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2 July 2026
Deportation ordered for illegal aliens after federal court sentencing proceedingsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants illegally inside the United States were sentenced in federal district court for the Southern District of Georgia.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker, and announced by Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:
- Olicer Elio Morales-Roblero, 34, of Guatemala, was sentenced to seven months in prison followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation. Morales-Roblero was identified as an illegal alien while in Effingham County, Georgia, in May 2026. Upon completion of his prison term, Morales-Roblero will be transferred to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for deportation proceedings.
- Ernesto Campistrano-Hernandez, 37, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation and transferred to ICE custody. Campistrano-Hernandez was identified as an illegal alien during a February 2026 traffic stop by Chatham County Sheriff’s Office.
- Cruz Marroquin-Najera, 29, of Guatemala, was sentenced to time served followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation and transferred to ICE custody. Marroquin-Najera was identified as an illegal alien in March 2026 during a traffic stop in Chatham County.
Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation is a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.
“Illegal aliens that have no respect for the rule of law will be continue to be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We are committed to working alongside our local law enforcement partners to identify, capture, and remove illegal aliens who repeatedly disregard our nation’s laws.”
These cases were investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Chatham County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner, Jennifer J. Kirkland, Matthew A. Breedon, and Makeia R. Jonese.
Defendant Who Was Extradited from Guatemala Pleads Guilty for Involvement in 2022 Mass Casualty Alien Smuggling EventRead the Press Release
A Guatemalan man pleaded guilty today for his involvement in a 2022 mass casualty alien smuggling event in San Antonio, Texas, that resulted in 53 deaths and 11 aliens injured.
“Miranda-Orozco was an important organizer in a complex alien smuggling organization that prioritized profits and endangered people,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This case highlights that immigration offenses and alien smuggling have far-reaching impacts. Here, 53 people lost their lives. Targeting those involved in these dangerous crimes and aggressively prosecuting them remains one of the highest priorities of the Department. The Criminal Division and our partners will continue to ensure border security, the orderly administration of our immigration laws, and the protection provided by those laws.”
“Sixty-four people suffered through sweltering Texas heat in the back of a smuggling trailer, leaving less than a dozen survivors clinging to life, all because smugglers like Miranda-Orozco decided profits were worth more than human lives,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This guilty plea is another step toward justice for every one of those 64 and their families, and it sends a clear message that no matter where you attempt to hide, this office, the greater Department of Justice, and our law enforcement partners across the government, will find you and hold you accountable.”
“Together, we have ensured that Orozco will face justice for the unimaginable pain and suffering he inflicted on so many people in the name of greed,” said Executive Associate Director John Condon of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Our efforts will undoubtedly prevent further loss of life at the hands of this criminal and will help ensure vulnerable individuals are protected from the dangers of human smuggling.”
According to court documents, Miranda-Orozco conspired with other human smugglers to facilitate the travel of multiple aliens from Guatemala through Mexico, and ultimately, to the United States. Miranda-Orozco organized and facilitated the smuggling of multiple aliens for illegal entry into the United States who ended up dying or injured in the back of a tractor trailer that was found in San Antonio on June 27, 2022. The tractor trailer was loaded with 64 aliens and investigators later determined that it had traveled approximately 156 miles from Laredo, Texas, to San Antonio in 90-degree Fahrenheit heat without functioning air conditioning in the trailer. First responders pronounced 48 aliens dead at the scene and five aliens later died at the hospital, totaling 53 deceased. Among the deceased were six juveniles and at least one pregnant woman. Two of Miranda-Orozco’s clients, both illegal aliens from Guatemala, died in the tractor trailer mass casualty incident. According to court documents, Miranda-Orozco admitted that he arranged for the aliens’ transportation and accommodations throughout Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States.
Photo depicting size of trailer. Image of claw marks inside trailer.In August 2024, Miranda-Orozco was arrested in Guatemala pursuant to a U.S. request for his extradition. His arrest was part of a large-scale takedown during which Guatemalan law enforcement executed multiple search and arrest warrants across Guatemala. He was extradited from Guatemala in March 2025.
Miranda-Orozco pleaded guilty to conspiracy to bring an alien into the United States resulting in death; aiding and abetting bringing an alien into the United States resulting in death; and aiding and abetting bringing an alien into the United States resulting in serious bodily injury. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 8 and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI San Antonio led U.S. investigative efforts, working in concert with HSI Guatemala’s invaluable team members, and the HSI Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center/Operation Sentinel; U.S. Border Patrol; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the San Antonio Police Department; the San Antonio Fire Department; and the Palestine Police Department. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Guatemala to secure the arrest and extradition of Miranda-Orozco and, along with the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT), provided crucial assistance in this matter.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Alexandra Skinnion of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney/JTFA prosecutor Jose Luis Acosta for the Western District of Texas, with assistance from HRSP Historian/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
The Justice Department thanks its Guatemalan law enforcement partners, who were instrumental in arresting Miranda-Orozco, and the Guatemalan Attorney General’s Office and Anti-Human Smuggling Unit for making the extradition possible.
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 Acting Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 464 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 414 U.S. convictions; and more than 360 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
DOJ and FTC Issue Fiscal Year 2025 Hart-Scott-Rodino Annual ReportRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Antitrust Division and Federal Trade Commission released their 48th Annual Hart-Scott-Rodino (HSR) Report. This report summarizes the agencies’ merger enforcement efforts and provides fiscal year 2025 data on the Premerger Notification Program, which alerts the agencies to transactions that may substantially lessen competition in violation of federal law.
Enacted by Congress in 1976, the HSR Act gives the DOJ and the FTC the opportunity to investigate and challenge mergers that are likely to harm consumers before injury occurs. The report explains that in fiscal year 2025, companies notified the agencies of 2,006 transactions under the HSR Act, of which approximately 31.8% were valued at more than $1 billion.
The DOJ and the FTC took 18 merger enforcement actions to maintain competition in critically important markets, including healthcare, technology, energy, defense, consumer goods and services, labor and manufacturing.
The DOJ brought ten of these actions: two in which the DOJ initiated litigation, two were resolved by the DOJ filing settlement papers simultaneously with the complaints in U.S. district courts, two that the parties abandoned before litigation commenced as a result of antitrust concerns raised during the DOJ’s investigation, and four that were restructured after the DOJ raised concerns about the threat they posed to competition.
DACA Illegal Alien Who Previously Molested a Toddler Sentenced for Immigration FraudRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Jeffry Jose De Pena, 39, an illegal alien born in the Dominican Republic, to 7 months in federal prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. On March 11, 2026, De Pena pleaded guilty to immigration fraud.
“We will not let child molester spiders take advantage of our society’s most precious treasures, our children.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “This DACA illegal alien will no longer cheat to prey on the citizens of Eastern North Carolina. He better stay out.”
On February 20, 2023, in Wake County, North Carolina Superior Court, a grand jury returned three indictments against De Pena which collectively charged him with having committed five counts of indecent liberties with a child and seven counts of first-degree sex offense with a child by an adult from January 1, 2007, through January 1, 2012. On March 21, 2024, a jury convicted De Pena for the crimes of indecent liberty with a child and first-degree sex offense with a child by an adult. The victim was a 3-year-old toddler. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of between 25 and 35 years and ordered to register as a sex offender.
De Pena confessed to knowingly making a materially false statement under penalty of perjury when he submitted his Form I-821D, Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) in December of 2021. He responded “NO” to the question: “Have you EVER engaged in, ordered, incited, assisted, or otherwise participated in any of the following:…[a]ny kind of sexual contact or relations with any person who was being forced or threatened? CIS approved the application on January 5, 2022. Immigration officials did not know about his crimes prior to approving his application.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced the defendant. ICE ERO investigated the case as part of Operation False Haven - an ongoing initiative purpose-built to target child molesters and other egregious felons who fraudulently obtain immigration benefits. Upon completion of his prison sentence De Pena will be transferred to ICE custody for removal from the U.S.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-CR-00288-FL.
Crownpoint Couple Face Federal Charges After Child Killed in Alleged Drunk-Driving CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Crownpoint couple is facing federal charges after allegedly driving intoxicated with three children, causing a crash that killed one child and injured two others.
According to court records, on February 24, 2026, Urias Koll Pablo, 22, and Jamie Jaye Cook, 21, both enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, drove through Crownpoint, New Mexico, with three children after consuming alcohol throughout the day. The two allegedly purchased liquor, continued drinking while traveling, alternated as drivers, and ultimately crashed a borrowed pickup truck while none of the children were restrained. As a result of the crash, one child died from blunt head trauma, a second suffered critical injuries, and the third was also injured.
Investigators found multiple empty alcohol containers at the scene. At the hospital, Cook’s blood alcohol level was 0.20. Pablo’s was 0.25. Both defendants were previously arrested in connection with a 2025 DUI-related incident. Cook was charged with child endangerment, while Pablo was charged with DUI and child endangerment.
Pablo and Cook are federally charged with child abuse resulting in death, child abuse resulting in great bodily harm and child abuse. They will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charges, they face no less than 12 and up to 18 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allysa Gambarella is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chinese National Indicted for Running Sex Trafficking Operation in BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York woman has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly running a sex trafficking operation out of several residential brothels located in Allston and Brighton, Mass.
Zengzeng Liu, a/k/a “Bella,” 40, of Flushing, N.Y., was indicted on one count of knowingly persuading an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and three counts of use of facilities of interstate or foreign commerce in aid of racketeering enterprises. The defendant was arrested yesterday in the Eastern District of New York and will appear in federal court in Boston on July 8, 2026 at 11 a.m.
According to the charging documents, beginning no later than August 2025, Liu, a Chinese national and lawful permanent resident of the United States, allegedly managed an international sex trafficking operation that recruited women – primarily foreign nationals from Japan, Vietnam, China and the Philippines – to travel to the Greater Boston area to engage in commercial sex acts for buyers at residential brothels in Allston and Brighton. Liu allegedly determined when and where the women would perform commercial sex acts, coordinated appointments with sex buyers, collected a commission from the proceeds and used foreign national middlemen to recruit women for the operation. It is further alleged that Liu used fraud, deceit and altered or forged documents to obtain and maintain apartments used as residential brothels.
