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8 June 2026
Defendant Sentenced to 210 Months’ Imprisonment for Sex Trafficking Minor VictimRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Hadrian Crichlow was sentenced by United States District Judge Hector Gonzalez to 210 months in prison for sex trafficking a minor. In addition to the terms of imprisonment, Judge Gonzalez ordered Crichlow to pay $12,000 restitution to the victim. Crichlow pleaded guilty to the charge in December 2025.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.
“Sex trafficking is a crime that strips victims of their freedom, dignity, and safety, and today’s sentence reflects the profound harm he inflicted on a child,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Crichlow treated a child as a commodity, taking advantage of a vulnerable 15-year-old and selling her body for his own profit. Today’s outcome should send a clear message that such exploitation will be met with serious consequences, and it is my hope that it brings a measure of justice to the victim who endured these abuses.”
"Hadrian Crichlow subjected a vulnerable child to unthinkable sexual abuse and psychological torment, including repeatedly trafficking this minor victim for profit. May today’s lengthy sentence reflect the FBI’s dedication to holding accountable those who commit such vile actions that exploit children," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
Between September and October 2023, Crichlow, then 42-years-old, trafficked the victim – a 15-year-old unhoused runaway – and forced her to engage in commercial sex acts throughout New York City, including in Brooklyn and the Bronx, as well as in other states. Crichlow took photographs of the victim and those images were posted in online advertisements for commercial sex. Crichlow then forced the minor victim to meet with commercial sex customers multiple times per day in hotel rooms while transporting her between several states and required the victim to surrender all proceeds to him. Crichlow controlled the victim through a combination of isolation, dependency, drugging, and sexual violence. He prohibited her from possessing or using a cellphone outside of his presence, ensuring she could not contact family, friends, or law enforcement; he gave her drugs; and he forced her to engage in sex acts with him directly – separate from the commercial sex encounters he arranged – over her express objections, telling her on at least one occasion that he did not care whether she consented. Crichlow sex trafficked the victim until she escaped in October 2023.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel A. Bennek, Katherine Onyshko, and Sean Fern are in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendant:
HADRIAN CRICHLOW
Age: 45
Bronx, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-120 (HG)
Dayton man who trafficked fentanyl near local high school sentenced to 12 years in prisonRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Clifford Bernard, 48, of Dayton, was sentenced in U.S. District Court to 144 months in prison for dealing drugs within 1,000 feet of a public high school.
According to court documents, between July and September 2024, Bernard possessed and distributed approximately one kilogram of fentanyl. Bernard sold the fentanyl at his residence on Angier Drive which is within 1,000 feet of Paul Dunbar High School.
Bernard was arrested in October 2024. At the time of his arrest, he had $5,000 in cash on his person. When agents searched Bernard’s home, they seized nearly one kilogram of fentanyl, a loaded firearm and luxury items like jewelry and a vintage Pontiac Firebird.
Bernard pleaded guilty in February 2026 to possessing with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl within a school zone.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, announced the sentence imposed on June 5 by U.S. District Judge Michael J. Newman. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Rossi is representing the United States in this case.
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Convicted Felon Indicted for Stealing Firearms from a Licensed DealerRead the Press Release
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – A convicted felon has been indicted on multiple federal charges, including stealing firearms from a licensed dealer, announced U.S. Attorney Phillip W. Williams Jr.
A four-count indictment filed in the U.S. District Court charges Colton McCoy Tubbs, 35, of Oakman, Alabama, with the theft of multiple firearms from a licensee, possession of stolen firearms, felon in possession of a firearm, and interstate transportation of a stolen vehicle.
According to the indictment, on February 17, 2026, Tubbs allegedly stole 14 pistols and 2 rifles from Mid-City Pawn located in Decatur, Alabama. The vehicle Tubbs was driving had been reported stolen in Tennessee earlier the same day.
Tubbs is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of three prior felony convictions between 2022 and 2025—two in the Circuit Court of Walker County and one in the Circuit Court of Tuscaloosa County.
The ATF investigated the case along with the Decatur Police Department and the Cullman Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara M. Judah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Chicago Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Selling Heroin and Cocaine on the Dark WebRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that sold heroin, cocaine, and other drugs through online stores on the dark web.
TOMMY SPAULDING sold the drugs on dark web vendor stores known as AVALANCHE and ETHER_MART. AVALANCHE sold heroin, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, and MDMA, while ETHER_MART specialized in heroin. Each store used a unique packaging style to distinguish itself. Spaulding managed the vendor stores’ finances, including distributing money to others to purchase the drugs and helping to operate the stores. In 2018 and 2019, Spaulding was responsible for distributing more than seven kilograms of heroin and more than a kilogram of cocaine, among other narcotics.
Spaulding, 42, pleaded guilty in July 2025 to conspiracy and drug trafficking offenses. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the nine-year prison term on May 29, 2026, during a sentencing hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Nicholas Bucciarelli, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. Substantial assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chicago Police Department.
“The organization and structure of the vendor stores maximized the quantity of narcotics the defendants could distribute, and the stores were very successful,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “All it took was a few clicks, and defendants counted on the simplicity, ease, and temptation of the online market to maximize their illicit sales and drug profits.”
Four other defendants were charged as part of this investigation. LAUREN LUCANSKY, 40, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to a drug conspiracy charge and was sentenced in August 2025 to seven years in federal prison. Among other duties, Lucansky procured the drugs for the vendor stores, processed customer orders, and mailed narcotics to customers. NATHANEL BUTTERFIELD, 47, of Chicago, who procured the use of a condo in Chicago’s River North neighborhood to package drugs and then mailed them to customers, and RICHARD MARTINEZ, 41, of Chicago, who fulfilled customer orders for drugs, each pleaded guilty to the drug conspiracy charge and are awaiting sentencing. MICHAEL BENTLEY, 37, of Chicago, pleaded guilty to operating a dark web store known as ALLGOLDEVERYTHING. On Feb. 17, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings sentenced Bentley to five and a half years in federal prison.
Bradley Man Sentenced for Bank Fraud Conspiracy and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A Bradley man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Darren Deorsey, 51, to 13 months of imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $16,900 in restitution. Deorsey pleaded guilty on November 6, 2025.
According to court records, between July and October 2024, Deorsey conspired with others to fraudulently obtain money by entering banks, impersonating legitimate bank account holders, and using fictitious identification cards to gain access to their bank accounts and withdraw funds. Through fraud, Deorsey obtained a total of $16,900 from customer accounts, including a $5,000 cash advance on a home equity line of credit in the name of an account holder.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the Bangor Police Department, Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, and Maine Bureau of Motor Vehicles – Enforcement Services Division.
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Blair County Man Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Claysburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced in federal court to 97 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, on his convictions of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines imposed the sentence on Derek Hunter, 34, on June 5, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, from in and around June 2024 to in and around August 2024, in the Western District of Pennsylvania, Hunter conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of a mixture of fentanyl and 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine. Further, in and around August 2024, Hunter distributed and possessed with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of a mixture of methamphetamine.
Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hunter.
Belgian National Receives Prison Sentence for Assaulting Flight Crew Members on March 2024 FlightRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Belgian national was sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte for assaulting flight attendants aboard a flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Zurich, Switzerland in March 2024, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Jan Daeninck, 43, of Belgium, previously pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge José R. Almonte to an Information charging him with one count of assaulting a flight attendant by beating, wounding or striking. Daeninck was sentenced on June 1, 2026 to 10 months in prison and one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $73,000 in restitution.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On March 31, 2024, Daeninck was a passenger aboard a Swiss International Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey, to Zurich, Switzerland. Shortly after takeoff, Daeninck walked up to a female flight attendant, grabbed both of her breasts with his hands, shook her, and began yelling at her, threatening to kill her. After the flight attendant was able to get away from Daeninck, he tried to get into the cockpit by kicking and beating the door. Then, when a male flight attendant approached Daeninck, he assaulted him by punching and kicking the flight attendant, striking him in head and upper body with a closed fist. Flight crew members were able to intervene and restrain Daeninck on the floor near the cockpit door for the rest of the flight. As a result, the flight turned around and landed back at Newark Liberty International Airport.
“The defendant’s actions threatened the safety and security of innocent passengers, crew members, and the flight itself. Violence against flight crew members and attempts to compromise aircraft security will not be tolerated. This sentence demonstrates that those who jeopardize flight safety will face serious consequences, including prison time.”
– U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“The traveling public should feel confident the FBI takes aviation safety seriously. When a passenger attempts to breach a cockpit or assaults crew members, they are not just attacking individuals, they are threatening the safety of every single person on board,” said FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy of Newark, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanked the Port Authority Police Department under the direction of Edward T. Cetnar, for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Goldman of the Office’s Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit in Newark.
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Defense Counsel: Anthony Pope, Esq.
