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Wednesday 6 May 2026
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Iron PursuitRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG — The Department of Justice announced the results of Operation Iron Pursuit, a one-month, nationwide enforcement effort to find child victims of sex abuse and arrest child sex predators. More than 200 child victims were located and over 350 child sexual abuse offenders were arrested. All 56 FBI field offices and U.S. Attorneys' offices around the country participated in the coordinated takedown effort.
The operation commenced April 1 and ended April 30. The Administration for Children and Families recognizes April as National Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“This operation puts every child predator on notice: we are coming for you,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The sexual exploitation of minors is an abomination with no place in our society. We will hunt down these offenders, hold them fully accountable under the law, and deliver justice for victims.”
“Every single day this FBI is working 24/7 to break networks of child abusers all across this country,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Last year we joined our partners delivering a record year, identifying and rescuing over 6,300 missing children, and today’s announcement of Operation Iron Pursuit is just the latest success in that work — with over 200 victims located and over 350 offenders arrested. Let this be a message to criminal actors who seek to target America’s children: you will be pursued, and you will be brought to justice.”
Victims recovered include a 10-year-old from Utah who was flown from Cuba to home and the child’s biological mother. The child was supposed to be on a camping trip with a transgender parent, partner, and another child. The group instead flew from Canada to Mexico and then to Cuba; concerns existed that the 10-year-old child was taken to Cuba for gender reassignment surgery. FBI Victim Services Division (VSD) assisted with the recovery of the children, providing crisis support and stabilization.
Those arrested are alleged to have committed various crimes, including sexual exploitation, sex trafficking, abuse, kidnapping, and possessing, distributing, or receiving child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). Some of the alleged offenders include:
- A Columbus, Ohio, man who pleaded guilty to creating AI-generated obscene material of adults and children and to cyberstalking exes;
- A District of Columbia man charged with producing child pornography;
- A New York man charged with sexually exploiting a child; and
- A Pennsylvania man and former felon charged with sexually exploiting a child and illegally possessing a gun.
The Middle District of Pennsylvania charged two individuals relating to Operation Iron Pursuit:
Christopher Vuiller, age 38, of York, PA, was charged for child pornography offenses. The indictment alleged that Vuiller knowing received dozens of images and videos containing the sexual exploitation of children. It was further alleged that Vuiller possessed several devices that contained child pornography depicting the exploitation of prepubescent children and children younger than 12 years of age.
John Rivera Pesante, age 25, of York, PA, was charged with sexual exploitation of children offenses. The indictment alleged that Rivera Pesante coerced and enticed a minor to engage in prostitution and other sex offenses. Rivera Pesante is also charged with several counts of receiving child pornography.
This effort follows three other successful operations last year. Operation Relentless Justice, concluded in December 2025, resulted in the rescue of 205 children and arrests of 293 offenders. Operation Enduring Justice, concluded in August 2025, resulted in the rescue of 133 children and the arrests of 234 offenders. And Operation Restore Justice, concluded in May 2025, resulted in the rescue of 115 children and the arrests of 205 child sex abuse offenders.
The FBI’s VSD assisted victims during Operation Iron Pursuit and provided services such as forensic interviews, referrals for medical and mental health resources, and coordination with partners. VSD's mission is to inform, support, and assist victims in navigating the aftermath of crime and the criminal justice process with dignity and resilience.
The Department partners with and oversees funding grants for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which receives and shares tips about possible child sexual exploitation received through its 24/7 hotline at 1-800-THE-LOST and on missingkids.org.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Jury Finds Maryland Man Guilty of 2022 Vehicular Homicide and AssaultRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Spiro Stafilatos, 38, of Silver Spring, MD, was found guilty today by a jury in D.C. Superior Court, for the vehicular death of pedestrian, Shuyu Sui, in December 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Stafilatos was found guilty of one count each of second-degree murder, aggravated assault while armed and fleeing. The Honorable Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2026.
According to court documents, at approximately 4:28 p.m., on December 30, 2022, Stafilatos was driving a dark Buick LeSabre sedan along the 700 block of 14th Street, NW, near the White House. Uniformed U.S. Secret Service agents, on mountain bikes, observed that the vehicle’s front tag was missing and the Maryland hard tag in the rear had no sticker. The Buick was then observed turning right into the 1400 block of G Street, NW and proceeded to the 700 block of 15th Street, NW, where it stopped and let a passenger out. Officers positioned themselves behind the vehicle and ran the tags through dispatcher, who advised that the tag belonged to a 2016 Chevrolet.
As officers approached the vehicle, identified themselves, and made contact with the defendant, they advised Stafilatos of his infraction, to which the defendant asked if he was going to get a ticket. Officers asked for the defendant’s license, which he did not provide. Also, during the stop, officers noticed what they believed to be an open beer container to the right of the driver. While conducting the traffic stop, the officers noticed that the vehicle was still in drive and instructed Stafilatos to put the car in park. Instead, the defendant fled the scene, travelling north on 15th Street, NW before turning onto the 1400 block of New York Avenue, NW. As the vehicle entered an intersection on a solid red traffic signal, it was struck by another vehicle who was driving on a green traffic signal and the impact caused the Buick to rotate counterclockwise and strike two pedestrians, who were walking nearby in the crosswalk. Both pedestrians were thrown and fell into the road in the middle of New York Avenue, NW. Both victims were transported to local hospitals. Despite all life-saving measures, one victim, Shuyu Sui, was pronounced dead at Medstar Washington Hospital Center. The second victim, Jiahui Wang, was transported to George Washington University Hospital, where she was treated for trauma to the body and head.
Stafilatos was transported to Howard University Hospital for complaints of pain in the head and back. He was placed under arrest and has been in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jamie Carter and Will Lawrence.
2022 CF1 007710
Judge orders civil forfeiture of $1.7M Brownsville mansion tied to drug proceedsRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A home acquired with drug proceeds and used to launder money has been civilly fortified to the United States, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Authorities identified a major cocaine supplier allegedly linked to multiple cartels. The forfeiture action indicated thousands of kilograms of cocaine had been imported from Mexico into the United States for distribution in several states, including California, Nevada, North Carolina, Indiana and Florida.
According to the court filings, the mansion was purchased with proceeds from the drug trafficking activities which were also used to make substantial improvements, including construction of a pool, pool house and a full renovation of the residence.
The mansion includes six bedrooms, four bathrooms and more than 6,900 square feet and has been appraised at approximately $1.7 million. The property will be sold at government auction.
U.S. District Judge Fernando Rodriguez Jr. approved the final order of forfeiture after concluding the property was acquired with drug proceeds and involved money laundering activities. No unaddressed claims to the property had been filed.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the civil and criminal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Foster and Zachary Blackmon handled the civil forfeiture. AUSA Lance Watt is prosecuting the related criminal case.
Justice Department Awards over $2 Million in Grants to Area Foundation and Agencies to Combat Domestic ViolenceRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women has awarded $2,130,000 collectively to the Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response Center, Baton Rouge City Office of the Treasurer, and Louisiana Department of Justice, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall.
The Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR) Center was awarded $1,200,000 to improve the Criminal Justice Response Program which assists state, local, and tribal governments and courts in improving the criminal justice response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and to seek safety and autonomy for victims. The project will support medical and/or law enforcement accompaniment services for victims of sexual assault and follow-up calls after acute crisis response; advocacy services for victims to ensure they are connected to resources; court accompaniment; and Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners clinical trainings, consultation, and peer review. STAR is a nonprofit organization committed to serving youth and adult survivors of sexual trauma and building institutional capacity to prevent and respond responsibly to sexual violence in the community.
The Baton Rouge City Office of the Treasurer (BRCOT) was awarded $500,000 and the Louisiana Department of Justice (LA DOJ) was awarded $430,000 to support their continued efforts of the Abby Honold Program which aims to improve law enforcement’s response to allegations of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Grant funds will provide continued training of covered individuals in the use of evidence-based, trauma-informed, and victim-centered approaches and apply knowledge of crime victims’ rights throughout an investigation; and to work to improve the response of covered individuals to domestic and sexual violence and stalking. BRCOT serves as a parent organization for various municipal functions in East Baton Rouge Parish.
For more information about this award, contact the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Policy, Communication, and Evaluation Division.
Independence Man Charged for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Independence, Mo., man has been charged with distributing fentanyl.
Mark A. Foster, 32, was charged by a federal grand jury on April 15, 2026, with distribution of a controlled substance. The indictment was unsealed on Monday following Foster’s initial appearance before a United States Magistrate Judge.
According to court documents, the distribution of fentanyl that Foster has been charged with is connected to an overdose death in Jamesport, Mo. A Jackson County medical examiner determined that the cause of death of the associated victim was “fentanyl and mitragynine toxicity.”
The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Northwest Missouri Drug Task Force and the Daviess County Sheriff’s Office.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Illegal Mexican National with Sinaloa Cartel Connections SentencedRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jose Alberto Camarena Rocha has been sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking organization that sold cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Jose Alberto Camarena Rocha, 32, was sentenced to 159 months in federal prison for a drug conspiracy involving over one kilogram of heroin and reentering the country illegally. Rocha, living in Phoenix, Arizona, was a supplier for this drug organization, using his connections with the Sinaloa Drug Cartel in Mexico, traveling across the country to pick up supply and deliver it to others who would then sell cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. Total drug weights for Rocha’s involvement is one and a half kilograms of heroin.
“Rocha thought he could get away with bringing this poison from California to the Mountain State. He was wrong and will now spend more than 13 years in prison,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “Make no mistake. We will eliminate these ruthless cartels and will not tolerate their presence in our home.”
The operation, led by Juan Suarez-Lugo, involved 18 defendants. Suarez-Lugo, Rocha, and 10 others have admitted their guilt. Nine, including Rocha, have been sentenced so far. Four defendants are scheduled for trial in June 2026, and two are still pending arrest on this Indictment.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force was the lead investigative unit. Other investigative agencies that assisted include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff's Office; Grant County Sheriff's Office; Hampshire County Sheriff's Office; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Find the related press release here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/twenty-five-charged-drug-trafficking-eastern-panhandle]
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced After Re-entering United States Five TimesRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mexican national was sentenced on May 5, 2026, to time served in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported.