As alleged, Liu advertised women on commercial sex advertising websites and directed prospective sex buyers to contact a phone number allegedly controlled by Liu. During undercover communications, Liu allegedly negotiated prices for commercial sex acts, directed buyers to the brothel locations and, in later communications, required prospective buyers to undergo a vetting process by providing identifying information, including photographs of work identification, before appointments would be arranged.
According to court documents, victims consistently described receiving instructions through the WeChat messaging application from a “female boss” they knew as “Bella,” whom they identified as the organizer of their appointments but had never met in person. Victims allegedly traveled through locations including New York, China, Canada and the Philippines before arriving in Boston to work for the operation. Victims further stated that they collected payments from sex buyers but expected only a portion of the proceeds, with the remaining funds allegedly collected by couriers and ultimately forwarded to Liu.
The court documents describe that during searches of the Allston brothel location, law enforcement encountered women from Japan who had recently arrived in Boston and reported performing commercial sex acts for several days. It is further alleged that nearly $35,000 in cash was recovered from an Allston location, along with condoms, lubrication, surveillance cameras and cellular telephones. Surveillance footage from the Allston location also allegedly captured dozens of suspected sex buyers entering and leaving the apartment over multiple weekends, with the location allegedly generating tens of thousands of dollars in revenue during those periods.
According to court documents, during a search of the Brighton brothel location, law enforcement encountered women from Japan and Vietnam who reported that they had been engaging in commercial sex acts for several days after arriving at the apartment and were not permitted to leave the location. One victim allegedly displayed bruising on her knees, legs and feet and reported sustaining those injuries while performing commercial sex acts for sex buyers. Law enforcement allegedly recovered nearly $70,000 in cash from the Brighton location.
The charging documents further allege that financial records and other evidence revealed Liu used a Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition benefits card to purchase groceries while she was operating the commercial sex business.
In total, approximately $105,000 in cash was seized during the investigation. Based on surveillance, financial records and other evidence, it is estimated that Liu’s sex trafficking operation allegedly generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds over the last 11 months.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
The charge of knowingly persuading an individual to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charges of use of facilities of interstate or foreign commerce in aid of racketeering enterprises each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by FBI New York and the New York Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Pohl and Brian A. Fogerty of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Capital Region Man Sentenced to 180 Months for Distributing and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Klugo, age 46, of East Greenbush, New York, was sentenced July 1, 2026 to 180 months in prison and 15 years of supervised release for distributing and possessing child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Klugo admitted that in June 2024, he used an end-to-end encrypted messaging application to distribute an image of child pornography. In addition, in or about June 2024, he possessed approximately 6 videos and 100 images of child pornography on his cellular phone. Klugo also admitted that in or about July 2024, he possessed approximately 2 videos of child pornography in an online storage account.
In addition to the imprisonment and supervised release terms, United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino also ordered Klugo to pay a total of $55,356 in restitution to victims. Klugo also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III said, “Thanks to the incredible work of the FBI, New York State Police, Colonie Police Department, and the Rotterdam Police Department, this defendant has been brought to justice. Working together through Project Safe Childhood, federal, state, and local law enforcement are empowered to go after those who seek to harm our children and bring justice to victims across the Northern District.”
“This sentence represents the FBI’s unwavering commitment to working with the outstanding partners on our Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force to investigate and hold accountable any individual who exploits our children. Together, we will continue to leverage every resource necessary to ensure every victim is delivered the justice they deserve.” Said Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI – Albany.
This case was investigated by the FBI and its Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including the Colonie Police Department, Rotterdam Police Department, and the New York State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney A.J. Vickey 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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Harassment in Connection with Ransom DemandRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Derrick Callella, 42, of Hawthorne, California, pleaded guilty today to two counts of Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device. Sentencing is scheduled for September 10, 2026, before United States District Judge John C. Hinderaker.
In his plea, Callella admitted that he called and sent text messages to a missing person’s family on Feb. 4, 2026, which asked about a bitcoin transfer. Callella acknowledged that he knew an earlier ransom demand had been made. Callella also admitted that his actions were meant to harass the family by seeking information about the investigation into the missing person’s disappearance.
A conviction for Harassment Using a Telecommunication Device carries a maximum penalty of two years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both, and one year of supervised release.
The FBI Phoenix Division’s Tucson office is conducting the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-00940-TUC-JCH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-116_Callella# # #
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.Boston Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for cocaine trafficking charges, following a series of arrests targeting gangs in the Brockton and Randolph areas. The charges stemmed from the search of a luxury apartment in Dorchester, where over a kilogram of cocaine and two loaded guns were recovered.
Adonis Graham, 34, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to 46 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In April 2026, Graham pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. His co-defendant, Giovany Fouyolle, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and was sentenced in June 2026 to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release.
Fouyolle and Graham were arrested on Dec. 17, 2025, after search warrants were executed at numerous residences and stash houses associated with the Brockton-based Harvard Street Gang and their Randolph-based affiliates. One of the places searched was a unit at the Imprint Apartments in Dorchester, which Fouyolle used as a stash location. Approximately 1,170 grams of cocaine, along with two loaded guns and $2,000 cash in bare kitchen cabinets, were located in the apartment.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, Boston Field Division; the Abington, Acushnet, Ashland, Boston, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Chelsea, East Bridgewater, Medford, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Stoughton, Taunton and West Bridgewater Police Departments; Plymouth and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments; Massachusetts Department of Correction; and the Plymouth, Norfolk and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Arcadia Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Travelling to Sexually Exploit MinorsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL — Vincent Anthony Principe (55, Arcadia) was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kyle C. Dudek to 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime supervised release, for the production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of victims as young as eight years old. Principe must also register as a sex offender. Principe pleaded guilty on April 30, 2026.
According to court documents, Principe traveled to the Philippines over the course of several years and sexually abused four minors, including one as young as eight. He sexually abused children and documented the abuse on video. He then published the videos on a website devoted to child exploitation. He also possessed over a hundred images of child sexual abuse material, including those depicting the exploitation of pre-pubescent children.
“The vile actions of this child predator who exploited children while traveling internationally is reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we remain committed to investigating and prosecuting those who prey on children.”
“The defendant’s vile acts not only caused serious harm through his sexual abuse of multiple minors, but he also inflicted added layers to that harm by memorializing the abuse and distributing it to other offenders,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “No child predator will find safe haven in the United States. The Department is committed to holding U.S. citizens accountable for harming children whether committed in the United States or internationally.”
“The Secret Service is committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of our society from exploitation and abuse,” said the Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Forrest of the U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) Criminal Investigative Division. “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s crimes and underscores our dedication to working with U.S. and international partners to ensure offenders are brought to justice, no matter where their crimes occur.”
The USSS conducted the investigation with support from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Queensland Police Service, and Europol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Yolande Viacava and Trial Attorney McKenzie Hightower of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Alien from Slovakia Charged with Illegally Voting in a Federal Election and Making False Statements while Applying for U.S. CitizenshipRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A resident alien in New Jersey was arrested and charged with illegally voting in a federal election and making false statements while applying for United States citizenship, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Marian Charitun, 62, of Middlesex County, was charged by criminal complaint with voting by an alien in a federal election, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 611; and procurement of citizenship or naturalization unlawfully, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1425(a). He had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
In order to register to vote and vote in federal elections, a person must be a United States citizen. Charitun was not a citizen of the United States when he registered to vote in New Jersey. On his voter registration form, however, Charitun falsely certified and attested that he was a United States citizen. After his application to register was approved, Charitun, still without United States citizenship, voted in the November 8, 2022 midterm election that was held in part for the purpose of electing a Member of the United States House of Representatives.
Then, after illegally voting in a federal election, Charitun applied to become a United States citizen by submitting an application for naturalization (an “N-400”). An N-400 requires the applicant to swear under penalty of perjury that the information provided in the application is complete, true, and correct. However, Charitun falsely claimed in his N-400 to have never registered to vote or to have voted in any federal elections.
If convicted, the count of voting by an alien in a federal election carries a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison. The count of unlawful procurement of citizenship or naturalization carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy; Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas; and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, with the investigation.
This case was brought under the United States Attorney’s Office’s Election Integrity Task Force, a coalition of federal law enforcement partners focused on preserving and protecting the integrity of elections conducted in the District of New Jersey.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Criminal Division.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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charitun.complaint.pdfA Second Leader of Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 96 Months for Fentanyl Analogue Distribution and Money Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – An Essex County man and one of the leaders of a drug trafficking organization responsible for the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues was sentenced yesterday to 96 months and 19 days in prison, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer and Assistant Attorney General A. Duva announced.
“This sentence drives home a simple message: leaders of drug‑trafficking networks will be identified, investigated, and prosecuted to the full extent of the law. For years, Action directed an operation that pumped deadly fentanyl analogues into neighborhoods across New Jersey, putting our citizens at risk. This result reflects the weight of that threat and this Office’s continued resolve to dismantle criminal enterprises that profit from endangering the public.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Placing another defendant behind bars in this case reflects Homeland Security Investigations’ focus on stopping the flow of fentanyl and other harmful illicit drugs into our neighborhoods,” said HSI Newark Acting Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas. “Working alongside our federal, state, and local partners, HSI Newark not only dismantled a significant trafficking organization, but also disrupted the illicit financial networks that sustained it, including the money laundering scheme at its core. We will continue to pursue the criminal organizations responsible for America’s drug crisis, targeting both their distribution pipelines and their financial infrastructure, and ensuring every participant is held accountable.”
