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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Friday 22 May 2026
EDNC U.S. Attorney’s Office Threat Prosecutions Since 2022Read the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C.— The EDNC U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to protect the public by prosecuting criminal threats across the district. Since 2022, this Office has successfully prosecuted numerous threat-related cases. These prosecutions have involved a range of targeted victims, from individuals, federal employees, and elected officials to public institutions. These cases involve threats intended to intimidate, disrupt government operations, or make victims fear for their safety.
As a result of these enforcement efforts, convicted defendants have received substantial sentences in federal court. These outcomes underscore the seriousness with which the justice system treats threats of violence and the lasting impact such criminal behavior forces victims and the broader community to suffer.
Date
Case Name
Status
Charge
Prior Press Release
112/22Lydia Crouse
5:22-CR-00345
1 year and 1-day federal prison18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commerce 24/25Michael Ferr
5:25-CR-00036
2 years and 3 months federal prison18USC871(a), 879,
and 115(a)(1)(A) Threaten to assault/murder immediate family member of U.S. official
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/raleigh-man-sentenced-federal-prison-threatening-kill-potus-and-us-secret-service31/24Robert Glauner
5:24-CR-00025
5 years federal prison 18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commerce https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/albuquerque-man-sentenced-threatening-and-stalking-raleigh-woman-he-met-online412/25Blake Govea
5:25-CR-313
3 years supervised release 18USC115(a)(1)(A) Threaten to assault /murder immediate family member of U.S. official 51/25Edward Huffman
5:25-CR-00030-M
6 months federal prison18USC875(a) Transmit demand/request for ransom/reward for kidnapped personhttps://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/man-arrested-after-threats-hunt-down-corporate-executives-and-their-families611/25Christopher Lancaster
5:23-CR-00036
1 year and 7 months federal prison18USC115(a)(1)(B) Threaten to assault or murder Federal official 712/22Timothy Mann
5:23-CR-00014
3 years federal prison18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commercehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/man-sentenced-three-years-cyberstalking-after-months-harassment-and-violent-threats88/25Ashley Moore
5:25-CR-00245
1 year
& 1-month federal prison
18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commercehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/woman-sentenced-year-jail-threats99/25Zachary Newell
7:25-CR-00095
2 years federal prison18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commercehttps://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/newport-man-sentenced-2-years-threatening-shoot-and-skin-black-preschoolers1011/24Matthew Woodruff
5:24-CR-00349
2 years & 6 months federal prison18USC875(a) Transmit demand/request for ransom/reward for kidnapped person 115/22Carl Abernathey
7:22-CR-00065
3 years supervised release with location monitoring18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commerce 127/23Jason Evans
5:23-CR-00233
1 year and 6 months federal prison 18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commerce 137/23Steven Tomes
5:23-CR-00274
5 years’ probation 18USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commerce 1410/24Jesse Metcalf
5:24-CR-00293
Charged, Pending Trial July 202618USC875(c) Transmit threat in interstate commerce 154/26Eric Byrd
5:26-CR-69
Charged, Pending Arraignment18USC875(a) Transmit demand/request for ransom/reward for kidnapped person 164/26James Comey
4:26-CR-00016
Charged, Pending Arraignment18USC871
Threats against President
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/federal-grand-jury-indicts-former-fbi-director-james-comey-threats-harm-president-trump174/26Christopher Hill
7:23-CR-00056
Charged, Pending Arraignment18USC871
Threats against President
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/wilmington-man-indicted-threatening-president-trump184/26Daniel McSwain
5:26-MJ-01682
Charged,
Pending Arraignment18USC871
Threats against President
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/south-carolina-man-arrested-threatening-kill-president194/26Richard Warren
7:26-CR-00026
Charged, Pending Arraignment18USC115(a)(1)(B) Threaten to assault or murder Federal official 207/24Joshua JusticeCharged, pending evaluation18USC115 Threaten
to assault or murder Federal official
These prosecutions reflect the Office’s ongoing commitment to public safety, ensuring that individuals who make threats—whether in person, online, or through other means—are held accountable under federal law. Our Office works closely with federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these cases.
East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Recognized as Freedom 250’s Hometown Hero for the Middle District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
Deputy Brandon Searles of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office was recognized as the Middle District’s Freedom 250 Hometown Hero, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall. The Freedom 250 Hometown Hero initiative is part of America’s 250 anniversary celebrations, honoring local law enforcement heroes across the country for their courage, generosity, and service.
On May 8, 2025, Deputy Searles, a private citizen and former Marine Reservist at the time, stopped an attempted bank robbery at the Regions Bank on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Without hesitation or concern for his own safety, Deputy Searles disarmed and secured Quarles James Harris, age 52, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Harris was then arrested by Baton Rouge Police officers and taken into custody.
Before the incident, Deputy Searles was in the process of applying with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. He graduated from the Capital Area Regional Training Academy in December 2025.
Harris was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on July 16, 2025, for bank robbery; using, carrying, possessing, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence; and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing.
U.S. Attorney Wall stated, “It is my honor to recognize Brandon for his selflessness and bravery. Without hesitation, he took action that day to protect his fellow neighbors from a very dangerous situation. He has served our country as a marine and continues to serve our community as a deputy. We are very fortunate to have Brandon as our Hometown Hero.
“Even before Deputy Brandon Searles joined the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, he demonstrated the courage, selflessness, and instinct to protect others that define the very best in law enforcement,” stated Sheriff Sid Gautreaux. “His actions that day reflected the character, integrity, and sense of duty that cannot be taught. We are incredibly proud of Deputy Searles for receiving this well-deserved recognition and grateful that he is now a member of the EBRSO family. I also want to thank U.S. Attorney Kurt Wall and his office for recognizing Brandon’s actions and honoring individuals who selflessly step forward to protect others. We are fortunate to have Deputy Searles serving our community alongside us each day.”
District of Arizona Charges 389 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from May 16 through May 22, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 389 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 170 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 191 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 23 cases against 28 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Gregory James Russell. Gregory James Russell was charged by criminal complaint on May 20, 2026, with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit and Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person. On May 19, Border Patrol Agents observed a Ford F-150 exceeding 80 mph in a 55 mph zone. The driver also swerved from side to side, crossing the center line, then continued into the town of Sonoita, Arizona, where agents eventually initiated a stop. Inside the vehicle, agents discovered two individuals who were determined to be citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. Agents also observed an open container of alcohol inside the vehicle and noted that Russell appeared to be intoxicated. Agents learned that Russell drove from Tucson to Nogales to pick up two illegal aliens and transport them to Phoenix and that he would be paid to do so. At the request of agents, Arizona Department of Public Safety Troopers also responded and charged Russell with Driving Under the Influence. [Case number: 26-MJ-03276]
United States v. Robert Blair Schenberg. On May 20, 2026, Robert Blair Schenberg was charged by criminal compliant with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On May 19, a Pinal County Deputy noticed the license plate on a silver Hyundai Elantra was blowing upright in the breeze, making it unreadable. The deputy initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Robert Blair Schenberg. While speaking to Schenberg, the deputy noticed the rear passenger was dressed in camouflage clothing and wearing carpet shoes. On the floorboard next to the passenger was a camouflage backpack. The deputy contacted the U.S. Border Patrol for assistance. Border Patrol Agents confirmed that the passenger was a citizen of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case number: 26-MJ-5222]
United States v. Luis Arturo Quezada-Garcia. On May 19, 2026, Luis Arturo Quezada-Garcia was charged by criminal complaint with Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On May 18, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent noticed a Chevrolet Silverado near Wickenburg, Arizona, with dark window tint and an item hanging from the rearview mirror. The agent followed the vehicle and noticed the driver slow down and repeatedly drift across the fog line. As the agent pulled up to the vehicle, he could see two passengers in the back seat. Shortly after, the two passengers were no longer visible. The agent conducted a vehicle stop for an immigration inspection. During the stop, agents learned that the driver, Quezada-Garcia, and the rear passengers were citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States, and that they had crossed the border into the United States approximately one week prior. [Case number: 26-MJ-01388]
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-081_May 22, 2026, Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Defendant Sentenced to 15 Years for Carjacking and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
Richland, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced that on May 21, 2026, United States District Judge Mary K. Dimke sentenced Hector David Flores, age 29, of Kennewick, WA, to 15 years in federal prison for Carjacking, Brandishing a Firearm in Commission of a Crime of Violence, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Judge Dimke imposed 5 years of federal supervision upon Flores’ release from custody.
According to court documents, on June 10, 2025, Benton County Deputies observed Flores driving a vehicle just east of the Duportail Bridge in Richland. Deputies had been involved in an incident less than a week before, where Flores assaulted two deputies, and escaped by fleeing the scene in a vehicle. Anticipating that Flores would flee again, spike strips were deployed in an attempt to disable his vehicle. Despite successfully puncturing both front tires, Flores fled. Minutes later, his vehicle was reported abandoned in a nearby neighborhood. As deputies responded to the area, Flores was observed as a passenger in a truck. It was later learned that Flores had approached a good Samaritan and requested a ride to Pasco. The good Samaritan agreed. However, after a sheriff’s vehicle attempted to stop the truck, Flores pulled a loaded firearm, pointed it at the good Samaritan, and commanded him to keep driving. Instead, the good Samaritan was able to push the firearm away, bring the truck to a stop, and run to safety, advising officers of the firearm in the process.
Flores stole the vehicle and drove away. Deputies pursued Flores in a high-speed chase, where Flores weaved in and out of traffic, and drove in the wrong lane of travel. Based on the incredible risk of harm posed by Flores, Deputies employed a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver, which ultimately allowed the pursuit to end.
Flores was taken into custody. Inside the vehicle, Deputies located three loaded firearms, one of which was stolen, 32 grams of methamphetamine, 62 grams of fentanyl, baggies, a scale and approximately $1,200 in cash, and Flores’s wallet and identification.
“In Washington, criminals have been emboldened by bad legislation that encourages the belief that they can elude law enforcement, evade capture, and avoid consequences,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano. “This case serves to show that my office, alongside our local law enforcement partners and federal agencies, will not let that happen. We will every tool possible to put an end to violent acts, protect our communities, especially our good Samaritans, and hold that criminals accountable.”
“The victim in this case was simply trying to lend a helping hand to a stranger in need, and, in the process, became the target of the type of violent crime that continues to plague our community,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “Fortunately, the victim was able to escape, and the unrelenting pursuit of local law enforcement brought Flores into custody without any other citizen being harmed. ATF is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to put an end to this type of violence.”
This case was initially investigated by the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Richland Police Department. The case was formally adopted for federal prosecution by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Brandon Pang, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington.
