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Friday 29 May 2026
Towing Company Owner Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Bribe Bexar County SheriffRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiring to bribe the Bexar County Sheriff in an attempt to obtain a Bexar County towing contract, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Muhammad Choudary, 78, owned and had operational control over a vehicle towing and heavy-duty recovery business which operated within Bexar County. On or about March 28, 2025, Bexar County solicited bids for towing and wrecking services for the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Bexar County Constable Offices. Choudary used an associate, co-conspirator Anwar Tahir, as a middleman.
During an April 16, 2025 lunch meeting set up by Tahir, Choudary and Tahir told the Bexar County Sheriff that they would pay the Sheriff $30,000 to use his position to award the Bexar County towing contract to Choudary’s company. The following day, the Bexar County Sheriff reported the bribery attempt to FBI.
The FBI then introduced an intermediary posing as a representative of the Sheriff. At an ensuing lunch meeting, Tahir, on behalf of Choudary, offered to pay the Bexar County Sheriff, through the representative, $10,000 upfront plus a payment of $25,000 a year for the life of the contract, in exchange for the Sheriff’s assistance in awarding the towing contract to Choudary’s company.
Choudary pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and faces up to five years in federal prison. Tahir pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge on March 31. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Blackwell is prosecuting the case.
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Toa Alta Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On May 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging Harold Borrero-Borrero, with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and firearms offenses, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico.
According to court documents, beginning in or about 2025, defendant Borrero-Borrero, conspired with other persons to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, cocaine base (commonly known as “crack”), and marijuana, at the Enrique Catoni Public Housing Project in Vega Baja, Puerto Rico. Borrero-Borrero was arrested on May 21, 2026, in possession of drugs and multiple firearms, including one without a serial number. As part of the conspiracy, the defendant and his co-conspirators possessed and had access to a vehicle that resembled an “unmarked” law enforcement car. The defendant and his co-conspirators stored drugs, in kilogram and user quantities, as well as packaging materials, in a stash house; maintained weapons and ammunition of various calibers to protect themselves and their narcotics; communicated with each other using cellphones; possessed hundreds of thousands of dollars in United States currency, the product of their sale of narcotics; recorded narcotics sales, cash distributions, and other pertinent information pertaining to the organization in “drug ledgers”; and in order to carry on the business of the conspiracy, they kept in their possession tools of the drug trafficking trade, including but not limited to: a bulletproof vest, black ski masks, an extra license plate, and a safe.
Harold Borrero-Borrero is charged with one count of controlled substance conspiracy, two counts of possession of controlled substances with the intent to distribute, one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises.
The defendant made his initial court appearance May 21, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos E. López of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years of imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow of the District of Puerto Rico; and Michael Mayer, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Puerto Rico Police Department 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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indictment_26-201adc_5-28-26.pdfThree Foreign Nationals Sentenced in May for Illegally Reentering the United States After DeportationRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that three foreign nationals convicted separately of illegally reentering the United States after prior deportations were sentenced this month.
Leobardo Lopez-Garcia, aka Nazario Moreno Gonzalez, 46, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Karen Spencer Marston to time served, approximately 10 months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Lopez-Garcia had previously been removed from the U.S. three times: in October 2000, January 2004, and January 2006, following encounters with the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona.
In April 2023, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) became aware that the defendant had been arrested by the Hatfield Township Police Department on a driving under the influence charge. He pleaded guilty to that offense in April 2024 in the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas.
Lopez-Garcia was arrested on a federal criminal complaint in August of last year, indicted for illegal reentry in November, and pleaded guilty this March.
Baudilio Lopez-Ramirez, 37, a Mexican national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Paul S. Diamond to time served, approximately two and a half months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Lopez-Ramirez had previously been removed from the U.S. in March 2012, following his arrest by the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona.
In December 2025, ICE learned that the defendant had been arrested by the Philadelphia Police Department. Lopez-Ramirez was taken into federal custody on a criminal complaint this February, charged by indictment with illegal reentry in March, and pleaded guilty in April.
Jose Fernando Gomez-Urquia, 32, a Honduran national, was sentenced by United States District Judge Joseph F. Leeson Jr. to time served, approximately two months, for illegal reentry. Having completed his sentence, he will be removed from the United States again.
Gomez-Urquia had previously been removed from the U.S. in May 2016, following an encounter with the U.S. Border Patrol in Texas.
In November of last year, ICE became aware that the defendant had been arrested by the Coatesville Police Department. Gomez-Urquia pleaded guilty this March in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas to making terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another and was sentenced to time served.
He was arrested on a federal criminal complaint the same month, charged by information with illegal reentry in April, and pleaded guilty this month, waiving prosecution by indictment.
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.
The cases were investigated by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Davison, Catherine Dos Santos, and Robert Schopf.
Three Florida Men Indicted for Dog FightingRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Drew Geer (42, Lake Butler), Anthony Crosby (42, Keystone Heights), and Leroy Halbert (53, Lake Butler) have each been charged by indictment with three counts of possession of dogs for dog fighting ventures. In addition, Geer and Crosby were charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Geer and Crosby each face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison. Halbert faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Geer was arrested on May 20, 2026, and has been detained pending trial, which is currently scheduled for July 2026. Crosby and Halbert were arrested on May 29, 2026.
According to the indictments, on December 10, 2025, Geer, Crosby, and Halbert each possessed at least three dogs that were used in dog fighting ventures. In addition, on that same date, Geer and Crosby each possessed firearms knowing that they were convicted felons.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, and the Union County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Cannizzaro.
Texas man pleads guilty to making threats against a company over his debtRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Texas man pled guilty yesterday to sending threatening interstate communications.
According to court documents, a Norfolk-based collection agency sent a message to Taylor Bullard, 35, of Houston, regarding a debt he owed. Bullard sent a signed response threatening to show up at one of the company’s locations with a machete and gasoline to “do things that are unforgivable” and “make your executive team question their life choices.”
Bullard is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 2 and faces up to five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton D. LaForge is prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-CR-5.
Texas Man Indicted in Shooting at Secret Service Agent Near the Washington MonumentRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An indictment was filed today in U.S. District Court charging Michael Marx, 45, of Midland, Texas, in connection with the May 4 shooting near the Washington Monument in which a civilian bystander was struck by gunfire, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
indictment_michael_marx.pdfThe federal indictment charges Marx, aka Patrick Gary Michael or Michael Zavici, with assaulting certain officers using a dangerous weapon and with using a firearm during a crime of violence. Marx is expected to make his first appearance in U.S. District Court today before a magistrate judge.
“Today’s indictment reflects the gravity of the defendant’s actions on one of the most heavily visited public spaces in the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The evidence shows Marx not only carried an illegal firearm into DC, but he fired it at uniformed officers, wounding an innocent teenage bystander who was simply visiting the National Mall with his family on a spring afternoon. When someone brings violence to a place that symbolizes the heart of our democracy and does so along the path of the Vice President’s motorcade, we will respond with the full weight of federal charges and pursue accountability at every step.”
According to the previously filed complaint, on May 4, 2026, about 3:40 p.m., a plainclothes U.S. Secret Service agent observed a man, later identified as Marx, appearing to conceal a firearm on the right side of his body near 15th Street and Madison Drive NW. The agent alerted the Secret Service Joint Operations Center and requested uniformed backup.
At the same time, the motorcade for Vice President J.D. Vance was departing the White House, passing through the area of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW.
Uniformed Secret Service officers responded and located Marx along the path of the Vice President's motorcade. As officers approached, Marx walked toward a group of civilians crossing the street.
Officers issued verbal commands. Marx fled east on Independence Avenue SW. As officers pursued him, Marx drew a firearm from his waistband while running through the crosswalk toward bystanders.
When Marx reached the sidewalk, he turned and fired at one of the pursuing officers. A civilian witness standing behind the officer was wounded in his leg. Officers returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm, and upper abdomen.
Marx collapsed at the intersection of 15th Street and Independence Avenue SW, where officers rendered aid. He was identified through a Texas driver's license found on his person. Law enforcement also identified aliases including Patrick Michael and Michael Zavici. Marx was transported to George Washington University Hospital. While in the hospital, he allegedly made statements to officers including “F--- the White House” and “kill me, kill me, kill me.”
Investigators recovered a Sig Sauer P365 handgun loaded with 9mm ammunition from the area where Marx fell. Law enforcement confirmed Marx does not hold a license to carry a handgun in the District of Columbia.
The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Secret Service Washington Field Office. The matter is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Sweet Springs, Missouri Man Indicted for Engaging in Business of Manufacturing Explosives, Unlawfully Possessing Unregistered Destructive Devices and Distributing Information Relating to Manufacturing ExplosivesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Sweet Springs, Mo., man has been charged by a federal grand jury with one count of engaging in the business of manufacturing explosive materials without a license, one count of unlawful possession of unregistered destructive devices, one count of unlawful possession of components that can readily be converted into destructive devices, and one count of distributing information relating to manufacturing explosives, in violation of U.S. law.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, no later than Sept. 18, 2023, Jordan Derrick, 40, began using several social media sites to distribute videos of himself making various explosive materials. In his videos, Derrick provided step-by-step instructions on how to make these explosives.
Derrick’s videos were downloaded from his publicly available video sharing accounts and used by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the terrorist who conducted an attack in New Orleans on Jan. 1, 2025. Jabbar had created IEDs consistent with Derrick’s instructional videos. The devices placed by Jabbar did not detonate and were subsequently rendered safe by law enforcement. Also, according to the complaint, on May 4, 2026, an explosion occurred at a private residence in Odessa, Mo. Investigators who searched the private residence after the explosion found two components suspected of being used in explosive devices. The occupant of the residence told investigators that he manufactured explosive devices after watching online tutorials on a social media account that is believed to be utilized by Derrick to distribute information relating to the manufacture of explosives. An investigation of the Odessa explosion is ongoing.
The allegations contained in the indictment are accusations, not evidence of guilt, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted of engaging in the business of manufacturing explosive materials without a license, Derrick would be subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison. If convicted of unlawfully possessing an unregistered destructive device or components that can readily be converted into a destructive device, Derrick would be subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison on each count. And if convicted of distributing information relating to the manufacture of explosives, Derrick would be subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison. In the federal judicial system, there is not the possibility of parole. These maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress, and they are provided here for informational purposes. Any sentence would be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Chlarson with valuable assistance provided by Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Stericycle Resolves Criminal and Civil Investigations with over $56 Million Agreement for Long Running Failures in Handling Controlled Substances Bound for DisposalRead the Press Release
Full Settlement:
stericycle_civil_settlement_fully_executed_w_sof.pdfInformation:
stericycle_information_felony.pdfBrief/Settlement
stericycle_pre_hearing_brief_by_usa.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — Stericycle Inc., an international waste management company headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, has agreed to pay more than $56 million to resolve parallel criminal and civil investigations into its improper handling of controlled substances between 2015 and 2020, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
Stericycle collected, transported, and disposed of pharmaceutical waste for hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and other health care providers across the United States and abroad.
