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Tuesday 12 May 2026
Justice Department Secures $30M Settlement with PayPal over DEI Investment ProgramRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced a settlement with PayPal Inc. to resolve a fair lending investigation into a discriminatory investment program created for black and minority-owned businesses. The settlement requires PayPal to launch a new Small Business Initiative that excludes criteria based on race, national origin, or other protected characteristics. As part of the initiative, PayPal will waive processing fees for $1 billion of transactions – a value of approximately $30 million – for eligible American small businesses that are veteran-owned or engaged in farming, manufacturing, or technology.
“This Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s vow to root out illegal DEI from every corner of corporate America,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “American corporations are on notice: you will face our aggressive enforcement if you use race or national origin to discriminate against qualified Americans.”
“With this settlement, PayPal agrees that race and national origin should play no part in determining which small businesses deserve its investment and financial support,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department will use the full range of its enforcement authorities to eliminate discrimination and ensure that all Americans have an equal opportunity to grow their small businesses.”
In addition to fee waivers, as part of the settlement PayPal will designate a director of the Small Business Initiative, conduct an assessment of the needs of American small businesses and determine how PayPal can best support them, submit plans and proposals for the initiative to the United States, provide training to employees on the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and report on the initiative annually.
PayPal announced the discriminatory Economic Opportunity Fund in 2020 to invest in black and minority-owned businesses. While the program gave a preference to businesses based on race, color, and national origin, it was not implemented to remediate any specific instances of past discrimination.
The Equal Credit Opportunity Act prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, marital status, age, because an applicant receives income from a public assistance program, or because an applicant has in good faith exercised any right under the Consumer Credit Protection Act. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.
Jury convicts prior felon for unlawful possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – Following a two-day trial, a jury found a prior felon guilty of federal charges for possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon.
On May 6, 2026, a federal jury convicted Anthony D. Bradley, Jr., 37, of one count for possession of a firearm by a felon. Indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024, Bradley was observed by officers to possess a firearm on October 28, 2024, during a proactive crime suppression detail that included the John De Shields housing complex in East St. Louis, Illinois.
According to court documents, Bradley was previously convicted of state charges for second degree murder and multiple state and federal charges involving illegal firearm possession. Bradley stipulated prior to trial that he was a convicted felon and that he knew he was a convicted felon at the time of the offense conduct.
“Convicted felons, like Anthony Bradley, who unlawfully possess firearms contribute to the plague of gun violence threatening our local communities,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “The jury’s verdict holds Bradley accountable for his wrongful possession and supports our office’s commitment to ensure the safety of southern Illinois. I commend the effort of ISP’s Public Safety Enforcement Group for their continued efforts in bringing these offenders to justice.”
The evidence presented at trial proved Bradley unlawfully possessed a firearm in East St. Louis. Following trial, Bradley entered a stipulation and consent to forfeit the firearm to the United States. The jury deliberated for approximately two hours and twenty minutes.
“This guilty verdict holds a felon who repeatedly broke the law accountable and is a big win for the Metro East community,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “Officers in our Public Safety Enforcement Group and Statewide Antiviolence Enforcement unit are committed to making communities safer and ISP will continue to dedicate resources to get criminals out of our neighborhoods.”
Sentencing is scheduled for September 1, 2026 at 10:30 AM in the East St. Louis Courthouse. The Illinois State Police led this investigation with assistance from its Public Safety Enforcement Group and Firearms Investigation Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Arshi and Ali Burns prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, which is a 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.
Jefferson County Businessman Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Failing to Pay Taxes on Behalf of EmployeesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Zachary M. Bluestone on Tuesday sentenced a Jefferson County businessman to 18 months in prison for failing to pay 10 years of employment taxes totaling $774,081.
Judge Bluestone also ordered Danny L. Nickelson Jr., 54, to pay the back taxes in restitution to the IRS and imposed a fine of $18,684.
Nickelson owned General Physiotherapy, a manufacturer and distributor of massage and percussion devices used in medicine and physical therapy. For tax years 2013 through 2022, Nickelson withheld Social Security and Medicare taxes and federal income taxes from employees’ pay but did not pay that to the IRS. He also did not match the withheld taxes and pay that amount, as required. Nickelson did the same thing for tax years 2013-2015 for Tomichi Industries, a small plastic distributor and supplier for General Physiotherapy. Nickelson was sole shareholder of Tomichi.
Nickelson used the tax money for the operating expenses of the business and personal expenditures including food, travel, retail purchases and credit card bills.
Nickelson “put at risk his employees’ tax liabilities and future federal benefits” and stole “money from the U.S. tax system that funds the federal government and the social safety net,” a sentencing memorandum by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow says.
Nickelson pleaded guilty in February to two counts of failure to pay over trust fund taxes.
The case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow prosecuted the case.
Indictment Charges Four District Men in Spree of Convenience Store ATM Robberies Using Jaws of LifeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 27-count Indictment was unsealed today in U.S. District Court charging four men in connection with a conspiracy that used the “Jaws of Life” to commit robberies of convenience store ATMs in Maryland and the District, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Jeff Crews, 35, David Walker, 40, Maurice Roots, 35, and Kevin Bing, 31 – all residents of the District of Columbia – are charged with Conspiracy to Interfere with Commerce by Robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery) and an array of other counts relating to stolen vehicles.
“Violent, organized crews who treat our neighborhoods as targets and use rescue tools designed to save lives to instead tear open ATMs and terrorize businesses will be met with relentless prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This indictment reflects a sustained law enforcement effort to dismantle a coordinated robbery ring that endangered employees, destroyed property, and repeatedly struck communities across Maryland and the District of Columbia.”
According to the Indictment, the conspiracy operated during the first three months of 2025. Members of the conspiracy acquired a “Jaws of Life” – the powerful hydraulic rescue tool typically used by first responders to extract victims from the wreckage of car crashes – and used it to tear open automated teller machines and steal the cash inside them.
The men acquired stolen vehicles, wore masks, and executed most of the robberies during the early-morning hours. They would meet at a predetermined location, transfer their robbery tools into the robbery vehicle, and drive to the targeted convenience store. After arriving at the convenience store, members divided up tasks. One member sometimes remained in the vehicle as a getaway driver. At least one other member was tasked with subduing the store employees, as another attempted to destroy the store’s surveillance video and network equipment. Another used the “Jaws of Life” tool or other levering tool to rip open the ATM and remove its cassettes containing the cash.
On Jan. 3, 2025, members of the conspiracy robbed an ATM on the 9900 block of Greenbelt Road, Lanham. On Jan. 4, 2025, members of the conspiracy robbed stores on the 6000 block of Sandy Spring Road, in Laurel, and the 900 block of Chillum Road, Hyattsville. On Jan. 7, 2025, members robbed a store on the 7700 block of Crain Highway, Upper Marlboro. On Jan. 8, 2025, members of the conspiracy attempted to rob an ATM on Route 3 in Gambrills. On Jan. 12, 2025, members of the conspiracy ignited and burned a black Lexus sedan, which had been used to facilitate a robbery.
On Jan. 22, 2025, members robbed an ATM in a store on the 7400 block of Annapolis Road, Hyattsville. On Jan. 29, 2025, members robbed a store on the 11000 block of Cherry Hill Road, Beltsville, and robbed an ATM inside a store on the unit block of Watkins Park Drive, Upper Marlboro.
On Feb. 1, 2025, members robbed an ATM within a store on the 7900 block of Good Luck Road, Lanham. On Feb. 6, 2025, members robbed an ATM on the 6100 block of Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill. On Feb. 19, 2025, members robbed an ATM in a store on the 11000 block of Baltimore Avenue, Beltsville, On Feb. 22, 2025, members robbed an ATM in a store on the 9400 block of Lanham Severn Road, Lanham.
On Feb. 28, 2025, members robbed an ATM on the 1000 block of Crain Hwy N, Gambrills, and robbed another ATM on the 600 block of University Boulevard, Silver Spring. On March 11, 2025, members robbed a store on the 6500 block of Coventry Way, Clinton, and struck another ATM the same day on the 8900 block of Rhode Island Avenue, College Park.
On March 19, 2025, members of the conspiracy attempted to rob an ATM at a store on the 9500 block of Ruby Lockhart Boulevard, Bowie, before they robbed an ATM on the 5200 block of 3rd St. NE, Washington D.C. Later that day, members burned a silver Lexus sedan which had been used to facilitate a robbery.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Greenbelt Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
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Illinois Resident Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Oluyomi Omobolanle Bombata, a/k/a Bola, a/k/a Bola Flexx, a/k/a Bobo Chicago, age 27, of Chicago, Illinois, entered a guilty plea to one count of Wire Fraud Conspiracy, punishable by up to 27 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, one count of Wire Fraud, punishable by up to 27 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy, punishable by up to 27 years in prison and the greater of either a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction.
The Second Superseding Indictment alleged that beginning in June 2023 and continuing through September 2023, Bombata and other co-conspirators devised and executed a scheme to defraud and deceive victims by using “spoofed” emails and websites with falsely registered domain names to convince victims to wire funds to bank accounts fraudulently established and controlled by Bombata and his co-conspirators. The Indictment further alleged that beginning in June 2023 and continuing through October 2023, Bombata conspired with others to conduct financial transactions to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the proceeds of the fraud.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Bombata will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Wittlinger represented the United States.
Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced for Distribution of Child Pornography via Facebook MessengerRead the Press Release
ABERDEEN, MS– U.S. Attorney Scott Leary and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced today that a Mexican national, illegally in the United States, was sentenced to 121 months in prison, five years supervised release and $14,000 in restitution for knowingly distributing and receiving visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct through the popular internet application Facebook Messenger. He had previously pled guilty to these charges.
According to court documents, Adolfo Raul Vasquez-Santana, 32, of Southaven, Mississippi, downloaded and shared violent videos that depicted the sexual abuse of children.
Vasquez-Santana was investigated by the Southaven Police Department responding to a tip that the agency received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. HSI determined Vasquez-Santana was illegally present in the United States and pursued federal charges.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Sharion Aycock sentenced Vasquez-Santana including requiring him to pay $14,000 to the victims for restitution.
Officials with ICE have placed an immigration detainer on the defendant, to result in his removal from the United States following the conclusion of his federal sentence.
U.S. Attorney Leary stated, “Child pornography is a plague. Children are victimized not only through the production of obscene material, but through its continual distribution. Somehow, this debauchery has gained a foothold in our society. We need the public’s help. Please, when you see something troubling, let law enforcement know – we will respond. A heartfelt thanks goes to the Southaven Police Department and HSI investigators. Federal and state law enforcement working together to get these perpetrators off the streets is what the public expects us to do. Well done! Again, the Northern District of Mississippi has the best child exploitation prosecutors in the nation, and Julie Addison is one of them.”