According to court documents, Jesus Penaloza-Munoz, 33, was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents on February 23, 2026, after a traffic stop. Penaloza-Munoz was the driver of the vehicle and presented the Border Patrol agent with a Mexican Consular Identification Card and stated he was a citizen and national of Mexico. When questioned about his presence in the United States, Penaloza-Munoz stated that he was not in possession of any documents allowing him to be in, remain in, or pass through the United States legally. Penaloza-Munoz’s fingerprints were entered into the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, and records revealed he had previously been deported from the United States five times.
At sentencing, Chief Judge Beaverstock imposed the time served sentence of incarceration and a one-year term of supervised release upon his future release. Upon his release from prison, Penaloza-Munoz is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Penaloza-Munoz was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, and the Gulf Shores Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney John P. Hutchins III prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
Illegal Alien Previously Convicted of Drug Trafficking Charged with Healthcare Benefit Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national unlawfully residing in Dorchester, Mass. has been arrested and charged with healthcare benefit fraud and aggravated identity theft.
Manuel Antonio Baez, 52, was charged with one count of falsely representing a Social Security number, one count of making false statements relating to health care matters and one count of aggravated identity theft.
According to the charging documents, Baez allegedly used the stolen identity of a U.S. citizen, including the citizen’s social security number, to obtain government benefits. Specifically, Baez allegedly represented that he was a U.S. citizen when applying for healthcare benefits in Massachusetts and submitted a sworn affidavit falsely alleging the same. It alleged that Baez ultimately obtained over $80,000 in MassHealth benefits using the stolen identity. Baez also allegedly committed drug offenses in the name of the U.S. citizen, including a 2018 conviction for trafficking heroin and other offenses and a 2007 conviction for possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance.
The charge for falsely representing a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of making false statements relating to a health care program provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. 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.
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 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.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Colin T. Missett of the Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Huron County Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sexual Abuse ChargesRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 46-year-old man has pleaded guilty in federal court to sending and receiving child pornography through a social media platform and to firearms charges.
Ricardo Gibson, of Willard, Ohio, pleaded guilty to the charges in the indictment:
- Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM)
- Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition; previous conviction for same offense in 2002
According to court documents and evidence presented in court, in May 2023 federal agents were investigating a report made by an online marketplace seller about a man who was buying her children’s used clothing and who then sent her provocative images of prepubescent girls through the platform’s chat function. Agents subsequently identified Gibson and found he continued to express his sexual interest in children and send CSAM to the seller. During a search warrant execution where he was residing, agents found two cellphones, adult sex toys, little girl’s clothing, two handguns, three magazines and 19, 9mm rounds of ammunition. A forensic analysis of his electronic devices uncovered 6,448 CSAM files in his possession.
Gibson is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 20, 2026. He faces a maximum prison sentence of 40 years for Receipt and Distribution of Child Pornography and a 15-year maximum for being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency, the Huron County Sheriff’s Office, and the Willard Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Al-Sorghali and Frank H. Spryszak for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Huntington Park Medical Practice and Doctor to Pay More Than $6.7 Million to Settle Allegations of Billing Medicare for Unnecessary ProceduresRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Huntington Park-based medical practice and its physician have agreed to pay more than $6.73 million to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims for medically unnecessary vascular interventional procedures on 20 Medicare beneficiaries.
The United States alleged that, from 2016 to 2024, Dr. Feliciano Serrano of Serrano Kidney & Vascular Access Center performed medically unnecessary dialysis access interventions, including angioplasty and stent procedures, on 18 patients, purportedly to treat stenosis in patients’ dialysis segments.
Dr. Serrano scheduled interventions on a routine basis, without waiting for complications to present, and he frequently repeated procedures on patients every few days or weeks despite that the procedures were not effective and did not result in any clinical benefit. One Medicare patient received approximately 42 stents in the dialysis segment between 2016 and 2023, including during a period when Dr. Serrano informed the patient he did not need dialysis.
The United States also alleged that from 2019 to 2024, Dr. Serrano performed medically unnecessary peripheral artery disease interventions, including stent and atherectomy procedures, on 17 patients, purportedly to treat stenosis in patients’ legs. Dr. Serrano performed interventions on patients who had only mild or no stenosis and who had only minor symptoms.
Although patients complained of pain only in one leg, he performed procedures on both legs and then repeated procedures on both legs every few months. Dr. Serrano told patients that if they did not receive the procedure, their legs would need to be amputated, when, in fact, there was little risk of amputation for mildly symptomatic peripheral artery disease. One Medicare patient received approximately 16 atherectomies in his legs between 2019 and 2023.
The United States alleged that across both categories of procedures, Dr. Serrano performed interventional procedures on vessels that did not qualify for treatment under accepted standards of medical practice; overstated the degree of stenosis to make the procedures appear to meet generally recognized medical standards when, in fact, they did not; falsely documented patient symptoms and conservative therapy measures in medical records to justify the procedures; and performed procedures in excess of accepted standards of medical practice.
As a result of the settlements, Dr. Serrano will pay nearly $6.51 million to the United States and nearly $229,000 to the State of California.
“False claims to Medicare and Medicaid cause millions of dollars in losses to the government,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bilal A. Essayli of the Central District of California. “This settlement sends a clear message to physicians that the United States will zealously pursue appropriate action against those who submit false claims for taxpayer funds.”
“Physicians should not be performing and billing for unnecessary and excessive medical interventions. False documentation of symptoms compromises the integrity of our federal health care programs and the well-being of beneficiaries,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Physicians who place their own profit over patient needs will be held accountable.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought by Lincoln Analytics, Inc. under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under the act, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States and State of California ex rel. Lincoln Analytics, Inc. v. Dr. Feliciano Serrano, et al., Civil Action No. 23-cv-04178 (C.D. Cal.). Lincoln Analytics, Inc. will receive approximately $976,000 as its share of the federal recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, and the California Department of Justice, with assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules.
The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Karen Y. Paik of the Civil Frauds Section and Justice Department Trial Attorney Tiffany L. Ho of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section handled this case.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Trafficking Conspiracy and Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty today for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that lead to a fatal fentanyl overdose and for unlawfully possessing firearms as an illegal alien.
Cristhian Martinez, 21, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and alien in possession of a firearm. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Martinez also admitted as part of the conspiracy to distributing fentanyl that resulted in the death of an adult victim.
According to court documents, in September 2023, members of the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF) were called to investigate a fatal overdose in Clackamas County. While processing the scene, investigators discovered numerous counterfeit M30 Oxycodone pills believed to be manufactured with fentanyl, as well as fentanyl powder. Martinez was soon identified as the person who sold fentanyl to the deceased victim’s dealer.
On November 16, 2023, investigators located Martinez traveling north from California into Oregon, followed his vehicle, and conducted a traffic stop in Gladstone, Oregon. During a K-9 sweep of Martinez’s vehicle, investigators found multiple concealed packages containing more than one kilogram of compressed fentanyl:
Later the same day, investigators executed a search warrant on Martinez’s Gladstone apartment where they seized more fentanyl, a 20-ton shop press used to produce “bricks” of fentanyl powder, multiple firearms, ammunition, and other materials consistent with drug trafficking:
Martinez faces a maximum sentence of life in prison, a $10 million fine, and five years of supervised release. The government will seek a sentence of 210 months’ imprisonment. Martinez will be sentenced on August 4, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford of the District of Oregon made the announcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI, CCITF, and Westside Interagency Narcotics team (WIN). It is being prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon.
CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
WIN is a Washington County-based interagency drug interdiction task force that includes members from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, Beaverton and Hillsboro Police Departments, Oregon National Guard Counter Drug Program, FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and HSI.
This arrest 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 Portland comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, USMS, IRS-CI, ATF, USPIS, CBP, TSA, U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon Air, Army National Guard Counterdrug program, and Oregon-Idaho HIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
Honduran Illegal Alien Found Living in Greenbrier County Sentenced for Immigration CrimeRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – Jorge Elpidio Erazo-Jimenez, 35, a Honduran citizen living illegally in Lewisburg, was sentenced today to time served for reentry of a removed alien. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has an immigration detainer on Erazo-Jimenez for his transfer to ICE administrative custody for removal proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 30, 2025, law enforcement officers filed an ICE detainer for Erazo-Jimenez following his incarceration at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver on state-level criminal charges. Erazo-Jimenez later pleaded guilty to domestic battery in Greenbrier County Circuit Court. ICE agents confirmed that Erazo-Jimenez is a citizen of Honduras in the United States illegally and that he had previously been deported from the United States twice, on December 19, 2011, after he was found near Sarita, Texas, and on December 9, 2016, after he was found near Roma, Texas.
Erazo-Jimenez had no identification documents permitting him legal status in the United States. Erazo-Jimenez never obtained the express consent of the Secretary of U.S. Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States for either of the prior removals, nor did he seek to reenter the United States through other legal means.
Erazo-Jimenez has a criminal history that also includes prior convictions for possession of methamphetamine and obstructing an officer with threats of harm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO).
Chief United States District Judge Frank W. Volk imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case, as part of a special unit within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia focused on the immigration enforcement objectives of Operation Take Back America.
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:25-cr-180.
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Hartford Man Charged with Drug Distribution and Firearm Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, today announced that KENNY LAPORTE, 39, of Hartford, has been charged by indictment with drug distribution and firearm possession offenses.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation determined that Laporte was distributing large quantities of fentanyl and other narcotics to customers and other drug sellers in the Hartford area and was using a residence on Amity Street in Hartford to store the drugs. In April and May 2025, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Laporte.
Laporte was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on May 29, 2025. On that date, a search of the Amity Street residence and a garage behind the residence revealed approximately 1.7 kilograms of fentanyl, 150 grams of powder cocaine, 25 grams of crack cocaine, 22 grams of heroin, nine handguns, ammunition, jewelry, and $21,000 in cash. Laporte possessed an additional $1,675 in cash at the time of his arrest.
Laporte’s criminal history includes felony convictions for narcotics, firearm, and assault offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
On April 28, 2026, a grand jury in New Haven returned a seven-count indictment charging Laporte with five counts of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, controlled substances, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and a quantity of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and one count unlawful possession of firearms by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Laporte appeared today in Hartford federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges in the indictment. He is released on a $100,000 bond pending trial.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Shan Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
HSTF: Three Dominican Nationals Plead Guilty to Cocaine Conspiracy Charges After Importation of 1,694 kilograms of CocaineRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Three Dominican nationals pleaded guilty for their roles in importing approximately 1,694 kilograms of cocaine into South Florida.
