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Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 21 May 2026
Federal authorities warn public of fraudsters impersonating prosecutorsRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Federal authorities are warning citizens of a scammer or group of scammers—potentially outside of the United States—contacting American citizens around the country, posing as prosecutors or other federal law enforcement officials and attempting to defraud people of money.
According to the FBI, the perpetrators reach out via text message, email or phone call, impersonating federal prosecutors or agents and claiming you have been a victim of fraud or are a suspect in a fraud investigation. There are typically several contacts before personal information is requested, including credit cards, banking and other information.
Scammers often provide details like actual law enforcement titles, badge numbers, names, and addresses to increase their credibility. They may even “spoof” phone numbers to make calls appear to come from legitimate government agencies, further deceiving victims. In this specific scheme, callers are identifying themselves as “Prosecutor Dominick Gerace.”
“The Department of Justice and the FBI will never direct you to wire money,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “If you receive calls or messages of this sort, do not provide any personal information, credit card numbers, prepaid cards or money. Federal authorities do not call victims of crimes or suspects of crimes and ask for money or personal identifying information over the telephone.”
“Government impersonation scams are on the rise and scammers are getting more sophisticated,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie. “If someone contacts you claiming to be from the government and pressures you to send money, it’s a scam. Report this activity to ic3.gov and protect your hard-earned savings by never sending money.”
Here are some tips to avoid becoming the victim of this type of scam:- Always be suspicious of unsolicited phone calls, text messages and emails.
- Never give money or personal information to someone with whom you don’t have ties and did not initiate contact.
- Trust your instincts: if an unknown caller pressures you or says things that don’t sound right, hang up.
- If concerns remain about the caller’s claims, verify the information with the appropriate law enforcement agency or court officials.
If you believe you have been a victim of a fraudulent scheme, you are encouraged to file a report, including a description of the caller and any available caller ID information, with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
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Federal Jury Convicts Self-Proclaimed “Elite Ranked Pedophile” of Eleven Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida –A federal jury has found Frederick Karl Hildenbrand (56, Cocoa) guilty of nine counts of producing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and two counts of possessing CSAM. Hildenbrand faces a minimum of 15 years, up to 30 years, in federal prison for each production count, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment for each possession count. The maximum penalty for the possession counts was enhanced due to the jury’s finding that the material depicted young children. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 22, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to evidence presented at trial, Hildenbrand was residing in Ohio from at least 2004 through 2014. He and his wife later relocated to northeast Florida. While in Ohio, Hildenbrand produced a number of tapes and electronic files depicting himself sexually abusing children, including toddlers and infants. He brought these materials with him to Florida, and in 2018, rented a storage unit in which he placed a safe containing the CSAM.
In May 2024, after the storage unit company had changed ownership, Hildenbrand’s payments were no longer processed, and the storage unit was auctioned. The purchaser of the contents retrieved the safe from the storage unit and, after opening it, discovered multiple pairs of soiled children’s undergarments labeled with names and individually packaged in plastic baggies. Also, inside the safe were the tapes and electronic devices. The purchaser turned the materials over to the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, and child exploitation material was discovered on the electronic media.
In July 2024, Hildenbrand realized that his unit had been auctioned and contacted the storage company to try and have his items returned. During multiple recorded phone calls, Hildenbrand expressed that he especially wanted the items returned from his safe. Unknown to Hildenbrand, he was communicating with an undercover detective from the Clay County Sheriff's Office. On August 5, 2024, Hildenbrand drove three hours from Cocoa to Clay County intending to get the safe back. Instead, he was arrested.
On the same day, detectives searched Hildenbrand’s residence and recovered electronic devices which also contained CSAM. Searches of these devices revealed that Hildenbrand had continued to film himself sexually abusing children through at least June 2024.
In total, Hildenbrand possessed at least 10,000 depictions of children being sexually abused. One of his computers contained two versions of a “poem” written by Hildenbrand about his insatiable lust for children, in which he described himself as “an Elite ranked pedophile” for over 30 years.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, the Cocoa Police Department, the Baker County Sheriff’s Office, and the Florida Department of Children and Families. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura Cofer Taylor.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Returns Indictment Against Operation Midway Blitz Defendant for Alleged Vehicle-Ramming Attack on Federal Immigration AgentRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A federal grand jury in Chicago has returned an indictment charging a man with using a deadly or dangerous weapon, specifically, his vehicle, to assault a federal immigration agent during Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago.
DIEGO EMMANUEL REYES, 21, of Chicago, is charged with assaulting impeding, intimidating, and interfering with a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer using a deadly and dangerous weapon, namely, his vehicle, according to an indictment returned on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. On Oct. 4, 2025, Reyes allegedly rammed his sport utility vehicle into the rear of a vehicle driven by the ICE agent, who was engaged in the performance of his official duties on the Southwest Side of Chicago, and upon doing so, accelerated his SUV forward pushing the agent’s vehicle. Video of the incident can be viewed here.
Given the enhanced penalty for using a deadly or dangerous weapon, the charge in the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment 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. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn McCarthy.
“What this defendant did on October 4, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois, during Operation Midway Blitz was a dangerous and brazen act of violence against a federal agent as well as an attack on the rule of law," said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Federal agents perform risky, essential work every single day to enforce our federal laws and keep our communities safe. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will never tolerate such conduct and will continue to hold accountable those who seek to assault, impede, intimidate, or interfere with lawful federal operations. I applaud our federal prosecutors and the federal agents and supervisors with the Chicago Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for having the fortitude, determination, and grit to see this important case through the grand jury where it can now be adjudicated to its fullest in a court of law.”
“The Chicago Field Office has zero tolerance for anyone impeding federal officers engaged in their lawful functions," said FBI SAC DePodesta. "The people of Chicago deserve to be safe and free from harm. The FBI is committed to using every available resource against those who undermine the rule of law and jeopardize the peace in our community.”
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
reyes_indictment.pdfFallen Philadelphia Firefighter Capt. Sean Williamson Selected by U.S. Attorney’s Office for Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that the office has named Captain Sean Williamson of the Philadelphia Fire Department (“PFD”) as the posthumous recipient of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania’s Hometown Hero award. The former U.S. Marine and 27-year PFD veteran was killed during fire suppression operations in June 2022.
As part of Freedom 250, United States Attorneys’ offices (USAOs) nationwide are honoring the Hometown Heroes of their districts. The Hometown Hero Award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America by celebrating the enduring ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility. This award is dedicated in recognition of a steadfast commitment to these ideals and an embodiment of the spirit upon which our nation was founded.
U.S. Attorney Metcalf presented the award to Capt. Williamson’s family at a ceremony this afternoon, with PFD Commissioner Jeffrey Thompson and numerous PFD members, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) investigators, and Assistant United States Attorneys in attendance.
“We could not think of a more deserving recipient of the Hometown Hero Award than Captain Sean Williamson, who gave so much of himself to protect Philadelphians in his nearly three decades on the job,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He should be here to accept the award himself. But I’m honored to present it to his loved ones today, in recognition of his selfless service.”
In the early hours of June 18, 2022, Capt. Williamson, filling in on an overtime assignment, was part of a PFD unit that responded to a fire at a mixed-used building that housed two apartments and a pizza shop. With the two young families who lived there able to safely flee the building, Capt. Williamson worked with other members of the PFD to place the fire under control.
They were on the second floor of the building, extinguishing hot spots, when the structure suddenly collapsed. Capt. Williamson was killed and several firefighters injured.
Following an investigation by ATF Philadelphia and the ATF’s National Response Team, the Philadelphia Fire Department, the Philadelphia Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Philadelphia Police Department, with significant assistance provided by the Philadelphia Department of Licenses & Inspections, the fire was determined to be arson and the two men responsible were prosecuted by this office, convicted, and sentenced to decades in prison.
Elkhart Cocaine Distributors Sentenced for Firearms and Controlled Substance OffensesRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Two men have been sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to various cocaine drug and gun related charges, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Derrick Glass, 40 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Glass was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Shawn Pettis, 35 years old, of Elkhart, Indiana, pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Pettis was sentenced to 130 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
“Two armed Defendants teamed up and conspired to peddle cocaine and did so while armed with a firearm. They will spend nearly 13 years in prison because they ran into a much better team of the ATF, the Elkhart County Intelligence and Covert Enhancement Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle, with the support of Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker and her office. Our communities and nation are safer because of their efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
“ATF and our partners are out on the streets of Northern Indiana everyday investigating violent crimes including armed drug trafficking. The sentence imposed today reflects the serious consequences for those who use firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. ATF and our partners remain united in investigating and disrupting this violent criminal activity and working with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute this conduct,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon.
According to documents in the case, in February and March of 2025, Glass distributed firearms, ketamine, and cocaine to another person. During that time, Pettis assisted Glass with the distribution and stored cocaine and firearms at his home. Police found additional cocaine and firearms when they executed a search warrant at Pettis's home in March of 2025.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Elkhart County Intelligence & Covert Enforcement Unit and the Elkhart County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
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.
EOIR Announces 77 Immigration Judges and 5 Temporary Immigration JudgesRead the Press Release
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the swearing in of 77 immigration judges and 5 temporary immigration judges – the largest class of new adjudicators in EOIR’s history, growing the total immigration judge corps to nearly 700. EOIR has hired 153 permanent immigration judges this fiscal year, the most in any single year in the agency’s history.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and EOIR Director Daren K. Margolin delivered remarks, and Chief Immigration Judge Teresa L. Riley administered the oath of office during an investiture, which was held May 20, 2026, at the Department of Justice’s Great Hall in Washington, D.C.
“The Trump administration is committed to reestablishing an immigration judge corps that is dedicated to restoring the rule to the law in our nation’s immigration system,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Today, we are onboarding the largest immigration judge class in agency history. This could only happen thanks to President Trump’s decisive leadership and commitment to securing our borders. I also applaud EOIR’s leadership team for helping facilitate these hiring efforts and recruiting highly qualified and talented personnel in record time.”
After a competitive application process, the Acting Attorney General appointed Lucas I. Abbott, Shawn J. Abraham, Matthew N. Andrasko, Lauren M. Black, Christopher W. Bragg, Bradley R. Burke, André Carman, Brent Carr, Steven S. Chase, Kamra Sellers Craig, Jerome M. Day, Deborah D. Dictson, Richard J. Douglas, Meredith Duff, Bradly P. Duvall, Robert G. Eastman, Megan H. Eyes, Peter C. Faerber, Omar J. Famada, Terexa Fan, Thomas B. Fighter, Kenneth Flesch, Christopher R. Ford, Mary Foster, Kathryn E. Frames, Johanna Gaymer, Taylor A. Gillespie, James K. Glober, David J. Green, Jared L. Grimmer, Michael J. Gross, Benedict “Ben” S. Gullo, Damona Taef Hakiman, Shannon R. Holderfield, Richard S. Holloway, Kimberly B. Jeter, Graciela M. Jiron, Frank A. Jury II, Denise Kallas, Nadeem R. Kasam, Jean M. Kilker, Clayton M. Lawrence, Kerri N. Lechtrecker, Adrien Lee-Lo, Kieth E. Lipiec, Joseph Martinez, Robert A. McBride, Zachary McFarland, John E. Moriarty, Craig A. Newell Jr., Michael Matthew Osterberg, Robert G. Palmer, Jonathan Daniel Pelletier, Bayleigh J. Pettigrew, Anthony A. Picione, Jaime Poarch, Keira A. Poellet, Bill Radin, James M. Rice, Phoebe D. Riner, Jeremy A. Rovinsky, Sarah Sawwan, Thomas J. Shusted Jr., Paul Edmond Stephan, Rhonda M. Tucker, Amy Sigmon Walker, Natalie Walker, Matthew C. Wallace, Patricia Walter, Eric Wang, Wayne J. Warf, Thomas C. Weisert, Jennifer S. Wells, Nicole I. Wells, Devin A. Winklosky, Daniel J. Wright, and Maureen H. Zumwalt to their new positions as immigration judges, and Casey S. Caton, Paul J. Hornick, Kiley R. Hyatt, Jared J. Monaco, and Lisa M. Strader to their new positions as temporary immigration judges.