4:25-cr-6032-MKD-1
Decorah Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Decorah man who obtained and distributed methamphetamine was sentenced on May 18, 2026, to more than 18 years in federal prison.
Cody Richard Reisner, age 42, from Decorah, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 2, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after a prior conviction for a serious drug felony.
Information disclosed at sentencing showed that, in February 2025, Reisner obtained methamphetamine from a source of supply in Des Moines, Iowa, and distributed the methamphetamine to customers in the Decorah area. On February 26, 2025, law enforcement officers tried to stop Reisner’s car. Reisner fled from officers. He drove through a dorm parking lot and a grassy space of a college campus before he stopped and ran. Officers caught him and he was arrested. Officers recovered over 70 grams of methamphetamine from his car. Reisner’s has three prior drug‑trafficking convictions.
Reisner was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Reisner was sentenced to 224 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve an eight‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Reisner is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Winneshiek County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25‑CR‑02044‑CJW.
D.C. Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for the 2021 Stabbing Death of a Mother at Southeast Gas StationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tywan Morris, 30, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 20 years in prison in the 2021 murder of a woman at a Southeast gas station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
A Superior Court jury found Morris guilty on Nov. 12, 2025, of one count of second-degree murder while armed. In addition to the 20-year prison sentence, the Honorable Michael Ryan ordered Morris to serve five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at 5:03 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2021, Danielle Stuckey, 27, and her 12-year-old child walked through the BP gas station at 2801 Alabama Avenue SE to a nearby bus stop.
A short time later, Morris pulled into the gas station with his girlfriend and child and parked. While Morris was pumping gas, the victim approached him, and a brief argument ensued between the victim, Morris, and Morris’s girlfriend.
Despite the victim walking back to the bus stop, Morris retrieved a knife with brass knuckles attached. Initially, Morris gave the knife to his girlfriend. The girlfriend attempted to stab the victim. Morris then retrieved the knife and charged at the victim. The victim attempted to back away, but Morris pursued her. He tripped her to the ground and kicked her in the head. While the victim was on the ground, Morris stabbed her in the left thigh transecting her femoral artery and vein and killing her. Morris then fled the scene with his girlfriend.
Morris was arrested the same day. He has been in custody since November 2023.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentencing, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ariel Dean and Daniel Bromwich who prosecuted the case.
2021 CF1 005953, 2023 CF2 008570
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Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Justin Poon pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a child and possession of child pornography. The proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge James R. Cho. Poon was a registered sex offender in New York State when he committed the crimes. When sentenced, Poon faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment and up to 70 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution to victims of his crimes.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant is a depraved sextortionist and danger to the community who produced, collected, and distributed child pornography, and terrorized dozens of victims, including minors,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “His conduct reflects a total disregard for the trauma he inflicted on his victims and their families. Although today’s guilty plea cannot undo the harm that Poon has caused to his victims, it does ensure that he will be incarcerated for decades.”
“Already a convicted child predator, the defendant continued to exploit minors through extortion and production of sexually explicit videos,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “The FBI/NYPD Crimes Against Children and Human Trafficking Task Force will continue to pursue those who seek to harm our children and ensure they face justice.
According to court proceedings and filings, from at least December 2018 through his arrest in December 2023, Poon engaged in a pattern of exploiting minor girls for the purpose of creating child pornography. Poon targeted his victims and solicited their production of sexually explicit materials for his gratification and financial gain. For example, Poon induced a 16 year-old victim to create sexually explicit images of herself according to his specifications and then sold those images on the internet. Poon also traveled across state lines to engage in sexual activity with another 16 year-old victim and created sexually explicit videos of that victim.
Poon engaged in an extortion scheme during the same period. Poon obtained sexually explicit images and videos of minors and young women using deceptive means, including by pretending to be Snapchat customer support to trick them into sharing their passwords so that he could access private materials in their accounts. Once the defendant had the images and videos, he then threatened to share them directly with his victims’ friends and family if they did not comply with his demands for payment or additional sexually explicit materials. When one of his 16-year-old victims pleaded with him not to “ruin [her] life,” because she “need[ed] to go to university,” the defendant responded: “I don’t care.”
As part of the government’s investigation, search warrants were obtained to search Poon’s electronic devices and DropBox accounts. He was found to be in possession of child pornography for at least 50 different victims. Poon was previously convicted in 2021 of sexual misconduct with a 15 year-old victim.
If you believe you may have been a victim of the defendant, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation at https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/seeking-victim-information-in-justin-poon-investigation/view. This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorney Kamil R. Ammari is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
JUSTIN POON
Age: 27
West Hempstead, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-533 (BMC)
Clinic Owner Convicted for $52M Health Care Fraud, Illegal Narcotics Distribution, and Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the Eastern District of New York convicted a New York man for his role in conspiracies to commit health care fraud, illegally distribute Suboxone, and pay and receive illegal health care kickbacks.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Tony Brown-Arkah, 78, of New York, New York, was the owner of American Medical Centers (AMC), a medical clinic in Brooklyn that purported to provide substance abuse treatment. AMC lured patients to the clinic by illegally prescribing them Suboxone, a Schedule III narcotic designed to treat opioid use disorder, which, as one witness testified, is commonly abused by prison inmates by boiling the medication and dripping it into users’ eyes. Brown-Arkah allowed a drug ring to proliferate inside and on the steps of his clinic where drug dealers offered to buy patients’ Suboxone prescriptions for cash. One witness testified that an AMC staff member directed him to a van outside where he could sell his Suboxone if he did not want it.
Photograph of the van oustide Brown-Arkah’s clinic that Brown-Arkah’s staff directed a patient to if he wanted to sell his Suboxone prescription.Many patients at Brown-Arkah’s clinic received prescriptions signed by a nurse practitioner who lived in Florida and did not see or speak with the patients. When they visited AMC, patients were met with a façade of substance abuse treatment and were required to undergo invasive, medically unnecessary testing in order to get Suboxone prescriptions. Brown-Arkah billed Medicare and Medicaid for services that were never provided, including office visits where Brown-Arkah, who was not a medical provider, was the only AMC staff person to meet with the patient. The evidence established that patients at AMC were frequently prescribed Suboxone when they were not taking the medication. Witnesses testified that these prescriptions were not medically necessary and can be dangerous, and that the lack of Suboxone in a patient’s laboratory results is a significant warning sign of illegal diversion.
To fuel his scheme, Brown-Arkah paid illegal cash kickbacks to patients. One of these illegal payments was caught on video, depicted below, by a confidential source. In this undercover recording, Brown-Arkah describes others who pay patients illegal kickbacks and bill for medically unnecessary services, saying “that’s why they go to jail . . . that’s when the government busts ‘em!”
Brown-Arkah in an undercover recording meeting with a confidential source posing as a patient at his medical clinic in Brooklyn, offering the patient an illegal cash kickback in exchange for referring another patient to AMC.Brown-Arkah funneled patients to receive medically unnecessary laboratory testing. He received thousands of dollars each month in illegal kickbacks from the laboratory in exchange for these referrals. To conceal the kickbacks, the defendant created a shell company and a sham contract and lied to law enforcement about the purpose of the payments. In total, Brown-Arkah and his co-conspirators caused over $52 million in false claims to Medicare and Medicaid.
Brown-Arkah in an undercover recording meeting with a confidential source posing as a patient holding a pen over the patient’s billing sheet.The jury convicted Brown-Arkah of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, 12 counts of health care fraud, conspiracy to illegally distribute narcotics, 3 counts of illegal distribution of narcotics, conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks and to defraud the United States, and 2 counts of receipt of kickbacks. A sentencing date has not been set. He faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison on each health care fraud, narcotics, and kickbacks conviction, and five years in prison on the conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks and defraud the United States conviction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr. for the Eastern District of New York; Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), New York Division; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Naomi Gruchacz for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso for Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI); and Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. for the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) made the announcement.
The DEA, HHS-OIG, HSI, and IRS-CI investigated the case. The New York City Police Department and the New York City Human Resources Administration assisted in the investigation.
Trial Attorneys Miriam Glaser Dauermann and Margaret Mortimer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Four Years in Federal Prison for Cyberstalking Former Romantic PartnersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for cyberstalking and harassing former romantic partners.
VINCENT STORME threatened and harassed six women after they ended their relationships with him. Storme stalked his victims both online and in person, with the harassment and threats often extending to the victims’ families, employers, and friends.
In one instance, Storme accessed and searched a former girlfriend’s phone without her knowledge and then published a semi-nude photograph of the victim that could be seen by her family, friends, and co-workers. Storme also created a website and social media accounts bearing her name and used the accounts to further embarrass and harass her.
While on bond in this case, police arrested Storme for stalking another victim by following her home in his car. Another victim reported that after breaking up with Storme, he often arrived at her home unannounced.
Storme, 38, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of accessing a computer without authorization in furtherance of a criminal and tortious act. On May 15, 2026, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey imposed the four-year prison term and ordered Storm to pay a total of $11,318.39 in restitution to three of his victims.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department and Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
“With each relationship and each victim, defendant’s methods grew more prolific,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill J. Bhalakia argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Computer intrusion and cyberstalking will not be tolerated by the criminal justice system.”
Barre Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Barre woman pleaded guilty in federal court in Worcester to stealing over $100,000 in Social Security benefits.
Jennifer Valley, 51, pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 28, 2026. Valley was charged in April 2026.
From October 2022 through August 2025, Valley stole approximately $100,218 in Social Security retirement benefits that were intended for a beneficiary that had died and with whom she had previously lived. Prior to the beneficiary’s death, Valley had been appointed as the beneficiary’s representative payee to manage their Social Security benefits and provide regular accountings to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Valley failed to report the beneficiary’s death to SSA. Instead, in June 2023, she submitted a representative payee report to SSA stating that all the benefits received during the previous 12 months had been spent for the benefit of the deceased, including $23,157 in funds improperly paid after death during that period. Additionally, in December 2023, Valley updated the deceased’s mailing address with SSA to her new address to conceal the beneficiary’s death.
The charge of theft of public funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Worcester Branch Office.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Arlington detective is Hometown Hero for the Eastern District of VirginiaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced Detective John Bamford of the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD) as the district’s 2026 Hometown Hero Award recipient.
The Hometown Hero Award is sponsored by the Department of Justice in honor of the United States of America’s 250th year of celebrating its independence. The Hometown Hero award recognizes one of our law enforcement partners who best embodies the spirit upon which our Nation was founded and reflects a steadfast commitment to the enduring ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes Detective Bamford for his numerous contributions to the community not only as a detective for Arlington County but also as an FBI Task Force Officer with the Washington Field Office. Detective Bamford’s efforts have resulted in the identification and rescue of hundreds of child and adult victims.