“Stericycle has accepted responsibility for handling controlled substances in a manner that was insecure, unsafe, and unlawful,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Despite being warned by the DEA that it needed to correct its deficient handling procedures, the company operated an insecure transportation network, relied on multiple unregistered facilities, and failed to notify the DEA of diversions and significant losses as required by law. Today’s resolution demonstrates the Justice Department’s continuing commitment to ensuring that all registrants safely and securely handle controlled substances so that dangerous drugs are not diverted into the community.”
“DEA will hold organizations accountable who violate the Controlled Substances Act and improperly handle controlled substances. Stericycle’s actions were far more troubling than a simple reporting error,” said Bob P. Beris, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, San Francisco Field Division. “These drugs did not merely go unaccounted for, employees and others stole them, used them, or diverted them into the community. Such conduct endangers public safety, fuels addiction, and undermines the integrity of our regulatory system. The DEA remains committed to ensuring that every registrant fulfills their obligations to protect the public from exactly these kinds of risks.”
“Controlled substance regulations are designed to keep dangerous and addictive medications out of the wrong hands. Stericycle ignored those responsibilities, resulting in expired medications being stolen and sold illegally on the street,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue pursuing those who endanger the public through negligence or criminal conduct.”
Criminal charges filed today allege that Stericycle conspired to defraud the United States by failing to report thefts and significant losses of controlled substances to the DEA. On four separate occasions, the company offered justifications for failing to file required Form 106s that were unsupported by federal regulations. As part of a one‑year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with the Department of Justice, Stericycle will pay a $19.08 million criminal penalty.
Separately, Stericycle has agreed to pay $37.81 million to resolve civil liability for repeated violations of the CSA.
Because of the risk that prescription drugs can be diverted or misused, the handling of controlled substances is tightly regulated under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
According to court documents, Stericycle was registered with the DEA as a “reverse distributor,” allowing it to receive unwanted, unusable, or expired controlled substances from hospitals, pharmacies, and other registrants. As a reverse distributor, Stericycle was subject to strict recordkeeping, reporting obligations, security requirements, and regular DEA inspections of its registered facilities, including the duty to promptly notify the local DEA Field Division Office in writing of any theft or significant loss.
As admitted by the company, Stericycle circumvented these requirements by using temporary storage facilities that were not registered with the DEA and thus not subject to regular inspection. Security was inadequate at many locations, including at the company’s former facility in Rancho Cordova. In some instances, controlled substances were stored in unlocked trailers within fenced yards. Though some facilities had security cameras, several cameras were non‑operational.
Stericycle conspired to defraud the DEA by avoiding the filing of reports that would have alerted the agency to thefts and significant losses of controlled substances in its care. Multiple Stericycle managers and executives were aware that the company lacked a reliable system for tracking packages across its transportation network or auditing packages received in Indianapolis, creating opportunities for diversion.
Under the DPA, Stericycle has agreed to continue cooperating in any ongoing or future criminal investigations related to this conduct. The company also agreed to enhance its compliance program, including measures for independent oversight, training, internal investigations of reported misconduct, and compliance reporting to the Department of Justice for the remainder of the agreement’s term. The resolutions do not include the criminal release of any individuals.
The government reached this resolution based on several factors, including the nature and seriousness of Stericycle’s conduct, its knowing and willful decisions not to report thefts or significant losses, its use of unregistered facilities to store controlled substances, and the company’s divestiture of the business component at issue in April 2020 to a non‑affiliated company that brought the business segment into compliance. The remaining business was acquired by another company in November 2024. Stericycle also enhanced its compliance program and committed to continuing improvements to meet the minimum requirements set forth in the DPA. The company received credit for accepting responsibility for its criminal conduct.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael D. Anderson and Adrian T. Kinsella are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Thiess assisted with the civil settlement.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 47 Years in Prison for Carjackings, Fatal Fentanyl SaleRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Thursday sentenced a St. Louis man to 47 years in prison for his involvement in two carjackings, an attempted carjacking and the sale of fentanyl that killed a woman in 2023.
In January, jurors in U.S. District Court in St. Louis convicted Bobby Lee Jones, 27, of one count of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Evidence and testimony during his trial showed that he sold the fentanyl that killed an 18-year-old woman in 2023. The victim was seeking marijuana. Jones agreed to sell her marijuana and offered her what he claimed was the pain pill Percocet, evidence shows. The pills were manufactured to resemble Percocet but actually contained fentanyl. The victim took one of the pills and her boyfriend found her dead the next day.
The victim’s mother, aunt, friend and a family friend spoke at the sentencing hearing Thursday. In a letter, her best friend called the victim “beautiful, unforgettable, and full of life.”
In December, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking. He admitted driving his nephew, Labron Collins, and a juvenile, to the scene of a carjacking in the 4100 block of Botanical Avenue in St. Louis on Jan. 25, 2023. Collins and the teen then stole a 2012 Honda Civic at gunpoint.
At Thursday’s sentencing hearing, Judge Clark found by a preponderance of the evidence that Jones was involved in another carjacking and an attempted carjacking. Evidence and testimony showed that Jones and the two others tried to steal a 2022 Dodge Charger an hour before the Civic carjacking. Collins and the juvenile began shooting when the Charger’s driver started to drive off, shattering a rear window and striking her in the back, evidence showed. Later, they were driving and struck the rear of a 2011 Infiniti G37 and then carjacked that driver. Several hours after the owner of the Charger was shot, police pulled over a car in which Jones was a passenger. One of the guns used in the shooting was located under Jones’ seat. Police later found the Infiniti parked behind Jones’ mother’s house.
Jones instigated the crimes and used his 18-year-old nephew and the juvenile to commit them to avoid liability, a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Szczucinski says. He also has a significant criminal history, the memo says. At 18, police caught Jones with cocaine base and a firearm, the memo says. At 20, they caught him in a carjacked vehicle after a chase and less than three months after his release from custody, he carjacked a BMW and was caught with another gun shortly thereafter, the memo says.
Judge Clark sentenced Jones to 45 years in prison for the fentanyl and carjacking cases and two years for violating his supervised release in a 2019 case in which he pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Collins, now 21, of St. Louis, pleaded guilty to five counts of carjacking and three charges of possession or brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. He admitted the two carjackings and one attempted carjacking that he committed with Jones. He also admitted carjacking a 2013 Volkswagen Jetta on February 11 and a 2013 Acura TL and a 2014 Honda Civic, the next day. He is serving a 15-year prison sentence.
The case was investigated by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Szczucinski and Nicholas Lake prosecuted the case.
St. Bernard Parish Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine DistributionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – RYAN LAJOIE (“LAJOIE”), age 28, a resident of St. Bernard Parish, was sentenced on May 21, 2026 by United States District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 142 months’ imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release, and $200.00 in mandatory special assessment fees after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute five (5) grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), and distribution of a quantity of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in July 2025, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office (SBSO) received a tip that someone was selling marijuana and methamphetamine at a residence located in St. Bernard Parish. SBSO Narcotics Agents conducting surveillance in the area observed LAJOIE and two others enter the residence. Minutes later, LAJOIE exited the residence and rode away on a bicycle. Agents attempted to approach LAJOIE, but LAJOIE led the agents on a chase and discarded several items during his flight from the agents. Agents eventually arrested LAJOIE and recovered approximately 43 grams of methamphetamine, a cell phone and a digital scale from the area in which LAJOIE discarded the items.
Agents interviewed the two individuals at the residence who both admitted that they purchased methamphetamine from LAJOIE. Agents seized 0.93 grams of methamphetamine from them.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
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.
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South L.A. Man Sentenced to More Than 25 Years in Federal Prison for St. Valentine’s Day Armed Robbery of Armored Truck in HawthorneRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A South Los Angeles man was sentenced today to 308 months in federal prison for committing the armed robbery of an armored truck in Hawthorne on St. Valentine’s Day in 2022, a heist in which more than $166,000 in cash and customer checks were stolen and a firearm was discharged after the truck’s driver was held on the ground at gunpoint.
Deneyvous Jayan Hobson, 39, of West Adams, was sentenced by United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha, who also ordered him to pay $166,640 in restitution.
At the conclusion of a six-day trial in November 2024, a jury found Hobson guilty of one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act), one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On February 14, 2022, Hobson and co-defendant James Russell Davis, 37, also of West Adams, robbed a Sectran Security Services armored truck by ambushing the truck’s driver after the driver had finished servicing an ATM.
Three weeks prior to the robbery, Hobson and Davis cased the Wescom Credit Union in Hawthorne and observed a Sectran driver serving an ATM. During and before the robbery, Davis acted as a lookout and performed countersurveillance nearby.
On St. Valentine’s Day, at approximately the same time in the morning as their casing three weeks earlier, Hobson, traveling in a separate car from Davis, arrived at the credit union while the victim – identified in court documents as “J.G.” – was servicing the credit union’s ATMs.
Hobson and two other co-conspirators got out of their white Honda Accord, approached the victim, ordered him to the ground at gunpoint, and took J.G.’s service weapon, a .40-caliber handgun. Hobson and two co-conspirators stole approximately $166,640 in cash and checks from the Wescom Credit Union’s ATM. As Hobson and two accomplices returned to their car, one of the co-conspirators fired the 9mm semi-automatic handgun he was carrying. They then fled the scene.
The next day, Hobson attempted to sell for $800 via text the 9mm semi-automatic handgun he carried at the robbery, stating that the weapon was “not all the way bad it was just shot doing a get down,” according to court documents.
In October 2022, Hobson illegally possessed a 9mm pistol and 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition. Hobson was not permitted to possess the firearm or ammunition because his criminal history includes felony convictions in 2003 in Los Angeles Superior Court for robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
Davis pleaded guilty in February 2024 to one count of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. In June 2024, Judge Aenlle-Rocha sentenced Davis to 166 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $166,640 in restitution to Sectran Security Services.
“The nature, circumstances, and seriousness of the offenses cannot be understated as [Hobson] violently robbed an innocent worker, forever changing that man’s life, and nearly killing him, all for money,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
The FBI, the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the Inglewood Police Department, and the Hawthorne Police Department investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Butler and Jena A. MacCabe of the Major Crimes Section, and Jason C. Pang of the Transnational and Organized Crime Section prosecuted this case.
