5 years of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General A. Duva made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture (MNF) Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of MNF supported the investigation.
This prosecution 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 Newark comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS and local law enforcement officers with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
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Defense counsel: Michael Baldassare, Esq. for defendant Thomas Padovano;
Christopher D. Adams, Esq. for defendant Bartholomew Padovano.
padovanoetal.supersedingindictment.pdfLancaster County Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Pandemic Broadband Assistance Program of More Than $741,000Read the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Krandon Wenger, 25, of Lititz, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to two counts of wire fraud, arising from a pandemic program fraud scheme in which he defrauded the government of more than $741,000.
The defendant was charged by information last month; with today’s plea, he has waived prosecution by indictment.
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.
As detailed in court filings and statements, the Affordable Connectivity Program (“ACP”) was funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and provided financial support to eligible, low-income households, so those households could continue to receive broadband services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ACP authorized a monthly reimbursement of $30 per household, or $75 for households on tribal lands, to be paid to a household’s broadband access provider.
In March of 2022, the defendant, who owned and controlled a company called K20 Wireless, LLC (“K20 Wireless”), submitted an application for K20 Wireless to become an ACP broadband provider. After K20 Wireless’s application was approved in April 2022, the company began to enroll subscribers and submitted monthly certifications for ACP reimbursements.
Most of K20 Wireless’s reimbursement requests were for subscribers who purportedly lived on tribal lands and, therefore, received the higher reimbursements of $75 per month. However, these tribal ACP claims were false.
In reality, the defendant had caused employees and agents of K20 Wireless to change the residential addresses of K20 Wireless ACP subscribers from non-tribal lands to tribal lands, before submitting the claims. Because K20 Wireless was entitled to receive only $30 per month for these subscriber households, not $75, the defendant’s fraud scheme caused the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) to overpay K20 Wireless by approximately $741,726.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years in prison on each wire fraud count.
This case was investigated by the FBI, with assistance from the FCC’s Enforcement Bureau, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Francis A. Weber.
Lamar County Man Faces a Max of Life in Prison for Armed Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Lamar County resident set for trial this week admitted that he possessed firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking at a plea hearing Monday and is facing up to life in prison for his crime.
Gregory Alexander Twymon, 35, of Barnesville, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before U.S. District Judge C Ashley Royal on June 1. Twymon faces a mandatory minimum of five years up to a maximum of life in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed drug traffickers will be brought to justice in the Middle District of Georgia," said U.S. Attorney William R. "Will" Keyes. "We thank the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office and ATF for helping us hold the defendant accountable and for their ongoing work to uphold the law and make our communities safer for everyone.”
“Criminals must understand that there are serious repercussions for the illegal possession of firearms and that ATF and our law enforcement partners will contribute all necessary time and effort to ensure criminals are brought to justice,” said ATF Resident Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
“This conviction reflects the hard work and dedication of our investigators, prosecutors, and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to hold this offender accountable,” said Lamar County Sheriff Brad White. “Illegal drug activity threatens the safety and well-being of our communities, and we remain committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting those who choose to engage in the distribution of dangerous narcotics. We hope this outcome sends a clear message that drug trafficking will not be tolerated, and those responsible will be brought to justice.”
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Lamar County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a lawful search of Twymon’s Barnesville apartment on June 5, 2024. Officers located two safes in his bedroom, two cell phones, cash, digital scales, and marijuana. Inside the safes, officers found approximately 49 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine, 25 homemade methamphetamine pills, a 9mm pistol with an obliterated serial number, a .25 ACP pistol, a loaded extended magazine that appeared to have been made from two magazines, and ammunition.
On June 6, 2024, Twymon was being transported to another jail facility when he asked to speak to a detective before leaving. Twymon told the detective that the bulk of the methamphetamine he picks up from a supplier is gone as soon as he gets home, that he only keeps what he wants of the methamphetamine, and that he took the guns from a guy and put them in his safe to keep them off the streets. A review of Twymon’s cell phones contained proof that he was actively purchasing and distributing methamphetamine, detailed his purchase of the 9mm pistol with the obliterated serial number in January 2024, and contained text messages about repairing the .25 ACP pistol after it was damaged by a cousin of Twymon’s. Twymon now admits that the firearms were in his possession for personal protection and the protection of the methamphetamine.
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 ATF and the Lamar County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julius Jefferson and Tamara Jarrett are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Lake County Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Fernando Munguia, Jr. (24, Leesburg) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to four years in federal prison for making a materially false statement in connection with the acquisition of a firearm and causing a federal firearm licensee (FFL) to maintain false information in its official records. Munguia pleaded guilty on January 26, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, between January 1 and December 31, 2023, Munguia illegally straw-purchased multiple firearms. For the purchases, Munguia indicated on the mandatory background paperwork that he was the actual transferee/buyer of the firearms. Those statements, however, were false since Munguia had been paid to purchase the firearms on behalf of someone else. Nine of the firearms purchased by Munguia—along with other firearms— were subsequently intercepted by United States Customs and Border Protection on May 27, 2023, when another individual attempted to transport them from Eagle Pass, Texas across the border and into Mexico. Authorities intercepted Munguia’s firearms less than a month after he had purchased them.
The firearms and ammunition seized at the U.S. border on May 27, 2023.
A subsequent records check by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives showed that between January and November 2023, Munguia had purchased 44 firearms for a total of $23,334.25—an amount representing approximately two-thirds of his reported annual income. The records also showed that his purchases frequently involved multiple, identical firearms of the same model and caliber.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, and United States Custom and Border Protection. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
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.
Justice Department Statement on Lighthiser Case in MontanaRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed a district court’s ruling to dismiss the case Lighthiser et al. v. Donald J. Trump et al., a case where plaintiffs sought to challenge President Donald J. Trump’s executive orders to unleash American energy, declare a national energy emergency, and to reinvigorate America’s clean coal industry.
“The appellate court unanimously affirmed what the district court said months ago — the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring this suit because they did not establish that the Executive Orders caused any injury or that any injury could be redressed by the courts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Working with our partner agencies, ENRD is on the front lines of advancing the President’s energy directives, using America’s abundant natural resources to our benefit including by having clean and healthy air and water.”
Justice Department Secures Motion to Allow Continued Construction of Idaho Gold Mine Critical to National DefenseRead the Press Release
Last week, the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho denied a motion for a preliminary injunction to halt construction of the Stibnite Gold Project. Among other things, the project will establish a domestic source of the mineral antimony, which has an essential use in a range of defense applications, including munitions and military-grade antimony trisulfide, lead-acid batteries, advanced sensor and radar materials, and flame retardants. Historically, the United States has been dependent on foreign sources of antimony. China is the largest historical supplier and has restricted exports to the United States. This has left the National Defense Stockpile depleted.