USAO Eastern District of VirginiaDetective Bamford’s efforts recently led to the identification and takedown of a notorious cybercriminal forum in South Africa and the arrest of its administrators. Prior to its shutdown, this forum sold hundreds of thousands of illicit images to customers in the United States and elsewhere. South African authorities, working with Detective Bamford, recovered over 37 terabytes comprising approximately 10 million images of sexually explicit material depicting minors from electronic devices during a search warrant. Detective Bamford was instrumental in the identification and successful prosecution for numerous egregious child exploitation offenses of a user whose collections were some of the worst of those featured on the forum.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia proudly recognizes Detective Bamford for all his hard work and efforts. Detective Bamford is the consummate law enforcement partner. As the above example demonstrates, his work reflects what can be achieved when federal and state law enforcement agencies work hand in hand. Without Detective Bamford’s steadfast dedication to the protection and safety of the people of the Eastern District of Virginia, many victims would not see justice.
Detective Bamford has been a police officer with ACPD since 2008. He currently investigates cyber crime as a member of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Cyber Task Force, while also teaching ACPD legal courses. He is a current member of ACPD’s Emergency Response Team’s Tactical Operations Center. Prior to his current role, Detective Bamford served as a detective in ACPD’s Economic Crimes Unit, a Field Training Officer, a Crime Scene Agent, and a member of ACPD’s Civil Disturbance Unit.
Detective Bamford received his Bachelor’s Degree from Siena College in 2006 and his Juris Doctor in 2010 from George Mason University Law School, now the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University.
APRN Charged with Defrauding Connecticut’s Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin today announced that MARISOL RODRIGUEZ, also known as Marisol Colon, 49, of Lehigh Acres, Florida, was arrested yesterday on a federal criminal complaint charging her with health care fraud offenses.
Following her arrest, Rodriguez appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was released on a $100,000 bond.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the Connecticut Medical Assistance Program (CTMAP) is a Connecticut Department of Social Services-administered program that provides medical assistance to low income persons. CTMAP’s benefit packages, referred to as “HUSKY” or “Connecticut Medicaid,” are jointly funded by the State of Connecticut and the federal government.
The complaint alleges that Rodriguez, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) who formerly resided in Newington, Connecticut, defrauded the Connecticut Medicaid Program by submitting fraudulent claims for what appear to be medication management services that, in fact, were not provided to Medicaid patients. As an APRN, Rodriguez was licensed to prescribe controlled substances to Medicaid recipients, and she billed Medicaid for medication management services to these patients. Rodriguez repeatedly billed Medicaid for services not rendered, including for services purportedly rendered to patients, sometimes for months or years after the patients stopped seeing her; while working full-time at a different employer; while she collected unemployment benefits after being terminated by that employer; and for services purportedly rendered to patients that were hospitalized, incarcerated, or deceased.
It is alleged that between approximately January 2022 and August 2025, more than 15,000 Medicaid claims totaling more than $1.35 million were paid to Rodriguez. An analysis conducted by the Connecticut Department of Social Services revealed that Rodriguez’s Medicaid billings during that time ranked her first among a peer group of 116 APRNs, and that she made approximately 5,000 more claims and was paid approximately $500,000 more than the second highest billing APRN.
It is further alleged that, for actual patients, Rodriguez frequently did not adequately review a patient’s medical history prior to prescribing controlled substances and did not consider or address how the prescriptions were necessary or safe when combined with the patient’s other prescriptions.
The complaint charges Rodriguez with health care fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and making false statements relating to health care matters, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Connecticut Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the Connecticut Department of Social Services. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
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.
13 Defendants Sentenced for Serious Drug and Gun Crimes as Part of the Homeland Security Task Force InitiativeRead the Press Release
13 defendants were convicted and sentenced to a combined 915 months for dealing drugs, conspiring to deal drugs, and unlawfully possessing firearms announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
In this operation, law enforcement seized 4.1 kilograms of marijuana, 282 grams of crack cocaine, 2.3 kilograms of cocaine, 1.2 kilograms of methamphetamine, 6.1 grams of fentanyl, 12 firearms, 2 glock switches, and $11,985 of United States currency.
The Court sentenced the last defendant as part of the DTO on May 7, 2026.
In total, 13 defendants were all convicted and received the following prison sentences:
- Edward Williams – 240 months
- Courtney Smith – 87 months
- Davonia Hart – 50 months
- Alicia Slaughter – 57 months
- Perry Taylor – 42 months
- Lucis Lugo – 57 months
- Dmarcus Quartez Roderick Moton – 40 months
- Quentavis Zikeiy Hawkins – time served (approximately 13.5 months)
- Jordan Davis – 87 months
- Xavier Barnes – 92 months
- Brandon Bedford – 87 months
- Ladarius Holly – 37 months
- Sebastian Medlock – 26 months
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting, the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from FBI- Dallas and the Dallas Police Department with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
The Violent Crime Reduction Plan utilized hot spot policing across 47 neighborhoods that were identified as having the highest rates of violent crime. These neighborhoods were selected based on a comprehensive statistical analysis conducted by a local university. Investigators focused on one of the neighborhoods, most frequently associated with criminal activity, which include the sale of illicit narcotics, illegal firearms, machine gun conversion devices, as well as violent crimes such as capital murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault, and assault on public servants.
This operation represents a significant step forward in the shared mission of FBI Dallas, Dallas Police Department and the Northern District of Texas, to reduce violent crime and protect our community. The success of this initiative demonstrates the power of collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies in keeping Dallas safe.
The Dallas Police Department (DPD) and the Dallas Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Safe Streets and Gang Task Force (SSGTF) investigated the case. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
12 Members of Violent “Crown Hill Enterprise” in Indianapolis Indicted on Federal RICO Charges, Including MurderRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury returned a 28‑count indictment Wednesday charging 12 alleged members of a racketeering enterprise accused of orchestrating widespread criminal activity in Indianapolis, including murder, kidnapping, assault, arson, drug trafficking, and illegal firearms crimes.The first of these defendants made their initial appearance today in the Southern District of Indiana.
“The superseding indictment in this case alleges, among other things, that these defendants shot and killed a man for slamming the door of a drug house, shot another man in the leg for a $40 drug debt, pistol-whipped at least two other people, and dealt all manner of drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This type of alleged drug dealing and violence ruins communities, people, and their families. Drugs and gang violence are a scourge. These groups will be dismantled and prosecuted.”
“The allegations in this indictment describe a criminal organization that maintained a grip on Indianapolis neighborhoods for years through fear, violence, and devastation,” said U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler for the Southern District of Indiana. “We will not allow groups that traffic deadly drugs, terrorize residents, and retaliate against witnesses to operate with impunity. We are grateful for the outstanding work of our federal, state, and local partners whose collaboration made today’s charges possible.”
“Violent criminal organizations that use fear, intimidation, and physical violence to further their operations have no place in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office. “This case reflects the FBI’s commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those responsible for fueling violence and organized criminal activity. We will continue using every available resource to protect the public and pursue those who believe they can operate above the law.”
“This gang used firearms, arson and violence to intimidate the public and protect their criminal activities,” said Director Rob Cekada of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “Working with our law enforcement partners, we brought the full weight of our investigative capabilities to bear. We are proud of our work on this case, and we will continue to dismantle violent gangs like Crown Hill, hold their members accountable and bring them to justice for the American communities they threaten.”
According to court documents, between early 2019 and December 2024, the criminal organization known as the “Crown Hill Enterprise” allegedly operated to distribute an array of illegal drugs through no fewer than 11 different “trap houses” located throughout Indianapolis. The gang created fictitious business entities to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of its illicit drug proceeds.
The enterprise sought to preserve, expand, and protect its power, territory, reputation, and profits through intimidation and acts of violence, including murder, kidnapping, assault, arson, threats of violence, and the display of firearms. On multiple occasions, defendants Tre J. Dunn, 28, and Tanesha M. Turner, 40, both of Indianapolis, beat and shot individuals they believed had stolen drug proceeds, were associated with rival drug dealers, or owed a drug debt to the gang.
As alleged, on Nov. 3, 2024, Turner and an associate kidnapped an individual over a $40 debt related to fronted narcotics. The next day, Dunn and another gang member beat and fatally shot a victim after he allegedly disrespected Turner by slamming the door of a trap house.
As part of the workings of the gang, defendants and other gang members allegedly sought to obstruct law enforcement investigations by intimidating potential witnesses and retaliating against those they believed cooperated with police. On April 23, 2024, defendant Nahamani I. Sargent, 35 of Indianapolis, and other gang members fired gunshots and threw Molotov cocktails at a residence where they believed an individual had provided information to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department that led to the execution of a state search warrant at one of the organization’s trap houses.
During multiple court-authorized searches, law enforcement seized 35 firearms and a machinegun conversion device, along with drugs and cash.
The FBI, ATF, and the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department are investigating this case.
Trial Attorney Samuel Benjamin Tonkin of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VCRS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley Blackington and Kelsey Massa for the Southern District of Indiana are prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
12 Members of Violent “Crown Hill Enterprise” Indicted on Federal RICO Charges, Including MurderRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- A federal grand jury returned a 28‑count indictment charging 12 alleged members of a racketeering enterprise accused of orchestrating widespread criminal activity in Indianapolis, including murder, kidnapping, assault, arson, drug trafficking, and illegal firearms crimes. The first of these defendants made their initial appearance today in the Southern District of Indiana.
“The superseding indictment in this case alleges, among other things, that these defendants shot and killed a man for slamming the door of a drug house, shot another man in the leg for a $40 drug debt, pistol-whipped at least two other people, and dealt all manner of drugs, including heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This type of alleged drug dealing and violence ruins communities, people, and their families. Drugs and gang violence are a scourge. These groups will be dismantled and prosecuted.”
“The allegations in this indictment describe a criminal organization that maintained a grip on Indianapolis neighborhoods for years through fear, violence, and devastation,” aid U.S. Attorney Tom Wheeler for the Southern District of Indiana. “We will not allow groups that traffic deadly drugs, terrorize residents, and retaliate against witnesses to operate with impunity. We are grateful for the outstanding work of our federal, state, and local partners whose collaboration made today’s charges possible.”
“Violent criminal organizations that use fear, intimidation, and physical violence to further their operations have no place in our communities,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “This case reflects the FBI’s commitment to working alongside our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those responsible for fueling violence and organized criminal activity. We will continue using every available resource to protect the public and pursue those who believe they can operate above the law.”