Second Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Ponzi Scheme that took in over $27 Million in InvestmentsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A Florida man has pled guilty to his part in defrauding investors through a company called Peoples Equity Group (PEG), an investment company based in Miami, Florida that operated from 2021 to 2024. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the guilty plea today.
Simon G. Outhwaite, Jr., 26, of Miami, Florida, pled guilty on May 26, 2026 before United States District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to information presented in court, Outhwaite conspired with Dakota Smith in the execution of a scheme to defraud investors. For his role in the offense, Smith previously pled guilty on November 18, 2025 and was sentenced on May 8, 2026 to 188 months in federal prison.
Through their conspiracy, the pair misrepresented to investors that PEG owned small, profitable companies in e-commerce and aviation. Smith, who was the face of PEG, solicited investments based on promises that the investors would obtain ownership interests in the companies owned by PEG and its affiliated entities.
In fact, Smith and Outhwaite knew that neither PEG nor its affiliated entities had any ownership interest or control over the companies it marketed. Outhwaite’s contributions to the conspiracy included opening and maintaining the bank accounts used in the scheme.
Outhwaite is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3, 2026. He faces up to five years in federal prison.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Ponzi schemes and crimes of dishonesty do not pay and will be exposed. This case represents our commitment to root out fraudulent schemes, protect investors, hold offenders accountable for their dishonest criminal conduct, and to recover ill-gotten proceeds on behalf of victims.”
“Simon G. Outhwaite, Jr. and his co-conspirator, Dakota Smith, built a Ponzi scheme on lies, exploiting trust to steal millions of dollars that left innocent people paying the price,” said Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the FBI Nashville Field Office. “Schemes like this exploit trust and can devastate victims’ and their families. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue those who weaponize fraud and deception against investors and bring them to justice.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The case was prosecuted on behalf of the government by Assistant United States Attorney Scott P. Smith.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Shipping Half-a-Million Fentanyl Pills Across the United States a result of Homeland Security Task ForceRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Marcus Miller, 36, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty Thursday to 15 counts of drug trafficking offenses and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Miller and his fellow conspirators shipped hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills around the country for more than a year. On several occasions, law enforcement seized packages shipped by Miller, Jones, and their co-conspirators, and found fentanyl pills, often hidden inside children’s toys. In total, law enforcement seized approximately 450,000 fentanyl pills connected to the conspiracy through seized shipments and search warrants. Based on additional evidence, law enforcement estimates that members of the conspiracy have shipped more than one million fentanyl pills to customers in several different states.
During searches connected to the conspiracy, agents found hundreds of thousands of fentanyl pills, more than $80,000 in cash, and 17 firearms. Some of the pills and a firearm were hidden inside a secret compartment in Miller’s vehicle. Miller is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions that include burglary, carrying a loaded firearm, carrying a loaded concealed weapon, and convictions in 2009, 2017, and 2020 of being felon in possession of a firearm.
Miller is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Oct. 8, 2026. Miller faces a mandatory sentence of at least 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 Sacramento is composed of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, the Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
The Sacramento Police Department, the Folsom Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Citrus Heights Police Department assisted in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross Pearson is prosecuting the case.
Rochester man sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to have sex with 11 and 13-year-old girlsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Tony Rodriguez, 40, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of attempted enticement of a minor, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Meredith A. Vacca.
Between February 26 and March 12, 2025, Rodriguez engaged in graphic sexual conversations online with a person he believed to be an 11-year-old girl. Rodriguez was actually communicating with a member of the community group “Predator Poachers.” In addition to online conversations, Rodriguez also arranged a meeting with the 11-year-old girl in person, to engage in sexual activity. He arranged for the 11-year-old to meet him at the Fairport Public Library on March 12, 2025. However, when Rodriguez arrived at the library, he was confronted by the community group member. He left the location prior to the arrival of law enforcement.
On April 15, 2025, law enforcement responded to a residence in the Town of Perinton and apprehended Rodriguez for attempting to meet a 13-year-old female to engage in sexual contact. In reality, the 13-year-old was a member of an unrelated community group called “Child Predator Hunter.” Rodriguez was then taken into custody for this incident and arrested for the March 12, 2025 incident at the Fairport Library.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Fairport Police Department, under the direction of Acting Police Chief Matt Weber, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation Task Force, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford.
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Postal Employee Indicted for Delay or Destruction of MailRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Stacy Michelle Braxton, 39, of Marianna, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging her with delay or destruction of mail. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today.
Braxton appeared for her arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Trial is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 8:30 am in Tallahassee before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Braxton faces up to 5 years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorneys Justin M. Keen and Emma Schwan are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Ouachita Parish Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
MONROE– On May 21, 2026, Stanquan Lavelle Shaw, a.k.a. “Munchie,” a 36-year-old Ouachita Parish man, was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegally possessing a firearm and to possessing that firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. In addition to his prison sentence, Shaw will serve five years of supervised release following his release from federal prison.
According to court documents, officers of the Monroe Police Department saw Shaw driving in Monroe and attempted to stop him based on Shaw’s having outstanding warrants. Shaw fled from law enforcement, ultimately crashing his car into a person’s parked car and fleeing on foot. Officers caught Shaw during his flight and arrested him. While investigating the scene, officers recovered methamphetamine from Shaw’s car, a 9mm bullet in his pocket, and a firearm recovered from a puddle along his flight path that officers found using a police dog. By law, Shaw was not allowed to possess firearms because he had prior felony convictions for Conspiracy to Commit Armed Robbery with a Firearm and for Simple Robbery.
The Monroe Police Department, West Monroe Police Department, Ouachita Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated this case. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William Gaskins with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Emily Favrot.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 25-cr-00269.
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United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
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Orlando Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Child Sextortion Scheme Involving More than 50 Child VictimsRead the Press Release
Orlando, Florida – Montrey Roseberry (20, Orlando) 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 and production and possession of child sex abuse material. Roseberry was found guilty on February 19, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, from at least July 14, 2023, through at least April 2024, Roseberry operated a scheme to extort, intimidate, and threaten children into producing child sex abuse material. Roseberry, while impersonating a woman, coerced young victims he identified on social media into producing images and videos of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Roseberry then used the images and videos to extort the victims into producing increasingly perverse content involving, sadomasochism, coprophilia, bestiality, and the sexual abuse of other children.
If the child victims did not comply, Roseberry threatened to disseminate prior images and videos they had sent him that were sexual in nature to the child victims’ family members, friends, and classmates. In some cases, Roseberry threatened the child victims with death. As part of the scheme, and to further frighten and extort the victims into complying with his demands, Roseberry sent the child victims photographs of their homes and names of their schools, friends, and family members. As a result of this scheme, Roseberry obtained child sex abuse images of more than 50 victims.
“Roseberry targeted young children, coerced them into producing abuse material, and threatened to destroy their lives if they resisted. This sentence sends a message that dangerous pedophiles will receive severe punishments to match their horrific crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Kehoe. “We commend the hard work of the FBI agents for helping to bring this predator to justice.”
“The terror he inflicted is heart wrenching. Mr. Roseberry threatened and blackmailed his young victims into committing horrific acts. The FBI and its law enforcement partners are relentless in their mission to identify and bring these vile criminals to justice. We urge young people and their parents to be cautious, especially on social media and gaming platforms, because child predators typically use these platforms to find their victims,” said FBI Tampa Division Special Agent in Charge Matthew Fodor.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kaley Austin-Aronson and Noah P. Dorman.
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.
Norfolk sailor sentenced to five years in prison after he was found with thousands of files of child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A U.S. Navy sailor stationed in Norfolk was sentenced today to five years in prison for receiving child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, on May 15, 2023, Sergio Octavio Garcia, 30, used PayPal to purchase CSAM from an international user for $80. On April 21, 2024, on board the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) interviewed Garcia and seized his electronic devices. A digital forensics expert found 2,716 images and 3,109 videos of CSAM on Garcias devices, including the abuse of infants and toddlers.
The NCIS Norfolk Field Office investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Nelson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-131.
This release was edited on June 1, 2026, to correct a misspelling.
Non-Citizen Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Voting in Numerous ElectionsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Mexican man has pleaded guilty to voting in multiple elections despite being a non-citizen, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
Homero Ramos, 45, of Haleyville, pleaded guilty this week before U.S. District Judge Edmund G. LaCour, Jr., to two counts of fraudulent voting.
According to the indictment, Ramos is a lawful permanent resident but never obtained U.S. citizenship. Despite this, Ramos registered to vote and voted—even though he knew that only U.S. citizens are permitted to do so under Alabama law. In fact, Ramos voted in both the 2022 and 2024 general elections.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case, with the assistance of the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Janich is prosecuting the case.
New York Attorney Admits Embezzling More Than $500K from TrustRead 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, announced that EDWARD W. MILLER, 70, of Lawrence, New York, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to a fraud offense stemming from his embezzlement of more than $500,000 from a trust.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller was an attorney licensed to practice law in New York. In December 2014, an individual, identified in court documents as “M.P.,” established a trust for the purpose of managing certain real property, including a commercial building that M.P. owned in New Canaan, Connecticut. Edwards was named as the trustee for the trust (the “M.P. Trust”) and was directed to open a trust bank account to manage the finances of the real property in the M.P. Trust, including depositing rental income from the commercial building into the trust account, paying costs associated with the management of the building, and distributing funds to M.P. Miller was also responsible for overseeing the maintenance of the building in the M.P. Trust. The trust provided that Miller would be paid five percent of total monthly rents collected and any agreed-upon commissions for new tenant leases and renewals.
Between approximately February 2016 and September 2022, Miller embezzled more than $500,000 from the M.P. Trust by writing and negotiating unauthorized checks from the M.P. Trust to himself, his law practice, and to his relatives for his own benefit. He also made unauthorized withdrawals and transfers from the M.P. Trust bank account for his own benefit. After M.P. died in 2022, Miller made false representations and promises to M.P.’s beneficiaries about the identification, whereabouts, and disbursement of the trust’s assets.
Miller pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Miller has previously paid restitution of $509,372.82 as part of a settlement of a separate civil lawsuit filed by the victims.
Miller is released on a $200,000 bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for August 13.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LORENZO SMITH (“SMITH”), age 20, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter on May 12, 2026 to 10 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, along with a $500 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, and 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A), and 846; distribution of a quantity of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B); and two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, over the course of five transactions between November 2024 and January 2025, SMITH, and his co-conspirators, sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms to persons he believed to be legitimate buyers. The conspiracy involved over 640 grams of fentanyl and over 1200 grams of methamphetamine, of which more than 800 grams was pure methamphetamine. In total, SMITH, and his co-conspirators, sold 13 guns to the persons he believed to be legitimate buyers, including several AR-15 pistols and an AK-47-style rifle.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
New Jersey Rioter at Delaney Hall Charged for Kicking and Biting ICE OfficersRead the Press Release
A New Jersey man was arrested yesterday and charged with assaulting federal officers and causing bodily injury.