Erasme Catalino Paulino Rodriguez, 35; Joseito Diaz De Oleo, 48; and Ober Alexander Villavicencio Jimenez, 36 — all of the Dominican Republic — pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import a controlled substance.
“This was a large-scale maritime cocaine smuggling operation aimed at bringing nearly 1.7 metric tons of poison into South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “That amount of cocaine fuels addiction, violence, and cartel profits on a massive scale. These guilty pleas disrupted a major trafficking pipeline and reflect the strength of coordinated federal enforcement at sea and on land. If you move narcotics toward our shores, you will be intercepted, prosecuted, and sent to federal prison.”
According to court documents, on Dec. 2, 2025, approximately six nautical miles off the coast of Government Cut in Miami-Dade County, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) interdicted the M/V Best Bet, a 65-foot sport-fishing vessel. After escorting the vessel to U.S. Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, law enforcement discovered 1,694 kilograms of cocaine concealed in hidden compartments.
Rodriguez, De Oleo, and Jimenez admitted they piloted the Best Bet east from Miami to a pre-determined location near the Turks and Caicos, where they met a smaller vessel carrying four Dominican men who transferred duffle bags filled with cocaine. The defendants then concealed the drugs on board and began the return trip to Miami, where they were intercepted.
Each defendant faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and up to life imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones, Special Agent in Charge Miles Aley of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Miami Field Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge José R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami, made the announcement.
DEA Miami Field Division and HSI Miami are investigating the case, with assistance from the USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (AMO), and the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Kirkpatrick is prosecuting the case.
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 Miami comprises of agents and officers from DEA Miami, HSI Miami, USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection AMO, and FBI Miami with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20541.
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Guilty Verdict for California Biolab OperatorRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Following a two-week trial, a jury found Jia Bei Zhu, 64, a Chinese national, guilty of fraudulently selling more than a million COVID tests for nearly $4 million through his Fresno-based company Universal Meditech Inc. (UMI), to customers across the United States and of lying to the FDA about his identity and role with UMI, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
“This verdict holds the defendant accountable for actions that exploited a public health crisis for his own gain. He flouted the lawful authority of the FDA and deliberately deceived the public by repackaging low-quality, foreign-made test kits at a time when accuracy and reliability were critical,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “This conduct, tied to the unlawful operations uncovered at the Reedley laboratory, put lives at risk. Our office remains committed to prosecuting those who endanger the public through fraud, especially in matters affecting the health and safety of our communities.”
“The defendant’s scheme to distribute medical devices that were misbranded and falsely represented as FDA-approved undermined public health during a critical time,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Iwanicki, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Office. “The FDA works closely with our law enforcement partners to investigate violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, which is designed to ensure, among other things, that medical devices are safe and effective. We will continue to investigate and bring to justice those who threaten the health of consumers by evading FDA requirements.”
"Mr. Zhu saw a public health crisis and chose to profit from it by misrepresenting the origin, quality, and FDA approval status of his tests with the intent to flood the market with misbranded medical devices," said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel. "This verdict is the result of diligent investigative work, the courage and cooperation of the witnesses, and our strong partnership with the FDA. The FBI is committed to safeguarding the integrity of the medical supply chain that Americans depend on."
Zhu was convicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of substantive wire fraud, two counts of distributing adulterated and misbranded medical devices, and one count of making a false statement to the FDA. His romantic partner Zhaoyan Wang is also charged in the case. She fled the United States shortly before Zhu’s arrest and remains a fugitive from justice in China.
Importantly, the FDA, CDC, and FBI determined that the vivarium and fridges with pathogens and toxins in inappropriate containers were part of a failed effort by UMI to manufacture the COVID tests at its Fresno facility. They did not pose any risk to humans.
According to the evidence presented at trial, Zhu founded UMI with Zhaoyan Wang and hired inexperienced employees who would not ask any questions. The employees were cellphone salespeople, supermarket workers, childcare workers, and stay-at-home parents before starting at UMI. Some of the employees were hired through the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation, which is a public organization that helps find jobs for unskilled workers and provides significant subsidies to employers that hire them.
From approximately August 2020 through March 2023, Zhu, Wang, and others at UMI conspired with each other to import faulty COVID tests from China and then sell them to customers based on several different false representations. The false representations included that the tests: (1) were authorized by the FDA, (2) were made in the USA, (3) were made in connection with a certified medical lab, and (4) worked.
False Representation on Internet re: FDA Approval, Made in USA, and Test Accuracy
Several of the employees testified at trial. They explained that Zhu instructed them to make false representations to customers. The employees explained that they knew what they were doing was wrong but went through with it because they did not want to lose their jobs. They also explained that they feared Zhu would physically hurt them if they defied his orders.
Many of the victims also testified at trial. They explained how the tests they received from UMI were missing basic parts and could not even detect COVID.
Zhu’s scheme was first revealed in mid-2022 when one of the victims filed a civil lawsuit against UMI and performed a court-ordered inspection of UMI’s Fresno facility. The inspection showed that UMI lacked the ability to manufacture COVID tests and that it was nothing more than an unsanitary warehouse that was far below established quality standards for facilities that house medical devices. For example, there was vivarium that was not sealed off from the rest of the facility and multiple fridges with pathogens and toxins in juice, soda, and other inappropriate containers. A vivarium is supposed to be a dedicated space for housing and studying living animals in controlled environments.
Pathogens and Toxins in Inappropriate Containers
The inspection also showed hundreds of boxes of COVID tests from China.
Boxes of COVID Tests from China
Zhu tried to escape the civil lawsuit by moving UMI from Fresno to Reedley, a neighboring town, and changing its name to Prestige Biotech Inc. (PBI). This tactic, however, did not work and the FDA began investigating him. Zhu subsequently met with investigators from the FDA and CDC in May 2023 and falsely claimed to be a different person, Qiang “David” He, who had just recently come to the United States from China on an asylum application. He also falsely claimed that he did not know anything about UMI or PBI’s background.
The evidence showed that Zhu was previously an executive at the company IND in Canada in the early 2000s and that IND had gotten into trouble with the Canadian equivalent of the FDA for misconduct like the misconduct at issue in this case. He then came to the United States unlawfully, founded UMI, and began fraudulently selling COVID tests shortly thereafter.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the FDA Office of Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arelis Clemente and Joseph D. Barton are prosecuting the case.
Zhu is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 24, 2026. Zhu faces maximum statutory penalties of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy charge and each of the wire fraud charges, three years in prison for each of the distribution of adulterated and misbranded medical device charges, and five years in prison for the false statements charge. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Foxborough Man Charged with Impersonating a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Foxborough man was charged today in federal court in Boston with impersonating a federal immigration officer.
Francisco Soares, 56, was charged with impersonating a federal officer on April 29, 2026 and arrested on April 30, 2026. Soares was subsequently released on conditions following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on May 1, 2026.
The criminal complaint alleges that Soares told various Brazilian nationals that he worked for U.S. Immigration and that for a price, he could provide the individuals assistance with obtaining U.S. citizenship. Soares, who has never worked for the U.S. government, allegedly took thousands of dollars from his victims.
In 2014, Soares was charged, and later convicted in 2015, with impersonating a federal officer, in the U.S. District Court in Boston and sentenced to three years of probation and 12 months of home confinement. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,000 fine and $4,300 in restitution.
The charge of impersonating a federal officer or employee provides for a maximum sentence of three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fourth Illinoisan Sentenced After Cashing Out Stolen Government Money at a Dubuque CasinoRead the Press Release
A woman from Northwest Illinois who fraudulently obtained approximately $100,000 in pandemic-era unemployment benefits, which she then converted to cash at a Dubuque casino, was sentenced on May 5, 2026, to more than three years in federal prison. Jackie L. Smith, age 39, from Galena, Illinois, received the prison term after a November 4, 2025, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.
Evidence at Smith’s guilty plea and sentencing hearings established that Smith orchestrated a scheme to defraud various states out of approximately $100,000 in federally subsidized unemployment insurance (“UI”) benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Smith filed a false UI application in her own name, recruited others into the UI fraud scheme in exchange for a share of the fraud proceeds, and stole others’ personally identifiable information and pocketed the UI moneys for herself. Smith then made cash withdrawals at a Dubuque casino.
Smith is a felon with an extensive criminal history. Smith has convictions in Illinois, Texas, and Wisconsin for bail jumping, methamphetamine possession, burglary, theft, resisting a law enforcement officer, receiving stolen property, and operating under the influence.
Smith was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Smith was sentenced to 42 months’ imprisonment. She was ordered to make $95,708 in restitution to three states. She must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Smith is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until she can be transported to a federal prison.
Smith is the fourth Illinoisan whom Chief Judge Williams has sentenced for making cash withdrawals at a Dubuque casino from stolen UI fraud money during the pandemic:
In April 2026, Jeffrey Alan Edmonds, age 58, from Galena, Illinois, was sentenced to four months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. Edmonds was ordered to pay $10,923.30 in restitution to one state.
In January 2026, Michael Angelo Martinelli, age 35, a self-employed gambler from Galena, Illinois, was sentenced to six months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release after he pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. Martinelli was ordered to pay $170,144.70 in restitution to two states.
In September 2024, Dezaray Elizabeth Seitz, age 35, from Galena, Illinois, was sentenced to 78 days in jail and three years of supervised release after she pled guilty to one count of wire fraud. Seitz was ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution to one state. In December 2025, after Seitz violated the terms of her supervised release, Chief Judge Williams sentenced Seitz to nine additional months in federal prison.
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.