“HSI is committed to protecting children from predators who use technology to exploit them. When we received information about Vasquez-Santana, our agents acted quickly to investigate, arrest and bring this individual to justice. We remain vigilant against child predators and will continue to pursue these offenders wherever they operate,” said Matt Wright, acting Special Agent in Charge for HSI New Orleans. “Our partners at Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) will ensure that once the defendant completes his federal sentence, he is removed from the United States and unable to pose further risk to our communities.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Additionally, 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.
Homeland Security Task Force Operation Concludes with 19th Defendant Pleading GuiltyRead the Press Release
GREENVILLE, MS – Harold Cook, 55, of Fort Worth, Texas, pleaded guilty today after a federal jury was selected. This concludes a major Homeland Security Task Force operation involving 19 defendants, more than 25 kilograms of cocaine and $150,000 in drug proceeds and multiple vehicles seized.
According to court documents, Harold Cook and his co-defendants were charged in an indictment including cocaine conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, possession with intent to distribute cocaine. His co-defendants include:
- Roy Ramirez (sentenced to 54 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Juan Carlos Mercado (sentenced to 46 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Javier Cardenas (sentenced to 54 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Thalmus Pace (sentenced to 60 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Willie B. Hayes (awaiting sentencing)
- Christopher Lomax (awaiting sentencing)
- Michael Hughes (awaiting sentencing)
- Derek Mosley (awaiting sentencing)
- Edyee Rascon-Mendoza (sentenced to 20 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Vinton Maclin (sentenced to 20 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Alyrone Green (awaiting sentencing)
- Jerry Moody (awaiting sentencing)
- Andre Rawls (sentenced to 110 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Marvin Hilliard (sentenced to 20 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Orlando McKinney (sentenced to 18 months, 3 years supervised release)
- Dewayne Smith (sentenced to 120 months, 3 years supervised release)
Harold Cook will be sentenced at a later date by Chief United States District Judge Debra M. Brown. Cook was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following his plea of guilty.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary stated, “We are all aware of the devastation that drug trafficking and violent gangs have visited on our communities. Liberating neighborhoods from the scourge of violent crime is not only a national priority, it is the top priority for the Northern District of Mississippi. The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative was established by Executive Order in 2025. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, human smuggling and drug trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. This HSTF investigation typifies the interagency collaboration envisioned by our law enforcement community. State and Federal agents, working together, convicted over a dozen defendants and seized over 25 kilograms of cocaine. By dismantling this drug trafficking organization, hundreds of pounds of drugs will be taken off our streets and lives will be saved. Awesome job by the Desoto County Sheriff’s Department, without your help this case would not have been possible. Likewise, DEA-Oxford, Mississippi worked closely with DEA-El Paso, DEA-Fairview Heights (Illinois) and the United States Marshal’s Service to bring this case home. Well done all!”
"This operation is a testament to what we can achieve when federal, state, and local law enforcement stand together as a united front,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer. “We are sending a clear message that criminal organizations have no place in Mississippi. Through the HSTF, we will continue to use every resource available to protect our citizens and uphold the rule of law across the Northern District."
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sam Stringfellow and Julie Addison.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Indictment of Four Illegal Aliens from South America in Million Dollar Multistate Burglary RingRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on May 12, 2026, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Wisconsin returned an indictment charging Chilean nationals Luciano Alexis Silva Cifuentes, Enjerbet Alejandro Rojas Silva, and Leandro Felipe Pino Uribe, and Venezuelan national Nobuaki Jesus Lara Watay with violations of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 371 (conspiracy to violate the laws of the United States), 2314 (interstate and foreign transportation of stolen property), and 1956(h) (conspiracy to launder criminal proceeds).
According to publicly filed criminal complaints that preceded today’s indictment, this case arises out of an investigation initially commenced by the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office and joined by the Milwaukee area Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The HSTF is led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security–Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
The investigation led to charges against a group of Chilean nationals who are in the U.S. illegally and allegedly traveled from South America to commit burglaries across the United States. This South American theft group is allegedly tied to more than a dozen completed and attempted residential burglaries in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Florida, with a total loss of approximately $1,000,000 worth of U.S. currency, jewelry, firearms, precious metals, and rare coins. The Chilean burglars are alleged to have repeatedly traveled from Florida to Wisconsin and Minnesota by rental car, with the support of Watay, who is living in the U.S. illegally in Florida, and who reserved Airbnb rentals for the burglary crew, posted their bail when needed, and conducted financial transactions on the group’s behalf.
The crimes with which the defendants have been charged carry maximum penalties of up to five years in prison for conspiring to violate the laws of the United States, up to ten years in prison for transporting stolen property across state or foreign boundaries, and up to twenty years in prison for conspiring to launder criminal proceeds.
This indictment 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.
This investigation was led by the Milwaukee Homeland Security Task Force 414, composed of members from the FBI, HSI, IRS–CI, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Office, with significant support from the Waukesha County Sheriff’s Office, Mequon Police Department, Dane County Sheriff’s Department, Brown County Sheriff’s Department, Mendota Heights (MN) Police Department, Orono (MN) Police Department, Edina (MN) Police Department, Plantation (FL) Police Department, and the North Central High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).
The prosecution is being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove them guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Haysville husband and wife admit to possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
WICHITA – A Kansas couple admitted culpability in crimes related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Addilynn Jean Onuffer, 22, of Haysville was sentenced to 160 months in prison after pleading guilty to distribution of child pornography.
Her husband and co-defendant Gavin Onuffer, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography. He is scheduled to be sentenced August 3, 2026.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cyber tip about CSAM from an IP address connected to the home of Gavin and Addilynn Onuffer. Investigators obtained a search warrant for Gavin’s cell phone and found files containing images of prepubescent minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Evidence showed his wife sent him the images.
“In her plea agreement, Addilynn said she sent her husband CSAM images simply because he wanted them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We all have a duty to protect the most vulnerable members of our society. Instead of holding each other accountable and stopping perverse activity, this couple engaged in their prurient interests together. There is no excuse for this behavior.”
The Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC) and Wichita Police Department investigated 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.###
Gardner Woman Pleads Guilty to Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gardner woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Leidy E. Otero, 43, pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of stolen government money or property and one count of Social Security fraud – concealment. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Aug. 27, 2026. Otero was charged in April 2026.
In 2011, Otero applied for and began receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA) as the representative payee for two other individuals based on Otero’s limited income and resources. In assessing a married individual’s eligibility for SSI, the income and resources of the applicant’s spouse is considered if they live together. If an applicant is awarded SSI, they have a continuing obligation to notify SSA of any changes in their marital status, living arrangements and household income and resources.
In July 2014, Otero reported to SSA that she was married, but stated that she did not live with her husband. After that July 2014 report, Otero’s husband became part of the household and Otero did not notify SSA as required. At all times during the charged period, Otero’s husband’s income exceeded the SSI limits. Had Otero accurately reported her living arrangements, her husband’s income would have made her ineligible for SSI when they lived together.
The charge of receipt of stolen government money or property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of Social Security fraud – concealment provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg and the Worcester Branch Office.
On March 26, 2026, United States Attorney Leah B. Foley announced the creation of the Benefit & Voter Fraud Team, a district-wide initiative established in response to the rampant fraud being uncovered across Massachusetts. The Team is led by two senior federal prosecutors serving as Fraud Coordinators, whose mission it is to aggressively investigate and prosecute misuse of taxpayer-funded benefits in Massachusetts.
Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected benefit fraud in Massachusetts by calling 1-855-SCAM-MA-1 (855-722-6621).
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
Gainesville Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – DaMorie Lamontay Miles, 19, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and one count of receipt, possession, transfer, or production of a firearm which is not registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Running with drugs and illegal firearms in the Northern District of Florida is a one-way ticket to federal prison, and my office is more than happy to send this felon on his way. Operation Take Back America is a promise to U.S. citizens that the Department of Justice will devote maximum resources toward keeping our streets safe and drug-free, and my office will continue to deliver on that promise with successful prosecutions like this one.”
Court records reflect that the defendant was communicating via text message and social media with others to buy and sell marijuana and to obtain a machine gun conversion device (MCD). The defendant was arrested after a search warrant of his residence produced over 600 grams of marijuana and the MCD.
If convicted on all counts, Miles faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Gainesville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christie S. Utt.
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.
Founder of Punjabi Devils Motorcycle Club Stockton Sentenced to over 5 Years in Prison for Unlawfully Dealing in Firearms and Possessing a Machine GunRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Jashanpreet Singh, 27, of Lodi, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to five years and four months in prison for unlawful dealing of firearms and unlawful possession of a machine gun, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Singh was the founder of the “Punjabi Devils” Motorcycle Club, a Stockton-based outlaw motorcycle gang associated with the Hells Angels. On June 6, 2025, Singh attempted to sell several weapons to an undercover officer, including a short-barreled rifle, three assault weapons, three machine gun conversion devices, and a revolver. A search of Singh’s residence resulted in the discovery of additional firearms, including a machine gun, another machine gun conversion device, and a silencer.
Firearms (including machine guns and a short-barreled rifle), firearms parts (including a silencer and high-capacity drum magazines), and other items seized from Singh’s vehicle and residence on June 6, 2025.
Officers also discovered a single pineapple-style capped and fused hand grenade, as well as what law enforcement believed was a military electronic capped claymore mine. The Explosives Ordinance Detail of the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Department bomb team destroyed these items at the scene.
Singh initially faced state charges in San Joaquin County related to these offenses. On July 21, 2025, he failed to appear in court, and the state court issued a bench warrant for his arrest. On July 23, 2025, the FBI received an alert from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection that Singh had booked a ticket to India and was scheduled to depart from the San Francisco International Airport on July 26, 2025. On that date, officers located and arrested Singh at the airport before he could flee. Singh remains in federal custody. Singh pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2026.
This case was the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; Homeland Security Investigations; the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office; the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, Explosive Ordinance Detail; the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, Special Investigations Unit; the Stockton Police Department; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adrian T. Kinsella prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Former Shelby County Division of Corrections Investigator Sentenced to Federal Prison for BriberyRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – A federal judge has sentenced Deon Scott, 41, a former Internal Affairs Investigator for the Office of Professional Standards for the Shelby County Divisions of Corrections to federal prison for bribery. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, Scott smuggled contraband into the Shelby County Divisions of Corrections, a facility which houses federal inmates, while employed as an Internal Affairs Investigator at the facility. Scott received at least $3,200 as payment for his unlawful conduct. Scott was immediately terminated from his position.
On November 17, 2025, Scott pled guilty to a one count information alleging that as a public official, he accepted money in exchange for smuggling contraband items, including narcotics, into the Shelby County Division of Corrections. On May 8, 2026, United States Chief District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman sentenced Scott to a total of 18 months of federal imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Official misconduct and corruption by correctional officers in positions of trust and authority undermine the foundational integrity of our government institutions and compromise the safety and security of correctional facilities. This sentence will hopefully deter other corrupt behavior, restore the public’s faith in honest officers, and send a message that nobody is above the law."