Reducing the immigration court backlog remains one of the highest priorities for the agency. Since January 20, 2025, EOIR has completed more than 1.08 million cases and has reduced its pending caseload in immigration courts by more than 447,000 cases, bringing the pending caseload down from approximately 4 million to under 3.53 million, the sharpest decrease in caseload in EOIR’s history.
All EOIR immigration judges, including temporary immigration judges, undergo the same robust training program. Biographical information with their qualifications and court assignments for each new judge can be found on EOIR’s webpage.
Dupree Man Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Sexually Abusing a WomanRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced an Eagle Butte, South Dakota, man convicted of Abusive Sexual Contact. The sentencing took place on May 11, 2026.
Floyd Clown, Jr., age 41, was sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Clown was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 6, 2026.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred in Dupree, South Dakota, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. On March 11, 2025, Clown invited the victim inside his residence and then forced her to have sexual contact with him after she refused his entreaties and told him to stop his advances.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Clown was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Disgraced IMPD Sergeant to Spend Nine Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Javed Richards, 45, of Indianapolis has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to distribution of visual depictions of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Richards was ordered to pay $17,000 in restitution, to be divided among five victims and due immediately.
According to court documents, between July and August 2024, Richards used the social media application Kik to trade images of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Using the online identity “Chasepleez” and a VPN to conceal his location, Richards engaged in conversations with other users to distribute and receive images and videos depicting the sexual exploitation of children. Richards possessed more than 600 files, including ones depicting the sexual abuse of children under the age of 12, as well as depictions of sexual violence and the abuse of toddlers.
At the time of the offense, Richards was a Sergeant assigned to the Internal Affairs Unit of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), which is responsible for investigating allegations of officer misconduct.
“Richards is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. As a police officer, he swore an oath to protect our community. Instead, he chose to contribute to the revictimization of children and distributed images of horrific child sexual abuse, all while his job was to hold other officers accountable for violating those same oaths,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These children had their innocence taken from them, and Richards—a trusted authority figure—preyed on their vulnerability for his own gratification. No badge places anyone above the law, and our office will continue to demonstrate that protecting children is the Justice Department’s highest duty.”
“The exploitation of children is among the most disturbing crimes we investigate, and this sentence clearly shows that no one is above the law. There are serious consequences awaiting those who abuse positions of trust to engage in criminal activity involving child sexual abuse material,” said Timothy J. O'Malley. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue working tirelessly to protect vulnerable victims and pursue offenders wherever they operate, regardless of their profession or position in the community.”
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Wood, who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.internetcrimesagainstkids.com to learn more about their efforts.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
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Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Richard Mathis, 31, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to nine years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on August 3, 2024, Mathis possessed over 90 grams of methamphetamine and over 20 grams of fentanyl in or near Dunbar, West Virginia, that he intended to distribute.
On January 5, 2026, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Mathis was a passenger after he retrieved a package delivered in Charleston that investigators had identified as suspicious. Officers found more than a half-pound of methamphetamine and over 3 ounces of a mixture containing fentanyl in the vehicle. Investigators determined that Mathis had coordinated the shipment of the package from California in exchange for $2,600 and that it had contained 1 pound of methamphetamine, including the quantity found during the traffic stop. Later that day, officers executed a search warrant at the Charleston residence where Mathis was staying and seized nearly an additional pound of methamphetamine and quantities of cocaine and cocaine base, also known as “crack.”
Mathis has a criminal history that includes prior convictions for unlawful wounding and controlled substances offenses.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the West Virginia State Police, and the South Charleston Police Department. MDENT 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 imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney JC MacCallum prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-87.
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Department of Justice’s Grant Program Awards Colorado Department of Public Safety $1.3 Million to Support Victims of Evergreen High School ShootingRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs has awarded the Colorado Department of Public Safety $1.3 million to support the victims and community of the 2025 Evergreen High School shooting.
On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, there was a school shooting at Evergreen High School. During the incident, two students were shot and critically injured but survived. A teacher was also injured.
The funds awarded in this grant will be used to support recovery in several ways, including: providing counseling services to the victims of the shooting, including students and staff; creation of the Evergreen Resiliency Center which will help support victims of crime and other trauma; reimburse the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office for overtime pay incurred while supporting victims in the immediate aftermath of the shooting; provide a trauma recovery coordinator, an additional counselor at Evergreen High School, and a half-time counselor at Wilmot Elementary where some victims sought shelter during the shooting; and support for the Colorado Department of Public Safety’s Office for Victims Programs, which provides ongoing support and victim compensation, of which some 400 claims have been filed to date in relation to this incident.
“My thoughts and prayers remain with the Evergreen High School community and those both injured and affected by this heinous act,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I know nothing can change what happened that day, but I hope the Evergreen Community knows that the Department of Justice stands with them and remains their partner today and in the future.”
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is the largest grantmaking component of the Department of Justice and houses the Department’s criminal and juvenile justice-related science, statistics, and programmatic agencies. OJP is committed to advancing work that furthers DOJ’s mission to uphold the rule of law, to keep our country safe, and protect civil rights. OJP provides federal leadership, funding, and other critical resources to directly support law enforcement, combat violent crime, protect American children, provide services to American crime victims, and address public safety challenges, including human trafficking and the opioid crisis.
Culver City Man Who Worked for Nonprofit that Distributes Syringes to Homeless Drug Users Arrested on Federal Fentanyl ChargeRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Culver City man who worked for a nonprofit organization that distributes syringes to homeless drug users in Los Angeles and elsewhere was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with possessing fentanyl when police pulled him over while he drove a BMW near MacArthur Park earlier this month.
Christopher Barret Johnson, 42, is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Johnson once worked for People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), a nonprofit that offers services to homeless people including street outreach, interim and permanent housing. PATH also serves as a vendor distributing syringes, including in MacArthur Park, a sector of the city characterized by high rates of poverty with many of its residents and visitors being drug users.
Johnson is expected to make his initial appearance tomorrow afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, during the late evening of May 5, 2026, Los Angeles Police officers patrolled the MacArthur Park area, which is notorious for the use and sale illegal drugs, including methamphetamine and fentanyl, in open-air markets.
At approximately 10:20 p.m., the officers observed a white BMW lacking a front license plate abruptly conduct a U-turn in front of them. The officers then conducted a traffic stop on the BMW.
The vehicle’s sole occupant was Johnson, who “appeared very nervous,” the affidavit states. While speaking with Johnson, one of the officers observed in plain view on the BMW’s center console a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine. The officer also saw Johnson carrying two knives in his waistband. The officer then ordered Johnson out of the car. Johnson complied.
The officers conducted a pat-down search of Johnson and found a plastic baggie containing methamphetamine in Johnson’s left front trouser pocket. Officers also searched the BMW and located a partially opened backpack that contained more plastic baggies containing methamphetamine and fentanyl, a digital scale that had fentanyl residue on it, empty plastic baggies, and cash.
Also found inside the BMW was a dish soap container that contained additional plastic baggies containing fentanyl. The BMW’s center console also contained cash and a large amount of plastic baggies.
Subsequent laboratory analysis confirmed that the drugs seized from Johnson’s BMW and person included at least 142 grams of a substance that contained fentanyl and nearly 46 grams of methamphetamine.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, Johnson would face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division’s Southern California Drug Task Force (SCDTF), a DEA-led multi-agency task force within the Los Angeles High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program, and the Los Angeles Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Jones of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Cuban national extradited from Panama to face sex trafficking, extortion, cyberstalking and other charges in Homeland Security Task Force investigationRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old man is set to make his initial appearance in Houston federal court on multiple charges for allegedly using threats, violence and other coercive means to compel four Cuban nationals to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial gain.
Michel Cedeno-Castillo was extradited from Panama May 20 and is now expected to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan in Houston at 10 a.m.
A federal grand jury returned the 14-count indictment May 13, which was unsealed upon his arrest.
According to court documents, Cedeno-Castillo used false promises of lucrative employment in the United States to entice four victims to travel from Cuba to Texas. After the victims arrived in the United States, Cedeno-Castillo allegedly transported them within the Southern District of Texas knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that they had entered the United States in violation of the law. The indictment alleges he then used threats of violence, physical abuse and other coercive means to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex acts for his monetary benefit.
“Cedeno-Castillo allegedly lured women with lies and forced them into prostitution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck for the Southern District of Texas. “Any human trafficker who tries to flee the United States should know that we will work with our international partners, pursue every legal avenue, and wait as long as it takes to bring them to justice. The Southern District of Texas does not give up.”
“The defendant has been indicted for luring vulnerable women from Cuba to the United States with promises of financial stability only to force them to have sex with men for money for his monetary gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Michel Cedeno-Castillo will now face these human trafficking charges. No matter where it originates, the Criminal Division will pursue sex traffickers who target and exploit vulnerable victims.”
“The successful apprehension and extradition of this alleged sex trafficker sends a powerful message of deterrence to transnational criminal organizations across the globe that are involved in human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas of Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations - Houston. “HSI and our Homeland Security Task Force partners are committed to eradicate this modern-day form of slavery from society and will bring every resource we have to bear to track you down and hold you to account for your alleged crimes.”
Cedeno-Castillo is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; importing an alien for immoral purposes; conspiracy to transport an alien in the United States for financial gain; transporting for purposes of prostitution; extortion; and cyberstalking.
If convicted, he faces up to life in federal prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekua Assabill is prosecuting the case along with Trial Attorney Leah Branch from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Panama to secure the arrest and extradition from Panama of Cedeno-Castillo.
The investigation and charges are a result of coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha, a partnership with Department of Homeland Security which has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, Districts of Arizona and New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners.
To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This investigation is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes 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 Houston comprises agents and officers from ICE HSI; FBI; DEA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Cuban National Extradited from Panama to Face Sex Trafficking, Extortion, Cyberstalking, and Other Charges in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
A 41-year-old citizen of Cuba living in the Southern District of Texas, is set to make his initial appearance in Houston on multiple charges for allegedly using threats, violence, and other coercive means to compel four Cuban nationals to engage in commercial sex acts for his financial gain.
According to court documents, Michel Cedeno-Castillo used false promises of lucrative employment in the United States to entice four victims to travel from Cuba to Texas. After the victims arrived in the United States, Cedeno-Castillo allegedly transported the victims within the Southern District of Texas knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that they had entered the United States in violation of the law. He then allegedly used threats of violence, physical abuse, and other coercive means to compel the victims to engage in commercial sex acts for his monetary benefit.
“The defendant has been indicted for luring vulnerable women from Cuba to the United States with promises of financial stability only to force them to have sex with men for money for his monetary gain,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Michel Cedeno-Castillo will now face these human trafficking charges. No matter where it originates, the Criminal Division will pursue sex traffickers who target and exploit vulnerable victims.”
“Cedeno-Castillo allegedly lured women with lies and forced them into prostitution,” said Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck for the Southern District of Texas. “Any human trafficker who tries to flee the United States should know that we will work with our international partners, pursue every legal avenue, and wait as long as it takes to bring them to justice. The Southern District of Texas does not give up.”
“The successful apprehension and extradition of this alleged sex trafficker sends a powerful message of deterrence to transnational criminal organizations across the globe that are involved in human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Houston Field Office. “HSI and our law enforcement partners are committed to eradicate this modern-day form of slavery from society and will bring every resource we have to bear to track you down and hold you to account for your alleged crimes.”
Cedeno-Castillo is charged with sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, importing an alien for immoral purposes, conspiracy to transport an alien in the United States for financial gain, transporting for purposes of prostitution, extortion, and cyberstalking. If convicted, he faces a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and up to life in prison.
The HSI Houston Field Office is investigating the case. The U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Investigative Strike Team provided valuable assistance.
