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5 October 2026
Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Offense in Scheme Involving over $21,000,000 in Stolen FundsRead the Press Release
Curtis Weston, age 35, from Rockwell City, Iowa, pled guilty on October 2, 2026, to one count of money laundering.
In a plea agreement, Weston admitted that he and another individual transferred no less than $21,992,037 in fraudulently obtained loan funds. Weston had an account at a bank where $21,992,037 in funds from fraudulently obtained loans in Weston’s name and the names of 26 other unwitting customers were deposited. An individual that was employed at the bank processed the fraudulent loans and transferred the funds from the bank’s general ledger into Weston’s bank account. Weston and his co-conspirator had accounts in their names (collectively and individually) at an online brokerage based in New York. At sentencing, the United States intends to show that the funds from the fraudulently obtained loans were all transferred from Weston’s bank account to accounts in Weston’s name at the online brokerage. Weston admitted to taking $20,000 of the fraudulently obtained loan funds and illegally transferring the money to an account at another bank.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Weston remains free on bond previously set by the Court. Weston faces a possible maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
This case is being investigated by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General and the Sac County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ron Timmons and Dan Chatham.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-04003.
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Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearm Possession ChargesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Lexington man, Victorian Valdimar Hardaway, 36, was sentenced to over 21 years in prison on Friday, October 2, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for armed drug trafficking and illegal firearm possession charges.
Hardaway was convicted in April 2026 of conspiring to distribute aggravated quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine; distributing fentanyl; possessing with the intent to distribute fentanyl, oxycodone, and methamphetamine; possessing a firearm as a convicted felon; and possessing a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
According to testimony at trial and items seized during a search warrant, Hardaway had large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine throughout the apartment where he was staying. Law enforcement recovered numerous items of drug paraphernalia, including a hydraulic press, baggies, cutting agents, a blender, more than $5,000 in bundled cash, and digital scales. Evidence revealed that Hardaway was a large-scale drug trafficker in the Lexington community selling substantial amounts of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone. Hardaway also possessed firearms during drug transactions and another one in the bedroom where many drugs and paraphernalia was recovered. Further, Hardaway’s criminal history shows he is a convicted domestic violence aggressor.
Jason Parman, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; Phillip J. Burnett, Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA, KSP, and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ron Walker and Aubrey McGuire Girouard, as well as Paralegal Jennifer Short prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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Lead Defendant in Multi-State SNAP and PUA Fraud Conspiracy Sentenced to Two Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg, Mass. man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for his role in a fraud scheme that used the stolen identities of more than 100 individuals to obtain $440,000 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits from Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The defendant and his alleged co-conspirators also fraudulently obtained over $700,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits from Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio Washington and Nevada.
Raul Fernandez Vicioso, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to two years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant was also ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution and $1.1 million in forfeiture. In March 2026, Raul Fernandez Vicioso pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit SNAP Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, SNAP benefit Fraud, Aiding and Abetting and Money Laundering.
The defendant was charged on Feb. 3, 2026 along with three co-conspirators –Roman Vequiz Fernandez, 32, a Venezuelan national living in Leominster, Mass.; Coralba Albarracin Siniva, 24, a Venezuelan national living in Leominster, Mass.; and Joel Vicioso Fernandez, 42, of Fitchburg, Mass.
Raul Fernandez Vicioso and his alleged co-conspirators purchased and used the stolen personal information of over 100 real people from multiple states to fraudulently obtain SNAP benefits. The stolen identities were used to create 24 “households” in SNAP applications. All of these applications, submitted in the names of over 100 people, were listed as living in two single-family apartments in Providence, R.I. A number of the stolen identities from Connecticut, Florida, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Puerto Rico were used to fraudulently obtain SNAP benefits in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Raul Fernandez Vicioso used his own personal information to create fraudulent SNAP benefit accounts that were found commingled among the victim identities in the applications. In support of the fraudulently submitted SNAP applications, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly provided images of counterfeit passports and passport cards, with metadata that indicated the images were taken inside or within the immediate vicinity of El Primo Restaurant – a restaurant operated by Raul Fernandez Vicioso in Leominster, Mass.
The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly used the fraudulent SNAP benefits cards to purchase large quantities of expensive bulk food items (such as multiple-pound packages of chicken, beef and pork) at various local wholesalers and food markets to stock El Primo Restaurant at no expense. With their supplies obtained for free through fraudulent SNAP benefits, they sold menu items at El Primo Restaurant at a complete profit, later wiring the fraud proceeds to individuals living in Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, among other places.
According to the charging documents, between April 2020 and December 2021, the defendants and their co-conspirators further enriched themselves by over $700,000 by submitting fraudulent applications and supporting documents for PUA in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Nevada. The fraudulent PUA benefits were issued in the names of Raul Fernandez Vicioso and in the names of suspected identity theft victims, including identities common to the related the SNAP benefit fraud. At least 29 different identities were allegedly used in PUA applications in six different states – all of which listed the address for El Primo Restaurant as the residential address.
Bank records obtained during the investigation detail approximately $276,021 in fraudulent PUA benefits deposited into bank accounts held in the names of the El Primo Restaurant, Raul Fernandez Vicioso and other alleged co-conspirators. Other fraudulent PUA benefits were allegedly issued to prepaid cards in the identities of the various individuals which were applied for using known addresses and telephone numbers of the subjects.
During searches of Raul Fernandez Vicioso’s residence and El Primo Restaurant, fraudulently obtained Massachusetts and Rhode Island EBT cards, fraudulent documents bearing a Providence address involved in the alleged scheme, printed ledgers and handwritten lists of more than 100 identities and SNAP-related mailings were recovered.
Fraud, waste or abuse can be reported to the Council of the Inspectors General for Integrity and Efficiency: https://www.oversight.gov/where-report-fraud-waste-abuse-or-retaliation.
The charge of conspiracy to commit SNAP fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 The charge of illegal acquisition or use of SNAP benefits provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General; U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Department of State - Diplomatic Security Service; Rhode Island Office of Internal Audit - Fraud Detection & Prevention Unit; Massachusetts State Police; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island; and the Fitchburg and Leominster Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Las Vegas Man Sentenced for Selling Firearms Without a Federal Firearms License and Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas man was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a Federal Firearms License and for distributing fentanyl pills. The government recommended a sentence of 33 months in prison.
“The intersection of unlicensed firearms trafficking and illicit narcotic distribution represents one of the most severe threats to public safety in our communities,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “This case highlights the critical importance of coordinated law enforcement efforts to disrupt criminal networks before they can inflict further harm. Our office remains firmly committed to working alongside federal and local partners to hold individuals accountable who traffic in weapons, distribute deadly substances, and attempt to obstruct the justice system. We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to remove these compounding threats from our streets and protect the public.”
“The suspect in this case sold multiple firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL), as well as, distributed narcotics,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alex Buenaventura, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Individuals who choose to operate in criminal activity will be prosecuted. This case serves as an example of that. ATF is grateful to have worked with our partners on this investigation to bring this dangerous conduct to justice.”
According to court documents, between October 4, 2024, and December 20, 2024, Ty’Shaun Meeks sold an AR-556 with a 30-round capacity empty magazine; a 100-round capacity empty drum style magazine; a 9mm caliber firearm with an 18-round capacity empty magazine; two machinegun conversion devices; a .40 caliber firearm with an empty 10-round capacity magazine; and a 9mm caliber firearm with an empty 24-round capacity magazine. He did not have a Federal Firearms License to sell firearms. Additionally, Meeks sold approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills in exchange for cash.
Meeks pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing or manufacturing firearms without a license and one count of distribution of a controlled substance. In addition to his prison sentence, United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva ordered Meeks to serve 4 years of supervised release.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joshua Brister prosecuted the case.
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Koreatown Man Pleads Guilty to Throwing Molotov Cocktails at Security Guards Inside Federal Building in Downtown L.A.Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Koreatown man pleaded guilty today to assaulting security officers assisting federal law enforcement by throwing two Molotov cocktails inside a federal building in downtown Los Angeles, and to possessing additional unregistered destructive devices.
José Francisco Jovel, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a person assisting federal officers and employees and one count of possession of unregistered or unlawfully manufactured destructive devices.
Jovel has been in federal custody since December 2025.
According to his plea agreement, on the morning of December 1, 2025, Jovel approached a federal building located in the Civic Center of downtown Los Angeles, carrying multiple bags containing a flame torch, two airsoft guns, five knives, pepper spray, and seven additional Molotov cocktails he had constructed. Each device was made using a glass Nescafe jar, ignitable liquid, and a fabric wick.
While standing outside the employee entrance, Jovel yelled at federal officers and security guards assisting them, stating that if children were not present, he would “kill them.” After waiting for an employee to exit the doorway, Jovel reached into a bag and threw a Molotov cocktail at one of the security guards. The device shattered, spreading glass and ignitable liquid toward law enforcement officers and members of the public.
Jovel then threw a second Molotov cocktail through the public entrance of the building, where individuals were waiting to go through security. That device rolled across the floor inside the building.
Jovel admitted that he intentionally threw the devices at federal officers and those assisting them, intending and attempting to inflict injury, and that his actions caused reasonable apprehension of immediate bodily harm. He also admitted that the Molotov cocktails were destructive devices that were not registered with the National Firearm Registration and Transfer Record.
United States District Judge Otis D. Wright II scheduled a sentencing hearing for January 28, 2027 at 8:00 a.m. at which time, Jovel will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter with assistance from the Federal Protective Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Lana Morton Owens and Jenna W. Long of the National Security Division are prosecuting this case.
Kansas wife illegally collects husband’s retirement benefits while he’s in prisonRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman was sentenced to two years of probation and ordered to pay $316,570 in restitution for defrauding the Social Security Administration (SSA) by not reporting that her husband was in prison and illegally collecting his benefits for a decade.
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.
According to court documents, Carolyn Phillips, 79, of Lyons pleaded guilty to one count of unauthorized acquisition of benefits.
Phillips’ husband was incarcerated from August 2014 to August 2024 for criminal offenses. Prior to going to prison, he was receiving Social Security retirement benefits. In March 2015, Phillips asked SSA to designate her as her husband’s payee allowing her to receive benefits on his behalf. The request form explicitly states the applicant must report if the claimant is "confined to jail, prison, penal institution or correctional facility".Phillips did not report that her husband was incarcerated. Instead, she falsely indicated that her husband had a mental impairment and that they lived together with her as his caretaker. SSA approved her request. From 2015 to 2024, Phillips admits she fraudulently received $316,570 in SSA benefits. Records show $2,437 was deposited into her husband’s prison account from 2014 until 2024.
“The government doesn’t allow incarcerated individuals to continue receiving public benefits like Social Security because taxpayers are already footing the bill for their housing, meals, and healthcare while they are inmates,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The DOJ’s National Fraud Enforcement Division was created to help root out people who have been getting away with scamming the system for years.”
The Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kari Burks prosecuted the case.
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Justice Department Moves to Strip Citizenship from 40 Criminals in Largest Single-Period Filing Under the Trump AdministrationRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has filed denaturalization actions in multiple U.S. district courts against 40 individuals accused of serious offenses, including acting as an agent for a foreign government, committing voluntary manslaughter, and aggravated sodomy against a special‑needs man. Filed between Aug. 21 and Oct. 2, 2026, these complaints represent the largest volume of complaints submitted in a single period under the Trump administration.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
“Today’s announcement marks the largest denaturalization effort in modern history,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “From an individual convicted of espionage to others convicted of sexual offenses against minors, these defendants concealed critical facts from the U.S. government and represent serious criminal offenders. Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice will continue to employ the denaturalization process to maintain our national security and protect the American people.”
“Every single one of these individuals lied their way into U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This administration will continue to pursue the largest denaturalization effort in department history to restore trust and integrity in U.S. citizenship. Our message is clear: the United States will not tolerate deception in the naturalization process.”
Country of origin of individuals in filed complaints.- Yusmary Shirley Duran Mejia (Colombia/Age 47): On Aug. 31, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Yusmary Shirley Duran Mejia, a resident of Hialeah, Florida, because she committed immigration fraud in her naturalization proceedings. Duran Mejia entered the United States in 2007 and naturalized in 2018. In 2019, she was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. In criminal proceedings she admitted that she became involved in the illegal enterprise before she became a citizen. In 2020, she was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956, for her efforts in concealing proceeds from unlawful activity. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Duran Mejia’s naturalization because her criminal acts and her false testimony in naturalization proceedings rendered her unable to demonstrate the required good moral character for naturalization and because she procured her naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Southern District of Florida).
- Iain Lumsden (United Kingdom/Age 50): On Aug. 31, the Department of Justice filed a case in the District of Colorado seeking the denaturalization Iain Lumsden. On or about Feb. 26, 2020, Mr. Lumsden knowingly transported the visual depiction in a computer file, which involved the visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On Aug. 11, 2020, the Defendant admitted to law enforcement that he first viewed child pornography five to ten years before Aug. 11, 2020, and admitted to conducting searches for child pornography prior to naturalizing. On Dec. 2, 2020, Mr. Lumsden was charged with one count of Transportation of Child Pornography under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(1), 2252(b)(1). On Aug. 27, 2021, Mr. Lumsden entered a plea of guilty to Transportation of Child Pornography under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(1), 2252(b)(1) and he was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison. During the naturalization process Mr. Lumsden represented under penalty of perjury that: (1) that he had not committed crimes for which he had not been arrested; and (2) he never provided false, fraudulent or misleading information to a U.S. Government official. Neither were true. (District of Colorado).
- Gume Roberto Garza (Mexico/Age 59): On Aug. 28, the United States brought a denaturalization action in the Southern District of Texas against Gume Roberto Garza, also known as Gumercindo Garza Perez, also known as Gerardo Vasquez, also known as Gerardo Vazquez, who misrepresented his identity and concealed his criminal history to secure citizenship. Prior to the naturalization process, Garza entered the United States illegally and secured and retained a Texas driver's license bearing the name, social security number, and date of birth belonging to United States citizen Gerardo Vazquez. Garza, posing as Gerardo Vazquez, was arrested on multiple occasions for drug offenses. When he applied to naturalize in 2010, Garza concealed his use of an alias and prior criminal history. In 2013, Garza pleaded guilty to making a false under-oath statement in a naturalization matter in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(a). As Garza should not have been naturalized, the United States filed a complaint to revoke his illegally-obtained citizenship. (Southern District of Texas).
- Ramiro Escot Esparza (Mexico/Age 60): On Aug. 27, the United States brought a denaturalization action against Ramiro Escot Esparza in the Central District of California for illegally obtaining United States citizenship. Escot Esparza became a permanent resident in 1990 and applied for citizenship in 2008. However, Escot Esparza concealed that he had engaged in multiple acts of sexual misconduct against a minor victim in his application and during his citizenship interview in 2009. Just months after obtaining citizenship, Escot Esparza pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor victim. By concealing his multiple acts of sexual abuse of a minor during his citizenship application process, Escot Esparza is subject to revocation of his naturalized citizenship. (Central District of California).
- Javier Marrero-Pando (Cuba/Age 60): On Aug. 31, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Middle District of Georgia seeking the denaturalization of Javier Marrero-Pando, a resident of Athens, Georgia, because he failed to disclose during his naturalization proceedings that he had committed aggravated sodomy against a special needs man. In June 2022, he was convicted by guilty plea for aggravated sodomy. During his plea hearing, Mr. Marrero-Pando admitted that, in May 2020, he forced the victim to perform sexual acts against the victim’s will. For that offense, he was sentenced to life in prison, with all but 15 years suspended. At his naturalization interview in October 2020, Mr. Marrero-Pando falsely stated under oath that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, inducing immigration authorities to grant his naturalization application. The United States filed a three-count complaint against Mr. Marrero-Pando seeking his denaturalization due to his illegal procurement of naturalization, lack of good moral character, and false statements in his naturalization proceedings. (Middle District of Georgia).
- Ahmad Bahar Khattak (Pakistan/Age 69): On Aug. 21, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia to revoke the naturalized U.S. citizenship of Ahmad Bahar Khattak, also known as Bahar Ahmad and Said Umar Khan. The complaint alleges seven distinct counts seeking the revocation of his U.S. citizenship, asserting that his naturalization was illegally procured due to pre-existing removal proceedings, a lack of lawful permanent resident status, jurisdictional defects, statutory inadmissibility, a failure to demonstrate the requisite good moral character through criminal acts and false testimony under oath, and the willful concealment of material facts regarding his dual identity and prior deportation history. Ahmad Bahar Khattak illegally procured his naturalization and willfully concealed material facts by engaging in a multi-decade fraudulent scheme utilizing dual identities to evade deportation and secure immigration benefits. Specifically, after an Immigration Judge ordered Ahmad Bahar Khattak excluded in absentia in 1994 under the alias of Said Umar Khan, he concurrently applied for immigration benefits and ultimately naturalized on Mar. 20, 2008, under the identity of Bahar Ahmad without disclosing his prior exclusion order. Following his naturalization, he continued his deceptive conduct by leveraging his unlawfully acquired status to obtain U.S. passports and sponsor family members for immigration benefits. In light of the foregoing factual premises, the United States is moving to revoke his citizenship and Certificate of Naturalization. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Ahmed Khan (Pakistan/Age 73): On Sept. 4, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Ohio seeking the denaturalization of Ahmed Khan, based on marriage fraud. After arriving in the United States from Pakistan in 1999, Khan secured a bogus death certificate for his still-living Pakistani wife and then married a U.S. citizen. Relying on that bigamous marriage, Khan obtained permanent residence in 2002 by falsely representing both the death of his Pakistani wife and that he did not plan to practice polygamy in the United States. His misrepresentations at the start of his immigration journey made him inadmissible and ultimately ineligible for U.S. citizenship. Khan nevertheless unlawfully naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2008 by failing to disclose his ongoing marriage to his Pakistani wife; providing false testimony during his naturalization interview; committing unlawful acts, including immigration fraud, that adversely reflected on his moral character; and willfully misrepresenting material facts about his marriage history and other matters throughout his naturalization proceedings. (Southern District of Ohio).
- Balwinder Singh (India/Age 55): On Sept. 8, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Balwinder Singh for using a fraudulent identity to gain admission to and naturalization in the United States. In 1992, Singh submitted an immigration application under the identity of Balwinder Singh. In 2003, Singh sought and received permanent resident status under a second identity. Fingerprints establish that Singh submitted both applications. In 2009, Singh naturalized under his second identity. The complaint alleges seven counts for his numerous misrepresentations and unlawful acts that adversely reflect his moral character. (Eastern District of California).
- Jose Ramiro Montiel Carrasco (Mexico/Age 57): On Sept. 14, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Middle District of Florida, seeking the denaturalization of Jose Ramiro Montiel Carrasco, who sexually abused a minor and committed incest before he naturalized. Motiel Carrasco failed to disclose his crimes throughout his naturalization. After he naturalized, Montiel Carrasco was convicted in Florida state court for sexual battery and incest and respectively sentenced to concurrent terms of 8 and 5 years’ imprisonment. Montiel Carrasco began his abhorrent acts of sexual abuse in or about 2000, when his victim was fourteen or fifteen years old. Throughout his naturalization proceedings, Montiel Carrasco failed to disclose material facts, including his unlawful acts, and he provided false testimony under oath. Accordingly, the United States seeks to denaturalize Montiel Carrasco on the basis that he illegally procured United States citizenship, namely, he lacked the requisite good moral character for naturalization, and because he willfully misrepresented material facts during his naturalization proceedings. (Middle District of Florida).
