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Wednesday 27 May 2026
Former Burlington Loan Officer Pleads Guilty to Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
A former loan officer at a Dubuque credit union, who filed a bankruptcy case after perpetrating a vehicle lien stripping scheme against her employer, pled guilty on May 27, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Kylie Jo Bench, formerly known as Kylie Jo Parrish, age 27, from Burlington, Iowa, was convicted of one count of bankruptcy fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In a plea agreement, Bench admitted that a Dubuque credit union hired her as a loan officer at a branch in Burlington in 2022. When the credit union hired Bench, she had outstanding loans on two late-model vehicles, a Ford and a Dodge, at other financial institutions. Bench owed over $100,000 on the vehicles. After the credit union hired Bench, Bench and another individual jointly refinanced those loans with her new employer.
In August 2022, without the credit union’s knowledge, Bench sold the two vehicles at a car dealership in Cedar Rapids. Bench did not disclose or record the credit union’s security interests in the vehicles at any time. Instead, Bench provided the car dealership with a letter, purportedly signed by one of the credit union’s executives on fake letterhead, which falsely stated that the loans were “paid off” and had “a zero balance.” In truth, neither Bench nor the other individual had repaid the loans on the two vehicles they had recently refinanced.
In March 2023, Bench caused an attorney file a document in a voluntary Chapter 7 bankruptcy case in which she falsely denied under oath transferring any property on account of a debt that benefitted an insider, when in truth Bench had sold the Ford and the Dodge and those sales benefitted the other individual who owed money on the vehicle loans.
Bench is the fourth person convicted of bankruptcy fraud crimes in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Iowa this year.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Bench remains free on bond previously set. Bench faces a mandatory minimum two-year prison term and a possible maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-95.
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Former Boone County Commission Employee Sentenced to Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Gregory Neal Hager, 41, of Madison, was sentenced today to seven years and three months in prison, to be followed by 25 years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Hager must also register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 7, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Hager’s residence in Madison and seized an external hard drive connected to his desktop computer. A forensic examination of the external hard drive revealed 146 images and six videos of child pornography depicting a pubescent minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. As part of his guilty plea, Hager admitted that the images and videos of child pornography were screen captures from Snapchat conversations between himself and the minor, that he saved the child pornography on the external hard drive, and that he knew the minor was under 18 years old.
At the time Hager’s conversations with the minor victim took place, he was a volunteer firefighter with the Danville Volunteer Fire Department, which the minor victim was interested in joining. Hager was a volunteer firefighter from 2003 until December 2023. From 2020 until his arrest in December 2023, Hager was a systems administrator for the Boone County Commission.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)..
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-94.
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Five Charged Following Six-Month Drug Trafficking Investigation; U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Civil Forfeiture Action Against Hotel Allegedly Used to Facilitate Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Five individuals are facing federal drug trafficking and firearms charges following a joint investigation by the FBI and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department into alleged narcotics activity at The Garden Inn & Suites (Garden Inn) in Charlotte’s Sugar Creek corridor, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Four of the federally charged defendants were arrested during an early morning law enforcement operation, along with five additional individuals facing related state drug and firearms charges, bringing the total number of arrests to nine. In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action seeking the forfeiture of the Garden Inn, alleging the property was a site of – and facilitated – significant illegal drug trafficking.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Let this be a message to hotel and business owners who knowingly put profits above the safety of the community,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “My office will not hesitate to seize properties that serve as hubs of crime.”
“The FBI is reducing violent crime and making our communities safer across the country, including at home in Charlotte,” said Special Agent in Charge Davis. “This federal investigation and arrest operation is a direct result of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, a force multiplier putting federal, state, and local agencies side by side, sharing intelligence in real time, and combining resources to target drug traffickers and gangs. Criminals can no longer hide behind jurisdictional lines to escape justice.”
“This hotel property has functioned as a stronghold for illicit activity, operating as a distribution hub for illegal firearms and narcotics,” said Chief Patterson. “The data tells a stark, undeniable story: in 2025, CMPD officers responded to over 240 calls for service at this single location—a staggering, nearly 20% increase compared to the year prior. I am incredibly proud of the investigative work performed by CMPD detectives and officers, as well as our federal partners. When local, state, and federal agencies align their power, we do not just disrupt criminal enterprises—we dismantle them.”
This morning, multiple law enforcement teams led by FBI agents and CMPD officers executed arrest warrants and search warrants at The Garden Inn located at 4904 Reagan Drive in Charlotte, following a six-month investigation into the distribution of fentanyl and other controlled substances in and around the hotel. Through surveillance, undercover work, controlled drug buys, and other investigative techniques, investigators charged five individuals with federal drug and gun offenses. During the investigation, law enforcement also seized fentanyl, cocaine base, and other narcotics as well as illegal firearms.
Firearms and Narcotics Seized During the Investigation
Criminal indictments against the five individuals were filed last week and unsealed today. Four of those charged were arrested this morning. They are:
- Justin Lamont Day, 29, is charged with distribution of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
- Michael Boatwright, 37, of Charlotte, is charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl.
- Marcus Logan, 39, of Gastonia, N.C., is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
- Naquan Smith, 43, of Charlotte, is charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
A fifth individual charged via a federal criminal indictment with fentanyl distribution, cocaine base distribution, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person has not been arrested yet.
According to allegations contained in the indictments and the civil forfeiture complaint, the hotel operated as a hub for drug trafficking activity. Boatwright, Day, and others were allegedly renting rooms on the property and using the rooms and other areas in and around the hotel to store and distribute drugs. It is further alleged that other individuals, including Smith, facilitated drug trafficking and other criminal activity at the hotel.
Court documents further allege that law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of narcotics and firearms from four members of the hotel’s security team, including Logan, the head of security. The forfeiture complaint further alleges the hotel security team often had extensive criminal records and/or were previously documented gang members, who used their security jobs at the Garden Inn as cover for dealing drugs there—with some even wearing the security uniform during the drug deals.
Court documents further allege the hotel’s owner was warned about the drug use and drug trafficking on the property, yet failed to take meaningful action to stop the criminal activity despite repeated law enforcement interventions and hundreds of calls for service. Additionally, the hotel’s owner was allegedly warned of law enforcement concerns that employing security known to sell narcotics would increase the likelihood of drug use and sales on the property.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI and CMPD for their investigation of the case, and thanked Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Probation Office, the North Carolina Adult Department of Corrections, the Gastonia Police Department, and the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, for their assistance with the arrests.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges and allegations contained in the filed documents are allegations only. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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.
Final of Four Conspirators Sentenced to over 18 Years in Prison for Using Darknet Marketplace to Distribute Dangerous Counterfeit Pills in Homeland Security Task Force CaseRead the Press Release
As a result of a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation, four Massachusetts men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy to manufacture counterfeit pills and distribute them across the United States.
According to court documents, from at least May 2022 to June 2025, Daniel John Blaney, 28; Kenneth Emmanuel Lora, 27; David Robert Kable Jr., 27; and Javier Alexander Bermudez, 31, all from Lynn, Massachusetts, engaged in a massive conspiracy to manufacture and distribute counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene (Pyro), methamphetamine, and Bromazolam. The conspirators transported the pills in kilogram quantities from the Northeast to a redistributor in New York and then distributed them primarily via darknet marketplaces and the U.S. Postal Service to customers nationwide.
Blaney was sentenced today to 18 years and 4 months in prison. Kable was sentenced on April 29 to 12 years in prison. Bermudez was sentenced March 18 to 12 years in prison. Lora was sentenced on Dec. 17, 2025, to 15 years in prison. The defendants had previously pleaded guilty: Blaney on Jan. 7; Kable on Dec. 2, 2025; Bermudez on Dec. 9, 2025; and Lora on Aug. 27, 2025.
“These four men are responsible for manufacturing and then flooding American communities with incredibly dangerous counterfeit narcotics, some of which contained synthetic opioids even more powerful than deadly Fentanyl,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Thanks to the combined efforts of the Homeland Security Task Force, this scheme has been dismantled, and the conspirators have been prosecuted and imprisoned for their crimes against the American people.”
“These four conspirators orchestrated a large-scale scheme to manufacture and distribute counterfeit pills laced with deadly amounts of dangerous chemicals that took the lives of too many victims, and it could have easily been many more,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “These criminals will spend years behind bars for the incredible turmoil they have inflicted on American families. This is yet another victory for the Homeland Security Task Force, fervently using all available prosecutorial and investigative tools to put criminals like these four men in federal prison so they cannot infect communities and destroy more lives.”
“Criminals who exploit darknet marketplaces to traffic counterfeit pills are fueling a deadly epidemic with absolutely no regard for human life,” said Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Acting Executive Associate Director John Condon. “These defendants manufactured and distributed substances so dangerous that a single pill can be fatal. Through relentless investigation and close coordination across the Homeland Security Task Force, law enforcement dismantled this operation and held these people accountable. We will continue pursuing the individuals and networks profiting from poison in our communities.”
The conspirators used industrial pill presses to manufacture counterfeit Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax pills. Instead of the pharmaceuticals’ normal content, however, the conspirators’ pills contained differing substances depending on the batch. For example, the conspiracy’s counterfeit oxycodone pills contained a number of substances, including fentanyl and Pyro. Counterfeit Adderall pills typically contained methamphetamine, while counterfeit Xanax pills typically contained Bromazolam, a synthetic benzodiazepine.
The conspirators typically received payment from customers in the form of cryptocurrency. Estimates of the conspiracy’s reach show that the conspiracy was responsible for at least 9,000 sales of pills containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, or Pyro.