The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the United States Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, and the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 24-CR-1019 (Smith), 25-CR-1032 (Edmonds), 25-CR-1025 (Martinelli), and 23-CR-1024 (Seitz)
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Former Rohnert Park Police Officers Sentenced to 30 Months and 20 Months in Federal Prison After Convictions for Conspiracy to Commit Extortion, Impersonating Federal Officers, Obstruction of Justice, and Other Charges Related to Marijuana Seizure SchemeRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Former Rohnert Park police officer Joseph Huffaker, 41, of Rohnert Park, California, was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison, and Brendon Jacy Tatum, 43, of Santa Rosa, California, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison, for their roles in a marijuana extortion scheme, impersonation of federal agents, and obstruction of justice. Senior U.S. District Judge Maxine M. Chesney handed down the sentences on May 6, 2026.
At the conclusion of a week-long trial in July 2025, a federal jury convicted Huffaker on six counts of extortion under color of official right, falsifying records in a federal investigation, impersonating a federal officer, and conspiracy to commit those offenses. Tatum pled guilty in December 2021 to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, falsifying records in a federal investigation, and tax evasion, and testified as a witness at Huffaker’s trial. According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, Huffaker and Tatum were both employed between 2012 and 2019 with the City of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety (RPDPS) as police officers. The jury found that Huffaker and Tatum conspired to pull over drivers they suspected of possessing significant amounts of marijuana and extorted their marijuana by falsely claiming to be ATF agents and threatening to arrest drivers if they contested seizures of their property. The jury also found that Huffaker and Tatum conspired to obstruct justice by creating a false police report two months after their extortions and sending that report to the FBI.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at trial, RPDPS previously operated an interdiction team between 2014 and early 2017 that conducted traffic stops on vehicles along Highway 101 between Cloverdale and Rohnert Park in an effort to seize illegal drugs. In December of 2017, 11 months after the interdiction team had been disbanded, Huffaker and Tatum extorted significant quantities of marijuana from individuals, declaring to the individuals that they were ATF agents, that their property would be seized, and at times threatening to arrest and charge them. After extorting the marijuana, Huffaker and Tatum sold it for personal profit. These seizures occurred while the officers were not on duty and not wearing their uniforms or body-worn cameras.
In February 2018, the FBI received a complaint from a citizen who claimed to have been shaken down by police officers on the highway and an FBI agent asked Tatum for the police report related to the incident. Thereafter, the jury found that Huffaker and Tatum falsified a police Incident/Investigation Report regarding an unlawful December 18 traffic stop and marijuana seizure. Tatum then forwarded both the falsified press release and report to an FBI agent who was investigating the stop.
In addition to engaging in the extortion and obstruction of justice conspiracies with Huffaker in 2017 and 2018, Tatum admitted in his plea agreement that he engaged in additional criminal conduct. Specifically, Tatum admitted that in 2015 and 2016, he stole marijuana from the Rohnert Park police station, extorted marijuana from drivers on Highway 101, sold marijuana for personal profit, and committed tax evasion, netting himself over $400,000 in illicit proceeds.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Oakland Field Office Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Chesney also sentenced Huffaker and Tatum to a three-year period of supervised release and ordered restitution in the amount of $301,145.70 for Tatum and $20,000 for Huffaker. Huffaker will begin serving his sentence on September 15, 2026, and Tatum will begin serving his sentence on January 11, 2027.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Abraham Fine, Benjamin Kleinman, and Cynthia Frey are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Veronica Hernandez, Amala James, and Janice Pagsanjan. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI and the IRS-CI.Former Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Embezzling U.S. MailRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former U.S. Postal Service employee pleaded guilty in federal court today to embezzling a large amount of U.S. mail.
Tiara McGill-Rushing, 34, of Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Roseann Ketchmark to one count of embezzlement of mail matter by a U.S. Postal Service employee.
By pleading guilty today, McGill-Rushing admitted that, on March 22, 2024, she embezzled at least 70 individual letters with the intent to convert gift cards found in the letters to her own use.
Under federal statutes, McGill-Rushing is subject to a sentence of five years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. McGill-Rushing’s sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicholas P. Heberle. It was investigated by the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General.
Former Lee’s Summit Teacher Sentenced to 12 Years for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Lee’s Summit West High School teacher was sentenced in federal court today for distributing child pornography.
Seth Brummond, 39, of Greenwood, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 12 years in federal prison without parole. The Court also ordered Brummond to serve supervised release for 10 years following his incarceration.
Brummond pleaded guilty to sharing over 60 videos depicting child pornography using the Kik Messaging application between September 2024 and December 2024.
In December 2024, Lee’s Summit Police Officers, acting on a Cyber Tip Report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, arrested Brummond on his way to work and seized his cell phone. Investigators located hundreds of images and videos containing depictions of child pornography on Brummond’s cell phone. In a subsequent interview, Brummond admitted to investigators that he had shared child pornography on the Kik Messaging application.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Luna. It was investigated by the Lee’s Summit, Missouri Police Department and the Heart of America Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former Basketball Coach Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Sending Sexually Explicit Photos to StudentsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Wednesday sentenced a former high school basketball coach to 90 months in prison for sending sexually explicit photos to students and engaging in sexually explicit conversations with them.
Lee Anthony Bogan Jr., 29, was working at a St. Louis area high school at the time. Bogan, known as “Coach Teejay,” used a social media application to contact high school students beginning in the spring of 2024. Bogan sent photos of his genitals and expressed romantic and sexual interest in the students, seeking to gauge their responses. Bogan was unaware that the minors took screen shots of the explicit photos before they disappeared.
In court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards said that the students interrupted Bogan’s attempt to groom them by reporting his conduct.
Bogan pleaded guilty in February to one count of attempting to receive child pornography. He will be on supervised release for life after his release from prison.
The Ladue Police Department and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards 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. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
- Former Bank Employee Admits Stealing More Than $125,000 from Elderly Customer with Dementia
Former Account Manager at Beverly Hills Business Management Firm Charged with Embezzling More Than $2 Million from Celebrity ClientRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former account manager at a high-end Beverly Hills business management and tax firm was charged today in an eight-count federal indictment with embezzling more than $2 million from one of the firm’s celebrity clients.
Frank Musoke, 38, formerly of Woodland Hills, is charged with five counts of wire fraud and three counts of tax evasion.
He is believed to have fled to Uganda, where he has dual citizenship with the United States.
According to the indictment, Musoke was employed as an account manager at a full-service business management and tax firm identified in court documents as “Company A.” This Beverly Hills-based firm primarily served high-net-worth celebrities in the entertainment industry.
In this role, Musoke was entrusted with managing the complete financial and business affairs of Company A’s elite clientele. His job was to help clients with asset protection, investment strategies, and financial planning to help them preserve and grow their wealth.
The victim, identified in the indictment as “Individual A,” is a well-known television host and producer and had been a Company A client for nearly 20 years. Musoke was Individual A’s account manager and had full access to Individual A’s financial accounts, including control of his debit cards.
From December 2019 to June 2023, Musoke gained unauthorized access to debit cards and the associated personal identification numbers (PINs) connected to Individual A’s business bank account. Without Individual A’s knowledge or consent, Musoke – in breach of his fiduciary duty – fraudulently used Individual A’s debit cards to withdraw approximately $1,733,688 at a bank’s ATMs, spend $165,270 on Amazon purchases, incur $191,543 in personal travel expenses, and spend more than $160,000 on other personal expenses.
In total, Musoke embezzled more than $2 million from Individual A.
Company A terminated Musoke in July 2023, after the fraud was discovered.
From May 2021 to May 2023, Musoke filed false federal income tax returns in which he failed to report a total of approximately $1,766,367 in income he embezzled through the unauthorized use of debit cards.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted, Musoke would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count and a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each tax evasion count.
The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.
Chief Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Waier is prosecuting this case.
Florida Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Fort Lauderdale, Florida man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Stacey D. Neumann sentenced Richard Harris, 23, to 32 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $31,400 in restitution. Harris pleaded guilty on December 16, 2025.
According to court records, Harris and a coconspirator, Paul Logugune, broke into unattended vehicles to steal purses and wallets containing driver’s licenses and checkbooks. Harris and Logugune forged checks using the stolen checkbooks and made the checks payable to the names on the stolen licenses. They then recruited others to cash the forged checks at branches of a federal credit union throughout southern Maine using the stolen IDs to impersonate the ID theft victims.
Logugune also pleaded guilty to his role in the offense. On August 29, 2024, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and ordered to pay over $32,000 in restitution.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Freeport Police Department.
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Firearms Violators Sentenced to Decades in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Three firearms violators have been sentenced across the Northern District of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Zachary Mongold, 37, of Moorefield, West Virginia, was sentenced to 180 months in prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm. Mongold was the subject of another investigation into a violent crime, and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office stopped his vehicle. A search of the car recovered a firearm with ammunition. Mongold is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior domestic battery conviction. Mongold’s brother, Jeremy, was convicted at a trial of three charges related to purchasing the firearm for Zachary. He is scheduled to be sentenced in June 2026.
Jason Gordon, 39, of Baker, West Virginia, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison. Officers responded to a domestic violence call at Gordon’s residence. A consent search of the home recovered firearms in the attic of the home. Gordon admitted they were his. He has prior felony and domestic violence convictions, prohibiting him from having firearms.
Montez Taryle Lincoln, 41, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm. West Virginia State Police were investigating a report of a marijuana grow operation on a property in Martinsburg. A search warrant was executed, and officers seized two pistols and some crack cocaine from Lincoln’s bedroom. Lincoln, also known as “Fatz,” was prior felony drug convictions, prohibiting him from having firearms.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eleanor Hurney, Andrew Cogar, and Stephen Warner prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
Investigative agencies include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police; and the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided over the Mongold and Gordon sentencings.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided over the Lincoln sentencing.
Felon on Federal Supervised Release Sentenced for Having Gun in Car While Meeting with Probation OfficerRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A previously convicted felon on federal supervised release was sentenced to prison again yesterday for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. William Sedrick Rollerson, 58, of Charlotte, was sentenced to a total of 108 months in prison; 60 months in prison for violating supervised release conditions, followed by an additional and consecutive term of 48 months in prison for the new illegal possession of a firearm offense, which will all be followed by two years of supervised release.
“Supervised release exists to rehabilitate those who have served time in prison, help them reintegrate into society, and to keep a close eye on them to ensure they do not return to their life of crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “It appears Mr. Rollerson very quickly returned to his life of crime, and he will therefore serve a sentence for his crime and an additional sentence for violating the conditions of his supervised release.”