Acting Deputy Chief Leah Branch of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ekua Assabill for the Southern District of Texas are prosecuting the case. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Panama to secure the arrest and extradition from Panama of Cedeno-Castillo.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; and more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This investigation is also part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes 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 Houston comprises agents and officers from ICE HSI; FBI; DEA; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Interpol/Department of State; and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Crooks Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Hundreds of Pounds of Methamphetamine in Sioux Falls AreaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Crooks, South Dakota, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Cary Ludens, 50, was sentenced to 13 years and 3 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Ludens was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 2, 2026.
Ludens was involved in a drug trafficking organization that obtained methamphetamine from Arizona and distributed those drugs throughout South Dakota. The group trafficked the drugs both through the U.S. Mail and via cross-country car trips. Investigators became aware of the group and seized a methamphetamine-laden package that contained over four pounds of methamphetamine in December 2024. Investigators later seized two parcels sent from Sioux Falls to Arizona that contained a combined total of approximately $26,000. Ludens’ role in the conspiracy was as a distributor who obtained methamphetamine from a co-conspirator in South Dakota and then distributed it to others. Investigators determined that Ludens was responsible for distributing approximately 22 pounds of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the United States Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Ludens was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Columbus man sentenced to prison for dogfighting, drug distributionRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man was sentenced today to 71 months in prison and four years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to dogfighting and drug distribution charges.
As part of his plea, Joel Brown, of Columbus, Ohio, admitted to keeping 11 pit bull-type dogs for fighting purposes in Franklin County, Ohio. He also admitted to possessing at least 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it in the community.
“Brown’s actions were cruel and illegal, endangering both the dogs that he trained to fight and the people of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio. “That he was a repeat drug dealer who possessed a firearm while engaging in such inhumane treatment of animals only further demonstrates that a significant sentence in federal prison is needed to protect the community from his criminal conduct.”
“Dog fighting is a crime, and it is often, as in this case, linked with other crimes,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Communities are harmed when this kind of activity occurs. We’re grateful to the community members who called attention to the derelict condition of the dogs in Brown’s possession, which led to today’s sentencing. We are also grateful for the partnership of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio, ATF, and others who investigated and prosecuted this case.”
According to court documents, law enforcement first investigated a property owned by Brown following a complaint to Columbus Humane about the condition of the dogs being housed by Brown. Dogs being kept for use in animal fights are often kept outdoors on heavy chains close to other dogs, but far enough apart to prevent them from touching. The heavy chains force the dogs to build muscles. The dogs’ proximity encourages aggression because they are near each other but unable to interact naturally.
Eventually, 12 dogs were recovered from Brown’s property, many of which showed scarring and other signs of dog fighting. In addition, treadmills, veterinary medicine, and other equipment commonly used by dog fighters were located in the residence. Law enforcement also recovered 53.48 grams of methamphetamine, a shotgun and ammunition, and various items associated with drug distribution.
Brown had previously been sentenced to 108 months in prison on drug and gun charges as part of a multi-defendant prosecution involving the notorious Columbus street gang, the Short North Posse.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Columbus Division of Police, and Columbus Humane investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Kevin W. Kelley for the Southern District of Ohio and Senior Trial Attorney Adam Cullman of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section prosecuted the case.
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Columbia Man Sentenced to More than 16 years in Federal Prison for Trafficking Methamphetamine, FentanylRead the Press Release
OLUMBIA, S.C. — Micaiah Green, 31, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 16 years in federal prison for drug trafficking.
Evidence presented in court established that agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration identified Green as a significant supplier of narcotics in the Columbia area. Investigators learned through multiple sources that Green used various hotel rooms to store and distribute controlled substances. Between April and June 2024, Green distributed more than 2,000 grams of methamphetamine, 200 grams of fentanyl, and 900 grams of marijuana in the Columbia area.
Green has an extensive criminal history that includes prior convictions for burglary, first-degree assault and battery, attempted armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted violent felon, trafficking methamphetamine, distribution of cocaine base, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Green was on state bond at the time of the offense conduct in this case.
United States District Judge Sherri Lydon sentenced Green to 200 months in prison, to be followed by five years of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.###
Collaboration Between Federal and Local Law Enforcement Leads to Seizures of Drugs, Guns and MoneyRead the Press Release
PLATTSBURG, NEW YORK – Three unlicensed marijuana dispensaries in Massena, New York were closed yesterday after an investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration after receiving information from law enforcement in Massena. The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam, FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig A. Tremaroli, HSI Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan, IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry Chavis, USBP Chief Patrol Agent Robert Garcia, St. Lawrence County District Attorney Gary Pasqua, St. Lawrence County Sheriff Rick Engle , Clinton County Sheriff Dave Favro, Massena Police Chief Cody Wilson, Plattsburgh Police Chief Jarrod Trombley.
“Since appointed to lead this office, it has been my priority to improve collaboration between federal partners and local law enforcement.” Said First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III. “This operation is a shining example of that collaboration. Let this operation serve as a warning to anyone who believes they can exploit this region for criminal activity: the full resources of the federal government, working alongside our state and local partners, are now aligned, coordinated, and committed to shutting these operations down.”
“Yesterday, with the assistance our law enforcement partners, the DEA New York Enforcement Division conducted an operation which targeted three illegal and unlicensed marijuana dispensaries and numerous locations in upstate New York along the Northern Border” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “This operation resulted in the seizure of over 1000 lbs. of marijuana and THC related products, 40 pounds of suspected Methamphetamine, and approximately 20 illegal firearms, including assault style weapons and firearms equipped with extended magazines. Thanks to the strong partnership between the DEA and our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we are securing our northern border, dismantling illegal operations, and holding accountable those responsible for flooding our neighborhoods with illicit drugs and violence.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig A. Tremaroli Stated: "The success of Operation Weed Out demonstrates the incredible partnerships at every level of law enforcement on the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). When we leverage our resources, we're able to deliver impactful results like this seizure, that undoubtedly make our communities safer. The North Country communities should know this collective team is laser focused on finding the individuals responsible for trafficking dangerous drugs and weapons on our streets and ensuring they are brought to justice."
Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York Harry T. Chavis, Jr. Stated: “We remain committed to ensuring that every business operating in this district follows the law and puts community safety first. These unlicensed dispensaries chose profit over public health, and our team worked closely across agencies to trace the financial flows behind their illegal operations. By following the money, we are able to disrupt the profit incentives that drive this conduct and make clear that such schemes will not be tolerated,”St. Lawrence County Sheriff Rick Engle Stated: “This was a great law enforcement collaboration with our federal and local partners to help keep our community safe, especially the youth of the community. This collaboration ensures that illegal marijuana shops don’t continue to operate in our county.”
“This case is a perfect example demonstrating the impact of strong interagency partnerships. The multi-agency members Safely executed a well-designed plan after an in-depth methodical investigation resulting in a much safer community.” Said Clinton County Sheriff David FavroAccording to civil forfeiture complaints filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, Uncle Crandy’s, Vape Bank/All the Smoke Massena, formerly known as 1 Willow Cannabis Co., and Famous A’s were distributing marijuana and marijuana products without obtaining the necessary licenses from the State of New York. Each dispensary also allegedly sold products prohibited by New York State law. For instance, Famous A’s sold THC products that look like candy bars; Uncle Crandy’s sold THC gummies advertised as containing more than 10 times the limit; and Vape Bank/All the Smoke Massena, formerly known as 1 Willow Cannabis Co. Bank, sold marijuana products with cartoon labels. Uncle Crandy’s and Famous A’s also allegedly distributed marijuana to an underage law enforcement officer.
The DEA, FBI, HSI, IRS-CI, Massena Police Department, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and Plattsburgh City Police Department are investigating the case with the assistance of the United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Brown is handling the civil forfeiture.
Civil Rights Division Oversees a Record $18.25 Million Back-Pay Distribution to U.S. Workers Harmed by Apple’s Past Hiring and Recruitment PracticesRead the Press Release
The United States Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced that $18.25 million in back pay has been processed for U.S. workers as part of a previously announced settlement with Apple, Inc. (“Apple”).
The Department opened an investigation into Apple in 2019 under the first Trump administration, as part of the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative (“Initiative”). After finding that Apple’s hiring and recruitment practices deterred U.S. workers from applying to positions, the Department settled the matter in 2023 for $18.25 million in back pay to compensate qualifying U.S. workers and $6.75 million in civil penalties.
“The Civil Rights Division will keep fighting for U.S. workers and will hold companies accountable for favoring temporary visa holders for American jobs,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We appreciate Apple’s cooperation to ensure that this settlement was fully implemented.”
The claims administration process for this resolution involved a thorough and individualized assessment of thousands of potential claimants, including a review of each U.S. worker’s lost income to determine exact back-pay amounts for each qualifying U.S. worker. The Department’s oversight over this complex process ensured exhaustion of the entire back-pay fund and that Apple compensated qualifying U.S. workers harmed by its past practices.
In addition to monetary relief, the settlement also required Apple to give U.S. workers greater opportunities to apply for positions advertised as part of Permanent Labor Certification (“PERM”) recruitment. These changes included requiring Apple to post PERM positions on its external job website, accept electronic applications, and train its employees on the anti-discrimination requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”).
Since the January 2025 relaunch of the Initiative, the Department has obtained eleven settlements to enforce the INA’s prohibition on citizenship status discrimination against companies that illegally discriminate against U.S. workers in favor of those with temporary employment visas. For information about additional settlements under the Protecting U.S. Workers Initiative, visit IER’s website.
The public can call IER’s free hotline at 1-800-255-7688 for workers or at 1-800-255-8155 for employers (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired) for informal assistance between 9am and 5pm Eastern Time, Monday - Friday; sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email [email protected]; or visit www.justice.gov/ier.
Chesapeake man sentenced to over seven years in prison for trafficking guns and cocaineRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Chesapeake man was sentenced yesterday to seven years and six months in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from Oct. 17, 2023, to Nov. 14, 2023, Deionte Deard Bratton, 44, sold cocaine, fentanyl, and four firearms in a series of four controlled purchases conducted by law enforcement. During the Nov. 14 transaction, Bratton received fentanyl from Kenyon Thomas, 43, of Norfolk, which Bratton then sold.
Following the Nov. 14 transaction, in December 2023 and November 2024 law enforcement conducted four controlled purchases of a total of over 56 grams of fentanyl and the purchase of one firearm from Thomas. On Jan. 13, Thomas pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. On April 15, Thomas was sentenced to eight years and seven months in prison.
Bratton and Thomas have previous felony convictions and cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case with assistance from the Norfolk Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Nelson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-132.
Career Criminal & Drug Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years After Using Handgun to Threaten Evansville Detectives During ArrestRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Binnie Y. Bryant Jr., 36, of Evansville, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession with intent to distribute heroin, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, in 2024, Evansville Police Department detectives discovered a social media video showing Bryant displaying two semi‑automatic pistols. Bryant is prohibited under federal law from possessing any firearm due to an extensive history of felony convictions, including two counts of armed robbery, four counts of criminal recklessness, two counts of intimidation, failure to register as a sex offender, trafficking a controlled substance with an inmate, residential entry, dealing marijuana with a prior drug conviction, resisting law enforcement, and battery against a public safety officer.
On January 23, 2024, uniformed detectives approached Bryant as he walked near an intersection and attempted to stop him. Bryant immediately fled on foot and violently resisted arrest once apprehended. During the struggle, Bryant reached toward his waistband, grabbed the handle of a Glock pistol, and attempted to draw it. Detectives were able to disarm him and take him into custody without further incident. A search of Bryant’s pockets revealed 20.8 grams of heroin, 96.5 grams of THC, and two digital scales.
In recorded jail calls from the Vanderburgh County Corrections Complex, Bryant admitted to a woman that he fled because he knew he was illegally carrying a firearm. He further stated that he “tried to pull my s**t out and get to dumpin on thy ass on god.” Dumping is a common street term meaning to shoot at someone.