Alva Man to Serve Six Years in Federal Prison for Firearm Possession after Threatening and Strangling WomanRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – MICHAEL DEWAYNE HEBERT, 40, of Alva, has been sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for illegal possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to court records, on June 26, 2025, officers with the Alva Police Department responded to a residence following a reported domestic violence incident. Shortly before the assault, the victim learned that Hebert had taken possession of the victim’s firearm and stored it in a drawer inside the residence. The victim asked Herbert about the firearm's location, and he went into a room and slammed the door. He then called for help, claiming the door was jammed. When the victim assisted him in opening the door, Hebert grabbed the victim by the throat and strangled and threatened to kill her. Officers observed injuries to the victim’s neck and reviewed surveillance footage from the residence that showed Hebert placing his hand around the victim’s throat.
On September 2, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Hebert for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Hebert pleaded guilty on November 14, 2025, and admitted he knowingly possessed a firearm despite his prior felony convictions.
At a sentencing hearing on June 5, 2026, U.S. District Judge Timothy D. DeGiusti sentenced Hebert to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge DeGiusti noted Hebert’s extensive criminal history, including domestic violence convictions, as well as the danger he poses to the public. Public records reflect that Hebert has multiple prior felony convictions in Louisiana, including several convictions for domestic abuse and assault-related offenses.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and the Alva Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary E. Walters prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (OTBA), 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. This case is also part of “Operation 922,” the Western District of Oklahoma’s implementation of OTBA, which prioritizes prosecution of federal crimes connected to domestic violence.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Alleged “Red Legs” member charged with having Molotov CocktailsRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man suspected as being part of a violent extremist group is scheduled to appear before a federal judge after being charged through criminal complaint in Kansas City, Kansas, for illegally possessing explosive devices.
According to court documents, Jarred G. Gilliam, 31, of Kansas City, Kansas, is charged with possessing destructive devices.
The exact starting date is unknown, but from about June 3, 2025, and continuing until about June 3, 2026, Gilliam is accused of having three destructive devices commonly known as Molotov Cocktails.
According to court documents, Gilliam is a suspected member of Red Legs, a group which promotes committing violent attacks on government agencies and the military. Gilliam is accused of using an encrypted messaging application to communicate with other suspected Red Legs members to plan assaults using incendiary devices. The proposed targets include local and federal government entities and property, particularly U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Missouri National Guard, and political groups.
According to the complaint against Gilliam, the following are communications sent through the messaging app:
• “If ice moves to kc, thoughts on an armed response”
• “It wouldn’t make sense to panic now, the time for panicking has long passed. Now we must make our peace, arm ourselves, and prepare to do what is necessary”
• “After we build our ranks and adequately arm ourselves, we can look into escalation”
• “I recommend we start slow at first. Maybe some basic sabotage… We should locate abandoned warehouses where we could potentially secure seized armor… First, we need to find a way to track military shipments, we don’t want to derail the wrong train”
• “What are the chances we could get away with using drones to drop incendiary’s [sic] to demolish key infrastructure”
• “I like the idea of using drones carrying cocktails to demolish key structures…Frozen water areas.”The defendant is scheduled for his initial court appearance Monday, June 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Jennifer B. Wieland of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.
During this investigation, several other alleged Red Legs members were identified including Lake Ethan Roberts, 26, of Kansas City, Missouri, who is being federally prosecuted for possession of unregistered destructive devices by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###13 Charged in Conspiracy to Sell over 100 Stolen CarsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Pete Gizas, and Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging 13 defendants in connection with operating a stolen car ring involving approximately 100 stolen cars worth millions of dollars. The defendants are charged with conspiracy to possess and sell stolen vehicles, wire fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Nine of the defendants were arrested today and seven were presented in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer E. Willis. One defendant was arrested in the Western District of New York and detained. The remaining defendant will be presented tomorrow.
“When they head to work, school, or elsewhere, New Yorkers expect to find their cars where they left them,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, the thirteen defendants charged here shattered that everyday expectation. By acquiring stolen cars, concealing their origin, and selling them to new victims, the defendants fostered a market for rampant theft, disrupted New Yorkers’ lives and security, and bilked innocent buyers out of their hard-earned dollars. New Yorkers have no tolerance for thieves, and neither do the women and men of the SDNY and our law enforcement partners.”
“As alleged, these defendants stole dozens of vehicles from the hardworking public, altered the identification numbers and paperwork, and sold them as legitimate cars to unsuspecting families,” said HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Pete Gizas. “A stolen vehicle is far more than lost property; this pervasive fraud upends daily routines, drains finances, and erodes the sense of safety that New Yorkers should be able to have in their own neighborhoods. As a lead member of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI New York will continue to relentlessly target, disrupt, and dismantle the criminal organizations that prey on our communities and threaten our livelihoods.”
“These 13 defendants acquired approximately 100 stolen cars worth millions of dollars and then sold them to unsuspecting buyers,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This elaborate scheme laundered stolen cars through multiple deceptive and illegal tactics designed to conceal their origins and take advantage of consumers. Thanks to the efforts of our NYPD investigators, along with our partners at HSI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, this pipeline has been dismantled and those responsible are being held accountable.”
As alleged in the Indictment and other public filings:
From approximately June 2024 through May 2026, the defendants and others acquired cars that had been stolen from victims in New York City, obscured the fact that those cars had been stolen, and, ultimately, sold the cars to unsuspecting buyers in New York and elsewhere. The defendants and their co-conspirators effectively laundered these stolen cars in a variety of ways, including by covering their true Vehicle Identification Numbers (“VINs”) with new, fraudulent VINs and by replacing their federal certification labels with labels containing the new, fraudulent VINs. The defendants and their co-conspirators also created fraudulent titles for the stolen cars; took the stolen cars for oil changes and inspections to generate new, fraudulent histories for those cars; and advertised the stolen cars on a social media marketplace. Through these methods, the defendants and their co-conspirators acquired approximately 100 cars, worth millions of dollars, and resold them to new victims for a huge, criminal profit.
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NORBERTO PENA BRITO, a/k/a “Real,” 40, of the Bronx, New York; WILKINS MARTINEZ VARGAS, 38, of the Bronx; NOEMI SOLANO COMPRES, 41, of the Bronx; PAULA ABAD DIAZ, a/k/a “Mayi,” 35, of Yonkers, New York; MARLIN SEGURA MARTINEZ, a/k/a “Marlin Perez,” 35, of Yonkers; ANGEL HEREDIA PEREZ, 24, of the Bronx; LUIS VARGAS SANCHEZ, 24, of the Dominican Republic; JOEL ABAD BELEN, 28, of the Bronx; LUIS BRITO CAMPUSANO, 37, of the Bronx; TOMAS LORENZO JOSE, 38, of the Bronx; YEREMY LORENZO JOSE, 37, of the Bronx; JHOLKIS MELENCIANO COLON, 23, of the Bronx; and EDUARDO PEREZ ESTRELLA, 58, of the Bronx, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to possess and sell stolen vehicles, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the efforts of the NYPD Auto Crime Division Major Case Team and the special agents and task force officers from the HSI New York Seaport Trade Group.
The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Ruff and Bridget G. Johnston are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
6 June 2026
Shooter Found Guilty of Killing One Man and Injuring Two Others in January 2019Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Alonzo Brown, 29, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty yesterday in D.C. Superior Court, on charges related to the shooting death of 22-year-old Michael Taylor and injuring two others, on January 12, 2019, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Brown was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder while armed, three counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of assault with intent to kill and one count of conspiracy on June 5, 2026. This case went to trial in May of 2025 but resulted in a hung jury.
Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson scheduled sentencing for October 16, 2026.
“By firing 72 rounds into an apartment complex, Alonzo Brown and his co‑conspirators carried out an act of extraordinary violence that claimed a young man’s life and injured two others,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “This verdict brings long‑awaited justice to the victims and sends a clear message that such reckless disregard for human life will not be tolerated.”
According to the government’s evidence, on January 12, 2019, Brown, and four other co-conspirators, who associated themselves with the Pentacles Apartment Complex or “Walkdown” wanted to exact revenge for the murder of their friend, Shamar Marbury, which had occurred 11 days earlier. It was believed that Shamar was murdered by a rival, the Benning Court Complex or “BC Da Army” with whom the Pentacles group had been “beefing” for close to two years. A “beef” that culminated in a series of shootings, including the murder of Shamar Marbury. Marbury was laid to rest on January 11, 2019. The day after Marbury’s funeral, the defendants executed their plan to retaliate in a brazen daylight shooting that targeted five other young men from Benning Court. Together, the defendant and his co-defendants, drove to the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE, drove past the complex looking for targets against whom to retaliate. As they passed the Benning Court Apartments, they looked through the glass front of 1707 and saw a group of young men inside. They continued driving past and parked their car out of sight. They left a get-away driver in the car, and the defendant and three others walked into the Benning Court complex. They entered 1707 and fired 72 rounds, killing the victim, Michael Taylor, and injuring two of his friends.
Unbeknownst to the shooters, however, they were captured on video before, during, and as they fled to their awaiting gateway car. The shooting lasted only 8 seconds. One of the shooters, Carlos Turner, pleaded guilty to second degree murder while armed and conspiracy to commit a violent crime. Another shooter, Stephon Evans, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter while armed.
Brown was arrested on January 23, 2019.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nebiyu Feleke and Marybeth Manfreda.