According to court documents and court proceedings, Rollerson was on federal supervised release following completion of a lengthy prison term for a prior conviction in the Western District of North Carolina. Among the conditions of his supervised release, Rollerson had regular appointments at the federal probation office and was subject to drug testing. On April 24, 2025, Rollerson drove to the federal courthouse in Charlotte to meet with a federal probation officer. During the meeting, Rollerson was told he had tested positive for cocaine use. Rollerson denied using cocaine and offered various explanations about the positive drug test. Court records show that probation officers searched Rollerson’s vehicle, where they found a Taurus .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol loaded with eight rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. A set of digital scales, baggies, an unknown gray powdery substance, and an additional .40 caliber magazine were also found in Rollerson’s vehicle.
On September 18, 2025, Rollerson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon. He is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
The U.S. Probation Office conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kelly with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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.
Federal Homicide Charges Brought Against Man Who Allegedly Murdered Postal WorkerRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Nahjel Malik Williams has been charged with first-degree murder of Dequavious Graves, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, as well as the use of a firearm during that crime of violence.
“The murder of Dequavious Graves, a letter carrier dedicated to his public duty, friends, and family, was a senseless crime and a horrible tragedy,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Letter carriers play an important role in our community, and anyone who harms them as they perform their work will be brought to justice in federal court.”
“A core mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the protection of our employees, and if anyone causes them harm, they will be pursued and brought to justice for their crimes. The arrest of this defendant is a testament to the dedication of work conducted by Postal Inspectors along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. “With these charges we hope to bring forth a sense of justice for Mr. Graves and his family as they continue to move forward in the wake of this senseless tragedy.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Dequavious Graves was a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier beloved by his colleagues and members of the community, as well as his family and friends. On February 12, 2026, as Graves delivered mail on his route in Decatur, Georgia, Nahjel Mailk Williams allegedly shot Graves and killed him in a premeditated act. At the time, Williams was wanted on a warrant for a prior, unrelated murder he allegedly committed in Atlanta in August 2024.
On May 5, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Nahjel Malik Williams, 24, of Decatur, Georgia, with first-degree murder of a federal employee and discharging a firearm in relation to that offense. Both charges subject Williams to the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General of the United States will determine whether the government will seek the death penalty. Williams is currently in local custody but will be arraigned in federal court at a later date.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with valuable assistance provided by the Atlanta Police Department, DeKalb County Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Teresa M. Stolze and Matthew R. LaGrone are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Dominican Republic Man Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering Conspiracy in Connection with International Grandparent Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of the Dominican Republic illegally residing in Paterson, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of money laundering conspiracy, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Engels Guillermo Almengot Valerio, 26, pleaded guilty to one count before Senior United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer on May 4, 2026.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Valerio was a participant in a conspiracy that targeted elderly individuals, often referred to as a grandparent fraud scheme, from which he then laundered the fraud proceeds. In this scheme, conspirators living in the Dominican Republic called elderly individuals and impersonated the victims’ grandchildren or other relatives, falsely claiming that they were involved in a crisis such as an accident and/or arrest and needed immediate financial assistance, then handing the phone over to someone posing as a lawyer or bail bondsman seeking payment.
The scammers then arranged for unwitting rideshare drivers to pick up cash from the elderly victims, who were located throughout the United States, including in the Western District of Pennsylvania. The drivers drove the stolen money to a location where they met with a member of the conspiracy and handed over the cash.
Using a variety of investigative techniques, law enforcement identified Valerio as a participant in the scheme, determining that the defendant ordered the rides that picked up the cash, collected the fraud proceeds from the rideshare drivers, and further laundered the fraud proceeds once received through various bank accounts. He operated not just in the Western District of Pennsylvania, but also in New York, California, and Nevada. A search of his New Jersey residence uncovered further evidence of his participation in the conspiracy, including $12,000 in cash.
Judge Fischer scheduled sentencing for September 8, 2026. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan T. Conway is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, in conjunction with numerous other federal and state law enforcement agencies, including the New York City Police Department, conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Valerio.
Detroiter Pleads Guilty in $16M Federal Student Aid Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Brandon Robinson, 42, of Detroit, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a decade-long, multi-million-dollar Federal Student Aid fraud scheme, announced United States Attorney Jerome Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge John Woolley, U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General (DOE-OIG), and Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General.
According to the court records, Robinson was responsible for leading a years-long scheme to obtain fraudulent Federal Student Aid benefits involving so-called “straw students” who were enrolled for the primary purpose of receiving FSA. Specifically, between January 2015 and February 2024, Robinson submitted fraudulent FSA claims for more than 1,200 individuals, involving over 100 schools in 24 states. As a result of the scheme, Robinson fraudulently caused more than $16M in FSA benefits to be awarded, with more than $10M disbursed. Robinson also accepted responsibility for filing over 100 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims between April 2020 and March 2023, causing the disbursement of over $1M in UI benefits.
Robinson pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Laurie J. Michelson. Sentencing is scheduled for September 1, 2026, where Robinson faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on the wire fraud count, followed by a mandatory, consecutive penalty of 24 months for the aggravated identity theft count.
In a related case, co-conspirator Antonio Robinson and Joshuan Porter also pleaded guilty, for their roles in the same scheme. That case is also assigned to Judge Laurie J. Michelson and they will be sentenced on July 7, 2026 (Antonio Robinson), and August 4, 2026 (Joshuan Porter). Both face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “More than 1,000 fake students. A decade of fraud. This man built an industrial-scale operation to loot federal student aid programs and to steal from the American taxpayer.”
"Scams like this steal money from hardworking taxpayers and legitimate students and that is unacceptable,” said John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Central Regional Office. “The OIG and our law enforcement partners are committed to fighting student aid fraud and we will continue to aggressively pursue those that participate in these types of crimes."
“Brandon Robinson’s guilty plea sends a clear message: if you steal from programs meant to help hardworking Americans, our team and Vice President Vance’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud — will find you, investigate you, and hold you accountable,” said Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General. “Protecting the integrity of the unemployment insurance system remains one of my top priorities. Fraud is a tax on every honest American, and we will continue aggressively pursuing the bad actors who exploit taxpayer-funded programs for personal gain.”
The Department of Justice has created 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.
The case was jointly investigated by agents from the Department of Education Office of the Inspector General and the Department of Labor Office of the Inspector General, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Particka and John K. Neal.
Deputy District Director to United States Congressman Indicted for Fraudulently Obtaining Covid-Relief BenefitsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – The Deputy District Director to an Illinois United States congressman has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly fraudulently obtaining more than $31,000 in unemployment insurance benefits during the Covid pandemic. Under the leadership of U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and consistent with the Administration’s priorities to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal fraud in the federal government entitlement and benefit programs, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is taking a fresh look at Covid-19 fraud.
GERARD C. MOORER engaged in fraud related to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) program, one of the sources of relief under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment alleges that in May 2020, Moorer filed a fraudulent application for PUA benefits in which he claimed to have met Covid-related reasons for being unemployed, partially unemployed, unable to work, or unavailable to work. Moore’s application was approved, and over approximately the next 16 months, he continued to submit fraudulent certifications of his purported unemployment to continue receiving the benefits, the indictment states. In reality, Moorer knew that he was in fact employed by the federal government as an aide to the Illinois Congressman at the time of his application and certifications, the indictment states.
As a result of the fraud, Moorer obtained $31,887 in PUA benefits to which he was not entitled, the indictment states.
Moorer, 42, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of wire fraud, each of which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Arraignment in federal court is scheduled for May 14, 2026, at 1:00 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz.
U.S. Attorney Boutros announced the indictment along with Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, and Erin Silk, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alec Smith and William Hogan.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
moorer_indictment.pdfDelco Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Stealing More Than $214,000 from the Bank Where He WorkedRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jonathan Lim, 42, of Wallingford, Pennsylvania, was sentenced this week to 18 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and $214,155 in restitution by United States District Judge Michael M. Baylson for bank fraud and embezzlement.
The defendant was charged with those offenses by indictment in September 2024 and pleaded guilty in November of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, while Lim was a manager of a bank branch in Downingtown, Pa., he took over responsibility for the regular administration of the branch’s automated teller machine (“ATM”), which required accessing the ATM’s interior. From about August 2019 through November 2019, on multiple occasions, the defendant stole cash from the ATM and repeatedly falsified records to hide his crimes.
The defendant resigned from the bank on November 24, 2019, and the ATM and branch were audited two days later. Auditors discovered that the ATM had a shortfall of more than $178,000 and the defendant’s cash box was short by $36,000. In all, Lim embezzled approximately $214,000 from the bank branch and spent the majority of the money gambling.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia's Newtown Square Resident Agency, with assistance from the Federal Reserve, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alisa Shver and S. Chandler Harris.
DUI Arrest, Reentry Charge Sends Illegal Honduras National to PrisonRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – An illegal Honduras National was sentenced for reentering the country illegally, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Edwin Leonel Rivera-Gallardo, 40, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for reentering the United States illegally. Rivera-Gallardo, also known as “William Leonel Gallardo” and “Jose Ortiz Rodriguez Ortiz,” was arrested by the Charles Town Police Department in Jefferson County, West Virginia, for third offense driving under the influence, fleeing, and other related charges. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents determined that Rivera-Gallardo once had lawful permanent residence in the U.S. but that was revoked following a criminal conviction. He had been removed from the U.S. five times prior to the DUI arrest in Charles Town.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Charles Town Police Department.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
DISH Wireless LLC to Pay More than $17M to Resolve False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations Related to FCC’s Broadband Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
DISH Wireless LLC (DISH), located in Englewood, Colorado, has agreed to pay $17,280,240 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA), common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Broadband Benefits Program (EBBP) and its successor program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and receive federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure integrity in the FCC’s programs.”
“DISH and its employees fraudulently signed up ineligible applicants to receive federal monies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine F. Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By doing so DISH received payments which they were not entitled. This is a shameful act on the part of a large corporation that is rightfully required to pay $17 million.”
“DISH continued seeking FCC program funds for months after its executives learned about its agents’ enrollment fraud and after an FCC OIG advisory warning. FCC OIG is committed to holding accountable bad actors who misuse taxpayers funds,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our FCC colleagues, and our law enforcement partners, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure participating providers serve intended recipients.”