“Antimony is among the minerals most vital to our national defense, and for too long the United States has relied on foreign adversaries to supply it,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This decision allows construction to move forward on the most significant domestic source of antimony, and it reflects the Department’s commitment to defending projects critical to America’s national security.”
After years of environmental reviews, the U.S. Forest Service in January 2025 approved the Stibnite project, which is located in the Boise and Payette National Forests in central Idaho. A coalition of environmental groups challenged the approval and asked the court, before scheduled construction began, to halt work on the project’s access route and related facilities. The court denied that motion because plaintiffs had not made the required clear showing of imminent, irreparable harm. The ruling allows the authorized construction to proceed while the litigation continues.
Defense officials have identified the Stibnite project as the only domestic mine source capable of producing antimony in sufficient quantities to meet U.S. defense requirements in the near term. Over its life, the project is projected to produce roughly 115 million pounds of antimony, along with 4.2 million ounces of gold and 1.7 million ounces of silver. It will also reclaim a site disturbed by more than a century of historical mining, removing legacy mine tailings and restoring fish passage on the East Fork of the South Fork Salmon River.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Natural Resources Section and Wildlife and Marine Resources Section, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, are handling this matter.
Justice Department Intervenes in Support of Law Enforcement Challenge to Colorado LawRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice moved to intervene in support of a lawsuit brought by local law enforcement officials challenging a Colorado law (HB21-1060). According to the government’s intervention motion, Colorado’s HB21-1060 interferes with public safety by distorting the process by which crime victims may temporarily remain in the country to assist with the prosecution of the offenses committed against them.
“Colorado’s law distorting the U-Visa process is deeply unfair to qualified U-Visa applicants who want to help law enforcement secure the safety of American communities,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “Congress created a scheme to incentivize cooperation with law enforcement while relying on local official discretion to ensure that only deserving applicants receive U-Visas. But Colorado is favoring the unhelpful alien over the crime victim who helps promote public safety and order. Federal law does not tolerate that backwards policy.”
U nonimmigrant visas (U-Visas) provide certain aliens who have been victims of serious crimes with temporary authorization to remain in our Nation to aid in the prosecution of criminal activity. To be eligible, among other requirements, an alien must submit an official certification from an appropriate law enforcement official stating that the alien has been, is, or likely will be helpful in the investigation or prosecution. Because only 10,000 U-Visas are available per year, the application process is highly competitive. But HB21-1060 skews that process. It requires officials to certify helpfulness even when an alien has not been, is not, and will not likely be helpful so long as the alien has not failed or refused to provide help reasonably requested. HB21-1060 also forbids certifying officials from considering relevant criteria, such as whether an alien lacks information about the criminal activity. And by eliminating certifying official discretion, HB21-1060 removes an important threshold check that ensures U-Visas go to only worthy applicants. Taken together, these Colorado requirements could force a Colorado official to provide the required certification even when an alien is not helpful, does not even possess information that could be helpful, and has engaged in separate conduct (such as known involvement in other serious criminal activity) that would warrant a discretionary refusal to certify.
As the proposed complaint-in-intervention explains, HB21-1060 is contrary to the U-Visa regime Congress enacted and is thus preempted under the Supremacy Clause.
Today’s action to intervene and support local law enforcement’s suit against Colorado demonstrates President Trump’s commitment to support crime victims and our Nation’s law enforcement officers, who work tirelessly to keep American communities safe. Laws that have the opposite effect and flout the judgment of Congress cannot stand.
Joint Law Enforcement Effort Disrupts Two Multi-State Drug Trafficking Operations; Nineteen Defendants Charged in Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two multi-state drug trafficking organizations were taken down today with 13 federal arrests made in Maryland and West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
“Thanks to the tireless, coordinated work of law enforcement across multiple states, our communities are now safer,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Harvey. “Our focus now turns to ensuring these individuals are held fully accountable for the harm they caused.”
“Together ... we were able to collect evidence, execute search warrants, and mete out justice properly to safeguard our communities,” FBI Director Kash Patel said during a press conference in Martinsburg, West Virginia, following the takedown. “We took no shortcuts.”
“Tearing this drug operation out from our communities across two states means ridding our neighborhoods of the poison and violence that tears families apart. Months of painstaking investigative work conducted by every partner agency led to unleashing the full force of the law to destroy this network fueling violence and addiction,” said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec. “The FBI and our local, state, and federal partners state loud and clear: crime will pay a heavy price in this region, and we will not stop in the pursuit of keeping your community safe.”
According to two filed indictments, two drug trafficking operations were selling large quantities of cocaine and cocaine base in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties over a two-year period. One operation, led by Rohan Broadie, aka "Glama G," Aneteneh Zewde Terfe, and Marvin A. Taaff of the Baltimore and Greenbelt, Maryland areas, involved 15 defendants and used multiple residences to store and distribute drugs. Members of the group allegedly possessed firearms to support their trafficking activities and handled large amounts of cash in drug proceeds. Omari Obeng Stewart, aka "O," routinely traveled between Maryland and West Virginia to supply, coordinate, and sell cocaine and cocaine base throughout the region. Several defendants are charged in a drug conspiracy involving over five kilograms of cocaine and 28 grams of cocaine base. The second organization, led by brothers Jorfory and Joroy Twyman, of Ranson, West Virginia, worked together to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and quantities of cocaine base in and around Jefferson County, West Virginia. During the investigation, law enforcement searched multiple homes and storage units, seizing tens of thousands of dollars, cocaine, and luxury items believed to have been purchased with drug proceeds.
“Today’s arrests demonstrate the power of partnership in action. Building public safety is a complex challenge that no single agency can accomplish alone. Each agency contributes unique authorities and expertise, and today, that collaboration has resulted in 14 alleged drug dealers being removed from our streets,” said Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf of Homeland Security Investigations Washington D.C. “The landscape is ever-evolving, but Homeland Security Task Force partnerships enable us to confront complex, multifaceted drug trafficking cases with a united front—leveraging our collective strengths to deliver real results.”