2019 CF1 001059
D.C. Man Sentenced to 26 Years for the October 2023 Murder of His Ex-Romantic Partner in Her HomeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Desmond Thurston, 48, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced yesterday in connection with the murder of 52-year-old Patricia Johnson, his ex-romantic partner, in October 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Thurston pleaded guilty on February 4, 2026, to one count of second-degree murder while armed in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. On June 5, 2026, the Honorable Judge Rainey Brandt ordered Thurston to serve 26 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release.
“By breaking into Patricia Johnson’s home in defiance of a court order and committing a horrific act of violence, Desmond Thurston showed a complete disregard for the law and for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro. “This sentence holds him accountable and affirms our dedication to protecting those who seek safety from abuse.”
According to the government’s evidence, on September 28, 2023, Patricia Johnson called 911 to report that Thurston had threatened her. The two had been in a relationship for several years. The next day after Johnson called 911, she obtained a Temporary Protection Order (“TPO”) against Thurston. On September 30, 2023, Metropolitan Police Department officers responded twice to Ms. Johnson’s residence, which she had shared with Thurston for years, to advise Thurston that they could escort him in to get needed items, but that he was not allowed in the residence.
Thurston returned to Johnson’s home around 3:00 a.m. on October 1, 2023, despite the TPO and warning from MPD, and broke in, snapping a chain lock off the wall. The defendant went upstairs where Johnson and a minor family member had been sleeping in different bedrooms. There was a brief exchange of words, and then Thurston shot Johnson once through her left wrist and neck, causing her to fall to the ground. The defendant then shot Johnson a second time, in the chest, while she was on the ground. Thurston went through Johnson’s devices and left the home.
Thurston was arrested on October 1, 2023, and has remained in custody since.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch. They acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zach Horton and Wes Faulkner Jr., who prosecuted the case.
2023 CF1 007099
5 June 2026
Union Leaders Convicted of Racketeering, Fraud, and Embezzlement of Union DuesRead the Press Release
Today a federal jury convicted a North Carolina couple, a Missouri man, and an Ohio man in relation to a scheme involving theft of union-member dues through the award of no-show jobs, lavish travels and dinners charged to the union, unearned vacation payouts, and an unauthorized $7 million loan made to a union-related bank.
The jury convicted Newton Jones, 72, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the former President of the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Forgers, and Helpers (Boilermakers Union), his wife Kateryna Jones, 33, of Chapel Hill, and the former Secretary Treasurer, William Creeden, 78 of Kearney, Missouri, of violation of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) Act. Those defendants, as well as one of the Boilermaker Union’s former Vice Presidents, Lawrence McManamon, 78, of Rocky River, Ohio were convicted of embezzlement from the Union through various means, including:
- Taking elaborate foreign trips that were not related to Union business – all defendants;
- Charging personal expenses to the Union, including shopping trips and dinners out – Newton Jones and Kateryna Jones;
- Paying or overpaying unearned salary and relocation expenses for Newton Jones’s family members – Newton Jones and Creeden;
- Paying out of unearned vacation – Newton Jones and Creeden;
- Paying for unauthorized surveillance of Union employees – Newton Jones and Creeden;
- Making an unlawful $7M loan to a bank at which Newton Jones and Creeden were employed – Newton Jones and Creeden;
- Theft from the Union retirement plan – Newton Jones and Creeden;
- Health care fraud relating to unearned benefits provided to Kateryna Jones – Newton Jones, Kateryna Jones, and Creeden; and
- Wire fraud relating to failure to disclose required payments, outside employment, and conflicts of interest – Newton Jones and Creeden.
“The Boilermakers Union members were supposed to get representation out of their hard-earned money used to pay union dues,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “What they got instead is their money wasted on lavish trips and dinners, and unearned vacation payouts for the union leadership. Union dues must be handled with care and used for the benefit of the dues paying members. Union leadership that steals from the American worker will face prosecution, conviction, and prison time.”
“The absolute hubris and entitlement with which these defendants stole from American workers is disgraceful,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “While union members were faithfully clocking-in and out of their jobs, these defendants thought they were unaccountable and were callously gallivanting on extravagant trips that spared no expense. With these convictions comes a reckoning, and we will be asking the Court to hold these defendants accountable for their criminal conduct and impose appropriate sentences of incarceration.”
“By using union funds for their private benefit, the fraud committed by these defendants strikes at the very confidence union members place in their leaders to represent their interests,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Omerod of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “The evidence presented in trial demonstrated an elaborate and willful deceit of the Boilermakers Union to fund the lavish lifestyle of their former leaders. The FBI will not tolerate this level of financial exploitation against hard working Americans.”
“These union officials clearly violated LMRDA fiduciary requirements with their excessive and extravagant spending and caused great harm to their organization and its members,” said Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Labor-Management Standards Director Elisabeth Messenger. “The conviction of these individuals serves as a strong warning to those who abuse their responsibilities that such violations of union members’ trust will lead to serious repercussions. The department’s new reporting requirements for large unions will go a long way in protecting the financial integrity of labor unions.”
“Investigating corruption and ensuring the financial integrity of private health and pension plans, including union plans, is a priority for EBSA,” said DOL Employee Benefits Security Administration Assistant Secretary Daniel Aronowitz. “In this case, Boilermakers officials put their own interests first and misused funds entrusted to them to provide retirement and health benefits for union members and their families. EBSA will pursue those who engage in criminal schemes to defraud private sector benefit plans. We are very pleased to have had the opportunity to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners.”
According to evidence presented at trial, over a 15-year period, the defendants, led by Newton Jones and Creeden, embezzled the funds of the Boilermakers Union including:
- Over $5 million in unnecessary luxury international travel;
- Nearly $2 million in salary and benefits to Kateryna Jones and others for no-show jobs, at which they were not required to work, including payment of two years of salary to Kateryna Jones for a period when she resided in Ukraine and was dating Newton Jones;
- Over $100,000 in tuition, rent, and relocation expenses for members of the family of Newton Jones;
- Hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash payments relating to fraudulently claimed vacation time;
- Over $100,000 in restaurant charges by Newton Jones and Kateryna Jones in their hometown;
- Money spent in unauthorized email surveillance of union employees to defend Newton Jones and McManamon from internal union charges; and
- $7 million in unauthorized loans from the Boilermakers Union to the bank at which Newton Jones and Creeden had supposed full-time jobs that required little work and were each paid nearly $500,000 per year while they were also being paid a full-time salary from the union.
Trial evidence showed that Newton Jones hired his wife Kateryna Jones for a job in which she performed little to no work and received nearly $1.8 million in salary over the course of nine years. Newton and Kateryna Jones also embezzled over $160,000 for date night meals in their hometown of Chapel Hill. Newton Jones and William Creeden embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars in salary and benefits for three of Newton Jones’ family members. These defendants also embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars in the form of improper vacation payouts.
In addition, the couple embezzled millions of dollars in unnecessary and lavish international travel from the dues of union members, including conducting executive meetings for no apparent purpose in extravagant hotels in cities like Paris, France and Rome, Italy.
The hotel in Paris, France, where the defendants held an executive council meeting for the Kansas-based Boilermaker Union.Creeden and Newton Jones also used their executive positions in the Boilermakers Union to obtain high-level positions at the Bank of Labor, where the union is the majority shareholder. Earning a full-time salary at the bank while supposedly working full-time at the union, Jones and Creeden were paid nearly $4 million in salary and $1.4 million in retirement benefits from the bank.
A sentencing date has been set for Sept. 1. Lawrence McManamon faces a maximum of penalty of five years in prison on each count. William Creeden, Newton Jones, and Kateryna Jones each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The Department of Labor and the FBI investigated the case.
Senior Litigation Counsel Vincent Falvo and Trial Attorney Alexandra Swain of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Faiza Alhambra and Jabari Wamble for the District of Kansas prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Filed 148 Border-Related Cases This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of California filed 148 border-related cases this week, including charges of bringing in aliens for financial gain, reentering the U.S. after deportation, and importation of controlled substances.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California is the fourth-busiest federal district, largely due to a high volume of border-related crimes. This district, encompassing San Diego and Imperial counties, shares a 140-mile border with Mexico. It includes the San Ysidro Port of Entry, the world’s busiest land border crossing, connecting San Diego (America’s eighth largest city) and Tijuana (Mexico’s second largest city).
In addition to reactive border-related crimes, the Southern District of California also prosecutes a significant number of proactive cases related to terrorism, organized crime, drugs, white-collar fraud, violent crime, cybercrime, human trafficking and national security. Recent developments in those and other significant areas of prosecution can be found here.
A sample of border-related arrests this week:
- On May 30, Luis Andres Pereyda Gonzalez, a Mexican national, was arrested and charged with Importation of a Controlled Substance. According to a complaint, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered 203 pounds of cocaine concealed in the bed of his Ford F-150 truck as he tried to cross the border at the San Ysidro Port of Entry.
- On June 2, Lorenzo Mendoza-Hernandez, a Mexican citizen, was arrested and charged with Deported Alien Found in the United States. According to a complaint, Border Patrol agents apprehended Mendoza-Hernandez, an unauthorized alien who was previously deported in 2016 through Calexico, after a brief foot chase about three miles north of the border and eight miles west of the Tecate and Port of Entry.