The EBBP, created by Congress during the COVID-19 Pandemic pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $3.2 billion in 2021 to assist low-income consumers with discounted broadband services and devices. The follow-on ACP provided an additional $14 billion for the same services between 2022 and 2024. For both programs, consumers could be eligible for discounted broadband services if they met certain income thresholds or participated in one of a number of specified federal, state, or Tribal assistance programs, including but not limited to Medicaid, SNAP (i.e., Food Stamp Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the National School Lunch Program.
DISH, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, provides wireless telecommunication services to consumers in the United States through Boost Mobile, a division of DISH. Between May 2021 and February 2022, DISH enrolled more than 130,000 subscribers into EBBP and ACP based on their participation in the free school breakfast and lunch program in which all students who attend a high-poverty school become eligible for these services, known as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. For each of these subscribers, DISH received up to $50 per month during EBBP and $30 per month under ACP.
The settlement resolves allegations that DISH received monthly federal payments from EBBP and ACP that it was not entitled to receive because certain CEP subscribers enrolled by DISH agents were ineligible.
The United States alleges DISH engaged in the following FCA covered conduct: (1) DISH submitted claims to the EBBP and ACP from May 12, 2021 through Feb. 28, 2022 for discounted broadband services and devices for subscribers who did not qualify for the programs; (2) DISH failed to implement effective policies and procedures to ensure the eligibility of those subscribers; (3) DISH failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise third-party sales agents by failing to ensure each third-party agent was properly registered in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Representative Accountability Database; (4) DISH internal sales employees in Texas, Florida, New York, and West Virginia trained and directed third-party sales agents to submit inaccurate customer applications with incorrect school information; and (5) these third-party sales agents submitted false or incomplete information to the FCC’s National Verifier which was used to determine participant eligibility for the EBBP and ACP. As a result, DISH enrolled more than 16,000 households on the basis of purported school attendance at a CEP school more than 25 miles from the household address without any verified school attendance, enrolled 130 households on the basis of a purported dependent over the age of 21 attending a CEP school, and for some CEP schools, DISH enrolled more households into EBBP than the actual student enrollment at the CEP school. Moreover, after learning of problems with the company’s CEP enrollments, DISH corporate executives failed to take corrective action from September 2021 through April 2022.
The United States further alleges that DISH engaged in the following common law covered conduct: (1) submitting claims for more than 66,000 subscribers who did not identify a school-aged student as part of their applications; and (2) enrolling more than 2,400 subscribers using duplicate beneficiaries as the basis for their eligibility.
The Civil Settlement also resolves an administrative order by the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC against DISH for similar allegations. See In the Matter of Request for Review of the Decision of the Universal Service Administrator by DISH Wireless LLC, et al., WC Docket Nos. 21-450, 20-445, Order, DA 25-72 (released Jan. 17, 2025).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of the Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hair for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
DISH Wireless LLC to Pay More than $17M to Resolve False Claims Act and Administrative Allegations Related to FCC’s Broadband Benefits ProgramsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — DISH Wireless LLC (DISH), located in Englewood, Colorado, has agreed to pay $17,280,240 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act (FCA), common law, and the Communications Act of 1934 relating to claims to the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) Emergency Broadband Benefits Program (EBBP) and its successor program, the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP).
“DISH and its employees fraudulently signed up ineligible applicants to receive federal monies,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro for the District of Columbia. “By doing so DISH received payments which they were not entitled. This is a shameful act on the part of a large corporation that is rightfully required to pay $17 million.”
“The Justice Department will take action where companies and individuals knowingly violate the rules of federal programs and receive federal funds to which they are not entitled,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure integrity in the FCC’s programs.”
“DISH continued seeking FCC program funds for months after its executives learned about its agents’ enrollment fraud and after an FCC OIG advisory warning. FCC OIG is committed to holding accountable bad actors who misuse taxpayers funds,” said FCC Inspector General Fara Damelin. “We appreciate the dedication and outstanding work of our investigative team, our FCC colleagues, and our law enforcement partners, who together strengthen the integrity of FCC programs and ensure participating providers serve intended recipients.”
The EBBP, created by Congress during the COVID-19 Pandemic pursuant to the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $3.2 billion in 2021 to assist low-income consumers with discounted broadband services and devices. The follow-on ACP provided an additional $14 billion for the same services between 2022 and 2024. For both programs, consumers could be eligible for discounted broadband services if they met certain income thresholds or participated in one of a number of specified federal, state, or Tribal assistance programs, including but not limited to Medicaid, SNAP (i.e., Food Stamp Program), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), and the National School Lunch Program.
DISH, a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, provides wireless telecommunication services to consumers in the United States through Boost Mobile, a division of DISH. Between May 2021 and February 2022, DISH enrolled more than 130,000 subscribers into EBBP and ACP based on their participation in the free school breakfast and lunch program in which all students who attend a high-poverty school become eligible for these services, known as Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools. For each of these subscribers, DISH received up to $50 per month during EBBP and $30 per month under ACP.
The settlement resolves allegations that DISH received monthly federal payments from EBBP and ACP that it was not entitled to receive because certain CEP subscribers enrolled by DISH agents were ineligible.
The United States alleges DISH engaged in the following FCA covered conduct: (1) DISH submitted claims to the EBBP and ACP from May 12, 2021 through Feb. 28, 2022 for discounted broadband services and devices for subscribers who did not qualify for the programs; (2) DISH failed to implement effective policies and procedures to ensure the eligibility of those subscribers; (3) DISH failed to adequately screen, train, or supervise third-party sales agents by failing to ensure each third-party agent was properly registered in the Universal Service Administrative Company’s Representative Accountability Database; (4) DISH internal sales employees in Texas, Florida, New York, and West Virginia trained and directed third-party sales agents to submit inaccurate customer applications with incorrect school information; and (5) these third-party sales agents submitted false or incomplete information to the FCC’s National Verifier which was used to determine participant eligibility for the EBBP and ACP. As a result, DISH enrolled more than 16,000 households on the basis of purported school attendance at a CEP school more than 25 miles from the household address without any verified school attendance, enrolled 130 households on the basis of a purported dependent over the age of 21 attending a CEP school, and for some CEP schools, DISH enrolled more households into EBBP than the actual student enrollment at the CEP school. Moreover, after learning of problems with the company’s CEP enrollments, DISH corporate executives failed to take corrective action from September 2021 through April 2022.
The United States further alleges that DISH engaged in the following common law covered conduct: (1) submitting claims for more than 66,000 subscribers who did not identify a school-aged student as part of their applications; and (2) enrolling more than 2,400 subscribers using duplicate beneficiaries as the basis for their eligibility.
The Civil Settlement also resolves an administrative order by the Wireline Competition Bureau of the FCC against DISH for similar allegations. See In the Matter of Request for Review of the Decision of the Universal Service Administrator by DISH Wireless LLC, et al., WC Docket Nos. 21-450, 20-445, Order, DA 25-72 (released Jan. 17, 2025).
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The civil False Claims Act resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with assistance from the FCC’s Office of the Inspector General and the FCC’s Office of General Counsel.
The civil False Claims Act investigation was handled by Trial Attorney Jennifer Chorpening, Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Johnson for the District of Columbia, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hair for the District of Columbia.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of civil liability.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Charges Related to Adopting the Identity of a U.S. Citizen to Obtain a U.S. Passport and to Vote in an ElectionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Carlos Felipe Jaramillo Grajales (55, Jacksonville) has pleaded guilty to making false statements in an application for a U.S. passport, aggravated identity theft, falsely claiming that a Social Security number had been assigned to him, and falsely claiming to be a U.S citizen to vote in an election. He faces a minimum term of 2 years, up to 22 years, in federal prison. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea agreement, Jaramillo Grajales is a Colombian citizen who used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a passport. He used those same identifiers and claimed to be a U.S. citizen to apply for and obtain a Florida driver license and to register to vote. He then voted in several elections.
Jaramillo Grajales first obtained a driver license in the U.S. citizen’s name in March 2003 and subsequently renewed it several times, with the last renewal occurring in February 2024.
In April 2003, Jaramillo Grajales submitted an application for a U.S. passport. He identified himself as the U.S. citizen and provided a Puerto Rican birth certificate in the U.S. citizen’s name along with the driver license he had obtained. Based on these fraudulent—but authentic—documents, he was issued a passport in May 2003. He submitted passport renewal applications in February 2013 and March 2023 and a renewed passport was issued each time.
In December 2010, Jaramillo Grajales submitted a Florida Voter Registration Application, identifying himself as the U.S. citizen and affirming that he was a U.S. citizen who had been born in Puerto Rico. The registration was approved and he subsequently voted in several elections, including the election held in Duval County on November 3, 2020.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Homeland Security Investigations, and the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Arnold B. Corsmeier.
Chinese National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Jiaan Cao (33, China) has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Cao faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 31, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, beginning in at least October 2024 and continuing through December 12, 2024, Cao conspired with others to commit wire fraud by gaining access to a victim’s computer, fraudulently posing as a representative of a victim’s financial institution, and informing the victim their account had been subjected to fraudulent criminal activity. A member of the conspiracy then directed the victim to withdraw money from their account and purchase gold. Afterward, the victim was instructed to provide this gold to a “federal agent” for safekeeping. In actuality, the “federal agent” was another member of the conspiracy. Conspiracy members often exchanged electronic communications with each other, including the location details of the victims, for this purpose. On December 12, 2024, Cao was arrested at a victim’s residence in Marion County when he arrived to pick up gold that had been purchased in this manner.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Cayuga County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Jeremy Soutar, age 46, pled guilty on April 28, 2026, to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
During his guilty plea, Soutar admitted that, while on post-release supervision for a prior conviction for Course of Sexual Conduct Against a Child in the First Degree in New York, and while required to register as a sex offender, he attempted to entice what he thought was a 14-year-old boy to engage in sexual activity.
At sentencing set for August 26, 2026, Soutar will receive a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, be placed on supervised release after serving his term of imprisonment for at least five years and up to life, could be fined up to $250,000, and will be required to forfeit to the government the property he used to commit the offense. In addition, Soutar will have to register as a sex offender.