The defendants in both cases are:
- Omari Obeng Stewart, also known as “O,” 46, of Greenbelt, Maryland
- Rohan Lamante Broadie, also known as “Glama G,” 53, an illegal alien from Jamaica
- Aneteneh Zewde Terfe, 45, of Baltimore, Maryland
- Christopher Wallace Jones, Jr., 38, of Capitol Heights, Maryland
- Marvin A. Taaff, 39, an illegal alien from Jamaica
- Omo-Karo Cooper, 46, of Brandywine, Maryland
- Traci-Ann Simone Ward, 41, an illegal alien from Jamaica
- LeeAnn Lopez, 33, of Greenbelt, Maryland
- Gavin Anthony Johnson, 23, of New Carrollton, Maryland
- Dante McFalls, 37, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
- Tabatha McFalls, 40, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
- Stanley Delano Lum, 41, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
- Juan Vashaun Payne, also known as “Big Guy,” 51, of Martinsburg, West Virginia
- Christopher Pasco, 57, of Inwood, West Virginia
- Jorfory Twyman, also known as “Foy,” 47, of Ranson, West Virginia
- Joroy Twyman, also known as “Roy,” 47, of Ranson, West Virginia
- Jennifer Woodsmall, 48, of Summerville, South Carolina
- Chaz Plauche, 31, of Charles Town, West Virginia
- Unnamed fugitive
Six defendants remain at large. They are Omo-Karo Cooper, Tabatha McFalls, Juan Payne, Christopher Pasco, and an unnamed fugitive. Anyone with information can contact their local law enforcement office. Marvin Taaff was in custody prior to today’s arrests.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Eastern Panhandle Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the FBI, Pittsburgh Field Office; Homeland Security Investigations; the West Virginia State Police; the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Martinsburg Police Department; the Ranson Police Department; the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office; the U.S. National Guard, Martinsburg; the United States Postal Service - Office of Inspector General, Mid Atlantic Area Field Office; the Bureau of Prisons; the FBI, Washington Field Office; the FBI, Baltimore Field Office; the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department; the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department; the Virginia State Police; the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Field Office; and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Information.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jacksonville Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Trey Allan King (32, Jacksonville) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marcia Morales Howard to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and distribution of 50 grams or more of actual methamphetamine. King pleaded guilty on January 31, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, during the summer of 2024, King was a member of a drug trafficking conspiracy that sold marijuana and methamphetamine at different trap house locations in Jacksonville. Between July 18 and August 14, 2024, a confidential source bought approximately 1,055 grams of methamphetamine from members of the drug trafficking organization. On August 7, 2024, King himself sold the confidential source approximately 238 grams of actual methamphetamine in exchange for $1,500. The investigation further revealed that King regularly sold and delivered drugs on behalf of the organization, including from a mobile camper.
This case was investigated by The Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Nassau County Sherriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sherriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Lasry and Kelli A. Swaney.
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.
Illegal Alien, Co-Leader of nationwide drug trafficking ring, who plotted to kill Centralia, Washington Police Officer, sentenced to 15 years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle –A 35-year-old Mexican national who was illegally residing in California was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison for her leadership role of a massive drug distribution ring, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Iris Adrianna Amador-Garcia of Bellflower, California, arranged for the distribution of pound quantities of methamphetamine, hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills and large quantities of heroin. She also laundered drug proceeds, possessed firearms, and distributed drugs as far away as New York, southeastern states, and Fiji. After one large load of drugs was seized during a traffic stop, Amador-Garcia hatched a plan to locate and kill the Centralia police officer who made the stop.
In ordering the 15-year sentence, U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour said, “Threats against law enforcement is a line in the sand that is completely unacceptable.”
“This criminal organization was well-organized, well-sourced, and well-connected. This defendant was prepared to take drastic measures to protect what she had built. She and her criminal associates were intercepted openly discussing killing an officer after a large shipment of drugs was seized,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd. “I am grateful for the diligent work of law enforcement to keep that officer safe, and to take these dangerous traffickers off the street and shut down their pipeline of devastating narcotics.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who traffic fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other deadly drugs into our communities, and those who threaten violence against law enforcement, will be held accountable,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “Amador-Garcia led a far-reaching criminal organization that distributed dangerous narcotics across the country while sourcing drugs from Mexico and seeking to retaliate against an officer who disrupted the operation. Through DEA’s Fentanyl Free America, we are working every day to disrupt the fentanyl supply chain, reduce the availability of these deadly drugs, and save American lives.”
According to records filed in the case, law enforcement identified the leaders of the drug trafficking ring as early as February 2020. Indictments were returned in the fall of 2021. The drug ring, headed by Amador-Garcia and Jose Alfredo Maldonado-Ramirez, distributed drugs widely: in Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Virginia. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized 9 pounds of methamphetamine in a traffic stop on May 16, 2020. Another 30 pounds of meth were seized in a stop on April 2, 2021, and 57 pounds of methamphetamine and 20,000 fentanyl pills were seized in a traffic stop on
September 28, 2021. Additionally, on August 17, 2021, law enforcement seized 19 pounds of methamphetamine that conspirators attempted to mail to Fiji.
During a search of the residence where Iris Amador-Garcia was living with her brother and two co-conspirators, agents seized a kilogram of fentanyl, 80,000 fentanyl pills, and 2 firearms. Eight additional firearms were seized at other search locations in Washington and California.
In asking for a 15-year sentence for Amador-Garcia, prosecutors noted that she was an equal leader of the ring along with Maldonado-Ramirez. “The nation-wide reach of this Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO), led by Iris AMADOR-GARCIA and MALDONADO-RAMIREZ, sets it apart from most organizations prosecuted in this District. This DTO distributed dangerous drugs to all corners of the United States…. they distributed to several large redistributors in Washington, as well as others in the northeast (New York and Massachusetts), the southeast (Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, and Arkansas), and the Midwest (Illinois and Ohio). In addition, the DTO even expanded to distributing drugs internationally to Fiji. The majority of drugs they were selling, both in Washington and elsewhere, were coming from Iris AMADOR-GARCIA’s family in Mexico.”
“Ms. Amador-Garcia and her organization distributed incredibly large amounts of deadly drugs to all corners of the country. Not only did she deal drugs, she also inflicted violence on our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Carrie Nordyke, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Seattle Field Office. “IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners are committed to making our streets safer as we continue to investigate and dismantle drug trafficking organizations like Ms. Amador-Garcia’s.”
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 Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
The investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Seattle Field Division (SFD) Tacoma Resident Office (TRO) and Bremerton Police Department (BPD), with assistance from Tahoma Narcotics Enforcement (TNET); the Seattle, Puyallup, Auburn, Federal Way, Kent, Bonney Lake, Tacoma, and Lakewood Police Departments; the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office; Washington State Department of Corrections; Joint Narcotics Enforcement Team (JNET): Centralia and Chehalis Police Departments; Valley Narcotics Enforcement Team (VNET); and Washington State Patrol; Thurston Narcotics Team (TNT), Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office, and Mason County Sheriff’s Office; United States Postal Inspections Service (USPIS), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) with support from Northwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas ( HIDTA).
Illegal Alien from Honduras Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Federal Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Pablo Dominguez, also known as “Pablo Dominguez Dominguez,” 40, a Honduran national living illegally in Nitro, pleaded guilty today to reentry of a removed alien and was sentenced to time served. Dominguez will be subject to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainer for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 16, 2026, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Nitro and encountered Dominguez working there. ICE agents confirmed that Dominguez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States on August 25, 2017, after he was found in Dunbar, West Virginia, on July 18, 2017. Dominguez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Dominguez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
Dominguez is among six illegal aliens indicted following the execution of the January 16, 2026, search warrant, each on charges alleging they were working at the restaurant without legal status. Four of the other defendants pleaded guilty to fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents and were sentenced to time served with ICE immigration detainers pending.