- Arnel Dacumos Tabafunda (Philippines/Age 47): On Sept. 15, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Central District of California seeking the denaturalization of Arnel Dacumos Tabafunda, based on sexual abuse of a child that Tabafunda failed to report during his naturalization proceedings. Before he naturalized as a U.S. citizen, Tabafunda began sexually abusing a child under the age of thirteen. By concealing his crimes during his naturalization process, Tabafunda became a U.S. citizen in September 2005. After he naturalized, a jury found him guilty of two counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under the age of fourteen years, in violation of Cal. Penal Code § 288(a), and he was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment. Tabafunda was in a position of trust with the victim, and he abused that trust through his repeated acts of sexual abuse from February 2005 through November 2005. Accordingly, Tabafunda illegally procured his naturalization because he committed his sexual abuse crimes during a period in which he was required to demonstrate good moral character to naturalize. He also procured his naturalization by willfully concealing the material fact of his criminal conduct when his naturalization application required him to disclose it. (Central District of California).
- Syed Mashood Ul Haque (Pakistan/Age 66): On Sept. 16, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Syed Ul Haque because he used dual identities to violate U.S. immigration law. Ul Haque entered the United States on a tourist visa in 1993 under his current identity, then overstayed this visa. In 1994, Ul Haque used the identity “Mashud Ahmad” to apply for asylum. When the government denied his asylum application, he failed to appear for his immigration hearing and evaded lawful deportation. After remaining illegally in the United States for decades, Ul Haque used his current identity to take advantage of a family-based immigration petition and become a permanent resident in 2005. Ul Haque later naturalized as a U.S. citizen. The United States seeks Ul Haque’s denaturalization because he was never lawfully admitted as a permanent resident due to his prior deportation order under a fraudulent identity, and he concealed this throughout his naturalization process. (Southern District of Florida).
- Douglas Chukwuka Eze (Citizenship Unknown/Adult, Age Unknown). On Aug. 10, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Maryland seeking the denaturalization of Douglas Chukwuka Eze, also known as Anthony Chux Ezehez, because he committed immigration fraud in his naturalization proceedings. In 2023, Eze was convicted of two counts of False Swearing in Immigration Matter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546, based on his admission that, in the 1990’s, he stole a birth certificate belonging to Spencer Douglas Callaghan and used Mr. Callaghan’s identity to obtain immigration benefits. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Eze’s naturalization because he procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations, he illegally procured his lawful permanent resident status by misrepresenting his identity and criminal history, and he provided false testimony when he lied under penalty of perjury in his naturalization proceedings. (District of Maryland).
- Gilberto Barraza (Mexico/Age 58): On Sept. 18, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Arizona seeking the denaturalization of Gilberto Barraza because he fraudulently claimed to be a U.S. citizen when he was not. Barraza entered the United States illegally in 1987 and applied for a U.S. passport in 1992, falsely claiming to have been born in the United States. In support, he submitted a forged California birth certificate. Later, he married a U.S. citizen and used this marriage to become a permanent resident of the United States, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen in 2008 by concealing and lying about his passport fraud. The United States seeks Barraza’s denaturalization because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence and made numerous material misstatements to obtain his U.S. citizenship. (District of Arizona).
- Ifeolu Samuel Akingbemisilu (Sierra Leone/Age 58): On Sept. 18, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Northern District of Georgia seeking the denaturalization of Ifeolu Samuel Akingbemisilu, also known as John Samuel, Sylvester Akingbemisilu, and Anthony Davies, because he committed immigration fraud. Before he became a citizen in 2008, Akingbemisilu entered the United States and was ordered removed under the name Anthony Davies. He reentered using a fraudulent British passport under the name John Samuel and married a U.S. citizen, which he used to adjust status to permanent resident. During naturalization proceedings, he changed his name to Ifelou Samuel Akingbemisilu and became a U.S. citizen. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Akingbemisilu’s naturalization because he did not lawfully adjust status, did not have the required good moral character for naturalization, and procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Northern District of Georgia).
- Norma Patricia Esparza (Mexico/Age 52): On Sept. 22, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Central District of California, seeking the denaturalization of Norma Patricia Esparza, who committed voluntary manslaughter before she naturalized and failed to disclose her crimes throughout his naturalization. After she naturalized, Esparza was convicted in California state court and was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. Throughout her naturalization proceedings, Esparza failed to disclose material facts, including her unlawful acts, and she provided false testimony under oath. Accordingly, the United States seeks to denaturalize Esparza on the basis that she illegally procured United States citizenship, namely, she lacked the requisite good moral character for naturalization, and because she willfully misrepresented material facts during her naturalization proceedings. (Central District of California).
- Johyce Martinez (Venezuela/Age 52): On Sept. 22, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Columbia seeking the denaturalization of Johyce Martinez, also known as Johyce Noreidis Sanchez, Raida Martinez, and Raida Martinez Riveron, because she committed immigration fraud. Martinez is a native of Venezuela who entered the United States in 2006 using a fraudulent Cuban birth registration. She was unlawfully granted permanent residence under the Cuban Adjustment Act and maintained the fraudulent Cuban identity when, in 2013, she naturalized as a U.S. citizen. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Martinez’s naturalization because she did not lawfully adjust status, did not have the required good moral character for naturalization, and procured her naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (District of Columbia).
- Varis Jan Safi (Afghanistan/Age 55): On Sept. 24, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of New York seeking the denaturalization of Varis Jan Safi, also known as Tariq Mehmood, a resident of Valley Stream, New York because he illegally procured his naturalization and willfully misrepresented and concealed material facts to the USCIS during his naturalization process. Mr. Safi entered the United States in 1995 under the name of Tariq Mehmood using a forged Pakistani passport. When discovered, he confessed to be an Afghan national and was placed in exclusion proceedings. An immigration judge ordered him excluded from the United States in 1995. Instead of obeying the judge ordered and departing the United States, Mr. Safi fabricated a new identity, married a U.S. Citizens and used this marriage to adjust his status. Mr. Safi never disclosed his multiple identities or simultaneous applications for immigration benefits, among other disqualifying behaviors and unlawful acts when under oath at his naturalization interview. The United States alleges that the court should issue and order revoking Mr. Safi’s naturalization and cancels his Certificate of Naturalization because he was ineligible to naturalize when he did, and because he made multiple false statement and misrepresentations in his naturalization proceedings. (Eastern District of New York).
- Walid Abdelnabbi Hassan Osman (Egypt/Age 62): On Sept. 23, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia seeking the denaturalization of Walid Osman because he committed visa fraud prior to becoming a U.S. citizen. In 2001, Osman entered the United States on a tourist visa before extending his stay and pursuing a fraudulent H-1B position with a company run by his family member that provided no meaningful employment to him. Instead, Osman worked as a taxi driver and enjoyed H-1B status in the United States until 2007. He became a permanent resident in 2009 through his spouse’s diversity visa and eventually naturalized as a U.S. citizen. The United States seeks Osman’s denaturalization because he was not lawfully admitted as a permanent resident due to his visa fraud, and he provided false testimony and made material representations about his fraudulent work history throughout his naturalization process. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Nadia Hassan Mohamed Ali (Egypt/Age 58): On Sept. 23, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia seeking the denaturalization of Nadia Hassan Mohamed Ali because she committed visa fraud prior to becoming a U.S. citizen. In 2001 and 2004, Ali sponsored a member of her family to work in H-1B status as an accountant for her company. However, this company conducted no business and provided no meaningful employment to the family member. Ali fraudulently filed work petitions for the purpose of allowing the family member to remain in the United States. The United States seeks Ali’s denaturalization because she committed fraud crimes in her H-1B petitions and in her application for U.S. citizenship. Throughout her naturalization process, Ali provided false testimony and material misrepresentations about her work history and sponsoring her family member. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Beatrice Chioma Nwaoha Ashamole (Nigeria/Age 54): On Sept. 25, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Maryland seeking the denaturalization of Beatrice Chioma Nwaoha Ashamole because throughout her naturalization proceedings, she did not disclose prior aliases, prior arrests, a prior immigration benefits application, or prior exclusions and deportations, despite the application asking for such information. The United Sates is charging her with illegally procuring her naturalization through fraud and false testimony. (District of Maryland).
- Anita Moanjeh Atem (Cameroon/Age 48): On Sept. 25, the Department of Justice filed a case in the District of Maryland seeking the denaturalization of Anita Moanjeh Atem, a native of Cameroon. Ms. Atem naturalized in 2009 by hiding from the Government that from 2004 to 2007, she had sexually abused a minor, a family and household member and over whom Ms. Atem had permanent or temporary care and custody and responsibility. Ms. Atem was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in violation of Maryland Criminal Code 3-602. Accordingly, the United States filed a three-count complaint against Ms. Atem seeking her denaturalization, including claims that she lacked the requisite good moral character to naturalize and made willful misrepresentations to, and concealed material facts from, immigration authorities. (District of Maryland).
- Dibya Bhattarai (Nepal/Age 40): On Sept. 25, the Department of Justice brought a denaturalization action against Dibya Bhattarai in the Northern District of Texas. Bhattarai illegally secured citizenship by misrepresenting her criminal history throughout the naturalization process. When she applied to naturalize in 2008, Bhattarai claimed that she had not committed any crime for which she had not yet been arrested. She later repeated that claim orally and under oath during her naturalization interview. Based on Bhattarai’s written application and testimony at her interview, she was approved for naturalization and naturalized in September 2008. In March 2016, however, Bhattarai pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with immigration documents — a conspiracy that began in June 2007, over a year before her naturalization interview. The United States filed a complaint against Bhattarai seeking to revoke Bhattarai’s naturalized citizenship because of her lack of good moral character and her willful misrepresentation and concealment of her criminal conduct while seeking U.S. citizenship. (Northern District of Texas).
- Syed Furqan Ali (Pakistan/Age 74): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Texas seeking the denaturalization of Syed Furqan Ali after he entered into a fraudulent marriage to obtain U.S. citizenship unlawfully. In 1993, Ali sought naturalization based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen while still married to his first wife, a citizen of Pakistan. In fact, Ali had fabricated his divorce and former wife’s death to gain admission to the United States. The complaint against Ali alleges five counts that includes his unlawful adjustment as a permanent resident and false testimony at his naturalization interview that he was divorced and legally married to his second wife at the time of his admission into the United States. (Southern District of Texas).
- Raul Cisneros (Mexico/Age 76): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the Southern District of California against Raul Cisneros, a native of Mexico. Cisneros received his naturalization based on his representation in his naturalization application that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested. In fact, prior to his naturalization application, Cisneros committed acts constituting lewd and lascivious acts on a minor in violation of California Penal Code § 288(a). After obtaining citizenship, Cisneros was convicted pursuant to his guilty plea of two felony counts in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, North County Division, and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. (Southern District of California).
- Juan Jose Egusquiza-Vasquez (Age 36/Peru): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Indiana seeking the denaturalization of Juan Jose Egusquiza-Vasquez who was admitted to the United States in November 2000 and subsequently obtained permanent residence. When Egusquiza-Vasquez applied for naturalization in October 2010, he stated in his application that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. His application was approved and he naturalized in May 2011. In November 2013, however, Egusquiza-Vasquez pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual battery involving a minor in violation of Indiana Code § 35-42-4-8(a)(1)(A), that occurred in March and April 2008, prior to his application for naturalization. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for his crime. On Sept. 28 the United States brought a denaturalization action against Egusquiza-Vasquez for willfully misrepresenting and concealing his criminal conduct during the naturalization process and providing false information under penalty of perjury for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit, namely naturalization. (Southern District of Indiana).
- Arnouse Merlien (Haiti/Age 48): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Arnouse Merlien, a resident of West Palm Beach, Florida, because she committed tax fraud during her naturalization proceedings. Ms. Merlien naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2016. In 2018, in the Northern District of Georgia, Ms. Merlien was charged with, and convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud the Government with Respect to Claims. In the years leading up to her naturalization, Ms. Merlien participated in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government by submitting fraudulent claims for income tax refunds with the IRS. The United States seeks the denaturalization of Ms. Merlien in a three-count complaint alleging she illegally procured her naturalization because of her conviction for tax fraud, her false testimony in naturalization proceedings, which demonstrates she did not have the requisite good moral character needed for naturalization, and because she procured her naturalization by concealment of material facts or by willful misrepresentation. (Southern District of Florida).
- Francis Darko Asamoah (Ghana/Age 56): On Sept. 30, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia seeking the denaturalization of Francis Darko Asamoah, a resident of Woodbridge, Virginia, because he lied on his naturalization application regarding if he had children, to shield inquiry into the legitimacy of his marriage to a U.S. citizen. Mr. Asamoah naturalized in 2013. Mr. Asamoah was married to a U.S. citizen prior to his naturalization, and whom he gained permanent residence through. During his naturalization interview in 2013, Mr. Asamoah testified under oath that he had no children. However, a Virginia Certificate of Live Birth, listed Mr. Asamoah as the father to a child born in July 2011. The mother of the child was not his U.S. citizen spouse. Shortly after naturalization, Mr. Asamoah divorced his U.S. citizen spouse. In subsequent immigration filings after naturalization, Mr. Asamoah acknowledged the existence of the child born in July 2011. Mr. Asamoah’s false testimony during his naturalization proceedings prevented immigration authorities from investigating the bona fides of the marriage to his U.S. citizen spouse. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Ralph Nabavi (Iran/Ager 69): On Sept. 30, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Ralph Nabavi, a resident of Miami, Florida, because he unlawfully evaded paying federal income taxes before he became a U.S. citizen in 2014. In 2019, he was charged with tax evasion for underreporting at least $12.5 million dollars in income and underpaying $3.5 million in federal income taxes. Nabavi admitted when he pleaded guilty that he began transferring funds from his business to personal accounts to avoid paying income taxes beginning in 2013 before he naturalized in 2014, though the evidence indicates that he began at least as early as 2012. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Nabavi’s naturalization because his criminal act and false testimony in naturalization proceedings rendered him unable to demonstrate the required good moral character for naturalization and because he procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Southern District of Florida).
- Gracia de Rodriguez (Mexico/Age 52): On Sept. 30, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the District of Arizona seeking the denaturalization of Consuela Gracia de Rodriguez, a native of Mexico. Over a nearly twenty‑year period, Gracia de Rodriguez lied to U.S. government officials about her spouse’s identity and citizenship, falsely claiming that he was a U.S. citizen to obtain immigration benefits, U.S. citizenship, and a U.S. passport. On June 24, 2019, Gracia de Rodriguez pleaded guilty to passport fraud in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. In her criminal proceedings, Gracia de Rodriguez admitted that she procured her U.S. passport through fraudulent procurement of her naturalization. Specifically, she admitted that her spouse was a Mexican citizen, not a U.S. citizen, whom she married in Mexico. She further admitted that she and her spouse later illegally entered the United States, where her spouse proceeded to steal the identity of a U.S. citizen. She admitted that she knowingly and willfully married her spouse a second time in the United States under his stolen identity and then used her spouse’s stolen identity to adjust her status to that of a lawful permanent resident and later to naturalize. (District of Arizona).
- Jinchao Wei (China/Age 26): On Sept. 30, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Jinchao Wei because he conducted espionage on behalf of the Chinese government. Jinchao Wei, a native of China, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2021, just before his twenty-first birthday. But by February 2022, he had begun conspiring to sell military secrets to China. By concealing his crimes, he obtained U.S. citizenship just two months later in May 2022, through a law intended to expedite the naturalization of individuals serving honorably in the U.S. armed forces. After his espionage scheme was discovered, he was arrested and convicted in August 2025 of conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and unlawful export of technical data related to defense articles. He was sentenced to 200 months in prison and discharged from the Navy. The denaturalization complaint against Wei alleges that he illegally procured his naturalization, procured it through fraudulent concealment or material misrepresentations during his naturalization proceedings, and failed to serve honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces for five years before being separated under other-than-honorable conditions. (Southern District of California).
- Jose Villarreal Ortiz (Mexico/Age 49): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Jose Villarreal Ortiz, a native of Mexico. Mr. Villarreal was admitted to permanent resident status as the child of a U.S. citizen based on a false claim that his aunt (a naturalized U.S. citizen) was his mother and that he had remained in Mexico until 1996, when in fact he had been in the United States illegally for nearly a decade. When it came time to naturalize, Mr. Villarreal falsely claimed that his parent was a U.S. citizen, that he had never lied to U.S. officials to gain admission or entry, and that he had never provided false or misleading information to government officials. As a result, Mr. Villarreal was naturalized. The United States is seeking to revoke Mr. Villarreal’s citizenship because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence, because he procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and/or willful misrepresentations, and because his false testimony and misrepresentations meant that he lacked the good moral character necessary to naturalize. (Southern District of Florida).
- Sorsamkhan Som (Cambodia/Age 67): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Texas seeking the denaturalization of Sorsamkhan Som after he entered into a fraudulent marriage to obtain U.S. citizenship unlawfully. In 2009, Som sought naturalization based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen while still married to his first wife, a citizen of Cambodia. In fact, Som fabricated his divorce to gain admission to the United States. The complaint against Som alleges five counts that includes his unlawful adjustment as a permanent resident and false testimony at his naturalization interview that he was divorced and legally married to his second wife at the time of his admission into the United States. (Southern District of Texas).
- Lazaro Trujillo Viton (Age 40/Cuba): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Columbia seeking the denaturalization of Lazaro Eduardo Trujillo Viton. Trujillo, a native of Cuba, concealed throughout the naturalization process that he was involved in a conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and that he himself submitted fraudulent Medicare claims for reimbursement, for which he was convicted after naturalization. Because Trujillo committed these crimes prior to naturalization and continuing through naturalization and concealed his involvement therein, he obtained naturalization through a concealment or willful misrepresentation of a material fact, he provided false testimony disqualifying him from citizenship, and his crimes of moral turpitude and other unlawful acts meant that he lacked the good moral character necessary to naturalize. The United States is therefore seeking to revoke Trujillo’s naturalized citizenship. (District of the District of Columbia).
- Dexter Anson (Ghana/Age 72): On Oct. 1, the United States filed a complaint in the District of Connecticut seeking the denaturalization of Dexter Anson because he failed to disclose in his diversity visa application and subsequent naturalization proceedings that he applied for immigration benefits and was ordered deported under his prior identity. He is charged with illegal procurement of his naturalization, and procurement of naturalization by willfully misrepresenting or concealing material facts in his naturalization proceedings. Anson illegally procured naturalization because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence based on being ineligible for a diversity visa as he applied for immigration benefits by fraud and misrepresentation under George Opoku. He illegally procured naturalization because he could not have established the requisite good moral character to naturalize where, prior to naturalizing, he engaged in unlawful acts adversely reflecting on his moral character, including violating three federal statutes criminalizing providing false information to the Government. He also provided false testimony at his naturalization interview when he failed to disclose his prior deportation proceedings and deportation order under George Opoku. Anson also willfully misrepresented or concealed material facts, including the use of another name and a deportation order in that name, throughout the naturalization process. (District of Connecticut).