Pyro is in the Nitazene class of synthetic opioids commonly sourced from China and mixed into other drugs. The most common Nitazenes are approximately five times the strength of fentanyl. The Pyro in this case is approximately 20-40 times stronger than fentanyl. Over a dozen fatal overdoses were related to the conspiracy’s pills.
On June 4, 2025, Lora was arrested in New York. During a search of his drug premise, investigators recovered over 39 kilograms of controlled substances.
On June 17, 2025, law enforcement searched a storage unit maintained by Bermudez and Blaney and recovered five industrial pill presses, pill press attachments used to imprint counterfeit pharmaceutical brandings onto pills, over 33 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 41 kilograms of binding material, and manufacturing paraphernalia.
On July 12, 2025, Blaney fled through Canada and ultimately to Thailand to avoid prosecution. In advance of his flight, he fraudulently obtained a rush U.S. Passport. Blaney was expelled from Thailand and taken into federal custody on Aug. 25, 2025.
The FBI Washington Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service New York Division, New York City Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and HSI investigated the case. The FBI Boston Field Office, DEA New England Division, and the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts provided significant investigative assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Christopher M. Carter for the Eastern District of Virginia prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in Blaney’s return to the United States.
This case is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. 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 Manassas is comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; HSI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); DEA; the Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Marshals Service; the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; CBP; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA. Prosecution is being led by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
This case is also 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.
Felon Sentenced for Possessing Rocket Launcher, Drugs, and FirearmsRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A prior felon living in Tulsa was sentenced today for possessing a spent military rocket launcher, drugs, and firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour sentenced Deangelo LaShawn Favors, 48, for Felon in Possession of Firearms; Possession of Fentanyl with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute; Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking; and Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises. Favors was ordered to serve 360 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In 2024, agents with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics began an investigation into bulk fentanyl and methamphetamine distribution in Oklahoma. Agents received a tip in the fall of 2024 that stated Favors was storing bulk quantities of fentanyl in Tulsa. A tracker was placed on Favors' vehicle, which led agents to his apartment and storage unit. When agents executed a search warrant on Favors' apartment and storage unit, they found a spent military rocket launcher that belonged to the United States, several firearms, more than 1.9 pounds of fentanyl, more than 4.4 pounds of cocaine, and over 14 pounds of methamphetamine.
Court records show that Favors has been convicted of several felonies, including aggravated assault, illegal drug and firearm possession in Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas. Favors will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Narcotics, the Bureau of Indian Affairs – Division of Drug Enforcement, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Tulsa Field Office, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Rogers County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy prosecuted the case.
Federal Jury Convicts Two Out-of-State Residents in Pandemic Relief Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – On May 21, 2026, a federal jury convicted a South Carolina man and an Oregon woman for their roles in a fraud scheme that generated more than $9.1 million in disaster-relief loans for dozens of businesses across the country.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Devlon Porter, 51, conspired with Jady Solano, a Wilmington tax preparer, to submit fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. The PPP was a COVID-19 relief program designed to safeguard jobs during the pandemic. Porter paid Solano to prepare two applications on behalf of companies that had no actual employees. The applications falsely claimed that the companies maintained substantial annual payrolls exceeding $1 million and relied on fabricated tax forms. As a result of the scheme, Porter received over $287,000 in wrongful disbursements, paid Solano more than $50,000 in kickbacks, and never repaid the loans. The jury convicted Porter of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Amber Baldwin, 56, received over $280,000 after Solano submitted a PPP loan application falsely claiming a shell company she owned had an annual payroll exceeding $1 million. Like Porter’s applications, Baldwin’s submission relied on false tax documents. Baldwin never repaid her loan and paid over $95,000 in kickbacks to co-conspirators. The jury convicted Baldwin of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was designed to provide an economic lifeline to American workers and small businesses during a historic crisis,” said Benjamin L. Wallace, U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware. “Instead of using these emergency funds for their intended purpose, Devlon Porter and Amber Baldwin exploited a public-relief program to line their own pockets. This verdict demonstrates that those who attempt to defraud federal programs will be held accountable. We remain deeply committed to protecting taxpayer dollars, and we thank our partners at the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation for their exceptional work in dismantling this nationwide scheme.”
“I am proud of the diligent investigative work which led to these convictions,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “Devlon Porter, Amber Baldwin and their co-conspirators stole from American taxpayers, treating pandemic relief like a personal slush fund. The FBI will continue to work with our partners to identify, investigate and hold accountable criminals defrauding critical government programs and abusing public trust.”
“Devlon Porter and Jady Solano deliberately carried out a scheme to defraud a program that was designed to assist people during the pandemic,” said Philadelphia Field Office Special Agent in Charge Yury Kruty. “This verdict serves as a warning to others that IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners stand ready to investigate those who attempt to fleece the government.”
Porter faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison for his bank-fraud conspiracy conviction and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for his money-laundering conspiracy conviction. Baldwin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the FBI Baltimore Field Office’s Wilmington Resident Agency investigated the case. U.S. Attorney Wallace and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan C. Williamson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:24-cr-109-JLH.
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Father’s Murder Yields Guilty Verdict for D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – D’Andre Montgomery, 20, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia, on charges of shooting and killing 28-year-old Kenneth Barksdale in Southeast D.C., in December 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Montgomery was found guilty, on May 26, 2026, of one count of second-degree murder while armed, one count of conspiracy, and one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle during a crime of violence, by a Superior Court jury. Judge Michael Ryan scheduled sentencing for August 21, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:07 p.m., on December 16, 2023, Montgomery and his co-defendants Kevin Hider, 20, and Eric Sheffield, 21, were driving around the 1200 Block of 44th Place, Southeast, pulling the door handles of parked cars to see if the cars were unlocked and available to steal. The victim, Kenneth Barksdale, had parked his car on the street and taken his one-year-old son inside his family’s home. Once inside the home, Mr. Barksdale realized he forgot his phone in his car. He went back outside to his car at the exact moment the defendants were breaking into it. When Mr. Barksdale confronted the defendants, they responded by shooting him. The defendants continued to shoot at Mr. Barksdale even as he ran away, back up the stairs to his mother’s home. Mr. Barksdale died later that evening.
Montgomery was arrested on July 31, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Gregory Evans and Shauna Payyappilly. The case was initially prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Charles Jones.
FBI-Kansas City and KCPD Honored for Efforts to Reduce Youth Opioid OverdosesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Honorable R. Matthew Price, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, presented the 2026 Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award today to the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Kansas City (FBI-KC) Transnational Organized Crime Squad and the Kansas City Police Department (KCPD) Drug Investigation Squad.
The award is presented annually to honor the memory of Crystal Kipper and Ali Kemp, both of whom were fatal victims of tragic crimes.
U.S. Attorney Price presented the award during a ceremony held in the Western District. The honorees spearhead a task force of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies that work to combat the opioid crisis and address the growing number of fentanyl overdose deaths in the greater Kansas City area. The task force is led by FBI Special Agent Ellen Judy and Supervisory Special Agent Joseph Michael from the FBI Transnational Organized Crime Squad; and Detective (Retired) Cory Horalek and Sergeant Aaron Benson from the KCPD-Drug Investigation Squad-1820 Squad.
Additional law enforcement partners include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; U.S. Border Patrol; Missouri State Highway Patrol; Jackson County Drug Task Force; Platte County Sheriff’s Office; Clay County Sheriff’s Office; and many other state and local organizations.
The team led an investigation of a wide-ranging drug trafficking organization in which several defendants sold counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, to drug users on social media. The organization’s actions led to the death of a 17-year-old Olathe, Kansas girl.
The initial investigation resulted in charges and successful prosecutions against 13 defendants and led to other investigations resulting in charges against at least 14 additional defendants. The conspiracy involved a large quantity of drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine, powder cocaine, and marijuana, with an estimated value of more than $4 million. In addition, 16 firearms and approximately $40,000 were seized during the investigation. The work of the task force led to a significant decrease in overdose deaths in the Western District of Missouri.
U.S. Attorney Price presented the Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award alongside Anna Kipper Rea, the mother of Crystal Kipper, and Jill and Bob Leiker of the Ali Kemp Educational Foundation, an organization founded by the late Roger Kemp, the father of Ali Kemp.
The Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial AwardThis is the 22nd year the award has been presented in memory of Crystal Kipper and Ali Kemp, two young women who were both fatal victims of tragic crimes. Crystal Kipper was an 18-year-old Gladstone, Mo., resident who was murdered after she ran out of gas on Interstate 29, just north of Platte City, on Feb. 24, 1997. Ali Kemp was a 19-year-old Blue Valley North High School graduate who was murdered on June 18, 2002, while she worked at the Foxborough neighborhood swimming pool in Leawood, Kan.
The Crystal Kipper & Ali Kemp Memorial Award is presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Missouri each year to recognize the outstanding work of an individual or organization in recognition of a valued contribution to preventing and responding to violent crime and the exploitation of children.Ex‑Federal Finance Director Sentenced for Kickback Scheme Steering $600,000 in Contracts to a FriendRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mathieu Zahui, 59, the former Director of Financial Management at the U.S. African Development Foundation, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to four months in prison in connection with a multi-year scheme in which he steered federal contracts to a friend's company, accepted cash payments in return, and then lied to federal investigators about it, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Mathieu Zahui spent fifteen years rising to the top of his agency’s financial operations and then used that authority to steer taxpayer‑funded contracts to a friend while pocketing cash for himself,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “When federal agents sought answers, he didn’t come clean; he doubled down with repeated lies. Public servants who betray the public trust and obstruct oversight will be held accountable.”
Zahui, of Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty on Feb. 23, 2026, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to one count of receiving a gratuity as a public official and to one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement. In addition to the four-month prison term, Judge Boasberg ordered Zahui to serve 12 months of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 21-month prison term.