Defendant Michael Action, 51, of Bloomfield, New Jersey previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton in Newark federal court to drug trafficking conspiracy and money laundering. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence yesterday in Newark federal court. The other leader of the organization, Thomas Padovano, and co-conspirator William Panzera, were previously sentenced to 234 months and 144 months in prison, respectively. Six other co-conspirators have pleaded guilty in the case and are awaiting sentencing.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately January 2014 through September 2020, Action, Padovano and other members of the drug trafficking organization agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine. Action received packages and shipping barrels laden with drugs, which arrived through commercial package delivery services and air freight from China. Action distributed some of the drugs in bulk, and delivered some to Padovano for storage in a dilapidated trailer in Newark, where Padovano and one or more co-conspirators pressed the fentanyl analogues into counterfeit pharmaceutical pills and distributed them. Action additionally engaged in financial transactions that involved expenditure of the drug proceeds.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Action to 5 years of supervised release on count one and 3 years supervised release on count two, to run concurrently. Additionally, the court ordered a $5 million forfeiture money judgment against Action.
U.S. Attorney Frazer and Assistant Attorney General A. Duva made the announcement. U.S. Attorney Frazer credited the special agents of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) – Newark, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Spiros Karabinas, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI in Philadelphia, the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Newark Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Newark, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Newark Police Department, and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office for their assistance.
The government is represented by Senior National Security Counsel Sammi Malek and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Hasapidis-Sferra of the Criminal Division in Newark and Trial Attorney Stephen Sola, Chief of the Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit of the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture (MNF) Section. Financial Investigator Kathryn Montemorra of MNF supported the investigation.
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 Newark comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, IRS and local law enforcement officers with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
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Defense counsel: Ernesto Cerimele, Esq.
1 July 2026
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty to Selling and Smuggling Firearms to Saudi ArabiaRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 61-year-old man pleaded guilty in federal court for selling firearms and related parts without a license to buyers in Saudi Arabia, shipping the prohibited items, and then lying to federal inspectors about it.
Mark Buschman, of Viroqua, Wisconsin, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Smuggle Goods from the United States before U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr., who accepted his plea.
According to the indictment, from about February 2019 to December 2024, Buschman ran an illegal export operation that shipped U.S acquired firearms out of the country. After obtaining the firearms and their related parts in the U.S., he advertised the items for sale on eBay and other online marketplace-style websites. Buschman’s advertising generated sales leads from buyers in Saudi Arabia and he eventually sold and shipped the items to them. Throughout the course of the conspiracy, Saudi Arabian-based buyers paid the defendant approximately $305,614.
Court documents indicate that serial numbers from some of the firearms and firearms parts were removed before Bushman shipped the items. He then hid the firearms and firearm parts inside household appliances and tools such as toasters, coffee makers, space heaters, fans, and landscaping hedge trimmers before he packaged the items for shipment. Buschman did not declare that the shipments contained firearms or their parts when sending to freight forwarders located in Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon and elsewhere.
Buschman is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9, 2026. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. As part of his guilty plea, Buschman agreed to forfeit $180,000 in criminal proceeds. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cleveland Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Cleveland Office (of the Pittsburgh Division), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Elements of the Office of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) also assisted HSI. The Vernon County Sheriff's Office and the La Crosse County Sheriff's Office assisted with the execution of the arrest and search warrants.
The prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Shepherd, Jerome J. Teresinski, and Henry DeBaggis for the Northern District of Ohio. Trial Attorney Christopher Cook of the Department’s National Security Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan of the Western District of Wisconsin U.S. Attorney’s Office, assisted during the investigation of this case.
Twice Deported Guatemalan National Living in Hartford Admits Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONY GALEANO LOPEZ-GARCIA, also known as Yoni Lopez Garcia, 27, a citizen of Guatemala last residing in Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2017, Lopez-Garcia was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He was deported to Guatemala in December 2017 and warned that he could not return to the U.S. for a period of five years. Lopez-Garcia subsequently reentered the U.S. in January 2018. He was convicted in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas of illegally entering the U.S. In February 2018, he was deported to Guatemala and warned that he could not return to the U.S. for a period of 20 years. Lopez-Garcia subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S.
On November 27, 2025, Hartford Police arrested Lopez-Garcia under the name Yoni Lopez Garcia and charged him with assault first degree, conspiracy to commit assault first degree, assault third degree, carrying a dangerous weapon, threatening second degree by physical threat, and other offenses. He was released on bond in his state case.
On April 27, 2026, the U.S. District Court in Hartford issued a criminal complaint charging Lopez-Garcia with unlawful reentry. He was located and arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on April 28, 2026, in Hartford, and has been detained since his arrest.
At sentencing, which is not scheduled, Lopez-Garcia faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
This matter has been investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Texas Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking, Obstruction, and Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – BRIAN KEITH HICKS (“HICKS”), age 27, was charged in an unsealed four-count Indictment, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. Count 1 charges HICKS with Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1591(a)(1), (a)(2), and (b)(1). Counts 2 and 3 charge HICKS with being a Felon in Possession of Firearms, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1), 924(a)(8), and 2. Count 4 charges HICKS with Obstructing the Enforcement of Sex Trafficking Laws, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591(d).
According to the indictment, between May 2025 and the present, HICKS trafficked an adult female from Texas and California, to engage in commercial sex acts in Louisiana and elsewhere. On or about February 16, 2026, and April 15, 2026, HICKS knowingly possessed multiple firearms, even though he was previously convicted of attempted sex trafficking of a child, and of compelling prostitution of a victim under 18. In addition, between April 22, 2026, and the present, HICKS obstructed the investigation of the sex trafficking charge in Count 1.
For Count 1, HICKS faces a minimum of ten (10) years up to a maximum of life imprisonment, followed by a term of supervised release of five (5) years to life and a requirement to register as a sex offender. For Counts 2 and 3, HICKS faces a maximum penalty of fifteen (15) years of imprisonment, followed by three (3) years of supervised release. For Count 4, HICKS faces a maximum penalty of twenty-five (25) years of imprisonment, and five (5) years of supervised release. Each count also carries a $100.00 mandatory special assessment fee and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney and Human Trafficking and Child Exploitation Task Force Leader Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Tennessee Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Transporting a Minor Across State Lines Multiple Times to Engage in Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, MS – Terry DeWayne Macon, 29, of Grand Junction, Tennessee was sentenced today to 360 months in prison by Chief United States District Judge Debra M. Brown for transporting a minor across state lines to engage in sex. He had been found guilty by a federal jury in December 2025.
Additionally, his jail sentence will be followed by 5 years of supervised release. He will be required to register as a sex offender.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Macon met a Mississippi teen online in July of 2024. Over the next month, Macon drove from Tennessee to Mississippi on three occasions where he picked up the minor and returned with her to Tennessee. Macon later admitted that he had engaged in sex acts with the minor. At the time of the transport and sex acts, Macon was 27 years old, and the victim was 14 years old.
Members of Mississippi’s FBI Child Abduction Response Team, including a Jackson RA (NV Division) CARD member and Task Force Officers, worked with Corinth Police Department and other local investigative agencies from Tennessee, located the victim with Macon at a residence in Grand Junction, Tennessee, and were able to safely return her home.
Macon was found guilty at trial on all counts of transporting a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity. Macon was serving a term of federal supervised release at the time of the offenses. At a revocation proceeding held following the verdict, Judge Brown sentenced Macon to 24 months for the violations of release, which will run concurrent to the 30-year sentence imposed in the sex offense case.
United States Attorney Scott Leary stated, “Those who would abuse children are among the most abhorrent of criminals. To the degree that such sociopaths can receive a message, know that if you live in Mississippi our law enforcement officers will work tirelessly to hunt you down and put you in jail, which is exactly what happened in this case. Law enforcement did an amazing job in saving this child. We have true heroes working for the people of Mississippi.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff stated, "There is no place in our communities for those who prey on children. Macon's depraved actions robbed a minor of their innocence. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating, and bringing to justice every individual who seeks to exploit or abuse children. We will continue pursuing these offenders and holding them accountable to the fullest extent of the law."
Corinth Police Department Chief Landon Tucker said, “We are proud to support our federal partners and do our part to help bring this case to a successful conclusion. Thank you to the FBI, the TFO’s and the prosecutors at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Oxford for their time and hard work on this case.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Julie Addison and Parker King.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Second Former Trading Firm Executive Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Defrauding Coloradans and Clients Worldwide of $179 MillionRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Michael Shawn Stewart, 63, of Scottsdale, Arizona, was sentenced to a total of 288 months in federal prison and $93,273,838.16 in restitution after being found guilty by a federal jury in May 2024 on 14 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Co-defendant, Bryant Edwin Sewall, 59, formerly of Little Elm, Texas, was sentenced to 23 years in federal prison in November 2024 after being convicted on the same counts.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Stewart and Sewall were owners and executives of companies operating on various Caribbean islands under the names Mediatrix Capital and Blue Isle Markets. As part of the scheme, Stewart and Sewall provided false and fraudulent information about an algorithm-based foreign currency exchange (“ForEx”) trading program to potential investors and to salespeople they were using to solicit investors. For example, Stewart and Sewall falsely represented that Mediatrix had a history of successful ForEx trading going back to 2013 with no months of losses when, instead, Mediatrix did not exist until 2014, and its trading history included many months of net losses. Mediatrix promised its investors “100% Transparency,” “100% Liquidity” and “World Class Returns.”
Additional evidence at trial showed that, after luring investors into the scheme, Stewart and Sewall fraudulently induced them to stay by manipulating account statements to show only positive trades while intentionally hiding massive losses that substantially reduced those investors’ accounts. By the end of the scheme, Stewart and Sewall had promised investors over $179 million but had only $9.8 million in their accounts, a gap that they internally referred to as “the hole.” Even as they lost approximately $32 million in trades, Stewart and Sewall rewarded themselves with approximately $28 million in performance fees. They also used their brokerage, Blue Isle, to fraudulently convert investor money into over $45 million in markup fees. They spent the money on real estate, boats, cars, jewelry, and other luxuries.
“Stewart and Sewall stole millions of dollars from unsuspecting clients so they could give themselves lives of luxury. Instead, they bought themselves decades in federal prison and have been ordered to pay $93 million to the people of whom they took advantage,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “To others who think they might want to get rich by defrauding their clients, we look forward uncovering your scheme and bringing you to justice.”