- Andrew Coldicutt (Canada/Age 46): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the Southern District of California against Andrew Coldicutt, a native of Canada. Coldicutt received his naturalization based on his misrepresentations in his naturalization application and interviews that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested and that he had never provided false or misleading information to a U.S. government official. In fact, prior to his naturalization application, Coldicutt had engaged in stock fraud schemes, including a pump-and-dump scheme and a gypsy swap, that involved filing false securities registration forms and wire fraud and that resulted in an FBI investigation against him. After he obtained citizenship, a jury convicted Coldicutt of securities fraud in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 77q, 77x; making false securities registration statements in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 77g, 77x; and wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 in the Southern District of California. Accordingly, the Department of Justice is pursuing revocation of Coldicutt’s naturalization for both illegal procurement (failure to show good moral character due to unlawful acts and false testimony) and concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentations relating to that conduct. (Southern District of California).
- Ping Li (China: Age 61): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Middle District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Ping Li because he conspired to act as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 951(a). From at least as early as 2012, Mr. Li worked at the direction of officers of the Ministry of State Security (“MSS”) of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) to obtain information of interest to the PRC government, including information concerning Chinese dissidents and pro-democracy advocates, members of the Falun Gong religious movement, and U.S.-based non-governmental organizations, and to report that information to the MSS. Mr. Li also provided the MSS with sensitive information obtained from his employers, a major U.S. telecommunications company and an international information technology company. On August 19, 2024, Mr. Li plead guilty to acting as an agent of the PRC, without prior notification to the Attorney General. Mr. Li’s conduct is prima facie evidence that he was not attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and was not well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States at the time of his naturalization. The United States therefore has filed a single-count complaint seeking to revoke his naturalized citizenship. (People’s Republic of China).
- Hernan Garcia Toledo (Mexico/Age 52): On Oct. 2, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Eastern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Hernan Garcia Toledo. Mr. Garcia is a native of Mexico who falsely represented throughout his naturalization proceedings that he had never been arrested nor convicted of any crimes. He failed to disclose on his naturalization application and during his naturalization interview that he had previously been arrested and convicted of two crimes: carrying a concealed weapon, CPC § 12025(a)(1), and carrying a loaded firearm, CPC § 12031(a)(1). After his naturalization interview but prior to naturalization, he was arrested and charged with two additional firearms-related offenses yet failed to disclose those arrests and pending charges during his oath of naturalization. After Mr. Garcia naturalized, he was convicted of a firearms offense. Accordingly, the Department of Justice is pursuing revocation of Mr. Garcia’s naturalization for both illegal procurement (failure to show good moral character due to unlawful acts and false testimony) and concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentations relating to that conduct. (Eastern District of California).
- Semiu Olaiye Ijelu (Nigeria/Age 58): On Oct. 2, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Northern District of Georgia seeking the denaturalization of Semiu Olaiye Ijelu, also known as Samiu O. Ijelu and Olaiya S. Ijely, because he committed immigration fraud in naturalization proceedings. Before he became a citizen, Ijelu sought immigration benefits under two separate identities and was ordered removed. Instead of departing the United States, he married a U.S. citizen, which he used to adjust status to permanent resident, and naturalized in 2009. During naturalization proceedings he did not disclose the other identities or the final removal order. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Ijelu’s naturalization because he did not lawfully adjust status, did not have the required good moral character for naturalization, and procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Northern District of Georgia).
- Ramon Navarro (Philippines/Age 68): On Oct. 2, the Department of Justice of Justice filed a case in the Eastern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Ramon Navarro for entering into a fraudulent marriage to obtain citizenship. Navarro entered into a fraudulent marriage to gain lawful permanent resident status and then used that fraudulent status and lied to immigration officials to obtain citizenship. The complaint alleges four counts based on his fraudulent marriage and his various representations that adversely reflected his moral character. (Eastern District of California).
- Assad Jhon Ramin (Afghanistan: Age 57 or 58): On Oct. 2 the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania seeking the denaturalization of Assad Jhon Ramim because Mr. Ramim perpetrated an identity fraud spanning almost thirty years. Mr. Ramim sought and obtained a series of immigration benefits, culminating in citizenship, claiming he was Ahmad Shah Kohistany. As part of his naturalization process, he changed his name from Ahmed Shah Kohistani to Assad Jhon Ramim. In fact, Assad Jhon Ramim was his real name all along, and it was never Ahmad Shah Kohistani. Mr. Ramim fraudulently stole the identity of another Afghan national without that individual’s knowledge or consent. Mr. Ramim’s actions and conduct statutorily barred him from becoming a U.S. citizen and render his naturalization illegally procured and procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. The United States therefore has filed a four-count complaint seeking to revoke his naturalized citizenship based on his fraud and misrepresentations. (Eastern District of Pennsylvania).
These complaints were filed in the Central District of California, District of Arizona, District of Colorado, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Maryland, Eastern District of California, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Eastern District of Virginia, Middle District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of California, Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Indiana, Southern District of Ohio, and Southern District of Texas.
The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Moves to Strip Citizenship from 40 Convicted Criminals in Largest Single-Period Filing Under the Trump AdministrationRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice announced today that it has filed denaturalization actions in multiple U.S. district courts against 40 individuals accused of serious offenses, including acting as an agent for a foreign government, committing voluntary manslaughter, and aggravated sodomy against a special‑needs man. Filed between Aug. 21 and Oct. 2, 2026, these complaints represent the largest volume of complaints submitted in a single period under the Trump administration.
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, a naturalized U.S. citizen’s citizenship may be revoked, and certificate of naturalization canceled, if the naturalization was illegally procured or procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation.
“Today’s announcement marks the largest denaturalization effort in modern history,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “From an individual convicted of espionage to others convicted of sexual offenses against minors, these defendants concealed critical facts from the U.S. government and represent serious criminal offenders. Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of Justice will continue to employ the denaturalization process to maintain our national security and protect the American people.”
“Every single one of these individuals lied their way into U.S. citizenship,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This administration will continue to pursue the largest denaturalization effort in department history to restore trust and integrity in U.S. citizenship. Our message is clear: the United States will not tolerate deception in the naturalization process.”
Country of origin of individuals in filed complaints.- Yusmary Shirley Duran Mejia (Colombia/Age 47): On Aug. 31, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Yusmary Shirley Duran Mejia, a resident of Hialeah, Florida, because she committed immigration fraud in her naturalization proceedings. Duran Mejia entered the United States in 2007 and naturalized in 2018. In 2019, she was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. In criminal proceedings she admitted that she became involved in the illegal enterprise before she became a citizen. In 2020, she was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956, for her efforts in concealing proceeds from unlawful activity. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Duran Mejia’s naturalization because her criminal acts and her false testimony in naturalization proceedings rendered her unable to demonstrate the required good moral character for naturalization and because she procured her naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Southern District of Florida).
- Iain Lumsden (United Kingdom/Age 50): On Aug. 31, the Department of Justice filed a case in the District of Colorado seeking the denaturalization Iain Lumsden. On or about Feb. 26, 2020, Mr. Lumsden knowingly transported the visual depiction in a computer file, which involved the visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. On Aug. 11, 2020, the Defendant admitted to law enforcement that he first viewed child pornography five to ten years before Aug. 11, 2020, and admitted to conducting searches for child pornography prior to naturalizing. On Dec. 2, 2020, Mr. Lumsden was charged with one count of Transportation of Child Pornography under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(1), 2252(b)(1). On Aug. 27, 2021, Mr. Lumsden entered a plea of guilty to Transportation of Child Pornography under 18 U.S.C. §§ 2252(a)(1), 2252(b)(1) and he was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison. During the naturalization process Mr. Lumsden represented under penalty of perjury that: (1) that he had not committed crimes for which he had not been arrested; and (2) he never provided false, fraudulent or misleading information to a U.S. Government official. Neither were true. (District of Colorado).
- Gume Roberto Garza (Mexico/Age 59): On Aug. 28, the United States brought a denaturalization action in the Southern District of Texas against Gume Roberto Garza, also known as Gumercindo Garza Perez, also known as Gerardo Vasquez, also known as Gerardo Vazquez, who misrepresented his identity and concealed his criminal history to secure citizenship. Prior to the naturalization process, Garza entered the United States illegally and secured and retained a Texas driver's license bearing the name, social security number, and date of birth belonging to United States citizen Gerardo Vazquez. Garza, posing as Gerardo Vazquez, was arrested on multiple occasions for drug offenses. When he applied to naturalize in 2010, Garza concealed his use of an alias and prior criminal history. In 2013, Garza pleaded guilty to making a false under-oath statement in a naturalization matter in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(a). As Garza should not have been naturalized, the United States filed a complaint to revoke his illegally-obtained citizenship. (Southern District of Texas).
- Ramiro Escot Esparza (Mexico/Age 60): On Aug. 27, the United States brought a denaturalization action against Ramiro Escot Esparza in the Central District of California for illegally obtaining United States citizenship. Escot Esparza became a permanent resident in 1990 and applied for citizenship in 2008. However, Escot Esparza concealed that he had engaged in multiple acts of sexual misconduct against a minor victim in his application and during his citizenship interview in 2009. Just months after obtaining citizenship, Escot Esparza pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual abuse of a minor victim. By concealing his multiple acts of sexual abuse of a minor during his citizenship application process, Escot Esparza is subject to revocation of his naturalized citizenship. (Central District of California).
- Javier Marrero-Pando (Cuba/Age 60): On Aug. 31, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Middle District of Georgia seeking the denaturalization of Javier Marrero-Pando, a resident of Athens, Georgia, because he failed to disclose during his naturalization proceedings that he had committed aggravated sodomy against a special needs man. In June 2022, he was convicted by guilty plea for aggravated sodomy. During his plea hearing, Mr. Marrero-Pando admitted that, in May 2020, he forced the victim to perform sexual acts against the victim’s will. For that offense, he was sentenced to life in prison, with all but 15 years suspended. At his naturalization interview in October 2020, Mr. Marrero-Pando falsely stated under oath that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested, inducing immigration authorities to grant his naturalization application. The United States filed a three-count complaint against Mr. Marrero-Pando seeking his denaturalization due to his illegal procurement of naturalization, lack of good moral character, and false statements in his naturalization proceedings. (Middle District of Georgia).
- Ahmad Bahar Khattak (Pakistan/Age 69): On Aug. 21, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia to revoke the naturalized U.S. citizenship of Ahmad Bahar Khattak, also known as Bahar Ahmad and Said Umar Khan. The complaint alleges seven distinct counts seeking the revocation of his U.S. citizenship, asserting that his naturalization was illegally procured due to pre-existing removal proceedings, a lack of lawful permanent resident status, jurisdictional defects, statutory inadmissibility, a failure to demonstrate the requisite good moral character through criminal acts and false testimony under oath, and the willful concealment of material facts regarding his dual identity and prior deportation history. Ahmad Bahar Khattak illegally procured his naturalization and willfully concealed material facts by engaging in a multi-decade fraudulent scheme utilizing dual identities to evade deportation and secure immigration benefits. Specifically, after an Immigration Judge ordered Ahmad Bahar Khattak excluded in absentia in 1994 under the alias of Said Umar Khan, he concurrently applied for immigration benefits and ultimately naturalized on Mar. 20, 2008, under the identity of Bahar Ahmad without disclosing his prior exclusion order. Following his naturalization, he continued his deceptive conduct by leveraging his unlawfully acquired status to obtain U.S. passports and sponsor family members for immigration benefits. In light of the foregoing factual premises, the United States is moving to revoke his citizenship and Certificate of Naturalization. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Ahmed Khan (Pakistan/Age 73): On Sept. 4, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Ohio seeking the denaturalization of Ahmed Khan, based on marriage fraud. After arriving in the United States from Pakistan in 1999, Khan secured a bogus death certificate for his still-living Pakistani wife and then married a U.S. citizen. Relying on that bigamous marriage, Khan obtained permanent residence in 2002 by falsely representing both the death of his Pakistani wife and that he did not plan to practice polygamy in the United States. His misrepresentations at the start of his immigration journey made him inadmissible and ultimately ineligible for U.S. citizenship. Khan nevertheless unlawfully naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2008 by failing to disclose his ongoing marriage to his Pakistani wife; providing false testimony during his naturalization interview; committing unlawful acts, including immigration fraud, that adversely reflected on his moral character; and willfully misrepresenting material facts about his marriage history and other matters throughout his naturalization proceedings. (Southern District of Ohio).
- Balwinder Singh (India/Age 55): On Sept. 8, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Balwinder Singh for using a fraudulent identity to gain admission to and naturalization in the United States. In 1992, Singh submitted an immigration application under the identity of Balwinder Singh. In 2003, Singh sought and received permanent resident status under a second identity. Fingerprints establish that Singh submitted both applications. In 2009, Singh naturalized under his second identity. The complaint alleges seven counts for his numerous misrepresentations and unlawful acts that adversely reflect his moral character. (Eastern District of California).
- Jose Ramiro Montiel Carrasco (Mexico/Age 57): On Sept. 14, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Middle District of Florida, seeking the denaturalization of Jose Ramiro Montiel Carrasco, who sexually abused a minor and committed incest before he naturalized. Motiel Carrasco failed to disclose his crimes throughout his naturalization. After he naturalized, Montiel Carrasco was convicted in Florida state court for sexual battery and incest and respectively sentenced to concurrent terms of 8 and 5 years’ imprisonment. Montiel Carrasco began his abhorrent acts of sexual abuse in or about 2000, when his victim was fourteen or fifteen years old. Throughout his naturalization proceedings, Montiel Carrasco failed to disclose material facts, including his unlawful acts, and he provided false testimony under oath. Accordingly, the United States seeks to denaturalize Montiel Carrasco on the basis that he illegally procured United States citizenship, namely, he lacked the requisite good moral character for naturalization, and because he willfully misrepresented material facts during his naturalization proceedings. (Middle District of Florida).
- Arnel Dacumos Tabafunda (Philippines/Age 47): On Sept. 15, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Central District of California seeking the denaturalization of Arnel Dacumos Tabafunda, based on sexual abuse of a child that Tabafunda failed to report during his naturalization proceedings. Before he naturalized as a U.S. citizen, Tabafunda began sexually abusing a child under the age of thirteen. By concealing his crimes during his naturalization process, Tabafunda became a U.S. citizen in September 2005. After he naturalized, a jury found him guilty of two counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under the age of fourteen years, in violation of Cal. Penal Code § 288(a), and he was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment. Tabafunda was in a position of trust with the victim, and he abused that trust through his repeated acts of sexual abuse from February 2005 through November 2005. Accordingly, Tabafunda illegally procured his naturalization because he committed his sexual abuse crimes during a period in which he was required to demonstrate good moral character to naturalize. He also procured his naturalization by willfully concealing the material fact of his criminal conduct when his naturalization application required him to disclose it. (Central District of California).
- Syed Mashood Ul Haque (Pakistan/Age 66): On Sept. 16, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Syed Ul Haque because he used dual identities to violate U.S. immigration law. Ul Haque entered the United States on a tourist visa in 1993 under his current identity, then overstayed this visa. In 1994, Ul Haque used the identity “Mashud Ahmad” to apply for asylum. When the government denied his asylum application, he failed to appear for his immigration hearing and evaded lawful deportation. After remaining illegally in the United States for decades, Ul Haque used his current identity to take advantage of a family-based immigration petition and become a permanent resident in 2005. Ul Haque later naturalized as a U.S. citizen. The United States seeks Ul Haque’s denaturalization because he was never lawfully admitted as a permanent resident due to his prior deportation order under a fraudulent identity, and he concealed this throughout his naturalization process. (Southern District of Florida).
- Douglas Chukwuka Eze (Citizenship Unknown/Adult, Age Unknown). On Aug. 10, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Maryland seeking the denaturalization of Douglas Chukwuka Eze, also known as Anthony Chux Ezehez, because he committed immigration fraud in his naturalization proceedings. In 2023, Eze was convicted of two counts of False Swearing in Immigration Matter, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1546, based on his admission that, in the 1990’s, he stole a birth certificate belonging to Spencer Douglas Callaghan and used Mr. Callaghan’s identity to obtain immigration benefits. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Eze’s naturalization because he procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations, he illegally procured his lawful permanent resident status by misrepresenting his identity and criminal history, and he provided false testimony when he lied under penalty of perjury in his naturalization proceedings. (District of Maryland).
- Gilberto Barraza (Mexico/Age 58): On Sept. 18, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Arizona seeking the denaturalization of Gilberto Barraza because he fraudulently claimed to be a U.S. citizen when he was not. Barraza entered the United States illegally in 1987 and applied for a U.S. passport in 1992, falsely claiming to have been born in the United States. In support, he submitted a forged California birth certificate. Later, he married a U.S. citizen and used this marriage to become a permanent resident of the United States, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen in 2008 by concealing and lying about his passport fraud. The United States seeks Barraza’s denaturalization because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence and made numerous material misstatements to obtain his U.S. citizenship. (District of Arizona).
- Ifeolu Samuel Akingbemisilu (Sierra Leone/Age 58): On Sept. 18, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Northern District of Georgia seeking the denaturalization of Ifeolu Samuel Akingbemisilu, also known as John Samuel, Sylvester Akingbemisilu, and Anthony Davies, because he committed immigration fraud. Before he became a citizen in 2008, Akingbemisilu entered the United States and was ordered removed under the name Anthony Davies. He reentered using a fraudulent British passport under the name John Samuel and married a U.S. citizen, which he used to adjust status to permanent resident. During naturalization proceedings, he changed his name to Ifelou Samuel Akingbemisilu and became a U.S. citizen. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Akingbemisilu’s naturalization because he did not lawfully adjust status, did not have the required good moral character for naturalization, and procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Northern District of Georgia).
- Norma Patricia Esparza (Mexico/Age 52): On Sept. 22, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Central District of California, seeking the denaturalization of Norma Patricia Esparza, who committed voluntary manslaughter before she naturalized and failed to disclose her crimes throughout his naturalization. After she naturalized, Esparza was convicted in California state court and was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. Throughout her naturalization proceedings, Esparza failed to disclose material facts, including her unlawful acts, and she provided false testimony under oath. Accordingly, the United States seeks to denaturalize Esparza on the basis that she illegally procured United States citizenship, namely, she lacked the requisite good moral character for naturalization, and because she willfully misrepresented material facts during her naturalization proceedings. (Central District of California).