Brendan John Geier, 26, of Madison, New Jersey, was charged by complaint today and appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cari Fais.
“Peaceful protest doesn’t translate to violently attacking federal law enforcement officers,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Federal officers are protecting United States’ property and facilities. With virtually no local law enforcement support from New Jersey, rioters are regrouping and attacking. We will not tolerate the vicious attacks we have seen in Newark the last few days, and we will make arrests and hold people accountable for criminal conduct.”
“As alleged in the Justice Department's complaint, this violent rioter savagely bit an ICE law enforcement officer outside of Delaney Hall. The Trump Administration will always stand with our law enforcement officers,” said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Anyone who assaults a law enforcement officer will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“As alleged, this defendant responded to lawful orders from federal officers by kicking one and biting two others who were performing their official duties,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Assaulting law enforcement officers is unacceptable. Period. Federal officers must be able to carry out their responsibilities without being subjected to violence, intimidation, or obstruction. This Office will continue to prosecute those who, as alleged here, assault officers and interfere with the lawful execution of their duties.”
“To be clear, peaceful protest does not mean biting, kicking, or punching law enforcement officers,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark. “The repeated assaults on federal officers at Delaney Hall are criminal acts — not protected speech. Homeland Security Investigations is unwavering in its commitment to hold those who attack law enforcement fully accountable under the law.”
“This defendant’s court appearance is a clear step toward justice after 21 individuals were arrested for assaulting federal officers at Delaney Hall from May 26-29,” said ICE-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Newark acting Field Office Director Arthur J. Wilson Jr. “Instead of peacefully protesting, rioters blocked ICE officers conducting their lawful duties, ignored repeated lawful commands and threatened violence. Our brave ICE officers risked their lives to protect everyone present inside and out of Delaney Hall and we will continue to pursue charges against agitators and ensure violent offenders have real consequences.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, on May 28, officers of the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) were engaged in official duties relating to security and crowd-control operations during a demonstration near the ICE Delaney Hall Detention Facility in Newark, New Jersey. Certain ICE deportation officers were assigned to conduct perimeter enforcement for the facility, which included clearing the road leading to and from the facility for vehicles.
At approximately 10:30 p.m., a large group of demonstrators was blocking that road. Deportation officers, in an attempt to clear the road, formed into a line and began to move towards the group of demonstrators, which included Geier. The deportation officers issued commands to the demonstrators to “move back,” but the demonstrators, including Geier, ignored those commands and refused to clear the road. Geier instead engaged in a struggle with deportation officers, kicking officers and ultimately biting an officer’s forearm, and another’s knuckle. Both victims received treatment at a local hospital.
The charge for assault resulting in bodily injury carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
HSI Newark investigated the case. ICE and the FBI provided assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sinclair for the District of New Jersey is handling this matter.
The charge and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New Britain Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEMUEL VEGA-GOMEZ, 26, of New Britain, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2024, the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and New Britain Police Department investigated a drug trafficking organization, headed by Wilfredo Ortiz, that was operating out of Supreme Automotive, a car dealership located on Main Street in New Britain. The investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, physical and electronic surveillance, and several controlled purchases of narcotics, primarily cocaine, from Ortiz and other members of the conspiracy. Vega-Gomez was identified during the investigation engaging in suspected narcotics trafficking activity.
Vega-Gomez, Ortiz, and several other members of the drug trafficking organization were arrested on November 14, 2024. In association with the arrests, investigators conducted court authorized searches of Supreme Automotive and residences and other locations connected to the organization and seized more than five kilograms of cocaine, more than 200 grams of fentanyl, approximately 30 grams of heroin, a kilogram press, seven firearms, ammunition, approximately $75,000 in cash, and 26 vehicles. A search of Vega-Gomez’s residence revealed more than two kilograms of cocaine, a .45 caliber handgun, two firearm magazines, ammunition, and approximately $14,500 in cash.
Vega-Gomez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. He has been detained since his arrest.
Ortiz pleaded guilty and, on March 9, 2026, was sentenced to 135 months of imprisonment.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Connecticut State Police, the Connecticut Department of Correction, the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles Police, and the New Britain, Hartford, West Hartford, Waterbury, Naugatuck, East Hartford, Brookfield, Milford, Norwich, Orange, North Haven, Meriden, Berlin, and Manchester Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth, Reed Durham, and David Nelson.
Missoula man sentenced to over four years in prison on drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Missoula man who trafficked methamphetamine and fentanyl from Washington to Montana was sentenced today to 55 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Nathanial John Shoen, 33, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Shoen, along with Devon Bond and Joseph Cierley, was transporting methamphetamine and fentanyl from Washington state to Missoula with plans to distribute.
Bond, 29, was sentenced on April 24, 2026, to 10 years and six months in prison and five years of supervised release. Cierley, 38, was sentenced on May 19, 2026, to seven years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Law enforcement officers began surveillance on Shoen, Bond and Cierley in summer 2025 after receiving a tip from an informant that the group was bringing back “pounds of methamphetamine and ounces of fentanyl” from Washington.
Officers conducted a traffic stop in July 2025 of a vehicle in which the three men were traveling. In the vehicle, agents discovered 896.9 grams, or nearly 2 pounds, of meth, 66.4 grams of fentanyl pills and a loaded .357 revolver. A search of the men’s cell phones showed that all three were involved in distributing the drugs.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Missoula Drug Task Force conducted the investigation.
Minnesota Man Sentenced to 8 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andrew Benvie, 43, Frazee, Minnesota pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 8 years in prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution. Benvie’s prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
On February 11, 2025, Superior Police Department officers responded to a call about an intoxicated driver. Officers found Benvie in his car at a local gas station and identified him as the alleged intoxicated driver. When officers searched Benvie’s vehicle, they found approximately 270 grams of methamphetamine and 27 grams of fentanyl pre-packaged for distribution. Officers also found a handgun between the driver’s seat and center counsel.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson classified Benvie’s armed drug trafficking as very serious misconduct. The seriousness of Benvie’s misconduct, coupled with his aggravated criminal history, led Judge Peterson to the 8-year sentence.
The charge against Benvie was the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, and the Superior Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Memorial Day weekend shooting part of 250 new cases filed in ongoing border security effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A total of 259 individuals have been charged in immigration and related crimes from May 22-28 as part of Operation Take Back America, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The Southern District of Texas has filed cases against 160 illegal aliens for unlawfully reentering the United States and another 69 for illegal entry. Many have previous convictions related to narcotics trafficking, immigration offenses, violent crimes and more. An additional 28 people face charges of engaging in human smuggling, while the remaining matters relate to other immigration crimes and firearms charges.
Among those is an illegal alien from Mexico who allegedly fired an AR-style rifle at multiple individuals in New Caney over the holiday weekend. The charges allege Juan Ayala-Montero retrieved the rifle from his residence and fired multiple rounds toward a group of individuals, striking one victim in the torso and head. Authorities allegedly recovered an Olympic Arms .223 AR-Style rifle and approximately 30 spent shell casings at the scene. The charges further allege Ayala-Montero had been previously removed from the United States and was unlawfully present in the country. If convicted of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm, Ayala-Montero faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
Criminal complaints also allege two illegal aliens unlawfully reentered the country without authorization. One is Marcos Ismael Escobar-Sosa, a Cuban national found near Mission, according to the charges. He allegedly has a prior conviction for felony credit card abuse and was most recently removed Feb. 6.
Authorities also allegedly found a Mexican illegal alien near Donna this week. Gustavo Arroyo-Anaya has a conviction for burglary and was sentenced to two years in prison before his removal in 2025, according to the complaint.
Both men could receive up to 20 years in federal prison, upon conviction.
In addition to the new cases, Leonardo Cordona-Hernandez, an illegal alien from Mexico, received a 72-month federal prison sentence for illegally reentering the country again. He was first ordered removed in 2011, but law enforcement later discovered him in Houston in February 2024 with no authorization to be in the United States. Cordona-Hernandez has prior felony convictions for robbery, drug trafficking and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Member of the Fully Blooded Felons Gang Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for RICO, Drug, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND — Jeffrey Lee, a member of the Fully Blooded Felons gang, 25, of Cleveland, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, drug offenses, including fentanyl distribution, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
“This defendant, now a fully convicted and sentenced felon, will spend the next 12 years in prison because of his drug dealing and firearm crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The long sentence handed down by the court underscores the danger that drugs and guns bring to a community, and the seriousness of crimes like this. The Criminal Division will continue to seek lengthy sentences for gang members who commit drug and gun crimes.”
“We will not tolerate violent drug traffickers like Mr. Lee who devastate our communities and hurt people with the drugs they peddle,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We want to acknowledge the investigators with the Cleveland FBI and the Cleveland Division of Police for their successful efforts which helped our prosecutors put this dangerous criminal behind bars.”
“We are steadfast in our resolve to bring justice to the families whose loved ones have been impacted by the actions of Jeffrey Lee and the Fully Blooded Felons,” said Special Agent in Charge Joshua DelManzo of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “For too long, these gang members have poisoned our communities through their illicit drug, gun, and criminal activities. This case and subsequent sentencing highlights the power of partnership, combining federal and local resources to identify gang members and drug traffickers leading to well-investigated cases. The FBI and its partners will continue to aggressively investigate individuals to dismantle their criminal network and eradicate violence and crime from our neighborhoods.”
As the defendant admitted during his plea hearing and in other court documents, the Fully Blooded Felons have been in existence in Ohio since approximately 2012, operating primarily out of the eastside of Cleveland, as well as Akron, Youngstown, and elsewhere. They are also active in the Ohio prison system.
The Fully Blooded Felons’ structure includes a “Commission,” which is a group of members tasked with maintaining the structure and organization of the enterprise through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means the organization would use to make money.
The Fully Blooded Felons had rules that members were required to follow. The rules were sent to members online, by text message, and in face-to-face communications. Members were required to abide by “omerta,” or the code of silence, and were required to memorize and recite at meetings the “Fully Five,” a set of rules that included following all orders issued by the Commission. If a member did not know the “Fully Five,” they were punished.