- On June 3, Qi Hua He, a U.S. citizen, was arrested and charged with Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain. According to a complaint, He attempted to smuggle in a Chinese national via the San Ysidro Port of Entry using a passport that had been lawfully issued to someone else.
The immigration cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the support and assistance of state and local law enforcement partners.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Settlement with Wrightstown, New Jersey Landlord in Fair Housing Act LawsuitRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. — A Wrightstown, New Jersey landlord has agreed to pay $62,500 in monetary damages to resolve a lawsuit alleging race and national origin discrimination in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA).
The FHA prohibits discrimination in housing, including discrimination because of race and national origin. The United States’ complaint, filed on November 13, 2024, alleged that the landlord, Burlington Preservation Associates, LLC (Burlington), had applied an incarceration provision in its lease agreement to discriminate against a Black and Hispanic tenant living in subsidized housing. The incarceration provision in the lease gave landlord or property manager the discretionary authority to change the locks of incarcerated tenants and then evict them. As alleged in the complaint, Burlington took almost immediate action to evict the Black and Hispanic tenant living in subsidized housing during a brief period of incarceration while treating a white, incarcerated tenant very differently. The complaint further alleged that, when the tenant filed a fair housing complaint with a federal agency, the defendant retaliated against him by attempting to evict him a second time and by disrupting the recertification process required to maintain the tenant’s subsidized housing.
In addition to paying monetary damages to the tenant, Burlington has also agreed to remove the lease provision at issue in this case as part of the resolution announced today.
The case was referred to the Department of Justice after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development received a complaint, completed an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Millenky.
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burlingtonpreservation.agreement.pdfThree New Mexico Men Charged with Conspiracy to Transport Aliens and Conspiracy to Kill a Witness as a Result of Joint Task Force Alpha and Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of New Mexico returned a superseding indictment charging Wilfrido Saenz, 29; Ignacio Jaramillo, 22; and his brother, Ismael Jaramillo, 35, all of New Mexico, for their roles in a scheme to transport aliens and later murder a witness to that crime.
According to court documents, between June 2021 and April 2024, Saenz, Ignacio Jaramillo, and Ismael Jaramillo conspired to transport illegal aliens. Saenz and Ignacio Jaramillo are also charged with conspiracy to kill a witness in April 2024 in retaliation for providing law enforcement information about the scheme to transport illegal aliens.
“The superseding indictment in this case highlights the dangers associated with human smuggling,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The criminal networks engaging in this do not care about the people they are smuggling. They only care about money and themselves. They endanger lives and will commit heinous crimes if they believe their network has been exposed and their livelihood is on the line. Through Joint Task Force Alpha working with the District of New Mexico, DOJ will prosecute this case to the end with the victims at the forefront of seeking justice.”
“Human smuggling operations fuel violence, exploit vulnerable people, and threaten the safety of communities on both sides of the border,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “The allegations in this case reflect the ruthless nature of these criminal organizations and the lengths they are willing to go to protect their operations. Alongside our dedicated law enforcement partners, our office remains unwavering in our commitment to disrupt these networks and hold those who orchestrate them fully accountable.”
“Homeland Security Investigations’ (HSI) efforts to dismantle human smuggling organizations directly enhance public safety by disrupting criminal networks that endanger lives and exploit vulnerable individuals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ryan McRae of the HSI El Paso Field Office. “By targeting those who profit from illegal smuggling, HSI protects communities from associated violence and criminal activity, ensuring safer neighborhoods. HSI will not tolerate individuals who attempt to obstruct justice or intimidate those who cooperate with law enforcement.”
“The charges announced today send a clear message: individuals who engage in organized criminal activity, exploit vulnerable people, or resort to violence to obstruct justice will face the full weight of the law,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office. “The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to community safety, combating violent crime, and bringing justice to victim's families.”
Saenz, Ignacio Jaramillo, and Ismael Jaramillo are charged with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens while Saenz and Ignacio Jaramillo are charged with conspiracy to retaliate against a witness resulting in her death. If convicted of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, Saenz and Ignacio and Ismael Jaramillo each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. If convicted of conspiracy to retaliate against a witness, Saenz and Ignacio Jaramillo face a maximum penalty of life in prison. Saenz and Ignacio Jaramillo are also charged with two counts each of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Saenz had previously been convicted of alien smuggling, fraudulently obtaining a motor vehicle, and possession of drug paraphernalia, among other offenses. Ignacio Jaramillo was previously convicted in New Mexico of aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon, a third-degree felony and aggravated fleeing a law enforcement officer, a fourth-degree felony. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Maria Armijo for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting the case.
These charges and prosecution are 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 U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF Region II CORE 7 is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), IRS Criminal Investigation, Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine (AMO), Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Joint Task Force North (JTF-N), U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C., and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.
The investigation and indictment were supported by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 458 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 408 U.S. convictions; and more than 357 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three Arrested in Kansas and California, Charged with Plot to Support ISISRead the Press Release
Early this morning, the FBI arrested three men in Kansas City, Kansas, San Diego, and Sacramento, California, on charges that they conspired to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, of Leawood, Kansas; Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, of Porterville, California; and Bereen Dzayee, 25, of Lakeside, California, were arrested on a complaint filed in the District of Kansas for conspiring to provide material support to terrorism after collectively providing over $2,000 to an individual they understood to be a member of ISIS. As detailed in the complaint, in various messaging exchanges, Ghafoor exclaimed it would be “sick” if his name could be written on the drone used in an attack on Americans. Dzayee suggested that targets of drones should include U.S. Special Forces. In other exchanges, Shamsaldeen expressed a desire to stab and injure a U.S. servicemember. Ghafoor said he has always wanted to kill a female soldier by beheading, and added, “I wish I could kill 300,000,000 Americans.”
“This administration has put terrorists, cartels, and gangs on notice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Today’s arrest of three individuals who allegedly conspired to provide material support to ISIS makes clear our commitment to taking down terrorist networks — anywhere. Thanks to the vigilance of the FBI, their alleged scheme was dismantled and further acts of violence against U.S. service members were prevented.”
“These subjects allegedly swore allegiance to ISIS, plotted multiple attacks, and even targeted U.S. service members — but this FBI stopped them cold,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “The success of this op shows once again this FBI’s continued record of stopping terrorist attacks before they happen, simply the best way to defend the homeland — and shows we’ll stop at nothing to defend Americans from those who seek to do us harm. I want to thank our teams in Kansas City, San Diego, Sacramento, Newark, and Richmond, and the Counterterrorism Division for their outstanding efforts on this investigation and commitment to mission.”
“According to the complaint, these defendants conspired to support ISIS, a ruthless terrorist organization, with the intent, among other things, to fund plans to kill American servicemembers abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Thanks to the work of the FBI, their plans to betray their country in the gravest way lies in ruin. Instead, these defendants will face justice in our courts.”
“For years, the Department of Justice has been encouraging Americans that if they see suspicious activity, they should report it to law enforcement. That’s because long gone are the days where terrorist threats and attacks are incidents that only take place far away on foreign soil,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “Unfortunately, we must face the reality of bad actors living within our borders clandestinely conspiring on ways to create fear and havoc. The only way to root out and prevent terrorism plots is through collaboration among all levels of law enforcement and across jurisdictions. Collaboration is what facilitated the arrests of these three suspects.”
According to the complaint, filed in the District of Kansas, beginning by at least February 2025 to about June 2026, the individuals communicated about several plans to support ISIS, including through the provision of personnel, services, and money. Through Discord chats, voice calls, and other messaging platforms, the coconspirators pledged allegiance to ISIS and its leader. The defendants exchanged messages in social media groups promoting violence in furtherance of ISIS.
The defendants collectively provided over $2,000 to an individual they believed to be an ISIS member. Ghafoor’s name was written on the projectile of one of the rocket-propelled grenades purportedly to be used in an attack overseas to kill U.S. servicemembers. Shamsaldeen provided financial resources for the purpose of purchasing drones, which, in turn, were to be used to attack and kill U.S. servicemembers deployed overseas.
The defendants and others communicated their desires to travel outside the United States to fight on behalf of ISIS. In some of these communications, they expressed a willingness to die on behalf of ISIS.
The FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force in the Kansas City Field Office, the San Diego Field Office, and the Sacramento Field Office investigated the cases, with assistance from FBI Field Offices in Richmond and Newark.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Michelle MacFarlane for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Justin Sher and Jay Rezai of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section are prosecuting the case, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of California and the Southern District of California.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Texas City man sentenced for illegally possessing machine gunRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 32-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for possessing and transferring an illegal machine gun, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Jaleel Filer pleaded guilty March 5, 2026.
U.S. District Judge Charles R. Eskridge has now ordered Filer to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
The investigation began in January 2023 when law enforcement identified Filer’s involvement in the sale of firearms and machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as “switches.” A machine gun conversion device converts a semi-automatic firearm into a fully automatic machine gun and is illegal to possess.