- Johyce Martinez (Venezuela/Age 52): On Sept. 22, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Columbia seeking the denaturalization of Johyce Martinez, also known as Johyce Noreidis Sanchez, Raida Martinez, and Raida Martinez Riveron, because she committed immigration fraud. Martinez is a native of Venezuela who entered the United States in 2006 using a fraudulent Cuban birth registration. She was unlawfully granted permanent residence under the Cuban Adjustment Act and maintained the fraudulent Cuban identity when, in 2013, she naturalized as a U.S. citizen. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Martinez’s naturalization because she did not lawfully adjust status, did not have the required good moral character for naturalization, and procured her naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (District of Columbia).
- Varis Jan Safi (Afghanistan/Age 55): On Sept. 24, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of New York seeking the denaturalization of Varis Jan Safi, also known as Tariq Mehmood, a resident of Valley Stream, New York because he illegally procured his naturalization and willfully misrepresented and concealed material facts to the USCIS during his naturalization process. Mr. Safi entered the United States in 1995 under the name of Tariq Mehmood using a forged Pakistani passport. When discovered, he confessed to be an Afghan national and was placed in exclusion proceedings. An immigration judge ordered him excluded from the United States in 1995. Instead of obeying the judge ordered and departing the United States, Mr. Safi fabricated a new identity, married a U.S. Citizens and used this marriage to adjust his status. Mr. Safi never disclosed his multiple identities or simultaneous applications for immigration benefits, among other disqualifying behaviors and unlawful acts when under oath at his naturalization interview. The United States alleges that the court should issue and order revoking Mr. Safi’s naturalization and cancels his Certificate of Naturalization because he was ineligible to naturalize when he did, and because he made multiple false statement and misrepresentations in his naturalization proceedings. (Eastern District of New York).
- Walid Abdelnabbi Hassan Osman (Egypt/Age 62): On Sept. 23, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia seeking the denaturalization of Walid Osman because he committed visa fraud prior to becoming a U.S. citizen. In 2001, Osman entered the United States on a tourist visa before extending his stay and pursuing a fraudulent H-1B position with a company run by his family member that provided no meaningful employment to him. Instead, Osman worked as a taxi driver and enjoyed H-1B status in the United States until 2007. He became a permanent resident in 2009 through his spouse’s diversity visa and eventually naturalized as a U.S. citizen. The United States seeks Osman’s denaturalization because he was not lawfully admitted as a permanent resident due to his visa fraud, and he provided false testimony and made material representations about his fraudulent work history throughout his naturalization process. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Nadia Hassan Mohamed Ali (Egypt/Age 58): On Sept. 23, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia seeking the denaturalization of Nadia Hassan Mohamed Ali because she committed visa fraud prior to becoming a U.S. citizen. In 2001 and 2004, Ali sponsored a member of her family to work in H-1B status as an accountant for her company. However, this company conducted no business and provided no meaningful employment to the family member. Ali fraudulently filed work petitions for the purpose of allowing the family member to remain in the United States. The United States seeks Ali’s denaturalization because she committed fraud crimes in her H-1B petitions and in her application for U.S. citizenship. Throughout her naturalization process, Ali provided false testimony and material misrepresentations about her work history and sponsoring her family member. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Beatrice Chioma Nwaoha Ashamole (Nigeria/Age 54): On Sept. 25, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Maryland seeking the denaturalization of Beatrice Chioma Nwaoha Ashamole because throughout her naturalization proceedings, she did not disclose prior aliases, prior arrests, a prior immigration benefits application, or prior exclusions and deportations, despite the application asking for such information. The United Sates is charging her with illegally procuring her naturalization through fraud and false testimony. (District of Maryland).
- Anita Moanjeh Atem (Cameroon/Age 48): On Sept. 25, the Department of Justice filed a case in the District of Maryland seeking the denaturalization of Anita Moanjeh Atem, a native of Cameroon. Ms. Atem naturalized in 2009 by hiding from the Government that from 2004 to 2007, she had sexually abused a minor, a family and household member and over whom Ms. Atem had permanent or temporary care and custody and responsibility. Ms. Atem was convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor in violation of Maryland Criminal Code 3-602. Accordingly, the United States filed a three-count complaint against Ms. Atem seeking her denaturalization, including claims that she lacked the requisite good moral character to naturalize and made willful misrepresentations to, and concealed material facts from, immigration authorities. (District of Maryland).
- Dibya Bhattarai (Nepal/Age 40): On Sept. 25, the Department of Justice brought a denaturalization action against Dibya Bhattarai in the Northern District of Texas. Bhattarai illegally secured citizenship by misrepresenting her criminal history throughout the naturalization process. When she applied to naturalize in 2008, Bhattarai claimed that she had not committed any crime for which she had not yet been arrested. She later repeated that claim orally and under oath during her naturalization interview. Based on Bhattarai’s written application and testimony at her interview, she was approved for naturalization and naturalized in September 2008. In March 2016, however, Bhattarai pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit fraud in connection with immigration documents — a conspiracy that began in June 2007, over a year before her naturalization interview. The United States filed a complaint against Bhattarai seeking to revoke Bhattarai’s naturalized citizenship because of her lack of good moral character and her willful misrepresentation and concealment of her criminal conduct while seeking U.S. citizenship. (Northern District of Texas).
- Syed Furqan Ali (Pakistan/Age 74): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Texas seeking the denaturalization of Syed Furqan Ali after he entered into a fraudulent marriage to obtain U.S. citizenship unlawfully. In 1993, Ali sought naturalization based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen while still married to his first wife, a citizen of Pakistan. In fact, Ali had fabricated his divorce and former wife’s death to gain admission to the United States. The complaint against Ali alleges five counts that includes his unlawful adjustment as a permanent resident and false testimony at his naturalization interview that he was divorced and legally married to his second wife at the time of his admission into the United States. (Southern District of Texas).
- Raul Cisneros (Mexico/Age 76): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the Southern District of California against Raul Cisneros, a native of Mexico. Cisneros received his naturalization based on his representation in his naturalization application that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested. In fact, prior to his naturalization application, Cisneros committed acts constituting lewd and lascivious acts on a minor in violation of California Penal Code § 288(a). After obtaining citizenship, Cisneros was convicted pursuant to his guilty plea of two felony counts in the Superior Court of California, County of San Diego, North County Division, and sentenced to six years’ imprisonment. (Southern District of California).
- Juan Jose Egusquiza-Vasquez (Age 36/Peru): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Indiana seeking the denaturalization of Juan Jose Egusquiza-Vasquez who was admitted to the United States in November 2000 and subsequently obtained permanent residence. When Egusquiza-Vasquez applied for naturalization in October 2010, he stated in his application that he had never committed a crime or offense for which he had not been arrested. His application was approved and he naturalized in May 2011. In November 2013, however, Egusquiza-Vasquez pleaded guilty to a charge of sexual battery involving a minor in violation of Indiana Code § 35-42-4-8(a)(1)(A), that occurred in March and April 2008, prior to his application for naturalization. He was sentenced to three years imprisonment for his crime. On Sept. 28 the United States brought a denaturalization action against Egusquiza-Vasquez for willfully misrepresenting and concealing his criminal conduct during the naturalization process and providing false information under penalty of perjury for the purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit, namely naturalization. (Southern District of Indiana).
- Arnouse Merlien (Haiti/Age 48): On Sept. 28, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Arnouse Merlien, a resident of West Palm Beach, Florida, because she committed tax fraud during her naturalization proceedings. Ms. Merlien naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2016. In 2018, in the Northern District of Georgia, Ms. Merlien was charged with, and convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud the Government with Respect to Claims. In the years leading up to her naturalization, Ms. Merlien participated in a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government by submitting fraudulent claims for income tax refunds with the IRS. The United States seeks the denaturalization of Ms. Merlien in a three-count complaint alleging she illegally procured her naturalization because of her conviction for tax fraud, her false testimony in naturalization proceedings, which demonstrates she did not have the requisite good moral character needed for naturalization, and because she procured her naturalization by concealment of material facts or by willful misrepresentation. (Southern District of Florida).
- Francis Darko Asamoah (Ghana/Age 56): On Sept. 30, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Virginia seeking the denaturalization of Francis Darko Asamoah, a resident of Woodbridge, Virginia, because he lied on his naturalization application regarding if he had children, to shield inquiry into the legitimacy of his marriage to a U.S. citizen. Mr. Asamoah naturalized in 2013. Mr. Asamoah was married to a U.S. citizen prior to his naturalization, and whom he gained permanent residence through. During his naturalization interview in 2013, Mr. Asamoah testified under oath that he had no children. However, a Virginia Certificate of Live Birth, listed Mr. Asamoah as the father to a child born in July 2011. The mother of the child was not his U.S. citizen spouse. Shortly after naturalization, Mr. Asamoah divorced his U.S. citizen spouse. In subsequent immigration filings after naturalization, Mr. Asamoah acknowledged the existence of the child born in July 2011. Mr. Asamoah’s false testimony during his naturalization proceedings prevented immigration authorities from investigating the bona fides of the marriage to his U.S. citizen spouse. (Eastern District of Virginia).
- Ralph Nabavi (Iran/Ager 69): On Sept. 30, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Ralph Nabavi, a resident of Miami, Florida, because he unlawfully evaded paying federal income taxes before he became a U.S. citizen in 2014. In 2019, he was charged with tax evasion for underreporting at least $12.5 million dollars in income and underpaying $3.5 million in federal income taxes. Nabavi admitted when he pleaded guilty that he began transferring funds from his business to personal accounts to avoid paying income taxes beginning in 2013 before he naturalized in 2014, though the evidence indicates that he began at least as early as 2012. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Nabavi’s naturalization because his criminal act and false testimony in naturalization proceedings rendered him unable to demonstrate the required good moral character for naturalization and because he procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Southern District of Florida).
- Gracia de Rodriguez (Mexico/Age 52): On Sept. 30, the Justice Department filed a complaint in the District of Arizona seeking the denaturalization of Consuela Gracia de Rodriguez, a native of Mexico. Over a nearly twenty‑year period, Gracia de Rodriguez lied to U.S. government officials about her spouse’s identity and citizenship, falsely claiming that he was a U.S. citizen to obtain immigration benefits, U.S. citizenship, and a U.S. passport. On June 24, 2019, Gracia de Rodriguez pleaded guilty to passport fraud in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona. In her criminal proceedings, Gracia de Rodriguez admitted that she procured her U.S. passport through fraudulent procurement of her naturalization. Specifically, she admitted that her spouse was a Mexican citizen, not a U.S. citizen, whom she married in Mexico. She further admitted that she and her spouse later illegally entered the United States, where her spouse proceeded to steal the identity of a U.S. citizen. She admitted that she knowingly and willfully married her spouse a second time in the United States under his stolen identity and then used her spouse’s stolen identity to adjust her status to that of a lawful permanent resident and later to naturalize. (District of Arizona).
- Jinchao Wei (China/Age 26): On Sept. 30, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Jinchao Wei because he conducted espionage on behalf of the Chinese government. Jinchao Wei, a native of China, enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 2021, just before his twenty-first birthday. But by February 2022, he had begun conspiring to sell military secrets to China. By concealing his crimes, he obtained U.S. citizenship just two months later in May 2022, through a law intended to expedite the naturalization of individuals serving honorably in the U.S. armed forces. After his espionage scheme was discovered, he was arrested and convicted in August 2025 of conspiracy to commit espionage, espionage, and unlawful export of technical data related to defense articles. He was sentenced to 200 months in prison and discharged from the Navy. The denaturalization complaint against Wei alleges that he illegally procured his naturalization, procured it through fraudulent concealment or material misrepresentations during his naturalization proceedings, and failed to serve honorably in the U.S. Armed Forces for five years before being separated under other-than-honorable conditions. (Southern District of California).
- Jose Villarreal Ortiz (Mexico/Age 49): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Jose Villarreal Ortiz, a native of Mexico. Mr. Villarreal was admitted to permanent resident status as the child of a U.S. citizen based on a false claim that his aunt (a naturalized U.S. citizen) was his mother and that he had remained in Mexico until 1996, when in fact he had been in the United States illegally for nearly a decade. When it came time to naturalize, Mr. Villarreal falsely claimed that his parent was a U.S. citizen, that he had never lied to U.S. officials to gain admission or entry, and that he had never provided false or misleading information to government officials. As a result, Mr. Villarreal was naturalized. The United States is seeking to revoke Mr. Villarreal’s citizenship because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence, because he procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and/or willful misrepresentations, and because his false testimony and misrepresentations meant that he lacked the good moral character necessary to naturalize. (Southern District of Florida).
- Sorsamkhan Som (Cambodia/Age 67): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Southern District of Texas seeking the denaturalization of Sorsamkhan Som after he entered into a fraudulent marriage to obtain U.S. citizenship unlawfully. In 2009, Som sought naturalization based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen while still married to his first wife, a citizen of Cambodia. In fact, Som fabricated his divorce to gain admission to the United States. The complaint against Som alleges five counts that includes his unlawful adjustment as a permanent resident and false testimony at his naturalization interview that he was divorced and legally married to his second wife at the time of his admission into the United States. (Southern District of Texas).
- Lazaro Trujillo Viton (Age 40/Cuba): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the District of Columbia seeking the denaturalization of Lazaro Eduardo Trujillo Viton. Trujillo, a native of Cuba, concealed throughout the naturalization process that he was involved in a conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and that he himself submitted fraudulent Medicare claims for reimbursement, for which he was convicted after naturalization. Because Trujillo committed these crimes prior to naturalization and continuing through naturalization and concealed his involvement therein, he obtained naturalization through a concealment or willful misrepresentation of a material fact, he provided false testimony disqualifying him from citizenship, and his crimes of moral turpitude and other unlawful acts meant that he lacked the good moral character necessary to naturalize. The United States is therefore seeking to revoke Trujillo’s naturalized citizenship. (District of the District of Columbia).
- Dexter Anson (Ghana/Age 72): On Oct. 1, the United States filed a complaint in the District of Connecticut seeking the denaturalization of Dexter Anson because he failed to disclose in his diversity visa application and subsequent naturalization proceedings that he applied for immigration benefits and was ordered deported under his prior identity. He is charged with illegal procurement of his naturalization, and procurement of naturalization by willfully misrepresenting or concealing material facts in his naturalization proceedings. Anson illegally procured naturalization because he was not lawfully admitted for permanent residence based on being ineligible for a diversity visa as he applied for immigration benefits by fraud and misrepresentation under George Opoku. He illegally procured naturalization because he could not have established the requisite good moral character to naturalize where, prior to naturalizing, he engaged in unlawful acts adversely reflecting on his moral character, including violating three federal statutes criminalizing providing false information to the Government. He also provided false testimony at his naturalization interview when he failed to disclose his prior deportation proceedings and deportation order under George Opoku. Anson also willfully misrepresented or concealed material facts, including the use of another name and a deportation order in that name, throughout the naturalization process. (District of Connecticut).
- Andrew Coldicutt (Canada/Age 46): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a civil denaturalization complaint in the Southern District of California against Andrew Coldicutt, a native of Canada. Coldicutt received his naturalization based on his misrepresentations in his naturalization application and interviews that he had never committed a crime for which he had not been arrested and that he had never provided false or misleading information to a U.S. government official. In fact, prior to his naturalization application, Coldicutt had engaged in stock fraud schemes, including a pump-and-dump scheme and a gypsy swap, that involved filing false securities registration forms and wire fraud and that resulted in an FBI investigation against him. After he obtained citizenship, a jury convicted Coldicutt of securities fraud in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 77q, 77x; making false securities registration statements in violation of 15 U.S.C. § 77g, 77x; and wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 in the Southern District of California. Accordingly, the Department of Justice is pursuing revocation of Coldicutt’s naturalization for both illegal procurement (failure to show good moral character due to unlawful acts and false testimony) and concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentations relating to that conduct. (Southern District of California).
- Ping Li (China: Age 61): On Oct. 1, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Middle District of Florida seeking the denaturalization of Ping Li because he conspired to act as an agent of a foreign government without prior notification to the Attorney General in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 371 and 951(a). From at least as early as 2012, Mr. Li worked at the direction of officers of the Ministry of State Security (“MSS”) of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”) to obtain information of interest to the PRC government, including information concerning Chinese dissidents and pro-democracy advocates, members of the Falun Gong religious movement, and U.S.-based non-governmental organizations, and to report that information to the MSS. Mr. Li also provided the MSS with sensitive information obtained from his employers, a major U.S. telecommunications company and an international information technology company. On August 19, 2024, Mr. Li plead guilty to acting as an agent of the PRC, without prior notification to the Attorney General. Mr. Li’s conduct is prima facie evidence that he was not attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States and was not well-disposed to the good order and happiness of the United States at the time of his naturalization. The United States therefore has filed a single-count complaint seeking to revoke his naturalized citizenship. (People’s Republic of China).
- Hernan Garcia Toledo (Mexico/Age 52): On Oct. 2, the Department of Justice filed a case in the Eastern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Hernan Garcia Toledo. Mr. Garcia is a native of Mexico who falsely represented throughout his naturalization proceedings that he had never been arrested nor convicted of any crimes. He failed to disclose on his naturalization application and during his naturalization interview that he had previously been arrested and convicted of two crimes: carrying a concealed weapon, CPC § 12025(a)(1), and carrying a loaded firearm, CPC § 12031(a)(1). After his naturalization interview but prior to naturalization, he was arrested and charged with two additional firearms-related offenses yet failed to disclose those arrests and pending charges during his oath of naturalization. After Mr. Garcia naturalized, he was convicted of a firearms offense. Accordingly, the Department of Justice is pursuing revocation of Mr. Garcia’s naturalization for both illegal procurement (failure to show good moral character due to unlawful acts and false testimony) and concealment of material facts or willful misrepresentations relating to that conduct. (Eastern District of California).
- Semiu Olaiye Ijelu (Nigeria/Age 58): On Oct. 2, the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Northern District of Georgia seeking the denaturalization of Semiu Olaiye Ijelu, also known as Samiu O. Ijelu and Olaiya S. Ijely, because he committed immigration fraud in naturalization proceedings. Before he became a citizen, Ijelu sought immigration benefits under two separate identities and was ordered removed. Instead of departing the United States, he married a U.S. citizen, which he used to adjust status to permanent resident, and naturalized in 2009. During naturalization proceedings he did not disclose the other identities or the final removal order. The United States alleges that the court should issue an order revoking Ijelu’s naturalization because he did not lawfully adjust status, did not have the required good moral character for naturalization, and procured his naturalization by concealment of material facts and willful misrepresentations. (Northern District of Georgia).
- Ramon Navarro (Philippines/Age 68): On Oct. 2, the Department of Justice of Justice filed a case in the Eastern District of California seeking the denaturalization of Ramon Navarro for entering into a fraudulent marriage to obtain citizenship. Navarro entered into a fraudulent marriage to gain lawful permanent resident status and then used that fraudulent status and lied to immigration officials to obtain citizenship. The complaint alleges four counts based on his fraudulent marriage and his various representations that adversely reflected his moral character. (Eastern District of California).