To further their drug trafficking, Fully Blooded Felons members used two separate stash-houses at a local apartment complex. During the execution of search warrants, law enforcement recovered close to three-quarters of a pound of fentanyl, as well as cocaine, methamphetamine, and seven firearms. In addition to the two stash houses, gang members also sold drugs in an open-air drug market that operated in the space adjacent to the apartment building where the two stash houses were located. Jeffrey Lee was an enforcer and regularly distributed fentanyl and other drugs on behalf of the gang. In one text message exchange, Lee asked another gang member where a .380 caliber handgun was hidden. Lee was also present at one of the trap houses when it was searched by police, who found over a half-pound of fentanyl, as well as methamphetamine, and cocaine, along with packing and other items used in drug trafficking.
The FBI investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the Cleveland Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Brian W. Lynch from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Hanna, Robert F. Corts, and Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Member of the Fully Blooded Felons Gang Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for RICO, Drug, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Jeffrey Lee, a member of the Fully Blooded Felons gang, 25, of Cleveland, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy, drug offenses, including fentanyl distribution, and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime.
“This defendant, now a fully convicted and sentenced felon, will spend the next 12 years in prison because of his drug dealing and firearm crimes,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The long sentence handed down by the court underscores the danger that drugs and guns bring to a community, and the seriousness of crimes like this. The Criminal Division will continue to seek lengthy sentences for gang members who commit drug and gun crimes.”
“We will not tolerate violent drug traffickers like Mr. Lee who devastate our communities and hurt people with the drugs they peddle,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We want to acknowledge the investigators with the Cleveland FBI and the Cleveland Division of Police for their successful efforts which helped our prosecutors put this dangerous criminal behind bars.”
“We are steadfast in our resolve to bring justice to the families whose loved ones have been impacted by the actions of Jeffrey Lee and the Fully Blooded Felons,” said Special Agent in Charge Joshua DelManzo of the FBI Cleveland Field Office. “For too long, these gang members have poisoned our communities through their illicit drug, gun, and criminal activities. This case and subsequent sentencing highlights the power of partnership, combining federal and local resources to identify gang members and drug traffickers leading to well-investigated cases. The FBI and its partners will continue to aggressively investigate individuals to dismantle their criminal network and eradicate violence and crime from our neighborhoods.”
As the defendant admitted during his plea hearing and in other court documents, the Fully Blooded Felons have been in existence in Ohio since approximately 2012, operating primarily out of the eastside of Cleveland, as well as Akron, Youngstown, and elsewhere. They are also active in the Ohio prison system.
The Fully Blooded Felons’ structure includes a “Commission,” which is a group of members tasked with maintaining the structure and organization of the enterprise through physical discipline and by determining which illicit means the organization would use to make money.
The Fully Blooded Felons had rules that members were required to follow. The rules were sent to members online, by text message, and in face-to-face communications. Members were required to abide by “omerta,” or the code of silence, and were required to memorize and recite at meetings the “Fully Five,” a set of rules that included following all orders issued by the Commission. If a member did not know the “Fully Five,” they were punished.
To further their drug trafficking, Fully Blooded Felons members used two separate stash-houses at a local apartment complex. During the execution of search warrants, law enforcement recovered close to three-quarters of a pound of fentanyl, as well as cocaine, methamphetamine, and seven firearms. In addition to the two stash houses, gang members also sold drugs in an open-air drug market that operated in the space adjacent to the apartment building where the two stash houses were located. Jeffrey Lee was an enforcer and regularly distributed fentanyl and other drugs on behalf of the gang. In one text message exchange, Lee asked another gang member where a .380 caliber handgun was hidden. Lee was also present at one of the trap houses when it was searched by police, who found over a half-pound of fentanyl, as well as methamphetamine, and cocaine, along with packing and other items used in drug trafficking.
The FBI investigated this case, with substantial assistance from the Cleveland Police Department.
This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Brian W. Lynch from the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Hanna, Robert F. Corts, and Margaret A. Sweeney for the Northern District of Ohio.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of Charleston ChildrenRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Hector Ivan Martinez, 20, of Springfield, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that in the summer of 2024, Martinez targeted a group of 10 and 11-year-old minor victims in the Charleston community. Martinez posed as a 15-year-old boy and targeted the minor victims on social media. Martinez engaged in sexually explicit conversations with the minor victims and sent them sexually explicit videos and images of himself. He then manipulated the minor victims into producing and sending him sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. A review of Martinez’s electronic devices showed that he had targeted at least 45 victims across the United States. Martinez was also found to have used an encrypted application to contact an individual in the Philippines to solicit livestreamed child sexual abuse, which he then recorded and saved on his devices.
United States District Judge Richard Gergel sentenced Martinez to 240 months imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Martinez will also be ordered to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the U.S. Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Charleston Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Orville prosecuted the case.###
Maryville Man Sentenced to Prison for Attempting to Destroy an Interstate Gas Pipeline FacilityRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On May 28, 2026, Christopher Kyle Duke, 36, of Maryville, TN, was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment by the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Following his imprisonment, Duke will be on federal supervised release for two years. As part of his sentence, Duke is required to make restitution in the amounts of $23,236.27 to Enbridge, Inc. and $15,456.12 to Atmos Energy.
Today’s sentencing hearing followed Duke’s prior entry of a guilty plea to an information charging him with one count of knowingly and willfully acting in a manner to damage and attempt to destroy an interstate gas pipeline facility used in interstate or foreign commerce, in violation of 49 U.S.C. § 60123(b).
Court documents showed that on May 9, 2025, Duke drove to the Enbridge and East Tennessee Natural Gas LLC Natural Gas Substation in Maryville, TN. Duke then scaled the chain-link and barbed wire fencing surrounding the substation. Once inside, Duke recklessly released numerous gas valves causing an immediate, high-pressure emergency release of large quantities of gas which caused the ground to shake. Duke also intentionally damaged equipment used to monitor, meter, and regulate the transmission of natural gas to commercial and residential consumers in Blount County.
U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the Maryville Police Department and the FBI.
Assistant United States Attorney David P. Lewen, Jr. represented the United States.
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Man Sentenced to 57 Months for Apartment Building Arson Where His Family Members ResidedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ronnie Bookhardt, 64, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today for the arson of a residential apartment building, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bookhardt pleaded guilty on February 9, 2026, in D.C. Superior Court to one count of arson. In addition to the prison term, the Honorable Judith Pipe order Bookhardt to three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at about 4:48 a.m., on October 20, 2022, D.C. Fire Department Investigators responded to the sound of an alarm generated at a residential, 4-story apartment building located at 601 L Street Southeast in Washington, D.C. Fire Investigators noted an odor of gasoline in front of one of the units, in addition to substantial fire damage and water damage from two activated sprinkler heads in the hallway in front of the unit. Video surveillance footage captured the defendant entering a stairwell in the apartment building, stopping in front of a unit, manipulating a lighter, and pouring lighter fluid from a black plastic bag, causing a bright flash of fire in the stairwell. It was later determined that the defendant lit the fire near a unit in which his family members resided. Building staff later reported that the water damage caused by the fire far exceeded the fire damage. The cost of the damage was over $200,000.
Bookhardt was arrested on October 22, 2022, where he has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, D.C. Fire Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jasmine Dohemann, who prosecuted the case.
2022 DVM 000885
Lowell Father and Daughter Arrested for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man and woman who allegedly operated temporary employment agencies without collecting and paying over employment taxes have been arrested on federal tax charges.
Lim Ou, 69, and his daughter, Nalen Ou, 39, are charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy and failure to collect and pay over taxes.
According to the charging document, Lim Ou and Nalen Ou allegedly operated temporary employee agencies that provided temporary workers to businesses engaged in manufacturing, packaging, laundry services and other general labor. Temporary employment agencies are responsible for paying wages to their employees, reporting the wages to the IRS on a quarterly basis, withholding payroll deductions from workers’ wages for income taxes, Social Security obligations and other amounts, and paying those taxes over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Temporary employment agencies bill client companies for the number of workers and the number of hours worked, and the client companies pay the agencies for the workers’ services.
Since 2013, the defendants allegedly operated temporary employee agencies under several successive names, including recently under the names KHL, Inc. and Top Labors, Inc. Between 2019 and 2025, the defendants allegedly used a check cashing company in Worcester, Mass. to cash more than $57 million in checks that the defendants’ agencies received from client companies in payment for workers’ labor. The defendants allegedly used more than $ 48 million of the $57 million to pay employees their wages in cash “under the table,” that is, without reporting the payroll to the IRS or paying required taxes on the wages. The defendants also allegedly failed to pay more than $12 million in federal employment taxes they owed to the IRS from their agencies’ operations.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. The charge of failure to collect or pay over taxes also provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Insurance Fraud Bureau of Massachusetts. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement 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.
Louisiana Woman Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Relief SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Louisiana woman pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to her involvement in a multi-state scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for herself and others.
Lisa Lemoine, 38, of Bossier City, La., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled a sentencing hearing for Sept. 1, 2026. Lemoine was charged in March 2026.
Lemoine conspired with her alleged co-conspirators, Sniders Jean-Jacques, Lorne Johnson, Tanya Pierre, Ashley Spike and others, to submit fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of borrowers and to collect up to 30 percent of the loan proceeds as a fee for securing the loans. Beginning in March 2021, Lemoine recruited borrowers who were ineligible for PPP loans, claimed the borrowers operated businesses that qualified them for loans, and created fake tax forms to backstop the borrowers’ fraudulent applications. Lemoine received a kickback, commonly in amount equal to 30 percent of the loan proceeds, from the borrowers who received PPP funds based on the fraudulent applications, which she shared with her alleged co-conspirators.
Jean-Jacques, Johnson, Pierre and Spike were charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to this scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Jason Xerri, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement 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.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Large-Scale Counterfeit Pill Manufacturer Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cambridge, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with an investigation of large-scale manufacturing of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine. Defendant communicated directly with illegal chemical supplier in China.
Schuyler Oppenheimer, a/k/a “SK,” a/k/a “Michael Sylvain,” 35, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 13 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2026, Oppenheimer pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and two counts of wire fraud. In July 2025, Oppenheimer was arrested and charged. He was subsequently indicted in August 2025.
Oppenheimer was technically skilled in the chemical processes used in the synthesis of fentanyl, the compounding of controlled substances for distribution and the manufacturing of counterfeit pills. During the investigation, recipes, pill press molds used in the manufacturing process, documents and invoices demonstrating that Oppenheimer purchased numerous pill presses and parts for pill presses from online vendors were seized. Multiple packages shipped from China to Oppenheimer, and various female associates of Oppenheimer, that contained pill press parts, were also seized during the investigation.