A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone said: “My Office will always prioritize the investigation and prosecution of recidivist sex offenders like Soutar, who commit or try to commit sex crimes against children despite having already been punished for doing just that. Since a sentence of twelve years in state prison did not rehabilitate him, he gets to spend another decade in prison—this time, a federal penitentiary. I thank the FBI, the New York State Police, and the Cayuga County Sheriff’s Office for their diligent investigation.”
Special Agent in Charge Tremaroli said: “With this plea, Mr. Soutar’s history of predatory behavior comes to an end, and he will spend at least a decade in federal prison unable to harm our children. The FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force will continue to leverage the strength of our incredible law enforcement partnerships to aggressively investigate any individual looking to harm our most vulnerable citizens.”
The FBI, the New York State Police, and the Cayuga County Sherffi’s Office are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Career Offender Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – LeSeam Johnson, aka LeSean Wallace, 40 of Memphis, has been sentenced to 262 months in federal prison for distribution of fentanyl and a firearm, the possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking offense, and for being a felon in possession of a firearm. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to evidence presented in court, in April and May of 2025, Johnson made multiple sales of 1/2 oz. to 2 oz. quantities of fentanyl to an undercover agent. During one of the sales, Johnson also sold an AR-style pistol and on a separate occasion sold fake narcotics to the undercover agent. Johnson is a felon and is prohibited from even possessing a firearm.
Johnson was federally indicted in August 2025 and pled guilty to the charges on February 3, 2026.
On May 5, 2026, the Honorable Judge Mark S. Norris found that Johnson is a “career offender” under the United States Sentencing Guidelines based on his prior convictions involving the distribution of narcotics and a prior violent offense. Judge Norris sentenced Johnson to 262 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney Dunavant said, "This defendant’s prior conviction history demonstrates his disrespect for the law and his imminent danger to the public. Johnson presented a triple threat of serious bodily injury and death: a prior violent convicted felon in possession of and dealing a firearm while distributing highly addictive and deadly substances on the streets. Fentanyl itself is a killer, and illegally putting firearms into the hands of strangers on the street adds another level of danger to the community. Career offender+guns+drugs = a federal sentence that will remove him from our community and save lives."
"This defendant posed a triple threat to our community – a violent convicted felon in possession of a firearm who also distributed the deadly narcotic Fentanyl and sold additional weapons on our Memphis streets. This sentencing underscores the collective efforts of ATF with our local, state, and federal partners and the unwavering commitment to maintaining public safety," said Special Agent in Charge Jamey VanVliet, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Nashville Field Office.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Memphis Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Wagner 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.
California Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Marijuana Conspiracy and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
HAMMOND– David Winchell, 48 years old, of Rohnert Park, California, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute marijuana and money laundering, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Winchell was sentenced to 84 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $680,000 money judgment.
“The Defendant was at the head of a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana and marijuana related products throughout the Northern District of Indiana and elsewhere. The conspiracy involved at least 892 kilograms (1,966.52 pounds) of marijuana and 55,000 separate marijuana related products and has earned him seven years and three years of supervised release,” US Attorney Adam Mildred said. “Law enforcement pieced together the scope of the conspiracy through painstaking analysis of ledgers created by Winchell and recovered through trash pulls and search warrants of his residence and other locations which detailed the marijuana sales over a two-year period. Investigators also uncovered that Winchell would launder the proceeds of the drug sales in part by purchasing money orders used to pay off personal credit cards. As part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath have shown that our combined efforts can make a ton of a difference, both literally and figuratively, for the Northern District of Indiana by shutting down this crew,” Mildred said.
“The Drug Enforcement Administration will continue to work closely with its law enforcement and prosecution partners to hold drug traffickers accountable. There is no room in northern Indiana for those who want to commit drug crimes. Mr. Winchell’s money laundering activities were particularly unethical and illegal. He is worthy of today’s sentencing in federal court. His criminal actions have consequences,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
“David Winchell ran a large-scale marijuana business and tried to clean the money when it came in,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents followed those profits and exposed the operation for what it was. This sentence makes clear that if you try to profit from illegal sales and hide the money, you will be held accountable.”
“This sentence sends a clear message that those who engage in drug trafficking and attempt to hide their profits through money laundering will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “We will continue working with our partners to combat these crimes and safeguard our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas McGrath.
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.
Burlington Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Loaded Firearm on Church StreetRead the Press Release
RUTLAND – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on May 6, 2026, Noor Mohamed, age 26, of Burlington, Vermont, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 72 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release. Mohamed previously pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. At the time of his offense, Mohamed was on federal supervised release stemming from a 2021 narcotics conviction. Judge Lanthier also sentenced Mohamed to 12 months, to run concurrently, for violating the terms of supervised release by committing this offense.
According to court records, Mohamed illegally possessed a loaded handgun on Church Street in Burlington, Vermont in the early morning hours of June 21, 2025. While crowds of people walked around shortly after the area bars had closed, Mohamed was in a fight with another male, pulled out a firearm and chambered a round. Mohamed’s actions caused panic by multiple pedestrians, who ran north on Church Street yelling about a man with a gun. Multiple Burlington Police Department officers quickly identified Mohamed as the suspect in possession of a firearm, and tried to detain him. Mohamed ignored the commands of officers, physically resisted, and repeatedly reached toward the gun in his waistband, resulting in a harrowing and highly dangerous three-minute struggle. During the struggle, an agitated, hostile crowd gathered in close proximity to the officers and shouted at the officers as they attempted to gain control of the firearm and maintain public safety. Officers were eventually able to successfully detain Mohamed and removed the loaded firearm from his pants.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “Thanks to the careful, responsible, and courageous decision-making of the Burlington Police Officers who responded to the report of Mr. Mohamed’s possession of a firearm in the early morning hours of June 21, 2025, no one was injured or killed that night. Mr. Mohamed’s exceedingly dangerous conduct created a harrowing, volatile, and fraught situation that could have ended tragically but for the skill and bravery of the responding officers. This event is a frightening reminder of the profound demands placed all too often on law enforcement officers, and the uncertainty and risks they face each day when they show up in service and commitment to our communities. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont will continue to work closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners across the state to help protect our communities by prosecuting violent offenders who illegally possess firearms.” First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt also commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Chief of the Burlington Police Department, Shawn Burke, stated: “Noor Mohamed is another example of a violent, armed individual who has subjected our city to unacceptable levels of harm. The actions of our officers were selfless, precise, and disciplined. The Burlington Police Department appreciates our partners at the United States Attorney’s Office and the ATF. The resolution of this case reflects the level of accountability Mohamed deserves.”
Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Boston Field Division stated: “Noor Mohamed was armed with a loaded gun, menacing a crowd of people, while on probation from a previous conviction, and struggled with officers. The Burlington Police Department’s response to Mohamed was outstanding, and today’s sentence reflects the severity of the risk Mohamed created to both the public and the police. ATF is proud to stand with our partners at the Burlington Police Department.”
The prosecutor was Assistant United States Attorney Nicole P. Cate. Mohamed was represented by Devin McLaughlin, Esq.
Baltimore Man Sentenced for Role in Multi-State Firearm Trafficking Operation in Connection with HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man is headed to federal prison in connection with a multi-state firearm trafficking operation.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Rodney Allen Farrar, 36, today, to 100 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a firearms trafficking conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Colonel Michael A. Jackson, Superintendent, Maryland State Police (MSP); Secretary Carolyn J. Scruggs, Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS); Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD); Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD); and Chief Estella Patterson, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
According to the guilty plea, in December of 2023, ATF special agents began investigating Farrar’s co-conspirator, Brian Keith Adams, 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, after law enforcement suspected he was trafficking firearms to the Baltimore area from North and South Carolina. During the investigation, agents learned through physical surveillance and transactions with undercover agents that Farrar conspired with and aided Adams in trafficking firearms. Farrar does not hold a federal firearms license and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Between February and June 2024, the co-conspirators sold more than 100 firearms to an undercover agent. Additionally, the undercover agent advised Farrar and Adams that he was illegally trafficking firearms to ship to New Jersey to sell to individuals who could not lawfully purchase firearms. Farrar admitted that he knew the firearms were getting trafficked and illegally sold to individuals prohibited from possessing a firearm and that at least three of the firearms were stolen.
Judge Rubin previously sentenced Adams to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in the firearms trafficking conspiracy and for distributing methamphetamine.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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 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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF, USPIS, HSI, MSP, DPSCS, BPD, PGPD, and CMPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Hagan who prosecuted this 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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Arizona Man Pleads Guilty to AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona man pleaded guilty to assault after assaulting a woman at her residence.
According to court documents, on September 16, 2024, Kendrick Harvey, 36, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, went to the home of Jane Doe while intoxicated. There, Harvey assaulted Jane Doe and the assault resulted in serious bodily injury to Doe.
Harvey pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury and faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
Alleged California Drug Trafficker Indicted in the District of Utah During Homeland Security Task Force OperationRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today charging a Southern California man with drug crimes after he allegedly trafficked heroin into Utah.
Christian Salinas-Santiago, 30, of Los Angeles, California, was initially charged by complaint on April 23, 2026.
According to allegations in court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) opened an investigation in January 2026 with the Salt Lake Police Department into a Mexico based narcotics source of supply. In January 2026, an HSI undercover agent began communicating with a Mexico based drug trafficker to discuss drug shipments coming to Utah. On April 21, 2026, the drug trafficker in Mexico contacted the undercover agent and asked him to pick up a kilogram of heroin in Midvale, Utah, and advised the undercover agent he would be in a black Nissan Altima. The Nissan Altima, driven by Salinas-Santiago, arrived at the location, and Salinas-Santiago gave the heroin to the undercover agent. Shortly after, the Altima was stopped for a traffic violation, and Salinas-Santiago was arrested. The heroin Salinas-Santiago distributed to the undercover agent was later tested and indicated positive for heroin and weighed approximately 1.03 kilograms.
Salinas-Santiago is charged with distribution of heroin. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 2:30 p.m. in courtroom 8.400 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Salt Lake City Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake.
Assistant United States Attorney Vernon Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
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 Salt Lake comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Alabama Man Sentenced to Prison for Columbus Home Depot RobberyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ga. – An Alabama man has been sentenced to prison for the robbery of a Columbus Home Depot in 2020 and was linked to an alleged ten other similar robberies or thefts at home improvement stores in Georgia before being captured by police following a theft at a metro-Atlanta Lowe’s.