“Mr. Stewart and his co-defendant orchestrated an elaborate foreign currency investment fraud scheme causing significant financial harm to unsuspecting victims; they misled investors with calculated lies about profit potential while diverting the money for personal gain,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “The FBI remains committed to pursuing justice for individuals targeted by financial criminals.”
A third partner involved with Mediatrix and Blue Isle — Michael Young — previously pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission and was sentenced to one year and one day in prison in 2024.
United States District Judge William J. Martinez presided over the sentencing.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Denver Field Office conducted the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorney Bryan Fields and former Assistant United States Attorney Anna Edgar handled the prosecution.
Case number: 21-cr-00034-WJM
Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Salvadoran national, whose green card has been revoked, pled guilty to sexually exploiting a 16-year-old girl (MV1) and filming the encounter.
Bryan Arias-Chicas, 23, a citizen of El Salvador, pled guilty yesterday to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Arias-Chicas was charged via information in October 2025. Gustavo Quintero was charged via indictment in December 2025 for his conduct with respect to MV1. Quintero was additionally charged with assaulting a federal law enforcement officer in February 2026. Dania Orellana-Gamez, Arias-Chicas’s girlfriend, was charged in April 2026 with witness tampering for threatening MV1. The charges against Quintero and Orellana-Gamez remain pending.
According to court documents and other evidence, on May 7, 2025, in Albemarle County, Arias-Chicas and Quintero encountered a young female (MV1) walking down the street. Arias-Chicas and Quintero approached MV1 and offered to buy her alcohol.
MV1 agreed and hung out with Arias-Chicas in a parking lot behind a tractor trailer while Quintero went to purchase high alcohol content drinks for MV1. MV1 quickly drank both drinks and, when she became too drunk to stand upright on her own, began to support herself using the trailer.
Throughout the night and into the next morning, Arias-Chicas, Quintero, and two other men, including Individual 1, took MV1 to multiple locations. On the morning of May 9, 2025, Arias-Chicas, Quintero, and Individual 1 took MV1 to Individual 1’s house in the City of Charlottesville, where they each had sex with MV1.
While Arias-Chicas had sex with MV1, and engaged in other sexual activity with her, he used his cell phone to take multiple videos and pictures of MV1 that depict MV1 naked and engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and HSI Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Albemarle County Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Scheff is prosecuting the case.
Rocky Ford Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Drug Distribution, Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Mario Rocha, 27, of Rocky Ford, Colorado, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty to three counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.
According to the plea agreement, following a tip from an informant, the FBI began investigating Rocha. Upon obtaining a search warrant for his residence, FBI agents found 4,772 grams of fentanyl (an estimated 47,720 pills), 1,236 grams of methamphetamine, 1,169 grams of cocaine, 17 firearms (including a sawed-off shotgun), and a live pipe bomb.
“I am grateful that this violent criminal will be off the streets of southern Colorado for a long time,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “Our office is proud to work with our federal, state, and local partners in every corner of our state to get these violent drug dealers off the streets and into prison where they belong.”
“This drug dealer was a menace to everyone he contacted. The FBI worked with the Rocky Ford Police Department to get his illegal weapons and deadly drugs off the streets. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were also part of the team that effected the arrest of Rocha during Operation Summer Heat 2025,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “The community is safer now that he will be in federal prison for 20 years.”
United States District Judge Philip A. Brimmer presided over the sentencing.
The FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task force handled the investigation in cooperation with the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rocky Ford Police Department.
The Violent Crime Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado handled the prosecution.
Case Number: 25-cr-00265-PAB-01
Rockford Man Sentenced to 6 ½ Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Kendrick Payton, 31, Rockford, Illinois, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 ½ years in federal prison for distributing fentanyl. Payton pleaded guilty to this charge on April 15, 2026. The prison term will be followed by a five-year term of supervised release.
Between December 18, 2024, and February 18, 2025, Payton sold heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine multiple times in Beloit, Wisconsin. Payton sold more than 150 grams of fentanyl over the course of four controlled buys.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson found Payton’s criminal history concerning. He commented that Payton was not ready to stop dealing drugs without court intervention. Judge Peterson also noted that Payton had been involved in criminal conduct since his childhood.
The charges against Payton were the result of an investigation conducted by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Winnebago County, Illinois Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis Glinzak prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Remainder of Antifa Cell Members in North Texas Sentenced for Terrorist Attack on ICE FacilityRead the Press Release
Remainder of Antifa Cell Members in North Texas Sentenced for Terrorist Attack on ICE Facility
Seven Additional Defendants Sentenced Before One-Year Anniversary of Attack to a Combined 182 Years in Prison
Today, before the one-year anniversary of their attack, seven North Texas Antifa Cell operatives were sentenced for their roles in rioting, using weapons and explosives, providing material support to terrorists, obstruction, and the attempted murder of an Alvarado police officer at the Prairieland Detention Center on July 4, 2025, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
This is the second round of sentencing for the defendants affiliated with Antifa following President Donald J. Trump’s executive order designating the group as a Domestic Terrorist Organization in September 2025.
Last week, the ringleader, Benjamin Hanil Song, was sentenced to 100 years in prison.
Today, the balance of the Prairieland terrorists received a combined sentence of 106 years in prison:
- Ines Soto was sentenced to 50 years in prison;
- Joy Gibson was sentenced to 15 years in prison;
- Rebecca Morgan was sentenced to 15 years in prison;
- Lynette Sharp was sentenced to over 9 years (110 months) in prison;
- John Thomas was sentenced to over 9 years (110 months) in prison;
- Seth Sikes was sentenced to 6 years in prison; and
- Nathan Baumann was sentenced to 22 months in prison.
To date, 15 Prairieland terrorists have received a combined sentence of over 556 years in prison.
“The attack on the Prairieland Detention Center, almost a year ago to the day, was not only a vicious attack on a building but also an attack on the men and women from our North Texas communities who work there. The sentences imposed to date for the 15 Antifa cell members were just and deserved,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould for the Northern District of Texas. “I continue to praise the prompt action of first responders and our law enforcement partners that night, along with the tireless work of the prosecutors in my office who made sure that the Prairieland terrorists were held accountable. Terrorist acts committed by any individual will not be tolerated. We will continue to hold others accountable who perpetrate such violence and fund these ANTIFA groups in the Northern District of Texas.”
“The sentences imposed on these defendants emphasize the seriousness of the violent acts committed against our law enforcement partners,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “We would like to thank all the law enforcement agencies that contributed to the outcome of this investigation. Our collective goal remains safeguarding the security of our communities in North Texas.”
“The violent extremists who launched the cowardly, ambush attack on the Prairieland Detention Center nearly one year ago did so in a feeble attempt to inspire chaos and anarchy in our communities, and to undermine the rule of law,” said Homeland Security Investigations Dallas Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “Instead, the law enforcement community banded together in the aftermath of the attack to conduct a thorough, transparent criminal investigation to hold these domestic terrorists accountable for their actions and to show the American people that the pillars of justice on which our system of government was founded on 250 years ago still stand strong.”
The sentences follow guilty pleas and a 12-day trial that began on Feb. 23, 2026, where jurors heard testimony from 46 witnesses, including cooperating defendants Sikes, Thomas, Baumann, and Sharp. The last trial defendant, Ines Soto, was the cell head of ANTIFA DFW, which operated under the front: “Emma Goldman Book Club”.
Testimony and other evidence at trial established that the defendants were members of a North Texas Antifa Cell, part of a larger militant enterprise made up of networks of individuals and small groups primarily ascribing to an ideology that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and the system of law. An expert testifying in the government’s case told the jury that ANTIFA’s coordinated efforts involve obstructing Federal law through organized riots, violent assaults, and armed confrontations with law enforcement officers, increasingly targeting agents and facilities related to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement in opposition to the agency’s deportation actions.
Evidence at trial revealed that most of the ANTIFA Cell involved in the Prairieland attack looked to Benjamin Song as a leader. Song acquired firearms that he distributed to co-defendants and recruited members at gun ranges and combat sessions he conducted, as well as from various ideologically aligned groups. For example, defendants Ines Soto, Elizabeth Soto, and Savanna Batten were part of a group that created and distributed insurrectionary materials called “zines,” according to trial evidence.
Trial testimony reflected that, late at night on July 4, 2025, at least eleven of the defendants rioted and attacked the Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado, Texas, which the U.S. Department of Homeland Security was using to house illegal aliens awaiting deportation. The defendants dressed in “black bloc”—dark clothing with head and face coverings that concealed their identities—designed to hide each individual’s identity but also to aid and abet those members engaged in illegal acts by making members indistinguishable from one another to law enforcement. Evidence introduced at trial revealed that the defendants brought eleven firearms, body armor, and eleven military-grade first aid kits with tourniquets and other items to treat gunshot wounds to the scene of the attack. Many of these items were introduced by the government as exhibits. Additionally, DNA and fingerprint evidence linked many of the defendants to the items at the scene, and evidence obtained on phone locations supported that those who participated in the attack all turned off their phones or placed them in Faraday bags to prevent tracking on the night of the attack.
After ANTIFA Cell members arrived at the detention facility, they began shooting off and throwing fireworks (explosives) at the facility and vandalizing vehicles and a guard shack on Prairieland property:
Witnesses testified that an Alvarado police officer responded to the scene after correctional officers called 911. When the officer began issuing commands to defendant Nathan Baumann, Benjamin Song can be heard on police bodycam video yelling, “get to the rifles!” and then he opened fire on the officers, striking the Alvarado police officer in the neck as the unarmed correctional officers ducked and ran for cover. Police arrested most of the Antifa Cell shortly after the attack, many near the scene. Benjamin Song escaped and remained at large with the help of others until his capture on July 15, 2025.