According to court papers, the U.S. African Development Foundation is an independent federal agency established to support African-owned and African-led business enterprises. Zahui joined ADF as a budget analyst in 2010 and rose over fifteen years to become its Finance Director, serving in effect as the agency's chief financial officer with authority to review and approve invoices paid with taxpayer funds. Beginning in December 2020, he also served as ADF's Contracting Officer Representative, responsible for monitoring contractors’ performance and processing invoices, and received specific training on his obligation to avoid conflicts of interest.
Rather than honor those obligations, Zahui used his position to benefit a friend and the friend's company. In March 2020, Zahui directed ADF to award his friend's company a series of sole-source contracts, exempting it from competitive bidding, for purported logistical support services that the company never actually performed. The contracts, valued at about $173,640, $350,544, and $93,200, far exceeded the $100,000 cap on sole-source awards. Zahui approved invoices submitted by the company knowing they were illegitimate and unsupported by any actual work.
Zahui also arranged for other ADF contractors doing legitimate work to route their payments through his friend's company, allowing the friend to collect markups ranging from 17% to 66% for doing nothing. In one instance, Zahui directed a staffing company to issue a $120,000 invoice to his friend’s company, which had no involvement in the underlying work. The friend’s company then submitted a $140,653 invoice to ADF, and Zahui approved it, generating more than a $20,000 markup.
Over about three years, the friend's company submitted more than 20 such pass-through invoices and collected about $134,886 in markups for performing no legitimate work.
To avoid scrutiny from the Bureau of Fiscal Service, which was responsible for authorizing ADF payments, Zahui ensured that invoices consistently described the services as logistical support, even when they had nothing to do with logistics. In one instance, he directed another contractor to revise an invoice description to falsely reflect logistical services.
In return for steering the contracts and approving the fraudulent invoices, Zahui received $12,000 in eight separate cash payments from his friend.
When federal agents interviewed Zahui in January 2024, he denied receiving any benefits from his friend and downplayed the extent of their relationship, claiming they communicated only a few times a year. Phone records and emails later revealed they had in fact communicated nearly every day during some periods. In a second interview in February 2024, Zahui again lied to federal agents. The full extent of his conduct came to light only after investigators conducted an extensive review of his phone, emails, and ADF records.
As part of his sentence, Zahui was ordered to pay a criminal forfeiture money judgment of $12,000.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID-OIG), a statutorily independent law enforcement agency which has continued jurisdiction to investigate criminal activity affecting ongoing U.S. foreign assistance programs, including those administered by ADF.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sungtae Kang and former Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey of the Criminal Division's Fraud Section.
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.
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Elma man going to prison for 30 years for production and possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Matthew A. Steele, 55, of Elma, NY, who was convicted of production and possession of child pornography involving a prepubescent minor, was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. In addition, Steele was ordered to pay restitution totaling $410,610 to a victim in this case.
Between July 2008, and July 2010, Steele produced images of child pornography with a minor female (victim) on several occasions from the time she was approximately nine years old until she was approximately 12 years old. Some of the images were distributed by Steele to other unknown individuals. On March 11, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at his residence, seizing two electronic devices. A forensic review of the devices recovered numerous sexually explicit images of the victim created by Steele. In addition, 45 images of child pornography, not involving the victim, that Steele obtained over the internet were recovered. Some of the images included prepubescent minors and depicted violence against children.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Mango. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone, the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
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El Paso Man Convicted in Alien Smuggling Conspiracy as Part of the Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – After a three-day trial, a federal jury convicted an El Paso man of coordinating an alien smuggling operation that brought individuals, including an unaccompanied minor, from Mexico into the United States through southern New Mexico and Texas.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in March 2024, Juan Gomez Montiel, 32, coordinated the smuggling of a material witness from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, into the United States for $2,200. Gomez Montiel arranged for the witness to work with a Juárez based smuggler known as “Polo,” who transported the witness to a stash house in Juárez and later guided the witness to a hole cut into the border fence near Cristo Rey in Sunland Park, New Mexico. After the witness illegally crossed into the United States with a foot guide on April 5, 2024, the witness was transported to a tire shop in El Paso, Texas, where Gomez Montiel met them, asked whether the trip had gone smoothly, and paid the foot guide for his role in the smuggling operation.
Evidence at trial also showed Gomez Montiel contacted the witness in the following months seeking payment of the remaining $500 smuggling fee. Additional testimony established that in August 2024, Gomez Montiel coordinated the transportation of an unaccompanied minor from a stash house in El Paso to Albuquerque, New Mexico, using a driver who was, unbeknownst to Gomez Montiel, an undercover Texas Department of Public Safety agent.
Gomez Montiel was convicted of conspiracy to bring in and transport illegal aliens, bringing in an illegal alien for financial gain and transporting an illegal alien. Following the verdict, the Court ordered that Gomez Montiel be detained pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled. At sentencing, Gomez Montiel faces no less than three years and up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McRae of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso made the announcement today.
Homeland Security Investigations El Paso investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso County Sheriff's Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Devon Aragon-Martinez are prosecuting this case.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant United States Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 350 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force 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 U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, 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.
Department of Justice and United States Attorney Announce Brian Flikeid as Freedom 250 Hometown HeroRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa is proud to announce that Brian Flikeid, Chief of Police for the Aurelia and Marcus Police Departments, has been recognized as a Freedom 250 Hometown Hero. The prestigious national award honors individuals whose steadfast courage, generosity, and public service embody the enduring ideals of liberty and civic responsibility.
The Freedom 250 initiative was created in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. It recognizes outstanding Americans who make lasting contributions to their local communities.
Chief Flikeid was selected because of his leadership, collaboration, and tireless dedication to improving crime victims’ experiences within the criminal justice system. Chief Flikeid served as the founding president of the board of the S.A.F.E. Center of Iowa, which is dedicated to creating single sites to furnish complete care, from reporting to follow-up mental-health counseling, to victims of sexual assault. He currently serves on the board of the Centers Against Abuse and Sexual Assault, which provides critical services to victims of sexual assault across 19 counties in northwest Iowa, and is a founding member of the Cherokee County Sexual Assault Response Team. He was also appointed by the Iowa Police Chiefs Association to serve as its representative on the newly formed Iowa Child Abuse Fatality Review Committee.
In addition to that service, Chief Flikeid provides training on victim issues across the state to law-enforcement officers, sexual-assault nurse examiners, personnel of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, and victim advocates. This has included presentations at the Iowa Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Conference and the Iowa National Guard’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Team. Further, he has testified before the Iowa House of Representatives and Iowa Senate, advocating for legislation to assist victims.
“Chief Flikeid’s unwavering dedication, leadership, and compassion have earned him the deep respect of his colleagues and the gratitude of the victims and communities he serves,” summarized Aurelia Police Department Officer April Degner, who nominated Chief Flikeid for the award. “His leadership, compassion, and tireless dedication have made a profound and lasting impact on the lives of crime victims and the community,” wrote Marcus Police Officer Jacqueline Stephens in support of the nomination.
“There’s a reason that the lawman who stands up to protect the innocent is a classic American character,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson. “That dedication to defending the lives and liberty of your neighbors, of taking pride in your community and making it a better place to live, are the core of the American civic spirit. Brian Flikeid exemplifies that. As we celebrate our country’s 250th birthday, I’m grateful to have the honor to name Chief Flikeid as a Hometown Hero.”
Olson presented the award to Chief Flikeid on May 22 in a ceremony at the Aurelia Community Center.
For more information on the award and the Freedom 250 initiative, visit the Department of Justice News Page or White House Freedom 250 Page.
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Denver Man Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Denver, Colorado, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. The sentencing took place on May 22, 2026.
Juan Sertuche, 43, was sentenced to 40 years in federal prison on the charge of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl charges and five years in federal prison on the firearm charge. The sentences were ordered to be served consecutively. Sertuche was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following service of his term of imprisonment, and to pay a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sertuche was indicted for all three charges by a federal grand jury in June 2025 and was subsequently convicted by a federal trial jury of all charges following a three-day jury trial in January of this year.
Between 2002 and September 2023, Sertuche led a drug distribution conspiracy and provided approximately 500 pounds of methamphetamine and more than 33,000 fentanyl pills to multiple sub-distributors to be further distributed in the Rapid City and Pine Ridge areas of South Dakota. On one occasion, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of couriers who Sertuche had directed to travel from Denver to the Rapid City area. During the traffic stop, law enforcement discovered 19 pounds of methamphetamine intended to be further distributed in the Rapid City area. In September 2023, Sertuche was arrested following a traffic stop in Jackson County where he was found to be in possession of approximately 1,500 fentanyl pills that he intended to further distribute.
Following his arrest, Sertuche continued to direct others he was conspiring with to continue the drug distribution efforts, including by collecting money and making trips to Denver to pick up methamphetamine and fentanyl. Sertuche also directed another person on several occasions to collect numerous firearms that were part of his drug dealing to Denver to be traded for methamphetamine. Law enforcement was able to recover those firearms, including two fully automatic machine guns, before they could be taken and used as currency for drugs.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Wyoming State Highway Patrol, and the North Metro Denver Drug Task Force. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Sertuche was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Defendant Sentenced for Role in Alien Smuggling and Kidnapping SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Texas man, who conspired with others to kidnap, transport, and hold multiple victims at gunpoint for ransom that culminated in a deadly 2023 shootout in a quiet, Charlottesville neighborhood, was sentenced yesterday in federal court as part of Operation Take Back America.
Jordan Perez, 21, of Lockhart, Texas, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in federal prison. Perez pled guilty in June 2025 to one count of conspiracy to kidnap and one count of transporting an alien resulting in death.