Over the next five months, authorities conducted multiple undercover purchases from Filer, including firearms and MCDs.
During one purchase Jan. 6, Filer sold two firearms, including one equipped with a machine gun conversion device installed for approximately $2,200. The firearm functioned as a machine gun. He claimed he could also sell MCDs in the future for $100 each.
During the final deal, Filer arranged for the sale of more than 50 MCDs that were subsequently interdicted by law enforcement.
Previously released on bond, Filer was taken into custody following the sentencing where he will remain pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Smith prosecuted the case.
Sex Trafficker Convicted of Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was convicted yesterday by a federal jury in U.S. District Court for producing and possessing child pornography.
Tramonte Jamier Queen, 27, was convicted of two counts of the sexual exploitation of children (commonly known as “production of child pornography”) and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 17, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley said, “Tramonte Queen preyed on children for profit and his exploitation of vulnerable victims ends now. The conduct in this case is abhorrent, selling young girls for sex and forcing them to film it. Today, Tramonte Queen is finally being held accountable for all his crimes. We will continue to root out sex traffickers like Queen and aggressively prosecute them to ensure that justice is served.”
“Anyone willing to sexually exploit children deserves to feel the full force of the law,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division. “With today’s verdict, Tramonte Queen isn’t just a sex trafficker, but a producer of child sexual abuse material – a heinous act that perpetrates the sexual exploitation of children. May this case be a warning to others involved with such repulsive material. Our Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force could soon be knocking at your door.”
Between October and December 2021, Queen used a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. According to evidence presented at trial, Queen had sex with a minor victim and participated in the filming of those sex acts. He also directed the victim to engage in commercial sex with sex buyers, instructing the victim to film those sexual encounters as well. At the time of his arrest in February 2022, Queen possessed a cell phone that contained the videos depicting him having sex with the minor victim.
At a previous federal trial in January 2026, Queen was convicted of sex trafficking of a child and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Those convictions arose from Queen’s recruitment of a different minor victim, who was then 16 years old, to engage in commercial sex. Queen caused the victim to engage in commercial sex act in the basement of his Dorchester home and at hotels in Rhode Island.
The production of child pornography charges each carry a sentence of no less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. The sex trafficking of a child and transportation charges each carry a sentence of no less than 10 years and up to life in prison. The possession of child pornography charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Queen faces at least five years of supervised release and a maximum fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Foley, FBI SAC Docks and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Jessica L. Soto of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sarasota Man Sentenced to 25 years for Producing, Distributing, Receiving, and Accessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Sean Christie (43, Sarasota) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven to 25 years in federal prison for production of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), distribution of CSAM, receipt of CSAM, and access with intent to view CSAM. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
A jury found Christie guilty on January 15, 2026.
According to court documents, Christie used Kik, a social media application, to solicit, receive and distribute CSAM depicting minors under 12 years of age. Christie also used Snapchat to meet minor girls, including a 12-year-old victim whom he used to produce CSAM.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Courtney Derry.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Santa Monica Man Pleads Guilty to Doxing ICE LawyerRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Santa Monica man pleaded guilty to a federal criminal charge for doxxing – publishing private or identifying information about an individual on the internet with malicious intent – a lawyer at United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Gregory John Curcio, 68, pleaded guilty to one count of violating the protection of individuals performing certain official duties.
Federal law prohibits making certain personal information about covered persons – including federal employees – public. The restricted personal information includes a victim’s Social Security number, home address, home phone number, mobile phone number, and personal email address.
In February 2025, Curcio created a Facebook post in which he identified the victim – an ICE attorney – as an ICE agent, posted her home address, and directed others to “swat” her at that address. Curcio also posted the victim’s home address on another social media account with instructions to swat her.
“Swatting” is a term used to describe a form of harassment that often involves placing a false emergency call to law enforcement or emergency responders, often reporting a false ongoing crisis or crime at a specific location to prompt a significant law enforcement response.
According to court documents previously filed in this case, the victim told authorities that Curcio is a former resident at her mother’s apartment building in Santa Monica. The victim said she never met Curcio, but that he had harassed and threatened her mother for years and engaged in a campaign to harass the victim and her family beginning from at least January 2024.
United States District Judge Michelle Williams Court scheduled an August 21 sentencing hearing, at which time Curcio will face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Professional Responsibility is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Restrepo of the National Security Division is prosecuting this case.
San Francisco Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery and CarjackingRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – James Michael Garrison was sentenced yesterday to 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for a series of bank robberies and a carjacking that occurred in late 2024 and early 2025 in the Northern District of California. U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin handed down the sentence.
Garrison was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 17, 2025. Garrison pleaded guilty on February 12, 2026, to three counts of bank robbery in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), and one count of carjacking in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2119(1).
According to the plea agreement and other documents filed in the case, beginning in December 2024, Garrison embarked on a spree of bank robberies in Rohnert Park, California, and San Francisco, California. Garrison robbed banks in Rohnert Park on December 5, 2024, and January 2, 2025. During those robberies, he demanded cash and threatened to shoot the tellers. Garrison robbed another bank in San Francisco on December 27, 2024, during which he held a knife in his hand and threatened to shoot “everybody.” In total, he stole approximately $20,000 from the three banks.
Following Garrison’s third bank robbery, he was spotted by San Francisco Police Officers in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. Garrison fled from officers and carjacked a rideshare driver in an attempt to escape. While in the car’s backseat, Garrison pulled out a black knife shaped like a handgun and held the weapon to the driver’s head and threatened to shoot him.
Garrison initially refused to leave the car and resisted arrest.
Garrison has been in custody since his arrest in 2025. He will begin serving his prison term immediately. In addition to the prison term, Judge Lin also ordered Garrison to serve 3 years of supervised release that will begin after his term of imprisonment.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Scott Schelble made the announcement.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sophia Cooper with the assistance of Soana Katoa. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Francisco Police Department.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl and HeroinRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to 16 years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and heroin.
DEMARGIO TRIPP, 36, pleaded guilty earlier this year to distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin in the Rockford area in 2024 and 2025. Tripp also admitted that in May 2025 he possessed cocaine and other narcotics that he intended to sell to others.
On May 27, 2026, U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston sentenced Tripp to 192 months in federal prison. Judge Johnston found that Tripp qualified as a “career offender” under federal law due to multiple drug trafficking convictions in state and federal courts.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of ATF’s Chicago Field Division. The Winnebago County, Ill. Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance.
“Distribution of fentanyl and other controlled substances is a serious and dangerous offense,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora Anderson argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “As a drug dealer, defendant is a direct cause of these problems.”
Rochester man sentenced for stealing $168-thousand dollars from his employerRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Michael Torres, 38, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of financial institution fraud, was sentenced to serve three months in prison, three months home detention and three years’ supervised release by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara. Torres was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $136,679.
Between September 2021 and February 2022, Torres was employed as a Relationship Manager at Financial Institution 1. While in this position, he misused his position to apply for loans through Financial Institution 1 in the names of individuals without their knowledge or authorization. Torres applied for 19 loans for a total of $168,000, which was deposited into bank accounts that he controlled.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A. C. Penrose. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Brendan Dunford.
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Pensacola Felon Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jason Wayne Coleman, 41, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial felon has been a criminal menace to our communities for far too long, but thanks to the excellent work of the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office with support from our federal law enforcement partners, he will now spend years behind bars where he belongs. This successful prosecution by my office is yet another win under Operation Take Back America, through which President Donald J. Trump and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche have directed the Department of Justice to deploy its full might toward removing violent career criminals, like this defendant, from our streets to deliver the safe, crime-free communities our citizens deserve.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant, a multi-time convicted felon who is legally barred from possessing firearms, was out on bond after being arrested in Indiana for firearm-related charges in January 2022. On October 2, 2024, a deputy with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was on routine patrol when he conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by the defendant. The defendant attempted to flee on foot from the deputy, but was apprehended. In addition to having a suspended driver’s license, the defendant was found to be in possession of a loaded .32 caliber handgun under the driver’s seat of the vehicle as well as marijuana. The defendant was arrested but was able to bond out of jail.
On May 13, 2025, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a motorized minibike being driven by the defendant. While arresting the defendant for driving on a suspended license and resisting law enforcement, deputies located a loaded .38-caliber revolver in his pocket.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Oklahoma City Man Pleads Guilty after Knife Attack Leaves One Person Dead, Another Seriously InjuredRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – CHARLES ALLEN REDNOSE, 21, of Oklahoma City, has pleaded guilty to assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country and voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on November 6, 2025, Rednose and several others visited a casino outside of Anadarko, Oklahoma. Eventually, several members of the group left the casino to pick up another individual, planning to return to the casino afterward. Rednose remained at the casino to continue gambling.
After picking up the individual and returning, the group discovered that Rednose was no longer at the casino. They drove back toward Anadarko and spotted Rednose walking along Highway 281. They stopped their vehicle, and two members of the group attempted to persuade Rednose to get into the car. Rednose, upset at being left behind at the casino, refused, and a struggle ensued. During the altercation, Rednose stabbed both individuals. They were taken to a nearby hospital, where one victim died from their injuries, and the other was flown to Oklahoma City for life-saving treatment. After speaking with witnesses, law enforcement located Rednose on the side of Highway 281, and he was arrested.