- Assad Jhon Ramin (Afghanistan: Age 57 or 58): On Oct. 2 the Department of Justice filed a complaint in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania seeking the denaturalization of Assad Jhon Ramim because Mr. Ramim perpetrated an identity fraud spanning almost thirty years. Mr. Ramim sought and obtained a series of immigration benefits, culminating in citizenship, claiming he was Ahmad Shah Kohistany. As part of his naturalization process, he changed his name from Ahmed Shah Kohistani to Assad Jhon Ramim. In fact, Assad Jhon Ramim was his real name all along, and it was never Ahmad Shah Kohistani. Mr. Ramim fraudulently stole the identity of another Afghan national without that individual’s knowledge or consent. Mr. Ramim’s actions and conduct statutorily barred him from becoming a U.S. citizen and render his naturalization illegally procured and procured by concealment of a material fact or by willful misrepresentation. The United States therefore has filed a four-count complaint seeking to revoke his naturalized citizenship based on his fraud and misrepresentations. (Eastern District of Pennsylvania).
These complaints were filed in the Central District of California, District of Arizona, District of Colorado, District of Columbia, District of Connecticut, District of Maryland, Eastern District of California, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Eastern District of Virginia, Middle District of Florida, Middle District of Georgia, Northern District of Georgia, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of California, Southern District of Florida, Southern District of Indiana, Southern District of Ohio, and Southern District of Texas.
The claims made in the complaints are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Justice Department Announces Charges Involving 16 Aliens for Election CrimesRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced charges involving 16 aliens in connection with illegal voting, fraudulent voter registration, and related election crimes across the country. The cases include voting by aliens in federal elections, false claims of U.S. citizenship to register or vote, and false statements on citizenship applications.
Case details are as follows:
Middle District of Florida
Two aliens were charged for illegally voting in a federal election.
- Italian national Andrea Catanese, 60, a lawful permanent resident, has been charged by federal indictment with voting by an alien, attempting to procure naturalization unlawfully, and making a false statement related to naturalization. Catanese allegedly voted in the 2024 general election, falsely stated he had never voted in a federal election on an Application for Naturalization, and then made the same false statement to an immigration official who was reviewing the application.
- Bahamian national Terrance Patrick Evans, 37, a lawful permanent resident, has been charged by information with one count of voting by an alien. According to the information, Evans voted in the 2024 federal general election despite knowing that he was not a citizen of the United States.
Eastern District of Louisiana
Three aliens were indicted for illegally voting in a federal election.
- Cuban national Pedro Pablo Ruiz, 68, a lawful permanent resident, has been indicted for illegal voting in a federal election. According to the indictment, Ruiz cast a ballot in the 2024 general election.
- Mexican national Zianya Yllaly Zamorano, 34, a lawful permanent resident has been indicted for illegal voting in an election. According to the indictment, Zamorano cast a ballot in the 2024 general election.
- Nicaraguan national Dudley Francisco Zeledon, 56, a lawful permanent resident has been charged in a two-count indictment for illegal voting in an election. According to the indictment, Zeldon cast a ballot in the 2024 primary and general elections.
Eastern District of Wisconsin
North Macedonian national Sara Luma, 30, a lawful permanent resident has been charged with Unlawfully Voting as a Non-Citizen. Luma allegedly voted in the 2024 general election. The criminal complaint further alleges Luma registered to vote on the same day as the election and signed the Wisconsin Voter Registration Application form falsely certifying that she was a citizen of the United States. Luma was interviewed by a federal law enforcement agent and admitted to registering and voting on Nov. 5, 2024.
District of Minnesota
Ten aliens have been charged in Minnesota for voter fraud.
- Liberian national Bhator Konah Bryant, 61, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote. She is alleged to have falsely claimed United States citizenship when registering to vote on Oct. 18, 2024.
- Lithuanian national Edvile Vaidoto Edmunds, 59, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on Nov. 8, 2022.
- Ghanaian national Joshua Frederick Kofi Edzie, 63, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on two counts of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on Aug. 11, and falsely claimed United States citizenship to vote on Oct. 23, 2024, and Aug. 11, 2026.
- Liberian national Alan Barbu Kargbo, 48, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed U.S. citizenship in order to vote on Nov. 5, 2024.
- German national Paul Kras, 78, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on Nov. 5, 2024.
- Bosnian national Fadil Rasim Ozegovic, 58, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on Nov. 5, 2024.
- Brazilian national Aparecido Donizetti Padovan, 62, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on Nov. 5, 2024.
- Liberian national Chris Adam Pettiquoi, 43, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on Nov. 5, 2024.
- Canadian national Christian Liam Schenk, 47, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on Nov. 5, 2024.
- South African national Hester Sophia Weihmann, 69, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on Nov. 5, 2024.
A complaint, indictment, and information merely contain accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Announces Actions Advancing Two Challenges to State and Local Natural Gas Bans in Colorado and IllinoisRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) last week received a favorable decision regarding its statement of interest filing in a Colorado case. ENRD also filed an amicus brief opposing a natural gas ban by a Chicago-area municipality.
At issue in both cases is the ability of American families and businesses to continue relying on federally regulated gas stoves, furnaces, water heaters, dryers, and other appliances. In recent years, a growing patchwork of state and local regulations concerning the energy use and efficiency of appliances threatens to undermine those national standards.
“These efforts to support consumer choice and cut energy costs deliver on the President’s commitment to unleash American energy and protect consumer choice,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD. “The Department of Justice will continue prioritizing the fight against radical state and local overreach.”
Colorado Statement of Interest
The U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado last week allowed to advance a challenge to certain Colorado and Denver regulations, holding as plausible that the measures are preempted by the federal Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA). Earlier last month, ENRD filed a statement of interest in the case which expressed support for the challenge against the Colorado and Denver provisions. The court agreed with ENRD’s argument that if municipalities try to set building-wide energy use targets — which are largely a result of how much energy appliances in the building use — such efforts have an “impermissible connection with” the energy use and efficiency of appliances that federal standards already regulate.
Seventh Circuit Amicus Brief
ENRD filed an amicus brief last week in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit advancing arguments against a natural gas ban by the Village of Oak Park, Illinois. Plaintiffs challenged Oak Park’s “Climate Ready Oak Park” as being preempted by the EPCA. The brief by ENRD argues that “EPCA’s broad preemption provision bars local measures, like Oak Park’s, that prohibit products subject to a federal energy conservation standard from using a type of energy or that impose specific requirements concerning appliances’ energy use or efficiency.”
These developments reflect the latest action from ENRD and the Justice Department fighting back against state and local gas bans. Earlier this year, the department sued a New Jersey Township and successfully sued two California cities, for similar natural gas bans.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Charles Roberts of ENRD handled both filings.
Jefferson County Man Sentenced to over 19 Years in Prison for Kidnapping ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A Jefferson County man has been sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to kidnap an individual in exchange for payment of a drug debt, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
U.S. District Court Judge Anna M. Manasco sentenced Amarion Dewayne Jackson, 20, of Center Point, Alabama, to 235 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In April, Jackson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping.
Also in April, Jackson’s co-defendant, Korbyn Markeith Williams, 21, of Alabaster, Alabama, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap, kidnapping, and receipt of ransom money. Williams is set for sentencing on January 13, 2027.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will not tolerate those who bring violence and fear into our communities. This sentence sends a clear message: those who commit violent crimes will be prosecuted and held accountable for their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Williams. “We commend our law enforcement partners for their dedication and tireless efforts to ensure that the victim was recovered safely and that this dangerous defendant was brought to justice.”
“The FBI will not tolerate individuals who attempt to terrorize our communities through violence. The 235-month federal prison sentence and five years of supervised release imposed on Amarion Jackson for conspiracy to kidnap and kidnapping underscore our unwavering resolve,” said David R. Fitzgibbons, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Birmingham. “Those who plot or carry out acts designed to create chaos or instill fear will be met with an immediate, coordinated, and forceful law enforcement response. We are grateful for our law enforcement partners whose dedication ensures that dangerous offenders are identified, apprehended, and brought to justice. Our message is clear: if you threaten the safety of our communities, we will act swiftly and decisively.”
According to court documents, in January 2025, Jackson and Co-defendant Williams kidnapped a victim at gunpoint from his apartment located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, after a third party failed to pay them for a narcotics transaction.
The victim was not involved in the drug deal. Jackson and Williams, who were both armed with pistols, threatened to kill the victim and demanded at least $5,000 for his safe return. Williams digitally received $1,000 of ransom from the victim’s family. An individual called 911 to notify law enforcement that one of the kidnappers stated that if they did not get paid, they would shoot the victim.
Later, an officer with the Bessemer Police Department responded to a call at a store in Bessemer of an armed kidnapping involving a white car. The officer located the vehicle and activated her emergency lights. Williams and Jackson, who were there to meet the victim’s family to receive the ransom money in cash, were arrested and the victim was recovered unharmed. In the vehicle, officers found pistols, ammunition, two black ski masks, and gloves.
FBI investigated the case along with the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit, the West Alabama Narcotics Task Force, and the Bessemer Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.
Irvine Woman Arrested on Federal Complaint Alleging She Acted as an Agent of China and Spied on U.S.-based Relatives of High-Ranking Taiwanese Government OfficialRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An Orange County woman has been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging her with acting in the United States as an unregistered agent of the government of the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), including by conducting surveillance of family members of a high-ranking Taiwanese government official, the Justice Department announced today.
Wanying Zhang, 34, a.k.a. “Heather Zhang,” of Irvine, was arrested on Sunday at Los Angeles International Airport, where she planned to board a flight to China. She is expected to make her initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
“Protecting our national security means confronting foreign governments that engage in covert operations in our nation,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Ms. Zhang acted at the direction of Chinese government officials to spy on the family of a senior Taiwanese official here in the United States. She violated our laws and will be held accountable in our courts. We will aggressively investigate and prosecute illegal foreign operations on American soil.”
“The central allegation here — that Zhang, at the behest of the People’s Republic of China, covertly surveilled relatives of a high-ranking foreign government official in the United States — is deeply troubling,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with the FBI and other law enforcement partners, will remain vigilant against threats like this on our soil.”
“The complaint in this case lays bare a brazen plot directed by the Chinese government to conduct a covert surveillance mission on U.S. soil targeting close relatives of a Taiwanese government official,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Wanying Zhang’s arrest for allegedly acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government makes clear how far China’s authoritarian regime will go to advance its goals. However, this case also demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to defending the sovereignty of our democratic allies and combating all attempts by the Chinese government — and any foreign adversary — to conduct transnational repression within our borders.”
According to the complaint, from June 2025 to September 2025, Zhang acted as an agent of the Chinese government without prior notification to the Attorney General of the United States, as required by federal law.
At the direction and control of Chinese government officials, Zhang coordinated with other individuals to promote the interests of China by, among other things, conducting surveillance on family members of a high-ranking Taiwanese government official at their residence in the United States.
In June 2025, Zhang traveled from Southern California to China, where she met with Chinese government officials and was tasked with conducting the surveillance in the United States.
On August 29, 2025, Zhang and another individual flew from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to Las Vegas. On September 1, 2025, they flew from Las Vegas to the state where the victim resides. On that date, she messaged a PRC government official that she was “Boarding now” and sent the PRC official a photograph of her boarding pass.
Upon their arrival, Zhang and the other individual rented a car and drove to the victim’s residence, where they conducted surveillance. Zhang sent the same PRC official the following message: “Saw him, young male, it’s the young one.” When this official asked her to join an audio call, she replied, “I am videorecording.”
Zhang also sent the same official the license plate numbers for the two vehicles parked in front of the victim’s home.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Zhang would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
The FBI is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Amanda B. Elbogen and Colin S. Scott of the National Security Division and Justice Department Senior Counsel Scott M. Lara of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting this case.
Huntington Man Sentenced to More Than 20 Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marlon Leftwich, 46, of Huntington, was sentenced today to 20 years and six months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release, for production of child pornography. Leftwich must also register as a sex offender. The Court will determine restitution at a later date.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 24, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Leftwich’s residence and seized numerous electronic devices including a cell phone and SD memory card. A forensic review found approximately four files on the memory card and approximately 666 files on the cell phone, of images and videos depicting sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
As part of his guilty plea, Leftwich admitted that the child pornography included a video of him persuading a five-year-old minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct with him at his Huntington residence while he recorded the conduct using a cell phone. Leftwich further admitted that he recorded the child sexual abuse material on or about January 1, 2016, and transferred the video file to the memory card.
“This defendant inflicted an unspeakable horror upon a five-year-old child, and today’s sentence brings nearly a decade of delayed justice to an end. Through the hard work of our prosecutors in the Southern District of West Virginia and our partners in the FBI, he will now serve a prison sentence that protects our community from further harm,” said United States Attorney Moore Capito. “Those who prey on children should make no mistake: this office will pursue them, prosecute them, and fight to put them behind bars. Protecting children is one of our highest responsibilities, and we will continue our relentless efforts to hold those who exploit them accountable.”
Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price 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. 3:25-cr-132.
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Huntington Man Sentenced for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Roger Lee Townson, 58, of Huntington, was sentenced today to three years of federal probation for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 25, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a garage behind Townson’s residence. Officers ordered the residence’s occupants, including Townson, to exit the house and asked Townson if there were any firearms inside. Townson told officers he had a firearm in his bedroom and allowed officers to enter the residence to secure it. Officers found a Glock model 43 9mm pistol in the bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction or a conviction for a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Townson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior convictions for forgery in Cabell County Circuit Court on March 10, 2000, and for domestic battery in Cabell County Magistrate Court on June 14, 2010.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Lesley C. Shamblin and Sarah N. Hudson 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.
This case is also part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-182.
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Henrietta man arrested, charged with production and possession of child pornographyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Thomas D. O’Brien, 65, of Henrietta, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with the production and possession of child pornography. Because of a prior conviction involving the sexual abuse of a minor, the charges carry a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, a lifetime period of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, in April 2026, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offense Coordinator contacted Homeland Security Investigations regarding O’Brien, who is a level two registered sex offender in New York State following his 1991 conviction for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, which involved the sexual abuse of a nine-year-old male victim. As part of his sex offender registration requirements, O’Brien is required to submit change of address forms to the Sheriff’s Office each time he moves to a new residence, as well as information regarding his phone number, internet accounts and online identifiers. O’Brien completed a change of address form in October 2025, changing his address from Henrietta to Vietnam. In June 2026, O’Brien completed another form, changing his address from Vietnam back to Henrietta, as well as listing his Instagram and X accounts. According to the coordinator, O’Brien has engaged in a similar pattern of travel to Vietnam for several years.
In January, 2026, the National center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from Instagram stating that child pornography had been exchanged in a messenger chat room named “Tom & You Gay,” and that a user uploaded a file including child pornography to the “Tom & You Gay” chat. According to Instagram, the files were received by O’Brien’s Instagram account “bom4bym.” The Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant on the files received by O’Brien and recovered an image and a video that included child pornography.
Another search warrant was executed by investigators on another Instagram account registered to O’Brien, which goes by the name “Tom & Jerry.” The search recovered nude images of O’Brien, images of a minor in a bathtub, and sexually suggestive images of minor boys. A chat conversation was also recovered indicating that O’Brien has a sexual interest in minor Vietnamese boys.
On June 4, 2026, on his return trip from Vietnam, HSI agents conducted a border search of O’Brien’s electronic devices at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, including a laptop and two cell phones, recovering nude images of minors. A subsequent forensic examination revealed that three of the four devices contained child pornography. On September 15, 2026, HSI and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at O’Brien’s Henrietta residence and located photo albums containing hundreds of printed photographs, from approximately 2013, depicting apparent minors in various stages of undress, and nude minors, most of whom were of Asian descent.
Anyone with information regarding this defendant or this case is asked to contact the HSI Tipline at 1-866-347-2423.
New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services.The criminal complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Anthony Patrone and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Guilty Verdict for Tallahassee Felon Caught with Handgun & AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Jarvis Myers, 40, of Tallahassee, Florida, was found guilty by a federal jury in Tallahassee following a two-day jury trial for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The verdict was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, with support from our federal law enforcement officers, my office has successfully prosecuted this dangerous felon and we will see to it that he is held accountable. We remain laser-focused on our mission to deliver the safe, crime-free streets that our citizens deserve, and my tenacious prosecutors will continue to aggressively pursue anyone who dares to violate federal law in our district.”
According to trial testimony, on May 31, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant on an Airbnb residence rented by the defendant and a vehicle he possessed. During their search, deputies found a loaded handgun partially concealed beneath a bed pillow, as well as a full box of ammunition in a duffle bag containing personal items belonging to the defendant. As a convicted felon, the defendant was legally prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The case was jointly investigated by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan is prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 10, 2026, at 3:00 pm in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Guatemalan Man Illegally in the United States Sentenced to 70 Months for Immigration, Drug, and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on September 30, 2026, Marvin Amilcar Cermeno-Perez, 28, a Guatemalan man unlawfully in the United States, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute cocaine, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and illegal reentry of a removed alien.
On October 6, 2025, Omaha police officers stopped Cermeno-Perez’s vehicle in Omaha. Officers searched the vehicle and located marijuana and approximately 25 small zip lock bags, collectively containing about 11.3 grams of cocaine. Officers also located a Taurus, model TX, .22 caliber pistol in the center console. Cermeno-Perez admitted to possessing the firearm and purchasing the cocaine, which he intended to distribute. Because Cermeno-Perez was unlawfully in the United States, he was not permitted to possess firearms. Before illegally reentering the United States, Cermeno-Perez was removed to Guatemala in 2019.
This case was investigated by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Omaha Police Department.
Fourth Defendant Convicted in Indian Call Center Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A federal jury in Austin convicted an Indian national for two counts related to wire fraud and money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bhavesh Kumar Thakkar, 45, was in the United States on a spousal visa. From at least September 2022 and continuing until Sept. 17, 2025, Thakkar conspired in a fraud scheme with co-defendants Rakesh Barot, Dhruv Rajeshbhai Mangukiya and Kishan Rajeshkumar Patel.
In his role, Thakkar served as a U.S.-based coordinator for the receipt and laundering of fraud proceeds in the form of cash and gold obtained from elderly victims across the country. The fraud proceeds were obtained by call center scammers based in India. He also personally received some of those funds from couriers such as Mangukiya and Patel. The funds were shipped to Los Angeles and New York before being laundered overseas. Thakkar was directly connected to over $150 million in fraud proceeds scammed from elderly victims across the United States.
“Foreign actors, both abroad and here in the United States, cannot be allowed to target Americans, especially our most vulnerable citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “Many victims lose a significant portion of their life savings to these scammers, leaving victims vulnerable and hopeless. When we find them, we will do all we can to take from them the same sense of freedom and comfort they stole from their victims.”
“Protecting our elderly citizens from those who would defraud them out of their hard-earned money is a high priority for the FBI,” said FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Daniel Faith. “This defendant was found guilty of working with others to scam a large number of vulnerable senior citizens out of millions of dollars. We’re grateful to all of our partners in this case, including numerous FBI Field Offices, Indian authorities via our Legat New Delhi and the Granite Shoals Police Department.”