Restaurant owner Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., 65, and his son, manager Miguel Angel Aguirre, 43, both of Nitro, were indicted on charges alleging each harbored aliens, while aiding and abetting each other, and aided and abetted fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents. The indictments against Miguel Aguirre-Arello Sr., Miguel Angel Aguirre, and the remaining illegal alien defendant are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
These cases are the result of Operation Country Roads. The operation was conducted by ICE with state and local law enforcement partners. According to ICE, the January 2026 immigration enforcement operation yielded over 650 arrests throughout West Virginia.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Nitro Police Department, and the St. Albans Police Department.
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing and imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan T. Storage and Jennifer D. Gordon 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. 2:26-cr-13.
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Identity thief sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Florida woman guilty of identity theft was sentenced to 42 months in prison and ordered to pay approximately $118,000 in restitution to compensate her victim.
According to court documents, Marlo Y. Quinones, 57, of Port Richey, Florida, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Twice in February 2022, Quinones used the identity of another person to petition the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Kansas to issue her unclaimed funds belonging to the victim. The victim didn’t give Quinones consent to make these filings.
“When criminals use personal information to falsely impersonate you, they often steal not only your money, but also your peace of mind by turning your life upside down. Many victims spend years dealing with the havoc left in the aftermath of identity theft,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We want people to know the federal government is actively working to prevent identity theft and to prosecute offenders when it happens.”
“The bankruptcy system in this country was meant to help people get back on their feet and not to exploit it. The defendant deliberately and willfully took money for personal gain through fraud and deception,” said FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod. “This sentencing should serve as a reminder that the FBI will relentlessly pursue those who design schemes to defraud our government.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Trustee Program investigated the case.
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Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Ismael Osbaldo Pedro Tomas (24, Guatemala) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Pedro Tomas faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, between July 22 and August 11, 2025, Pedro Tomas communicated online with someone whom he believed was a 13-year-old child. That individual, however, was an undercover detective with the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. During the conversation, Pedro Tomas discussed the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the minor, discussed exchanging money for the sexual activity, and ultimately traveled to a predetermined meeting location in Marion County to meet the minor for that purpose. Pedro Tomas was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
Government Contractors Agree to Pay over $3.6 Million to Settle False Claims Act and Contract Disputes Act LiabilityRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Officium Global LLC and Loyal Source Government Services LLC have agreed to pay a total of over $3.6 million resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and Contract Disputes Act, respectively.
According to the settlement agreement, Officium Global allegedly submitted false or fraudulent claims for payment related to service-disabled veteran-owned small business set-aside contracts that were awarded between May 2017 and June 2018. During that period, Officium Global was allegedly awarded seven set-aside contracts to which it was not entitled because its management and daily business operations were not controlled by a service-disabled veteran. As stated in the settlement agreement, Officium Global submitted, or caused to be submitted, false certifications and statements representing it met all requirements to be a service-disabled veteran-owned small business when it did not. Officium Global will pay over $1.8 million as part of the settlement.
Relatedly, Loyal Source Government Services allegedly violated the Contract Disputes Act by causing breaches of the seven contracts awarded to Officium Global, related to Officium Global’s representations that it met all requirements to be a service-disabled veteran-owned small business, when it did not. Loyal Source Government Services will pay over $1.8 million as part of the settlement.
“Protecting the integrity of government contracts is a primary priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “This civil settlement demonstrates our commitment to protecting service-disabled veteran and small-business grant programs.”
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by President Trump’s Small Business Administration, working with the Department of Justice and other federal law enforcement partners, to uncover misconduct in SBA’s contracting assistance programs and hold wrongdoers to account,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
“This case demonstrates the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding programs designed to support legitimate service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses, said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Wentz with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General Southeast Field Office. “Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to pursue those who exploit VA programs and services.”
The settlement concludes a lawsuit originally filed in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida by Relator Jeremy Lavin. Mr. Lavin sued under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act permitting private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States for false claims and to share in the recovery. The Act also allows the United States to intervene and prosecute the action. The Relator will receive over $680,000.00 of the proceeds from the settlement with the Defendants.
This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Department of Veterans Affairs - Office of Inspector General, and the Small Business Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor led the investigation.
The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating government contracting fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG Hotline, at 1-800-488-8244.
The case is captioned United States ex rel. Lavin v. Loyal Source Government Services, LLC et al., Case No. 6:19-cv-958-ORL-41LRH. The settlement resolves the United States’ claims in that case. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Gallup Man Charged for 2024 AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Gallup man is facing federal charges for an assault that allegedly occurred in 2024.
According to court documents, on November 9, 2024, Russell Lee Saunders, Sr., 45, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted and seriously injured John Doe.
Saunders is charged with assault resulting in serious bodily injury and will remain in third party custody pending trial which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted, Saunders faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Teleky is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Staff Member Charged with Smuggling Contraband into Juvenile Detention Center in Exchange for BribesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Nadia I. Shihata, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging JOSHUA SMITH with conspiracy to commit bribery. SMITH was arrested today and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Stein.
“For years, the defendant allegedly engaged in a scheme to smuggle contraband into a juvenile detention facility in the Bronx in exchange for cash bribes,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Rehabilitation of juvenile offenders is a challenge. It is only made more difficult when corrupt staff members supply contraband. This callous and hypocritical disregard for the rehabilitation mission calls for swift justice, including a message of deterrence.”
“Joshua Smith allegedly exploited his position of employment by the Administration of Children’s Services to traffic contraband through the Horizon Juvenile Center,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners continue to apprehend those who undermine the law to enrich themselves while putting the youth community at risk.”
“The duty of this City Youth Development Specialist at Horizon Juvenile Center was to safeguard the young people in his care,” said DOI Commissioner Nadia I. Shihata. “Instead, he allegedly used his access to traffic marijuana, pills, and other contraband to the young residents in exchange for thousands of dollars in bribes, according to the criminal complaint. Let me be clear, any City employee who misuses their position, exploits those in their care, or undercuts safety will be called to account. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the New York Field Office of the FBI for their continued commitment and partnership in exposing wrongdoing that endangers juveniles and corrupts New York City.”