The case was investigated by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the United States Secret Service (USSS).
Assistant United States Attorneys Lynn Crum and Greg Wagner and former Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Kimbril-Parks prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Former Navy Officer Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Douglas Engstrom, a former officer in the United States Navy, pleaded guilty to attempted interstate coercion and enticement of a minor. Additionally, as part of his plea agreement, Engstrom stipulated and admitted that he possessed and received over 600 images and videos of child sexual abuse material. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury. When sentenced, Engstrom faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant, who was a member of the Navy when he committed his crimes, was convicted of preying on someone he believed to be an innocent 13-year-old girl,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This prosecution demonstrates that we will use every law enforcement tool available to prosecute and punish to the fullest extent of the law predators, like the defendant, who exploit the most vulnerable among us: children.”
“Instead of honoring his oath to protect this country, former U.S. Navy officer Douglas Engstrom exploited some of our most vulnerable citizens – children – to satisfy his perverted desires. The FBI maintains its commitment to hold accountable sexual predators that prey upon children. We will never stop in our pursuit of justice for victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As set forth in court filings and during today’s plea proceeding, Engstrom communicated online with an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old girl and attempted to meet this individual to engage in sexual activity. In his communications, Engstrom admitted that he was a 36-year-old man in the Navy and said that he wanted to have oral, anal, and vaginal sex with the girl, including while she was unconscious. He then agreed to meet the girl in Valley Stream, New York to have sex with her. In reality, this purported 13-year-old girl was an undercover officer.
After booking a flight and hotel room, Engstrom traveled from Maryland to New York. On December 16, 2023, officers arrested him at the Valley Stream, New York Long Island Railroad train station. At the time of his arrest, Engstrom was holding a large teddy bear, which the undercover officer had requested that he bring to the 13-year-old girl. Members of law enforcement subsequently reviewed Engstrom’s electronic devices pursuant to a judicially-authorized warrant and discovered a significant volume of images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Anyone with information about sexual exploitation by the defendant is asked to contact the FBI at tips.fbi.gov or 212-384-1000.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney James R. Simmons is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Adam Bernard and Legal Assistant Danielle Rompel.
The Defendant:
DOUGLAS ENGSTROM
Age: 38
Hanover, MarylandE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-12 (NJC)
Former Hellenic Orthodox priest accused of stealing hundreds of thousands of dollarsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. — U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Christos Christakis, 57, of Cincinnati, OH, was charged by criminal complaint with bank fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
According to the complaint, in March 2007, Christakis was hired to be the Priest at the Hellenic Orthodox Church of the Annunciation (HOCA) in Buffalo, NY. In 2011, Christakis inserted a provision into the HOCA by-laws, which resulted in Christakis having complete control over the Priest Discretionary Fund. Similar to a petty cash account, the fund is intended to allow the priest to provide small direct assistance payments and financial support to those in need. The fund at HOCA was overseen by the parish council and was subject to limits on how much money could be in the discretionary account at any given time, usually less than $1,500. In March 2025, a whistle-blower complaint was filed with the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America about the financial irregularities occurring at HOCA, which prompted the Archdiocese to conduct an internal investigation into Christakis, during which he made admissions to using parish funds for his own personal benefit between 2018 and 2025.
Investigators analyzed the HOCA Priest Discretionary Fund. According to the complaint, between January 2018 and July 31, 2025, approximately 725 checks were deposited into the fund, of which only 11 were specifically designated for donation into the fund. At least one $7,000 check was written from the fund to pay Christakis’s personal American Express bill.
The investigation also included analysis of Christakis’s personal bank account held jointly with his spouse, along with Christakis’s children’s accounts. Cash deposits into these accounts were identified and compared to the amount and timing of cash withdrawals from the Priest Discretionary Fund. The analysis found approximately $338,660 of cash deposited into the joint account. Christakis’s and his spouse’s known employment and lifestyle would not have generated this level of cash. In addition, an analysis of Christakis’s spending levels and bank accounts was conducted, which compared the primary sources and uses of funds each year, excluding cash deposits. The analysis revealed the non-cash sources of income were insufficient to support Christakis’s and his family’s lifestyle. Once cash deposits were added to their budget, the joint account was able to break even each year. Christakis is accused of stealing approximately $450,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig R. Gestring. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Former Department of Labor Employee Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining over $40,000 in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former employee of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to fraudulently obtaining over $40,000 in pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA) benefits.
Mo Yuong Kang, 50, formerly of Woburn and Dracut, Mass., pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy scheduled sentencing for Aug. 11, 2026. In August 2025, Kang was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Kang worked as an Industrial Hygienist with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an agency of the DOL, from June 2016 until July 2023. In 2020 and 2021, Kang was a full-time employee of the DOL and earned over $85,000 annually.
In April 2020, Kang submitted a false PUA application to the Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA). In the application, Kang claimed under the penalty of perjury that he was “self-employed, an independent contractor, or a gig worker and COVID-19 has severely limited [his] ability to perform [his] normal work,” and that he had not earned more than $89 a week since March 8, 2020. The DUA approved Kang’s claim, and through September 2021 Kang subsequently submitted weekly certifications to the DUA claiming that he did not work and did not receive any income during those weekly periods. Based upon his application and weekly certifications, Kang received $45,868 in PUA benefits to which he was not entitled.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 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; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; and Christopher Silvestro, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina E. Barclay of the Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 and designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act created a new temporary federal unemployment insurance program called pandemic unemployment assistance (PUA), which provided unemployment benefits for individuals who were not eligible for standard unemployment benefits. To receive PUA benefits, Massachusetts claimants were required to certify in an initial registration and in weekly certifications whether or not they worked or received any income during the relevant time period. The PUA program was administered in Massachusetts by the Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA).
Foreign Operators and Technical Superintendent of M/V Dali Indicted for Roles in Key Bridge CrashRead the Press Release
Two corporate entities and a shoreside superintendent face criminal charges in connection with the vessel crash that knocked down the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland.
A federal court unsealed an indictment today charging three defendants with conspiracy to defraud the United States and with causing the death of six construction workers on the bridge, among other charges.
On March 26, 2024, the Motor Vessel Dali, a 900-foot foreign flag container vessel, registered in Singapore, crashed into the bridge. The indictment alleges that the economic loss in this case is at least $5 billion.
Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, based in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, based in Chennai, India, along with Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, 47, an Indian national who worked for both companies as the Technical Superintendent for the Dali, are charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and false statements. The two Synergy corporations are also charged with misdemeanor violations of the Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Refuse Act for the discharge of pollutants into the Patapsco River, including shipping containers and their contents, oil, and the bridge itself.
“The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This indictment is a critical step toward holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for maritime safety regulations caused this disaster. Six construction workers lost their lives, critical infrastructure was destroyed, pollutants were released into the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay, and the economic damage now exceeds five billion dollars. This Department is committed to securing justice for the victims and ensuring those responsible are held to account.”
“This indictment is the first step in our efforts to hold those accountable who caused the tragic deaths of six people and catastrophic damage to our region,” said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland. “The safety of our residents, ports, and infrastructure is of utmost importance to the prosperity of the District of Maryland. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland will continue to pursue those who commit crimes that jeopardize those interests.”
“The indictment alleges criminal conduct that not only destroyed the Key Bridge but brought the regional economy to its knees and claimed the lives of six Maryland residents,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Adherence to laws governing safe operation of commercial vessels is essential to doing business in our nation’s ports. We enforce these laws to protect the public from future disasters like this fatal crash.”
“The indictment reveals a pattern of deception and egregious violations that led to the unsafe operation of the Dali which recklessly endangered the public and resulted in the ship striking the bridge,” said Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “This indictment should send a message to all ship operators that circumventing safety requirements and breaking U.S. laws will not be tolerated. I am proud of FBI Baltimore’s investigative teams who worked diligently over the last two years to find the truth and to hold those responsible accountable.”
“The United States will not be a safe harbor for violators who pollute our nation’s waterways. Today’s indictment alleges that reckless cost-cutting by dishonest foreign corporations on a foreign-flagged vessel with a foreign crew carrying hazardous cargo resulted in death, disruption of our economy, and the discharge of oil and other chemicals into the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay,” said Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall of EPA’s Office for Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “Such tragedy must not happen again. This EPA will ensure that foreign companies do not profit off of polluting American communities. The hard work of our criminal investigators, who were among the first aboard the wrecked ship, was critical for securing this indictment, and we look forward to working with the Department of Justice to prosecute this case.”
“At the core of the Coast Guard's mission is the protection of life and property and the facilitation of commerce,” said Acting Director Zinnia James of the Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). “The charges announced today reflect the Coast Guard Investigative Service’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and integrity of our nation's maritime transportation system. This indictment alleges a reckless disregard for U.S. maritime laws and safety regulations, which had devastating consequences, leading to the tragic loss of six lives and catastrophic environmental and economic damage. Let this be a clear message: CGIS, alongside our federal law enforcement partners, will vigorously investigate and hold accountable any individual or corporation that compromises the safety of our ports and waterways.”
According to the indictment, the Dali lost power twice in a four-minute span, as it navigated out to sea from the Port of Baltimore, causing it to crash into the Key Bridge. The indictment alleges that a loose wire in a high-voltage switchboard likely caused the first power loss. Critical systems on the Dali were originally designed with reliable redundancies and automatic restart capabilities, so the Dali could quickly regain power after a blackout. But shortly after the vessel regained power, it lost power again. According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly altered the ship and relied on a flushing pump to supply fuel to two of the Dali’s four generators. However, the flushing pump was not designed to automatically restart following a blackout, and the Dali’s generators could not operate without a fuel supply, so the ship ultimately experienced a second blackout. The indictment alleges that if the Dali used the proper fuel supply pumps, the vessel would have regained power in time to safely navigate under the Key Bridge.
Synergy and Nair are also charged with obstruction of an agency proceeding and providing false statements and documents to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as it conducted a casualty investigation. The obstruction charges relate to, among other things, Nair’s statements to the NTSB that he was unaware that that the Dali was using the flushing pump to provide fuel to the generators.
The FBI, CGIS, and the EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Phelps, Bijon Mostoufi, and Kimberly Phillips for the District of Mayland and Trial Attorney Leigh Rendé with ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section are prosecuting the case. Richard Udell, formerly of the Environmental Crimes Section, also assisted in this matter.
An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Foreign Operators and Technical Superintendent of M/V Dali Indicted for Roles in Key Bridge CrashRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Two corporate entities and a shoreside superintendent face criminal charges in connection with the vessel crash that destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
A federal court unsealed an indictment, today, charging three defendants with conspiracy to defraud the United States and with causing the death of six construction workers on the bridge, among other charges.
On March 26, 2024, the Motor Vessel Dali, a 900-foot foreign flag container vessel, registered in Singapore, crashed into the Maryland bridge. The indictment alleges that the economic loss in this case is at least $5 billion.
Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, based in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, based in Chennai, India, along with Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, 47, an Indian national who worked for both companies as the Technical Superintendent for the Dali, are charged with conspiracy, willfully failing to immediately inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and false statements. The two Synergy corporations are also charged with misdemeanor violations of the Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Refuse Act for the discharge of pollutants into the Patapsco River, including shipping containers and their contents, oil, and the bridge itself.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson, Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD); Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Acting Director Zinnia James, Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS); and Assistant Administrator Jeffrey A. Hall, Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division (EPA-CID).
"The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a preventable tragedy of enormous consequence," Blanche said. "This indictment is a critical step toward holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for maritime safety regulations caused this disaster. Six construction workers lost their lives, critical infrastructure was destroyed, pollutants were released into the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay, and the economic damage now exceeds five billion dollars. This department is committed to securing justice for the victims and ensuring those responsible are held to account."
“This indictment is the first step in our efforts to hold those accountable who caused the tragic deaths of six people and catastrophic damage to our region,” Hayes said. “The safety of our residents, ports, and infrastructure is of utmost importance to the prosperity of the District of Maryland. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland will continue to pursue those who commit crimes that jeopardize those interests.”
“The indictment alleges criminal conduct that led to the deaths of six Maryland residents, the destruction of the Key Bridge, and the discharge of pollution into the Patapsco River, causing billions of dollars of damage,” Gustafson said. “Following the laws for safe operation of commercial vessels is essential to doing business in our nation’s ports, especially the Port of Baltimore which sits on the Chesapeake Bay — our country’s largest estuary. Enforcing these laws is necessary to prevent disastrous consequences like the one that brought us here today.”
“The indictment reveals a pattern of deception and egregious violations that led to the unsafe operation of the Dali which recklessly endangered the public and resulted in the ship striking the bridge,” Paul said. “This indictment should send a message to all ship operators that circumventing safety requirements and breaking U.S. laws will not be tolerated. I am proud of FBI Baltimore’s investigative teams who worked diligently over the last two years to find the truth and to hold those responsible accountable.”
“At the core of the Coast Guard's mission is the protection of life and property and the facilitation of commerce,” James said. “The charges announced today reflect the Coast Guard Investigative Service's unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and integrity of our nation's maritime transportation system. This indictment alleges a reckless disregard for U.S. maritime laws and safety regulations, which had devastating consequences, leading to the tragic loss of six lives and catastrophic environmental and economic damage. Let this be a clear message: CGIS, alongside our federal law enforcement partners, will vigorously investigate and hold accountable any individual or corporation that compromises the safety of our ports and waterways.”
“The United States will not be a safe harbor for violators who pollute our nation’s waterways. Today’s indictment alleges that reckless cost-cutting by dishonest foreign corporations on a foreign-flagged vessel with a foreign crew carrying hazardous cargo resulted in death, disruption of our economy, and the discharge of oil and other chemicals into the Patapsco River and the Chesapeake Bay,” Hall said. “Such tragedy must not happen again. This EPA will ensure that foreign companies do not profit off of polluting American communities. The hard work of our criminal investigators, who were among the first aboard the wrecked ship, was critical for securing this indictment, and we look forward to working with the Department of Justice to prosecute this case.”
According to the indictment, the Dali lost power twice in a four-minute span, as it navigated out to sea from the Port of Baltimore, causing it to crash into the Key Bridge. The indictment alleges that a loose wire in a high-voltage switchboard likely caused the first power loss. Critical systems on the Dali were originally designed with reliable redundancies and automatic restart capabilities so the Dali could quickly regain power after a blackout. But shortly after the vessel regained power, it lost power again. According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly altered the ship and relied on a flushing pump to supply fuel to two of the Dali’s four generators. However, the flushing pump was not designed to automatically restart following a blackout, and the Dali’s generators could not operate without a fuel supply, so the ship ultimately experienced a second blackout. The indictment alleges that if the Dali used the proper fuel supply pumps, the vessel would have regained power in time to safely navigate under the Key Bridge.
Synergy and Nair are also charged with obstruction of an agency proceeding and providing false statements and documents to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as it conducted a casualty investigation. The obstruction charges relate to, among other things, Nair’s statements to the NTSB that he did not know the Dali was using the flushing pump to provide fuel to two of the generators.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Synergy faces a maximum sentence of five years of probation for each felony count and a fine of up to twice the amount of the gross gain or loss caused by the allision. Nair faces a maximum of five years in federal prison for conspiracy; six years for each violation of the Ports & Waterways Safety Act; 10 years for each count of misconduct of or neglect of ship officers; five years for each count of obstructing an agency proceeding; and five years for each count of false statements.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, CGIS, and EPA-CID for their work in the investigation, along with the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, for its valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew P. Phelps, Bijon A. Mostoufi, and Kimberly Phillips, along with ENRD Trial Attorney Leigh Rende, who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Foreign National Drug Courier Sentenced for Conspiring with Cartel to Distribute Fentanyl in OklahomaRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A foreign national living in East Tulsa was sentenced for conspiring with the cartel to distribute fentanyl in Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Today, U.S. District Judge Joseph N. Laplante sentenced Jose Amadeis Sanchez Sanchez, 34, a Mexican national, for Drug Conspiracy. He was ordered to serve 37 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics began investigating a Mexico-based cartel operating in the Northern District of Oklahoma. Agents identified Sanchez as a courier in February 2025. After completing two purchases of fentanyl, agents followed Sanchez and found that he stayed at two separate drug houses in East Tulsa. Agents executed search warrants at both locations. They found $38,000 in cash, multiple cell phones, scales, a drug ledger, and nearly 2.5 pounds of fentanyl. Sanchez was present during the search of one of the homes and was detained.
When interviewed by agents, Sanchez admitted to crossing the border in 2024. Sanchez was removed from the United States after a drug house was raided in Texas, prior to coming to Tulsa. After returning to the United States, he continued to work for the cartel. Court documents allege that Sanchez believed he was coming to the United States to legally work. Instead, he was “informed” by the cartel that he would be a courier to repay the $25,000 “fee” for being smuggled into the United States. Sanchez explained to agents that he would obtain large quantities of fentanyl and would break it down into smaller quantities for distribution. Additionally, Sanchez would collect cash and provide it to a separate courier for transportation back to Mexico.
During this investigation, agents have seized approximately 30 kilograms of fentanyl, 11 kilograms of methamphetamine,
4 kilograms of heroin, and $250,000 in bulk currency. More than 35 individuals have been arrested and are linked to the
same cartel.According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, one kilogram of fentanyl has the potential to kill 500,000 people. Removing thirty kilograms of fentanyl from the United States has the potential to save millions of people from overdosing or being poisoned.
Sanchez will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence.
The Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Five Charged in Connection with Alien Smuggling Interdiction Off the Coast of Miami-Dade CountyRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A grand jury in Miami returned an indictment Wednesday charging five illegal aliens for their roles in an attempted smuggling venture that sought to bring dozens of undocumented migrants into the U.S. aboard a small, overloaded vessel off the coast of Miami-Dade County.
According to court records, Verdant Roosevelt Scott, 38, of The Bahamas; Zamfir Nitu, 50, of Romania; Donald Coote, 37, of Jamaica; Sergio Alejandro Correa Ramirez, 30, of Colombia; and Gheorghe Ion Chiperi, 43, of Moldova, made their initial appearances in federal court on April 30 and May 1.
Law enforcement detected the suspect vessel on radar traveling west toward Miami-Dade County. Shortly after midnight on April 26, a law enforcement vessel interdicted the boat approximately five miles offshore.
When law enforcement approached, the vessel was operating without navigation lights. After law enforcement activated their lights and sirens, the vessel slowed and ultimately stopped. Roosevelt, who was operating the vessel, was taken into custody.
Agents identified 25 aliens onboard the small center-console vessel, including Roosevelt. All were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter WINSLOW GRIESSER for biometric screening and records checks.
Those checks revealed that Coote, Correa Ramirez, Nitu, and Chiperi had previously been deported from the U.S.
Roosevelt is charged with 24 counts of encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the U.S. and two counts of aiding or assisting certain aliens to enter based on his role as the vessel’s operator. The remaining four defendants are charged with illegal reentry of a deported alien. If convicted, Roosevelt faces up to 10 years in prison. Zitu and Coote face up to 20 years in prison because of their prior aggravated felony convictions and Correa Ramirez, and Chiperi face up to two years in prison.
The remaining 20 aliens were not charged and were repatriated to The Bahamas.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami made the announcement.
HSI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations and the USCG.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.
An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20178.
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Fentanyl, Heroin, Cocaine, Meth, Illegal Firearm and Dirty Money Seized Thanks to Homeland Security Task Force OperationRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – Two Louisville men have been sentenced today. Aaron Hughes, 33, and Warren Goss, 58, were convicted of possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl, despropionyl fentanyl and heroin. Hughes was also convicted of a firearms offense.
Hughes was sentenced on March 24, 2026, to 108 months in federal prison and 3 years supervised release. Goss was sentenced on May 12, 2026, to 70 months in federal prison and 3 years supervised release. Both were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock.
These convictions resulted from a Homeland Security Task Force operation conducted by the FBI, HSI and Louisville, Mississippi Police Department.
United States Attorney Scott Leary stated, “The Homeland Security Task Force has allowed the relationships we have always had with our federal and local law enforcement partners to do more to keep our citizens safe in this district. The full might of our United States is behind us to make sure we identify, investigate and prosecute crimes such as these. We have zero tolerance for fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and illegal firearms. We will continue to work to make sure any and all individuals are put away, where they belong, if they bring these dangerous drugs and firearms into our communities.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge of the FBI-Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff said, “the FBI and its law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting our communities from the devastating impact of violent crime and illegal drugs. Hughes and Warren have been held accountable, and their case serves as a strong warning to anyone engaged in similar criminal activity. The FBI will continue to aggressively pursue those who threaten the safety and well-being of our communities.”
“Through the Homeland Security Task Force, our partnerships continue to make a meaningful difference in protecting the people of Mississippi and the broader HSTF Core 15 Region,” said Matt Wright, Acting Special Agent in Charge, HSI New Orleans. “This case demonstrates how collaboration yields stronger outcomes, and the sentencing of Hughes and Goss is a clear reminder that offenders who harm our communities will be held accountable.”
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 Jackson comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Office of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection – U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sam Stringfellow and Julie Addison prosecuted the case.
Federal Prisoner Sentenced to Additional Two Years of Incarceration for Racketeering Activity at Cambria County PrisonRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A former inmate at the Cambria County Prison was sentenced in federal court to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on his conviction of conducting and participating in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today. The defendant is among 10 individuals charged through an Indictment unsealed in July 2025 with racketeering charges related to the Cambria County Prison (read the Indictment news release here).