“This defendant’s long history of violent crime and his attempt to draw a firearm on officers underscore exactly why federal firearm laws exist. When individuals with violent felony records continue to arm themselves, we will act decisively,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “This sentence makes clear that those who threaten our community and the officers who protect it will be held fully accountable.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Evansville Police Department investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew P. Brookman
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Canadian man arrested by international authorities, charged with administrating KimWolf DDoS botnetRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A criminal complaint was unsealed in the District of Alaska today charging a Canadian man with operating the KimWolf Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) Internet of Things (IoT) botnet. The U.S. complaint was unsealed following the defendant’s arrest in Canada by Canadian authorities.
According to court documents, on April 10, 2026, U.S. authorities criminally charged Jacob Butler, aka “Dort,” 23, of Ottawa, Canada, with offenses related to the development and operation of the KimWolf botnet. KimWolf was a DDoS-for-hire service which infected over a million devices worldwide, including devices located in Alaska. The complaint remained sealed pending Butler’s arrest.
Following coordination with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Butler was taken into custody yesterday in Ottawa, Canada, pursuant to an extradition warrant.
In March 2026, U.S. authorities, in partnership with international law enforcement partners, conducted a court-authorized law enforcement operation to seize Command and Control (C2) infrastructure used by the Aisuru, KimWolf, JackSkid and Mossad IoT botnets.
According to court documents, KimWolf targeted infected devices which were traditionally “firewalled” from the rest of the internet, such as digital photo frames and web cameras. The infected devices were enslaved by the botnet operators. The operators then used a “cybercrime as a service” model to sell access to the infected devices to other cybercriminals. The operators and their customers forced the victim devices to participate in DDoS attacks, targeting computers and servers located throughout the world, including Department of Defense Information Network (DoDIN) IP addresses.
KimWolf was tied to DDoS attacks which were measured at nearly 30 Terabits per second, a record in recorded DDoS attack volume. These attacks resulted in financial losses which, for some victims, exceeded one million dollars. The KimWolf botnet is alleged to have issued over 25,000 attack commands.
Law enforcement allegedly connected Butler to the administration of the KimWolf botnet through IP address, online account information, transaction records, and online messaging application records obtained through the issuance of legal process.
In addition to Butler’s arrest, the Central District of California unsealed seizure warrants which targeted online services supporting 45 DDoS-for-hire platforms. These seizures broadly disrupted the DDoS platforms, including at least one that collaborated with Butler’s KimWolf botnet. U.S. authorities also seized domain records associated with many of these services, redirecting them to an authorized “splash page,” which displays a warning to potential visitors that DDoS services are illegal.
Butler is charged with one count of aiding and abetting computer intrusion. If convicted, Butler faces up to 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Kenneth DeChellis of the DCIS Cyber Field Office made the announcement.
DCIS is investigating the case, with assistance from the FBI Anchorage Field Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California handled the recent infrastructure seizures.
International partners in this investigation included the Ontario Provincial Police, Sûreté du Québec, Royal Canadian Mounted Police and German Bundeskriminalamt (BKA).
Additionally, the U.S. Justice Department thanks Akamai, Amazon Web Services, Cloudflare, DigitalOcean, Epieos, Google, Hydrolix, Lumen, Nokia, Oracle, PayPal, Registrar of Last Resort, Salesforce Counter-Threat Ops, The Shadowserver Foundation, Sony Interactive Entertainment, SpyCloud, Synthient, Team Cymru, Unit 221B, XLAB and EUROPOL’s PowerOFF team for their assistance provided during this investigation and operation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case.
If anyone has information on the alleged threats or other DDoS threats, please contact U.S. authorities at [email protected].
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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Bryant Man Sentenced to 30 Months in 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 Judge Charles B. Kornmann sentenced a Bryant, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Jerry Allan Kretzschmar, 44, was sentenced to two years and six 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.
Kretzschmar was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 8, 2025.
On February 5, 2025, investigators with the Hamlin County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at Kretzschmar’s residence in Bryant. The search yielded numerous firearms and drug-related items. Investigators then obtained a second search warrant for a farm property south of Bryant, which Kretzschmar utilized for storage. Several additional firearms were located during the search of that property. A total of 12 firearms were seized between the two properties. Kretzschmar is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a previous felony conviction.
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 Hamlin County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Kretzschmar was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Bozeman woman sentenced to prison for bank fraud and money launderingRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Bozeman woman who obtained federal COVID relief funds through fraud was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
Alaina Marie Garcia, 41, previously pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of bank fraud and one count of money laundering.
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 government alleged in court documents that on May 5, 2020, Garcia, as an authorized representative of Bluebird Property Rentals LLC, an entity she controlled, applied for and was approved for a Payroll Protection Program (PPP) loan through Celtic Bank in the amount of $613,000. In the PPP application, Garcia falsely stated Bluebird Property Rentals LLC had paid payroll taxes and had 32 employees with an average monthly payroll expense of $245,533. None of these statements were true.
In reality, Garcia and Bluebird Property Rentals LLC had no employees and had never paid payroll taxes. Both of these fraudulent statements were material as they affected Garcia’s eligibility to receive the loan and the amount she received. Without these fraudulent statements, the loan would not have been issued.
In the loan application, Garcia also agreed the funds “will be used to retain workers and maintain payroll or make mortgage interest payments, lease payments, and utility payments, as specified under the Paycheck Protection Program Rule.” Instead, Garcia spent the funds on personal expenses for her private benefit. Most of the funds were used to purchase a large piece of property in the Bozeman area. On May 11, 2020, Garcia transferred $548,000 of the loan proceeds to Axilon Law Group as a part of this real estate transaction.
On July 25, 2020, Garcia applied for and was granted forgiveness of the loan. To obtain forgiveness, Garcia falsely claimed to have used the funds for qualified expenses including payroll and business mortgage interest payments. None of these statements were true.
“While business owners and families were struggling during the COVID pandemic, Garcia was scheming to defraud the Paycheck Protection Program for personal gain,” said Amanda Prestegard, Special Agent in Charge of IRS‑CI’s Denver Field Office. “IRS‑CI has dedicated significant resources to investigating and uncovering COVID‑relief fraud and holding those who stole from these programs accountable continues to be a top priority.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin Rubich prosecuted the case. The Internal Revenue Service and Small Business Administration conducted the investigation.
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Billings man pleads guilty to drug chargesRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings man who trafficked significant amounts of methamphetamine admitted to charges today, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Joshua Jacob Best, 40, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Best faces 15 years to life in prison, a $20,000,000 fine, at least 10 years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for October 1, 2026. Best remained detained pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that a drug smuggling ring run out of Mexico and operating in Wyoming, South Dakota, California, and Montana, had operators in Billings. Billings police learned through an informant in June 2023 that Raymond Best was bringing “pounds of meth” and other drug into Billings.
Over the course of the next several months, investigators learned Best’s brother, Joshua Best, was helping move cash and drugs between Mexico and Billings. During an undercover operation in October 2023, Joshua Best arranged to deliver $67,000 in the Walmart parking lot to an undercover agent who would then transport the money to the Los Angeles area. Best showed up to make the drop in a black Chevy Camaro.
In January 2024, following a lead from the DEA, law enforcement pulled over a courier in a rental car after it had left Des Moines, Iowa, and discovered 57 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 1 kilogram of cocaine and approximately 2 pounds of marijuana. The rental car had been arranged by Joshua Best, who was the contact to pick up the drugs once they reached Billings.
Then in March 2024, Joshua Best crashed a black Chevy Camaro on Monad Road. He ran from the scene, dropping two heat-sealed bags as he fled. Officers served a search warrant on the Camaro and found a vacuum sealed bag containing 496.4 grams of methamphetamine on the driver’s side floor. Also in the car were numerous documents belonging to Joshua Best even though he was not the registered owner.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Montana comprises agents and officers from a number of federal agencies as well as drug task forces throughout the state, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The Billings Police Department and Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
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Armed Kent, Washington, drug trafficker sentenced to six years in prison for role in a family-led drug conspiracyRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 33-year-old Kent, Washington, resident who evidence shows participated in a drug trafficking conspiracy while armed with firearms, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to six years in prison for drug trafficking, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Treyvon Mitchell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in March 2026. Mitchell was identified as a member of the Jackson Family Drug Trafficking Organization that was indicted with 14 arrests in October 2024. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Jamal N. Whitehead said, “You were part of a conspiracy to distribute drugs across state lines and you were armed while doing it…fentanyl is already deadly on its own. People died here. Three people died in one day on the Lummi reservation from fentanyl that this conspiracy was pumping into that community…that was the business you were in. And the guns made it worse.”
“This wire-tap investigation revealed Mr. Mitchell and alleged drug trafficking leader Marquise Jackson discussing their drug distribution conspiracy as well as sex trafficking activity,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. “Equally disturbing, a gun seized in a search of Mitchell’s home has been tied to three different Seattle shootings. This sentence is needed to protect the public.”
According to records filed in the case, Mitchell was identified as a co-conspirator in the Jackson Family drug distribution ring. Mitchell was a high-level member of the group which distributed more than 800,000 fentanyl pills throughout the United States, including in Arizona, Texas, Missouri, Montana, and Georgia. Over the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 846,000 fentanyl pills, nearly 7 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 7 kilograms of cocaine and 29 firearms. They also seized more than $116,000 in cash.
In October 2024, the home Mitchell shared with his mother was searched by law enforcement. Four firearms were recovered as well as cocaine, fentanyl pills, marijuana and other drugs. One of the firearms has been linked to shell casings found at the
scenes of three Seattle-area shootings: a June 2021 shooting that left two injured near an elementary school in central Seattle; a September 2021 shooting in Burien where Mitchell’s mother’s ex-boyfriend was pistol-whipped and his car was shot up; and a July 2022 shooting outside a bar in Renton.
Both Mitchell and Marquise Jackson are known members of the street gang 44 Holly Crips. Mitchell denies belonging to the street gang, but his text messages as well as assorted jewelry seized in the case indicate he is a member. Mitchell’s gold chains, seized by law enforcement as proceeds of crime, are adorned with a large diamond encrusted gold “44” and other symbols tied to his street name “Makin Money Mitch.”
Evidence in the case indicates that Mitchell’s criminal association with the Jackson drug trafficking organization dates back to December 2020 and that he began working as a drug distributor no later than January 2023. Mitchell was indicted in April 2025.
In asking for an 87-month prison sentence prosecutors wrote to the court that Mitchell was no mere pawn in the drug conspiracy saying, “Mitchell also participated in the planning and organizing of the criminal activity and exercised decision-making authority over his drugs. Intercepted texts from Mitchell’s phone show him plotting with other co-conspirators to obtain a supplier of fentanyl pills, agreeing to profit sharing, and determining the price he would sell the pill drugs for.”
“Mr. Mitchell was a trusted associate of the leadership of this drug trafficking organization, helping to distribute huge amounts of fentanyl across the United States,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “Let this sentence send a message that the FBI and our partners are committed to removing highly dangerous and addictive drugs from our communities and combatting the violent crime that so often accompanies it.”
“Fentanyl trafficking and gun violence go hand in hand, and this case demonstrates the devastating impact these criminal organizations have on our communities,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “This defendant helped fuel a conspiracy responsible for distributing hundreds of thousands of deadly fentanyl pills and possessing a firearm tied to multiple shootings. DEA’s Fentanyl Free America focuses on disrupting these violent trafficking networks, reducing the availability of fentanyl, and saving American lives. Through strong partnerships with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement, we are making our communities safer.”
These investigations and prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159. 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.
This case is being investigated by the FBI, (Seattle, Phoenix, Atlanta, Kansas City, Dallas, Las Vegas, Montana), DEA (Seattle, Kansas City, Wichita, Montana), the Seattle Police Department, King County Sheriff’s Office, Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force, the Lummi Police Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and United States Border Patrol Blaine Sector Targeting and Intelligence Division.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zach Dillon, Crystal Correa, and Michael Harder.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Devin Adams, a multi-convicted felon, was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down today by United States District Judge D. P. Marshall, Jr.