As alleged in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:
SMITH was employed by the Administration for Children’s Services (“ACS”) as a “youth development specialist” at Horizon Juvenile Center (“Horizon”) in the Bronx, New York. Horizon is a secure detention facility (also known as a juvenile detention facility) for youth who are alleged or adjudicated juvenile delinquents, juvenile offenders, or adolescent offenders, and have been remanded to secure detention. From at least in or about April 2023 through at least in or about July 2025, SMITH received money in exchange for smuggling contraband into Horizon. As part of this course of conduct, SMITH met associates of Horizon residents in the Bronx, among other places, received contraband—including, but not limited to, marijuana, tobacco, and pills—from those associates, and then transported such contraband into Horizon and delivered it to Horizon residents. On at least some of these occasions, the Horizon residents or their associates provided SMITH with monetary bribes in exchange for SMITH agreeing to introduce contraband into Horizon.
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SMITH, 34, of Yonkers, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and DOI.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Phillips and Stephanie Simon are in charge of the prosecution.
The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the Complaint and the descriptions of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Shelton Resident Pleads Guilty to Fraud Offense Stemming from Computer Intrusion SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that BILLIE CONLEY JR., 46, formerly of Shelton, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to a fraud offense stemming from a computer intrusion scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Conley owned and operated Ridgefield Tech, LLC, through which he offered information technology consulting services. In approximately September 2023, the owner (“Individual-A”) of a funeral services business (“Company-A”) hired Conley to assist her with setting up a computer network and video surveillance system for Company-A. When Conley installed Company-A’s computer network, he also installed, without authorization, software that permitted him to remotely access the network.
Shortly after Conley installed the computer network, Company-A began experiencing a variety of service issues that required Individual-A to contract with Conley to resolve for a fee. Conley offered Individual-A an “IT Service Agreement” that would allow Ridgefield Tech to provide computer services to Company-A on a monthly basis beginning in February 2024 in lieu of a “pay per service call” type of service, but Individual-A declined the service contract. Between January and September 2024, Conley remotely disabled Company-A’s computer network on 21 separate days, which resulted in Company-A being unable to conduct business on those days.
In August 2024, Individual-A hired another company (“Company-B”) to resolve Company-A’s computer network issues. Company-B was unable to regain control over much of the network infrastructure that Conley had installed, and Individual-A paid Company-B for labor and replacement equipment to recover the computer network.
The investigation also revealed that, between June and August 2024, Conley unlawfully used Company-A’s bank account to make approximately $9,070 in payments to companies he and Ridgefield Tech owed money.
Conley pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. He also has agreed to pay restitution.
Conley has been detained in state custody on unrelated charges since December 2, 2024. A sentencing date is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
Final Defendant Sentenced to Prison in Multimillion Dollar Tax Refund Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
A fourth family member was sentenced to 90 months in prison on May 28 following a jury trial that resulted in convictions of four men for a multimillion-dollar tax refund fraud scheme. Brandon Hunt was sentenced to 90 months in prison for orchestrating a scheme to file false tax returns in the names of purported trusts. Brandon Hunt’s father David Hunt, his twin brother Baylon Hunt, and his half-brother Corey Burt were previously sentenced to 92 months, 38 months, and 94 months in prison, respectively.
According to statements made in court and evidence presented at trial, the Hunts, of Arlington, Texas, and Burt, formerly of Long Beach, Mississippi, executed a scheme to file false claims for tax refunds in the names of trusts they controlled. In total, they sought more than $8.5 million in tax refunds that the trusts were not entitled to receive. Brandon Hunt also filed multiple false returns in his own name that sought tax refunds he was not entitled to receive. As part of their scheme, the family members also submitted additional fake documents to the IRS including falsified financial instruments and altered money orders. Even after receiving warning letters to discontinue their fraudulent submissions, they continued filing false returns and other documents with the IRS.
As a result of the scheme, the co-conspirators received over $1.7 million in fraudulent proceeds from the IRS, which they shared and used to purchase luxury goods, furniture, cryptocurrency, a Cadillac Escalade and a house in Mississippi.
All four defendants were convicted at trial of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Brandon Hunt, David Hunt, and Corey Burt were also convicted of multiple counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns. Baylon Hunt was acquitted of two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.
In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Brandon Hunt was ordered to pay $1,774,864 in restitution to the United States.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case. The U.S. Marshals Service rendered valuable assistance in apprehending Brandon, Baylon and David Hunt after they failed to appear for the second day of trial.
Trial Attorneys Melissa Siskind and Daniel Lipkowitz of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark McDonald of the Northern District of Texas prosecuted 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.
Ferguson, Missouri Man Admits Buying 27 Crime Guns Recovered in Three StatesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Ferguson, Missouri on Tuesday admitted unlawfully purchasing firearms, including 27 guns that were later recovered during arrests in three states.
Lamondre Haynes, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of making a false statement to a federally licensed firearms dealer. He admitted purchasing 27 firearms that have been recovered by law enforcement in Illinois, Kentucky and Missouri while in the possession of individuals being arrested for drug violations, violent assaults and gun possession crimes. Among those purchases were two Glock pistols Haynes bought from a St. Louis County firearms dealer on April 2, 2025, while accompanied by a convicted felon from Illinois. Haynes identified himself as the “actual transferee/buyer” of each gun on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Form 4473 - Firearms Transaction Record. At least some of the cash for the purchase came from the felon. On May 1, 2025, Haynes bought a Glock pistol and an AK-style pistol from a St. Charles, Missouri gun store and another Glock pistol and AK-style pistol from a different St. Charles, Missouri store. One of the Glock pistols was recovered in Columbia, Illinois after being used in a carjacking during which the victim was shot, Haynes’ plea agreement says.
Haynes is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2. The charge carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Feds charge foreign nationals working at the National Institutes of Health with smuggling monkeypox into the United States and lying about itRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Vincent Munster and Claude Kwe, both researchers with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory were charged today in a criminal complaint with conspiracy to smuggle monkeypox into the United States and giving false statements to federal law enforcement, United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. announced.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Office, Marty Raybon, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
According to the criminal complaint, Vincent Munster, a citizen of the Netherlands, 53, is the Chief of the Virus Ecology Section, Laboratory of Virology at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton, Montana. Claude Kwe, a citizen of Cameroon, 38, is a research fellow in Munster’s section. The work of both men is focused on “emerging viral pathogens” and how those pathogens “cross the species barrier.” They work at a Biosafety Level 4 laboratory, which employs the highest level of biosafety precautions for scientific research of known and potential human pathogens.
On January 25, 2026, Munster and Kwe arrived at the McNamara Terminal at Detroit Metropolitan Airport with travel originating from Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, where an outbreak of monkeypox was occurring. Monkeypox is an infectious virus that can result in painful rash, enlarged lymph nodes, fevers and other ailments.
Munster and Kwe were inspected and interviewed by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials upon their arrival. CBP officers observed Kwe and Munster traveling with a large black plastic case. Munster and Kwe falsely told CBP officers that the black case contained diagnostics and testing equipment. But subsequent investigation by CBP and FBI agents revealed that the case actually contained 113 vials in Styrofoam coolers. As of the date of the complaint, the FBI has tested 20 of the 113 vials. Seventeen of them contained deactivated monkeypox virus, one contained the Chickenpox virus, and two contained only human DNA.