Trial evidence demonstrated that collectively, this ANTIFA Cell acquired over 50 firearms in the Fort Worth/Dallas area prior to July 4. During trial, the government introduced numerous chats of the members, who used an encrypted messaging app to coordinate with each other that had auto-delete functions, permanently deleting some Antifa Cell members’ communications. They also used monikers in group chats to hide their identities, and some of the planning chats included only trusted participants. The chats introduced at trial revealed that members in this limited group conducted reconnaissance and discussed what to bring to the riot, including firearms, medical kits, and fireworks:
Witnesses who testified during the government’s case included the Alvarado police officer who was shot in the neck by Song, detention officers present that night who also took cover from rapid fire, multiple additional responding officers, numerous investigative agents, and cooperating codefendants, including Sikes, Baumann, Sharp, Thomas, and Kent. Among other things, Kent testified that the night before the attack at a “gear check,” Song proposed to free the detainees at the Prairieland detention facility and told the group that they should wear “black bloc” and bring rifles, because he (Song) wasn’t going to be arrested. Evidence at trial also revealed that some of the defendants attended a peaceful daytime protest at Prairieland on July 4—without the gear they brought that night—and that they reported back to other defendants details regarding security at the facility:
Ines Soto was sentenced for the following offenses:
• Riot, with the intent to commit an act of violence, involving conduct such as shooting and throwing fireworks and explosives, slashing tires on a government vehicle, spraying graffiti on property and vehicles, destroying a closed-circuit camera, shooting at officers, and dressing in black bloc.
• Providing Material Support to Terrorists, including property, services, training, communications equipment, weapons, explosives, personnel (including themselves), and transportation.
• Conspiracy to Use and Carry an Explosive, and Using and Carrying an Explosive, during a riot.
Defendants Sikes, Baumann, Sharp, and Thomas were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark T. Pittman for the Northern District of Texas. When imposing the sentences, Judge Pittman said, “It’s fine to disagree with the government and we have an absolute right to protest, but not to put people in danger. If this is what is considered a peaceful protest, then I’d hate to see what they’d consider to be not peaceful. And what is so unique about the Prairieland Detention Center is that it is in the middle of a neighborhood with families and children. This could have been an absolute slaughter had not the officer’s miracle bullet jammed Song’s rifle.”
Defendants Ines Soto, Gibson, and Morgan were sentenced by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’ Connor for the Northern District of Texas. When imposing the sentences, Chief Judge O’ Connor said, “The defendants’ violence and terrorism is an assault on Democracy. The defendants’ planning, staging, and execution of the attack led to the attempted murder of an officer who ironically is not even involved in enforcing immigration law.”
The sole count of providing material support to terrorists brought in the information against Baumann, Gibson, Kent, Morgan, Sharp, Thomas, and separately, Sikes’s information, mirrors the material support offense in the charges presented to the jury at trial.
The final defendant, Susan Kent, is scheduled to be sentenced on July 6, 2026.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI Dallas Field Office, Homeland Security Investigations Dallas, ATF, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Alvarado Police Department, and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Office (ICE ERO).
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank Gatto, Shawn Smith, and Matt Capoccia for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Assaulting Tribal Police Officers within the Cheyenne River ReservationRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Judge Eric Schulte, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a man from Rapid City, South Dakota, convicted of Assaulting, Resisting, and Impeding a Federal Officer. The sentencing took place on June 30, 2026.
Brian Bear Heels, age 41, was sentenced to five years and five months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bear Heels was indicted in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 11, 2026.
On April 15, 2025, within the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation, Bear Heals fled from several tribal law enforcement officers and intentionally used his vehicle to hit three separate law enforcement vehicles multiple times, causing significant damage to all three vehicles.
This case was investigated by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
Bear Heels was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Polk County Felon Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Assaulting Deputy U.S. Marshal with a FirearmRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Myles Andrew Strickland (36, Bartow) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek to 21 years and 5 months in federal prison for assaulting a federal officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon, using, carrying, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Strickland was found guilty on November 20, 2025, following a jury trial. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Strickland was a convicted felon and fugitive wanted on a state arrest warrant out of Polk County. A U.S. Marshals Service task force located Strickland in Lee County. When confronted, Strickland led authorities on a foot chase. During the chase, Strickland turned to face a Deputy U.S. Marshal who had been pursuing him and racked the slide of the firearm he was carrying inside of a jacket, thus preparing the firearm to fire. Strickland was then struck by gunfire from pursuing law enforcement, but a bullet hole in his jacket and a spent cartridge casing showed that Strickland had discharged his firearm.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Pair of CarjackingsRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Matthew Hill, 30, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to 144 months in prison and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Mark S. Kearney for committing two carjackings in a six-week span.
The defendant was charged by indictment in December 2024 and pleaded guilty this January to two counts of carjacking and one count of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
As detailed in court filings, on August 8, 2023, Hill stole a 2012 Chevy Impala from two people in Philadelphia, after faking an interest in buying the car via Facebook Marketplace. When he and the victims met, the defendant asked for a test drive. As Hill got into the Impala, he pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at the victims, told them not to follow him, and then sped off with the car.
On September 18, 2023, the defendant carjacked a 2006 Dodge Durango from its owner, again after feigning interest in buying the car via Facebook Marketplace and requesting a test drive. Just after he began to drive with the victim in the passenger’s seat, Hill pulled a black handgun from his hoodie, pointed it at the victim’s neck, told him to get out, and then quickly drove away.
Twelve days later, the defendant was arrested by an officer with the Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) while driving the stolen Durango.
This case was investigated by the PPD and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric D. Gill.
Peoria Felon Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Two Counts of Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Felipe L. Hernandez, 32, was sentenced on June 26, 2026, to 120 months of federal imprisonment, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for two counts of distribution of methamphetamine. The sentence for each count is to be served concurrently.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the evidence showed Hernandez delivered methamphetamine on two occasions between June 11th and July 23, 2025, and then delivered a look-alike substance on a third sale. Hernandez was arrested on September 17, 2025, and found to be in possession of additional narcotics. In total, Hernandez was accountable for the unlawful distribution of 28 grams of methamphetamine, 66.9 grams of methamphetamine (actual), .5 grams of oxycodone (actual), and 9.8 grams of cocaine base, resulting in 1,432.34 kilograms of converted drug weight.
Hernandez was indicted for one count of distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of 50 grams of more methamphetamine. He entered a guilty plea in February 2026 and has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. Hernandez had prior criminal convictions that included armed robbery and unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon.
The statutory penalties for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine are 5 to 40 years imprisonment, followed by at least 4 years of supervised release and a possible fine of up to $5,000,000. Penalties for the distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine are 10 years to life imprisonment, 5 years of supervised release sentence and a possible fine of up to $10,000,000.
The U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) Springfield Resident Office, Peoria Police Department, and Peoria Metropolitan Enforcement Group (“PMEG”) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa P. Ortiz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Hernandez 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.
Pensacola Outlaws Motorcycle Club Member Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Gregory E. Simonds Jr., 43, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for arson by means of an explosive causing personal injury. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution is the result of the close coordination between our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, who swiftly identified and caught this dangerous criminal so my office could bring him to justice. Through Operation Take Back America, the Department of Justice is devoting its full might toward protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, like this defendant, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute anyone who threatens the safety of our citizens.”
Court documents reflect that on February 15, 2025, during an altercation with a group of individuals associated with the Pagans Motorcycle Club in the parking lot of Emerald Coast Harley Davidson on Beal Parkway in Fort Walton Beach, the defendant set off an explosive that damaged the adjacent Jimmy John’s restaurant building and injured one of its employees. Although the defendant drove away from the scene, he was quickly identified and arrested by law enforcement. In his car, officers recovered four more explosive devices, two guns, narcotics and drug paraphernalia, and an Outlaws Motorcycle Club vest. During a subsequent search of his residence, federal agents seized additional explosive devices, explosive making material and equipment, and other evidence that the defendant was making and selling explosives.
“This case could certainly have ended much differently. When someone chooses to use an explosive device in a public place, they put innocent lives at risk,” said Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden. “I’m proud of the outstanding work of our investigators, in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and FDLE, in building a case that led to this sentence.”
The sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Bureau of Fire, Arson, and Explosives Investigations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Osage Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who downloaded hundreds of photos and videos of child pornography pled guilty today in federal court in Cedar Rapids.
Damon Wesley Powers, age 44, from Osage, Iowa, was convicted of one count of receipt of child pornography.
Evidence at a prior hearing showed that law enforcement officers searched Powers’s house in Osage in June 2025. Agents found child pornography on his phone, including depictions of prepubescent children. Powers had also stored hundreds of additional photos and videos of child pornography in a cloud‑based account. In an interview with law enforcement officers, Powers admitted that he had sent and received child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Powers remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Powers faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime term of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation Cyber Crime Bureau, the Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce, and the Osage Police Department.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-2015.
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Omaha, Nebraska Man Sentenced to over 22 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine in Sioux FallsRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced an Omaha, Nebraska, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on June 29, 2026.
Anthony Robinson, 37, was sentenced to 22 years and five 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.
Robinson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He pleaded guilty on April 6, 2026.
The investigation in this matter revealed that Robinson trafficked methamphetamine from Omaha to Sioux Falls. He was a source of supply for multiple other co-conspirators who re-distributed the methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls area. Throughout the conspiracy, investigators seized approximately 20 pounds of methamphetamine associated with Robinson. Investigators believe Robinson was responsible for trafficking approximately 40 pounds of methamphetamine during his involvement in the conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Robinson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Newport Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE, RI – A Newport man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island to federal charges of enticement of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor, and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Kyle Patrick Tormey, 41, pleaded guilty on June 30, 2026, before U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., to three counts of an indictment charging him with enticement of a minor, attempted enticement of a minor and possession of CSAM.
Torney was initially charged by way of a federal criminal complaint in April 2024. He will be sentenced on September 29, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Tormey repeatedly communicated with a minor female on various social media platforms, persuading her to provide him with photographs of herself and to meet with him to engage in sexual activity in exchange for payment. During the investigation, law enforcement executed federal search warrants and recovered electronic communications and images that formed the basis for the possession of CSAM charges.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Milind M. Shah.
The matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and West Warwick Police Department with assistance from the Newport Police Department.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Nampa Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Steven Isaac Vasquez, 26, of Nampa, Idaho, was sentenced to 360 months in federal prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
“Protecting Idaho’s children is a top priority for my office, and we are grateful to work with so many dedicated partners who share the same goal. Together, we ensure that sexual offenders are held accountable for their egregious actions and that victims get the justice they deserve,” said U.S. Attorney Davis
According to court records, the investigation began when the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (“ICAC”) received a CyberTip report from a social media platform. A CyberTip is a report submitted to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”). NCMEC gathers leads and tips regarding suspected online crimes against children and forwards them to the appropriate law enforcement agencies. Law enforcement determined that a social media account, later identified as belonging to Vasquez, had been used to upload videos of child sexual abuse material. ICAC determined the videos depicted Vasquez sexually abusing a seven-year-old child. The investigation revealed that Vasquez had used his cellphone to record the videos and then posted them to his social media account. ICAC later obtained a search warrant for his online account and located the videos he had produced.
“This 30-year sentence gets one more predator off Idaho’s streets,” said Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador. “Protecting Idaho families is the foundation of everything we do in our office. I’m grateful to U.S. Attorney Bart Davis and our law enforcement partners for their work seeing this case through to justice for the family and victim.”
Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Vasquez to serve a lifetime term of supervised release following his prison sentence. Vasquez will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho ICAC Task Force, the Nampa Police Department, the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Middleton Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, and the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady prosecuted the case.
These cases were 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Missouri man headed to prison for sex meetup with “minor” who was actually an FBI agentRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Missouri man was sentenced to 120 months in prison after traveling across state lines to have sex with who he thought was an underage girl but was really an undercover federal agent.
According to court documents, Tommie Earnest Giles, 53, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
On July 23, 2025, and July 24, 2025, Giles, used a social media platform to chat with a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent posing as a 14-year-old female living in Kansas. When the agent purported to be 14 years old, Giles responded that he was 53. Giles then directed the conversation to become sexual in nature and attempted to persuade a person who he thought to be a minor to engage in sexual activity with him. When Giles traveled from his home in Kansas City, Missouri, to Kansas for a meetup with a “minor”, the FBI arrested him. Giles told law enforcement he had believed he was talking to an actual 14-year-old girl, and that he traveled to the residence to have sex with a minor.
“These undercover operations are proactive measures to find and arrest child predators,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Mr. Giles was thoroughly convinced he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl so it’s unsettling to think what could have happened had this been a child instead of an FBI agent. Parents need to be aware that child predators are lurking on the internet and should take measures to protect their children and know of their internet activity.”
“The unfortunate reality is predators exist within our communities. Operations like this one reflect the FBI’s commitment to ensuring we identify those who exploit children and make sure these predators face justice. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect children, purse offenders, and keep our communities safe,” stated Chris Ormerod, FBI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey McCormick prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.###
Michigan Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Role in Arizona-Based Drug Conspiracy in Homeland Security Task Force CaseRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Mark Craythorn Thompson, 63, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced on June 25, by United States District Judge Rosemary Márquez to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl.
As part of this conspiracy, Thompson picked up a package in Detroit, Michigan on September 28, 2023, that contained 997.3 grams of powdered fentanyl. The package had been shipped to Michigan from Arizona in the U.S. Mail, and Thompson intended to deliver the fentanyl to individuals in the Detroit metro area.
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 Arizona-Tucson comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), U.S. Marshals Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, and various local and state law enforcement agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 23-CR-2465-TUC-RM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-115_Thompson# # #
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.Mexican citizen sentenced to prison for illegally reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Mexican national who was in the United States after having been convicted twice for illegal reentry was sentenced today to 10 months in prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Rodolfo Jaime Yanez-Contreras, 43, pleaded guilty in February 2026 to one count of reentry after having been removed from the United States.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Yanez-Contreras was in the country illegally after having been deported from Texas five times between 2000 and 2017.
Yanez-Contreras was detained by law enforcement on Dec. 23, 2025, during a search of the Bozeman residence where he was staying. The Missouri River Drug Task Force and the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation were serving a search warrant and encountered Yanez-Contreras among those at the residence.
Law enforcement learned Yanez-Contreras had previously been removed from the United States in 2000, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2017. With his last two removals, Yanez-Contreras was convicted of felony reentry.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Lowney prosecuted the case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation.
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.
Mexican National Sentenced to Two Years for Immigration and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Juan Jaramillo Vazquez (50, Mexico), a/k/a Juan Vazquiz, has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary Scriven to two years in federal prison for illegal reentry by a deported alien and aggravated identity theft. Vazquez pleaded guilty on March 27, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Vazquez was found to be voluntarily present in the United States after having been previously removed from the United States three times in 2012. Vazquez had not received the consent of the Attorney General or Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission. Vazquez is a citizen of Mexico. Vazquez also fraudulently used a victim’s Social Security number to gain employment and tax benefits, fraudulently representing himself to an employer and the Social Security Administration.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Social Security Administration - Office of the Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ilyssa M. Spergel and Tiffany Fields.
Mexican National Sentenced to Prison for Drugging and Smuggling Unaccompanied Alien Children into the United StatesRead the Press Release
A Mexican national was sentenced today to five years in prison for smuggling children into the United States from Mexico.
According to court documents, Manuel Valenzuela, 35, and other members of an alien smuggling organization brought unaccompanied alien children between the ages of five and 13 illegally into the United States from Juarez, Mexico, sometimes using candy laced with THC to sedate them during smuggling events. The drivers and their co-conspirators would then present U.S. documents to inspecting officers falsely claiming the documents belonged to the children, and that they were the parents of the children. Once inside the United States, the children were then transported to El Paso. During one smuggling event, one of the children was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with THC poisoning.
A photo of THC gummies recovered by agents during secondary inspection at the port of entry. A photo of Manuel Valenzuela entering the United States shortly before the attempted smuggling of several alien children.“Needing to sedate children with THC under the guise of giving them candy, shows just how heinous crimes like this are,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Smuggling unaccompanied children into the country, pretending to be their parents, and then lying to U.S. immigration officials shows the lengths to which criminals like this will go to smuggle children across our borders. The Criminal Division and our law enforcement partners will put an end to this conduct. Protecting children and keeping our borders safe go hand-in-hand.”
“We fight every day in the Western District of Texas to ensure that the people and organizations responsible for heinous crimes like this are brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Criminal organizations like this one would be well advised to think twice before engaging in this type of crime. Our message to them is this: we will find you, we will secure a conviction, and we will ensure you are removed from society for as long as possible.”
“Drug traffickers who exploit children as part of their criminal schemes show total disregard for human life and safety,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan G. McRae of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) El Paso. “Using THC-infused candy to facilitate the smuggling of children across the border into the United States is reprehensible and cruel and puts vulnerable minors at serious risk. HSI will relentlessly pursue transnational criminal organizations responsible for these heinous tactics and bring them to justice.”
Valenzuela pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens, three counts of bringing aliens without authorization for financial gain, and one count of aiding and abetting on Nov. 10, 2025.
HSI El Paso and U.S. Border Patrol led investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.
Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hines for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and Customs and Border Protection, Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 464 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 414 U.S. convictions; and more than 360 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
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 Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Massachusetts Couple Sentenced to Prison for Importing Misbranded Drugs from China and Selling Them to Customers in U.S. for Performance Enhancing PurposesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts couple have been sentenced in federal court in Boston for conspiring to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead.
Chenguang Gong, 43, and Yalan Tang, 45, both of Belmont, Mass., were each sentenced by U.S. District Court Richard G. Stearns to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. In January 2026, the defendants pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce with intent to defraud and mislead.
From at least 2016 through 2020, Gong and Tang imported misbranded drugs from China, using multiple post office boxes, falsified addressees and other deceptive conduct to avoid detection. After receiving the drugs from China, Gong and Tang repackaged the materials and sold them to customers—falsely labeling their products as “For Research Purposes Only,” when, in fact, Gong and Tang knew and understood that their customers would ingest or inject the drugs for performance enhancing purposes. The performance enhancing drugs sold by Gong and Tang included drugs commonly used by bodybuilders and athletes to enhance muscle growth and strength, improve cardiovascular performance and improve endurance. Other drugs sold by Gong and Tang improved cosmetic appearance, prevented or slowed symptoms of aging, improved cognitive function and improved sexual performance.
Over the course of their scheme, Gong and Tang’s gross sales exceeded $2.5 million and Gong and Tang earned profits of more than $600,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office made the announcement today. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Looney and Deputy Chief of the Health Care Fraud Unit Leslie Wright prosecuted the case.
Maryland Oncology Practice Agrees to Pay More Than $1.4M to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Fraudulent BillingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Maryland oncology practice and its owner agreed to pay more than $1.4 million to settle fraudulent billing allegations.
Progressive Oncology & Hematology, LLC (Progressive), an oncology practice offering chemotherapy services in Frederick, Maryland, and its owner and sole provider, Mouhamad Bazzi, MD, agreed to pay the United States $1.45 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the settlement with Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Special Agent in Charge Nate Landkammer, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA OIG).
According to the United States, Progressive and Bazzi knowingly submitted claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for reimbursement for chemotherapy drugs that the defendants did not pay for. Specifically, the government alleges Progressive and Bazzi submitted claims for reimbursement for drugs that came from charitable organizations or through grant programs for specific patients at no expense to the defendants.
Additionally, the government further alleges Progressive and Bazzi directed that wastage (small amounts of extra medication) from single-use vials of drugs intended for one patient be split across two or more patients. The defendants then submitted claims as if each patient received their own single-use vial. It is also alleged that Progressive and Bazzi billed federal and state health insurance programs for chemotherapy drugs Bazzi prescribed but never administered to patients at the practice.
“Seeking reimbursement for chemotherapy drugs that were not paid for or not administered by the practice or this doctor is simply intolerable,” Hayes said. “This settlement reflects this office’s commitment to holding wrongdoers accountable who attempt to profit at the expense of the public fisc.”