“The level of violence carried out by this criminal enterprise is both incomprehensible and deeply disturbing. Taking human lives over matters so trivial offends the basic sensibilities of any civilized society. The team of United States Attorneys, Special Agents, and police officers involved in this investigation worked tirelessly to dismantle this organization and bring those responsible to justice. We could not be prouder of, or grateful for, their extraordinary efforts. Residents of Indianapolis can sleep a little easier tonight knowing these defendants are in custody and no longer able to inflict violence on the community," said ATF Columbus Special Agent in Charge Jorge A. Rosendo.
“This criminal organization brought violence and chaos into our community, impacting countless lives,” said Deputy Chief of Criminal Investigations Kendale Adams. “Through strong partnerships with our state and federal law enforcement partners, we identified and apprehended violent offenders and removed them from our neighborhoods. This type of strategic investigation and enforcement is essential to holding those who threaten the safety of our community accountable.”
According to court documents, between early 2019 and December 2024, the criminal organization known as the “Crown Hill Enterprise” allegedly operated to enrich its members and associates through the distribution of methamphetamine, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, oxycodone pills, and fentanyl. The organization maintained at least 11 “trap houses” throughout Indianapolis and created fictitious business entities to conceal the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of its illicit proceeds.
The enterprise sought to preserve, expand, and protect its power, territory, reputation, and profits through intimidation and acts of violence, including murder, kidnapping, assault, arson, threats of violence, and the display of firearms. On multiple occasions, defendants Tre J. Dunn and Tanesha Turner beat and shot individuals they believed had stolen drug proceeds, were associated with rival drug dealers, or owed a drug debt to the gang.
As alleged, on November 3, 2024, Turner and an associate kidnapped an individual over a $40 debt related to fronted narcotics. Tre Dunn later shot and wounded the individual over the debt. The next day, Dunn and another gang member beat and fatally shot a victim after he allegedly disrespected Turner by slamming the door of a trap house.
As part of the workings of the gang, defendants and other gang members allegedly sought to obstruct law enforcement investigations by intimidating potential witnesses and retaliating against those they believed cooperated with police. On April 23, 2024, defendant Nahamani I. Sargent and other gang members fired gunshots and threw Molotov cocktails at a residence where they believed an individual had provided information to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department that led to the execution of a state search warrant at one of the organization’s trap houses.
During multiple search warrants, law enforcement seized 35 firearms and a machinegun conversion device, along with drug contraband and cash.
The Department of Justice Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, FBI Indianapolis, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department are investigating this case.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley Blackington and Kelsey Massa, as well as Trial Attorney Samuel Benjamin Tonkin of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section, who are prosecuting this case.
An indictment or criminal complaint are merely allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DefendantCharge(s)Lamar T. Browning, 40- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility
- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substance
- Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Aid of Racketeering Activity (2 counts)
- Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering Activity
- Using, Carrying and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
- Murder in Aid of Racketeering Activity
- Using, Carrying, Brandishing, and Discharging a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
- Conspiracy to Commit Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Aid of Racketeering Activity
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Assault With a Dangerous Weapon in Aid of Racketeering Activity
- Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Possession of Cocaine Base with Intent to Distribute
- Possession of Machinegun
- Unlawful Use of a Communication Facility
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Possession of Cocaine Base with Intent to Distribute
- Retaliating Against a Witness
- Use of Fire or Explosives
- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
- Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Conspiracy
- Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Aid of Racketeering Activity (2 counts)
- Kidnapping in Aid of Racketeering Activity
- Using, Carrying, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime
- Accessory After the Fact
- Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances
- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
- Distribution of Fentanyl (2 counts)
- Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon
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Thursday 21 May 2026
Woman Wanted for Murder in Mexico Arrested for Illegal Reentry in Western WisconsinRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Alejandra Sanchez-Cuaquehua, 32, a Mexican citizen who was residing in Barron County, Wisconsin, was arrested today on a criminal complaint charging her with illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed.
According to the complaint, on April 2, 2026, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received a report that a woman living and working in Ridgeland, Wisconsin, Sanchez-Cuaquehua, was a suspect in a July 2025 homicide in Mexico. FBI personnel in Mexico coordinated with Mexican authorities to confirm that Sanchez-Cuaquehua was a wanted fugitive. According to the complaint, authorities also confirmed that she had previously been removed from the United States and did not have permission to return.
Following her arrest today, Sanchez-Cuaquehua made her initial appearance on the illegal reentry charge in federal court in Madison. Following the hearing, she was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to be returned to Mexico to face her murder charges.
The charge against Sanchez-Cuaquehua was the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and their law enforcement attaché in Mexico City, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and their law enforcement attaché in Mexico City, Secreteria de Seguridad y Proteccion, Interpol, Fiscalia General Estado de Veracruz, and the Barron County Sheriff’s Office.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
West Tennessee Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Michael Fruitticher, 38, of Jackson, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for child pornography offenses committed against an autistic child. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
In October 2025, after a four-day trial, a federal jury found Fruitticher guilty of production, attempted production, and possession of child pornography. According to information presented at the trial, between at least July 2011 and continuing through May 2014, Fruitticher video-recorded the child nude in the shower, photographed the child nude and in lingerie in sexually lascivious poses, and photographed himself raping the child. DNA results revealed Fruitticher’s and the child’s DNA on an item of lingerie worn by the child in one series of photographs. In May 2019, federal and state law enforcement officers investigating the case found devices containing the child sexual abuse material in Fruitticher’s possession.
Information presented at the sentencing hearing revealed that Fruitticher had forcefully raped and abused the child over a ten-year period and threatened to kill the child and her family members if she revealed the abuse. Over this period, Fruitticher produced and possessed more than 700 images of himself sexually abusing the child.
On May 20, 2026, following his conviction for the above charges, United States District Judge Mark S. Norris sentenced Fruitticher to 40 years’ imprisonment to be followed by lifetime supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Fruitticher is also facing state charges in Shelby County, including nine counts of rape of a child and seven counts of statutory rape, for the conduct underlying the federal child pornography offenses.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Violent crimes against children, including the production of materials depicting child rape and sexual abuse, are heinous violations that continue to harm a child victim for a lifetime. No sentence is long enough to adequately punish this despicable predator for his crimes, but this is a good start toward achieving justice.”
The case was investigated by the Millington Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Delery and P. Neal Oldham prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative that marshals federal, state, and local resources to apprehend individuals who exploit children and to identify and rescue victims.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Watertown Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Charles B. Kornmann sentenced a Watertown, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Kyle Ashton Carpenter, 26, was sentenced to a term of 12 months in custody, which he had served since his arrest in May 2025, as well as three years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Carpenter was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025.
Carpenter was found in possession of a handgun following an incident in early May 2025. He is prohibited from possessing firearms as a result of his prior felony conviction for assaulting a law enforcement officer. He was aware of his prohibition, yet he purchased a handgun and used it at a firing range. The handgun was seized and it will be forfeited.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy R. Jehangiri prosecuted the case.
Carpenter was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Virginia Beach woman sentenced to over 28 years in prison after recording her sexual abuse of two childrenRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Grace Elizabeth Paradis, 43, was sentenced today to 28 years and four months in prison for conspiring to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Paradis abused two minor children, ages five and nine, which she recorded, and then provided the resultant CSAM to her former boyfriend, Cory Richard Hambley, 43, of Water View.
In November 2022, Hambley, who was married, contacted Paradis and repeatedly encouraged her to provide CSAM. Hambley provided Paradis with a camera to be hidden and used to surreptitiously record images of the children, including Paradis sexually abusing them. Paradis leveraged Hambley’s desire for CSAM to negotiate for Hambley, who was married at the time, to commit to marrying her and assisting her with a rent payment. Paradis prepared a “contract” outlining the grooming and sexual abuse she and Hambley would inflict on future children.
Hambley was sentenced on March 11 to 35 years in prison for conspiring to produce CSAM and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
The Homeland Security Investigations Norfolk office investigated this case with assistance from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Virginia Beach Police Department, and Middlesex Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca Gantt and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
For more information about HSI’s efforts to protect children from sexual predators, visit Know2Protect.gov.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-44.
Violent Criminal Illegal Alien from Honduras Sentenced for Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Franklin David Zelaya-Funez, 33, of Honduras, was sentenced to fourteen months in federal prison after pleading guilty to illegal reentry of a removed alien. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This criminal illegal alien previously committed a serious violent felony while unlawfully present in our country, and despite being deported after that prior offense he illegally re-entered our country yet again. Enough is enough. President Donald J. Trump and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche have made clear through Operation Take Back America that the safety of our communities is not negotiable. The Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute the criminal illegal aliens invading our country until our citizens can walk the streets of their neighborhoods without fear of violent thugs, like this defendant.”
According to court records, the defendant was deported from the United States in 2021 after being convicted of felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without the intent to kill. He is also the subject of a permanent domestic violence injunction. The defendant illegally returned to the United States and was found in June 2025.
“This case underscores our unwavering commitment to protecting American communities from individuals who repeatedly disregard our laws and pose a threat to public safety,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tallahassee Assistant Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno. “The United States will not tolerate the standard of violence seen in other countries around the world, and we are resolute in removing weapons from those who cannot legally possess them. HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to pursue every legal measure to keep our communities safe and uphold the rule of law.”
Deportation proceedings against him will commence following the conclusion of serving his federal sentence.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Assistant United States Attorney Brooke DiSalvo 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.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
UK/Jamaica Citizen Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering in International Lottery ScamRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A citizen of the United Kingdom and Jamaica illegally residing in Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Nicole Lamont, 32, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge Robert J. Colville on May 20, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Lamont participated in a “lottery scam” in which elderly victims were contacted by telephone and falsely informed they had won a sweepstakes, often totaling millions of dollars, and then directed to send money in the form of checks, cash, money orders, and/or wires to pay purported taxes due on their winnings.
Specifically, Lamont received funds directly from at least three members of the lottery scam, deposited them into her bank account, and made the funds available to other members of the conspiracy who were located in Jamaica.
Judge Colville scheduled sentencing for September 17, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The Court continued Lamont’s detention pending sentencing.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Lamont.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes NCCPD Officers as “Hometown Heroes”Read the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – On May 19, 2026, U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace presented the District’s Freedom 250 Hometown Hero award to Officers First Class Christopher Hewlett, Nathan Jupiter, and Jay Scerbo of the New Castle County Police Department. Officer Scerbo’s award was presented in his absence. Members of the New Castle County Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Attorney’s Office were present for the ceremony.
The Hometown Hero award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. It honors the enduring ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility. Officers Hewlett, Jupiter, and Scerbo were chosen for this award for embodying those ideals and for their steadfast commitment to public service and their exceptional work safeguarding our communities.