“These NIH experts apparently broke our laws by smuggling viral pathogens on a packed commercial airplane from an outbreak in the Republic of Congo. Let that sink in,” United States Attorney Gorgon stated.
“No researchers should believe their positions, credentials, or professional status place them above the law,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The allegations in this case are serious. They involve the dangerous and unlawful smuggling of deactivated Mpox virus into the United States and alleged efforts to mislead our federal agents. I am grateful for the outstanding and diligent work of the FBI Detroit JTTF, FBI Billings’ Missoula Resident Agency, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection team at Detroit Metro Airport, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – OIG, for keeping our communities safe.”
“The arrest of these individuals on serious federal charges sends a clear and unmistakable message that no one—including HHS employees who have an obligation to safeguard our federal programs—is above the law. Any deliberate effort to conceal and smuggle biological materials into the United States without proper authorization is a breach of the public’s trust and could have placed the public at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Marcus L. Sykes of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure that anyone who is entrusted with protecting the health and well-being of the public is held fully accountable.”
“We have zero tolerance for anyone who attempts to exploit our research frameworks, circumvent our border enforcement processes, or deceive investigators,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “Along with our law enforcement partners, we will remain fiercely vigilant in neutralizing biological threats—or otherwise— and continue to hold accountable those who jeopardize the safety and security of the American people.”
Munster and Kwe face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The investigation is being conducted by the Detroit Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Detroit and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
A complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. It will be the government’s burden to prove guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
FBI seeks information in case involving drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is asking the public to provide information for an investigation into a Kansas man facing drug trafficking and weapons violations.
On May 27, 2026, a federal grand jury in Topeka returned a superseding indictment charging Danny Ray Stano, Jr, 44, of Topeka with two counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
In March 2021, Stano allegedly conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine. In 2023 and in 2025, Stano is accused of possessing numerous firearms after having been convicted of a previous felony.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is asked to call the Shawnee County Crime Stoppers Anonymous tipline at 785-234-0007 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. People can also report a tip online at https://tips.fbi.gov/home.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Topeka Police Department are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an agovllegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Eleven Members of Southeast Oklahoma Drug Trafficking Organization Plead Guilty to Drug Conspiracy and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that eleven co-defendants pleaded guilty to drug conspiracy and related charges arising from a Homeland Security Task Force Investigation.
On June 1, 2026, JERRY LEE GRIST, age 66, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by ten years to life in prison and a $10,000,000 fine.
The following defendants previously entered guilty pleas to one Count of Drug Conspiracy, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000,000 fine:
- MEAGON RASHEL BOX, age 39, of Atoka, Oklahoma;
- LESLIE GALE BELLETTINI, age 67, of Coalgate, Oklahoma;
- SHAWNDA LA DAWN RUSSELL, age 56, of Ada, Oklahoma;
- DEAN DEWAYNE HENSLEE, age 52, of Idabel, Oklahoma;
- ANGIE EULALIA NUNEZ a/k/a Angie Farrell, age 51, of Durant, Oklahoma;
- RAYMOND ERWIN WELCH, age 58, of Dallas, Texas; and
- WILLA MARGARETTE WEAR, age 47, of Atoka, Oklahoma.
The following defendants previously entered guilty pleas on related charges:
- GLENN ROGER HYDE, age 65, of Ada, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by a period of up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine;
- DAVID GEORGE NUNEZ, age 56, of Durant, Oklahoma pleaded guilty to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine;
- TOMMY BLAKE McCARY, age 74, of Wright City, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to investigators, beginning in or about June 2024 and continuing until on or about October 15, 2025, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma and elsewhere, the defendants willfully and knowingly combined, conspired, confederated, and agreed together, and with others known and unknown to the Grand Jury, to commit offenses against the United States, namely the possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of 550 or more grams of methamphetamine.
The charges arose from a joint investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Quapaw Nation Marshals, the Miami, Oklahoma Police Department, the Wyandotte Nation Police Department, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the LeFlore County Sheriff’s Department, the Atoka County Sheriff’s Department, the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Department, the Oklahoma District 16 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 18 Drug Task Force, the Oklahoma District 22 Drug Task Force, the Durant Police Department, the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
These prosecutions are 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 Oklahoma City comprises agents and officers from the FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Oklahoma City Police Department, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan Conway, Jordan Howanitz, and Olivia Staubus are prosecuting this case on behalf of the United States.
Eastern District of Texas prosecutes 35 defendants as part of Homeland Security Task Force investigations in May 2026Read the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative was 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.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas brought eight new Homeland Security Task Force cases in May while securing five convictions and achieving five substantial sentences totaling 944 months in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Those cases include:
Charges
Eight indictments were returned by federal grand juries in the Eastern District of Texas during May, charging 25 defendants with various crimes including drug trafficking and immigration violations. A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. We are unable to comment on indicted cases as investigations continue.
Convictions
On May 21, 2026, Beaumont man, James William Quinney, Jr., 38, pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. Quinney was the leader of a drug trafficking organization that distributed kilograms of methamphetamine to other distributors for redistribution. Quinney was found to be purchasing 18 kilograms of methamphetamine at a time for redistribution. In total, law enforcement seized nearly five kilograms of methamphetamine from Quinney and over $80,000.00 in U.S. currency. On May 28, 2026, Latisha Mae Thebeau, 42, of Port Arthur, pleaded guilty to her role in the conspiracy. The defendants face up to life in federal prison at sentencing.
On May 28, 2026, Beaumont convicted felon, Micheal Corbin, 48, pleaded guilty to distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm. As a convicted felon, Corbin is prohibited from owning or possessing firearms. Corbin faces up to life in federal prison at sentencing.
New Orleans man, Darrell Charles Coleman, 37, pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026, to trafficking methamphetamine after being pulled over for speeding on Interstate-10 in Beaumont. Coleman’s passenger, Kory Jarvis Schaffer, 34, also of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 18, 2026, to distributing fentanyl. The defendants each face up to life in federal prison at sentencing.
Sentencings
A Mexican national illegally living in Arlington, Mauricio Diaz-Abraham, 37, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison on May 12, 2026. Diaz-Abraham was personally responsible for the distribution of at least 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine while conspiring to traffic large amounts of methamphetamine from Mexico into the Eastern District of Texas and beyond.
On May 12, 2026, Juan Jose Montanez, also known as Happy Johnny, 40, a Dallas barbershop employee, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $131,800 in cash; several bank accounts totaling $126,000; three firearms; and assorted shoes, purses, sunglasses, and a jacket all together estimated to be worth approximately $64,215, after it was determined he was trafficking not only methamphetamine, but large amounts of cocaine.