Based on the review of orders and invoices from companies selling powders and other substances used in the pill manufacturing process since 2019, Oppenheimer obtained over 200 kilograms of these filler powders and manufacturing materials. According to the recipes recovered during the investigation, when manufactured into counterfeit pills, 200 kilograms of filler powder equates to millions of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Additionally, Oppenheimer communicated directly with an illegal chemical supplier based in China and inquired about the availability of controlled substances and fentanyl precursor chemicals and sought to import kilogram quantities of these substances. Fentanyl precursor chemicals are substances that can be used to synthesize raw fentanyl in a laboratory setting.
During a search in Cambridge on July 18, 2024, over five kilograms of suspected counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine and a loaded firearm were recovered. Based on prior felony convictions, Oppenheimer is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Lastly, Oppenheimer obtained over $40,000 through two fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications that were submitted in April 2021. Oppenheimer submitted false statements concerning his income through self-employment for the 2019 tax years and provided false tax return documents substantiating that income.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Jennifer B. De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cambridge Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Laplace Woman Guilty of Covid-19 Relief FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – TIFFANY CARTER (“CARTER”), age 41, of LaPlace, Louisiana pleaded guilty on May 19, 2026, before U.S. District Judge William J. Crain, to False Statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, CARTER made materially false statements and representations to the SBA, resulting in her obtaining fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) loans. The total loss to the SBA for the loans is $731,972.00.
At sentencing, CARTER faces up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $250,000.00, a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00, and supervised release for a period of up to three (3) years. Judge Crain set sentencing for August 18, 2026.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Updated 6/2/2026
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Kailua Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl ConspiracyRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Vaughn Ludwig, 50, of Kailua, Hawaii, pled guilty on May 28, 2026 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl. Sentencing is scheduled for September 30, 2026 before United States District Court Chief Judge Derrick K. Watson.
As admitted in his plea agreement, from approximately November 2024 to May 2025, Ludwig conspired with narcotics suppliers to obtain fentanyl for further distribution in Hawaii. Ludwig was arrested on May 1, 2025, and caught with approximately 70.84 grams of fentanyl as well as $2,708 in U.S. currency, which he admitted were drug proceeds. In the days leading up to Ludwig’s encounter with law enforcement, he also knowingly assisted others in the distribution of heroin and fentanyl from a hotel in Waikiki. One of Ludwig’s suppliers, Charles Saikley, is charged separately and pled guilty on March 4, 2026 to possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Ludwig faces a 10-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment and up to life in prison, plus a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Eucker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel Concludes Immigrant Welfare Eligibility Rules Apply to FCC Lifeline ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Justice released an opinion for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which addresses the relationship between the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) and the Lifeline program, which offers monthly discounts on telephone and broadband internet services for qualifying low-income consumers. The Office of Legal Counsel’s interpretation finds that to receive Lifeline benefits, a non-citizen must satisfy PRWORA’s eligibility and verification requirements.
Under this finding, non-citizens are typically ineligible to enroll in Lifeline unless they have been in the United States for at least five years with qualified status. FCC must also impose additional safeguards to verify eligibility for Lifeline benefits beyond simply collecting a subscriber’s Social Security Number before enrolling them into the program. This finding creates further safeguards to protect American taxpayer resources from abuse by non-American citizens.
“Today’s opinion further protects a critical public benefit that provides discounted utility assistance to Americans struggling to make ends meet,” said Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This Department will continue to put American citizens first and root out any abuse of taxpayer dollars by those in our country illegally.”
"At the FCC, our position has been clear. To receive federal subsidies like Lifeline, you must be a lawful beneficiary. The government should not be spending the money of hard working Americans to provide phone and Internet serve for ineligible recipients." said FCC Chairman, Brendan Carr. "Today's opinion from the Department will go a long way in putting an end to this kind of abuse. The FCC will continue to do our part, alongside DOJ, to impose additional safeguards and restore the public's confidence in the Lifeline program."
This action comes as a follow-on to the Office’s December opinion about the meaning of “Federal means-tested public benefits” in PRWORA, which reversed a Clinton-era interpretation that had allowed ineligible aliens to receive federal welfare benefits.
Read the full opinion here.
Jackson Parish Inmate Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Hoax Directed at Supreme Court of the United StatesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT– On May 21, 2026, Alvieyle Moore, a 40-year-old inmate at the Jackson Parish Jail, was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 60 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to perpetrating a hoax relating to purported chemical weapons directed at the United States Supreme Court. In addition to his prison sentence, Moore will serve three years of supervised release following his release from federal prison.
According to court documents, Moore mailed a threatening letter to the Supreme Court of the United States that falsely claimed to be laced with fentanyl that would kill its reader. The letter, which contained approximately one tablespoon of a white, powdery substance and stated, “IF You Are Reading this you are gonna die soon because this letter is laced with Fentanyl!!”, caused the evacuation of the Supreme Court’s warehouse facility and prompted a hazardous materials team response.
The Supreme Court of the United States Police - Protective Intelligence Unit, United States Secret Service, and Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Ginger Green.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 25-cr-00257.
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Inmate Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Scheme to Smuggle Contraband into Metropolitan Detention Center in BrooklynRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Daryl Campbell was sentenced by United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis to 37 months in prison for orchestrating a scheme to smuggle contraband into the Metropolitan Detention Center (the MDC). Campbell pleaded guilty in September 2025 to conspiracy to possess contraband. The sentence imposed today will run consecutive to the 35-year term he is serving for a manslaughter conviction in New York County. Campbell’s co‑defendants and fellow MDC inmates Ian Diez, Jonathan Guerrero, Abel Mora, and Mayovanex Rodriguez were previously sentenced to terms of incarceration ranging from six months to 30 months. A sixth co-conspirator, Carl Kelly, is awaiting sentencing.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the sentence.
“The message to inmates from today’s sentencing is clear: go fishing for contraband, and all you will catch is another prison term,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The smuggling of drugs and weapons by inmates compromises the safety and security of the MDC. Our Office will continue to ensure that any inmates who smuggle contraband will be prosecuted and face the consequences.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the U.S. Bureau of Prisons for its assistance with the investigation.
“Daryl Campbell jeopardized the safety of other inmates and employees by obtaining illegal drugs and weapons while incarcerated at the Metropolitan Detention Center. May today's sentencing emphasize the FBI's commitment to holding accountable individuals who smuggle contraband into our federal jails,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
Between April and June 2024, Campbell used a contraband cell phone to send detailed instructions to his co-conspirators on how to bring additional contraband into the MDC. As the organizer of the scheme, Campbell advised co-conspirators on how to package contraband, to deliver it to the MDC, and to get it into the jail, providing advice and guidance along the way as to how to accomplish each step in the process. In several voice recordings, Campbell explained his method of throwing a “line” out of a window of the MDC on to which a co-conspirator on the outside was to “hook” contraband, which could then be pulled back inside. On June 30, 2024, Kelly, Diez, Guerrero, Mora, and Rodriguez attempted to execute Campbell’s scheme. Kelly approached the front of the MDC and threw a rope made of duct tape up to the fourth floor, where Diez, Guerrero, Mora, and Rodriguez tried to pull it through the window of the recreation room in their housing area. Inside of the rope, correctional officers found papers laced with MDMB-4en-Pinaca (a synthetic cannabinoid), suboxone, marijuana, a scalpel, a phone charger, lighters, and cigarettes.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble and Michael Manzo are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Special Agent Danielle Williams.
The Defendants:
DARYL CAMPBELL
Age: 40
Brooklyn, New YorkIAN DIEZ
Age: 22
Brooklyn, New YorkJONATHAN GUERRERO
Age: 38
Brooklyn, New YorkABEL MORA
Age: 24
Brooklyn, New YorkMAYOVANEX RODRIGUEZ
Age: 31
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-108 (NGG)
CARL KELLY
Age: 35
Long Island City, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-250 (NGG)
In Celebration of Freedom 250, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Guam Contributes to Family Violence ShelterRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – As part of America’s 250th birthday commemoration, Freedom 250, United States Attorneys’ Offices nationwide are honoring America by coordinating gift‑in‑kind charity drives for their staff to benefit local communities. In the District of Guam, United States Attorney Shawn N. Anderson announced that the office conducted an employee charity drive in support of the Alee Women and Children’s Shelter.
The Alee Shelter is a 24/7 emergency protective facility that provides refuge for women, men, and their children escaping domestic violence, sexual assault, or sex trafficking. To safeguard its residents and staff, the shelter operates in a confidential and undisclosed location. Established in 1981, Alee was created in response to rising incidents of abuse and violence within the island community and has remained a vital source of safety and support ever since.
“As we celebrate the anniversary of our great nation, it is important to take a moment to reflect on what has been achieved and what remains to be done” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “There is much that we can contribute as individuals, communities, and organizations. Taking time to volunteer or donate to those in need is a step in the right direction. Our office, as a federal family, is contributing to an organization that works to protect the most vulnerable in Guam. We wish the Alee Shelter the best as it uses this donation to fulfill its critical mission.”
USAO Guam
Illegal aliens from Romania sentenced to over three years in prison for card skimmer conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two Romanian nationals were sentenced on May 27 to three years and three months in prison for conspiracy to commit access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to court documents, from at least Nov. 29, 2024, to Nov. 19, 2025, Adrian Vasile Marin, 36, Sorin Postolache, 37, and their co-conspirators used “skimmer” devices to capture the credit and debit card information and personal identification numbers from unsuspecting victims at point-of-sale terminals and automated teller machines (ATMs). The conspirators then used the stolen credit and debit card information to create counterfeit cards to fraudulently withdraw funds from the victims’ bank accounts.
Marin and Postolache used fake passports and identity cards to rent mailboxes to receive equipment, often from overseas, to construct skimmers. Their home and storage unit were used to store numerous partially assembled and fully assembled skimmers, skimmer components, pinhole cameras, parts and facias of ATMs to which skimmers and pinhole cameras could be attached, parts of point-of-sale terminals, and stickers of store logos. Those locations also contained $100,377 in cash, 2,881 stolen card numbers or access devices, and numerous computers, cell phones, SD cards, and thumb drives capable of storing credit card, debit card, and PIN information.
The U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division and the FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the New York City Police Department.
Former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katlin O'Brien and Zachary Ray prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:26-cr-32 (Marin) and 1:26-cr-33 (Postolache).
Illegal Alien Who Lived in U.S. Under Stolen Identity for More Than Two Decades Sentenced to Prison for Voter Fraud, Identity Theft and Stealing over $400,000 in Federal BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian woman, unlawfully residing in Boston, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally receiving more than $259,000 in Section 8 rental assistance; over $100,000 in disability benefits; over $40,000 in SNAP benefits; and voter fraud. The defendant also applied for a United States passport and obtained a Massachusetts REAL ID along with eight other Massachusetts IDs under a stolen identity.