Perez’s co-conspirator, Ricardo Ordaz, 26, of Cedar Creek Texas, was sentenced to more than 18 years in prison in January 2026 for his role in the conspiracy.
“Human trafficking is an affront to human decency and dignity. This sentence should send a clear and unmistakable message that the scourge of human trafficking will be aggressively prosecuted in the Western District of Virginia,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci. “As a result of outstanding cooperation among the Charlottesville Police Department, Albemarle County Police Department, DHS Homeland Security Investigations, and the commitment of Assistant United States Attorney Sullivan, justice was served in this case.”
“This case highlights the relentless efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and our law enforcement partners to disrupt dangerous criminal networks that threaten public safety,” said Eric Weindorf, Special Agent in Charge of HSI’s Washington DC Field Office. “We will continue to pursue those who engage in kidnapping, human smuggling, and violence, ensuring they face justice for their actions.”
According to court documents, in early January 2023, Ordaz, Perez, and other co-conspirators who had ties to transnational criminal organizations, kidnapped multiple victims and held them for ransom, knowing these individuals had entered the United States illegally.
As part of the scheme, Ordaz arranged to transport victims from an area near the United States-Mexico border and bring them to a stash house near Austin, Texas. Once there, Ordaz, and others, held the victims against their will and under armed guard, then called and messaged the victims’ families and friends demanding cash ransom in exchange for their release.
Ordaz exchanged one of the victims in Texas for $5,000 cash, and on January 8, 2023, at Ordaz’s direction, Perez and a co-conspirator transported another victim to Charlottesville, Virginia, where they arranged to exchange that victim for $10,000 in cash.
During the exchange, when it was revealed that the full $10,000 ransom was not available, an argument and shootout ensued, during which Perez, and another co-conspirator, brandished firearms, and instigated a shooting that resulted in the death of one of the kidnappers and the serious wounding of Perez.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Homeland Security Investigations in Harrisonburg investigated the case with assistance from the Charlottesville Police Department, Albemarle County Police Department, and HSI Austin, Texas.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sally J. Sullivan prosecuted the case for the United States.
D.C. Felon Sentenced to 30 Months for Illegal Gun Possession After Fleeing PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Fenwick, 35, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 30 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a loaded firearm discovered after leading police on a foot chase, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“A repeat offender with a decades‑long history of gun violence, Fenwick was once again illegally armed and fleeing from police,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This sentence underscores that those who persist in carrying illegal firearms and putting the public at risk will face firm and decisive federal action.”
Fenwick pleaded guilty on Jan. 14, 2025, before Judge Amir H. Ali to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 30-month prison term, Judge Ali ordered Fenwick to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 51-month prison term.
According to court documents, on June 11, 2025, Prince George’s County police responded to reports of retail thefts in District Heights and in Temple Hills, Maryland. Witnesses reported that the suspects fled in a white Toyota RAV4.
Officers located the vehicle, which Fenwick was driving. When police attempted a stop, Fenwick fled the RAV4 on foot. Officers detained Fenwick on the 1300 block of Barnaby Terrace SE, where officers recovered a loaded Beretta APX pistol from his waistband. The pistol had one round in the chamber and 15 additional rounds in its magazine.
Fenwick was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions. In 2021, he was convicted and sentenced to 50 months in prison for robbery and unlawful possession of a firearm. In 2019, He was convicted of second-degree assault and fourth-degree burglary and sentenced to 10 years in prison with four years suspended. In 2014, he was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and sentenced to 20 months. Fenwick was convicted of obstructing justice in 2012 and sentenced to 60 months, suspended, and a five-year term of supervised release.
This investigation was conducted by the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Initiative. Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful exists to support President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Conspirators sentenced to prison for using darknet marketplace to distribute dangerous counterfeit pills in Homeland Security Task Force caseRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Four Massachusetts men have been sentenced to prison for their roles in a conspiracy to manufacture counterfeit pills and distribute them across the United States.
According to court documents, from at least May 2022 to June 2025, Daniel John Blaney, 28; Kenneth Emmanuel Lora, 27; David Robert Kable Jr., 27; and Javier Alexander Bermudez, 31, all from Lynn, Massachusetts, engaged in a massive conspiracy to manufacture and distribute counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene (Pyro), methamphetamine, and Bromazolam. The conspirators transported the pills in kilogram quantities from the Northeast to a redistributor in New York and then distributed them primarily via darknet marketplaces and the U.S. Postal Service to customers nationwide.
Blaney was sentenced today to 18 years and 4 months in prison. Kable was sentenced on April 29 to 12 years in prison. Bermudez was sentenced March 18 to 12 years in prison. Lora was sentenced on Dec. 17, 2025, to 15 years in prison. The defendants previously pled guilty: Blaney on Jan. 7; Kable on Dec. 2, 2025; Bermudez on Dec. 9, 2025; and Lora on Aug. 27, 2025.
The conspirators used industrial pill presses to manufacture counterfeit Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax pills. Instead of the pharmaceuticals’ normal content, however, the conspirators’ pills contained differing substances depending on the batch. For example, the conspiracy’s counterfeit oxycodone pills contained a number of substances, including fentanyl and Pyro. Counterfeit Adderall pills typically contained methamphetamine, while counterfeit Xanax pills typically contained Bromazolam, a synthetic benzodiazepine.
The conspirators typically received payment from customers in the form of cryptocurrency. Estimates of the conspiracy’s reach show that the conspiracy was responsible for at least 9,000 sales of pills containing methamphetamine, fentanyl, and/or Pyro.
Pyro is in the Nitazene class of synthetic opioids commonly sourced from China and mixed into other drugs. The most common Nitazenes are approximately five times the strength of fentanyl. The Pyro in this case is approximately 20-40 times stronger than fentanyl. Over a dozen fatal overdoses were related to the conspiracy’s pills.
On June 4, 2025, Lora was arrested in New York. During a search of his drug premise, investigators recovered over 39 kilograms of controlled substances.
USAO Eastern District of Virginia USAO Eastern District of Virginia USAO Eastern District of VirginiaOn June 17, 2025, law enforcement searched a storage unit maintained by Bermudez and Blaney and recovered five industrial pill presses, pill press attachments used to imprint counterfeit pharmaceutical brandings onto pills, over 33 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 41 kilograms of binding material, and manufacturing paraphernalia.
USAO Eastern District of VirginiaOn July 12, 2025, Blaney fled through Canada and ultimately to Thailand in an attempt to avoid prosecution. In advance of his flight, he fraudulently obtained a rush U.S. Passport. Blaney was expelled from Thailand and taken into federal custody on August 25, 2025.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service New York Division, New York City Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Homeland Security Investigations. Significant investigative assistance was provided by the FBI Boston Field Office, DEA New England Division, and the Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather D. Call and Christopher M. Carter prosecuted the case.
The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in Blaney’s return to the United States.
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 Manassas is comprised of agents and officers from the FBI; Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); DEA; the Diplomatic Security Service; USMS; the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; the Transportation Security Administration Federal Air Marshals Service; CBP; Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Washington Baltimore HIDTA. Prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia.
This case is also 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.
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. 1:25-CR-221 (Blaney), 1:25-CR-227 (Lora), 1:25-CR-317 (Kable), and 1:25-CR-322 (Bermudez).
Civil Division Moves to Fast-Track Benefits Fraud EnforcementRead the Press Release
Today, the Civil Division announced reforms to accelerate the review of False Claims Act whistleblower complaints alleging fraud against federally funded, state-administered benefits programs. These reforms will empower the Department to move quickly on meritorious qui tam cases, maximize finite enforcement resources, and focus on dismantling sophisticated fraud schemes that exploit taxpayer-funded programs.
The False Claims Act (FCA) is one of the government’s most powerful weapons for fighting fraud and protecting taxpayer dollars. Most FCA cases begin as qui tam actions filed under seal by whistleblowers, known as relators, in federal district court. Successful relators may receive a significant share of the government’s recovery. The Civil Division will now prioritize qui tam complaints alleging fraud against public benefits programs by performing its initial review within 60 to 120 days. At the conclusion of that review, the Department will decide whether to:
- Permit the relator to proceed with the action and to assume primary responsibility for litigating it, subject to the government’s ongoing supervision and ultimate control of the matter;
- Conclude the allegations warrant further government investigation; or,
- Determine the qui tam should be dismissed under 31 U.S.C. §3730(c)(2)(A) because the allegations lack adequate specificity or are legally deficient.
“Bad actors who exploit federal benefits programs count on fragmented information and sheer volume of claims to try and avoid scrutiny,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “By accelerating review of qui tam complaints alleging benefits fraud, we can more rapidly identify and disrupt emerging schemes, strategically deploy enforcement resources to recover taxpayer money, and strengthen the government’s broader fight against fraud.”
This year, the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. Every dollar lost to fraud in federal benefits programs is a dollar diverted from the Americans those programs are intended to serve.
The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. As detailed in the Executive Order entitled “Establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud” (March 16, 2026) (EO on Eliminating Fraud), American taxpayers fund a vast benefits system for citizens in need that includes housing, food, medical care, cash assistance, and more. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The Department will also leverage a whole-of-government approach to ensure that new benefits fraud matters receive accelerated review and evaluation for all available enforcement options. New matters will be promptly referred to the Criminal Division and/or the National Fraud Enforcement Division for evaluation of potential criminal violations. In addition, new matters will be shared with the affected agency to evaluate potential administrative action, including payment suspension. Throughout its review, the Department also will seek information from the agency about the operation of the impacted program, data analysis, and other information to assist in corroborating the whistleblower’s allegations. The Civil Division will continue to assess how it can enhance processes and procedures to support prompt resolution of benefits fraud qui tams.