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Mikal Davis, 48, who was previously sentenced in July 2025 to 180 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, on his conviction for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture of heroin, five kilograms or more of a mixture of cocaine, 400 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl, 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 500 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine, and 28 grams or more of a mixture of cocaine base. Judge Haines ordered today’s sentence to be served consecutively to the sentence imposed for the 2025 conviction.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around July 2023 to in and around December 2023, while incarcerated at the Cambria County Prison, Davis conducted and participated in the affairs of an enterprise through racketeering activity. Specifically, Davis bribed correctional officers and medical staff to smuggle contraband into the prison, namely Suboxone, which was then sold to other inmates for a substantial profit. Davis directed the bribe payments and accepted payments of drug proceeds to further facilitate the racketeering activity.
To date, four of the 10 defendants in the case have pleaded guilty, with Davis the first to be sentenced.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison for the investigation that led to the successful prosecution of Davis.
Federal Jury Returns Guilty Verdict Against Hardin County Man for Multiple Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against Christopher Peyton Stricklin, 19, of Savannah, Tennessee, for committing three sexual exploitation offenses against a minor in August 2025. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.
Evidence presented in court established that Stricklin used a cell phone to videotape himself sexually molesting a minor female and then sent the video to another minor on the same cell phone. Stricklin was charged in a three-count indictment with production and distribution of child pornography, and with transferring obscene material to a person under age 16. Following a two-day jury trial presided over by United States District Court J. Daniel Breen, Stricklin was convicted of all three counts. His sentencing will be held in August of this year.
Stricklin is facing a 15-year mandatory-minimum prison sentence and a maximum sentence of 30 years' imprisonment on the production count, a 5-year mandatory-minimum sentence and a maximum sentence of 20 years on the distribution count, and a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment on the transferring obscene material count.
Judge Breen will determine the sentence to impose on Stricklin after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “With the proliferation of cell phones and social media, predators are increasingly committing disturbing crimes against vulnerable victims, including child sexual abuse. As offenders keep committing these heinous crimes against children, our office will keep convicting and severely punishing them.”
This case was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), the Savannah Police Department, the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, and the District Attorney’s Office for the 24th Judicial District in Tennessee.
Assistant United States Attorneys Josh Morrow and Caroline Parish are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
El Salvadoran Illegal Alien Sentenced for Role in MS-13 Gang Murder HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – An El Salvadoran illegal alien, who resided in Frederick, Maryland, received a prison term in federal court, today, for his role in the murder of a minor.
U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Jose Ramos Lopez, 26, to seven years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise in connection with murdering Victim 1. As an MS-13 member, Ramos Lopez typically received and sold marijuana and then provided the proceeds to gang leadership. He also collected extortion money from area brothels that the clique leveraged to raise money for the gang.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Interim Chief Kevin Meyer, Frederick Police Department (FPD).
According to the guilty plea, on February 24, 2023, MS-13 gang members, including Victim 1, gathered outside of a Frederick apartment complex. Gang members then lured Victim 1 to a wooded area to smoke marijuana. While in the wooded area, gang members stabbed Victim 1 with knives and slashed him with a machete until he died.
Following the murder, Ramos Lopez came to the murder site to assist gang members with cleaning up and disposing of evidence from the murder of the victim, including weapons and clothing. Gang members additionally dismembered Victim 1’s body, transported it to another wooded area, and then buried it in two clandestine graves.
Subsequently, law enforcement found the area where the MS-13 gang killed Victim 1. They identified a wooded area with a blood trail leading from a chair down the hill to a creek. Law enforcement discovered blood along the creek, blood on rocks, and a white plastic bag with blood.
Then law enforcement uncovered a black trash bag with items covered in blood, including two hats, two coats, and two pairs of pants in a nearby dumpster, along with a grocery bag with blood inside, and a knife.
Law enforcement later recovered portions of Victim 1’s dismembered body from two clandestine graves near Mink Farm Road in Thurmont, Maryland.
The Homeland Security Task Force (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 Baltimore comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and FPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth S. Clark and Jared M. Beim who are prosecuting this federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Eagle Butte Man Convicted of Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Emanual Semon, age 24, of Eagle Butte, South Dakota, of Sexual Abuse Without Consent and Sexual Abuse of a Minor, following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on May 7, 2026.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of any term of years up to life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Semon was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2024.
The convictions stem from an incident that occurred at a residence in the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in July 2024. At trial, the evidence established that on the afternoon of July 3, 2024, Semon engaged in sexual activity with a juvenile female without her consent. Semon stopped when an adult entered the room and interrupted him.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s 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 presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Semon was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Detroit Man Sentenced for Trafficking Fluorofentanyl into LexingtonRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Detroit, Michigan, man, Anderson L. George, Jr., 33, was sentenced on Monday to 180 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fluorofentanyl.
According to his plea agreement, on November 8, 2023, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of George’s vehicle. During the stop, George’s vehicle was searched and law enforcement officers found a vacuum sealed bag containing a mixture of 99.8 grams of a flurofentanyl, a fentanyl analogue and fentanyl. George admitted to possessing the drugs and he intended to distribute them to others. George has a prior conviction for trafficking in a controlled substance from Rowan County, Ky., in 2018.
Under federal law, George must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 8 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Lawrence Weathers, Lexington Police Department, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by DEA and Lexington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia Rieker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Defendant Extradited from Dominican Republic to Face Charges for Using Manhattan Apartment to Operate Industrial-Scale Pill Pressing OperationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Farhana Islam, announced today the unsealing of a Complaint charging RUDDY CENIT-THEN with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine. CENIT-THEN was presented earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and ordered detained pending trial.
“New Yorkers want us to send a message: New York will not be a safe haven for any level of drug distribution, much less fentanyl and methamphetamine pill factories,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, Ruddy Cenit-Then conspired with others to operate a pill mill out of a 20th-floor Manhattan apartment, right next to thousands of innocent New Yorkers just going about their lives. That conduct will never be tolerated by this Office. I am deeply grateful for the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office as we work to keep methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly and debilitating narcotics off our streets.”
“Ruddy Cenit-Then now stands accused of using a Manhattan apartment as the base for a clandestine pill-pressing factory to produce narcotics-laced tablets on an industrial scale,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso. “Pumping these toxic pills into our communities drives overdoses, fuels crime, and erodes the safety and stability of our families and local businesses. HSI New York, together with our Homeland Security Task Force partners, will continue to utilize every lawful tool at our disposal to dismantle these operations and protect our neighborhoods from this deadly trade.”
“The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in holding accountable those individuals responsible for pushing fentanyl and methamphetamine into our neighborhoods,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Ruddy Cenit-Then, who is charged with operating an industrial-scale pill press operation in Washington Heights and sought refuge in the Dominican Republic, thought he was safe from the reach of the DEA and our partners. Today he learned that our global footprint remains strong and wide, and that we are committed to holding traffickers accountable both here at home and abroad.”
According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]
On July 24, 2025, pursuant to a judicially authorized warrant, law enforcement officers searched an apartment in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan that appeared to be used by CENIT-THEN. Inside the apartment, law enforcement officers found evidence that CENIT-THEN was using the apartment to run a clandestine, industrial-scale pill pressing operation. Hidden behind panels inside a closet, law enforcement found, among other things, an industrial-scale pill press and approximately 37 pounds of a white crystal substance contained in a series of Ziplock bags for which field tests positively indicated the presence of methamphetamine. The pill press, drugs, and other items found behind the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 1, and the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 2.
Image 1
Image 2
RUDDY CENIT-THEN, 46, of the Dominican Republic, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI New York and the Homeland Security Task Force, DEA Group D-25, the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office. Mr. Clayton also thanked the DEA Chemist Team for its processing of the scene and the U.S Marshals Service for the arrest of CENIT-THEN. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Dominican authorities in securing CENIT-THEN’s arrest and extradition.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger, Katherine Cheng, and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Crawfordville Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Enticement of a Minor & Attempted Transmission of Obscene MaterialRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Anthony Wayne Lanier Jr., 34, from of Crawfordville, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count attempted transmission of obscene material. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners are working hard every day to keep our kids safe from sexual predators like this defendant online, and my office will aggressively prosecute those criminal deviants to ensure they are sent to federal prison for attempting to victimize and sexually exploit children.”
Court documents reflect that on November 20, 2025, the defendant communicated online with an individual he believed to be a child, but was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. The defendant repeatedly asked the child to send inappropriate photos, asked to commit sexual acts on the child and her friend, and sent a picture of his genitalia. The defendant then drove to an agreed upon location where he believed he would be meeting the child, but he was instead arrested by law enforcement upon arriving.
Lanier faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life in prison for attempted enticement of a minor, and up to 10 years’ imprisonment for transmitting obscene material. He also faces up to a lifetime of supervision upon release.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 13, 2026, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
The case was investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer 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 and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Couple Indicted for Real Estate Investment Scam Operating as a Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A New Jersey couple has been indicted for allegedly running an investment scam that took investors’ money with a promise to receive high returns on the development of real estate properties mostly in the Cleveland area. The scam operated as a Ponzi scheme, with victims being misled and lied to, and some early investors paid with funds from later investors.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Gregory, 50, and Danielle Parker, 50, of New Jersey, with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud.
According to allegations in the 65-page indictment, the married couple carried out the real estate investment scheme between January 2017 to December 2023. Victims were led to believe they were purchasing properties, mostly located in Cleveland and East Cleveland, to be developed into multi-family dwellings that would generate above-market returns from rental income. However, the Parkers instead took the investors’ money and used it to repay earlier investors and fund their own lavish lifestyle.
Investigators learned that the Parkers hosted seminars throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, including one held at the Cleveland Hyatt Regency in May 2022. Potential victim investors were then identified from among the seminar attendees. People were enticed to attend the seminars after seeing the Parkers’ luxurious lifestyle depicted on a social media platform. Some videos featured Gregory Parker flying in a private jet, driving a Mercedes-Maybach, or vacationing in the Bahamas. They also shared video announcements for upcoming seminars with titles such as “Rolling with the Parkers,” “Greg Parker Presents: Big Bizzneesss Minus the Business Suit!!!” and “Year of the Millionaire Tour.” In one video, the Parkers were observed driving a Lamborghini to promote an upcoming seminar entitled “The Road to Financial Freedom.”
Victim investors were typically charged $2,000 to $5,000 to enroll in the Parkers’ real estate investment and mentorship program. Then, the couple would purportedly obtain a single-family or multi-unit rental property on the victim’s behalf in exchange for an agreed-upon down payment.
Victims received very little information about the properties they believed they had purchased. When they contacted the Parkers to ask questions or complain, the Parkers’ responses were often delayed and consisted of run-around excuses.
Investigators found that some victims never received a property, or they received a property without a clear title. Others received a condemned, dilapidated, or otherwise uninhabitable property and were forced to sell, or attempt to sell, the property they did receive at a loss.
While the indictment focuses on 13 victims, investigators believe there are more.
If you believe you were a victim in this matter, please contact the Cleveland FBI at [email protected] with “Parker Investor” in the subject line.