A federal grand jury indicted Adams, 32, of Alexander, in a one-count Superseding Indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. On October 29, 2025, Adams pleaded guilty to the charge in the Superseding Indictment. Judge Marshall also sentenced Adams to two years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
An investigation revealed that officers with the Little Rock Police Department observed a vehicle driven by Adams speeding and conducted a traffic stop. Officers learned during the traffic stop that Adams was on probation and had a search waiver on file. When asked by officers to exit the vehicle, Adams complied and advised officers he had two hydrocodone pills in his pocket. Upon a search of Adams’ person, officers located the two hydrocodone pills, an oxycodone pill, and a loaded Kel Tec, model P11 9mm firearm in his pants.
Adams has at least three prior convictions for a felony drug offense and is therefore classified as an armed career criminal. His criminal history includes one conviction for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and five convictions for possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the Little Rock Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reese Lancaster.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
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@USAO_EDAR
A National from Turkey Pleads Guilty to Encouraging and Inducing Illegal Aliens to Reside within the US IllegallyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Turkish National pleaded guilty to one count of knowingly encouraging and inducing illegal aliens to reside within the U.S. illegally.
Berk Balgic, 26, pleaded guilty today before Federal Magistrate Judge David P. Rush for knowingly encouraging and inducing illegal aliens to reside illegally within the United States. Mr. Balgic, who owned both Flaming Margaritas – Mexican Kitchen and Flaming Margaritas – American Kitchen in Branson, Mo., knowingly hired individuals who were within the United States either illegally or in conflict with their stated visas, to enter and remain in this country. Mr. Balgic, either himself or through others, directed these individuals to obtain false and fraudulent documents that appeared to support that they were in compliance with United States immigration laws, when in fact, they were not. Mr. Balgic received a material economic benefit from his illegal hirings by paying these works less than those who were either citizens of the United States or legally within this country.
On Aug. 20, 2025, agents with Homeland Security Investigation (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO), along with other federal agencies, executed search warrants at the residence and restaurants of Mr. Balgic. This coordinated law enforcement action successfully located evidence and identified at least 13 individuals that Mr. Balgic knowingly and illegally employed at his two restaurants. During the investigation, HSI agents determined that Mr. Balgic had been knowingly hiring illegal immigrants to work at his restaurants starting at least in August of 2024, and continuing until Aug. 20, 2025, when law enforcement executed warrants.
Within the plea agreement between the United States and Mr. Balgic, he admitted his criminal conduct and agreed to consent to a request for judicial removal from the United State at the time of his sentencing. Immediately after being sentenced by the district court, Mr. Balgic will be taken into custody and then processed through an expedited deportation process that will return him to his native country of Turkey.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs, Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Operation Take Back America
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.
4,000 Videos and 17,000 Images of CSAM Sends Booneville man to federal prison and paying over $100,000.00 to the VictimsRead the Press Release
OXFORD, Miss. – A Booneville, Mississippi man was sentenced today to four years in prison for possessing images and videos of children under 12 engaging in sexually explicit conduct. Additionally, he was sentenced to ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender where he lives, where he works, and where he is a student. United States District Judge Michael Mills also ordered $107,000 as restitution to this man’s victims.
According to court documents, Joshua Honeycutt, 42, was found with over 4,000 videos and 17,000 images of child sexual abuse material. Many of the images portrayed children between 5 and 10 years old.
The FBI, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office and Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department were all involved in the investigation of the case.
United States Attorney Scott Leary stated, “All children are safer now that this person has been locked up. Not only will he have to serve time in a federal prison, but he will also be forced to register as a sex offender everywhere he goes. While money does not begin to make up for the victimization of these children, the restitution in this case will help the victims get the assistance they need. I am thankful for the partnership our office continues to have with our Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Prentiss County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”
“Every video viewed and image produced contributes to the ongoing harm and victimization of vulnerable children,” stated Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office, Robert Eikhoff. “Honeycutt exploited the innocence of our youth, and such conduct will not be tolerated. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain dedicated to aggressively combating child sexual exploitation and protecting children from further abuse.”
“Child sexual abuse is a horrific crime that does extraordinary physical, mental, and emotional damage to the victim. And when it is recorded or photographed, that child’s trauma occurs over and over again,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “I appreciate the strong partnership our office has with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI. Together, we are dedicated to serving justice for the victims and making Mississippi a safer place for every child.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker S. King prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (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.
Wednesday 20 May 2026
Woman Sentenced for Assault on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – On May 20, 2026, a Pearl River woman was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison for an assault that occurred on the Choctaw Indian Reservation. Additionally, once she is released, she will be placed on supervised release for three years.
According to court documents, Amery Renee Ketcher, 31, used a knife to assault another tribal member resulting in serious bodily injury. Ketcher was indicted by a federal grand jury in March of 2025 and pleaded guilty to the charge in February of 2026.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger and Gabriel Billie, Director of Choctaw Public Safety, made the announcement.
The Choctaw Police Department investigated the case.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
United States Unseals Superseding Indictment Charging Raul Castro and Five Castro Regime Co-Defendants for 1996 Shoot-Down of Brothers to the Rescue AircraftRead the Press Release
Raul Modesto Castro RuzThe U.S. Department of Justice today announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, 94, of Holguin, Cuba; along with Lorenzo Alberto Perez‑Perez of Las Tunas, Cuba; Emilio José Palacio Blanco; José Fidel Gual Barzaga; Raul Simanca Cardenas; and Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, for their alleged roles in the Feb. 24, 1996 shoot‑down of two unarmed U.S. civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR), also known as Hermanos al Rescate, over international waters.
“Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens. President Trump and this Justice Department are committed to restoring a simple principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are. No matter what title you hold.”
“Today’s superseding indictment of Raul Castro and five Castro regime co-defendants is a major step toward accountability in the 1996 murders of four Brothers to the Rescue members - including three U.S citizens - Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr, Mario de la Pena, and Pablo Morales,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “For 30 years these families have waited for answers - and this FBI never forgot. We will continue working with our Justice Department partners to bring to justice those who attacked our civilians.”
“For 30 years, the families of these men have waited. The Miami community has waited. Our country has waited. Today is a step toward accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This passage of time does not erase murder. It does not diminish the value of these lives. And it does not weaken our commitment to the rule of law.”
BTTR was an organization based in Miami that conducted humanitarian flight operations across the Florida Straits to search for Cuban migrants in distress. As alleged, beginning in the early 1990s, Cuban intelligence agents infiltrated the organization and relayed detailed information about its flight operations back to the Cuban government. These reports were allegedly used by military leadership in planning the Feb. 24, 1996 operation.
The superseding indictment charges conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.
According to the allegations, on Feb. 24, 1996, three BTTR aircraft flew from South Florida toward Cuba. Cuban military fighter jets under the chain of command overseen by Raul Castro fired air‑to‑air missiles at two unarmed civilian Cessna aircraft — destroying them without warning while they were flying outside Cuban territory, killing four U.S. nationals, including three U.S. citizens: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales.
Rodriguez in a MiG fighter jetThe indictment further alleges that, in the weeks prior to the attack, Cuban military pilots conducted training exercises designed to locate and intercept slow‑moving civilian aircraft. On the day of the incident, three BTTR planes departed from Opa‑locka Airport for a planned humanitarian flight south of the 24th parallel. Two of the aircraft — tail numbers N2456S and N5485S — were allegedly targeted and shot down in international airspace, resulting in the deaths of all four victims.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment on the murder and conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals counts. Castro Ruz and Perez-Perez face up to five years in prison for each of the destruction of aircraft counts. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of any defendant will be determined by a judge.
Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, 65, of Havana, Cuba, is in U.S. custody pending sentencing later this month in the Middle District of Florida for making false statements in an immigration document.
Luis Raul Gonzalez-Pardo Rodriguez and Lorenzo Alberto Perez-PerezThe U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledged the assistance of the Florida Attorney General’s Office. “We are grateful for the support provided by Attorney General James Uthmeier and his team during this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones.
Today’s announcement is in conjunction with a ceremony at the Freedom Tower in Miami to honor the victims. Participants at today’s press conference included Acting Attorney General Blanche, U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, U.S. Senator Ashley Moody, Deputy Director Christopher G. Raia of the FBI, and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman and Michael E. Gilfarb for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with the investigation led by the FBI Miami Field Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Unseals Superseding Indictment Charging Raul Castro and Five Castro Regime Co-Defendants for 1996 Shoot-Down of Brothers to the Rescue AircraftRead the Press Release
MIAMI – The U.S. Department of Justice today announced the unsealing of a superseding indictment charging Raul Modesto Castro Ruz, 94, of Holguin, Cuba; along with Lorenzo Alberto Perez‑Perez of Las Tunas, Cuba; Emilio José Palacio Blanco; José Fidel Gual Barzaga; Raul Simanca Cardenas; and Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, for their alleged roles in the Feb. 24, 1996 shoot‑down of two unarmed U.S. civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue (BTTR), also known as Hermanos al Rescate, over international waters.
“Over three decades later, we are committed to holding those accountable for the murders of four brave Americans: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña, and Pablo Morales,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “For the first time in nearly 70 years, senior leadership of the Cuban regime has been charged in the United States for alleged acts of violence resulting in the deaths of American citizens. President Trump and this Justice Department are committed to restoring a simple principle: if you kill Americans, we will pursue you. No matter who you are. No matter what title you hold.”
“Today’s superseding indictment of Raul Castro and five Castro regime co-defendants is a major step toward accountability in the 1996 murders of four Brothers to the Rescue members - including three U.S citizens - Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr, Mario de la Pena, and Pablo Morales,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “For 30 years these families have waited for answers - and this FBI never forgot. We will continue working with our Justice Department partners to bring to justice those who attacked our civilians.”
“For 30 years, the families of these men have waited. The Miami community has waited. Our country has waited. Today is a step toward accountability,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This passage of time does not erase murder. It does not diminish the value of these lives. And it does not weaken our commitment to the rule of law.”
BTTR was an organization based in Miami that conducted humanitarian flight operations across the Florida Straits to search for Cuban migrants in distress. As alleged, beginning in the early 1990s, Cuban intelligence agents infiltrated the organization and relayed detailed information about its flight operations back to the Cuban government. These reports were allegedly used by military leadership in planning the Feb. 24, 1996 operation.
The superseding indictment charges conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals, two counts of destruction of aircraft, and four counts of murder.
According to the allegations, on Feb. 24, 1996, three BTTR aircraft flew from South Florida toward Cuba. Cuban military fighter jets under the chain of command overseen by Raul Castro fired air‑to‑air missiles at two unarmed civilian Cessna aircraft — destroying them without warning while they were flying outside Cuban territory, killing four U.S. nationals, including three U.S. citizens: Carlos Costa, Armando Alejandre Jr., Mario de la Peña and Pablo Morales.
The indictment further alleges that, in the weeks prior to the attack, Cuban military pilots conducted training exercises designed to locate and intercept slow‑moving civilian aircraft. On the day of the incident, three BTTR planes departed from Opa‑locka Airport for a planned humanitarian flight south of the 24th parallel. Two of the aircraft — tail numbers N2456S and N5485S — were allegedly targeted and shot down in international airspace, resulting in the deaths of all four victims.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment on the murder and conspiracy to kill U.S. nationals counts. Castro Ruz and Perez-Perez face up to five years in prison for each of the destruction of aircraft counts. The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencing of any defendant will be determined by a judge.
Luis Raul Gonzalez‑Pardo Rodriguez, 65, of Havana, Cuba, is in U.S. custody pending sentencing later this month in the Middle District of Florida for making false statements in an immigration document.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledged the assistance of the Florida Attorney General’s Office. “We are grateful for the support provided by Attorney General James Uthmeier and his team during this investigation,” said U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones.