Chicago Man Found Guilty by Jury for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Morrell Steven Neely, 65 years old, of Chicago, Illinois, was found guilty of wire fraud after a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Sentencing is scheduled for October 6, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Francis Sohn and Philip Benson.
Canadian Sentenced in D.C. to 33 Years in Sextortion Scheme that Targeted 145 Children in the U.S.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Ramanan Pathmanathan, 40, of Toronto, Canada, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 33 years in federal prison in connection with a prolific sextortion scheme that targeted more than 100 children across the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Pathmanathan pleaded guilty on Jan. 30, 2026, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to one count of production of child pornography and one count of coercion and enticement of a minor.
“This defendant spent years methodically hunting children online. He targeted more than 145 victims, some as young as six, and subjected them to horrors no child should ever experience,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “The United States will not allow international borders to serve as a refuge for those who prey on children, and I am grateful to our Canadian partners for ensuring this predator faced justice on both sides of the border.”
In addition to the 396-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Pathmanathan to serve 10 years of supervised release and register as a sex offender. The prison term will run consecutively to the 12-year sentence that Pathmanathan is serving in Canada.
According to court documents, Pathmanathan used multiple social media accounts, primarily Instagram and Facebook Messenger, to establish contact with at least 145 young girls and boys. Between at least March 2014 up until the day of his arrest on March 10, 2021, Pathmanathan posed as a teenage boy from New Jersey.
Pathmanathan demanded the minor victims engage in sexually explicit conduct while they participated in video chats with him. He directed them to expose their genitals, and to engage in sexual acts with dogs, siblings, and other relatives. In almost all the video chats with his minor victims, Pathmanathan sent the children images of adults engaged in sexual acts to show them how to do what he was requesting.
Pathmanathan recorded his victims’ sexually explicit conduct and saved the files on his desktop computer. Some of the victims were as young as six years old. When the minor victims would decline to continue to engage in sexually explicit conduct or blocked Pathmanathan’s social media accounts, he threatened to send images to the children’s friends or family.
On Oct. 27, 2022, Pathmanathan pleaded guilty to similar offenses in Canada, and was later sentenced to 12 years in prison.
The Department of Justice is grateful to the Toronto Police Service and the Crown Operations Office, Ministry of Attorney General (Canada) for their invaluable assistance.
This case was investigated by the FBI Houston Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division secured the temporary surrender of Pathmanathan from Canada.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Shinskie for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Kaylynn Foulon of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Boise Man Sentence to 3 Years for Dealing Firearms without a LicenseRead the Press Release
BOISE – Luke Estep, 28, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced to 3 years in federal prison for dealing firearms without a license, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.
According to court documents and statements made in court, over two years, Estep trafficked in more than 199 firearms. Estep purchased firearms from Federal Firearm Licensed Dealers in the Treasure Valley and then resold these firearms on Z-Idaho.com. Investigators recovered 16 firearms originally purchased by Estep that were later used in crimes across Idaho, including drug trafficking and violent crimes.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Estep serve 2 years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
“The illegal trafficking firearms always poses a risk to the public. By evading the reporting and documentation requirements of federal laws and regulations, Estep’s actions placed firearms in the hands of criminals who used them to commit acts of violence,” said U.S. Attorney Davis. “Estep’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that risk to the public and should serve as a warning to all that the unlawful trafficking of firearms will not be tolerated.”
“Mr. Estep contributed to the illicit flow of firearms to the black market, where they were used to commit violent crimes in our neighborhoods,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Dawn Dodsworth. “May this sentence be a warning to all those who believe dealing firearms without a license is a victimless crime: You are endangering our communities, and ATF will relentlessly pursue you to prevent future violence and harm.”
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Meridian Police Department, which led to the conviction.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Horwitz prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Bogalusa Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy and Federal Gun ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – United States Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that on May 13, 2026, BENJAMIN HOLMES, (“HOLMES”) a Bogalusa resident, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Sarah Vance to 240 months imprisonment followed by four years of supervised release.
This sentence came after HOLMES was found guilty by a jury last year, of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 846, one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and an amount of marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), and 841(b)(1)(D), one count of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A), being a convicted felon in possession of firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), and one count of maintaining a drug-involved premises, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 856(a).
According to the evidence at trial, HOLMES utilized his Bogalusa residence to store illegal narcotics, including fentanyl and marijuana, and firearms, in addition to working with others at this location to sell fentanyl and marijuana. During a September 2023 search of this residence, law enforcement officials seized four firearms and over 300 grams of fentanyl.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisiana State Police, and the Bogalusa Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Stuart Theriot and Lynn E. Schiffman, both of the Narcotics Unit, were in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Berks County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 120 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on John Rickenbach Jr., 44.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2024 to in and around August 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Rickenbach conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Further, in and around August 2024, Rickenbach distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl.Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rickenbach.
Beckley Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Emmanuel Covington, 34, of Charleston, was sentenced today to seven years and 11 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 30, 2025, Covington sold approximately 19.7 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in Beckley. Covington admitted to the transaction as part of his guilty plea. Covington further admitted to selling a mixture containing methamphetamine and fentanyl on April 16, 2025, a quantity of fentanyl on May 6, 2025, and a mixture containing methamphetamine on June 4, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Charleston.
On June 5, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Covington’s Charleston residence and seized quantities of fentanyl and a mixture containing methamphetamine and a Ruger pistol.
Covington has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for drug offenses, domestic battery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit, which consists of officers from the West Virginia State Police, the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office, and the Beckley Police Department, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department and the South Charleston Police Department.
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Brian D. Parsons prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-110.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court to drug trafficking and firearm charges in connection with a local drug trafficking investigation. He also agreed that this offense violated the conditions of his federal supervised release.
Davon Taylor, 35, is charged with possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Law enforcement caught Taylor with a quantity of cocaine, that he intended to distribute, along with a stolen firearm. At the time of the offense, Taylor was on federal supervised release for conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
On April 9, 2025, law enforcement agents used a surveillance camera to monitor a large Northwest Baltimore parking lot, known as “the panyard.” Agents observed Taylor arrive at the panyard and engage in hand-to-hand drug transactions before removing an object from his waistband. He then placed the object inside of a pizza box on top of a recycling bin.
Law enforcement arrested Taylor and then agents recovered a handgun, loaded with a magazine containing 12 rounds of live ammunition, that was reported stolen in May 2022. Agents also searched the area and found a bag containing additional plastic bags with numerous vials and jugs of fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base, and a digital scale with white residue on it. Additionally, law enforcement found $1,549 in cash.
Taylor faces a maximum of 20 years in federal prison for possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and a minimum of five years, consecutive to any other sentence he receives, and a maximum of life in prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He also faces an additional maximum of two years in prison for violating his conditions of supervised release.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
Jefferson County, KY –A Jefferson County man was sentenced today to 15 years in federal prison for one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Chief Paul Humphrey of the Louisville Metro Police Department.
Ricky Barker, 40, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison, followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On May 3, 2025, Barker fired a Taurus, Model PT111 Millennium G2, 9 mm pistol in a crowded area just after two people were shot and killed. Barker, however, is not suspected to have been involved in that shooting. Prior to this conviction, Barker was previously convicted of two robberies, two trafficking of controlled substance offenses, and two firearm offenses.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by ATF and LMPD.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys A. Spencer McKiness and Jo E. Lawless prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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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Arizona Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Methamphetamine ChargeRead the Press Release
DAVENPORT, Iowa – An Arizona man was sentenced on May 26, 2026, to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Raul Misael Lopez Murrieta, 23, delivered approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine in May 2025 to Richard Allen Tuan Casey, 37, of Coralville. In July 2025, law enforcement stopped Lopez Murrieta and found approximately 117 pounds of methamphetamine in the tires of a vehicle he was towing. Lopez Murrieta admitted he was compensated for transporting methamphetamine from Arizona to the Midwest for distribution.
After completing his term of imprisonment, Lopez Murrieta will be required to serve a four-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Casey is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2026, following his plea to conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, and use of a communication facility.
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The University of Iowa Police Department, Johnson County Drug Task Force, Iowa City Police Department, Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case.
A Romanian National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to Federal Prison for Defrauding Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Romanian national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced to federal prison yesterday for defrauding elderly victims by stealing their bank cards and taking money from their bank accounts.
Rexona Caldararu, 34, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, beginning in the summer of 2023 and continuing through the summer of 2025, Caldararu and her co-conspirators would memorize the debit card pin numbers of elderly victims as they checked out at the grocery store. Caldararu or one of her co-conspirators then followed each victim back to the parking lot, told the victim they dropped cash and insisted on helping place the cash back in their wallet while at the same time removing their debit card. Caldararu and her co-conspirators would then proceed to the victim’s bank and remove as much money as possible and sometimes also use the debit card to make purchases. Caldararu defrauded 12 victims from the District of Oregon and elsewhere and stole more than $73,500. Caldararu had been previously arrested for similar conduct throughout the country, in the United Kingdom, and in France.
On Oct. 7, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 12-count superseding indictment charging Caldararu and her co-conspirators. On Jan. 22, 2026, Caldararu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine A. Rykken prosecuted the case.
Tuesday 26 May 2026
Washington Man Formally Charged by Information with Harassing Endangered Monk Seal by Hurling Large Rock at Its HeadRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, of Covington, Washington, was charged today, May 26, 2026, by Information, with “taking” an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act. Under the statutes, a “taking” includes, among other things, harassing, harming, pursuing, hunting, wounding, and killing a protected species, or attempting to do so. Lytvynchuk was previously charged by criminal complaint on May 12, 2026 and arrested the following day, near Seattle, Washington by Special Agents of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
According to court records, Lytvynchuk was observed and filmed on May 5, 2026 walking along the shoreline in the Lahaina area of Maui tracking the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal as it playfully pushed a floating log close to the shoreline. According to the complaint, Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock, took aim, and threw the rock directly at the seal head. The rock narrowly missed the seal’s nose, startling it, and causing it to rear up out of the water. Witnesses immediately confronted Lytvynchuk and told him they had contacted law enforcement, to which Lytvynchuk reportedly responded that he was “rich enough to pay the fines,” before walking away. According to witnesses, the monk seal remained largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident, which caused much concern over the seal’s welfare.