Officers Hewlett, Jupiter, and Scerbo were on patrol duty on November 24, 2025. Shortly before midnight, they spotted a white Toyota Tacoma in Canby Park West. After lawfully stopping the truck, the officers developed probable cause to order the car’s sole occupant—Luqmaan Khan—out of the truck to search it. During that search, the officers found a loaded handgun, multiple extended magazines, an armored ballistic plate, and a marble composition book. A later search of Khan’s home conducted by the FBI and NCCPD uncovered a handgun equipped with an illegal machinegun conversion device, a rifle with a red dot sight, 11 more extended magazines, hollow point rounds of ammunition, and a tactical vest.
The marble composition notebook recovered from the truck discussed additional weapons, how they could be used in an attack, and how law enforcement detection could be avoided once an attack was carried out. The notebook also referenced a member of the University of Delaware’s Police Department by name, and included a layout of a building with entry and exit points under which the words “UD Police Station” were printed.
When presenting the awards, U.S. Attorney Wallace said, “The courage and professionalism that these three men showed on November 24, 2025, potentially averted a mass shooting and the slaying of one or more members of the University of Delaware’s campus police department. That is service of the highest order. The State is in these officers’ debt.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is honored to recognize Officers First Class Hewlett, Jupiter, and Scerbo as our District’s Freedom 250 Hometown Heroes.
Credit: New Castle County Police Department###
U.S. Attorney Gives Hometown Hero Award to Benzie County DeputyRead the Press Release
Deputy Matt McKinley recognized for his work with “McKinley’s Kids”
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that the Justice Department gave its Hometown Hero Award to Benzie County Deputy Sheriff Matt McKinley. The award ceremony was held at Benzie Central High School in Benzonia, Michigan and attended by the students, friends and family of Deputy McKinley, the school’s Student Resource Officer and area law enforcement.
The Hometown Hero Award is part of the Freedom 250 celebration, marking the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. At the request of the White House, the United States Attorney’s Offices in each of the 93 districts were asked to present the award to honor an outstanding member of its law enforcement community – a true “hometown hero” – during the week leading up to Memorial Day. Only 93 people nationwide were selected to receive this award, and Deputy McKinley is one of only two people in Michigan to receive it.
Deputy McKinley was selected from a large number of nominees submitted from all over the Western District of Michigan. All the nominees were worthy, but Deputy McKinley was selected because of his work with underprivileged kids in Benzie County, where he serves as the student resource officer for the Benzie County School system. Although McKinley’s job was formally limited to student safety, he soon saw other ways he could help the students under his care. For example, when he saw that some students did not appear to have enough to eat, McKinley set up an in-school food pantry where hungry students can get a healthy snack. When he learned that some students suffered over having to attend school with tattered or dirty clothes, he organized a community-wide effort to stock new clothing. These aid efforts, now affectionately known as “McKinley’s Kids” drives, have brought the Benzie County community together.
U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said, “Deputy McKinley deserves this award because he is a great example of what it means to be an American. When he sees a problem he can fix, he rolls up his sleeves and sets out to fix it rather than waiting for someone else to do it. And when his neighbors saw his idea, they enthusiastically pitched in. People like him make the rest of us proud to be Americans and make us want to do our part too. Our great country turns 250 this year; as long as there are people like Matt McKinley out there, the next 250 years are going to be the best yet.”
U.S. Attorney Celebrates Hometown Hero for Contribution to Oklahoma Children in Foster CareRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – Christopher J. Wilson, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, gathered with members of staff, community leaders, and the media today at the Muskogee non-profit, Fostering Hope, to honor Executive Director Annie Czaruk for her work with Oklahoma children and to award her the U.S. Department of Justice’s Hometown Hero Award for the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
Czaruk, a Muskogee native, co-founded Fostering Hope in 2016 after encountering the stark gaps in funding and resources for children entering foster care. Seeing the need, Czaruk rose to fill those gaps with resources and care. In the ensuing ten years, what began with donation drives for emergency supplies has grown into something much greater, serving children in foster care across 58 counties in Oklahoma.
Today, Fostering Hope runs programs to meet the needs of foster children at all stages of care. Staff members work with teams of volunteers to assemble backpacks that equip a child with all the essentials they might need for the first two weeks at their new placement before state funds begin to cover their care. Backpacks might include a week’s worth of appropriately sized clothing and shoes, essential toiletries, baby blankets, formula, baby bottles, wipes, diapers, and toys.
Because Czaruk recognized another need in the foster care community, in 2020, Fostering Hope opened Hope House in Muskogee, offering a safe place for children and infants entering foster care. There, children can regain their footing in a safe, warm, and welcoming environment while awaiting placement into foster homes.
And because life’s challenges don’t stop after placement, Czaruk and her team at Fostering Hope also serve as a training ground where teens in foster care learn and practice life skills. A Teen Ambassador Board, chartered in 2021, teaches youth to interact with each other and with their community, modeling compassion, leadership, community involvement, and service for others. The Kind Society Social Club, launching this summer in partnership with Green Country Behavioral Health, will teach life skills in a fun community environment while preparing youth for adulthood and life beyond foster care.
“Through Fostering Hope of Muskogee, Annie serves as a continuing example of the good that multiplies from stepping in to meet a need,” said United States Attorney Christopher J. Wilson. “Because of her vision and commitment to making a difference for children, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma is proud to recognize Annie Czaruk as our Hometown Hero.”
The Hometown Hero Award was created by the Department of Justice to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. Presented by U.S. Attorneys within their districts, the award recognizes local leaders who exemplify the qualities of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility—the enduring ideals upon which our Nation was founded.
To learn more about the work Annie Czaruk, Fostering Hope, and Hope House are doing in Oklahoma, visit https://www.fosteringhopemuskogee.org/.
Two Charged with Trafficking Fentanyl After 7 Kilos Found Hidden in Car Door During a Traffic Stop in Fresno CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Mexican nationals Victor Piceno Madrigal, 46, and Erick Larios Acosta, 25, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on May 13, 2026, Madrigal and Acosta were driving northbound on U.S. Interstate-5 in Fresno County when they were stopped for a traffic violation. A subsequent search of the vehicle yielded 7 kilograms of fentanyl powder divided into single-kilogram packages hidden inside the rear passenger door panel.
The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Pataca is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, Madrigal and Acosta face a mandatory minimum 10 years in prison up to life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Troy Men Arrested, Federally Charged in Relation to Robbery Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – Two Troy men were arrested on criminal charges related to their alleged Hobbs Act violations, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Colton Carter, 20, and Donivan Bynum, 18, are alleged to have been involved in an armed robbery that resulted in the death of a Salado man on May 5. A criminal complaint alleges that Carter’s phone, obtained as part of the investigation, contained implicating messages and phone calls that led detectives to believe he had set up the robbery. The complaint further alleges Bynum was with Carter as the look out.
Carter and Bynum were arrested and charged with one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. If convicted, they each face up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Temple Police Department, Milam County Sheriff’s Office, and Belton Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Blanton is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Treasury Department Designates Sinaloa-Connected Mexican National Indicted in ColoradoRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has designated two distinct networks linked to the Sinaloa Cartel and its fentanyl trafficking activities. An OFAC designation means that an individual, entity, or organization is officially sanctioned by the United States Treasury, and their property and financial interests under U.S. jurisdiction are blocked from use or transfer. In the District of Colorado, a federal grand jury has indicted Rodrigo Alarcon Palomares, a Mexican national and associate of one of those Sinaloa linked networks, with three counts of laundering drug proceeds through cryptocurrency.
According to the indictment, Alarcon Palomares knowingly conducted financial transactions involving the conversion of drug proceeds into cryptocurrency.
This action is taken in coordination with the Government of Mexico’s financial intelligence unit, the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF). The action was taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14059, which targets the proliferation of illicit drugs and their means of production, and pursuant to E.O. 13224, as amended, which targets terrorists and their supporters.
This action is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Rocky Mountain HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Office of Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); United States Marshals Service (USMS); Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement / Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO); and United States Customs and Border Patrol with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
A list of the updates to the specially designated nationals list maintained by OFAC can be found here.
Three Sentenced to Prison for Laundering Medicare Fraud ProceedsRead the Press Release
Three Florida men were sentenced Tuesday to prison for their participation in a scheme to defraud Medicare and launder more than $2.2 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds.
- Marco Scamarone, 34, of Tamarac, Florida, was sentenced to 70 months in prison.
- Jose Mendez, 34, of Coral Springs, Florida, was sentenced to 78 months in prison.
- Renee Vazquez, 33, of Tamarac, Florida, was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the defendants owned and operated two fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) companies: Braces and Orthotics LLC, located in the Eastern District of Virginia, and Stone Oak Durable Medical Equipment LLC, located in the Southern District of Florida. Between January 2022 and February 2023, the fraudulent DME companies submitted approximately $6.9 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for orthotic braces that were medically unnecessary and ineligible for Medicare reimbursement. The conspiracy involved illegal kickbacks and bribes paid to an offshore marketing company exchange for the referral of beneficiaries and fraudulent doctors’ orders. The three men conspired to launder the proceeds of their fraud through a series of shell companies under their control or the control of their associates — ultimately laundering more than $2.2 million in illicit funds for their own benefit and the benefit of their co-conspirators.
In December 2025, Scamarone, Mendez, and Vazquez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. At sentencing, Scamarone and Mendez were ordered to pay $2,217,840.35 in forfeiture and $3,016,324.20 in restitution. Vazquez was ordered to pay $1,723,773.18 in forfeiture and $2,249,392.09 in restitution.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott Lampert for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles for the FBI Miami Office; and Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito for the U.S. Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General (DOL-OIG) made the announcement.
HHS-OIG, FBI, and DOL-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Claire Horrell of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Pogozelski for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the 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 Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Three Mission Men Sentenced in Second Degree Murder CaseRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Mission, South Dakota, man convicted of Second Degree Murder, Commission of a Crime of Violence While Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, Robbery, Assault With a Dangerous Weapon, Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Frank White Thunder, age 38, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
White Thunder and co-defendants Jesse White Thunder, age 41, and Michael Leader Charge, age 25, both also of Mission, were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
On October 6, 2025, Jesse White Thunder and Michael Leader Charge each pleaded guilty to Accessory After the Fact to Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. Both men were sentenced on February 17, 2026. Jesse White Thunder was sentenced to three years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Michael Leader Charge was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Frank White Thunder proceeded to a federal jury trial that concluded on January 30, 2026. At trial, the evidence established that on the evening of October 22, 2024, Michael Leader Charge drove Frank White Thunder and Jesse White Thunder to a residence in the Antelope housing community, near Mission, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Frank White Thunder confronted the victim outside the residence and stabbed him in the torso with a martial-arts style sword, mortally wounding the victim. Jesse White Thunder was standing nearby and immediately took from the victim’s pockets two imitation pistols. Surveillance video showed the defendants’ vehicle leaving the scene and all three men were located the next day.