Lina Maria Orovio-Hernandez, 60, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 33 months in prison. The defendant was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $404,194. She is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence.
In February 2026, Orovio-Hernandez was convicted following a five-day jury trial of one count of false representation of a Social Security number; one count of making a false statement in an application for a United States passport; one count of aggravated identity theft; three counts of receiving stolen government money or property; and one count of fraudulent voting. Orovio-Hernandez has remained in federal custody since being indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 and later charged in a superseding indictment in May 2025.
“For more than two decades, this defendant treated the identity of an American citizen as a personal entitlement – exploiting it to enrich herself, evade the law and access government programs and privileges reserved for lawful residents and citizens of this country,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This was a deliberate, calculated fraud scheme carried out with blatant disregard for American taxpayers, our public institutions and the integrity of our elections. Even after her crimes were uncovered, the defendant attempted to flee and lied under oath. This case is exactly why we launched the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. These are not victimless crimes – and those who steal public benefits, exploit stolen identities and undermine public trust should expect federal prosecution.”
“Today’s sentencing holds Ms. Orovio-Hernandez accountable for a multi-decade scheme involving passport fraud, identity theft, and the abuse of federal programs,” said Nathan Hebert, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Boston Field Office. “DSS special agents will continue to investigate those who undermine the integrity of U.S. travel documents, defraud American citizens, and endanger the security of our nation. The collaborative relationships that DSS has with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners was essential in this investigation.”
“This sentence reflects the serious consequences of using a stolen identity to defraud government programs, obtain official documents under false pretenses, and undermine the integrity of our democratic processes,” said Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge, Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General (SSA OIG), Boston–New York Field Division. “The defendant unlawfully used a stolen identity to obtain Social Security benefits and commit additional federal offenses. We remain committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate and hold accountable individuals who commit false representation of a Social Security number and exploit Social Security programs for personal gain.”
“Orovio-Hernandez spent more than two decades living under a false identity while orchestrating a sophisticated fraud scheme that resulted in the theft of more than $400,000 in taxpayer-funded federal benefits, including substantial HUD rental assistance funds intended to support our nation’s most vulnerable populations,” said Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “Her actions were not a one-time mistake or lapse in judgment, but a calculated and sustained effort to defraud the United States Government over many years. HUD OIG remains steadfast in our commitment to working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue those who exploit federally funded housing programs and threaten the integrity of critical public assistance programs.”
Orovio-Hernandez, a Colombian national without lawful status in the United States, lived under a stolen identity for more than 20 years using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico. From 2004 through 2024, Orovio-Hernandez used the stolen identity to obtain nine Massachusetts-issued identification documents, including driver’s licenses, learner’s permits and a Massachusetts REAL ID. To obtain the IDs, Orovio-Hernandez repeatedly submitted fraudulent identity documents, including a Social Security card and Puerto Rico birth certificate in the victim’s name. Orovio-Hernandez also filed petitions in Puerto Rico Superior Court seeking a late-registered Puerto Rico birth certificate under the stolen identity and ultimately obtained the fraudulent birth certificate in November 2022.
Using the stolen identity, Orovio-Hernandez fraudulently obtained hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal benefits intended for U.S. citizens and lawful residents. Between April 2005 and January 2025, Orovio-Hernandez improperly received approximately $43,348 in SNAP benefits after repeatedly claiming under penalty of perjury that she was a U.S. citizen. In addition, from July 2014 through January 2025, Orovio-Hernandez fraudulently received approximately $101,257 in Supplemental Security Income disability benefits after falsely representing to the Social Security Administration that she was a U.S. citizen born in Puerto Rico who had never used another name or lived outside the United States. Orovio-Hernandez also obtained approximately $259,589 in Section 8 rental assistance benefits from October 2011 through January 2025 after falsely claiming U.S. citizenship on federally subsidized housing applications and annual recertification forms.
In furtherance of the scheme, Orovio-Hernandez used the stolen identity to vote in the November 2024 presidential election in Boston. Later that year, in November 2024, Orovio-Hernandez appeared at a U.S. Post Office in Jamaica Plain and applied for a U.S. passport using the stolen identity, falsely claiming she was born in Puerto Rico and submitting the fraudulently obtained Massachusetts REAL ID and Puerto Rico birth certificate as proof of identity.
U.S. Attorney Foley; DSS SAC Hebert; SSA OIG SAC Connelly; HUD OIG SAC Rice; and Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations – Northeast Region made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg and Assistant U.S. Attorney Allegra Flamm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement 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.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Four Arrested for Running Large-Scale Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Operation in ClevelandRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – Four Cuyahoga County men were arrested for allegedly running a large-scale drug manufacturing and trafficking organization throughout Northeast Ohio. These arrests are the result of an intensive, 15 months-long investigation by federal agents and prosecutors with the Cleveland Homeland Security Task Force.
The following individuals were charged by criminal complaint:
- Marcus Brown, 36, of Cleveland
- Kardell Henderson, 32, of Solon
- Terence Montgomery, 32, of Cleveland
- Devonte Poteat, 30, of Euclid
All four defendants were arrested and remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
According to a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) affidavit, in late summer 2025, ATF and Homeland Security Investigations, along with other federal and local law enforcement agencies, were investigating large-scale narcotics trafficking throughout Northern Ohio. Brown, Henderson, Montgomery and Poteat were subsequently identified by law enforcement as suspected drug traffickers.
During a search warrant execution of a suspected stash house in East Cleveland, agents located more than 20 bags that were later confirmed to contain various amounts of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base (crack). One room in the residence was set up for drug manufacturing. Inside, items such as a breathing respirator and a drug press were discovered, along with a loaded firearm. Multiple bags of suspected illegal drugs, which were packaged and prepped for distribution, were also located throughout the residence hidden under mattresses, in furniture, and in a clothes hamper.
“This investigation would not be possible without the incredible collaboration among all levels of law enforcement here in our Northern District of Ohio,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer. “We have a common goal to target and go after suspected drug traffickers who destroy our communities. With the support and full resources of the Homeland Security Task Force we are equipped to stop violent criminals who profit from hurting others.”
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) remains steadfast in its commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners to investigate and dismantle organized criminal organizations that threaten the safety of our communities,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Jorge Rosendo. “Through the coordinated efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force, we are holding violent offenders accountable and making Northern Ohio a safer place for all residents.”
“The Homeland Security Task Force works alongside state and local law enforcement to safeguard our communities and stem the flow of illicit narcotics into Northeast Ohio,” said HSI Detroit Acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “I am proud of the HSI special agents and our partners for removing these dangerous drugs from our streets and preventing further harm and loss for Ohio families.”
Additionally, several other locations in Euclid, South Euclid, and Solon connected to the defendants were also subjected to a court-authorized search. Items that were seized included bags of suspected illegal drugs, firearms, ammunition, digital scales, blenders, numerous cellphones, cash, and money counters.
Among all four locations, federal agents seized:
- 1,355.74 grams of Fentanyl
- 1,117.97 grams of Cocaine
- 2,709.16 grams of Cocaine Base (Crack)
- 5 Firearms
- More than $17,000 in U.S. Currency
Brown, Henderson, Montgomery, and Poteat were each charged with:
- Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl
- Possession with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 400 Grams or More of Fentanyl
- Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute 500 Grams or More of Cocaine
If convicted, each defendant faces 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.
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 Cleveland comprises agents and officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies including ATF, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Border Patrol Air & Marine Operations. Local and regional agencies involved in this case included the Cleveland Division of Police, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cleveland Heights Police Department, Westlake Police Department, and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office. Evidence analysis was conducted by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the Cuyahoga County Regional Forensic Science Laboratory.
Assistant United States Attorneys Marc D. Bullard and Scott Zarzycki for the Northern District of Ohio are leading the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Gulfport Man Sentenced to Life for Fentanyl Offenses and 300 Months for Conspiracy to Tamper with WitnessesRead the Press Release
Gulfport, MS – A Gulfport man was sentenced May 29th, 2026 to life in prison for fentanyl offenses and 300 months in prison for conspiracy to commit witness tampering.
According to the evidence and testimony presented during trial, while Agee was serving a prison sentence in the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Beaumont, Texas, he ran a drug trafficking conspiracy based in Gulfport, Mississippi. Agee directed other members of the conspiracy to make fentanyl sales, transfer the proceeds of fentanyl sales, and store fentanyl through messaging applications, text messages, and video calls on a contraband cell phone. He also arranged for the shipment of fentanyl from Mexico to Gulfport, Mississippi for distribution. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl, which was attributable to Agee’s drug conspiracy. Ultimately, the total amount of fentanyl attributable to Agee’s conspiracy was over 4 kilograms.
Shortly before trial began, law enforcement discovered that Agee was actively conspiring with others to tamper with the Government’s witnesses. He was subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit witness tampering. He pleaded guilty to that offense.
“We will continue to aggressively pursue those traffickers who flood our communities with poison. This case demonstrates that organized crime can operate from anywhere.” said U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger. “I commend my prosecutors and law enforcement partners their life saving work and continued commitment to this effort.”
"Fentanyl is a devastating plague on our communities, and the lengths to which this individual went to sustain his criminal enterprise – using contraband phones from prison and conspiring to tamper with government witnesses – demonstrates a complete disregard for human life and the law," said DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. "Thanks to the seamless, coordinated efforts of our law enforcement partners, a major source of synthetic opioids has been permanently dismantled, ensuring our neighborhoods are safer today."
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi; and DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Gulfport Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, and Federal Bureau of Prisons, investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hunter McCreight and Jonathan Buckner prosecuted the case
Four Luzerne County Men Charged in Machinegun Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Shaitq Crum, age 27, Nasir Shelton, age 24, Alphonse Bartiromo, age 18, and Brendan Shadle, age 23, of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, were indicted by a federal grand jury on machinegun trafficking and firearms charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Crum, Shelton, Bartiromo, and Shadle conspired to possess and transfer machineguns and machinegun conversion devices. A machinegun conversion device is gun part designed and intended to convert a firearm into a machinegun, allowing it to function as a fully automatic weapon. The indictment alleges the co-conspirators dealt in two types of machinegun conversion devices, that is, what are known as “Glock switches” and “auto-sears.”
The indictment further alleges that the co-conspirators obtained machineguns from multiple sources before selling them for profit, as well as manufacturing machinegun conversion devices themselves using a 3D printer. The indictment also charges several firearms trafficking offenses involving various firearms including an AR-15 pistol with an obliterated serial number and multiple privately made firearms, commonly referred to as “ghost guns.”