Demetrice Q. Suttles, also known as Demetris Suttles, 43, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Clay Land on May 6, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of interference of commerce by robbery on Jan. 27. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Criminals who engage in violent acts in the Middle District of Georgia will be brought to justice,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are committed to working closely with law enforcement partners at every level to safeguard our communities and ensure these defendants face consequences for their actions.”
“Suttles carried out a pattern of robberies and thefts across multiple Georgia communities, using the presence of a firearm to create fear and avoid apprehension,” said ATF Special Agent Charles Mulherin. “ATF remains committed to targeting repeat violent offenders who threaten public safety.”
“This wasn’t just theft, it was a pattern of criminal behavior that endangered employees across multiple communities, including ours. Our officers worked closely with our partners to stop it and hold him accountable. That’s exactly how this should end,” said Columbus Police Chief Stoney Mathis.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, a series of robberies or thefts took place at Home Depot and Lowe’s stores in Georgia between March 11, 2020, and July 20, 2020. Although the crimes took place at different times of day, the description of the solo subject was always the same, including his clothing and the fact that he had a firearm on his right hip. Some of the incidents were captured by surveillance cameras. Investigators ultimately determined that at least ten of these incidents were committed by the same person, later identified as Suttles.
On April 13, 2020, at approximately 2:55 p.m., a Columbus Home Depot Asset Protection employee was monitoring the sales floor when they noticed Suttles. Suttles was dressed in an all-black outfit with the word “SECURITY” emblazoned across the chest and his ball cap, wearing a face mask, and carrying a black holster with a black handgun on his right hip. Suttles loaded a shopping cart with various power tools, walked past the checkout area and headed toward the exit. Suttles noticed the Asset Protection employee and shouted profanities at him. When he saw another Home Depot employee approaching, Suttles reached for the handgun on his hip, pulled it up several inches, and threatened, “Do not do it motherf***er, I will shoot you.” The employee did not intervene, and Suttles fled toward his vehicle with $2,841 worth of stolen power tools. Three days later, on April 16, 2020, Suttles was shoplifting at the Norcross, Georgia, Lowe’s store, where an employee recognized him from previous robberies and called 911. Suttles was apprehended outside the store by the Norcross Police Department.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The Columbus Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case, with assistance from the Norcross Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tamara Jarrett prosecuted the case for the Government.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Child Sexual Assault Material
Elvy Charles Stickney, 33, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 87 months’ imprisonment with 10 years of supervised release to follow for two counts of distribution of child pornography. Stickney was ordered to pay $42,000 in restitution to the victims. According to court documents, on Aug. 19, 2024, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received information from Kik that a user from Wyoming was in possession of suspected child pornography. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation Internet Crimes Against Children task force (ICAC) identified the user as Stickney. Agents gained access to his devices through a search warrant and located multiple images and videos depicting child sexual abuse. ICAC investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie Morrison prosecuted the case. Stickney was indicted on July 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 9. Chief U.S. District Court Judge Kelly H. Rankin imposed the sentence on April 16 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00104
Drug Trafficking
Timothy Lee Cook, 65, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and the aiding and abetting of the distribution of methamphetamine, use of a communication facility to facilitate felony drug offense and distribution of fentanyl. According to court documents, in early March 2024, DCI learned that the defendant was shipping drugs through the U.S. Postal Service. Agents conducted several controlled buys, totaling 436 grams of methamphetamine and 217 grams of fentanyl. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Postal Service Inspection Service investigated the crime. Cook was indicted on Jan. 15, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan 15, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on April 10 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00015
Brent Huskinson, 66, of Gillette, Wyoming, was sentenced to 71 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, DCI was investigating several methamphetamine distributors in Campbell County. Through the investigation, they uncovered that Huskinson was the source of supply for several people and that he obtained the drugs from Colorado. On September 23, 2025, as Huskinson was driving back from Colorado, the Cambell County Sheriff’s Office stopped his vehicle. A K-9 alerted to the vehicle and a subsequent search led to the seizure of approximately 4.4 lbs. or two kilos, of methamphetamine, $1,386 cash, and other drug paraphernalia. DCI and the Campbell County Sheriff’s Office investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Huskinson was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 27. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Apil 17 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00166
Nicholas Rierson, 35, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, was sentenced to 140 months’ imprisonment with four years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. According to court documents, during an investigation conducted by Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Task Force Officers (TFO), Rierson’s residence was identified as a place where controlled substances were being distributed. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on his vehicle and located 10 grams of fentanyl. During an interview, Rierson admitted to distributing methamphetamine as well as fentanyl and told officers they would find more drugs in totes under his deck. TFOs located 462 grams of methamphetamine and 109 grams of fentanyl in the totes. Members of the Cheyenne Police Department Community Action Team investigated the crime. Rierson was arrested on a complaint on Dec. 3, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 26. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on Apil 21 in Cheyenne. Case No. 26-CR-00014
Ismael Escamilla, 33, with no permanent address, was sentenced to 48 months’ of imprisonment with three years of supervised release to follow for possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. According to court documents, in October 2025, law enforcement tracked a stolen vehicle suspected of transporting drugs from Denver and located it at an apartment complex in Lander. When officers approached, Escamilla fled but was apprehended, and a search revealed fentanyl tablets, methamphetamine, fentanyl powder, and packaging materials consistent with distribution. Additional evidence, including a scale, was found in the vehicle, though it was determined the car had been stolen by someone other than Escamilla. DCI, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office and Lander Police Department investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Gist prosecuted the case. Escamilla was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on April 24 in Cheyenne. Case No. 00161
About the United States Attorney’s Office
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.A Tax Preparer and Insurance Agent Sentenced to Prison for Financial FraudRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A tax preparer in Berkeley County, West Virginia, was sentenced for fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Amanda Gorham, 34, of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for wire fraud. Gorham was a tax preparer at a business in Martinsburg and was simultaneously working as an insurance agent at another company. Gorham used the identifying information of those who filed their taxes with her company to open insurance policies without their knowledge of permission. The purpose of this scheme was to obtain financial gain by collecting commissions and a bonus on the newly opened policies in the amount of $44,582.52.
Gorham was ordered to pay a money judgement in amount of $44,582.52.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eleanor Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The matter was investigated by the WV Office of the Insurance Commissioner Office of Inspector General Special Investigative Division and the United States Postal Service.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
$2 Million Swindle of Suburban Chicago Resident Results in Two-and-a-Half-Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A California man who claimed to be an investment advisor has been sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for swindling a suburban Chicago resident out of $2 million.
Over the course of six months in 2023, RAYMOND ECHAVEZ VILLAMOR fraudulently solicited and obtained a $2 million investment from an individual residing in Glenview, Ill. Villamor made false representations about the purported investment and falsely promised that the victim would receive all his money back, plus a substantial return. Villamor instead used the money on personal expenses, including to purchase, among other things, vintage automobiles. Villamor had also raised funds from other investors and used some of the money from the Glenview victim to repay those investors in classic Ponzi-scheme conduct.
Villamor, 62, of Newport Beach, Calif., pleaded guilty in 2025 to a federal wire fraud charge. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood imposed the 30-month prison sentence and ordered Villamor to pay full restitution to his victim.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Hasten.
Tuesday 5 May 2026
Williamsville man arrested, charged by complaint in multi-million dollar fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Richard Teplitsky, 71, of Williamsville, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with mail and wire fraud, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
According to the criminal complaint, Teplitsky served as the president of Woodhill Capital Corporation, located in Williamsville, NY. As president, he and other Woodhill personnel solicited funds from investors within the Western District of New York and elsewhere. Teplitsky claimed the funds would be used to finance loans to businesses that were seeking to borrow money to acquire commercial equipment. When investors provided funds to Woodhill, Teplitsky provided them with copies of equipment financing agreements and repayment schedules of the borrowers. According to Teplitsky, investors would receive payments, typically by check of electronic transfers, from Woodhill based on these repayment schedules.
For instance, the complaint states that Victim 1 has had approximately 15 investment loans with Woodhill since 2018. Between 2018 and February 2026, Victim 1 received monthly payments from Woodhill. However, in March 2026, Victim 1 did not receive a payment. He attempted to reach Teplitsky but was unsuccessful. Victim 1 then reached out to other investors and learned that they also had not received payment in March. Victim 1 then sent a certified letter to the borrowers of his loans directing them to pay him instead of Woodhill. Approximately 3-4 borrowers responded, claiming that they did not have a loan with Woodhill, that the amount of the loan was incorrect, or that it was not their signature on the equipment financing agreement.
The investigation has identified more than 100 victims with estimated losses in excess of 10,000,000.
Teplitsky made an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and was released on home confinement with electronic monitoring.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Bonanno. The complaint is the result of an investigation by 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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Violent Felon Sentenced for Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Martinsburg, West Virginia man with a violent criminal past was sentenced for a firearms conviction, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Ryan Dontrez Lynn, 37, of Martinsburg, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for the unlawful possession of a firearm. Officers received a domestic dispute complaint at Lynn’s home. When Berkeley County Sheriff’s Deputies responded, Lynn sped away in his vehicle. Officers conducted a traffic stop and found a firearm in the car, along with drugs and $860. The firearm had an obliterated serial number. Lynn has a criminal history that includes robbery, assault, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Lynn was on supervised release for a firearms conviction at the time of this offense.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and to repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Veterans Affairs Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Multiple Covid-19 BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton woman, who has been employed full-time as a Medical Technician with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs since August 2021, has been charged in federal court in Boston with wire fraud.
Denise Baez, 51, was charged on May 1, 2026 with two counts of wire fraud.
As alleged in the charging documents, Baez submitted two applications seeking Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) loans. In those applications, Baez made false claims regarding gross income purportedly earned from a sole proprietorship. To support these false claims, Baez allegedly attached fraudulent tax documents as part of the applications. The PPP loan applications were approved and Baez received $41,666. Baez allegedly used that money on personal expenses. However, in September 2021, Baez allegedly submitted loan forgiveness applications that falsely claimed the entire $41,666 was spent on payroll. Based on the misrepresentation the loans were forgiven.
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 up to $250,000 or twice the 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 Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Sullivan of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.