If convicted, Lytvynchuk, faces up to one year in prison for each charge, plus a term of supervised release. Lytvynchuk also faces a fine of up to $50,000 under the Endangered Species Act, a fine of up to $20,000 under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and a fine of up to $100,000 under the Criminal Fine Improvements Act.
“Today’s charges against Igor Lytvynchuk demonstrate our solemn commitment to not only protect Hawaii’s endangered monk seals, but all of our unique and endangered wildlife species from those who illegally harass, injure, or attempt to take them in defiance of federal law,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Igor Lytvynchuk now stands formally charged for these alleged offenses and will face justice in federal court. We urge all to allow the process of justice to proceed and understand that Lytvynchuk enjoys certain rights, including the presumption of innocence. We look forward to proceeding with our case in United States District Court.”
The charges in the Information are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service – Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Nammar is prosecuting the case.
Three Individuals Charged with Interstate Kidnapping After Transporting Victim from New Hampshire to Vermont and Holding Her for RansomRead the Press Release
Three Individuals Charged with Interstate Kidnapping After Transporting Victim From New Hampshire to Vermont and Holding Her for Ransom
CONCORD – A federal Grand Jury has returned an indictment charging three individuals in connection with an interstate kidnapping conspiracy, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
The Grand Jury charged Damarcus Bonner, 30, and Tyron Harris, 27, with one count of Kidnapping and one count of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping. Nicole Palardy, 37, of Claremont, New Hampshire, was charged with one count of Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping. All three defendants were previously charged by the State of Vermont and had been in Vermont state custody since January. Harris and Bonner had previously been named in a complaint and are currently held in federal custody. According to allegations in the complaint, the defendants kidnapped an adult victim in Claremont, New Hampshire, and brought her to a residence in Springfield, Vermont. For approximately 24 hours, they held her there against her will, tortured and beat the victim, and demanded money from her and others on her behalf. Springfield Police ultimately learned of kidnapping and went to the residence in the early morning hours of January 25, 2026. They rescued the victim from the residence and arrested the defendants. A search of the residence revealed a firearm, drugs packaged for distribution, duct tape that was used to bind the victim, and items used for torture.
The charging statutes provides a sentence of up to life in prison. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The FBI is leading the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Vermont State Police, the Springfield, Vermont Police Department, and the Claremont, New Hampshire Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
Three Convicted Felons Charged with Unlawful Possession of Ammunition Stemming from Shooting Outside La Danse NightclubRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – A criminal complaint was unsealed today charging Traivon Bohannon, 27, of Smyrna; Tynerick Turner, 27, of Nashville; and Veretez McGill, 26, of Goodlettsville, with possession of ammunition by a previously convicted felon, for their role in the shooting outside of La Danse Nightclub on May 3, 2026, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
“Gun violence is unacceptable anywhere, but gunfire that took place in the shadow of the federal courthouse cannot be tolerated,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “We will continue to work steadfastly with our local partners to hold felons with guns accountable for their unlawful and dangerous actions.”
On May 3, 2026, at approximately 2:43 a.m., the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) was dispatched to La Danse Nightclub, located at 142 Rosa L. Parks Avenue in Nashville. Officers located three victims with gunshot wounds. One of the Victims (Victim 1) died from his injuries. Officers also found extensive gunfire damage to nearby vehicles, businesses, and the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. MNPD Crime Scene Investigators (CSI) processed the scene. CSI collected multiple fired projectiles from vehicles, the streets, and the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. They also collected approximately 110 fired shell casings of multiple calibers.
Through the investigation, law enforcement learned that a physical altercation began outside of La Danse between two of the Victims and a group of males, three of whom were later identified as Bohannon, Turner, and McGill. Numerous witnesses advised that people at La Danse were celebrating “Five-Deuce” day inside the club. The night prior to the shooting (May 2 - the fifth month and second day of the month) is celebrated by the Five-Deuce Hoover Crips as a “founder’s day.” Witnesses stated that the physical altercation at La Danse began when Victim 1 walked up to a group of Five-Deuce Hoover Crips and stated, “Fuck the Crips.”
Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were identified as being involved in the physical altercation that severely injured one Victim (Victim 2). Victim 2 was repeatedly beaten and suffered a gunshot injury. Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were also identified as being involved in the shooting that ultimately killed Victim 1.
MNPD collected numerous surveillance videos from La Danse, the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse, and MNPD cameras in the area. Both the initial physical altercation and subsequent shootings are captured on video surveillance.
The investigation revealed that Bohannon, Turner, and McGill physically assaulted Victim 2 on Commerce Street outside La Danse. Victim 1 then ran towards Victim 2.
Video surveillance captured Bohannon lifting his right arm with what appears to be a gun. The cameras show a muzzle flash, and after, Victim 1 turned his back and fell to the ground. Bohannon continued walking towards Victim 1 while firing the gun. The same video surveillance video also shows that Turner fired in the direction of Victim 1. The video also captured McGill standing a short distance behind Turner and also firing a gun. McGill then ran towards the corner of Commerce Street and Rosa L. Parks Avenue, where he lifted his arm and fired multiple shots towards the parking lot to the rear of the Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and Courthouse. Spent cartridge casings were collected from each of the areas where Bohannon, Turner, and McGill fired their guns.
At the time they possessed the ammunition in this case, Bohannon, Turner, and McGill were all convicted felons. Bohannon has prior convictions in Sumner County, Tennessee for aggravated robbery, carjacking, and theft of property in an amount greater than $2,500; and in Rutherford County, Tennessee for possession of marijuana with intent to sell or deliver and attempted possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony with a prior conviction. Turner has two prior convictions from Rutherford County for aggravated assault. McGill has previous convictions in Davidson County, Tennessee for facilitation of second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
If convicted, Bohannon, Turner, and McGill each face up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel M. Stephens and Carlin C. Hess are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tampa Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet a Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Ballardo Andres Polanco (32, Seffner) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. Polanco faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for the attempted enticement offense and a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment for the attempted transfer of obscene material offense. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, between December 29, 2025, and February 10, 2026, Polanco messaged an individual whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl. That individual was actually an undercover special agent from Homeland Security Investigations. During the conversation, Polanco graphically described the sexual activity in which he wanted to engage with the minor. Polanco also sent explicit images of himself during this conversation. Ultimately, Polanco encouraged the minor to skip school to engage in sexual activity with him. On February 10, 2026, Polanco traveled from Tampa to Marion County to meet the minor to engage in sexual activity. Polanco was arrested by law enforcement when he arrived at the meeting location.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Tallahassee Business Owner Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Perry Crane Walker, II, 44, of Tallahassee, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for six counts of sexual exploitation of children, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of transfer of obscene material to minors. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This substantial prison sentence is an excellent outcome in a very sad case, as this sexual predator preyed upon and exploited numerous innocent children online and deserves to spend the next several decades in prison for his disgusting crimes. Keeping our kids safe online is a top priority, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute cases like this to accomplish that.”
Court documents reflect that between December 26, 2024, and October 10, 2025, Walker used social media applications to meet and communicate with children between 13-15 years of age. During his online communications, the defendant enticed and induced the minors, some of whom resided in Europe, to produce and send him images and videos constituting child pornography. Court records also revealed that, as a result of the defendant’s illicit communications with the children, one of the social media platforms submitted a CyberTip report to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which notified the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. Pursuant to search warrants, the defendant’s business and residence were searched, and his electronic devices were seized as evidence. A search of the defendant’s devices confirmed that he had been sexually exploiting the children using social media, and that he received and possessed multiple child pornography images and videos.
After serving his term of 30-years’ imprisonment, Walker will have to register as a sexual offender and serve the rest of his life on supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $3,000 in victim restitution.
“This deviant predator’s calculated use of social media to target vulnerable children is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by people who seek to exploit the most vulnerable in our society,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, are committed to relentlessly pursuing these predators and delivering them to the justice they deserve. We will protect our children from falling prey to such depraved acts.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Straw Purchaser Sentenced to over Five Years in Federal Prison for Numerous Firearm Purchases Made on Behalf of OthersRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Esai Pastrana Cruz (30, Puerto Rico) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Hernandez Covington to five years and three months in federal prison for conspiring to and making false statements to a federally licensed firearms dealer (“FFL”). Pastrana Cruz pleaded guilty on February 19, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Pastrana Cruz purchased approximately 90 firearms from various FFLs within the Middle District of Florida and falsely represented to the FFLs that he was the actual purchaser and recipient of the firearms. At least 21 of the firearms were seized by various law enforcement agencies and traced to purchases that Pastrana Cruz had made. Among the recovered firearms, two had been associated with shootings, including a drive-by shooting where two individuals had been struck by gunfire.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeff Chang.
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.
Shooter and Getaway Driver Sentenced for Armed Robbery That Left Dollar Store Clerk WoundedRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Jeremy Helms, 24, and Jaylynn McKinney, 24, both of Indianapolis, have been sentenced to 13 years and 10 months and 10 years in federal prison, respectively, after pleading guilty to interference with commerce by robbery and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Each defendant will also serve three years of supervised release following their prison term.