If convicted, each defendant’s sentence will be determined by the Court after a review of factors unique to the case, including prior criminal records, if any, roles in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller for the Northern District of Ohio is leading the prosecution.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Prison for $2.5 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DOMINICK N. DONOFRIO, 73, last residing in Middlefield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 36 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a client of more than $2.5 million.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Donofrio was the president and owner of Windstar Financial Services, Inc. (“Windstar”) based in Madison, Connecticut. In January 2013, Wisconsin-based Randall Robert Binversie Holdings (“Binversie”), which was interested in purchasing a renewable fuel business, hired Donofrio to provide business and financial consulting services. In early 2014, Donofrio informed Binversie of the opportunity to purchase Tioga Fuel, a home heating oil company in Philadelphia, and its properties (collectively, the “Tioga properties”), and convinced Binversie that the purchase price was $2,050,567. In fact, Donofrio had fraudulently marked up the purchase price by approximately $1,300,000. Donofrio subsequently completed the transaction.
In pleading guilty, Donofrio admitted that he defrauded Binversie of more than $2.5 million. The loss amount includes the difference between the actual purchase price and the inflated purchase price of the Tioga properties; more than $987,000 in fraudulent consulting, negotiation, and legal fees Binversie paid in 2013 and 2014; approximately $87,000 that Donofrio stole from Tioga Fuel’s account during the acquisition; and approximately $136,000 that Donofrio obtained from Binversie as interest payments on a fictitious $1.25 million “loan,” an amount that Donofrio represented to Binversie that Windstar had fronted during the acquisition.
On July 30, 2019, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania returned an indictment charging Donofrio with the offense. Donofrio was a fugitive until his arrest on July 24, 2024, in Mystic, Connecticut. After he failed to appear for a pretrial conference in Philadelphia on July 22, 2025, he was again arrested on December 3, 2025, and has been detained since that date. The case was transferred to the District of Connecticut for further prosecution. On February 4, 2026, he pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Francis of the District of Connecticut and Anita Eve of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Chester County Man Sentenced for Stealing Valuable Coins from Bank Safe Deposit BoxRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Richard DiStefano, 66, of Paoli, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to one day in prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, and $1.6 million in restitution by United States District Judge Timothy J. Savage for stealing valuable coins from a safe deposit box.
DiStefano, who was an attorney, was charged by information with bank larceny and pleaded guilty in September of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, starting in July of 2017 and going through February 25, 2021, DiStefano stole precious coins that were being stored in a safety deposit box at a Wells Fargo branch on the 100 block of South Broad Street.
In June of 2024, the FBI was notified that this theft had occurred. Subsequently, the FBI was able to obtain records showing that the defendant was the last person to have access to the safety deposit box.
In September of 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at DiStefano’s address. During the execution of the search warrant, the defendant admitted to stealing the coins. The investigation showed that, over the course of years, he had removed the coins from the safety deposit box and sold the coins at various auction houses. The coins’ appraised value was just over $1.6 million.
This case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jason Grenell and Ruth Mandelbaum.
Cheshire Man Who Defrauded Pandemic Relief Program is SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TONY STERLIN CANTAVE, 46, of Cheshire, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to three months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for defrauding a COVID-19 pandemic relief program.
In March 2020, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the distribution of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (“EIDLs”), through the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), which provided working capital to eligible small businesses to meet operating expenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2020, Cantave applied for EIDL funding through the SBA. The application contained several materially false statements, including that the business for which Cantave sought the loan, Arbitrage 1 Media, was an ongoing, legitimate business involved in the limousine and transportation business, and that he was not more than 60 days delinquent in his child support obligations. After the SBA reviewed and approved the fraudulent EIDL application, Cantave received $96,200. He then used the proceeds from the loan to pay for personal and non-business expenses, including $16,607.26 to pay off an automobile loan.
Judge Bolden ordered Cantave to pay $109,605.21 in restitution.
On June 24, 2025, Cantave pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government money and one count of making an illegal monetary transaction.
Cantave, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on July 15.
This is Cantave’s third federal conviction. In December 1999, he was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 18 months of imprisonment for a firearm offense, and in February 2015, he was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 13 months of imprisonment for his participation in a U.S. Postal Service money order fraud scheme.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Chaffee County Sheriff’s Deputy Honored by United States Attorney for the District of Colorado with the Inaugural Hometown Hero AwardRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado is proud to announce the Deputy Donnie Smith of the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Department has been awarded the inaugural Hometown Hero Award sponsored by the Department of Justice in honor of America’s 250th birthday.
In a ceremony today, United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly and Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich awarded Deputy Smith the Hometown Hero Award. Deputy Smith, who has worked in law enforcement since 2021, is known for his heroic actions while on duty. In November 2022, Deputy Smith rescued a woman who fell approximately 500 feet down a large ice field on Mount Yale. Deputy Smith was helicoptered to the apex above the severely injured woman, tended to her injuries, and stayed with her until daylight when she could be airlifted to the hospital. Deputy Smith’s actions not only saved this woman’s life but also helped save her feet which were severely frostbitten.
In October 2024, late at night and after a full day of patrol, Deputy Smith was helicoptered to the top of La Plata Peak to rescue a man who had fallen while hiking and sustained severe injuries and was unable to hike down. Because of the late hour, the helicopter was unable to rescue the injured hiker and again Deputy Smith stayed the night with the man in freezing temperatures above 13,000 feet until he could be airlifted at daybreak. These actions saved the hiker’s life.
Deputy Smith’s bravery has also extended into the face of other dangers, including an incident in 2025 when he continued to deploy tear gas into a building while a suspect fired multiple shots at him. Deputy Smith created a medical program to teach agency staff tactical medicine including how to treat bullet wounds in the field. He also serves as a Tactical Medical Party on the Chaffee County Sheriff’s Office tactical team and has worked as a paramedic and as a ski patroller. On his days off, Deputy Smith is a volunteer for the Chaffee County Search and Rescue team.
“Today we get to honor one of our absolute best,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “The District of Colorado is proud to honor Deputy Smith for his exceptional work and service to his fellow Coloradans. He is an extraordinary example of what a law enforcement officer can be, and I am grateful for his continued service.”
"When I think of the word hero, I immediately picture Deputy Smith,” said Chaffee County Sheriff Andy Rohrich. “Whenever a job is too difficult for the rest of us, Deputy Smith steps in to accomplish the mission. Donnie is a hero for the heroes.”
The Hometown Hero Award was created in honor of the 250th birthday of the United States of America. The Department of Justice is proud to honor law enforcement across the country with recognition of the extraordinary service to their fellow citizens.
CFO of Boston-Area Spinal Device Company Pleads Guilty to Kickback SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Chief Financial Officer of SpineFrontier, Inc., a spinal implant company, formerly based in Malden, Mass., pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with a kickback scheme to bribe surgeons to use company products in exchange for sham consulting fees.
Aditya Humad, 41, of Cambridge, Mass., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Aug. 6, 2026. Humad was charged in September 2021 along with the company SpineFrontier, as well as Dr. Kingsley R. Chin, SpineFrontier’s Founder, President and CEO.
Humad paid and conspired to pay over $540,000 in bribes to surgeons in the form of sham consulting fees for work they did not perform. Humad and Chin bribed surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products, and in turn, SpineFrontier received millions of dollars in revenue from surgeries the surgeons performed.
Humad entered into contracts with surgeons, agreeing to pay the surgeons between $250 and $1,000 per hour for purported consulting for SpineFrontier. In reality, however, Humad and Chin paid the surgeons for using SpineFrontier’s products. Although the surgeon-consulting program was purportedly directed at gathering technical feedback about SpineFrontier’s products, Humad used the bribes they paid pursuant to that program, to induce surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products in surgeries that were paid for by federal health care programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Veterans Health Administration. Additionally, the surgeons frequently spent only a small fraction of their reported time, if any, performing actual consulting.
Humad previously agreed to pay a fine pursuant to a civil settlement agreement, including a fixed amount totaling more than $150,000 (including interest) and agreed to potential additional contingency payments based upon Humad’s annual income.
In May 2025, Chin pleaded guilty to making false statements to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. He was subsequently sentenced in August 2025 by Judge Talwani to one year of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home confinement. Chin was also ordered to pay a fine of $9,500 in addition to $40,000 he personally agreed to pay as part of a related civil settlement and $855,000 his wholly-owned company agreed to pay as part of the same settlement.
This plea also follows two guilty pleas in related criminal prosecutions. In August 2020, surgeon Jason Montone, D.O, 50, of Lawson, Miss., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and obstruction. Medical device distributor John Balzer, 48, of Lenexa, Kan., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of witness tampering. Montone and Balzer are scheduled to be sentenced in September 2026.
The charge of conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater, forfeiture and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri, Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham R. George, Christopher R. Looney and Mackenzie A. Queenin are prosecuting the case.
Byron Center Resident Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
James Scholten ordered to pay $868,707 in taxes due to the United States
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that James Phillip Scholten, age 51, of Byron Center was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering. Additionally, Scholten was ordered to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $868,707 and serve three years of supervised release following prison.
U.S. Attorney VerHey stated, “Cheating on your taxes is not only illegal, it’s also not worth the risk. Scholten knew he owed a lot of money to the government, had the money to pay, but decided to keep it for himself. Now he is going to prison and will have to pay his taxes anyway. I ask everyone to voluntarily pay the taxes they owe so that cases like this become unnecessary.”
Court records reflect that Scholten pled guilty to tax evasion and admitted that he failed to report $3.4 million of income he generated through the sale of scrap material over a 13-year period. Scholten stole the highly valuable scrap material from his employer and used the proceeds to unlawfully enrich himself and finance a lifestyle he could not otherwise afford. Scholten intentionally failed to provide his CPA with records documenting his recycling income to evade assessment of tax on that income. For example, in 2021, Scholten reported that he only owed $2,465 in federal income tax. In fact, Scholten obtained an additional $610,818 in taxable income from recycling activity, which resulted in an additional tax due and owing of $172,618.
“Today, justice is served, and James Scholten has been held accountable for his criminal actions. Stealing materials from your employer and using them for your own profit can only be hidden for so long,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “IRS special agents work tirelessly every day to identify and bring to prosecution both those who commit fraud, and those who evade their tax obligation on that fraudulent money – it’s a matter of maintaining public confidence in our system of taxation as well as the justice system.”
This matter was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation, the law enforcement arm of the Internal Revenue Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris O’Connor prosecuted it.
Bosque Farms Man Convicted of Unlawfully Possessing a ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Bosque Farms man was convicted of illegally possessing a firearm after multiple prior convictions for felonies and misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2024, Warren Chewiwi, 52, possessed a 12-gauge shotgun and shotgun shells on the Isleta Pueblo.