“It is incumbent upon all health care providers who participate in the Medicare program to correctly bill for services provided to beneficiaries,” Dixon said. “HHS-OIG makes it a priority to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, VA OIG and other law enforcement partners to evaluate and pursue alleged inaccurate billings submitted to federal health care programs.”
“This settlement demonstrates the VA OIG’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the integrity of claims submitted to VA healthcare programs,” Landkammer said. “The VA OIG thanks the US Attorney’s Office and the Department of Health and Human Services OIG for their efforts in this investigation.”
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HHS-OIG and VA OIG for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly S. Phillips and Roann Nichols who handled this case.
The United States’ settlement in this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints for all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Lowndes County Deputy Named “Hometown Hero” by U.S. AttorneyRead the Press Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. — Lowndes County Sheriff’s Deputy Lieutenant Herb Bennett received the Middle District of Georgia’s “Hometown Hero” award today from U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes, an honor given as part of the Department of Justice’s Freedom 250 initiative, a nationwide effort in which every United States Attorney’s Office recognizes citizens whose service, leadership, and dedication have made a significant impact in their communities in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary.
Lt. Herb Bennett pictured with his wife, Leanne Bennett, alongside U.S. Attorney Will Keyes, Sheriff Ashley Paulk, and members of the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office at the Hometown Hero presentation in Valdosta.
“Lt. Herb Bennett exemplifies selfless service and unwavering integrity as a law enforcement officer and leader, especially as a highly skilled K-9 handler and in tackling complex fraud cases,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “It is a privilege to honor Lt. Bennett for his commitment to the people of Lowndes County and his outstanding efforts to fight fraud, a top priority for the Department of Justice.”
“Lt. Herb Bennett is an exceptional law enforcement officer whose dedication and expertise consistently exceed expectations, both as a national champion K-9 handler and in solving some of our toughest cases. His contributions have strengthened our office and enriched our community,” said Lowndes County Sheriff Ashley Paulk. “As our nation marks its 250th anniversary and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office celebrates its bicentennial, we are proud to honor Lt. Bennett’s well-deserved recognition.”
During the surprise ceremony at the historic Lowndes County Courthouse on July 1, Lt. Bennett was recognized for his exemplary leadership within the Sheriff’s Office, where he has served for 20 years. He currently oversees three critical divisions: K-9 Handlers, Traffic Deputies, and Interstate Criminal Enforcement Deputies.
His outstanding work as a fraud investigator was highlighted during the event, including his pivotal role in solving a major fraud scheme involving eight defendants who used stolen check information provided by a former United States Postal Service employee. For more details about this case, visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mdga/pr/eight-georgians-sentenced-prison-fraudulent-check-cashing-scheme. Sheriff Paulk also commended Lt. Bennett for his leadership in dismantling a national car theft and fraud ring, bringing those responsible to justice. Fraud cases are a top priority for the Department of Justice, and on April 7, 2026, the DOJ announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.
Lt. Herb Bennett and K-9 Thanos with U.S. Attorney Will Keyes at the Hometown Hero event in Valdosta.
Lt. Bennett is a nationally recognized K-9 handler and trainer specializing in narcotics detection. In May, Lt. Bennett and K-9 Thanos took home several awards at the 2026 United States Police Canine Association (USPCA) National Detection field trials in Atlantic City, New Jersey, including 1st place among 78 teams in narcotics detection. Referred to as the “K-9 Olympics,” Lt. Bennett and Thanos won 5th place overall, competing against 120 teams across the country in drills involving apprehension, explosives detection, and arson investigations. The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is hosting the 2027 USPCA field trials.
Lt. Bennett began his police career in 1993, taking his first job at the Polk County, Florida, Sheriff’s Office, where he began working in the K-9 unit and quickly rose to the rank of Sergeant. After retiring in 2006, he continued his service with the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office. He holds a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from St. Leo University and a Certified Public Manager degree from Florida State University. Lt. Bennett and his wife, Leanne, have been married for 22 years and have two daughters.
The Hometown Hero award celebrates America’s 250th anniversary by honoring the enduring ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility. It is presented to individuals who have shown unwavering commitment to these principles and exemplify the spirit that defines our Nation’s founding.
Leaders of Chicago-based drug ring plead guilty to trafficking oxycodoneRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – Two men from Indiana who helped illegally obtain oxycodone from Montana pharmacies have admitted to charges, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jaylan Javier Wash, 23, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute oxycodone. Wash faces 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
Brandon Lavelle Winfrey, 32, who went by “Juice,” pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone. Winfrey faces 20 years in prison, a $1 million fine, three years of supervised release and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided at the change of plea and U.S. District Court Judge Dana L. Christensen will determine a sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing was set for Nov. 10, 2026, in Missoula. Winfrey and Wash were released pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Winfrey and Wash, along with a group of associates, used fake prescriptions to illegally obtain oxycodone. The Chicago-based outfit flew into Montana, visited various pharmacies across the state, and used falsified prescriptions to get oxycodone and other controlled substances. Several members of the group would give the oxycodone to Winfrey and Wash, who then distributed it. Winfrey and Wash paid for expenses and directed group members which pharmacies to hit and when to enter.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The FBI and DEA conducted the investigation.
Laurel man sentenced to 2 years in prison for illegal possession of guns, ammoRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Laurel man who illegally possessed firearms and ammunition was sentenced today to two years and two months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Kenton Charles Maslen, 64, pleaded guilty in January 2026 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
U.S. District Judge William W. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that after serving a search warrant on Maslen’s property they found various types of ammunition, a shotgun and two revolvers.
On April 19, 2025, law enforcement was asked to assist with the eviction of Maslen from a residence in Laurel. During the search, law enforcement observed a white crystalline substance on a piece of glass in Maslen’s bedroom. Based on this discovery, law enforcement obtained a search warrant on the same day and discovered the following:
- The search in Maslen’s bedroom yielded a brown leather handgun holster and a green ammunition can. The can contained boxes of .22 caliber ammo and 12-gauge shotgun ammunition.
- In the driveway of Maslen’s residence was a fifth-wheel camper Maslen claimed as his own. During the search of the camper, a black 12-gauge shotgun was found in a case. The shotgun did not have a serial number, and it appeared that the barrel had been cut short to approximately 16 inches. The case also contained a loaded magazine for a Smith and Wesson pistol, more shotgun ammunition and 9mm ammunition.
- On the floor of the camper was a compartment that agents were able to open. They discovered another firearm, a North American Arms .17 caliber revolver.
- Law enforcement also searched the defendant’s truck and discovered a gun box containing a Ruger “Single Six” .22 caliber revolver.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The ATF, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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.
Kanawha County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Alphonzo Keith Baker, also known as “KD,” 51, of St. Albans, pleaded guilty today to three counts of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with the intent to distribute quantities of fentanyl and cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Baker sold 40 grams or more of fentanyl on October 6, 2025, on November 4, 2025, and on December 2, 2025, each time in the Charleston area. Baker possessed quantities of fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute them on December 4, 2025, in the Charleston area.
Baker is scheduled to be sentenced on October 15, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison for each count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
Baker is among eight individuals indicted following a federal investigation of fentanyl trafficking in the Charleston area. Two defendants pleaded guilty, including Baker. The indictments against the remaining defendants are pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-45.
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Justice Department Sues the Commonwealth of Virginia for Unconstitutional Weapons BansRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against the Commonwealth of Virginia and the Virginia State Police alleging that a newly enacted Virginia law unconstitutionally bans the purchase and sale of ordinary semi-automatic rifles owned by millions of Americans.
“The Constitution is not a suggestion, and the Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This Justice Department has done more to protect the Second Amendment than any administration in our nation’s history, and we will continue to do so whenever necessary.”
“On April 10, I promised Governor Spanberger that we would sue Virginia if she signed this unconstitutional weapons ban into law. I keep my promises,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Law-abiding Americans should not have to live under threat of criminal sanction for simply exercising their Second Amendment right to possess arms owned by millions of their fellow citizens.”
The Virginia law makes the commercial purchase of AR-15-style rifles a crime. The AR-15 rifle is the most popular rifle in America. Virginia’s enforcement of the new ban is a pattern or practice of conduct by the commonwealth’s law enforcement officers that deprives the citizens of Virginia of their constitutional right to buy and sell arms protected by the Second Amendment.
The Civil Rights Division’s Second Amendment Section enforces the Second Amendment. If you believe your right to keep and bear arms is being infringed, please submit a complaint through www.justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
Justice Department Sues California to Halt Glock BanRead the Press Release
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today against California to halt the state’s newly enacted Glock Ban. The lawsuit also seeks to prevent enforcement of the state’s “Handgun Roster” — a list limiting legal firearms that individuals may purchase. The United States challenges both as unlawful under the Second Amendment.
“The Second Amendment is a sacred right belonging to all Americans, even those in California. California cannot ban the most popular type of handgun in America,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “We will work to stop this blatant trampling of our rights by the California government to protect the rights of lawful gun owners.”
“The Civil Rights Division will defend law-abiding citizens from states that seek to disarm them illegally,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This lawsuit is yet another example of this Justice Department enforcing the Second Amendment by protecting citizens against unconstitutional state regulation of firearms.”
California’s new law would ban the retail purchase of common handguns manufactured by Glock and guns with similar firing mechanisms. The state’s existing “Handgun Roster” further limits the types of handguns citizens can lawfully purchase in California. The United States Supreme Court recently reaffirmed that the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect the right to carry handguns outside the home for self-defense in Wolford v. Lopez. The Court reiterated that states cannot prevent citizens from using commonly used firearms for self-defense.
The Civil Rights Division’s Second Amendment Section enforces the Second Amendment. If you believe your right to keep and bear arms is being infringed, please submit a complaint through www.justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
Justice Department Secures Case Dismissal Where Groups Sought to Force EPA to Initiate Rulemaking to Ban a Chemical Used to Create High-Octane GasRead the Press Release
In an order issued last week, the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California granted the Justice Department’s motion — on behalf of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — to dismiss a suit filed by several groups to compel the EPA to initiate a rulemaking to ban the use of hydrogen fluoride in oil refining. The plaintiffs filed their suit after EPA denied an administrative petition seeking the same ban.