On May 28, 2026, Oklahoma man, Steven Mark Moore, 27, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for being involved in a firearms trafficking scheme that involved straw purchases of firearms that were then illegally resold at an inflated price to individuals involved in criminal activities. The firearms were linked to various crimes in the United States as well as deadly cartel shootings in Mexico.
A Mexican national illegally living in Dallas was sentenced on May 28, 2026, to 18 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. Angel Luis Lopez-Montero, 45, was identified as a source of supply and responsible for trafficking at least 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
On May 29, 2026, Fort Worth man, Donald Lee Harris, 40, was sentenced to 350 months in federal prison for trafficking over three kilograms of methamphetamine which was brought from Mexico for distribution in the United States.
HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas.
HSTF Houston comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Houston (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edtx.
District Man Sentenced in Armed Robbery of Beauty Supply StoreRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – George Carr, 24, a convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for his participation in the armed robbery of a Washington beauty supply store, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Carr pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2025, before U.S. District Court Judge Emmet G. Sullivan to one count of interference with interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act). In addition to the 51-month prison sentence, Judge Sullivan ordered Carr to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 63 months in prison.
“George Carr is a lifelong criminal who has never been held accountable for his actions,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Whether he destroys property, steals, sexually assaults another, or threatens to kill innocent people, the result has always been the same: an extremely lenient sentence that does nothing to deter his behavior or protect the public. Today that changes.”
According to court papers, on Aug. 1, 2025, at about 6 p.m., Carr and an unidentified co-conspirator entered Scott’s Beauty Supply in the District, wearing masks. Carr grabbed a store employee by the back of his shirt, pointed a handgun at him, and ordered everyone in the store to the ground. Carr then pressed the firearm to the back of the employee’s head while his co-conspirator demanded cash from another store employee. The pair took about $200 from the register before fleeing. Carr later told law enforcement that he carried out the robbery to repay a debt.
Carr’s criminal history includes adult convictions for threatening to blow up a Washington restaurant and kill the people inside, and for assaulting his ex-girlfriend and threatening to burn down her home.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter.
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Deltona Man Sentenced to Life for Coercing and Enticing an Autistic Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – James Bernard Grover (63, Deltona) was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Carlos Mendoza to life in federal prison for coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. A federal jury found Grover guilty on February 27, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Grover was the founder and executive director of the Special Needs Advocacy Program, a nonprofit organization for the special needs community based in Sanford. Through his work, Grover met an autistic minor, provided the minor with counseling and therapy, and coerced and enticed the minor to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sanford Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Diane S. Hu.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), 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.
Decatur Man Faces Federal Charges Following Fatal Attack on Atlanta's MARTA Rail SystemRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – John Elijah Matthews faces a federal charge of committing an act of violence causing death on a mass transportation system, after he allegedly murdered a 66-year-old woman aboard a Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) train last weekend.
“Margaret Swan was a beloved great-grandmother who was brutally killed in an unprovoked act of senseless violence. Her loss deeply affects her family, friends, and our entire community,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Atlantans and the many people who will soon visit for the FIFA World Cup deserve to travel free from fear of a violent attack. We will not tolerate murder and mayhem on MARTA, and anyone who uses a dangerous weapon to seriously injure or kill on public transportation may face swift and unrelenting federal prosecution.”
“Margaret Swan was an innocent woman simply trying to get to her destination. My hope is these charges will bring justice for her and her family.” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This crime also impacts everyone who relies on mass transportation to move about their daily lives. Using Atlanta’s train system should be safe and free of violence.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: On May 30, 2026, Margaret Swan, a 66-year-old resident of Atlanta, was a passenger on a MARTA train traveling northbound from the Lakewood station to the Oakland City station. Video surveillance inside the MARTA train allegedly showed Matthews standing next to Swan, who was sitting near the train’s door and looking at her phone. At approximately 11:25 a.m., surveillance footage allegedly shows Matthews reach into his pocket, pull out a folding knife, and stab Swan approximately 20 times in the chest and neck area as she attempted to defend herself. Other passengers on the train fled for safety and called for help, and at least one passenger confirmed that Swan had no interaction with Matthews before the fatal attack.
After the MARTA train stopped at the Oakland City station, MARTA police officers immediately arrested Matthews, who was allegedly in possession of a bloody folding knife consistent with the knife seen in the surveillance footage and had blood on his clothes. First responders attempted to render emergency medical aid to Swan, but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
John Elijah Matthews, 25, of Decatur, Georgia, was named in a federal criminal complaint filed today charging him with committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon with the intent to cause death on a mass transportation system. If convicted, Matthews faces the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General of the United States will determine whether the government will seek the death penalty. Matthews is currently in local custody but will appear in federal court at a later date.
Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority Police Department.
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.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Deadly Drug Trafficking Case in Del Rio Leads to Arrests of 2 CaliforniansRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – Two Californians made their initial appearances in Del Rio for a number of drug-related charges including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone and Xanax resulting in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to an indictment filed April 22, Bertha Alisia Romo, 30, of Colton, and Rhemi Raymond Hernandez, 25, of Fontana, possessed and distributed at least 50 grams of Dihydrohydroxycodeinone, also known as oxycodone, and at least one kilogram of Alprazolam, otherwise known as Xanax, both of which resulted in the death of a purchaser. The indictment alleges that the conspiracy began in February 2023 and continued through the date of indictment.
Also during the timeframe outlined in the indictment, Romo and Hernandez allegedly conspired to possess and distribute 500 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. They were arrested in California on April 30 and first appeared before a magistrate judge in the Central District of California before being transferred to the Western District of Texas.
Romo and Hernandez are both charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone resulting in death; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute Xanax resulting in death; conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine; and possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. If convicted, Romo and Hernandez face up to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Warsame Galaydh is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Danbury Preschool Owner Admits Failure to Pay More Than $600K in Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that THOMAS WALKER, 63, of Ridgefield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to willful failure to account for and pay over employment taxes.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Walker owned and operated New England Country Day School (“NECDS”), a daycare and preschool located in Danbury. Walker knew that he had a legal duty to collect and account for income taxes that were owed by the employees of the NECDS, and to pay over those withholdings to the Internal Revenue Service on a quarterly basis, along with the employees’ share of Social Security and Medicare taxes. Beginning at least as early as 2018 through 2024, Walker failed to file the required employment tax forms and willfully failed to make most of the related payments of withholding taxes on behalf of NECDS, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $639,158 to the IRS.
The charge of willful failure to account for and pay over taxes carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. Walker is released pending sentencing, which is scheduled for August 31.
This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie T. Levick.