Frank White Thunder was convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact in 2008. As a result of this conviction, he is required to register as a sex offender and to update his registration within three business days of any change in residence. At the time of the murder, he had an active federal arrest warrant for failing to register as a sex offender.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the United States Marshals Service, and the FBI. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Frank White Thunder, Jesse White Thunder, and Michael Leader Charge were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencing hearings.
Third Defendant Pleads Guilty in Scheme that Embezzled Thousands of Dollars from Funds Intended to Provide Relief During the COVID PandemicRead the Press Release
An Amarillo woman pleaded guilty on May 11, 2026, to embezzling funds from a federal program, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Selene Varela, 41, pleaded guilty Monday to a felony information charging Theft Concerning a Program Receiving Federal Funds.
“We rely on our public officials to ensure that our laws our faithfully and dutifully executed,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould “Instead, the defendants planned and executed a scheme to use their public positions to line their own pockets at the expense of folks in Amarillo who are homeless—the intended beneficiaries of the pandemic program. I’d encourage the public across North Texas to reach out to my office if they witness or have information regarding public officials engaging in any corruption.”
“Selene Varela abused her position of trust by embezzling federal funds intended to help individuals experiencing homelessness secure stable housing,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Aaron McCullough with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and hold accountable those who misuse public funds and exploit positions of trust for personal gain.”
In plea papers, Varela admitted that she previously worked for the City of Amarillo in the Community Development Department. From 2020 through 2022, Varela managed the intake process for homeless, or soon-to-be homeless, members of the Amarillo community who needed financial assistance to maintain housing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government funded these initiatives through the CARES Act.
Varela used her role as a city employee to create fictitious applications for this funding. In one instance, she fraudulently applied to have her own rent paid for six months—a fraudulent payment of $6,600. Varela also created accounts for fictitious landlords and tenants. She would submit false applications for payment and then cash the checks, keeping the proceeds. In total, Varela admitted to receiving approximately $41,350 in fraudulent distributions processed by the City of Amarillo.
Varela now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Her sentencing date has not been set.
This case is related to the prosecution of two other former City of Amarillo employees who carried out similar schemes. In June 2024, Amy Dixon pleaded guilty to embezzling $465,511.65 while working in the Community Development Department. On October 23, 2024, United States District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk sentenced Dixon to 24 months in federal prison. In March 2025, Vanessa Robinson pleaded guilty to embezzling $121,325.21 while working in the same department. Robinson was sentenced by Judge Kacsmaryk to 18 months in federal prison on July 22, 2025.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuting the case and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Frausto prosecuted Dixon and Robinson.
Third Defendant Pleads Guilty in Scheme that Embezzled Thousands of Dollars from Funds Intended to Provide Relief During the COVID PandemicRead the Press Release
An Amarillo woman pleaded guilty on May 11, 2026, to embezzling funds from a federal program, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Selene Varela, 41, pleaded guilty Monday to a felony information charging Theft Concerning a Program Receiving Federal Funds.
“We rely on our public officials to ensure that our laws our faithfully and dutifully executed,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould “Instead, the defendants planned and executed a scheme to use their public positions to line their own pockets at the expense of folks in Amarillo who are homeless—the intended beneficiaries of the pandemic program. I’d encourage the public across North Texas to reach out to my office if they witness or have information regarding public officials engaging in any corruption.”
“Selene Varela abused her position of trust by embezzling federal funds intended to help individuals experiencing homelessness secure stable housing,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Aaron McCullough with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue and hold accountable those who misuse public funds and exploit positions of trust for personal gain.”
In plea papers, Varela admitted that she previously worked for the City of Amarillo in the Community Development Department. From 2020 through 2022, Varela managed the intake process for homeless, or soon-to-be homeless, members of the Amarillo community who needed financial assistance to maintain housing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government funded these initiatives through the CARES Act.
Varela used her role as a city employee to create fictitious applications for this funding. In one instance, she fraudulently applied to have her own rent paid for six months—a fraudulent payment of $6,600. Varela also created accounts for fictitious landlords and tenants. She would submit false applications for payment and then cash the checks, keeping the proceeds. In total, Varela admitted to receiving approximately $41,350 in fraudulent distributions processed by the City of Amarillo.
Varela now faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Her sentencing date has not been set.
This case is related to the prosecution of two other former City of Amarillo employees who carried out similar schemes. In June 2024, Amy Dixon pleaded guilty to embezzling $465,511.65 while working in the Community Development Department. On October 23, 2024, United States District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk sentenced Dixon to 24 months in federal prison. In March 2025, Vanessa Robinson pleaded guilty to embezzling $121,325.21 while working in the same department. Robinson was sentenced by Judge Kacsmaryk to 18 months in federal prison on July 22, 2025.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Long is prosecuting the case and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Josh Frausto prosecuted Dixon and Robinson.
Texas Woman Indicted for Allegedly Defrauding Two Colorado-Based CompaniesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Emily Katherine Merrill, 41, of Cypress, Texas, was indicted by a federal grand jury on ten counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.
According to the indictment, between July 2021 and November 2024, Merrill worked as both an accounting manager and controller of a Lafayette, Colorado, based company. During that time, it is alleged that Merrill devised and participated in a scheme to obtain money and property from her employer through completing unauthorized financial transactions, altering company bank statements, controlling access to credit card statements, fabricating documents, and communicating misleading financial information.
Additionally the indictment says, between April 2025 and December 2025, Merrill worked as a financial controller for a Denver, Colorado, based company. During that time, it is alleged that Merrill further devised and participated in a similar scheme to wrongfully obtain money and property from her employer.
Through both schemes and a variety of transactions, the indictment alleges Merrill took over $3 million dollars. It is also alleged that fraud proceeds were spent on items such as airfare and hotels, retail stores, a luxury watch, and vehicles, including a BMW, a Ford F150, and a motor home.
The charges contained in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI Denver Field Office.
The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Taylor Glogiewicz.
Case Number: 1:26-cr-00106RMR
Tampa Man Sentenced to More than 33 years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Three VictimsRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Demontrae Fagan (36, Tampa) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 33 years and 9 months in federal prison for sex trafficking. Fagan pleaded guilty on February 5, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, through means of force, threats of force and coercion, Fagan sex trafficked three victims in 2022. Fagan created advertisements on escort websites and scheduled dates for commercial sexual activity for Victim 1. Fagan used Victim 1 to encourage Victim 2 and Victim 3 to cooperate and used Victim 1 to manage their advertisements and dates for commercial sexual activity. Fagan received the money made by the victims for their sex acts. Fagan physically abused the victims and provided them with drugs which affected their mental state. The victims knew Fagan to regularly carry firearms which contributed to their fear of him and compliance with commercial sexual activity.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tampa Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
Tallahassee Serial Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun & Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Christopher Adams Jr., 34, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of synthetic cathinone with intent to distribute, carrying a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution is another win for the Northern District of Florida under Operation Take Back America, an initiative that deploys the full might of the Department of Justice toward eradicating drug traffickers and the perpetrators of violent crime from our communities. Our citizens deserve safe, drug-free streets, and that is exactly what we intend to deliver through aggressive prosecutions like this one.”
Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department encountered the defendant as the driver of a vehicle with a stolen tag and illegal window tint. The officer could smell the odor of synthetic cathinone (“molly”) coming from inside the vehicle and conducted a search. The officer found a pistol in the driver’s side door pocket. Directly next to the handgun was a zippered pouch approximately the size of a make-up bag, which was found to contain approximately an ounce and a half of synthetic cathinone split up into one large bag and multiple smaller baggies, along with small unused baggies typically used by street-level drug dealers. The defendant acknowledged ownership of the “molly” in the car and knowing the firearm was present.
The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions for armed burglary, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses. He has been to prison on four separate occasions, with his longest prior sentence being 5 years.
The defendant faces a maximum potential sentence of life imprisonment.
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 24, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark E. Walker.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Statement on Returned Federal Indictment Related to Deadly Berea Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Lexington returned an indictment this afternoon charging Brailen Weaver with one count of attempted armed bank robbery, resulting in the death of two victims, and two counts of causing death with a firearm in the course of a crime of violence. The grand jury also returned special findings that can support the death penalty. The maximum punishment for the charged offenses is death.
Any indictment is an accusation only. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
St. Louis Teen Admits Being Caught with Gun After Police ChaseRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A teenage felon from St. Louis on Thursday admitted being caught with a machine gun after a police chase.
Juanell Carter, 19, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. On the afternoon of Aug. 26, 2025, the St. Ann Police Department was alerted about a stolen 2024 Nissan Altima on Page Avenue. A St. Ann police lieutenant spotted the vehicle backing into a parking spot at a convenience store. Carter was behind the wheel, wearing a yellow and black ski mask. Carter sped away, followed by the lieutenant, who activated his lights and siren. After deploying a Starchase tracker, the lieutenant discontinued the pursuit and monitored the vehicle electronically until it stopped at North Garrison Avenue and Thomas Street in St. Louis. Carter and his passenger ran away, but Carter was later located and arrested.
Carter was wearing a cross-body bag that contained suspected narcotics and a Glock 10mm pistol equipped with a machine gun conversion device that rendered it into a fully automatic weapon. Police found the ski mask in Carter’s pocket. He is a convicted felon and is thus barred from possessing a firearm. He was on parole at the time of his crime.
Carter is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 2, 2026. His crime is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
The St. Ann Police Department, the North County Police Cooperative and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Springville Woman Sent to Federal Prison in Embezzlement SchemeRead the Press Release
A Springville woman who stole over $500,000 from her employer, a veteran-owned small business in Cedar Rapids, was sentenced on May 19, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison. Debra Ann Vaughn, age 67, from Springville, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 1, 2025, guilty plea to one count of bank fraud.
In a plea agreement and at her sentencing hearing, Vaughn admitted that she was the bookkeeper for a small, veteran-owned business in Marion, Iowa. By virtue of her position of trust, Vaughn had access to all of the company’s financial records, managed its payroll, and was the point of contact for its employee retirement plan.
Between 2013 and 2021, Vaughn stole over $500,000 from her employer’s bank account in a sophisticated embezzlement scheme. Vaughn created false entries in the employer’s books to conceal the fact that she was making physical payroll checks to herself to which she was not entitled and even though she was receiving her own payroll electronically by direct deposit at the same time. Vaughn also used forged signatures and altered her pay rate in her scheme.