Hydrogen fluoride is a chemical used in a wide variety of manufacturing operations. At oil refineries, it is used to produce high-octane gasoline necessary for the performance of high-powered engines.
“We are pleased the court declined plaintiffs’ attempt to ban a chemical needed for the fuel that powers American transportation,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Although the court rightly dismissed the case on standing grounds, we also explained in our motion that plaintiffs failed to state a claim under the Toxic Substances Control Act and did not demonstrate unreasonable risk to human health and the environment from refineries’ use of hydrogen fluoride.”
In its decision, the court agreed with EPA that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that their members face a “credible threat” of harm from an accidental release of hydrogen fluoride from a refinery near where members of the plaintiff groups live. The court found that plaintiffs’ complaint was conclusory and lacked detail sufficient to establish actual or imminent injury for Article III standing purposes. The court noted that allegations of incidents at refineries did not suffice to show that community members outside of refineries would be injured. The court granted plaintiffs “one more chance” to amend their complaint to address the standing issues but was skeptical that they could demonstrate injury in fact.
Attorneys from ENRD’s Environmental Defense Section are handling the matter.
John A. Sarcone III Receives Outstanding Law Enforcement Executive AwardRead the Press Release
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone, with NY & NJ Detectives Crime Clinic Executive Leadership: Mohammad Quazi, Jose Morales, John Sarcone, Robert Basso, Bryan Negron
ALBANY, NEW YORK – The New York and New Jersey Detectives Crime Clinic awarded First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III with it’s Outstanding Law Enforcement Executive Award during their 2026 Awards Luncheon.Founded in 1942, The New York and New Jersey Detectives Crime Clinic brings together members of law enforcement for networking, training, and recognition of their dedication to public safety throughout the community.
“It is a true honor to be recognized by the dedicated men and women of the NY/NJ Crime Clinic. These public servants devote their careers to protecting our communities, and I am grateful for their service,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “Since being appointed to lead the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York, I have worked tirelessly to strengthen collaboration among our Federal, State, and Local law enforcement partners—sharing resources, intelligence, and a unified dedication to public safety and justice.”
Sarcone continued, “Growing up, my father served our community as a Detective for the Town of Greenburgh Police Department. I believe that had he been with us longer, he would have continued his life of service and likely been involved in this very organization. I know he would be proud of the work being done here today. I want to thank President Robert Basso and the entire organization for their efforts and for this humbling award.”
John A. Sarcone is the First Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of New York. United States Attorney’s Offices conduct most of the trial work in which the United States is a party. The United States Attorneys have three primary statutory responsibilities under Section 547 of Title 28 of the United States Code: the prosecution of criminal cases brought by the federal government; the prosecution and defense of civil cases in which the United States is a party; and the collection of debts owed to the federal government which are administratively uncollectible.
The Northern District of New York encompasses 32 counties in Northern and Central New York, covering an area of more than 30,000 square miles. It is home to approximately 3.4 million people.
Jamaican National Extradited to West Michigan Pleads Guilty for His Role in Nationwide Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Jamaican national Sefton Stewart, age 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for his role in a nationwide fraud scheme that fraudulently obtained at least $3.4 million from more than 25 victims. Stewart will be sentenced by United States District Judge Paul Maloney and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.
According to court documents, between October 2019 and September 2024, Stewart, Danielle Diarbakerly, and others participated in a scheme to defraud people in the United States by claiming they had won large prizes (cash and luxury vehicles) in a multistate lottery. To claim the prizes, victims were told they had to pay taxes and fees associated with their winnings. None of those false representations were true and the conspirators used fake bank and U.S. government documents to convince some victims to believe the fraudulent representations and promises. A large portion of the victim funds ultimately were sent to Jamaica, where Stewart resided and a substantial part of the scheme was executed. At least one of the scheme’s victims was a resident of West Michigan, which prompted U.S. Attorney VerHey to file charges.
“This defendant helped operate a scheme that preyed on some of our most vulnerable citizens. Today’s guilty plea is an important step toward justice for the victims and demonstrates our commitment to holding international fraudsters accountable,” said U.S. Attorney VerHey, who prosecuted co-conspirator Danielle Diarbakerly last year. Diarbakerly, a Florida resident, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to launder money obtained in the fraud scheme and was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for her role.
Stewart was extradited to Grand Rapids, Michigan from Jamaica by the U.S. Marshals Service in March 2026 and has been detained since his arrival. After serving his sentence, Stewart will be removed from the United States.
“Homeland Security Investigations is committed to protecting the public from transnational criminal organizations that target vulnerable individuals through complex fraud schemes,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Scott Bauer, Grand Rapids Office, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “This case demonstrates the importance of international cooperation and the dedication of our agents to pursue justice for victims, no matter where the perpetrators may reside. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure those who exploit innocent people are held accountable.”
“The defendant in today’s announcement and their prosecuted co-conspirator share one trait in common – greed,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Kuszynski, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI). “This desire for money, along with the power and material items it buys, drove them to commit crimes against many of the vulnerable in our society. Thanks to the financial expertise and diligence of IRS-CI special agents, who worked side-by-side with our law enforcement partners to uncover these schemes, these criminals are facing the consequences of their actions.”
The Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) are jointly investigating this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor is prosecuting it.
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Informant Admits Stealing Government FundsRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Jarod Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, announced that FERNANDO TORIBIO, also known as “Fernando Toribio-Balbuena,” 32, of Waterbury, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to theft of government funds.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in 2019, Toribio agreed to become a cooperating source with the Drug Enforcement Administration in an effort to avoid prosecution for narcotics offenses. Under the terms of an agreement Toribio entered with the DEA, any unauthorized criminal activity by him would constitute a breach of the agreement, exposing him to criminal prosecution.
In November 2022, Toribio told DEA special agents and task force officers in Connecticut about a female from the Dominican Republic who was living in Massachusetts. According to Toribio, the female had left a sample of fentanyl pills for him in a mailbox in Waterbury. Investigators retrieved approximately 10 pills from the mailbox, and testing confirmed they contained fentanyl. The DEA and Toribio subsequently coordinated the following transactions with the female:
- On December 2, 2022, the female provided 1,000 fentanyl pills and a sample of powder fentanyl at a meeting in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, and was paid $5,000 in government funds provided by the DEA.
- On December 16, 2022, the female provided 1,000 fentanyl pills at a meeting in Manchester, Connecticut, and was paid $5,000 in government funds provided by the DEA.
- In January 2023, the female provided approximately one pound of crystal methamphetamine and was paid $5,000 in government funds provided by the DEA.
- On January 26, 2023, at a meeting in Norwalk, Connecticut, the female provided approximately 10 pounds of crystal methamphetamine and 3,000 fentanyl pills, and was expecting to receive a payment of $65,000. However, DEA special agents seized the drugs and did not make the agreed-upon payment.
In pleading guilty, Toribio admitted that he had arranged with the female to receive a cut of the government funds paid by the DEA for the drugs. After the December 2, 2022, transaction, the female and Toribio met in Boston where she paid him $1,200. After the December 16, 2022, transaction, the female met Toribio in Revere, Massachusetts, and paid him $1,800. After the first January 2023 transaction, the female paid Toribio $1,200 at location in Massachusetts. The female also sent funds over CashApp to an account controlled by Toribio’s wife.
In addition, Toribio and the female had agreed that he would receive $18,000 of the $65,000 anticipated payment for the January 26, 2023, transaction.
Toribio was arrested on a criminal complaint on January 8, 2026.
Theft of government funds carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for September 23.
Toribio is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen L. Peck.
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marlon Leftwich, 46, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to production of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on or about January 1, 2016, Leftwich persuaded a 5-year-old minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct with him at his Huntington residence while he recorded the conduct using a cell phone. Leftwich then transferred the video file to a memory card.
Leftwich is scheduled to be sentenced on October 5, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Leftwich must also register as a sex offender.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Gabriel Price is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-132.
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Harrington Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Hands-on Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Harrington man was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). U.S. District Judge Gregory B. Williams imposed the sentence.
According to court documents, Todd Fisher, 33, solicited, received, and exchanged CSAM involving prepubescent children, including children as young as seven years old. Fisher used an online messaging platform and an encrypted cloud storage and communication service to send and receive CSAM. The investigation also revealed that Fisher sexually assaulted a minor child known to him on multiple occasions.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace stated, “Todd Fisher not only victimized children by watching and sharing videos of child sexual abuse, but he also molested a child with his own hands. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to investigate and prosecute those who hurt children, regardless of whether they do so physically or by watching their abuse over the internet. I am grateful for our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners’ tireless work to keep our community safe from people who harm children.”
“This ten-year sentence puts an admitted predator in prison where he can no longer exploit and abuse innocent children,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “For the FBI, protecting our kids from monsters like Todd Fisher is a high priority and we work diligently with our partners to ensure offenders are identified and fully held accountable.”
Upon Fisher’s release from prison, he will be required to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
The FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force investigated this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-cr-108-GBW.
Gonzales Man Sentenced for Trafficking Kilograms of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LA – On June 23, 2026, ROY ROBINSON (“ROBINSON”), age 34, of Gonzales, Louisiana, was sentenced to a total of 108 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, and payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee of $100, by U.S. District Judge Brandon S. Long, announced U.S. Attorney David I Courcelle.
ROBINSON had previously pled guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 846, 841(a)(1), and 841(b)(1)(A), as well as Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Offense, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(a).
According to the indictment, Thibodaux law enforcement officers observed a co-conspirator of ROBINSON’s purchase narcotics from ROBINSON in a parking lot. A subsequent search of ROBINSON’s vehicle along with executed search warrants of the co-conspirator’s residence yielded multiple firearms, a large sum of U.S. currency, and over 7,000 grams of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisiana State Police, the Thibodaux Police Department, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stuart Theriot of the Violent Crimes Unit.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
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