Cuyahoga Falls Man Sentenced to 11+ Years in Prison for Committing Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – A Summit County man has been sentenced to federal prison for committing offenses that involved sexual abuse of children.
Jordan Gazafy, 35, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, has been sentenced to 140 months (11.6 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald C. Nugent, after pleading guilty in February to Receipt and Distribution of Visual Depictions of Real Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct, also known as Child Pornography or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM). He was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment, pay $162,500 in restitution to 25 known victims, and pay $5,100 in special assessments. After imprisonment, he is required to register as a sex offender.
In February 2023, law enforcement was investigating suspected CSAM activity on an internet platform in Summit, Portage, and Medina Counties. Gazafy was identified. According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from January 2024 to February 2025, he was receiving and distributing digital files of the sexual abuse of children. During a search warrant execution of Gazafy’s residence, agents seized his electronic devices. Forensic analysis of these devices determined that they contained more than 25,000 CSAM images. Many were sadomasochistic in nature and included prepubescent children and infants being raped.
This investigation was led by the FBI Cleveland Division, FBI Akron Resident Agency and the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph P. Dangelo for the Northern District Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Correctional Officer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Bribery and Introduction of ContrabandRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Michael Jason Brooks (37, Citra) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Thomas P. Barber to one year and one day in federal prison for receiving a bribe as a public official and providing contraband to a federal inmate. Brooks pleaded guilty on November 12, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on June 12, 2024, Brooks was employed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Prisons, as a correctional officer at the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County. He knowingly and corruptly sought and agreed to receive and accept a bribe of $3,000 in return for smuggling 177.1 grams of loose tobacco into the federal prison for an inmate. Federal inmates are prohibited from obtaining and possessing tobacco in prison as it is contraband.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson.
Butler Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 84 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal firearms law, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Thomas James Clark, 33.
According to information presented to the Court, on January 20, 2024, law enforcement apprehended Clark on an outstanding arrest warrant relating to aggravated assault charges. Upon encountering law enforcement, Clark dropped the belongings in his possession, which included an AR-15-style rifle with no serial number, a revolver, and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Clark was previously convicted in the Court of Common Pleas of Butler County, Pennsylvania, of methamphetamine production and criminal conspiracy. Federal law prohibits possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kelly M. Locher and Katherine C. Jordan prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania State Police’s Butler Patrol and Fugitive Apprehension Unit, and the Butler City Police Department for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Clark.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Buffalo man going to prison for his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Torrance Bailey, 44, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl, was sentenced to serve 138 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Between February 2019, and March 2024, Bailey conspired with others to sell significant quantities of cocaine. In March 2020, Buffalo Police and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at a Mills Street residence, during which they seized approximately 120 grams of fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. When law enforcement arrived at the residence, Bailey and Sherron Kye were spotted nearby the residence. After recognizing law enforcement, they attempted to flee. Bailey threw the set of keys belonging to the Mills street residence prior to being taken into custody and Kye discarded a bag, which was later found to contain approximately 100 grams of fentanyl. After his arrest, Bailey was found in possession of approximately $3,512 in cash.
In June 2023, Bailey was released on conditions and placed on home incarceration while he awaited trial. In March 2024, Bailey sold approximately 27 grams of crack cocaine to an individual working with law enforcement. In addition, he asked the individual to go to the residence of a co-conspirator and pick up approximately 88 grams of fentanyl, but the individual declined.
Sherron Key was previously convicted and sentenced.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Evan K. Glaberson. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone.
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Baltimore Men Sentenced to Decades in Federal Prison for Roles in Deadly CarjackingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Two Baltimore men received federal-prison terms for their roles in multiple carjackings, including one that resulted in a murder.
U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar sentenced Jerritt Barron, 24, to 40 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and Jeremy Matheny, 27, to 24 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for an attempted carjacking that resulted in death.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentences with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, in June 2022, Barron and Matheny conspired with co-conspirators Nefertiti Moore, 23, and Antonio Purisima, 25, also from Baltimore, to commit several armed carjackings. Purisima, who is also charged with carjacking resulting in death, engaged in a carjacking scheme with multiple co-conspirators.
On June 15, Barron, Matheny, and Purisima, followed a victim from Maryland Live! Casino, in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, to her Glen Burnie residence. After the victim parked near her home, two co-conspirators approached her, as they brandished handguns, and demanded money and her car keys. The two masked suspects then drove away in the victim’s car which was recovered less than one hour later in Baltimore.
Then on June 19, Barron, Matheny, and Purisima, along with Moore, who rode in a black pick-up truck, attempted to carjack a vehicle near an Interstate 95 ramp in Baltimore. Moore exited the truck and flagged down the victim. Then the co-conspirators blocked the victim’s vehicle with their car from entering the ramp to I-95. Barron and Purisima thereafter exited their vehicle and approached the victim. A co-conspirator then shot the victim who later died from the injuries. The co-conspirators fled the scene. Historical cell site data placed Matheny, Moore, and Purisima at or near the scene of the murder.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement extracted latent fingerprints from the Glen Burnie victim’s carjacked vehicle that matched Matheny and Purisima. Additionally, historical cell-site data placed Matheny and Purisima at Maryland Live! Casino and at the scene of the carjacking. When law enforcement arrested Matheny on June 22, they confiscated a cellphone in Matheny’s possession.
After searching the phone, law enforcement uncovered photos of Barron, Matheny, and Purisima posing with firearms while at Maryland Live! Casino. The casino’s video surveillance shows the co-conspirators entering a vehicle and then following the victim as she drove her car.
Purisima pled guilty on April 15, and his sentencing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 28, at 2 p.m. He is facing a maximum of life in federal prison for carjacking resulting in death. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes commended the FBI and BPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr. who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baker City Man Pleads Guilty to Investment FraudRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Baker City, Oregon, man pleaded guilty today after stealing his clients’ shares of stocks, selling them, and transferring the proceeds into his personal bank account for almost 17 years, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon.
Jeffrey Thomas Higgins, 54, pleaded guilty to investment advisor fraud.
According to court documents, from December 2007 through June 2024, Higgins worked as an investment adviser in Baker City. To entice investors, Higgins lied, falsely claiming he purchased stocks on their behalf at deep discounts when he actually purchased the stocks at market value. Higgins then sold the stocks without the investors’ knowledge and stole the proceeds from the sales – transferring the money to his personal bank account.
To keep the scheme going, Higgins created fictitious annual statements that exaggerated profits. Statements reflecting the true costs of stock purchases were mailed directly to a post office box controlled by Higgins. As a result of Higgins’ misappropriation of shares, at least fourteen investors suffered losses totaling at least $1.6 million.
Higgins faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on December 7, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
As part of the plea agreement, Higgins has agreed to pay over $1.6 million in restitution.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Chinwuba and Andrew T. Ho are prosecuting the case.