On May 5, 2026, a federal grand jury charged Rednose with assault resulting in serious bodily injury in Indian Country and voluntary manslaughter in Indian Country. On June 3, 2026, Rednose pleaded guilty to the charges listed above and admitted that he knowingly assaulted one individual, causing serious bodily injury, and killed another individual.
This case is in federal court because Rednose is a member of the Apache Tribe of Oklahoma and the crimes occurred within the boundaries of Indian Country lands of the Wichita, Caddo, and Delaware Tribes north of Anadarko.
At sentencing, Rednose faces up to 25 years in federal prison and fines of up to $500,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Anadarko Police Department, and the Caddo County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arvo Q. Mikkanen and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Ganote are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Oahu Man Indicted on Multiple Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Craig Domingo, 60, of Mililani, Oahu, was indicted on June 4, 2026, on firearm and drug charges including two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and/or ammunition, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Domingo was previously charged by criminal complaint on March 28, 2025 and has been detained since his arrest on federal charges.
According to court records, Domingo was arrested on state burglary charges in November 2023. A narcotics detection canine alerted to the presence of drugs during an inspection of Domingo’s vehicle, and a subsequent search of his vehicle uncovered ten rounds of ammunition and glass pipes containing methamphetamine residue. Domingo, who had a previous conviction for Robbery in the First Degree, was charged federally in 2025 with being a felon in possession of ammunition. Following additional investigation, he was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury on additional charges of possessing with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing a short-barreled shotgun in furtherance of that crime, as well as possessing the shotgun and ammunition as a felon.
If convicted, Domingo faces up to life imprisonment, including a mandatory minimum sentence of twenty years, and fine of up to $20,000,000, plus a term of supervised release.
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Eucker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
New Jersey Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Launder over $500,000 Obtained from Internet-Related FraudsRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – An Edison, New Jersey man was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment for laundering money obtained from a variety of internet-based scams, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner sentenced Kenny Osas Okuonghae, 38, of Edison, NJ to 51 months of incarceration yesterday. Judge Castner also ordered 3 years of supervised release and $1,275,190 in restitution. Okuonghae previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Georgette Castner on April 29, 2025, to Count One of an Indictment charging him with conspiring to commit money laundering.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From approximately 2019 through approximately December 2023, Okuonghae laundered money that was obtained from a variety of internet-related scams, including property rental scams, romance scams, and a “pig butchering” scam. “Pig butchering” refers to an internet scheme where a romance scam victim develops what the victim perceives to be a romantic relationship online with the perpetrator. The perpetrator emotionally “fattens” the victim up before enticing the victim to invest in a fake scheme and then, metaphorically, “slaughters” the victim by taking the victim’s money. Okuonghae opened up several different bank accounts across at least seven different banks and permitted the proceeds of criminal activity to be deposited into and transferred out of these accounts.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, with the investigation leading to the sentence.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Kogan of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Loraine Gauli-Rufo, Cedar Grove, New Jersey.
New Hampshire Business Owner Sentenced for Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Hampshire woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for attempting to obstruct and interfere in a grand jury investigation involving her brother, former Massachusetts State Senator Dean Tran.
Tuyet T. Martin, 56, of Pelham, N.H., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two years of supervised release and ordered to pay a $40,000 fine. In January 2026, Martin pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice. In June 2024, Martin was charged along with her brother, Dean Tran.
In November 2023, Tran was arrested and charged in a 28-count federal indictment for his fraudulent collection of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits and his willful omission of consulting and rental income from his tax returns in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
As part of the investigation into Tran’s unemployment benefits and tax fraud schemes, an investigation began into a job offer and employment offer letter from Martin to Tran at the New Hampshire-based business where Martin was the owner and the CEO. During a July 2023 grand jury session, Martin provided false testimony regarding the employment offer letter.
Tran was sentenced in in January 2026 to one year in prison with 11 months to run concurrent with his current sentence and one month to run consecutive, to be followed by 18 months of supervised release to run concurrent with his current sentence.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Anthony P. D’Esposito, Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.Needham Parks and Recreation Chairman Arrested on Fraud and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Chairman of the Needham Parks and Recreation Commission has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with a scheme to defraud a local little league out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Christopher Gerstel, 50, was charged in an 17-count indictment with 12 counts of wire fraud, two counts of filing false tax returns and three counts of failure to file tax returns. Gerstel was arrested today and will appear in federal court in Boston at 1:00 PM.
Gerstel currently serves as Chairman of the Needham Parks and Recreation Commission. From approximately early 2019 to early 2025, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Needham Baseball and Softball (NBS), a little league organization based in Needham, Mass. In his role as Vice President of Baseball Operations for NBS, Gerstel was the only NBS board member with access to the payment software system, ArbiterPay, that NBS used to pay professional umpires.
Beginning as early as June 2019, it is alleged that Gerstel was facing personal financial difficulty, including owing thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt. According to the indictment from in or about June 2019 to October 2024, Gerstel stole over $200,000 of NBS funds. It is alleged that Gerstel transferred the funds via wire transfer from the umpire payment system into his own personal account. From June 2019 to October 2024, Gerstel allegedly made over 200 separate wire transfers.
Gerstel allegedly used the majority of the stolen NBS funds to pay down thousands of dollars in credit card debt, make car payments and other personal expenditures, including at country clubs and cash withdrawals at casinos.
According to the indictment, the alleged theft was revealed after a new treasurer was appointed to the NBS Board of Directors and discovered that large transfers had been made from the NBS bank account into the umpire payment system. Once the treasurer gained access to the umpire payment system, they discovered over $250,000 in transfers had allegedly been made from that system to Gerstel’s personal bank account.
The indictment also alleges that for tax years 2019 and 2022, Gerstel failed to report the funds that he stole from NBS on his tax returns and that in 2020, 2021, and 2023, Gerstel failed to file tax returns. As a result, Gerstel allegedly lowered his federal income tax liability.
The charge of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of falsification of records carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of filing false tax returns carries a maximum sentence of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. The charge of failing to file tax returns carries a maximum of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $25,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Maynard of the Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions 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.
Mexican national sentenced to federal prison for immigration violationRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: A defendant illegally inside the United States was sentenced to prison in federal court in the Southern District of Georgia.
The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Judge J. Randal Hall, District Judge for the Southern District of Georgia and announced by U.S. Attorney Margaret E. ‘Meg’ Heap.
Jose Hernandez-Perez, 41, of Tultepec, Mexico, was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by immediate deportation after pleading guilty to Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation, a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal.
There is no parole in the federal system.
Court records and documents showed that Hernandez-Perez was apprehended during a traffic stop in Screven County and subsequently identified as an illegal alien utilizing biometric data. The defendant was shown to have extensive federal immigration violations dating back to 2010.
“This case demonstrates that no matter how many times one may break our laws, criminals will be met with prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We will continue to identify and bring to justice those who would completely disregard our laws and exploit our borders.”
In August 2010, Hernandez-Perez was convicted of Conspiracy to Transport an Unlawful Alien within the United States in the Southern District of Texas and was sentenced to 22 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
In July 2012 and again in January 2017, Hernandez-Perez was convicted of Illegal Re-entry after Removal or Deportation, again in the Southern District of Texas, and was sentenced to 35 months and 15 months confinement, respectively.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, Screven County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant United States Attorney Kelsey L. Scanlon.
Mexican Man Gets 16 Years in Federal Prison for Aggravated Smuggling Conspiracy Investigated by Homeland Security Task ForceRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national with legal permanent resident status was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 195 months in prison for conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Armando Garcia-Martinez aka “Leche” aka “El Compadre” aka “Mando,” 43, was a recruiter for the alien smuggling organization that transported a family of illegal aliens from San Antonio to Austin in August 2023. In that event, the family, consisting of a man, a pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child, were taken hostage by the ASO. Defendants sexually assaulted the pregnant woman, threatened to kill the woman’s seven-year-old boy if payments were not made, and they also threatened to sell the woman’s unborn baby if they did not get the money they sought. On July 9, 2023, a relative paid at least $1,000 to the ASO due to the threats made toward the family. Still, the ASO continued to demand payment to different accounts as a condition for the release of the aliens.
Beyond his involvement in this particular smuggling event, Garcia-Martinez’s role in the ASO was to get the illegal aliens to drivers in Eagle Pass who would smuggle the aliens to San Antonio or Austin. On average, Garcia coordinated two to three trips per week for codefendants Juan Antonio Flores and Pedro Ruiz Gonzalez. Generally, Garcia-Martinez picked up the illegal aliens belonging to codefendant Anthony Ballones Jr. near the train tracks in Eagle Pass and took them to codefendants Ambar Obregon and Tomas Estrada-Torres.
Garcia-Martinez was indicted on April 24, 2024, and arrested May 31. He pleaded guilty on Nov. 18, 2024.