Today’s announcement is in conjunction with a ceremony at the Freedom Tower in Miami to honor the victims. Participants at today’s press conference included Acting Attorney General Blanche, U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, U.S. Senator Ashley Moody, Deputy Director Christopher G. Raia of the FBI, and Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abbie D. Waxman and Michael E. Gilfarb for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case, with the investigation led by the FBI Miami Field Office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 03-cr-20685.
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United States Attorney’s Office to honor 99-year-old Veteran Robert Gill as Hometown Hero during Award Ceremony on Thursday, May 21, 2026Read the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – in celebration of Memorial Day and our nation’s upcoming 250th birthday, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois and U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft proudly recognize Robert “Bob” Gill, 99, from Jerseyville, as the recipient of the Hometown Hero Award.
Over the course of his 30-year military career, Gill served the United States in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Gill’s lifetime of extraordinary service is an inspiration to communities across Southern Illinois and throughout the nation.
Sgt. Gill will be honored at an award ceremony held at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 1:00 pm. Media is invited to attend.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Local Patrol Officer for HeroismRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer recently recognized a local patrol officer for his acts of heroism to save a mother and her children from a violent criminal.
Patrol Officer Ali Sabeiha, of the Elyria Police Department, was presented with the Freedom 250 Hometown Hero Award for the Northern District of Ohio. The award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The Hometown Hero Award honors the enduring ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility. This award is dedicated in recognition of a steadfast commitment to these ideals and an embodiment of the spirit upon which our Nation was founded.
On Jan. 21, 2026, Officer Sabeiha was on official duty responding to an armed robbery in Elyria. When the pursuit of the suspect’s vehicle ended, the suspect fled on foot. Armed with a firearm, he ran into a residential area where he encountered a mother entering her residence with her four young children. The suspect forcibly entered the home and took the mother hostage at gunpoint.
Despite the danger, and without hesitation or concern for his own safety, Officer Sabeiha rushed into the residence knowing that there were innocent lives at stake. Once inside, he confronted the armed suspect who was actively holding the mother at gunpoint. With exceptional composure, sound judgment, and tactical proficiency, Officer Sabeiha successfully incapacitated the suspect.
Dana Linden, Elyria Police Department“We are grateful for Officer Sabeiha’s actions that day to save a mother and her children from a violent and dangerous criminal. His professionalism in the face of danger is a testament to his unwavering commitment to keep the public safe. It is our honor to recognize him as the Hometown Hero that he is, and for his exemplary service to his department and our community.” - U.S. Attorney Toepfer
U.S. Attorney’s Office Presents Hometown Hero Award to Retired Pittsburgh Police Officer in Recognition of His Bravery and Dedication During Tree of Life Synagogue ShootingRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania this morning presented former Pittsburgh Bureau of Police (PBP) officer Daniel Mead with a U.S. Department of Justice/United States Attorney’s Office “Hometown Hero Award” during a brief ceremony held at PBP headquarters. Mead received the award in front of PBP’s command staff.
Offered in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America, the Hometown Hero Award honors the enduring ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility, and is bestowed in recognition of brave men and women who exemplify steadfast commitment to these ideals and embody the spirit upon which our nation was founded.
The award was presented to Mead, now retired, in recognition of his courage and sacrifice during the October 27, 2018, Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, where Officer Mead and his partner, Michael Smidga, were the first to arrive at the Synagogue that morning in response to the harrowing 911 calls about an active shooter. Armed only with a handgun, Mead quickly approached the entrance of the Synagogue and observed the shooter inside of the building before being shot through the hand and needing to retreat. Mead was one of four police officers and SWAT operators to be shot and injured by the shooter, who killed 11 congregants and seriously wounded two others during his antisemitic attack.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is pleased to honor Daniel Mead with the Western District of Pennsylvania’s Hometown Hero Award in conjunction with the celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday,” said United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. “Nearly eight years after the shooting, our gratitude and admiration for the heroic bravery and selfless dedication of the first responders that day endures. On the morning of October 27, 2018, Officer Mead walked directly into the line of fire in fulfillment of his sworn duty to uphold the law and protect his fellow citizens. Today, we honor him. He is Pittsburgh’s Hometown Hero.”
U.S. Attorney Rivetti with Daniel Mead Daniel Mead with U.S. Attorney Rivetti, Officer Smidga, Tree of Life survivors, and PBP Chief Lando Daniel Mead with PBP command staffU.S. Attorney’s Office Presents Hometown Hero Award to Detective Sergeant Dayerrick IrelandRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: U.S. Attorney Andrew B. Benson this morning presented Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Detective Sergeant Dayerrick Ireland with a U.S. Department of Justice/United States Attorney’s Office “Hometown Hero Award” during a ceremony held at the United States Attorney’s Office in Bangor. Ireland received the award in front of his family and Sheriff’s Office command staff.
The Hometown Hero award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. Every U.S. Attorney in the country chose one recipient of the award, which honors the many contributions local law enforcement officers make to preserving and improving their communities and protecting their fellow citizens. The award honors the enduring ideals of service and civic responsibility and is bestowed in recognition of the brave men and women who exemplify steadfast commitment to these ideals and embody the spirit upon which our nation was founded.
U.S. Attorney Benson noted during his remarks that local law enforcement officers play a vital role in protecting Maine communities but acknowledged that these occupations involve long hours and tremendous sacrifice not only for the officers but for their family and friends.
Detective Sergeant Ireland is currently assigned to the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division and has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 2022. In 2025, Det. Sgt. Ireland was selected as a full-time FBI Task Force Officer. During his time with the Sheriff’s Office and FBI, he has investigated child sexual assault/child pornography cases, fatal accidents, police-involved shootings, homicides, and many other felony-level crimes. Det. Sgt. Ireland’s tireless investigative efforts have led to the arrests and convictions of numerous individuals, both in Maine and in other states, who have engaged in acts of child sexual exploitation. Earlier this year, Det. Sgt. Ireland was recognized at the Maine Sheriffs’ Association award dinner as Deputy of the Year.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to present this award to Dayerrick Ireland, and pleased that he could receive it in the company of his family and colleagues,” U.S. Attorney Benson said. “His work on behalf of some of the most vulnerable victims in our communities highlights the difference that one committed public servant can make.”
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Two Luzerne County Men Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Jhaquil Moore, a/k/a “Twizz,” age 30, of Hughestown, Pennsylvania, and Keith Hayes, age 34, of Jenkins Township, Pennsylvania, were indicted on May 19, 2026, by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking offenses.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that between on or about February 1, 2026, and May 12, 2026, Moore and Hayes conspired to distribute quantities of cocaine in Luzerne County, and elsewhere. The indictment further alleges that on six occasions between February 2025 and April 2026, Moore and Hayes distributed quantities of cocaine within Luzerne County. The indictment further alleges that on May 12, 2026, Hayes possessed a stolen Glock 43x pistol, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison.
The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Luzerne County Drug Task Force, the Kingston Police Department, and the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney James M. Buchanan is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is imprisonment for twenty years, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Two Individuals Arrested for Publishing AI Deepfake Pornography in Violation of TAKE IT DOWN ActRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, two criminal complaints were unsealed charging Cornelius Shannon and Arturo Hernandez with violations of the TAKE IT DOWN Act, which was enacted one year ago and prohibits the nonconsensual publication of AI-generated digital forgeries (deepfake) pornography. Shannon and Hernandez allegedly posted thousands of images and videos that appeared to depict real people nude and/or engaging in sexual acts. The victims included actresses, singers and political figures. Hernandez also posted hundreds of depictions of non-public figures appearing to engage in sexual acts. Hernandez was arrested today in Bedias, Texas, and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date. Shannon was arrested today in New Jersey and will appear this afternoon in Brooklyn before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg.
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 arrests.
“As alleged, the defendants used cutting-edge digital technology to create images that degraded and violated victims across the United States,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This case makes clear that posting deepfake pornography is not a victimless crime, and our Office will pursue the criminals who engage in this reprehensible conduct with all the legal resources that the federal government can bring to bear, including new authorities granted by Congress to address these emerging forms of psychological, reputational, and financial abuse.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI field offices in Houston, Texas, and Newark, New Jersey, for their assistance with the case.
“The individuals arrested today are being charged for their alleged roles in a scheme to create and distribute vile deepfake pornography using artificial intelligence,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “This predatory conduct represents a disturbing abuse of technology that inflicts emotional harm on victims, violating their privacy, dignity, and security. The use of this emerging technology to victimize individuals is not innovative – it is criminal and will be pursued with the full force of the law.”
On April 28, 2025, Congress passed the TAKE IT DOWN Act, a bill that criminalizes the nonconsensual publication of intimate images, including deepfakes. The TAKE IT DOWN Act is an acronym that stands for “Tools to Address Known Exploitation by Immobilizing Technological Deepfakes on Websites and Networks Act.” The TAKE IT DOWN Act was intended to combat so-called revenge porn, or pornography posted of an intimate partner without their consent, and non-consensual deepfake material created to simulate a real person.
United States v. Cornelius Shannon
As detailed in court filings, Shannon has published deepfake pornographic material depicting female victims to an image- and video-sharing internet platform designed for creators to share adult and explicit content. Since May 19, 2025, Shannon has published at least 360 albums containing AI deepfake pornography depicting approximately 90 different female victims. The content published by Shannon has been viewed millions of times.United States v. Arturo Hernandez
Hernandez is similarly alleged to have published deepfake pornographic material depicting female victims to a website. Since approximately May 19, 2025, Hernandez has published approximately 113 albums on the website which contained deepfake content depicting approximately 50 different identifiable female victims, including individuals who are not public figures. The albums contain non-explicit images of identifiable individuals which morph into deepfake depictions of the individuals in various stages of undress or engaging in sexually explicit conduct. The content published by Hernandez has been viewed nearly a million times.
The charges in the complaints are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charge, the defendants each face up to two years’ imprisonment.
If you are aware of non-consensually published intimate visual depictions posted on the internet, you can advise the authorities through the Internet Crime Complaint Center, https://www.ic3.gov/, or through the FBI tip line: 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
As part of its enforcement role, the Federal Trade Commission has launched TakeItDown.ftc.gov, a website allowing victims and survivors to submit complaints about platforms that have failed to act on valid requests for the removal of nonconsensual intimate images. The website also accepts complaints about platforms that have failed to create a process for people to request removal of these images.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security & Cybercrime Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicholas J. Moscow and Molly N. Delaney are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Eastern District of New York Investigator Jeffrey Tarkin and Paralegal Specialist Emily Woodruff. Assistant United States Attorney Madeline O’Connor of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section is handling forfeiture matters.
The Defendants:
CORNELIUS SHANNON
Age: 51
Hasbrouck Heights, New JerseyARTURO HERNANDEZ
Age: 20
Bedias, TexasE.D.N.Y. Docket Nos. 26-MJ-96 and 26-MJ-97
hernandez_complaint_redacted.pdf shannon_complaint_redacted.pdfTwo Defense Contractors Arrested for Bribery and Major Fraud Conspiracy Scheme Affecting Department of War Technology Innovation ContractsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced criminal charges against Leonard Pick, 62, of Palm Beach Shores, Florida, and Brian Kent, 59, of Tampa, Florida, for orchestrating a bribery and major fraud conspiracy that corrupted the competitive procurement process for a Department of War technology innovation lab in the Pacific. The defendants’ alleged conduct specifically affected the construction and operation of the U.S. Army Pacific Command’s Hawaii-Pacific Innovation Campus, which was intended to be a hub for testing new technologies for the Department of War.
The indictment, filed in the District of Hawaii on May 14 and unsealed today, alleges that, from January 2021 to October 2022, Pick and Kent conspired to bribe a U.S. Army employee with approximately $1.25 million over five years and fraudulently inflated government contracting costs to include the U.S. Army employee’s bribe payments. The indictment further alleges that, from approximately September 2020, up to and including October 2022, defendant Kent further defrauded the government by inflating government contract costs to include approximately $680,000 in payments intended for and sent to Kent’s personal consulting business.