Chewiwi is not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition. He has felony convictions both in the State of New Mexico and with the federal government, both of which restrict his ability to lawfully possess a gun. Moreover, Chewiwi has four misdemeanor convictions for crimes of domestic violence on the Isleta Pueblo, which similarly restricts his ability to lawfully possess a firearm. Because of these prior convictions, Chewiwi pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He will be subject to three years supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Isleta Pueblo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Beverage Dispensing Equipment Manufacturer Pays $2.6 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Involving Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Micro Matic USA, Inc. (Micro Matic), a Delaware corporation with a principal place of business in Brooksville, Florida, has agreed to pay a settlement of $2,593,219.18 to resolve allegations that Micro Matic violated the False Claims Act by improperly obtaining a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Congress created the PPP in March 2020 as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency loans to small businesses suffering economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The PPP was expanded and modified by the Economic Aid Act in December 2020 and the American Recovery Plan Act in March 2021. The PPP authorized small businesses to seek forgiveness of the loans if they spent the loan funds on eligible expenses. When applying for PPP loans, borrowers were required to certify the truthfulness and accuracy of all information provided in their loan applications. The PPP was administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Under the second round of PPP, only a business with 300 or fewer employees was eligible for a PPP loan. To determine size, businesses were required to apply the affiliation rules under 13 C.F.R. § 121.301(f), which require aggregating the employees and revenue of related companies, including companies outside the United States.
GNGH2, Inc. filed a qui tam complaint in the Middle District of Florida alleging that Micro Matic improperly obtained a $2 million PPP loan. According to the allegations in the complaint, Micro Matic was ineligible for its PPP loan because it was not a small business due to its size after inclusion of its foreign affiliates. The United States investigated GNGH2’s allegations with the cooperation of Micro Matic. This settlement concludes the litigation and GNGH2 will receive $259,321.91 as a share in the recovery. The civil case is captioned United States ex rel. GNGH2, Inc. v. Micro Matic USA, Inc., Case No. 8:24-cv-00442-MSS-UAM (M.D. Fla.).
“PPP loans were intended to provide economic assistance to legitimate businesses during a national catastrophic event,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to prosecute those who abuse this federal program and pursue the recovery of improperly obtained funds from anyone found ineligible to receive taxpayer dollars.”
“Investigations like this one reflect the collaboration of the Small Business Administration and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, as well as the work of private individuals who uncover fraudulent conduct, to recover COVID pandemic relief funds obtained through fraud,” said SBA General Counsel Wendell Davis.
This civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher J. Emden, with the support of Arlene Embrey and Alexis Pinkston from SBA’s Office of General Counsel.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Berks County Resident Sentenced to Seven and a Half Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Reading, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 90 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on her convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Kayla Rickenbach, 24.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2024 to in and around August 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Rickenbach conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Additionally, in or around August 2024, Rickenbach possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl.Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Rickenbach.
Armed supermarket robber ordered to prison for 14 yearsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 34-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for his convictions of using a firearm during the robberies of two area grocery stores, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Raul Castro pleaded guilty Jan. 15 to two counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Senior U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now ordered him to serve 84 months on each count to run consecutively. The total 168-month sentence will be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also ordered that Castro make restitution to the two victim businesses.
On Oct. 6, 2023, Castro robbed El Ahorro grocery store on Capitol Street and La Michoacana supermarket on Gulf Freeway eight days later. In both instances, he placed items on the conveyor belt, waited for the cashier to open the drawer and demanded money at gunpoint.
During the El Ahorro robbery, he placed his gun to side of the cashier who then provided cash in fear for her safety and of being shot.
Authorities located Castro after he was found driving a stolen car. Upon searching the vehicle, law enforcement discovered clothing that matched those of the man who had committed the grocery store robberies. Castro also identified himself in surveillance footage of the Oct. 14 incident during an interview with federal investigators.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Houston Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Ganz prosecuted the case.
Arcadia Professional Tax Preparer Indicted for Filing False Tax FormsRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Janie Martinez Castillo has been charged by federal indictment with 20 counts of willfully failing to account for and pay employment taxes, filing a false personal tax return, and corruptly endeavoring to obstruct the internal revenue laws. If convicted, Martinez Castillo faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison on each count for willfully failing to account for and pay over employment taxes, and up to 3 years on each remaining count. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, Martinez Castillo was responsible for collecting, truthfully accounting for, and paying over to the IRS employment taxes owed by her payroll and tax business, Castillo Payroll and Tax Service Inc. (CPTS). Despite the fact that CPTS owed employment taxes for numerous calendar quarters from 2019 to 2023, Martinez Castillo failed to account for and pay over those taxes. Martinez Castillo also filed personal tax returns falsifying the amount withheld from her income and fraudulently altered CPTS’s books and records after receiving an IRS summons but before providing the records.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Winter.
Another Member of Notorious Philadelphia ‘10th and O Crew’ Sentenced to 60 Months for Opioid Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Pennsylvania man was sentenced today in the District of New Jersey to 60 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute oxycodone, a highly addictive controlled substance.
According to court documents, between July 2019 and July 2024, Michael Emma, 66, of Philadelphia, engaged in the unlawful sale of prescription oxycodone pills as a member of South Philadelphia’s notorious “10th and O Crew.” Emma obtained the pills from doctors’ offices in the area, and he and his co-conspirators worked in shifts to distribute the pills from a 24-hour restaurant.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement purchased pills from one of Emma’s co-conspirators. A surveillance team then observed the co-conspirator counting the proceeds of the transaction with Emma. The photograph below captured Emma (on the left) after the transaction:
In June 2025, Emma pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances. Emma’s co-conspirators and leaders of the 10th and O Crew, Michael Procopio and Frank Procopio, were each convicted of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute controlled substances and sentenced to six years in prison and four years and nine months in prison, respectively.
The FBI, DEA, and Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Paul J. Koob and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division ('Fraud Division'). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Albany Man Pleads Guilty for Posing as a Teenage Boy Online to Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material from a Minor Victim, and Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
Albany Man Pleads Guilty for Posing as a Teenage Boy Online to Obtain Child Sexual Abuse Material from a Minor Victim, and Obstructing Justice
CONCORD – An Albany man pleaded guilty today to a two-count Information charging him with Possession of and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography and Obstruction of Justice, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. According to the plea documents, the defendant, Brian Hargraves, 55, posed as a teenage boy online to obtain child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from a minor victim. After his devices were seized and his home searched, he then contacted the victim and asked her not to testify against him.
Hargraves was arrested in May 2025. He has been detained since that time.
On April 29, 2025, law enforcement conducted a search of Hargraves’ mobile phones following a citizen complaint. A review of one of the phones revealed sexually explicit images and videos of a 16-year-old minor victim. Hargraves allegedly told the minor victim that he was a teenage boy and asked her to create explicit videos and images of herself to send to him. The evidence revealed that Hargraves was also in communication with other minors and was posing as a teenager in those communications as well.
“Brian Hargraves used the internet to take advantage of vulnerable minors,” U.S. Attorney Creegan said. “Thanks to our law enforcement partners, his predatory and deceptive conduct was stopped and he will serve a significant prison sentence.”
“Brian Hargraves posed as a teenage boy to manipulate an underage girl into sharing explicit images of herself and then tried to get her to obstruct our investigation,” said Ted Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “No child should have to endure this kind of abuse. The FBI is gratified to bring him to justice and is working aggressively every day to put predators like this behind bars. We’re determined to prevent them from creating any more victims and doing any more harm.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation. Valuable assistance was provided by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and the Conway Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Alabama man sentenced after found with 3,000 fentanyl pills in traffic stopRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – An Alabama man was sentenced to 72 months in prison after law enforcement discovered fentanyl and firearms in his vehicle.
According to court documents, Russell Scott IV, 38, of Gulf Shores, Alabama, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In September 2023, a Wichita police detective saw Scott speeding on Interstate 35 and made a traffic stop. During a probable cause search, law enforcement found approximately 3,000 fentanyl-laced pills and nine firearms in Scott’s vehicle.
“Although deaths caused by fentanyl overdoses are down from record highs, this poison continues to put lives at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The defendant admitted his intention before his arrest was to distribute thousands of fentanyl pills. I would like to thank the Wichita Police Department for helping to keep so much of this potentially deadly substance off our streets.”
The Wichita Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi prosecuted the case.
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Monday 11 May 2026
Zuni Man Sentenced for 2021 AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to five years in prison for a 2021 assault that left the victim with severe injuries.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on December 16, 2021, Darold ZunieFeathers, 29, and John Doe had been hanging out with friends when they decided to buy more cigarettes before the gas station closed. Instead of driving to the gas station, ZunieFeathers turned down a side dirt road and assaulted John Doe in the car.
During the assault, ZunieFeathers struck John Doe repeatedly and bit him multiple times on the torso, arm, and hand. The bites caused severe damage to John Doe's hand, resulting in the amputation of one finger and the partial amputation of another.
At the time of the assault, ZunieFeathers was on supervised release following a 2017 conviction for involuntary manslaughter.
ZunieFeathers pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Upon his release from prison, ZunieFeathers will be subject to three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Zuni Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall prosecuted the case.
Woman Accused of Embezzling $1.2 Million from St. Louis County CompanyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A woman from Lake St. Louis turned herself in Monday to face an indictment accusing her of embezzling $1.2 million from her employer.
Kari Bertels, 44, was indicted in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on April 29 with five counts of wire fraud. She turned herself in Monday, appeared in court and pleaded not guilty.
The indictment accuses Bertels of using her company credit card to make purchases for herself and relatives from Oct. 9, 2018, to Jan. 12, 2026, including $19,815 in beauty products from Red Aspen, $16,512 in fitness coaching, $42,407 in DoorDash deliveries, $59,994 in Amazon purchases, $15,000 in airfare for herself and relatives for domestic and international trips, $27,044 from Instacart, $14,331 in jewelry from Diamonds Direct, and $14,110 at a Sandals resort.
Bertels was an accountant and a senior financial analyst at the St. Louis County company. Her responsibilities included approving expenses reports and paying the company credit card bills and other business expenses with the company checking account, the indictment says. She concealed her embezzlement by refusing to submit monthly expense reports for the unauthorized credit card purchases, re-directing the credit card statements from work to her home and dividing the payments for her unauthorized credit card purchases into smaller amounts in the accounting system, the indictment says.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or both prison and a fine.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karin Schute is prosecuting the case.
Webster Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Distributing Crystal MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Webster man was sentenced on May 8, 2026 in federal court in Worcester for distributing crystal methamphetamine.
Giang Tran, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In January 2026, Tran pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 50 grams or more of methamphetamine) and distribution of methamphetamine. Tran was indicted on June 10, 2025.