The company suffered a substantial financial hardship as a result of Vaughn’s long-running fraud. The company’s owner took out a large loan and also infused a significant amount of the owner’s own funds into the business due to the company’s lack of funds. For a time, Vaughn did not ensure that the company’s federal and state taxes, or its employee retirement contributions, were paid, which had negative repercussions for the company.
Vaughn was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Vaughn was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $158,135.77 in restitution the company, which took into account a $373,732.27 inheritance that the company was able to seize from Vaughn in a state court civil case after discovering Vaughn’s fraud and firing her. Vaughn must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
In sentencing Vaughn to years in federal prison, Chief Judge Williams characterized Vaughn’s scheme as a “cold and calculated, systemic theft.” Chief Judge Williams found Vaughn’s motive was “base, selfish greed” and that her crime eroded the community’s trust.
Vaughn was released on the bond previously set and is to surrender to the United States Marshal on June 15, 2026.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-52.
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Southbridge Man Arrested for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Southbridge man was arrested and charged today in federal court in Boston for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Yojuande Blaize, 23, was charged with possession of child pornography. The defendant was arrested today and following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston this afternoon, he was held pending a detention hearing scheduled for May 27, 2026.
According to the charging documents, law enforcement located CSAM while conducting a preliminary review of a folder on Blaize’s device that contained over 7,000 videos and images. Blaize also allegedly admitted that he would regularly seek out and purchase CSAM online and, on multiple occasions, advertise and sell the CSAM he obtained.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Nathan Hebert, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Southbridge Police Department and the United States Secret Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office 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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Shasta County Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Running a $35 Million Investment Fraud Scheme and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Matthew Piercey, 49, of Palo Cedro, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley to 30 years in prison for wire fraud, concealment money laundering, and witness tampering in connection with a $35 million investment fraud scheme, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
On May 15, 2025, four days before trial, Piercey pleaded guilty without a written plea agreement to 27 counts charged in the indictment.
“Today’s sentence reflects the devastating human toll of this fraud scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Piercey preyed on trusting investors, many of whom he met at church, convincing them to hand over decades’ worth of savings. The losses are measured not only in dollars but also in shattered futures and other personal hardship for families. This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to holding accountable those who enrich themselves through deception.”
“Matthew Piercey made complicated but empty promises that his investment advice would guarantee profits. He also had a detailed plan to avoid prosecution,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. “He greatly underestimated the skill and determination of the FBI agents, forensic accountants, and specialists, who carefully unraveled his web of lies and stopped his attempt to escape arrest. The FBI will continue to go after anyone who takes advantage of investors for personal gain.”
According to court documents, between July 2015 and August 2020, Piercey solicited investor funds by holding himself out as an investment advisor through his purported investment companies Family Wealth Legacy and Zolla. He made a variety of false and misleading statements to investors about the nature and success of trading algorithms, commissions and fees, investment strategies, the liquidity of investments, and the financial stability of Family Wealth Legacy and Zolla. For example, Piercey marketed the “Upvesting Fund,” an automated algorithmic trading fund that he falsely claimed had a history of success. He took money from numerous investors in this purported fund but privately admitted to an associate that there was no Upvesting Fund.
Running a Ponzi-like fraud scheme, Piercey used some investor money to make payments to other investors. As the scheme progressed, Piercey used a Redding-area chiropractor to conceal his continued operation of the investment fraud and take in new money.
In total, Piercey paid back only approximately $8.8 million to investors of the approximately $35 million invested. He used the additional money for various business and personal expenses, including paying a criminal defense firm and buying two residential properties. Few, if any, liquid assets remained to repay investors.
According to court documents, when Piercey learned he was under investigation, he took steps to dissuade investors and witnesses from responding to grand jury subpoenas. His actions caused several individuals to delay producing documents, while at the same time, he syphoned off nearly $775,000 from victim investors into a bank account he controlled.
On Nov. 16, 2020, when law enforcement agents attempted to arrest Piercey, he fled from arrest and led agents on a vehicle chase through residential neighborhoods and onto the highway before abandoning his vehicle and entering Lake Shasta with an underwater submersible device. After about 20 minutes in the water, he emerged from the lake where he was arrested.
After his arrest, Piercey used coded language to communicate with two individuals who visited him in jail. He directed these individuals to take actions with the contents of a U-Haul storage locker he had rented in Redding. A subsequent FBI search of the storage locker revealed that Piercey had rented the locker under a fictitious name, Chadwick Givens, using a fake California driver’s license. The locker contained, among other things, a wig and ₣31,000 in Swiss francs.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Thuesen, Audrey B. Hemesath, and Kevin Khasigian prosecuted the case.
Kenneth Winton, 73, of Chico, who conspired with Piercey in the scheme, pleaded guilty in December 2020 and is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 27, 2026.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting a Child over Snapchat and InstagramRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Francisco Mariano Orantes, 33, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to one count of sexually exploiting a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between 2023 and 2024, Orantes persuaded or coerced at least seven minor female victims to produce sexually explicit images and videos. Using digital communication applications like Snapchat and Instagram on his cellphones, Orantes gained his victims’ trust by impersonating a teenage-aged girl and convinced them to trade content. Often, he sent his victims sexually explicit images or videos of the girl he was impersonating and convinced them to produce similar imagery or videos. When his victims would replicate, Orantes would screen record his conversations and download and store the content on his devices. He categorized the images and videos by the child’s name, age or other identifier, in a folder called “Children.”
One victim told law enforcement that she was coerced into sending Orantes additional material because he found out where she went to school and threatened to tell everyone at school if she did not perform as instructed. In fact, law enforcement later recovered screen recordings showing Orantes using geolocation tools to identify that minor’s address and school, and a saved text file in which he threatened to share the minor’s nude images with people at her school. Another victim similarly reported that Orantes knew her full name and address and threatened to leak her images if she did not comply with his instructions. In total, Orantes was found in possession of more than 11,000 images and more than 14,000 videos of child sexual abuse material on his devices, including images and videos showing the sexual abuse of infants or toddlers.
The Internet Crimes Against Children Unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
Orantes is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on Sept. 17, 2026. Orantes faces a minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those 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.
SDNY Announces Settlement Agreement with Rockland County to Increase Supply of Affordable HousingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the settlement of a lawsuit against ROCKLAND COUNTY (“ROCKLAND COUNTY”), which will result in the completion of 36 units of affordable rental housing within the County over the next five years.
The settlement under the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) resolves a claim that ROCKLAND COUNTY breached a Voluntary Compliance Agreement and Conciliation Agreement (“VCA”), which it entered into in 2018 with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). On March 4, 2026, the United States settled the lawsuit as to the VILLAGE OF SPRING VALLEY (“SPRING VALLEY”), the other defendant in the action, which was also a party to the VCA.
“We appreciate that Rockland County, along with its codefendant, the Village of Spring Valley, will build more affordable housing and finally resolve this long-running case,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “More affordable housing is good for everybody—by increasing the supply of affordable units, we can help bring high housing costs down across New York and the county.”
According to the Complaint filed in White Plains federal court and the Agreement entered by the court:
The VCA between HUD, SPRING VALLEY, and ROCKLAND COUNTY resolved a prior HUD investigation into allegations regarding a private developer who used HUD funds overseen by SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY to build affordable housing, but unlawfully designed and marketed the resulting units almost exclusively for sale to White Hasidic Jewish prospective homebuyers, in violation of federal law. Administrative complaints made to HUD alleged that SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY became aware of allegations that the developer was excluding interested homebuyers based on protected characteristics, but failed to ensure that appropriate remedial steps were taken before the project was completed and the units were sold.
In 2018, SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY entered into the VCA with HUD to resolve those administrative complaints. The VCA required SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY to build 62 units of affordable housing, meeting specified criteria for affordability by specified deadlines. However, only four affordable units qualifying under the VCA were built by the time this lawsuit was filed in 2025, despite an amendment of the VCA in 2021 that provided SPRING VALLEY and ROCKLAND COUNTY with additional time to complete the required units.
The resolution between the United States and ROCKLAND COUNTY, in the form of a court-approved settlement agreement (the “Agreement”), was entered yesterday by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel. The Agreement requires ROCKLAND COUNTY to ensure the completion of 36 affordable housing units by April 15, 2031. Rental units are required to be occupied by households with incomes at or below 60% of the Area Median Income for Rockland County (at or below 80% in the event that the units are owned as opposed to rented), with deed restrictions or other legal measures to ensure continued affordability for at least 50 years. The Agreement also requires ROCKLAND COUNTY to ensure appropriate monitoring of HUD grantees and continue to provide training regarding the FHA and related federal requirements. ROCKLAND COUNTY also agreed to pay a $10,000 civil penalty.
The United States entered into a similar agreement with SPRING VALLEY on March 4, 2026, in which SPRING VALLEY agreed to build 22 affordable rental units by December 1, 2030. The four qualifying units built before 2025, when added to the 22 units to be built under the agreement with SPRING VALLEY, and the 36 units to be built under the agreement with ROCKLAND COUNTY, approved yesterday, will equal the total number of affordable units originally required under the VCA. With this agreement with ROCKLAND COUNTY, this case is now fully resolved.
Mr. Clayton thanked the staff of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity for their assistance in this matter.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Kennedy, with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Dolinger, is in charge of the case.
Rhode Island Bookkeeper Charged with Failure to Report Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Rhode Island woman who served as the bookkeeper and administrator for a family-owned landscaping business has been charged in federal court with failing to truthfully account for and pay over payroll taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
According to court documents, Nikola Francis, 29, of Bristol, RI, was responsible for managing the finances of ELJ Inc., a Rhode Island family-owned business in Bristol, RI. Francis is charged with failure to withhold or pay employment taxes.
Court documents allege that Francis approved payments, paid bills, maintained accounting ledgers, accessed corporate bank accounts, managed payroll, and was responsible for accounting for and paying taxes withheld from employee paychecks.
Court documents further allege that from 2020 through 2025, ELJ Inc. withheld federal income taxes, Medicare taxes, and Social Security taxes from employee paychecks but failed to pay those taxes over to the IRS. The business failed to file Employer’s Quarterly Federal Income Tax Return, or Form 941. The tax loss is approximately $787, 941.
A federal information is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S Attorney Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by the IRS.