“When defense contractors obtain government-funded work through bribery and fraud, they rob our military and the American people of the benefits of a fair, competitive procurement process,” said Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Daniel W. Glad of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division and its partners in the Procurement Collusion Strike Force will vigorously prosecute those that seek to profit at the expense of American taxpayers.”
“Government contracts must be awarded based on fair competition, not secret bribes hidden in inflated costs,” said Acting Director of Criminal Enforcement Paul V. Courtney of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “Those who corrupt the procurement process and defraud the American taxpayer should know this: we will find you, prosecute you, and hold you accountable.”
“Corruption in our military procurement processes harms honest companies seeking to compete fairly, steals from our taxpayers, and erodes faith in our government institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii. “We remain committed to holding accountable in federal court any defense contractors who attempt to undermine fair competition through bribery and corrupt practices.”
“The criminal conduct uncovered in this investigation represents a profound betrayal of the public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge David Porter of the FBI Honolulu Field Office. “The defendants used bribery and fraud to obtain significant defense contracts, prioritizing personal profit over national security. Let this serve as a clear warning — the FBI and our federal partners will aggressively pursue and hold accountable anyone who attempts to corrupt government procurement processes for personal gain.”
“Those who scheme for ill-gotten profits through unscrupulous and shady dealings should take heed of these very serious charges,” said Special Agent in Charge Stanley A. Newell of the Department of War, Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Transnational Operations Field Office. “Swindling the American taxpayers through corruption and fraud will never be tolerated by the dedicated professionals of DCIS and our partner agencies. We are steadfast in our commitment to ensure the integrity of the U.S. military procurement system and hold those who threaten it accountable.”
“Those who attempt to corrupt government processes for personal gain undermine public trust,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Bjornstad of the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Inspector General Western Investigations Division. “GSA OIG special agents will continue working with our law enforcement partners to thoroughly investigate those who abuse positions of trust and responsibility.”
“Bribery and conspiracy within the defense supply chain are more than just financial crimes; they represent a direct threat to our mission readiness and the safety of our service members,” said Special Agent in Charge Greg Gross of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Economic Crimes Field Office. “NCIS will continue working tirelessly alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle corrupt networks and safeguard the resources necessary to support our warfighters.”
Defendants Pick and Kent are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and major fraud against the United States, one count of bribery, one count of major fraud against the United States, and one count of wire fraud. Kent is also charged with a second count of major fraud against the United States. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to commit bribery and major fraud is five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The maximum penalty for bribery is 15 years in prison and a fine of either $250,000 or three times the monetary value of the bribe, whichever is greater. The maximum penalty for major fraud against the United States is 10 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine. The maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The fines may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime if either amount is greater than the statutory maximum fines. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
These indictments result from ongoing federal investigations into fraud and collusion in the defense contracting industry in Hawaii. The investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s San Francisco Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of the Army Criminal Investigative Division, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. General Services Administration’s Office of Inspector General, and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). Trial Attorneys Nolan Mayther, Andrew Schupanitz and Kylie McLaughlin, and Senior Litigation Counsel Mikal Condon, are prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department’s Procurement Collusion Strike Force (PCSF) is a joint law enforcement effort to combat antitrust crimes and related fraudulent schemes that impact government procurement, grant and program funding at all levels of government — federal, state and local. To learn more about the PCSF, or to report information on bid rigging, price fixing, market allocation and other anticompetitive conduct related to government spending, go to www.justice.gov/procurement-collusion-strike-force.
Whistleblowers who voluntarily report original information about antitrust and related offenses that result in criminal fines or other recoveries of at least $1 million may be eligible to receive a whistleblower reward. Whistleblower awards can range from 15 to 30 percent of the money collected. For more information on the Antitrust Whistleblower Rewards Program, including a link to submit reports, visit www.justice.gov/atr/whistleblower-rewards.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Colombian Nationals Unlawfully in the United States Plead Guilty to Interstate Burglary Conspiracy Targeting Asian American Business OwnersRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— Two Colombian nationals unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty in federal court for their roles in a multi-state burglary conspiracy that targeted Asian American small business owners in Oregon and Washington.
Derinson Martinez-Grandas, 34, and Steven Alexander Quiroga-Solano, 27, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods.
According to court documents, in early October 2025, Martinez-Grandas, Quiroga-Solano, and their co-conspirators burglarized four homes belonging to victims in multiple states, including Oregon and Washington.
Martinez-Grandas, Quiroga-Solano, and their co-conspirators traveled state to state and targeted homes for burglary by performing internet research on potential Asian American targets. They stayed in short-term rentals and identified and surveilled potential burglary victims, all Asian American small business owners, and then performed reconnaissance on the victims’ residences.
When they carried out the burglaries, the defendants employed signal jamming technology, perimeter countersurveillance, and communicated on seven-way group calls. They entered their victims’ homes by shattering glass doors. Once inside, they ransacked residences, stealing United States and foreign currency, jewelry, designer handbags, purses, wallets, travel documents, and other valuables. After the burglaries, the crew returned to their short-term rental to package the proceeds for transport, transfer, or transmittal.
Following a burglary in Salem, detectives learned that the defendants returned to their rental in Eugene and executed a search warrant at the rental that night. Investigators recovered money and property, believed to be stolen from the various residences, more than a dozen cell phones, believed to be used by the burglary crew, evidence of money wires to Bogota, Colombia, and various Colombian travel documentation, including passports. They also located commercial-grade Wi-Fi signal jammers that were plugged in and charging following their suspected use during the burglary that day.
A search of their devices revealed additional evidence of the conspiracy, including sending and receiving coordinates for the houses they burglarized, surveillance communications, and shared messages highlighting the burglary targets from the preceding days.
For instance, Quiroga-Solano researched Chinese restaurants two days before the burglary crew victimized a family owning a Chinese restaurant. He was in the vicinity of a victim’s home in Gresham the night before it was burglarized, which authorities believe was in preparation for the following day’s burglary. Martinez-Grandas secured short term rentals for the crew in Auburn and Eugene and mapped the address of the Salem home on the day of that burglary. Both Martinez-Grandas and Quiroga-Solano returned to the Eugene rental to package stolen property the night of the Salem burglary.
Martinez-Grandas and Quiroga-Solano each face a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. They will be sentenced on July 14, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Eugene Police Department with assistance from the Salem Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, and the Gresham Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren.
Two Business Executives Plead Guilty in Tech-Support Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE- Two individuals have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from their operation of a business that provided services to customers engaged in widespread telemarketing and tech-support fraud schemes targeting victims throughout the United States and abroad.
Former CEO Adam Young, 42, of Miami, FL, and former CSO Harrison Gevirtz, 33, of Las Vegas, NV, admitted to operating a business that provided telecommunications-related services, including telephone numbers, call routing services, call tracking, and call forwarding services, to customers they knew were engaged in tech-support fraud schemes. Young and Gevirtz each pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony, in violation of federal law. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 16, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Young and Gevirtz pleaded guilty after an investigation beginning in 2020 that led to the conviction of five India-based telemarketing fraudsters and a former employee of their call routing company. Indian citizens Sahil Narang, Chirag Sachdeva, Abrar Anjum and Manish Kumar, were convicted of charges related to telemarketing fraud schemes based in the Republic of India that targeted and defrauded Americans of millions of dollars, many of them vulnerable to fraud schemes due to age or infirmity. The investigation also contributed to the conviction of another individual, Jagmeet Singh Virk, in the U.S. District Court for the Norther District of California. The investigation further revealed that call centers based in India utilized Young and Gervitz’s business to route their “tech fraud” scheme calls and, in some instances, advised those fraudsters on methods intended to reduce complaints and prevent account terminations.
According to court documents, from approximately 2016 through 2022 Young, Gevirtz, and others knew that some of their customers were engaged in tech-support fraud schemes. The schemes used deceptive pop-up messages to convince computer users that their computer had been infected with viruses or malware. Victims were directed to call a phone number on the pop-up message or advertisement, which connected the victims to call centers, where they were persuaded to pay hundreds of dollars for unnecessary or fictitious technical-support services. In some instances, call center agents remotely accessed victims’ computers and obtained personal and financial information.
From 2017 through April 2022, after learning of their customers’ fraud schemes, Young and Gevirtz failed to report the schemes to law enforcement officials. According to statements filed with the court, the defendants received numerous complaints and inquiries from telephone providers and law enforcement concerning customers engaged in tech-support fraud. Despite that knowledge, they advised some of their customers about techniques the customers could use to avoid complaints by fraud victims and prevent account termination. Young and Gevirtz assisted some of those customers to buy and sell fraud calls amongst themselves.
Young and Gevirtz themselves owned and operated a call center in Tunisia from 2016 through April 2022 where some employees engaged in tech-support fraud.
"What the CEO and CSO of this well-known call tracking and analytics company did was downright despicable. By their own admission, they willfully profited from telemarketing and tech support scammers, here and abroad, who preyed on the elderly, exploited the vulnerable, and drained victims of their life savings and peace of mind. Behind every fraudulent call was a real person left frightened, humiliated, or financially shattered,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “Tech support scams cost Americans $2.1 billion last year, and Rhode Islanders reported losing at least $5.7 million. Let this be a warning: if you fuel and support these criminal networks that prey on unsuspecting consumers, the FBI will pursue you relentlessly to ensure you’re held accountable for the harm you helped inflict.”
Court documents further reflect that the defendants directed employees to promote their company’s services to customers engaged in tech-support fraud and, at times, introduced customers involved in the fraudulent activity with others who could support their fraudulent business.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Milind Shah, Sandra Hebert, Julianne Klein, and Lee Vilker.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
20251107_gevirtz_young_final_statement_of_fact_.pdfTucson Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Distributing Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Marc Anthony Giron, 26, of Tucson, was sentenced on May 5, 2026, by U.S. District Judge John C. Hinderaker to 96 months in prison. Giron previously pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
On Jan. 27, 2025, Giron sold 15,000 fentanyl pills to an undercover agent in Tucson. On Feb. 4, 2025, Giron sold an additional 20,000 fentanyl pills to the same undercover agent. During his arrest, law enforcement located a stolen firearm in his possession.
Giron admitted to law enforcement that he was selling fentanyl pills on behalf of a criminal organization based in Mexico.
Homeland Security Investigations-Arizona conducted the investigation with assistance from the Tucson Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01346
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-078_Giron
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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.
Trail Creek Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Tevin Keyshawn Lewis, 26 years old, of Trail Creek, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distributing 40 grams or more of a substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
According to documents in the case, on four separate occasions between December 2024 and May 2025, Lewis sold blue M30 pills containing fentanyl to another person in Michigan City. For each transaction, Lewis sold at least 50 pills. He distributed over 1300 pills across all the transactions.
Lewis was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
“Tevin Keyshawn Lewis sold fentanyl, which remains one of the deadliest drugs on the market,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “He compounded his crime by selling fentanyl in pill form, which makes the poison look both safer and easier to ingest to his customers. Thankfully, our excellent team of investigators from DEA and the La Porte County Drug Task Force ended his illicit trade.”
“Illicit fentanyl remains the primary driver of fatal drug overdoses and poisonings in Indiana and across the United States. Anyone who is pushing this deadly, synthetic opioid drug into the hands of Hoosiers is a danger and a nuisance to our communities. Mr. Lewis committed evil and immoral acts through his drug dealing, which included the selling of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, all containing illicit fentanyl. His cowardly, greedy actions brought him to the attention of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the La Porte County Drug Task Force, and the United States Attorney’s Office. And as a result, Mr. Lewis is being held accountable for his crimes. Drug dealers will never find a sanctuary for their criminal actions in northern Indiana,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the DEA North Central Laboratory and La Porte County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
Traffic Stop Leads to Federal Drug and Gun Charges Against Illegal Alien from Mexico Following Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – An illegal alien from Mexico is facing federal drug and gun charges following an investigation by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Bryan Hernandez-Rendon, 30, is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to allegations in the indictment and the criminal complaint, on December 16, 2023, officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Hernandez-Rendon for a traffic violation. During the stop, Hernandez-Rendon told the officers that he did not have a driver’s license and that there was a firearm in the vehicle. The officers searched the vehicle and recovered a KAHR Arms CW40 pistol and a clear bag containing 427.1 grams of methamphetamine from the passenger side floorboard.