“According to the charges, these defendants were responsible for manufacturing and distributing weapons and conversion devices capable of fueling significant violence in our communities,” said Wayne A. Jacobs, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Philadelphia. “Those who manufacture and traffic in these weapons and devices are contributing directly to the cycle of violent crime, and they will be pursued aggressively. I want to thank the women and men of the Steamtown Safe Streets Task Force and all of our law enforcement partners whose dedication and professionalism made today’s announcement possible. Your efforts are making our communities safer.”
“Firearms trafficking puts guns into the hands of the criminals who strike our communities,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In this case those firearms included weapons designed to prevent their tracing, an illegal machinegun, and dangerous machinegun conversion devices that switch handguns into automatic fire weapons. Working with our law enforcement partners and using ATF’s unique capabilities, we helped expose this dangerous enterprise and will continue to work together to keep our Commonwealth’s communities safe from the dangers of firearms trafficking.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Wilkes-Barre City Police Department, and the Luzerne County Drug Task Force investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle A. Moreno is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The indictment charges 21 counts of firearms offenses. The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses ranges from 5 to 15 years of imprisonment per count, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Fort Pierce Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Biofuel Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The owner of a company that produced and sold renewable fuel and fuel credits was sentenced today to serve 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release, and to pay $2,857,029 in restitution and a $150,000 fine, for his role in a scheme that generated over $7 million in fraudulent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) renewable fuel credits and sought over $6 million in fraudulent tax credits connected to the purported production of biodiesel.
According to court documents, Christopher Burdett owned a biofuel company based in Fort Pierce, that claimed to turn various feedstocks into biodiesel. However, when reporting the number of gallons they produced to the IRS and EPA, Burdett and General Manager Royce Gillham vastly overstated their production volume to generate more credits. When auditors sought more information from the company, Burdett and Gillham provided false information about their fuel production and customers.
“This was not a paperwork error or a regulatory misunderstanding. It was fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Burdett inflated biodiesel production numbers, misled auditors, generated more than $7 million in fraudulent EPA renewable fuel credits, and sought more than $6 million in fraudulent tax credits from the American taxpayer. Today’s sentence of 18 months makes clear that fraud against public programs carries real consequences. Public incentive programs depend on honesty. When companies lie to regulators and try to turn environmental programs into vehicles for fraud, they will face federal prosecution, prison time, and financial accountability. Fraud does not pay, and defendants do not get to keep the proceeds of their crimes.”
“The defendant lied to and defrauded the federal government, fuel producers, and fuel consumers of the United States by claiming and profiting from renewable fuel credits for fuel that was never produced or sold. His actions compromised and undermined a program designed to provide an abundant source of clean renewable fuel,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Leslie Carroll of EPA’s criminal enforcement program in Florida. “Today’s sentencing shows that there are severe consequences for individuals who defraud the Clean Air Act Renewable Fuel Standards program and their customers.”
“Claiming fraudulent tax credits is not just cheating the system — it’s stealing from the American public,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Scott A. Johnson of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Florida Field Office. “We will remain committed to protecting taxpayer dollars and ensuring that those who engage in these schemes are held accountable.”
Burdett previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud and to file false claims. For his role in the scheme, Gillham was previously sentenced to 37 months in prison.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD), U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Assistant Administrator Jeffrey Hall of the EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, and Special Agent in Charge Ron Loecker of IRS-CI’s Florida Field Office made the announcement.
The EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division and IRS-CI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Funk for the Southern District of Florida and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
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.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 25-cr-14071.
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Fort Myers Convicted Felon Sentenced to More Than Five Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Walter James Marshall (32, Fort Myers) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 5 years and 10 months in federal prison for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. Marshall pleaded guilty on February 11, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on June 12, 2025, Marshall was stopped by the Fort Myers Police Department for driving on a suspended license. During a search of his vehicle, officers recovered a loaded SCCY pistol under the driver’s seat. DNA swabs taken from the pistol and from Marshall linked him to the firearm. As a previously convicted felon, Marshall is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.
This case was investigated by the Fort Myers Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
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.
Former Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced to 12 Years for Fatal Shooting of Unarmed Fleeing ArresteeRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Former San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Aaron Richard Russell was sentenced in federal court today to 12 years in prison for fatally shooting a 36-year-old unarmed man who was struck four times from behind as he tried to run away from authorities.
Russell was convicted by a federal jury in March following a two-week trial and less than seven hours of deliberation. The jury found that the defendant violated the civil rights of the victim, Nicholas Bils, by fatally shooting him in the back as he ran away.
At trial, Russell was found guilty of both counts filed against him. For Count 1 - Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law – he was sentenced to 24 months; For Count 2, he received the mandatory minimum sentence of 120 months for Use and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence. The sentenced are to be served consecutively, for a total of 12 years.
“The Constitution protects every person from the unjustified use of deadly force by law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“Today's sentence demonstrates the FBI's sworn duty to investigate any potential civil rights violation,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “Working closely with the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI will always stand behind our mission of upholding the Constitution and protecting the American people.”
Russell, who has been free on bond, was ordered to report to prison by July 13 at noon.
Before pronouncing sentence, U.S. District Judge Todd Robinson said: “Law enforcement is rightfully held to a higher standard because of the power they’re imbued with to protect the community…It is difficult to imagine offense conduct more aggravated than intentionally taking the life of another person.”
In a statement from the victim’s mother that was read by prosecutors at the hearing, Kathleen Bils said the loss of her son was “excruciating.” She described him as kind, thoughtful and gentle. “No mother should ever be awakened in the middle of the night to hear her child has been killed by law enforcement for running away. To hear that those trained and sworn to protect us have shot and killed one of us for fleeing is egregious.”
The victim’s cousin recalled a happy childhood growing up with Bils, and her grief over his killing. “My faith has been shattered. My family has been shattered . . . I just want Nicky to come home, but he won’t.”
According to evidence presented at trial, on May 1, 2020, the defendant—who at the time was a deputy with the San Diego Sheriff’s Department—fired five shots at the unarmed victim as he attempted to flee from custody while California State Parks Police officers were transporting him to the San Diego Central Jail in downtown San Diego. Four of the rounds fired by the defendant hit Bils, including one that struck Bils squarely in the back and fatally pierced his heart and lung. After being shot, Bils staggered to the northwest corner of Front and B Streets, where he collapsed, his body falling half on the sidewalk and half in a planter next to a tree. Other officers and paramedics tried to save his life, but he was pronounced dead shortly after being transported to the hospital.
The shooting was captured on multiple surveillance cameras along Front Street, as well as on body-worn camera footage from officers who responded to the scene shortly afterward. No other officer on scene at the time of the shooting even pulled their firearm when Bils began running away. At trial, multiple officers testified that it was apparent that Bils was not a threat to anyone, that they never for a moment considered shooting Bils, and that it “wasn’t even a close call.” Other eyewitnesses, including a nurse and a firefighter, testified that they were “shocked” that the defendant shot Bils in the back. Highlighting the extreme danger he unnecessarily created that day, the fifth round fired by the defendant struck a civilian vehicle that was traveling southbound on Front Street at the time.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth Askins and Michael Songer and Department of Justice Civil Rights Trial Attorney Lia Wright Tesconi.
DEFENDANT Case Number 24-cr-1015
Aaron Richard Russell Age: 29
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law Using a Dangerous Weapon and Resulting in Death – 18 U.S.C. § 242
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $500,000 fine
Use and Discharge of a Firearm During and In Relation to a Crime of Violence – 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)
Maximum penalty: Mandatory Minimum 10 years in prison and $500,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Former NYPD Detective Sentenced to 75 Months in Prison for Violent Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that SAUL ARISMENDY DE LA CRUZ, a/k/a “Nene,” a/k/a “Venom,” a former member of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Nelson S. Román to 75 months in prison for accepting bribes to provide members of a theft crew in which he participated with confidential police information about potential victims and ongoing investigations. DE LA CRUZ had pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, in connection with his participation in the violent theft crew.
“The NYPD is the greatest police department in the world,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Yet Saul Arismendy De La Cruz betrayed his colleagues and the New Yorkers he was sworn to protect. His selfish crimes cannot tarnish the NYPD but must be met with justice as they were today.”
As alleged in the Indictment and Superseding Indictments unsealed in White Plains federal court:
DE LA CRUZ was one of a number of defendants charged for participation in a violent theft crew led by the fugitive DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ, a/k/a “Pito,” pictured below:
DAGOBERTO SOTO-RAMIREZ: WANTED BY THE FBI
Between 2017 and 2022, SOTO-RAMIREZ organized a crew that committed residential burglaries and home invasion robberies, repeatedly targeting small business owners. The majority of the targeted victims were Asian American. Armed with guns and other weapons, members of the crew stole money, jewelry, and other property from scores of homes in states across the country. Others took part in the crew’s criminal scheme, which also included the use of false identification, bank fraud, and laundering theft proceeds. In addition, SOTO-RAMIREZ and other members of the conspiracy bribed DE LA CRUZ, first an officer and later a detective of the NYPD, who helped members of the crew escape arrest.
SOTO-RAMIREZ remains a fugitive. Anyone with information about his whereabouts should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) at 1-800-CALL-FBI or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
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In addition to his prison sentence, DE LA CRUZ, 33, of Queens, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $100,000 in forfeiture and $219,459 in restitution to victims.
Mr. Clayton praised the investigative work of the FBI, the Westchester County Joint Organized Crime Task Force, the New York Public Corruption Task Force, the Westchester County Department of Public Safety, the NYPD, the Nassau County Police Department, the New York State Police and the Fort Lee Police Department.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Josiah Pertz, Jeffrey C. Coffman, and Ben Arad are in charge of the prosecution.
Former Mail Carrier Sentenced for Theft of Postal Customers' Prescription DrugsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing packages containing prescription medications from postal customers on his postal route.
Michael Vernon, 53, of Waltham, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to time served (one day) to be followed by one year of supervised release. Vernon was also ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. In December 2025, Vernon pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by a postal officer or employee. Vernon was arrested and charged in September 2025.
On Jan. 31, 2024, over 1,000 pieces of undelivered mail and 17 bottles of pills prescribed to 10 different postal customers on Vernon’s postal route were discovered in his personal vehicle. Most of the customers whose medications Vernon stole were elderly. The medications included Gabapentin, Chlorthalidone, Citalopram, Bupropion, Glipizide, Butalbital, Atomoxetine, Escitalopram and Tamsulosin Hydrochloride. These medications are used to treat nerve pain, seizures, diabetes, high blood pressure, enlarged prostate, depression, anxiety and ADHD. The pill bottles were dated as far back as June 2022.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.