In December 2024 a cooperating witness told law enforcement that Tran was the supplier of pounds of crystal methamphetamine. Tran agreed to deliver crystal methamphetamine to undercover law enforcement posing as the cooperating witness on three occasions. On Jan. 2, 2025, Tran personally delivered the drugs to a commercial plaza in Everett. On Jan. 8, 2025, and again on Jan. 21, 2025, Tran sent an associate to deliver the drugs in Worcester. In total, Tran delivered or arranged the delivery of approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Riverside (Calif.) DEA Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros Hosts First-of-Its-Kind All Fed-Head Summit in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, today assembled the highest law enforcement leadership from the entire federal apparatus in the Chicagoland region for a historic, first-of-its-kind summit to discuss collaborative efforts to oversee important federal enforcement priorities and do the people’s business. The most senior leaders from more than 40 federal agencies operating in the Chicagoland region participated in the summit, as did nine U.S. Attorneys from the Seventh Circuit (Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin) and other federal districts, in addition to the Head of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force.
The day-long 2026 Chicago-Area Federal Agency Leadership Summit, informally dubbed “Davos in Chicago,” began with the Presentation of Colors and then moved on to a series of presentations and panel discussions focused on six key program areas: (i) violent crime, (ii) national security, (iii) narcoterrorism, (iv) government fraud, (v) trade fraud, and (vi) quantum computing. U.S. Attorney Boutros convened the summit to reinforce areas of collaboration and synergies among the agencies as part of a whole-of-government approach intended to strengthen the safety and security of the Northern District of Illinois, the region, as well as the public fisc. The pioneering summit represented the first time anywhere in the country that a United States Attorney has convened and hosted a gathering of an entire region’s federal leadership.
“As the chief federal law enforcement officer of the third largest federal district in the country—and of a U.S. Attorney’s Office that is one of the most storied in our nation’s history—I have the distinct privilege and honor to lead from the front and make the Northern District of Illinois the envy of the nation when it comes to effectuating positive changes for the betterment of the people,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “I convened this important summit because we have reached a critical juncture in Chicago where ‘good enough’ is simply not enough. My goal in bringing together the highest-ranking officials from more than 40 federal agencies and all the U.S. Attorneys of the Seventh Circuit and others is to innovate and achieve real, positive, and transformational results both rapidly and fairly. Although the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office is in constant contact with many of these partners throughout the year, a summit of this magnitude will serve as a model for other districts, while for our purposes, allows for agency and district partners to come together in one room to exchange ideas and have candid discussions about what’s working, what’s not working, where changes may be needed, and how we can best support each other for the betterment of our communities and the nation. My message to the leaders assembled today was clear: We must be intentional with our actions. We must let our actions speak for themselves. We must rise to the occasion at this moment in time. And we must stay focused, ignore distractions, work closely together, and move with purpose, intensity, accuracy, and impact in support of our public safety and law enforcement missions. The people are counting on us, and we must deliver for them.”
Today’s summit featured various panels and presentations, including three panels—comprised of Section Chiefs, office leaders, and agency heads—entitled, (i) “Government Fraud and Corruption,” (ii) “Anti-Violence Initiatives in Chicago,” and (iii) “Homeland Security Task Force, Narcotics Trafficking, and Narco-Terrorism.” Two additional panels, one led by the U.S. Attorneys for the Eastern District of Michigan and Southern District of Indiana, tackled the difficult topic of national security threats posed to our research institutions, while another panel led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation discussed quantum computing given Chicago’s emergence as a global quantum capital.
In addition, Cody Herche, Head of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, presented on the Trade Fraud Task Force and its significance in the Chicagoland region, where the Northern District of Illinois has expansive venue. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office is lead prosecutorial partner on the Trade Fraud Task Force, which brings robust enforcement against importers, brokers, purchasers, industrial and commercial end-users, and other supply chain actors and parties who seek to defraud the United States or introduce non-compliant goods into the commerce of the United States.
Finally, today’s summit concluded with a special panel of United States Attorneys from throughout the Seventh Circuit, which includes Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. U.S. Attorney Boutros moderated this panel, which discussed district and region priorities, emerging legal issues in the Midwest, and collaborative ways for the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices to address them. Also in attendance at the summit were the United States Attorneys for the Western District of Missouri and Eastern District of Arkansas.
The informal name of today’s summit—“Davos in Chicago”—draws from the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting, which brings together world leaders and top businesspersons for a renowned conference each January in Davos, Switzerland.
The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office wishes to extend a special thank you to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago for physically hosting today’s summit in its downtown Chicago headquarters and for the incredibly warm hospitality it extended to all those who gathered.
U.S. Department of Justice Announces Compensation Process for Victims of AirBit Club Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Last week the Department of Justice announced the launch of the remission compensation process to provide recovery to victims of AirBit Club, a purported virtual currency mining and trading company that was a pyramid scheme.
Beginning in late 2015, promoters marketed AirBit Club as a multilevel marketing club. Promoters promised victims that AirBit Club memberships earned passive, guaranteed daily returns on virtual currency mining and trading, and hosted lavish expos and small community presentations aimed at convincing victims to purchase AirBit Club memberships and further promote the scheme. While victims saw “profits” accumulate on their online portal, those representations were false; no virtual currency mining or trading took place.
In August 2020, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced charges against five defendants, including the AirBit co-founders Pablo Renato Rodriguez and Gutemberg Dos Santos, who were sentenced in September 2023. Other defendants included promoters Cecilia Millan and Karina Chairez and attorney Scott Hughes, who were sentenced in October 2023 and ordered to forfeit all of their fraudulent proceeds realized from the scheme, which included substantial amounts of virtual currency.
To date, the United States has forfeited over $400 million in assets which are now available to compensate eligible victims for their compensable losses. Any victims who have previously provided their information to the FBI or U.S. Attorney’s Office will be contacted by the remission administrator, RCB Fund Services, LLC, (RCB) to file a petition. For more information about the remission process and to access the petition form, please visit the official website at https://www.airbitvictimfund.com/ or contact RCB at (800) 765-7551.
“The Department will vigorously pursue those that abuse new technologies to steal millions from hard-working individuals,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants took advantage of virtual currency’s popularity to promote the scheme and recruit additional victims. The criminal convictions and substantial asset recoveries obtained by prosecutors and law enforcement partners have enabled the Department to successfully launch this significant victim compensation effort.”
“Investor euphoria over new technology is all too often fertile ground for fraudsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton for the Southern District of New York. “It is our job to root out those fraudsters. Here, the defendants led a multimillion-dollar pyramid scheme based on lies about virtual currency trading and mining. They now face justice, and this outcome should deter anyone who may be tempted to target others with false promises of high returns in virtual currency investments.”
“HSI New York's El Dorado Financial Crimes Task Force, the largest anti-money laundering task force in the United States, is proud to have played a vital role in delivering justice to the victims of the fraudulent AirBit Club," said Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Virtual currency fraud is one of the costliest scams affecting victims today. HSI New York, along with our law enforcement partners through our newly formed Homeland Security Task Force, will continue to pursue fraudsters who promote these schemes, and will utilize every tool at our disposal to recover their ill-gotten gains for investor victims.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Cecilia E. Vogel for the Southern District of New York represented the government in both the criminal prosecution and forfeiture proceedings with valuable assistance from forfeiture contract paralegal Christina Lopresti. HSI’s El Dorado Task Force, HSI Panama, the HSI Panama City Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit, and HSI New Orleans investigated the case. Attorneys and investigators at the SEC brought substantial expertise and diligence to develop the investigation.
The Department of Justice, through the Asset Forfeiture Program, works diligently to compensate victims of crime. Since 2000, the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF), which oversees the Asset Forfeiture Program’s victim compensation program, has returned more than $12.5 billion in forfeited assets to victims of crime. MNF Senior Attorney Advisor Carly Diroll-Black with MNF’s Program Management and Training Unit is leading the remission process.
Neither the Remission Administrator nor the Department of Justice will ask for any payment to participate in this remission process. Please be cautious of any individual or organization claiming to represent the Remission Administrator or the federal government in this matter. If you are a victim, any communications will come directly from the Remission Administrator or from government representatives with whom you have already had contact.
PSA: FBI Warns of the Impersonation of Law Enforcement and Government Officials https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250418
PSA: Fictitious Law Firms Targeting Cryptocurrency Scam Victims Combine Multiple Exploitation Tactics While Offering to Recover Funds https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2025/PSA250813
How To Avoid a Government Impersonation Scam https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-government-impersonation-scam
U.S. Attorney’s Office Observes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – In observance of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois recognize the courage and dedication of local, state and federal law enforcement partners and honor the officers who have fallen in the line of duty. National Police Week is observed Sunday, May 10 through Saturday, May 16.
“This National Police Week we celebrate the bravery and integrity of all law enforcement officers who selflessly dedicate their lives in service to our communities. We also honor the courage of those who lost their lives in the line of duty and extend our deepest condolences to their loved ones,” said U.S. Attorney Steve D. Weinhoeft. “We are grateful for our local, state and federal law enforcement partners who continue to respond to the call of duty and show up for our communities when they are needed the most. These courageous men and women work tirelessly to improve public safety throughout the Southern District of Illinois, and we are proud to support them.”
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation comes together to honor the courage, sacrifice and dedication of law enforcement officers. Originally established in 1962, President John F. Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices in protecting our communities with dedication and courage. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which falls on May 15 every year, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
Each year, hundreds of names of officers killed in the line of duty are engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. These names are then read aloud during the annual Candlelight Vigil to memorialize those who made the ultimate sacrifice. The 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil will be held on Wednesday, May 13 in Washington, DC.
U.S. Attorney Gerace recognizes National Police WeekRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – As we observe National Police Week this week, United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II thanks all federal, state and local law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifice.
National Police Week is a week dedicated in May each year as a time when we honor America’s law enforcement community and pay tribute to those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives or were injured in the line of duty.
In the Southern District of Ohio, we remember the law enforcement officers who paid the ultimate price this past year for our safety and security, including Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff Larry Henderson, Morrow County Deputy Sherriff Daniel “Weston” Sherrer, Lorain Police Department Officer Phillip Wagner, and Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Cayton.
In the attached letter to all District law enforcement, U.S. Attorney Gerace highlighted the role of law enforcement in America as we approach the nation’s 250th birthday.
He wrote: “Without a doubt, since our Founders wrote the Declaration 250 years ago, our country has prospered beyond even what they could have imagined. The foundation of that prosperity, unquestionably, is the security that we enjoy in this country. And that security is provided by you—our dedicated law enforcement partners. It is your service that has allowed this country to grow and prosper. That is why it is critical that we support you at all levels of government and give you the tools necessary to firmly police our communities. Without that, we cannot be the country that our forefathers envisioned.”
U.S. Attorney Gerace added: “We know, unfortunately, that security is not free, and that sometimes the cost of security is exacted in the form of a fallen officer. As devastating as it is to lose an officer in the line of duty, we take solace in the fact that they died while living a life of honor and self-sacrifice—dedicated to their fellow citizens. That sacrifice reminds us that security and prosperity are not guaranteed, and they depend upon extraordinary public servants who willingly place the safety of others ahead of their own.”
For more information about National Police Week and related events, including the 38th Annual Candlelight Vigil, visit https://nleomf.org/events/.
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