Repeat Offender Charged with Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Somerset County man was arraigned yesterday for attempted production and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
David Chapinski, 45, of Somerset, New Jersey, was charged in a three-count Indictment with attempted production of child pornography and possession of child pornography. Chapinski was arraigned yesterday before U.S. District Judge Zahid N. Quraishi in Trenton federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On August 31, 2025, David Chapinski was released from custody after completing multiple state sentences for child-exploitation, including creating “upskirting” photographs or videos of minors and possession of CSAM. Within days of his release, on September 2, 2025, Chapinski attempted to film or photograph up the skirt of a 13-year-old minor. Less than two weeks later, on September 13, 2025, Chapinski surreptitiously recorded up the skirt of a 17-year-old minor, when a nearby good Samaritan detained him. Law enforcement executed a search warrant of Chapinski’s phone and found hundreds of images of CSAM. Investigators also identified additional CSAM in Chapinski’s online accounts.
If convicted, and because Chapinski has been previously convicted of certain qualifying offenses, Chapinski faces mandatory minimum prison sentences of 35 years’ imprisonment and maximum sentences of life imprisonment on the attempted production counts of the Indictment. If convicted of the possession count, Chapinski faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. Each of the offenses carry a maximum fine of $250,000, in addition to restitution and other assessments.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited law enforcement members with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the New Brunswick Police Department, under the direction of Chief Vicent Sabo, the Edison Police Department, under the direction of Chief Thomas Bryan, and the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Linda Estremera, for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
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 Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The charges and allegations contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Richard Potter, Esq.
chapinski.indictment.pdfReidsville man pleads guilty to fraudulent stealing of deceased relative’s disability checksRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: A Tattnall County man awaits sentencing after pleading guilty to cashing disability payments intended for a deceased relative.
Danny Alan Guyton, 53, of Reidsville, pled guilty to Theft of Government Money, Property, or Records, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The guilty plea subjects Guyton to a statutory penalty of up to 10 years in prison, along with substantial fines, restitution and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Fraud against federal Social Security programs is a direct abuse of taxpayer-funded support intended for those who earned those benefits,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We are committed to protecting government resources and holding accountable those who would fraudulently obtain Social Security benefits.”
As described in the plea agreement, from about June 2021 until April 2025, in Tattnall County, Guyton fraudulently received Social Security disability compensation issued on behalf of his deceased father-in-law, converting the proceeds to his own use through ATM cash withdrawals, retail store purchases and for his own living expenses. Guyton’s scheme resulted in a loss to the U.S. Government of approximately $60,170.
“Stealing benefits intended for vulnerable Americans by using the identity of a deceased individual is unacceptable,” said Norman Jenkins, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge, Atlanta Field Division, SSA Office of the Inspector General. “We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to investigate those who fraudulently obtain Social Security funds and to protect the integrity of these vital programs for those who depend on them.”
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall will schedule sentencing for Guyton upon completion of a presentence investigation by U.S. Probation Services.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara M. Lyons.
Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to $230 Million Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A New York man pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $229.6 million in loans and to acquire multifamily and commercial properties through deception, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazerannounced.
Mordichai Weiss, 29, of Monsey, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud conspiracy.
“Commercial mortgage fraud schemes of this scale undermine the integrity of the lending system and inflict significant losses on financial institutions and taxpayers alike. Weiss and his co-conspirators orchestrated an elaborate scheme built on falsified records designed to trick lenders into funding loans that never should have been approved, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in losses to lenders and the public fisc. This case demonstrates our Office’s commitment to holding accountable those who exploit the financial system through deception and fraud.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Multifamily properties serve an essential role in our housing system,” said Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak. “When fraudsters like Weiss and his co-conspirators provide false financial information to obtain loans on these properties, they not only defraud the lenders, but they also harm innocent tenants in New Jersey and across the U.S. who live in these buildings. In partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, FHFA-OIG will continue to vigorously identify, investigate, and prosecute the fraudsters who undermine the integrity of our mortgage finance system.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Between April 2022 and June 2023, Weiss conspired with others to deceive lenders into issuing multifamily and commercial mortgage loans in amounts they otherwise would not have approved. To carry out the scheme, Weiss and his co-conspirators submitted falsified documents to lenders, including altered bank records and fraudulent settlement statements, to misrepresent the true purchase prices of the properties.
For example, in May 2023, Weiss agreed to purchase an apartment complex in Houston, Texas for approximately $66.9 million. Weiss and his co-conspirators provided the lender with a fraudulent purchase agreement reflecting a price of $97.8 million. That inflated figure was repeated across multiple falsified documents submitted in support of the loan. Relying on these misrepresentations, the lender approved and funded a loan of approximately $68.5 million, on which Weiss later defaulted.
In total, Weiss obtained approximately $229.6 million in loans from multiple financial institutions through this scheme. Ultimately, he defaulted on the loans, or the loan balances substantially exceeded the value of the underlying collateral, resulting in approximately $94.4 million in losses to lenders, including the Federal National Mortgage Association, commonly known as Fannie Mae, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, commonly known as Freddie Mac.
The sole count in the Information carries a maximum penalty of twenty years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. The sentencing date is not yet scheduled.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the FHFA-OIG with the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Belgiovine of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
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Defense counsel: Gedalia Stern, Esq.
weiss.information.pdfRapid City Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on May 19, 2026.
Eli Poorman, 20, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $95 in restitution and $100 in special assessments to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
Poorman was indicted for the charge by a federal grand jury in August 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 5, 2026.
On August 3, 2024, during the 2024 Sturgis Bike Rally, Poorman used his Reddit account to begin chatting with someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl but was, unbeknownst to Poorman, an undercover police officer. Poorman arranged to meet with what he believed would be a 13-year-old girl at his apartment to have sex in exchange for money. The same day, Poorman exited his apartment building in south Rapid City to meet with the undercover persona and was arrested by law enforcement officers. Later, investigators learned Poorman had for the previous six months been communicating on the internet with minor aged girls sending them explicit photographs of himself and seeking, in return, sexually explicit photographs of the young girls.
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 the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Rapid City Police Department, and the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Knox prosecuted the case.
Poorman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Demetrius Fitzgerald Green, also known as “D,” 42, of Scott Depot, pleaded guilty today to three counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 18, 2026, February 27, 2026, and March 18, 2026, Green sold quantities of fentanyl exceeding 40 grams during each transaction in Charleston.
Green is scheduled to be sentenced on September 2, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
Green is among eight individuals indicted as a result of a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. The indictments against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-46.
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Pulaski County Felon Pleads Guilty to Selling Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A convicted felon, prohibited from possessing firearms due to his previous criminal record, pled guilty yesterday to selling two stolen firearms.
Michael Brandon Smith, 40, of Dublin, Virginia, pled guilty yesterday to possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.
According to court documents, sometime between January 27, 2025, and February 6, 2025, an acquaintance of Smith stole two firearms from an unoccupied building. The acquittance brought the firearms to Smith at a property owned by Smith’s father.
At the time, Smith understood these firearms were stolen and sought to get them away from his father’s property. Smith took possession of both firearms and sold them to another person.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives recovered both stolen firearms, a Savage Arms .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle and a Hawthorne-Sentry .22 caliber long rifle.
At sentencing, Smtih faces a maximum possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Samuel Ward made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charlene R. Day is prosecuting the case.
Prior Convicted Sex Offender from New Orleans Guilty of Possession of Child Sex Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – DAVID MOREL (“MOREL”), age 42, of New Orleans, pled guilty on May 19, 2026, to Possession of Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(4)(B) and (a)(2), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. MOREL faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten (10) years and a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years imprisonment, a term of supervised release of no less than five (5) years and up to life, and a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to the bill of information, beginning at an unknown time, and until on or about October 20, 2025, MOREL was found in possession of images of pre-pubescent child pornography. MOREL’s home was searched by state law enforcement officials and federal agents on October 20, 2025. MOREL was arrested during the execution of the search warrant by Louisiana Bureau of Investigation agents, after they found him in possession of electronic devices containing media depicting the sexual abuse of prepubescent children. Through a partnership between state and federal authorities, the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopted the state charges and is now prosecuting MOREL in federal court. MOREL is currently being held without bail in federal custody. MOREL was previously convicted in federal court by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2016 for Possessing Materials Involving the Sexual Exploitation of Minors and was sentenced to one-hundred twenty (120) months in prison.
Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for August 25, 2026, before United States District Judge Jay C. Zainey.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Chief of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Prince George’s County Man Sentenced for Role in CARES Act Unemployment Insurance ScamRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Prince George’s County, Maryland, man learned his fate in federal court in connection with an unemployment insurance (UI) fraud conspiracy.
District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Terry Chen, 26, to six years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft, in connection with submitting fraudulent CARES Act UI claims. Judge Boardman also ordered Chen to pay $1 million in restitution and imposed a criminal forfeiture of $1 million.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito, U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office. This prosecution is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
According to court documents, beginning in May 2021, and continuing until June 2022, Chen and his co-conspirators engaged in an identity theft scheme to defraud the United States, State of Maryland, multiple financial institutions, and multiple individuals. The co-conspirators submitted false and fraudulent UI benefits claims to the MD-DOL, Maryland’s agency that is responsible for processing the UI claims. As part of the conspiracy, the co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than $3.5 million in unemployment insurance benefits.
Co-conspirators Bryan Nushawn Ruffin, 28, of Woodbridge, Virginia, and Kiara Smith, 28, of Fort Washington, Maryland, were employed by Company 1, which provided professional support services to the MD-DOL, including but not limited to customer support and fraud detection. As part of the scheme, Smith provided a company-issued laptop to Chen and other co-conspirators to access and alter non-public UI data and MD-DOL-maintained databases. This enabled the co-conspirators to maximize the UI payouts on fraudulent UI claims.
The co-conspirators then altered the contact email addresses, online account passwords, and payment methods for existing UI claims. They furthered the scheme by using the identity theft victims’ personal identifying information (PII). Additionally, the co-conspirators also used their access to the MD-DOL databases to upload and approve documents submitted in support of fraudulent UI claims; remove fraud holds on UI claims; certify weeks for determining UI benefits; and engage in other actions to facilitate the fraudulent UI benefits payments. During the scheme, the MD-DOL believed it was disbursing UI benefits to debit cards/accounts of UI applicants, but the accounts were opened and controlled by Chen and his co-conspirators.
Judge Boardman previously sentenced Lawrence Nathanial Harris, 32, of Temple Hills, Maryland, Ahmed Hussain, 23, of Prince George’s County, Maryland, and Zakria Hussain, 28, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, to 180-month, 102-month, and 36-month federal-prison sentences, respectively. Additionally, Judge Boardman sentenced Ruffin and Smith to 27 and 42 months in federal prison, respectively.
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.
For more information about the Department’s response to the pandemic, visit justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DOL-OIG and FBI for their work in the investigation and the Maryland Department of Labor for its assistance. Additionally, Ms. Hayes thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and Joseph L. Wenner, who prosecuted this case. She also recognized the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force and Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber for her valuable assistance.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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