Hernandez-Rendon appeared in court today and he will remain in federal custody. If convicted, Hernandez-Rendon faces a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for the drug charge and a mandatory minimum term of five years consecutive to any other sentence imposed and a maximum of life in prison on the gun offense. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney William Wiseman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte.
The charges against the defendant are allegations and he is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an 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 CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP), United States ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the North Carolina Insurance Bureau, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the Nash Count Sheriff’s Office, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick Count Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Kannapolis Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Huntersville Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Pineville Police Department, the Stallings Police Department, the Kings Mountain Police Department, the Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Anderson City Police Department, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Airport Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Summerville Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s office, the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Eden Police Department, the Piedmont Triad Internal Airport Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of North and South Carolina.
Texas Man Sentenced for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – COREY TOLIVER, a/k/a “Woog” (“TOLIVER”) age 46, a Texas resident, was sentenced on May 19, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute five hundred (500) grams or more of cocaine. TOLIVER was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, eight years of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in April 2025, TOLIVER transported and possessed approximately two (2) kilograms of cocaine with intent to distribute them into, and within, the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
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Texas Man Pleads Guity to Federal Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Esequiel Maldonado (47, Texas) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. He faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Maldonado worked with his three co-conspirators to distribute cocaine. From Texas, Maldonado authorized sales of kilogram-quantities of cocaine, served as a broker, and set cocaine prices. A co-conspirator then distributed the cocaine in the Middle District of Florida and arranged for drug proceeds to be paid back to Maldonado.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Virginia State Police. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.
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.
Tahlequah Resident Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jonathon Roy Philpott, age 45, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to fourteen months in prison for one count of Unlawful User of Controlled Substance in Possession of Firearms and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On July 9, 2025, Philpott pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on February 4, 2025, knowing that he was an unlawful user of a controlled substance, Philpott knowingly possessed a semi-automatic rifle, a semi-automatic pistol, and 39 rounds of ammunition.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Philpott will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Sussex County Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Exploiting a Then-Four-Year- Old Child and Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Sussex County, New Jersey woman was sentenced in United States District Court to 20 years in prison in connection with the exploitation of a child and production of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
“There are few crimes more disturbing than the sexual exploitation of a young child. As the defendant admitted in court, she preyed on an exceptionally vulnerable four-year-old child, produced images of that abuse, and then distributed those materials online for others to view and share. This sentence reflects the extraordinary harm the defendant caused and demonstrates this Office’s unwavering commitment to protecting children and pursuing justice for victims who cannot protect themselves.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“The victim here is the epitome of innocent; a defenseless four-year old. The egregious crime cannot be erased, but this sentence should show others who think they can exploit children, the FBI Newark Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force will track you down and you will be brought to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy.
Dominique Saczawa, 34, of Sparta, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Edward S. Kiel in Camden federal court to production of child pornography, distribution of child pornography, advertisement of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Judge Kiel imposed the sentence on May 18.
According to documents filed in these cases and statements made in Court:
In August 2021, law enforcement determined that Saczawa had sexually exploited a then-four-year-old child by engaging in sexual contact with the child and then producing images and videos of that sexual contact. Saczawa also shared these videos and images with others online.
Saczawa later admitted to running a group chat within an online messaging application in which participants discussed and shared content and images of child pornography. As an administrator of this group, Saczawa solicited participants to share such content and participants would be expelled from the group if they did not share. The images Saczawa shared included images of toddlers potentially as young as one year old being sexually assaulted.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Kiel also sentenced Saczawa to 15 years supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited FBI Newark’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation.
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 government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Rachelle M. Navarro of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit in Newark.
Defense counsel: Stephen Natoli, Esq.
Superseding Indictment Returned for New Jersey Pastor and Self-Proclaimed Prophet Who Compelled Labor and Sex from CongregantsRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. — A grand jury in the District of New Jersey returned a superseding indictment today charging Treva Edwards, 61, of Orange, New Jersey with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, three counts of forced labor, and conspiracy to commit forced labor. The superseding indictment also charged his wife, Christine Edwards, 64, of Orange, New Jersey with conspiracy to commit forced labor.
According to the superseding indictment, Treva and Christine Edwards were the founders and pastors of a church they named “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” which they operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, New Jersey, and where they conspired with each other and others to obtain the compelled labor of church members.
“Treva Edwards allegedly exploited faith, fear, and coercion to control vulnerable victims for his own benefit. As alleged in the superseding indictment, Edwards manipulated members of his church into providing uncompensated labor and subjected victims to physical, emotional, spiritual, and sexual abuse under the guise of religious authority. This Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals who, as alleged here, use positions of trust and influence to traffic, exploit, and abuse vulnerable people.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
As charged in the superseding indictment, between 2010 and 2025, the defendants identified and recruited victims who were facing struggles in their personal lives, including financial and familial struggles, to join the church and live and worship at the church building. Treva Edwards told the victims that he was a prophet who could communicate directly with God and that disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution, as well as physical, emotional, and financial harm.
The Edwardses secured labor contracts to provide manual labor in and around Orange, New Jersey, including cleaning and gutting commercial and residential properties, shoveling snow, removing bulk trash, moving furniture, cleaning raw sewage, and exterminating rodent infestations. The Edwardses dispatched the victims to perform the contracted labor. They did not pay wages to the victims for their work and kept the money earned from their labor.
Treva Edwards preached to the victims that he communicated God’s will, that it was God’s will for them to work, and that members had to perform labor to serve God. The Edwardses convinced the victims that they would lose favor with God and “the Prophet” if they did not perform labor. Treva Edwards spread fear among the victims through verbal and emotional abuse and threats of reputational harm, homelessness, hunger, spiritual retribution, punishments, and more hard labor to gain their obedience and compel them to perform unpaid labor. The Edwardses instituted and enforced strict rules about when and whether the victims could eat or sleep, when and for how long they were to pray and work, and whether they could speak to non-members or leave the church building. They isolated the victims, monitored their communications and whereabouts, and convinced them that non-members were evil or possessed by the devil. They also deprived the victims of sleep and typically fed them only once a day after they completed their work.
According to the allegations in the superseding indictment, Treva Edwards controlled and subjected two victims to repeated physical and sexual assaults, impregnating one victim and instructing her to get an abortion, and telling the other victim that having sex with him was God’s will and would prevent her from becoming mentally ill.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion against Treva Edwards carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The forced labor charge against Treva Edwards carries a maximum penalty of twenty years or life in prison if the violation included aggravated sexual abuse. The conspiracy to commit forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy, and special agents of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Mellone, with the investigation leading to this indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Chenoweth and Susan Millenky for the District of New Jersey and Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
The charges and allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HSI Newark is asking anyone with information about Treva Edwards, Christine Edwards, or their organization known as Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost (JLHG), to contact its tip line at (866) 347-2423 or email [email protected]. The tip line is monitored 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, there is an online tip form.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.
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Defense counsel:
Treva Edwards: Laura Sayler, Esq., Newark, New Jersey
Christine Edwards: Wanda Akin, Esq., Newark, New Jersey
edwardsetal.supersedingindictment.pdfSuperseding Indictment Returned for New Jersey Pastor and Self-Proclaimed Prophet Who Compelled Labor and Sex from CongregantsRead the Press Release
A grand jury in the District of New Jersey returned a superseding indictment yesterday charging Treva Edwards, 61, Orange, New Jersey, with two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, three counts of forced labor, and conspiracy to commit forced labor. The superseding indictment also charged his wife, Christine Edwards, 64, also of Orange, with conspiracy to commit forced labor.
According to the superseding indictment, Treva and Christine Edwards were the founders and pastors of a church they named “Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost,” which they operated out of a multi-unit apartment building in Orange, where they conspired with each other and others to obtain the compelled labor of church members.
As charged in the superseding indictment, between 2010 and 2025, the defendants identified and recruited victims who were facing struggles in their personal lives, including financial and familial, to join the church and live and worship at the church building. Treva Edwards told the victims that he was a prophet who could communicate directly with God and that disobeying him would result in spiritual retribution, as well as physical, emotional, and financial harm.
The Edwardses secured labor contracts to provide manual labor in and around Orange, including cleaning and gutting commercial and residential properties, shoveling snow, removing bulk trash, moving furniture, cleaning raw sewage, and exterminating rodent infestations. The Edwards couple dispatched the victims to perform the contracted labor. They did not pay wages to the victims for their work and kept the money earned from their labor.
Treva Edwards preached to the victims that he communicated God’s will, that it was God’s will for them to work, and that members had to perform labor to serve God. The defendants convinced the victims that they would lose favor with God and “the Prophet” if they did not perform the prescribed labor. Treva Edwards spread fear among the victims through verbal and emotional abuse and threats of reputational harm, homelessness, hunger, spiritual retribution, punishments, and additional hard labor to gain their obedience and compel them to perform unpaid labor. The Edwardses instituted and enforced strict rules about when and whether the victims could eat or sleep, when and for how long they were to pray and work, and whether they could speak to non-members or leave the church building. They isolated the victims, monitored their communications and whereabouts, and convinced them that non-members were evil or possessed by the devil. They also deprived the victims of sleep and typically fed them only once a day after they completed their work.
According to the allegations in the superseding indictment, Treva Edwards controlled and subjected two victims to repeated physical and sexual assaults, impregnating one victim and instructing her to get an abortion, and telling the other victim that having sex with him was God’s will and would prevent her from becoming mentally ill.
The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion against Treva Edwards carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. The forced labor charge against Treva Edwards carries a maximum penalty of 20 years or life in prison if the violation included aggravated sexual abuse. The conspiracy to commit forced labor charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey, Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Field Office, and Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito for the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General made the announcement.
HSI Newark Field Office and the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General Newark Field Office are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Trevor Chenoweth and Susan Millenky for the District of New Jersey are prosecuting the case.
HSI Newark is asking anyone with information about Treva Edwards, Christine Edwards, or their organization known as Jesus is Lord by the Holy Ghost (JLHG), to contact its tip line at (866) 347-2423 or email [email protected]. The tip line is monitored 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Additionally, there is an online tip form.
If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1 (888) 373-7888.
St. Clair County Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A St. Clair County man has been sentenced for cyberstalking, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
U.S. District Judge R. David Proctor sentenced Michael Ray Mullins, 45, of Trussville, Alabama, to 60 months in prison. In December 2025, Mullins pleaded guilty to cyberstalking and interstate transmission of a threat to kidnap or injure another person.
According to the plea agreement, on September 29, 2024, an officer with the Margaret Police Department responded to a domestic incident at a residence in Odenville, Alabama. The victim reported that Mullins, her former boyfriend, had threatened to kill her and her children. At the time of the report, the victim had bruises on her arm and back caused by Mullins. While officers were still at the residence, Mullins retrieved his belongings and was told by the victim not to return to the property. The next day, the victim reported to the Margaret Police Department that she had received threatening phone calls and text messages that morning from Mullins. Mullins repeatedly harassed and threatened the victim with violence. On October 6, 2024, Mullins called the victim 42 times in a 25-minute period. During this time, Mullins attempted to mask his identity intermittently by blocking the caller identification feature. Between September 29 and October 12, 2024, Mullins called the victim 367 times and sent her 326 text messages.
According to court filings, Mullins has been previously convicted of other domestic violence offenses, including domestic violence by strangulation; felony domestic violence, third degree; and violation of a protection order.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Margaret Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel S. McBrayer prosecuted the case.