According to court documents, on April 23, 2023, Helms and McKinney robbed the Family Dollar store located at 1836 East 10th Street. McKinney acted as the getaway driver in a blue Ford Focus, which he parked behind the store. Helms entered the business, pointed a handgun equipped with an extended magazine at the clerk, and demanded money from the registers. When the clerk was unable to open them, Helms reached into the victim’s pockets and stole $120 in cash.
As Helms exited the store, he fired the handgun toward the victim, striking him in the left leg.
Helms then fled to the waiting Ford Focus, entering the passenger side. Officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) were in the area and quickly received a description of the suspect vehicle. When officers located the Ford Focus and attempted a traffic stop, McKinney failed to stop immediately, instead turning onto a nearby street and slowing the vehicle. At that point, Helms exited the car and fled on foot.
Helms was later located with assistance from an IMPD’s K‑9 unit. Along his flight path, officers recovered the black sweatshirt he wore during the robbery and the Glock Model 45, 9mm pistol used in the robbery.
“An innocent employee showed up to work that day and left wounded and lucky to be alive. No one should endure fear of violence while trying to earn an honest living.,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Thanks to the swift work of IMPD and our federal partners, both men will serve significant time, reflective of the seriousness of the trauma inflicted on the victim and our commitment to holding violent offenders fully accountable”
“An armed robbery that results in an innocent person being shot is a stark reminder of how quickly violent crime can change lives forever,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “The defendants’ actions showed a reckless disregard for human life in pursuit of a senseless crime. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to removing dangerous offenders from our communities and protecting the public from those who threaten our safety.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigations and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Shippensburg Detective Indicted for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that a Shippensburg Police Department Detective, Matthew S. Pleisse, age 36, of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, was indicted on May 6, 2026, by a federal grand jury on child pornography charges. The case was unsealed following Pleisse’s detention hearing.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges Pleisse received, attempted to receive, and possessed child pornography on several dates between July 2024 and April 2025. It is alleged that Pleisse utilized cryptocurrency to purchase child pornography from the darknet and possessed child pornography depicting prepubescent minors.
“Homeland Security Investigations remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting vulnerable children and holding offenders accountable,” said HSI Philadelphia Acting Special Agent in Charge Nathan Abel. “The indictment alleges that Pleisse utilized cryptocurrency to purchase and possess child sexual abuse material, actions that are reprehensible and illegal. HSI will continue to pursue those who exploit children online and work tirelessly to bring them to justice.”
During Pleisse’s detention hearing on May 19, 2026, Chief Magistrate Judge Daryl F. Bloom ordered Pleisse to be detained pending trial.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Stephen W. Dukes is prosecuting 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 the United States Attorney's Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each charge is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. This offense also carries a mandatory minimum term of five years imprisonment. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Scranton Man Found Guilty of Drug Trafficking and Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Keith Fox, Jr., age 48, was found guilty of possessing methamphetamine for the purposes of distribution and illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on May 20, 2026, following a three-day trial, a jury found Fox guilty of possessing over 500 grams of a substance containing methamphetamine for distribution and of possessing three firearms and ammunition illegally due to a prior felony conviction.
The government presented evidence that on August 22, 2024, after several months of investigation, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Fox’s Scranton residence. They discovered an automated pill press and multiple other items used to manufacture illicit pills. They also seized over 1000 pills containing methamphetamine and other controlled substances, methamphetamine powder, a large amount of ammunition and three handguns, including one with an obliterated serial number.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 14, 2026, before District Court Judge Joseph Saporito, Jr. Fox is facing a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General- Bureau of Narcotics Investigations, and the Pennsylvania State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Jenny P. Roberts and Senior Deputy Assistant Attorney General Michelle Hardik prosecuted the case.
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Rock Hill Man Indicted for Threatening the PresidentRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a two-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging John Alexander Bellue, 32, of Rock Hill, for threatening the President of the United States and for interstate communication of a threat to injure.
The indictment alleges that on Sept. 7, 2025, Bellue posted the following threat to the President on the social media platform X:
“@realDonaldTrump you have the right to remain silent, I’m gonna kill you in the most brutal way possible.”
Bellue faces a maximum penalty of not more than five years’ imprisonment and a fine not to exceed $250,000. His arraignment date has not been scheduled yet.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry McTigue is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Rochester man sentenced for defrauding MedicareRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John Weinmann, 57, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of knowingly receiving a kickback under a federal health care program, was sentenced to serve three years’ probation and a $2,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
In 2017, Weinmann, while operating as an independent insurance broker, entered into an agreement with a Syracuse, NY, company to target Low Income Subsidy (LIS) Medicare beneficiaries. Under the terms of the agreement, the Syracuse company agreed to pay Weinmann money, as a kickback, for each prescription medication he was able to get filled and paid for under a beneficiary’s Medicare coverage. Between September 2017 and August 2018, Weinmann recommended the purchase of, and then arranged for, the purchase of prescription medications that were medically unnecessary. The payments Weinmann received were made in whole or in part by the beneficiaries Medicare coverage. The total amount of money received by Weinmann in kickbacks was $32,150.
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.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Naomi Gruchacz, the New York State Department of Financial Services, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Kaitlin Asrow, the U.S. Department of Defense Criminal Investigative Service, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Christopher M. Silvestro, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford.
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A registered sex offender was sentenced to 25 years in prison today for producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Justin Trey Yeats, 41, of Charlotte, was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release, to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison, and to pay $6,000 in restitution.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, and Chief Estella Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
According to court records, in April 2023, CMPD received information that an individual later identified as Yeats had distributed CSAM online. CMPD officers conducted an interview of Yeats who admitted to producing CSAM of a prepubescent female victim. Yeats also admitted to sharing the CSAM with people he met in sex-related chatrooms online, such as Reddit. Court documents further show that Yeats molested second minor victim and distributed images of that second minor victim wrapped in a towel just after exiting the shower. At the time of the offense, Yeats was a registered sex offender for a 2010 conviction of Indecency with a Child by Contact in Texas.
Yeats is in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI and CMPD their investigation of the case.
Assistant United States Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Randolph Man Indicted for Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Randolph man was indicted today by a federal grand jury for allegedly possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine and MDMA and for possessing a loaded gun in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Tayvon Harper, 32, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to the indictment, on Feb. 25, 2026, in Holbrook, Mass., Harper allegedly possessed fentanyl, cocaine and MDMA intended for distribution as well as a Glock 21 .45 caliber pistol. It is further alleged that he possessed one magazine containing 13 rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and $1,040 in cash.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of not less than five years in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Holbrook and Randolph Police Departments, Massachusetts State Police and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Providence Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Providence man pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Carlos Rodriguez, 32, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl. Rodriguez is scheduled to be sentenced on August 18, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rodriguez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment, a maximum sentence of 40 years imprisonment, and a term of at least four years to life of supervised release
According to court documents, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force was conducting an investigation into drug trafficking in and around the Providence area and, during the investigation, law enforcement determined that Rodriguez and his co-conspirators were involved in the distribution of fentanyl pills.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Stacey A. Erickson and Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by the Rhode Island FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
The Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, the Rhode Island State Police, the Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Central Falls Police Departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant John Thomas Donnafield, age 44, from Ordot, Guam was sentenced to 115 months imprisonment. He was charged in the U.S. District Court of Guam with Possession with the Intent to Distribute Five Grams or more of Methamphetamine Hydrochloride, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 841(a)(1), and Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1). The Court also ordered four years of supervised release and a mandatory $200 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On December 5, 2023, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Donnafield’s residence. He was found in his bedroom, where he directed officers to a black Sentry safe containing drugs and a firearm. He provided keys to the container and admitted that the black box held several grams of methamphetamine and a firearm, while additional items in the bedroom were drug paraphernalia. Officers also noted a surveillance system monitoring the home’s exterior.
A search of the bedroom resulted in the seizure of $1,786 in U.S. currency, identified as proceeds of unlawful drug activity. Cash was recovered from multiple locations, including a silver suitcase, a portable table, the Sentry safe, and a plastic chair. Officers also seized digital scales and additional drug‑distribution materials.
Seven Ziplock bags of suspected methamphetamine were collected from the Sentry safe. After testing by the DEA Southwest Laboratory, the Ziplock bags were found to contain 42.8 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride at 95% purity. A stolen 9mm Beretta pistol, loaded with a magazine containing five rounds of ammunition, was also recovered from the safe. Forty-four additional rounds of ammunition were found in the bedroom.
Donnafield is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition due to multiple prior felony convictions. His record includes a 2012 federal conviction for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, for which he received 27 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release. He also has a 2016 Guam Superior Court conviction for third‑degree felony family violence, which resulted in a mandatory one‑year sentence.
“Drugs and firearms are a dangerous combination for our communities,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “Armed drug traffickers are prime targets for federal prosecution. The possession of a single round of ammunition by a felon can result in substantial penalties. I applaud the outstanding work by GPD and ATF in bringing this defendant to justice.”
“There is a reason Mr. Donnafield is prohibited from possessing firearms. After his 2012 conviction and incarceration, you would think he had learned his lesson, but this newest conviction makes it clear: Mr. Donnafield is unwilling to obey the law,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Acting Special Agent in Charge Dawn Dodsworth. “But ATF is unwilling to allow offenders to put our community in danger. We will continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure these criminals are brought to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Guam Police Department Special Investigation Section, and Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency.
Prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Devarup Rastogi in the District of Guam.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
Peabody Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining over $100,000 in coronavirus relief funds.
Jonathan Carpenter, 52, pleaded guilty to theft of government money before U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 3, 2026. Carpenter was arrested and charged in January 2026.