In 2025, Mangukiya and Patel were sentenced to 97 months and 63 months in federal prison, respectively. Barot pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and is awaiting sentencing.
The FBI and the Granite Shoals Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke and Brandy Gann are prosecuting the case.
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Four Non-Citizens Charged with Illegally Voting in 2024 ElectionRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that four non-citizens residing in Philadelphia have been charged with illegally voting. Under both federal and state law, only U.S. citizens may vote in Pennsylvania.
Jamil Ahmad, 50, was charged by information with voting by an alien during the 2024 election. At that time, Ahmad was a citizen of Pakistan and a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
Nighat Jamil, 47, was charged by information with voting by an alien during the 2024 election. Jamil is a citizen of Pakistan and a lawful permanent U.S. resident.
Hacina Saadi, 48, was charged by information with voting by an alien during the 2024 election. Saadi is a citizen of France and an illegal alien.
Paulo Silva, 54, was charged by information with voting by an alien during the 2024 election. Silva is a citizen of Portugal and a lawful permanent U.S. resident.
The informations allege that the defendants, despite knowing that they were not United States citizens, knowingly voted in an election held in part for the purpose of electing a candidate for the office of President, Vice President, and Presidential elector.
“Our democracy belongs to the American people and no one else,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “We will continue to prosecute every instance of non-citizen voting that we encounter.”
If convicted, the defendants each face a maximum possible sentence of a fine, one year in prison, or both.
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI.
The charges and allegations contained in the informations are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Four More Defendants Sentenced in Homeland Security Task Force Drug CaseRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that four more defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley for their roles in a large drug trafficking organization operating in Madison.
Treagir Sander, 27, La Crosse, Wisconsin, was sentenced on September 15, 2026, to 78 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Sander pleaded guilty to the charge on June 26, 2026.
Alisha Lavine, 36, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was sentenced on September 16, 2026, to 36 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Lavine pleaded guilty to the charge on July 14, 2026.
Kyle Haag, 40, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on September 22, 2026, to 75 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute fentanyl and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The prison term will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. Haag pleaded guilty to the charge on July 6, 2026.
Waylon Degenhardt, 44, Boscobel, Wisconsin, was sentenced on October 1, 2026, to 24 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. The prison term will be followed by 3 years of supervised release. Degenhardt pleaded guilty to the charge on July 7, 2026.
In early 2024, law enforcement began investigating members of a drug trafficking organization operating in Dane County led by Jamar Purnell. During the investigation, officers worked with confidential informants to purchase significant quantities of drugs. Officers seized drugs and firearms during search warrants executed at residences and vehicles associated with the organization.
Sander, Lavine, Haag, and Degenhardt were identified as drug distributors for the Purnell drug trafficking organization. Investigators determined that Sander and Haag sold around a kilogram of methamphetamine and substantial quantities of fentanyl. Lavine and Degenhardt also sold methamphetamine and fentanyl but at lower amounts than Sander and Haag.
Jamar Purnell, 49, Chicago, Illinois, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to a total sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Keean Moore, 49, Chicago, Illinois, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to 11 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
Jimmie Leuaxay, 33, Madison, Wisconsin, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to a total sentence of 15 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl and for possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
James Dubois, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to 66 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
James Land, 37, Madison, Wisconsin, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to 6 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Keean Moore Jr., 26, Madison, Wisconsin, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to 5 years in federal prison for distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a firearm as a felon.
Travis Corrado, 46, Madison, Wisconsin, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Shavarim Wicks, 48, Chicago, Illinois, was previously sentenced by Judge Conley to 5 years in federal prison for conspiring to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
A total of sixteen individuals were charged in connection with this drug trafficking organization. Dajuea Purnell, Yasir Stackhouse, and William Marshall have entered guilty pleas for their involvement in drug trafficking and will be sentenced in the coming months. The case against Anthony E. Hohenstein is still pending, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The charges against Sander, Lavine, Haag, and Degenhardt were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, Dane County Narcotics Task Force, Lake Winnebago Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, Wisconsin State Patrol, and Madison Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven P. Anderson prosecuted this case.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Program 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 federal 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.
Four Charged in Multistate Bank Fraud and Money-Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Four individuals have been charged in an eight‑count federal indictment for their roles in a multistate bank-fraud and money-laundering scheme involving stolen and altered checks issued by a multinational corporation.
Cory L. Sims, Jr., of Bridgeport, Conn.; Dondre O. Daniels, of Bridgeport and Tampa, Fla.; Christian M. Hill, of Kansas City, Mo.; and Makhia L. Duncan, of Des Moines, Iowa, were charged in an indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City. The indictment was unsealed following Hill’s initial court appearance. Daniels and Duncan were subsequently taken into custody. Sims remains at large.
According to the indictment, the defendants unlawfully obtained checks issued by the corporation to pay its vendors. The indictment alleges that the defendants altered those checks by removing the names of the intended payees and replacing them with their own names or with the name of an identity‑theft victim. The altered checks then were deposited into accounts controlled by the defendants, who subsequently withdrew or transferred the unlawfully obtained funds.
The indictment alleges that Sims and Daniels deposited multiple altered checks into bank accounts opened either in Sims’ name or in the name of an identity‑theft victim. Daniels allegedly made ATM withdrawals in several cities using bank cards linked to those accounts. According to the indictment, Sims and Daniels then laundered the fraud proceeds through cash withdrawals, transfers, payments to Daniels’s business, and electronic transactions.
Hill is alleged to have obtained and deposited an altered check into his personal account, then withdrawn and laundered more than $45,000 in fraud proceeds. Duncan is alleged to have deposited a separate altered check into his personal account, later withdrawing and laundering more than $34,000 through subsequent transactions.
The indictment charges Sims with conspiracy to commit money laundering; Daniels with bank fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and aggravated identity theft; Hill with bank fraud and two counts of money laundering; and Duncan with bank fraud and one count of money laundering. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of the proceeds of the offenses.
Bank fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. Conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Money laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two‑year consecutive sentence.
The charges contained in the indictment are simply accusations, not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kirkpatrick. It has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Former Employee of Industrial Company Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Computer Attack and ExtortionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Kansas City, Missouri man was sentenced to 32 months in prison for crimes related to his intentional damage to computer networks and extortion of employees, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Daniel Rhyne, 59, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp to a two-count Information that charged him with extortion in relation to a threat to cause damage to a protected computer and intentional damage to a protected computer. Judge Shipp imposed the sentence on September 28, 2026 in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Rhyne, then a New Jersey resident, worked as a core infrastructure engineer at a U.S.-based industrial company headquartered in New Jersey (Victim-1). In November 2023, Rhyne took steps to execute a scheme to attack Victim-1’s computer network and extort Victim-1 into paying a ransom. Specifically, and among other things, Rhyne initiated unauthorized remote desktop sessions and prepared for the attack by scheduling tasks that would trigger damage to Victim-1’s network. These tasks included deleting network administrator accounts, changing passwords of other Victim-1 accounts, and shutting down multiple Victim-1 servers. On November 25, 2023, Rhyne sent an extortion email to Victim-1 employees in which he threatened to continue shutting down Victim-1 servers unless and until he received approximately 20 bitcoin, which, at the time, was valued at approximately $750,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the FBI’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation. He also thanked the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Chris Ormerod, for its assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Taj Moore of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Jonathan F. Marshall, Esq.
Final defendant of three in post office burglary ring sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
Tacoma – Three residents of the South Sound region have now been sentenced to federal prison for their post office burglary scheme, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Paula Jean Gamboa, 38 of Federal Way, Washington, was the last of three defendants sentenced today to 18 months in prison. Burglary ringleader Justin Tate, 37, of Tacoma, was sentenced in April 2026 to 50 months in prison and Gregory Foster, 60, of Port Orchard, Washington, was sentenced in May 2026 to two years in prison. The three were indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2025.
U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle noted that crimes related to identity and mail theft are “tremendously disruptive to people’s lives,”
while also reflecting on the emotional harm suffered by victims. He ordered each of the defendants be on supervised release for three years following prison. Tate was ordered to pay $10,785 in restitution.
According to records in the case, Tate led the burglary crew that targeted post offices in the Puget Sound region. The break-ins spanned Kitsap, Thurston, Pierce, King, and Island Counties. The thieves kept cash and other valuables from the stolen mail. Tate went on to use identity and financial documents obtained from victims’ mail to commit bank fraud. The specific burglaries are these:
- July 4, 2024, Tate and Foster break into the Olalla Post Office wearing face masks to obscure their identities.
- July 8, 2024, Tate and Foster attempt to enter the restricted area of the Littlerock Post Office – they disconnect the security camera
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but cannot breach a metal shutter into the restricted area.
- July 9, 2024, Tate and Gamboa enter the Fox Island Post Office and steal mail from various post office boxes.
- July 15, 2024, Foster breaks a window and enters the Anderson Island Contract Post Office and steal $3,000 in stamps, $100 in cash and about 100 postal money orders.
- July 24, 2024, Tate enters the Vashon Island Post Office and steals mail from multiple post office boxes.
- July 27, 2024, Tate and Foster force their way through the back door of the Snoqualmie Post Office and steal mail.
- July 30, 2024, Tate and Gamboa steal mail from boxes inside the Preston Post Office.
- July 31, 2024, Tate and Gamboa break into the Clinton Post Office on Whidbey Island and steal mail from post boxes and from a mail drop box.
Ringleader Justin Tate pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two counts of bank fraud. Tate opened a bank account in the name of one of the victims and then transferred or attempted to transfer more than $3,500 for his own use. He attempted to deposit more than $13,000 in fraudulent checks. Tate also ran up $7,200 in point-of-sale charges with a stolen debit card. Tate and Gamboa would go to area casinos after the burglaries to launder the stolen funds.
Gamboa was the last to be sentenced because she repeatedly fled pretrial supervision and custody. In asking for a 21-month sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “Gamboa’s crimes were carried out with little regard not only for the United States property they destroyed, but for the victims whose privacy was violated through these illegal activities. Arms full of mail representing hundreds of Washington citizens were swept up, to be opened and rifled through later – all so Gamboa and her co-conspirators could pocket their contents. Bank cards, checks, registrations, social security documents were taken and used by the defendants.”
The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Victoria Cantore.
Federal jury convicts Newport News felon of firearm and drug crimesRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Newport News man on charges of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 31, 2025, in Newport News, members of the Homeland Security Investigations – High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HSI-HIDTA) located Larry Darnell Dove Jr., 40, who was wanted on outstanding arrest warrants for eluding, assault on a law enforcement officer, possession of Schedule I or II controlled substances, two counts of felon in possession of ammunition, and other violations. As officers approached Dove, he attempted to flee, then resisted the officers as they apprehended him. During the struggle, officers removed from Dove a loaded handgun with an extended magazine.
Dove was wearing a cross-body bag that contained five bags of cocaine, cocaine mixed with fentanyl, and a digital scale. Investigators recovered an additional loaded magazine and a box of ammunition from the vehicle Dove was using. As a previously convicted felon, Dove cannot possess firearms or ammunition.
Dove faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 13, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Kai Wah Chan, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., made the announcement after the verdict was accepted by Senior U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson. The Newport News Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyson C. Yates and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Maso T. Hamilton are prosecuting the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-cr-19.
Federal Jury in Chicago Convicts Man of Trafficking Meth to Illinois from CaliforniaRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury in Chicago has convicted a man of trafficking methamphetamine to Illinois from California.
HUGO STEVEN DE LA CRUZ CORONA, 24, of San Jacinto, Calif., trafficked the meth on behalf of a Los Angeles-based drug trafficking organization that distributed narcotics throughout the country via the U.S. Postal Service. In October 2020, De La Cruz traveled to Chicago and attempted to pick up two parcels containing multi-pound quantities of meth that the organization had shipped from California. Unbeknownst to De La Cruz, law enforcement had intercepted both parcels and replaced the meth with sham drugs.
After a four-day trial in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the jury on Sept. 25, 2026, convicted De La Cruz of both drug charges against him. The convictions are punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for Jan. 20, 2027, at 1:30 p.m.
The convictions were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Nicholas Bucciarelli, Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Ryan Whalen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Todd C. Smith, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chester Choi and Holly Lanchantin.
The federal investigation was 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. The task force in this investigation was comprised of agents from USPIS, FBI, and DEA, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois.
Four other defendants, including the leader of the drug trafficking organization—MARCO TORRES, SR., 49, of Hesperia, Calif.—pleaded guilty prior to trial. Torres Sr. is awaiting sentencing; a status hearing in his case is set for Oct. 13, 2026, at 10:15 a.m. The three other defendants were sentenced to prison terms of six years, five years, and 14 months.
El Salvador man previously convicted of evading law enforcement sent to prison againRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 42-year-old illegal alien residing in Houston has been sentenced for illegally reentering the country.
Roberto Ventura-Martinez pleaded guilty May 13.
U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. ordered Ventura-Martinez to serve 41 months in federal prison. As an illegal alien, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Ventura-Martinez has prior convictions for evading arrest, driving while intoxicated, domestic violence, violating probation, and illegal reentry.
Authorities first removed Ventura-Martinez from the United States in June 2007. Despite his removal, he illegally returned to the country five times. On May 25, 2024, law enforcement once again discovered him illegally present in the United States without authorization.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Whitney prosecuted the case.
Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Roosevelt Allen Douglas II, 46, of Hawthorne, pleaded guilty in federal court to accessing with intent to view child pornography, receipt or attempted receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the plea today.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our law enforcement partners are relentless in their pursuit of predators using the internet to access and transmit child sexual abuse material, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to ensure those criminals are kept locked away behind federal bars.”
Court documents reflect that on April 24, 2023, the defendant used his laptop to access a website that displayed child pornography for sale. After the defendant “previewed” the child pornography on the website, he sent money to an individual that was engaged in the business of receiving and laundering money for a child pornography distribution enterprise. After learning that the defendant had attempted to purchase child pornography on other occasions, law enforcement searched the defendant’s electronic devices, which contained multiple images of child sex abuse material.
Due to a prior conviction relating to sexual abuse or abusive sexual conduct involving a minor, Douglas faces 15 to 80 years’ imprisonment and up to life on supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled before United States Chief District Judge Allen C. Winsor, in Gainesville, Florida on December 8, 2026, at 1:30PM.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Alachua County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner is prosecuting 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 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Citronelle Man Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison for Possessing a MachinegunRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Citronelle man was sentenced to 12 months in prison for illegally possessing a machinegun. According to court documents, on February 15, 2026, officers with the Mobile Police Department were conducting enhanced patrols in downtown Mobile during Mardi Gras parades and festivities. During the operation, officers arrested Kelvin Barnes, Jr., 29, for possessing a machinegun conversion device.
A machinegun conversion device, commonly referred to as a “Glock switch,” is designed to convert a semiautomatic pistol into a fully automatic machinegun, allowing the firearm to fire multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Terrill prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
Chinese national pleads guilty to $597,000 money laundering conspiracy that took life savings from victims in California and NevadaRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Binghui Liu, 33, a citizen of China formerly residing in San Jose, pending an asylum application, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between February 2024 and April 2025, Liu and other co-conspirators engaged in a scheme to launder proceeds from a government-impersonation fraud scheme. In this type of scam, individuals posing as a federal law enforcement officers or employees contacted victims and falsely claimed that criminal charges had been filed against them and that their bank accounts would be frozen. The scammers, operating both inside and outside the United States, including in India, instructed victims to withdraw their savings in cash and surrender the money “for safekeeping.” Victims were told that a federal official would arrive to collect the cash. The scammers used fake names, code words, and directed the victims to take pictures of themselves and the cash packaged for pickup.
In one case, an elderly victim was contacted by someone posing as a U.S. Marshal, who falsely claimed there was an arrest warrant and that the victim’s bank accounts were at risk of being frozen. The scammer instructed the victim to “protect” their funds by turning the money over to supposed Federal Reserve employees. They coached the victim on how to withdraw the cash, what to tell the bank, and how to package the money for pickup. Liu and other co‑conspirators then arrived, impersonating federal officials, to collect the cash. In total, the victim lost more than $700,000.
Liu served as a money launderer for other co-conspirators participating in the fraud scheme. Between March and April 2025, Liu took approximately $597,100 from 24 victims throughout California and Nevada. He used code words, fake names, and victims were told he was either a federal employee or law enforcement officer. On April 9, 2025, agents set up a sting operation. Liu arrived at the victim’s house and took what he believed was $20,000, but was in fake money. At no point was Liu a federal law enforcement officer or federal employee.
If you have information related to this case or believe you may be a victim, please submit a report at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or your local FBI office.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cody S. Chapple and Arelis M. Clemente are prosecuting the case.
Liu is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff on Jan. 4, 2027. Liu faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Carnation, Washington, man sentenced to prison for COVID fraud scheme and attempts to steal from deceased Seattle victimRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 36-year-old Carnation, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison for wire fraud, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft for his two distinct fraud schemes to steal pandemic unemployment benefits and steal the home, bank assets, and stock portfolio of a deceased Seattle victim. Tyler Lee Berens pleaded guilty in July 2026. At today’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge John H. Chun noted these were “addiction-fueled” crimes that were nonetheless serious and had wide-reaching ramifications on the government and the victim.
Berens conducted two fraud schemes between 2020 and 2024. Beginning in May 2020, Berens submitted false claims for pandemic unemployment benefits in 19 different states: Montana, New Jersey, Nevada, Kansas, South Dakota, California, Arizona, Utah, Vermont, Alabama, Washington, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Idaho, Indiana, Delaware, and Colorado. He received a total of $148,206 from six of those states - Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Washington. Berens also applied for and was approved for a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan of $17,500. His PPP application was false, and no loan funds were paid out.
Two years later, Berens launched a second fraud scheme to steal the Seattle home, bank accounts, and stock portfolio of a deceased elderly victim by posing as the victim’s authorized agent, impersonating the victim, and using the victim’s personal information. Berens made multiple attempts to steal a total of over half a million dollars’ worth of the victim’s assets.
Berens sent a real estate agent a forged power of attorney document and represented that he had the victim’s authorization to sell the victim’s home. Berens had even accepted an offer for the home, but fortunately the victim’s niece was alerted, stepped in, and reported the attempted fraud.
Berens was not deterred once caught in the real estate fraud. He accessed the victim’s bank accounts to try to transfer money from them and obtained a debit card for the victim’s checking account. After fraud restrictions were placed on the accounts, Berens attempted to get them removed by impersonating the deceased victim via email.
Finally, Berens took over the victim’s brokerage accounts and attempted to transfer money to himself and tried to liquidate over $235,000 worth of stocks. When, once again, fraud restrictions stopped the attempted transactions and cut off his access, Berens impersonated the deceased victim and tried to regain control of the accounts.
Berens was indicted in August 2025, and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and access device fraud on July 2, 2026.