On Feb. 11, co-defendant Flores was sentenced to 212 months for his role in the case. Co-defendants Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo and Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya were sentenced to 360 months and 180 months in federal prison, respectively. Estrada-Torres was sentenced to 151 months, and Rodolfo Daniel De Hoyos was sentenced to 170 months. Gonzalez, Obregon and Ballones have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted 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 comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
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Mexican Alien Overstaying Tourist Visa by 8 Years Sentenced in D.C. for Cocaine TraffickingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Sergio Castillo-Lopez, 29, a citizen of Mexico who was unlawfully present in the United States for eight years, was sentenced today to 12 months in prison in connection with his running a cocaine distribution operation out of his bedroom in Northwest Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Sergio Castillo‑Lopez came to the United States on a temporary visa, ignored the law for nearly a decade, and used that time to run a cocaine distribution operation,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This criminal will spend the remainder of his unlawful stay in the United States in a prison cell and will then face deportation proceedings.”
Castillo-Lopez, also known as “Sergio Chilel,” pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2026, before U.S. District Court Judge Amir H. Ali to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In addition to the 12-month prison term, Judge Ali ordered Castillo-Lopez to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a 27-month prison term. Castillo-Lopez has agreed not to contest his removal from the United States following completion of his sentence.
According to court papers, Castillo-Lopez entered the United States on a 30-day visa in 2017 and never left. Castillo-Lopez remained in the United States for approximately eight years and used his residence in Washington, D.C. to possess, package, and prepare cocaine for distribution.
On Oct. 9, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Castillo-Lopez’s residence in the 3000 block of Warder Street NW. In his bedroom, officers found nearly half a kilogram of cocaine with a street value of up to $12,000. Some of the cocaine was already broken down into gram-quantity bags for distribution. Officers also seized two digital scales and $3,126 in cash, the bills predominantly small denominations consistent with street-level drug proceeds.
The investigation was conducted by Drug Enforcement Administration – Washington Division Office and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Akhtar.
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Medicaid service providers sentenced for false statements resulting in overbillingRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – Two sisters were sentenced to prison yesterday following their conviction at trial for false statements made in connection with mental health services billed to Medicaid.
According to court documents, Chenelle Wright, 45, of Moyock, North Carolina, owned and operated Community Counseling Resources (CCR), which had locations in Chesapeake and Portsmouth. Wright’s sister, Chaniece Winfield, 40, also of Mayock, was CCR’s clinical director. CCR was authorized to provide after-school mental health services to Medicaid recipients, including therapeutic day treatment (TDT), a type of individualized intervention for children and adolescents with mental, emotional, or behavioral illnesses with symptoms that cause significant functional impairments.
Most of the children in the afterschool TDT program were not dismissed from their schools until well after 2:00pm, with some remaining until as late as 3:55pm, and many did not arrive at CCR’s facilities until about 4:30pm. Wright and Winfield instructed and directed CCR employees to falsely claim in progress notes that children were receiving therapeutic services from 2:00pm to 7:00pm and provided progress note “templates” to CCR employees in which the start and end times of 2:00pm and 7:00pm were prefilled.
Wright was sentenced to three years and five months in prison. Winfield was sentenced to two years in prison.
The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office and the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony C. Mozzi and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nikolas Nelson prosecuted the case.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-35.
Massachusetts Man Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison for Drug Distribution Resulting in Death of a Minor and the Sale of Drugs and Machineguns on Telegram AppRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River, Mass. man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug distribution resulting in the death of a minor, as well as multiple other charges associated with his sale of drugs, machineguns and firearm parts on the Telegram app.
Benjamin Hunt, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 23 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In December 2025, Hunt pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl, MDMA, MDA, Ketamine and LSD resulting in death; two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl; two counts of unlawful transfer and possession of a machinegun; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and cocaine.
Hunt was arrested and charged in August 2024 on drug and firearm charges and was later charged with additional crimes, including drug distribution resulting in the death of a minor.
From at least 2022 through 2024, Benjamin Hunt operated an online marketplace on the Telegram application through which he advertised and sold large quantities of controlled substances and firearms to customers across the United States. Hunt controlled multiple Telegram accounts and used the platform to conduct drug and weapons transactions while concealing his identity and seeking payment primarily in cryptocurrency.
Through his Telegram marketplace, Hunt offered for sale numerous dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, LSD, MDMA, ketamine and counterfeit pharmaceutical pills made to resemble oxycodone but containing fentanyl. Hunt also advertised firearms and firearm components, including privately made firearms (“ghost guns”) and machinegun conversion devices (“switches”), some of which he manufactured himself using 3-D printing technology. Hunt typically required payment via Bitcoin, though in some instances accepted CashApp, and then shipped the contraband through the U.S. Postal Service, either directly or through suppliers.
In February, May and June 2024, Hunt sold counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer, including quantities exceeding 40 grams of fentanyl. During one of these transactions, Hunt simultaneously sold a privately made Glock-style firearm and multiple machinegun conversion devices along with an extended magazine and 3D printed brass knuckles.
In August 2024, Hunt mailed an additional package containing approximately 1,600 fentanyl pills to undercover law enforcement in exchange for cryptocurrency. Law enforcement intercepted multiple packages being sent to or from Hunt, including one package sent by him that contained a smoke grenade and one package sent to an address associated with him that contained 13 switches or machinegun conversion devices.
A search at Hunt’s residence resulted in the seizure of significant quantities of drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA and ketamine, as well as an arsenal of firearms and firearm components, including dozens of privately made firearms, machinegun conversion devices, silencers, extended magazines, large quantities of ammunition and 3-D printers used to manufacture firearm parts. In total, approximately 95 firearms and related items were seized.
Law enforcement in Massachusetts learned about an overdose death of an out of state 17-year-old minor in May 2023. Investigators uncovered evidence of Hunt having communicated with the victim through the Telegram app and offering various drugs for sale. The minor purchased multiple drugs from Hunt. Hunt sought payment in Bitcoin, but when the minor did not have access to Bitcoin, Hunt agreed to receive payment via Cashapp. Hunt then mailed drugs to the minor out of state through the U.S. mail.
Messages between Hunt and the minor in the hours leading to the minor’s death were uncovered, including messages discussing the minor’s consumption of drugs that had been supplied by Hunt. The drugs distributed by Hunt—including fentanyl, MDMA, MDA, ketamine and LSD—were determined to be the but-for cause of the minor’s death, which was ruled an acute mixed drug intoxication. As part of his plea, Hunt admitted that his distribution of these drugs resulted in the minor victim’s death.
“Benjamin Hunt’s decision to sell lethal drugs and guns online is the reason a family lost their child,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This case is a stark reminder that drug dealers are no longer just on street corners. They are online preying on our children via phones and computers and pushing highly addictive and deadly drugs. We will continue track them down wherever they are and hold them accountable. Today’s sentence is warranted and a step in the right direction to ending the opioid epidemic.”
“Today’s sentence holds Benjamin Hunt accountable for a crime that ended a young life and forever changed a family,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “Drug traffickers who distribute dangerous substances without regard for human life are fueling a public safety crisis in communities across Massachusetts and the nation. DEA and our law enforcement partners remain committed to identifying, investigating, and prosecuting those who profit from the distribution of deadly drugs. We hope this substantial sentence provides a measure of justice for the victim’s loved ones and serves as a reminder that those responsible for overdose deaths will be aggressively pursued and held accountable.”
“The severity of this sentence highlights the dangers of distributing both drugs and machinegun conversion devices. Independently, each has the potential to ruin lives and endanger the public. Taken together, Benjamin Hunt’s conduct could only lead to harm, and in this case a seventeen-year-old was killed as a result. Today’s sentence not only imposes a measure of justice but should serve to remind anyone considering selling fentanyl or machinegun conversion devices: you are responsible for the consequences of those actions,” said Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division.
“Today’s sentence sends a clear message: those who profit from poisoning and endangering our communities with drugs and guns cannot remain anonymous through the Internet. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is relentlessly targeting the individuals and networks responsible for distributing deadly narcotics and firearms through the U.S, Mail. With strong enforcement, intelligence-driven investigations, and strategic partnerships, we are working every day to disrupt these groups and save American lives,” said Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division
U.S. Attorney Foley, DEA SAC Forget, ATF SAC Greco, USPIS Acting INC Buckley, New Bedford Police Chief Jason Thody and Fairhaven Police Chief Daniel Dorgan made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New England; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Attleboro, Fall River, Norton, Scituate and Taunton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha and J. Mackenzie Duane of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Manhattan-Based Investment Analyst Charged with Insider TradingRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging JIANQING LI, a/k/a “JQ,” an analyst at an asset manager specializing in biomedical and healthcare investments, with two counts of securities fraud. LI was presented today before Magistrate Judge Gary Stein. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.
“Jianqing Li allegedly turned confidential information into more than $350,000 in illegal trading profits,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Insider trading is unfair and it’s illegal. It harms our markets and our investors.”
“Jianqing Li’s alleged exploitation of sensitive trading information betrayed his employer and established an unfair financial advantage over the unknowing public,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI maintains its steadfast pursuit of those who abuse their positions to generate unlawful profits.”