Carpenter defrauded the United States Small Business Administration in 2020 by applying for and obtaining an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act authorized SBA to provide EIDLs to eligible small business experiencing financial disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carpenter fraudulently obtained $125,000 in EIDL funds for Homeland Electric, an electrical contractor that had not existed for approximately five years at the time of his application. In addition, Carpenter falsely claimed that Homeland Electric was established on March 1, 2011; had gross receipts of $250,000; and had eight employees as of Jan. 21, 2020. Carpenter also failed to indicate that he had a criminal record.
The charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. 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 Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Peabody Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy E. Moran of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Owner of Multinational Investment Company Sentenced in $2B Fraud, Money Laundering, and Bribery SchemesRead the Press Release
Greg Lindberg, 56, of Tampa, Florida, and the founder and chairman of Eli Global LLC and owner of Global Bankers Insurance Group (GBIG) was sentenced today to a combined 12 years in prison for his role in a bribery conspiracy and multibillion-dollar fraud conspiracy that bankrupted multiple insurance companies with thousands of unpaid policyholder victims.
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, from at least 2016 through at least 2019, Lindberg conspired with others to defraud various insurance companies, other third parties and hundreds of thousands of insurance policyholders. Lindberg and others conspired to deceive the North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) and other regulators, evaded regulatory requirements meant to protect policyholders, concealed the true financial condition of his companies and improperly used insurance company funds for his personal benefit. Lindberg and his co-conspirators caused companies he controlled in North Carolina, Bermuda, Malta, and elsewhere to invest more than $2 billion in loans and other securities with his own affiliated companies and laundered the proceeds of the scheme. Lindberg directed the scheme and personally benefitted from the fraud in part by “forgiving” more than $125 million in loans to himself from the insurance companies that he controlled. Lindberg used his ill-gotten gains to fund a lavish lifestyle, buying private jets, mansions and a 200-foot luxury yacht.
To carry out these conspiracies, Lindberg and others engaged in circular transactions among Lindberg’s web of entities using insurance company funds and misled or omitted material information from regulators, various ratings agencies, insurance companies and ultimately policyholders, regarding these transactions.
As Lindberg’s fraud and money laundering conspiracies were beginning to unravel, from April 2017 to August 2018, Lindberg and others engaged in a bribery scheme for the purpose of causing the Commissioner of Insurance of the NCDOI to take official action favorable to Lindberg’s company, GBIG. Lindberg and others gave the Commissioner millions of dollars in campaign contributions and other things of value in exchange for the removal of NCDOI’s Senior Deputy Commissioner, who was responsible for overseeing the regulation and the periodic examination of GBIG.
As a result of Lindberg’s conduct, his insurance companies, third-party entities and policyholders suffered substantial financial hardship, and multiple of his insurance companies have been placed in rehabilitation and liquidation. To date, thousands of individual policyholders and other victims are collectively still owed more than $1 billion. A special master was appointed by the court in the fraud case to assist with the restitution process and distribution of funds to victims. A separate restitution hearing will be set at a later date.
In November 2024, Lindberg pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States and conspiracy to commit money laundering. In May 2024, Lindberg was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds.
The FBI Charlotte Field Office investigated both cases.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson for the Western District of North Carolina; and Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis of the FBI Charlotte Field Office made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Lyndie Freeman of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dan Ryan for the Western District of North Carolina prosecuted the fraud case. Trial Attorney William Gullotta of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dana Washington for the Western District of North Carolina prosecuted the bribery case.
Ocala Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Meet a 13-Year-Old to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Christopher Shaun Jonas (34, Ocala) has pleaded guilty to attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Jonas faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement and court records, on July 23, 2024, Jonas contacted a profile on an internet application designed for prostitution. This profile, however, was operated by an undercover detective from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO). The undercover account identified themself as a 13-year-old girl. Jonas described in graphic detail the sexual acts in which he wanted to engage in with the minor and subsequently arranged to meet the minor for sexual activity at a location in Marion County. When Jonas arrived at the meeting location, he was taken into custody by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
New Orleans Man Sentenced for Destruction of Mail by Postal EmployeeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DWAYNE WEST (“WEST”), age 24, was sentenced on May 21, 2026, to one year of probation and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
WEST previously plead guilty to unlawfully delaying, opening and destroying mail in his possession, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1703(a).
According to court documents, WEST, unlawfully delayed, opened and destroyed mail which had come into his possession while he was employed as a Postal Service employee.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Guilty of Federal Offense for Sexually Abusing Fifteen-Year-Old Female Aboard Cruise ShipRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - KENDRICK WHITE, SR. (“WHITE”) age 43, a resident of New Orleans, pleaded guilty on May 26, 2026, before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion to committing sexual abuse, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2242(3), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, WHITE and three relatives, two of whom were minors, traveled on a commercial cruise ship that departed out of New Orleans on November 18, 2023, and returned on November 22, 2023. Minor Victim, a female born in or around January 2008 (who was fifteen years old at the time), was also a passenger on the cruise. While aboard the vessel, Minor Victim met two of WHITE’s minor-aged relatives.
While the boat was in international waters, on or about November 22, 2023, WHITE approached Minor Victim and told her that one of his minor-aged relatives was in his cabin and wanted to see Minor Victim. WHITE brought Minor Victim to the cabin and then instructed his minor-aged relative and Minor Victim to engage in sexual intercourse. Both declined. WHITE then brought Minor Victim into the hallway and offered to pay Minor Victim to take his minor-aged relative’s virginity. When Minor Victim refused, WHITE pulled at Minor Victim’s waist band and looked down her pants. Minor Victim pushed WHITE’s hand away, at which point WHITE proceeded to put his hand down Minor Victim’s pants and into her underwear.
After WHITE pulled his hand out of Minor Victim’s pants, he pushed Minor Victim into the cabin, pulled down Minor Victim’s pants, and ordered his minor-aged relative to take off his pants. WHITE then proceeded to perform a series of sexual acts on Minor Victim and forced Minor Victim to perform various sexual acts on WHITE and WHITE’s minor-aged relative.
WHITE faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years. WHITE also faces a lifetime of supervised release, up to a $250,000 fine, and can be required to register as a sex offender. He also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys= Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Criminal Division, is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Haven Man Sentenced to 29 Years in Federal Prison for Pandemic Robbery SpreeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WILLIAM ROSARIO LOPEZ, 40, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 348 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for committing several armed robberies of Connecticut gas stations in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the evidence presented during his trial:
On March 18, 2020, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 1302 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon. Wearing a black mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee, grabbed him by the collar, directed him to walk to the cash register, and struck him in the back of the head as they were walking to the cash register. After the employee provided Rosario Lopez with cash from the register, Rosario Lopez ordered the employee to lay on the floor and then fled the store.
On March 22, 2020, at approximately 10 p.m., Rosario Lopez entered the Fleet Gas Station located at 1611 Meriden Waterbury Turnpike in Southington. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. The employee provided Rosario Lopez with a small amount of cash and, after explaining that all of the money was already in the safe and that he did not know the combination, Rosario Lopez kicked the employee, ordered him to lay on the floor, and then fled the store.
On March 22, 2020, approximately one hour after the Southington robbery, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 883 Hamilton Avenue in Waterbury. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. After the employee opened the cash register and provided cash to Rosario Lopez, Rosario Lopez ordered the employee to lay on the floor and then fled the store.
On March 23, 2020, less than two hours after the Waterbury robbery, Rosario Lopez entered the Shell Gas Station located at 696 Main Street in Ansonia. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee, demanded money and threatened to shoot the employee. After the employee was unable to open the cash register quickly, Rosario Lopez fired one round in the direction of employee and then fled. The employee was not struck by the projectile.
On March 26, 2020, Rosario Lopez entered the Citgo Gas Station located at 788 West Main Street in New Britain. Wearing a surgical-type mask, he waited for another customer to leave the store, approached the counter, pointed a small silver pistol at the store employee and demanded money. The employee opened the cash register and Rosario Lopez took cash from the register drawer. Rosario then fled the store.
Rosario Lopez was arrested on April 9, 2020. In association with his arrest, investigators searched a vehicle he used during the robberies and recovered a silver .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and 14 rounds of ammunition. He has been detained since his arrest.
On April 28, 2025, the jury found Rosario Lopez guilty of four counts of obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery), one count of attempted obstruction of interstate commerce by robbery, four counts of brandishing a firearm during a robbery, and one count of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
Rosario Lopez’s criminal history includes convictions in New York for attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon, and convictions in Puerto Rico for importation and unlawful possession of a firearm, false imprisonment, aggravated assault with a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm, threatening a witness, and aggravated robbery.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police, and the Vernon, Southington, Waterbury, Ansonia, New Britain, New Haven, and Guilford Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham, Daniel P. Gordon, and Robert S. Ruff.
Naugatuck Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, J. Buck Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division, announced that GIANNA PARENTE, 23, of Naugatuck, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately July 2022 and February 2023, Parente was involved in a scheme in which individuals (“runners”) were recruited to provide their debit cards and banking information so that Parente and others could deposit fraudulent checks into the runners’ accounts at Bank of America. Some of the checks were stolen from the U.S. Mail, with original payee information and dollar amounts “washed” and altered. After depositing the fraudulent checks into the accounts, Parente and her co-conspirators then withdrew or attempted to withdraw money before the bank realized the checks were fraudulent.
Bank fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years.
Parente is released on a $25,000 bond pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Lembo.
Milford Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Milford Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearms
CONCORD – A previously convicted felon was charged in a three-count indictment last week for being a felon in possession of firearms, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. Jacob Valley, age 31, appears before the Court today for his initial appearance and arraignment. Valley had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of firearms in the District of New Hampshire on March 23, 2021, and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison on September 10, 2021.
According to the indictment, Valley allegedly possessed four firearms in April, 2025. The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon provides a maximum prison term of 15 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Manchester Police Department led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike Shannon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Marin are prosecuting the case.