In asking for the three-year prison sentence, prosecutors wrote to the court, “The $148,206.00 that went into Berens’ pocket was money siphoned away from people and businesses in desperate need of assistance during the pandemic. He deliberately exploited vulnerabilities in the government’s controls during an unprecedented and devastating period for his personal gain. As a result of his and similar schemes, the government continues to expend an inordinate amount of resources investigating and prosecuting COVID-19-related fraud.”
“For years, Mr. Berens sought to profit through a variety of schemes, taking advantage of pandemic-era assistance programs to receive benefits to which he was not entitled from six states, and also impersonating a deceased person to steal their assets," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "The FBI and our partners will carefully follow the money to pursue those who steal funds, and identities, that rightfully belong to others.”
“Today’s sentencing demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who exploit vulnerable individuals and abuse federal programs, ensuring they face the consequences they deserve. Fraud is not a victimless crime, and my office will continue to pursue justice for those exploited and uphold the integrity of our financial and social systems,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor.
Berens will be on three years of supervised release following prison and was ordered to pay $148,706 in restitution.
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 investigated by the FBI, the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General (SSA-OIG), and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica M. Ly.
Career Offender Sentenced to over 26 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Pill Mill and Methamphetamine Distribution with FirearmsRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Torry Holland, 52, of Memphis, has been sentenced to over 26 years in federal prison for his role in the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl in Memphis, Tennessee. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
During this multi-agency investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, controlled purchases of narcotics, physical surveillance, and the execution of search warrants on several Memphis properties related to Holland and a co-conspirator yielded multiple firearms, felony amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, and more than half a dozen pill press machines utilized to produce fentanyl pills that appeared as brand name medications.
Drug lab in shower (left) and various narcotics and paraphernalia (right)
Multiple pill presses (left) and pill press with pill residue (right)
Prior to his federal indictment in June 2024, Holland was convicted of multiple felonies involving the distribution of narcotics and is classified as a career offender under the United States Sentencing Guidelines.
Following his guilty plea to two counts of possession with intent to distribute narcotics and one count involving the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Holland on September 24, 2026 to a total term of 322 months' imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "Production and distribution of fentanyl-laced pills present an immediate and grave danger of lethality, and pill presses are instruments of death. This disturbing case demonstrates the lengths to which drug dealers will go to profit from addiction and suffering, and this significant sentence demonstrates our resolve to punish and deter such brazen criminal conduct that has no regard for human life.”
"Career offenders like Mr. Holland deserve the lengthy prison sentences handed down through our justice system,” said Special Agent in Charge Jim Scott, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Louisville Field Division. “Mr. Holland has been in and out prison and failed to be rehabilitated for his previous crimes; instead choosing a path that led him right back into federal incarceration.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Additionally, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), West Tennessee Drug Task Force - 30th Judicial District, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Bartlett Police Department, Germantown Police Department, and the Collierville Police Department all assisted in this long-term investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Bryce Phillips and Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact our Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
California Woman Arrested on Charges Alleging She Acted as Agent of China and Spied on Relatives of U.S. Based High-Ranking Taiwanese Government OfficialRead the Press Release
Wanying Zhang, 34, also known as Heather Zhang, of Irvine, California, was arrested Sunday on a one count complaint charging her with acting in the United States as an unregistered agent of the government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), including by conducting surveillance on family members of a high-ranking Taiwanese government official.
“The central allegation here — that Zhang, at the behest of the People’s Republic of China, covertly surveilled relatives of a high-ranking foreign government official in the United States — is deeply troubling,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “The National Security Division and U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with the FBI and other law enforcement partners, will remain vigilant against threats like this on our soil.”
“Protecting our national security means confronting foreign governments that engage in covert operations in our nation,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli for the Central District of California. “Ms. Zhang is charged with acting at the direction of Chinese government officials to spy on the family of a senior Taiwanese official here in the United States. She violated our laws and will be held accountable in our courts. We will aggressively investigate and prosecute illegal foreign operations on American soil.”
“The complaint in this case lays bare a brazen plot directed by the Chinese government to conduct a covert surveillance mission on U.S. soil targeting close relatives of a Taiwanese government official,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “Wanying Zhang’s arrest for allegedly acting as an unregistered agent of the Chinese government makes clear how far China’s authoritarian regime will go to advance its goals. However, this case also demonstrates the FBI’s unwavering commitment to defending the sovereignty of our democratic allies and combating all attempts by the Chinese government — and any foreign adversary — to conduct transnational repression within our borders.”
Zhang was arrested prior to her planned departure from Los Angeles International Airport, where she planned to board a flight to China. She is expected to make her initial appearance and be arraigned this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to the complaint, from June 2025 to September 2025, Zhang acted as an agent of the PRC without prior notification to the Attorney General of the United States, as required by federal law.
At the direction and control of PRC officials, Zhang coordinated with other individuals to promote the interests of China by, among other things, conducting surveillance on family members of a high-ranking Taiwanese government official at their residence in the United States.
In June 2025, Zhang traveled from Southern California to China, where she met with PRC officials and was tasked with conducting surveillance in the United States.
On Aug. 29, 2025, Zhang and another individual flew from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to Las Vegas. On Sept. 1, 2025, they flew from Las Vegas to the Pacific Northwest, where the victims reside. On that date, Zhang messaged a PRC official that she was “Boarding now” and sent a photograph of her boarding pass.
Upon their arrival, Zhang and the other individual traveled to the victims’ residence and conducted surveillance. Zhang sent the same PRC official the following message: “Saw him, young male, it’s the young one.” When this official asked her to join an audio call, she replied, “I am videorecording.”
Zhang also sent the same official the license plate numbers for the two vehicles parked in front of the victims’ home.
If convicted, Zhang would face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office is investigating the case.
Senior Counsel Scott M. Lara of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda B. Elbogen and Colin S. Scott for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Buffalo man going to prison for 10 years on meth chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.–U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Julius M. Hatten, 36, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, was sentenced to serve 120 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
On September 25, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at an Eckhert Street residence, on the person of Julius Hatten, and on Hatten’s vehicle, seizing quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, ammunition, $21,740 in cash, and drug paraphernalia.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commissioner Erika Shields, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Drugs, Firearm Charges Connected to Police Foot ChaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court, today, to drug and firearms charges stemming from an incident involving a police foot chase.
Quran Cox, 33, pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
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), Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the guilty plea, in December 2023, a BPD detective was surveilling the 100 block of West Hamburg Street by a CitiWatch camera when he observed Cox hold and manipulate a pack of suspected drugs. The detective then radioed his colleagues to arrest Cox.
When law enforcement arrived, Cox fled down an alley into the courtyards of an apartment complex. Law enforcement then pursued Cox on foot. During the pursuit, officers observed Cox reaching in his waistband with both hands as he ran. The law enforcement officers ordered Cox to “stop running,” “stop digging,” and to “put it down,” believing that Cox was reaching for a firearm.
Then when Cox slipped and fell on the grass, detectives caught up to him and attempted to secure his arms behind his back. As law enforcement made the arrest, they observed a loaded magazine on the ground near Cox’s right hand and a firearm in his left hand. Law enforcement recovered the firearm, loaded with one round of ammunition in the chamber and an additional six rounds of ammunition in the magazine.
A further search of Cox revealed 53 gelcaps of fentanyl, 22 jugs of cocaine, and $167 in cash. Detectives also recovered a key to Cox’s vehicle that was parked in the same block. Then a K-9 conducted a scan which produced a positive alert for contraband. Detectives then recovered 14 additional rounds of ammunition in the driver’s door pocket.
Cox faces a maximum 20 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. He is also facing a minimum of five years and a maximum of life for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. Sentencing is set for Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 10 a.m.
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, Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting this federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Baltimore Felon Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man learned his fate in federal court, stemming from a firearm incident in the parking lot of a convenience store.
U.S. District Court Judge Adam B. Abelson sentenced Demond Thompson, 23, to 52 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a prohibited person. Thompson, a convicted felon who is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, threw a loaded firearm across a populated parking lot of a convenience store when approached by police officers.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on December 21, 2025, BPD detectives were looking for Thompson in connection with an arrest warrant for failure to register as a gun offender. Detectives located Thompson walking on the sidewalk and attempted to speak with him. Then Thompson fled southbound into a populated Northwest Baltimore shopping-center parking lot.
As law enforcement pursued Thompson on foot, he reached into his front waistband, took out a firearm, and threw it across the parking lot. The firearm then hit the ground and landed next to a truck as a civilian stood in the doorway of the vehicle. When the firearm fell, the magazine base plate broke, causing 17 live rounds of ammunition to scatter on the ground. Law enforcement subsequently captured and arrested Thompson.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandria A. Bell and Jonathan S. Tsuei who prosecuted this federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Bakersfield man sentenced to one year in prison for transferring $5M abroad through illegal money transmitting operationRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Ifeanyi Emmanuel Ugwu, 50, of Bakersfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to one year in prison for illegally transmitting $5 million overseas to China and elsewhere while operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between December 2020 and August 2023, Ugwu owned, operated, and served as chief executive officer of Franklin Finance Inc. Through this business, he opened and controlled 20 bank accounts across nine financial institutions, receiving approximately $5 million from more than 100 individuals in the United States. He then transferred the funds to individuals in China, Nigeria, and other countries. At no point did the company have the required licenses to operate a money-transmitting business.
Ugwu marketed his services as “money transfers … at black market rates,” misrepresenting the nature of his business to banks in order to open accounts, and provided bogus reasons for the transactions. His operation attracted fraudsters and enabled the theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from American citizens.
Several of the individuals who sent Ugwu funds were victims of cybercrimes and fraud. Ugwu received and transferred approximately $580,000 in fraud proceeds from these victims, continuing to operate his unlicensed business by making various misrepresentations to individuals, banks, and other financial institutions to conceal his fraudulent activity.
The IRS Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody S. Chapple prosecuted the case.
Aliens Sentenced to Prison, with Deportation Proceedings to Begin Immediately upon Release as Part of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Several defendants have recently been sentenced in federal court for illegally reentering the United States after having previously been deported. The prosecutions were part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration and enforce federal immigration laws.
On August 27, Ricardo Hernandez-Martinez, 60, a Mexican national, was sentenced to 16 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after a prior deportation. In a separate case, Walter Noel Castellon-Guerra, 39, a Guatemalan national, was sentenced to time served for the same charge on October 1, 2026.
According to court documents, on March 20, 2026, the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) encountered Hernandez-Martinez during a traffic stop and requested assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). ERO responded and took Hernandez-Martinez into custody. ERO determined that Hernandez-Martinez had previously been removed from the United States on four occasions.
Hernandez-Martinez has multiple prior felony convictions, including two prior convictions for illegal reentry and a conviction for transporting an alien. He also has prior convictions for reckless driving, driving under the influence, providing a false name to law enforcement, and public intoxication. Following his federal sentence for his third illegal reentry offense, Hernandez-Martinez was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.
On July 22, 2026, the Saraland Police Department stopped a vehicle after determining that none of the occupants had a valid driver’s license. Saraland Police requested assistance from the United States Border Patrol (USBP), a component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). USBP responded and determined that Castellon-Guerra had previously been deported from the United States on two occasions. He was subsequently arrested for illegal presence in the United States. Castellon-Guerra was sentenced to time served and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.
In addition to these two recent sentencings, the following defendants were prosecuted and sentenced in federal court for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported:
- Jose Luis Lara-Arteaga, 29, a Mexican national, was encountered by the Daphne Police Department on August 25, 2025, in response to a suspicious vehicle call. ERO reviewed information from the encounter and determined that Lara-Arteaga was unlawfully present in the United States and had previously been deported in 2018 following a felony conviction in Baldwin County Circuit Court for leaving the scene of an accident involving injuries. ERO arrested Lara-Arteaga in March 2026. He was subsequently convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to time served. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Juan Rodrigo Gonzalez-Hernandez, 40, a Mexican national, was arrested by the Foley Police Department on January 23, 2026, for possession of drug paraphernalia. ERO responded to the jail and determined that Gonzalez-Hernandez had previously been deported from the United States in 2011 following a felony conviction in Baldwin County Circuit Court for possession of a controlled substance. Gonzalez-Hernandez was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to time served. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Agustin Eduardo Lucas-Gomez, 28, a Mexican national, was encountered by the Silverhill Police Department during a traffic stop on January 24, 2026. ERO responded and determined that Lucas-Gomez had been removed from the United States on three prior occasions. Lucas-Gomez also had prior convictions for DUI, driving without a license, and illegal entry. ERO arrested Lucas-Gomez, who was subsequently convicted of illegal reentry in federal court. He was sentenced to time served and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Deric Fiallos-Villalobos, 24, a Honduran national, was arrested by ERO on February 19, 2026, pursuant to a federal arrest warrant. Fiallos-Villalobos had previously been arrested by the Foley Police Department for third-degree domestic violence in June 2022. ERO determined that Fiallos-Villalobos had previously been deported from the United States in 2020 and did not have lawful permission to remain in the country. He was convicted in federal court of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Nelson Felipe Miralda-Avila, 37, a Honduran national, was encountered by the BCSO during a traffic stop on February 12, 2026. ERO assisted with the investigation and determined that Miralda-Avila had been removed from the United States on five prior occasions. He also had prior convictions for illegal reentry in 2013 and 2016. Miralda-Avila was convicted of illegal reentry for a third time and sentenced to eight months in prison. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Hector Saldivar-Orellana, 34, a Honduran national, was encountered by the BCSO during a traffic stop on March 13, 2026. The BCSO requested assistance from ERO, which determined that Saldivar-Orellana had previously been removed from the United States in 2010 following a felony conviction in Maryland for second-degree rape. Saldivar-Orellana was convicted of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Wilson Tabora-Henriquez, 34, a Honduran national, was stopped by the BCSO on March 18, 2026, for a traffic violation. ERO assisted with the stop and determined that Tabora-Henriquez had previously been deported from the United States on three occasions. Tabora-Henriquez also had a prior felony conviction in Maryland for second-degree assault. He was convicted of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Jose Ramos Chabarria, 49, a Salvadoran national, was stopped by the Summerdale Police Department during a traffic stop on March 18, 2026. Summerdale Police requested assistance from ERO, which determined that Chabarria had previously been deported from the United States six times. Chabarria also had a prior felony conviction in Texas for driving while intoxicated with three or more prior convictions. He was convicted in federal court of illegal reentry, sentenced to time served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings upon his release.
- Jesus Adolfo Mejia-Torres, 34, a Mexican national, was arrested by the Fairhope Police Department on April 5, 2026, for second-degree possession of marijuana. ERO responded to the jail and determined that Mejia-Torres had previously been deported from the United States in 2017. Prior to his removal, Mejia-Torres had been convicted of third-degree burglary in Baldwin County Circuit Court. Mejia-Torres was subsequently convicted in federal court of illegal reentry based on his unlawful presence in the United States at the time of his arrest. He was sentenced to four months in prison and ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings immediately upon his release.
- Ignacio Aguilar-Gutierrez, 39, a Mexican national, was encountered by the BCSO during a traffic stop on May 20, 2026. BCSO, with the assistance of ERO, determined that Aguilar-Gutierrez was unlawfully present in the United States and had previously been deported twice, most recently in 2022 following a conviction in Baldwin County Circuit Court for leaving the scene of an accident involving injury. Aguilar-Gutierrez was convicted of illegal reentry and sentenced to time served. He was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings immediately upon his release.
The defendants were prosecuted in the Southern District of Alabama as part of the ongoing efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to identify and prosecute individuals who illegally reenter the United States after having previously been deported.
All defendants were ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Defendants remained in custody on their respective federal charges until sentencing. Those ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities will face further immigration proceedings following completion of their federal sentences.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), investigated these cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, Daphne Police Department, Fairhope Police Department, Foley Police Department, Saraland Police Department, Silverhill Police Department, and Summerdale Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, Operation Take Back America aim includes the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Alien Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Reentry into United States After Prior Felony Conviction for Sexual Conduct with MinorRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES – On September 24, 2026, United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced David Joel Hernandez-Sanchez, 42, of Honduras, to 30 months in federal prison for Illegal Reentry of a Removed Alien, after his June 17, 2026, guilty plea.
“This significant sentence reflects the serious penalties that illegal aliens with prior felony convictions and removals from the United States will face if found in the Western District,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “The message this sentencing sends to felons who would violate our immigration laws is clear: the Western District has no place for you, and you will face significant prison time if you are found here.”
According to court documents, on March 30, 2026, Hernandez-Sanchez was found by law enforcement in the Western District despite the fact that he had been previously removed from the United States multiple times. Hernandez-Sanchez also had a prior conviction for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Hernandez-Sanchez admitted that he had again reentered the country without legal authorization.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Customs and Border Patrol and the Lake Charles Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
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.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 2:26-CR-00162.
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(337) 262-6704Albany Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison after Posing as a Teenage Boy Online to Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material from Multiple Minor Victims, and Obstructing Justice by Tampering with a WitnessRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Albany resident Brian Hargraves, 55, was sentenced today in federal court to 168 months in prison for possessing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and for obstructing justice, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. United States District Judge Landya McCafferty also sentenced Hargraves to 10 years of supervised release following his prison term.
Hargraves pleaded guilty in May to posing as a teenage boy online in order to obtain CSAM from minors. On April 29, 2025, law enforcement seized and searched Hargraves’ mobile phones following an investigation into his online communications with minors. A review of one of the phones revealed sexually explicit images and videos of a teenage minor victim. Hargraves told the minor victim that he was a teenage boy and asked her to create explicit videos and images of herself to send to him. The evidence revealed that Hargraves was also engaging in sexually explicit communications with other minors and was posing as a teenager in those communications as well. After his devices were seized and his home searched by the FBI, the defendant obstructed justice by contacting a minor victim and attempting to persuade her not to speak to law enforcement.
“The defendant exploited several children and sought to silence one of his victims,” U.S. Attorney Creegan said. “Today’s sentence serves as a warning to those who seek to abuse children—whether in-person or by using the internet. You will be found and you will be held accountable.”
“Brian Hargraves didn’t just prey on children—he deliberately hid behind the false persona of a teenage boy to manipulate and exploit them, and then tried to obstruct our investigation,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “His devious tactics show the lengths to which offenders will go to target minors, and this sentence sends a clear message: the FBI will aggressively pursue anyone who harms children to ensure they face significant consequences for their crimes.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and the Conway Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/
2 October 2026
Warren County Fraudster Sentenced to 10 Years’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
On August 31, 2026, Michael Conner, age 58, formerly of Lake George, New York, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino to 10 years’ imprisonment to be followed by 3 years’ supervised release. The sentence was for Conner’s conviction by a jury on 22 counts of wire fraud and 2 counts of tax fraud in April 2025. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI New York, and Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
Conner was a self-styled inventor of household goods who owned three patents. Between 2008 and 2023, Conner obtained money from investors under false pretenses. Conner claimed that he needed loans from investors to sell his patents or close on a business deal. In reality, Conner took the money from his victims and spent it on himself, including dinners at fine restaurants, vintage wines, and liaisons with prostitutes.
IRS-CI and HSI investigated Conner and the United States Attorney’s Office charged him in 2024 with 24 counts of wire fraud and 4 counts of tax fraud. Following an 8-day trial in April 2025, the defendant was convicted of 22 counts of wire fraud and 2 counts of tax fraud. The trial lasted an extra day because, as Judge D’Agostino noted at his sentencing, Conner faked a suicide attempt before closing arguments to try to obtain a mistrial. Conner preyed on multiple victims, including one he knew was dying. Even following his conviction, Conner caused an email to be sent to victims asking them to support his release from prison so he could go to a fake meeting supposedly to market his products.
In addition to imposing a term of imprisonment followed by supervised release, Judge D’Agostino ordered Conner to pay $1,235,346.12 in restitution. Judge D’Agostino stated that the true amount that Conner had stolen was far more.
Conner’s conviction follows numerous prior convictions, including a sex offense involving a 15-year-old girl when he was 35.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III said: “Michael Conner is a vicious fraudster. He stole millions from vulnerable people and believed he could get away with it. At trial, he lied on the stand, and he kept lying afterwards. Even in his allocution at sentencing, he blamed a victim for signing a bad contract with him, and he was so brazen that he tried to allocute a second time — except the judge appropriately refused to hear him. We have no doubt that he will file a meritless appeal, which will be as unsuccessful as all his attempts to escape responsibility so far. It is unlikely he will ever compensate his victims, but at least in prison he can no longer harm them. I am grateful to IRS Investigations for bringing this case to my office and for their steadfast dedication and partnership with my office”
"Michael Conner’s conviction and sentence serve as a clear testament to the unwavering dedication of IRS Criminal Investigation to safeguard the public’s financial interests. When individuals exploit investors or attempt to dodge their tax obligations, they face significant consequences. Our special agents worked diligently to uncover the facts and ensure that justice was delivered for Conner’s victims. We’ll remain steadfast in our mission to investigate financial crimes and uphold the integrity of our tax system,” said Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI New York.
IRS-CI investigated the case with the assistance of HSI. Former Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Barnett and Mikayla Espinosa secured the defendant’s conviction at trial. Current Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas Walter also prosecuted the case.
Wanted Senegalese Man Arrested Illegally Crossing BorderRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Khadim Ndaiye, 29, of Senegal and previously of Brooklyn, New York, has been charged by criminal complaint with illegal entry into the United States. Ndaiye’s initial appearance in court is scheduled for this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle in Burlington.
According to court records, on September 30, 2026, the U.S. Border Patrol detected an unlawful crossing of the international border between Canada and the United States in the vicinity of North Troy, Vermont. Agents responded to the area and observed tracks and indicators of people moving through the woods. After following the trail of sign, agents observed a man walking along a creek. As agents approached the man, he began to run and evaded them. Agents continued to search the area for hours, eventually locating a man consistent in appearance with one detected crossing the border. The man initially ran from agents but was apprehended shortly thereafter and later identified as Khadim Ndaiye. Ndaiye’s clothing was covered in brush and mud, indicating he had likely been in the woods for an extended period. Ndiaye’s fingerprints were used to identify him as a citizen of Senegal, who had previously been apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol in 2023 in Arizona while illegally entering. Consistent with border policies in 2023, Ndaiye was issued a notice to appear for immigration proceedings and released into the country. The recent fingerprint check by Border Patrol revealed that Ndaiye has an open bench warrant for his arrest, issued by New York County Criminal Court for charges related to felony attempted forcible rape stemming from a September 1, 2025 arrest. Immigration records reveal Ndiaye departed the United States on September 15, 2025, shortly after his New York arrest.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Ndiaye is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Ndiaye faces up to 6 months of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol. “I am extremely grateful that Border Patrol Agents worked tirelessly to locate and apprehend Ndiaye after his alleged unlawful crossing. Ndiaye’s immigration history and pending criminal charges in New York State underscore the vital importance to securing our northern border with Canada. The United States Attorney’s Office remains committed to working closely with our federal law enforcement partners to ensure that those who evade our ports of entry are apprehended and prosecuted.”
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Eugenia A. P. Cowles. Ndiaye is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
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.
Virginia Felon Sentenced in D.C. for Possession of Glock Pistol While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Rashim Johnson, 35, a previously convicted felon residing in Warsaw, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. to 84 months in federal prison in connection with his illegal possession of a fully loaded Glock 19 handgun and a large quantity of methamphetamine while he was on supervised release for two serious felonies, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Johnson pleaded guilty May 18, 2026, before Judge Amit P. Mehta to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to the 84-month prison sentence, Judge Mehta ordered Johnson to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 110-month prison term.
According to court papers, on Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025, about 12:13 a.m., Metro Transit Police Department units assigned to the United States Park Police Task Force were on patrol in an unmarked patrol cruiser near the 4800 Block of Sherrif Road NE.
Officers observed 10 to 15 people loitering in the middle of the street. The officers stopped and exited their vehicles wearing marked police uniforms. Johnson spotted the approaching officers and immediately fled in the opposite direction. An officer gave chase. As Johnson ran, the officer watched Johnson remove a black object from his waistband and toss it over a chain-link fence.
Johnson continued running across Kane Place NE. The officer drew his firearm and ordered the Johnson to the ground. Johnson surrendered. Only ten seconds elapsed between when the officer observed Johnson toss the gun and Johnson’s surrender. Police recovered the firearm, a nine-millimeter Glock 19 handgun with an obliterated serial number. The weapon was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds with one round in the chamber. It was also equipped with a flashlight mounted below the barrel.
Once Johnson was placed in handcuffs, police recovered 53.5 methamphetamine pills from his right pants pocket.
Johnson was prohibited from possessing any firearm due to his previous convictions for felony firearm possession, possession with intent to distribute PCP and LSD, and for second degree assault, all out of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Johnson also has additional convictions in Maryland for armed robbery, robbery with a deadly weapon, and use of a handgun in a crime of violence.
This case was investigated by Metro Transit Police Department units assigned to the United States Park Police Task Force.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel M. Deau and Travis Wolf.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful supports President Trump’s Executive Order that cracks down on gun violence, prioritizes federal firearms violations, pursues tougher penalties, and seeks detention for federal firearms violators.
Following a brief foot chase, police recovered Johnson’s firearm, a nine-millimeter Glock 19 handgun with an obliterated serial number. The weapon was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds with one round in the chamber. It was also equipped with a flashlight mounted below the barrel.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Marks Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Highlights Federal Funding for New Mexico Victim ServicesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico joins the Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women and communities across New Mexico in recognizing October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and reaffirming its commitment to protecting victims, holding offenders accountable and supporting the organizations that serve survivors.
“Protecting victims of domestic violence takes coordinated work from law enforcement, prosecutors, advocates and service providers.,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “These grants strengthen that work across New Mexico, and our office will continue doing its part to protect victims and pursue offenders under federal law.”
As part of that effort, the Department of Justice recently awarded $106,581 to the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence and $236,484 to the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc. The two organizations are New Mexico’s designated statewide domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions.
“Domestic violence has a devastating impact that reaches far beyond an individual survivor—it affects children, families, communities, and generations,” said MaryEllen Garcia, CEO of New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence. “During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we honor the courage of survivors while also recognizing the extraordinary work happening every day across New Mexico. The New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence is proud to stand alongside our statewide network of domestic violence providers, whose advocates show up every day with compassion, skill, and an unwavering commitment to survivor safety, dignity, and choice. Ending domestic violence requires all of us—advocates, law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, community partners, and neighbors—working together to build communities where survivors are supported, people who cause harm are held accountable, and everyone has the opportunity to live free from violence.”
Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to recognize the work of victim advocates, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, healthcare professionals and community organizations responding to domestic violence throughout New Mexico. It also highlights the role friends, relatives, coworkers and neighbors can play in recognizing abuse and helping victims connect with available resources.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office works with federal, Tribal, state and local law enforcement and prosecutors to enforce federal laws applicable to domestic violence, including federal firearms laws intended to keep firearms out of the hands of certain individuals prohibited from possessing them because of domestic violence convictions or qualifying protection orders.
The Department of Justice also supports victim services through grant programs administered by the Office on Violence Against Women and the Office for Victims of Crime. OVW identifies the New Mexico Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Inc. as the state’s designated domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions for fiscal year 2026.
Help is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) and the StrongHearts Native Helpline at 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). Additional resources for victims and survivors are available through the Office on Violence Against Women at justice.gov/ovw.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 112 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 112 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On September 30, 2026, Yi Zhao, a Lawful Permanent Resident, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered an undocumented Vietnamese national concealed inside a non-factory compartment under a third-row seat of the vehicle Zhao was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. Customs and Border Protection officers had to remove a bolt from the third-row seat to gain access to the compartment.
- On September 30, 2026, Giovanni Augusto Alvarez Jr., a United States citizen, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 84 pounds of methamphetamine concealed in the rear back panel, windshield vent, backseat cushion, back of driver seat, back of passenger seat, backrest of backseat, rear quarter panel, rear right quarter panel, and cabin air filter of his 2017 Hyundai Accent the defendant was driving as he applied for entry to the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
- September 25, 2026, Mayra Guadalupe Sanchez Magana, a Mexican Citizen and border crossing card holder, was arrested and charged with Importation of Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 25 pounds of cocaine concealed in the dashboard of the 2016 Chevrolet Malibu the defendant was driving as she applied for entry to the U.S. at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Mexico Weekly Immigration and Border Crimes ReportRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Today, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced its immigration enforcement statistics. These cases are prosecuted in partnership with the El Paso Sector of the U.S. Border Patrol, along with Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, and assistance from other federal, state, and county agencies.
In the four-week period ending October 2, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office brought the following criminal charges in New Mexico:
- 288 individuals were charged with Illegal Reentry After Deportation (8 U.S.C. 1326)
- 23 individuals were charged with Alien Smuggling (8 U.S.C. 1324)
- 232 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325)
- 284 individuals were charged with Illegal Entry (8 U.S.C. 1325), violation of a military security regulation (50 U.S.C. 797) and Entering Military, Naval, or Coast Guard Property (18 U.S.C. 1382), arising from the newly established National Defense Area in New Mexico.
Many of the defendants charged pursuant to 8 U.S.C. 1326 had prior criminal convictions for child molestation, drug possession, and theft, possession with intent to distribute narcotics, grand theft, and prior immigration offenses.
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.
These statistics represent prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico only. The numbers do not include individuals apprehended by immigration enforcement officials and subjected solely to administrative process.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the District of New Mexico. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal history, including human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The District of New Mexico consists of 33 counties and shares 180 miles of international border with Mexico. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from Albuquerque and Las Cruces work directly with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to prosecute immigration-related and other federal offenses.
Two Men Sentenced for Causing Explosion on Harvard Medical School CampusRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Massachusetts men were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for conspiring to damage a building on Harvard Medical School’s (HMS) campus using a large commercial firework.
Logan David Patterson, 19, of Plymouth, Mass. and Dominick Frank Cardoza, 21, of Bourne, Mass., each were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley to three years of probation and were ordered to pay restitution of $28,517 to Harvard Medical School. In April 2026, both defendants pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to damage, by means of an explosive. Patterson and Cardoza were arrested and charged in November 2025.
At approximately 2:23 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2025, surveillance cameras located at Huntington Avenue and Longwood Avenue in Boston captured two males – later identified as Patterson and Cardoza – walking toward the HMS campus wearing face coverings and dark clothing. Surveillance video captured the defendants lighting what appeared to be roman candle fireworks at approximately 2:24 a.m.
At approximately 2:33 a.m., the defendants were seen climbing over a chain-link fence into a construction area surrounding the Goldenson Building and, minutes later, climbing scaffolding beside the building to access the roof. At approximately 2:45 a.m., campus police received a fire alarm alert from an explosion on the fourth floor of the Goldenson Building, which houses a research laboratory within HMS’s Department of Neurobiology. It was determined that the defendants detonated a large, commercial firework inside a wooden locker in the fourth-floor research laboratory.
Subsequent security footage captured the defendants visiting the fifth floor of the building before exiting via a first-floor emergency exit and fleeing in opposite directions; removing and discarding clothing items they had worn on the HMS campus; and returning to the nearby campus of Wentworth Institute of Technology, which they were visiting for Halloween social activities.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the National Security Unit prosecuted the case.
Two Men Plead Guilty to Multiple Armed Carjackings Committed During December 2022 SpreeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Stephan Anthony Harper 26, and Larry Torian Francois, 26, both residents of the District, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with a series of violent armed carjackings committed in December 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Harper, aka “Blacs,” and Francois, aka “Fatz,” each admitted to participating in four separate armed carjackings carried out across Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Harper and Francois entered their pleas before the Honorable Jia M. Cobb, each pleading guilty to possessing a firearm during a crime of violence and aiding and abetting and to carjacking and aiding and abetting. Both defendants also agreed to admit their involvement in additional carjackings.
Judge Cobb scheduled sentencing for February 24 and May 26, 2027, respectively.
According to the plea documents, the government’s evidence would have established that Harper, Francois, and their co‑conspirators carried out the following carjackings:
Dec. 11, 2022 – Capitol Heights, Maryland (Acura MDX)
About 8:30 p.m., the defendants participated in the armed carjacking of a gray 2020 Acura MDX from victim S.A. outside a 7‑Eleven on Ritchie Road. One suspect jumped on the victim’s back while another displayed a handgun. The suspects fled in the stolen vehicle and later transported it across state lines into Washington, D.C.Dec. 11, 2022 – Washington, D.C. (Audi A4)
Around 11:30 p.m., the defendants carjacked a gray Audi A4 from victim A.F. near Randolph Street and Eastern Avenue NE. Two suspects brandished a handgun and demanded the keys before fleeing with the vehicle into the District.Dec. 21, 2022 – Hyattsville, Maryland (Dodge Charger)
At approximately 11:24 p.m., the defendants approached victim J.G. at a Royal Farms gas station on Annapolis Road. One suspect pointed a handgun and threatened to kill him if he did not surrender his white 2019 Dodge Charger. The suspects fled with the vehicle into D.C.Dec. 22, 2022 – Temple Hills, Maryland (Dodge Charger)
Shortly after midnight, at about 12:34 a.m., the defendants stole a gray 2020 Dodge Charger from victim I.C. at a Royal Farms station on Allentown Road. One suspect struck the victim in the head with a handgun, then punched and kicked him before fleeing with the vehicle.The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy. The investigation was conducted by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Metropolitan Police Department and the Prince George’s County Police Department.
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Two Individuals Plead to Roles in $11 Million Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – Two more defendants have admitted to their roles in an $11 million conspiracy to defraud banks by depositing stolen checks and withdrawing the funds, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
The following individuals each pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Michael A. Shipp in Trenton federal court to a one-count Information charging them with conspiracy to commit bank fraud:
- Raymond Wade, 43, of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty on September 28, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2026.
- Dwayne Reddon, 40, of Trenton, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on September 29, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2027.
Between July 21, 2026 and August 4, 2026, eight other individuals pleaded guilty for their roles in the same conspiracy. Charges remain pending against Wayne Bessant, 45, of Hamilton, New Jersey, and Ryan Small, 33, of Ewing, New Jersey.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2023 through June 2025, the Defendants conspired to deposit stolen checks—including U.S. Department of Treasury checks—at various banks in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The conspirators impersonated the businesses or individuals listed as payees on the stolen checks, often by acquiring business documents in the names of the payees. Once the conspirators acquired fraudulent business documents or opened fraudulent bank accounts, they deposited the stolen checks and split the proceeds. In total, the conspirators deposited or attempted to deposit over 100 Treasury and commercial checks totaling over $11 million. Many of the Treasury checks were refunds issued as Employee Retention Credits, a program the Internal Revenue Service created during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage businesses to retain employees.
The bank fraud conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and also carries a fine of up to $1,000,000, twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Newark-Trenton Resident Agency under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; special agents with Homeland Security Investigations, Cherry Hill, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy; special agents with the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Jenifer L. Piovesan; special agents with Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael Carpenter; special agents with the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jessica Herrington; special agents with the U.S. Air Force – Office of Special Investigations, Detachment 307, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Rebecca B. Bates; and postal inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Philadelphia Division, under the direction of Inspector in Charge, Christopher Nielson, with the investigation leading to the guilty pleas.
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.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alanna M. Jereb of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel:
Wade: Michael J. Pappa, Esq.
Reddon: Dan Holzapfel, Esq.
reddon.information.pdf wade.information.pdfTwo D.C. Men Arrested for August Murder in NorthwestRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Henry Buchanan, 48, and Charles Jenkins, 46, both of Washington, D.C., were arrested and charged with first-degree murder while armed for the August 4, 2026, shooting death of 23-year-old Xavier Fogle, in the 2600 block of 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
They were presented in D.C. Superior Court on October 1, where Judge Dorsey Jones found probable cause for their arrest and ordered them detained pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for October 19, 2026.
According to the arrest warrants, at around 4:15 a.m., on August 4, 2026, the victim, Xavier Fogle, was captured on CCTV footage pulling on door handles in the 1400 block of Clifton St. NW, where defendant Buchanan’s car was parked. Buchanan is then seen on CCTV footage walking out of his building neighboring Clifton St., getting into a verbal altercation with the victim, and then making a phone call. Call detail records from Buchanan’s phone show that the call was placed to Co-defendant Jenkins. Buchanan is then seen on CCTV footage getting into his white BMW sedan and driving in the direction where the victim was headed on foot. About a block away, Buchanan is seen on CCTV footage exiting his vehicle and seemingly receiving something—presumably a firearm—from Jenkins, who was exiting the same building as Buchanan and running to catch up with him after the phone call Buchanan is then seen on video taking the item, chasing the victim, in the 2600 block of 15th St. NW, and fatally shooting him twice in the back of the legs.
Buchanan at the intersection, pointing toward the victim.
Picture of Jenkins showing black object sticking out of his fanny-pack
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Cocuzza.
These charges are merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
2026 CF1 015482 & 2026 CF1 015493
Trumbull County Man Sentenced to 23+ Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse OffensesRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A Trumbull County man has been sentenced to federal prison for engaging in online activities that involved Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM).
James Joseph Cataline, 47, of Hubbard, Ohio, has been sentenced to 282 months (23.5 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker, after pleading guilty in May to:
- Receipt of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
- Possession of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM)
- Transferring Obscene Material to a Minor
Cataline was also ordered to serve 10 years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $5,000 toward the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act, which was established in 2015 to provide justice for victims of trafficking. A restitution hearing will be held Dec. 10.
According to court documents and evidence, from about December 2024 to November 2025, Cataline had a history of engaging with CSAM. Investigators also discovered that he was directly engaging with minors to solicit sexually oriented materials from them, including making video calls. Cataline shared explicit materials of himself with others who he believed were minors, but were in fact, undercover agents.
During a search warrant executed on his electronic devices, investigators found more than 120 images and videos on his laptop. Cataline’s cellphones contained more than 2,400 CSAM files including approximately 600 videos and 1,800 images. Several files involved prepubescent minors under the age of 12.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Youngstown Resident Agency, the Mahoning Valley Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Mentor Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Margaret A. Kane for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.