As alleged in the Indictment:
LI made more than $350,000 in illicit profits by trading in stock and options based on material, nonpublic information he misappropriated from the investment fund where he worked. LI was an analyst at a Manhattan-based asset manager specializing in biomedical and healthcare investments, which routinely received nonpublic information from investment banks in connection with its evaluation of investment opportunities in public companies. Rather than honor restrictions on the use of that information, LI repeatedly used inside information to trade securities for his own profit, in violation of his duties to his employer and to the sources of the information. In particular, LI used nonpublic information about upcoming announcements that he expected would increase a company’s stock price to purchase securities for his brokerage accounts—or in the case of information he expected to negatively affect the stock price, to sell short—and then unwound his position soon after the public announcement, in each case for a profit. To conceal his trading, LI violated his employer’s insider trading policies and code of ethics, including by not seeking preclearance for his illegal trades, not disclosing his trading or profits, and falsely certifying his compliance with those policies annually.
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LI, 40, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of securities fraud under Title 15, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of securities fraud under Title 18, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle A. Wirshba is in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitutes only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Manchester Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Manchester Man Indicted for Bank Robbery
CONCORD – Michael Cote of Manchester, age 44, was indicted by a federal Grand Jury for unarmed bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. He will appear in federal court in Concord on a later date.
According to the charging documents and statements made in court, Cote robbed a TD Bank located at 300 Franklin Street in Manchester, New Hampshire, on December 11, 2025.
The charging statutes provides a sentence of up to twenty years for unarmed bank robbery. 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.
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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the investigation with valuable assistance provided by the Manchester Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Anderson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Rombeau.
Man Sentenced to More Than 26 Years in Prison for Using the Dark Web to Distribute NarcoticsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to more than 26 years in federal prison for distributing drugs through a dark web marketplace known as the “Nemesis Market.”
DARREN HUGHES operated a vendor store offering free samples of methamphetamine on the Nemesis Market, one of the world’s largest dark web markets. When an undercover law enforcement agent contacted the vendor store, Hughes agreed to mail the law enforcement agent a free sample of meth from California to Chicago. Thereafter, on five occasions in 2023, Hughes sold the law enforcement agent meth and fentanyl pills in exchange for cryptocurrency. Hughes was arrested in Redwood City, Calif., in June 2023 after agreeing to sell additional meth to undercover agents in Chicago. Local police searched the vehicle Hughes was driving and discovered, among other items, approximately 672 grams of meth, a loaded “ghost gun” with no identifiable serial number, and various narcotics paraphernalia.
Law enforcement shut down the Nemesis Market in 2024 after a multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional investigation. From 2021 to 2024, Nemesis Market processed more than 400,000 orders, including more than 55,000 orders for stimulants, including meth, cocaine, crack cocaine, and other controlled substances, and 17,000 orders for opioids, including fentanyl, heroin, and oxycodone.
A federal jury in November 2025 convicted Hughes, 39, of San Jose, Calif., on drug trafficking charges. On May 26, 2026, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness sentenced Hughes to more than 26 years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Todd C. Smith, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA, Nicholas Bucciarelli, Postal Inspector in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Redwood City, Calif., Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erin Kelly, Michael Maione, and Hayley Altabef.
“Having been part of the original multi-agency, multi-Office Task Force that took down the Silk Road almost 13 years ago, I know firsthand the seriousness of criminals operating on dark web marketplaces,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Criminals selling poison on the dark web often act with impunity and brazenness because they mistakenly believe that they are beyond the reach of federal law enforcement. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will identify, investigate, and prosecute drug traffickers regardless of where they operate—and, even if they operate on the dark net.”
“Today’s sentencing announcement reflects the strength of coordinated law enforcement partnerships, through the Homeland Security Task Force, and DEA’s continued commitment to targeting drug traffickers operating in both the physical and digital worlds,” said DEA SAC Smith. “This investigation brought together DEA, FBI, CBP, USPIS, IRS-CI and our law enforcement partners at Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area to identify, track and dismantle a dark net drug trafficking operation responsible for distributing dangerous narcotics across the country. DEA will continue leveraging investigative tools to follow the money, identify criminal networks and hold traffickers accountable wherever they operate.”
“The sentencing of Darren Hughes sends a clear message in how critical a role the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its law enforcement partners play in protecting American consumers from illegal narcotics being shipped via the U.S. Mail,” said USPIS Inspector in Charge Bucciarelli. “Postal Inspectors are committed to continuing our work to dismantle drug trafficking operations to keep USPS customers and employees safe from drug traffickers who favor profit over human lives.”
“Drug dealers once relied on street corners; today, they use the internet to reach customers worldwide,” said IRS-CI SAC Jobes. “Dark web marketplaces may seem anonymous, but no platform is beyond law enforcement’s reach. Darren Hughes used the internet to profit from addiction and distribute dangerous drugs. IRS Criminal Investigation special agents worked with our law enforcement partners to follow the financial trail, expose his crimes, and hold him accountable. Whether drugs are sold on the street or online, we will continue identifying traffickers, disrupting their operations, and bringing them to justice."
Kansas man indicted for murder threat & child pornography possessionRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas returned an indictment charging a Kansas man for threatening to rape and kill a victim and charging him with various offenses related to child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Christian Page, 24, of Tonganoxie was indicted on one count of receipt of child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, two counts of possession and access with intent to view child pornography, and one count of interstate communications with a threat to injure.
On multiple occasions in 2025 and 2026, Page allegedly received, possessed, and distributed CSAM. He is also accused of using an electronic device to threaten to physically injure a victim.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott Rask and Audrey McCormick are prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.OTHER INDICTMENTS
Rosendo Aguirre-Arreola, 42, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry by a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Victor Alamilla-Juarez, 46 an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry by a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Pedro Antonio-Perez, 30, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Jose Manuel Barrara-Acevez, 47, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Ralfeal E. Carr, 46, of Topeka was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.
Mario Del Toro-Sandoval, 46, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indited on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Zenon Garcia Basurto, 36, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of reentry of a previously removed alien. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug is prosecuting the case.
Gustavo Adolfo Guardado-Menjivar, 39, an illegal alien from El Salvador, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Mario Perez-Morales, 48, an illegal alien from Guatemala, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting the case.
Jamin Pitchford, 54, was indicted on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Debenham is prosecuting the case.
Henry Ramirez-Nicolas, 34, an illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of illegal reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Noe Rodriguez-Navarro, 36, an illegal alien from Honduras, was indicted on one count of reentry by a previously removed alien. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Yimy Francisco Reyes-Guzman, 45, an illegal alien from Honduras, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
Miguel Angel Toledo-Landa, 45 and illegal alien from Mexico, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Justice Department Secures Resolution with Cleveland Clinic to End Pediatric “Gender-Affirming Care”Read the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice announced another resolution arising from its ongoing national investigation into violations of federal law in connection with sex-rejecting procedures on minors (often euphemistically referred to as “gender-affirming care”). The Cleveland Clinic Foundation (“Cleveland Clinic”) has entered into agreements with the Department and the Ohio Attorney General that include a decades-long commitment to not perform or offer sex-rejecting procedures—which includes the administration of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones—for minors. Cleveland Clinic has also agreed to pay a monetary penalty and, in a landmark commitment, dedicate additional millions to help provide essential medical care for individuals living with the harmful consequences of such misguided medical interventions performed on them as children and adolescents (i.e., “detransitioners”).
“The Department of Justice is steadfastly committed to protecting America’s children,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. “Just as the resolution with Texas Children’s, today’s resolution with Cleveland Clinic furthers that commitment and puts these providers on notice that this Department will vigorously enforce federal law where children are put at risk.”
According to the terms of the agreements, which the Department reached in coordination with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, Cleveland Clinic—a partner in other Administration priority initiatives—will pay $308,000 to resolve allegations regarding false billings submitted to public and private payors to secure insurance coverage for sex-rejecting procedures on minors. As part of the resolution, Cleveland Clinic has committed $2 million to provide restorative care for detransitioners—the very victims of these predatory and dangerous practices—regardless of their insured status or ability to pay.
The agreements come less than a month after the Justice Department announced its resolution with Texas Children’s Hospital (“Texas Children’s”), which the Department secured through a partnership with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. As previously announced, Texas Children’s agreed to pay a $10,000,000 penalty, and, much like Cleveland Clinic’s commitment today, create the first-of-its-kind clinic dedicated to treating detransitioners. Texas Children’s also agreed to permanently cease providing any sex-rejecting procedures to minors.
These historic commitments pair the cessation of these dangerous practices masquerading as medical treatment with substantial investments in remediating the destruction they cause and restoring the health of the victims.
In working towards this settlement, the United States acknowledged that Cleveland Clinic took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperation with the Department in its investigation. At all times during the investigation, Cleveland Clinic remained cooperative, proactive, and solution-driven, as highlighted by its multi-million dollar commitment to providing care to the victims who most need it.
“I am grateful that institutions like Cleveland Clinic and Texas Children’s have decided to be part of the solution, not part of the problem,” said Brett Shumate, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. “Cleveland Clinic’s commitment to providing millions of dollars towards care for detransitioners is emblematic of just that. I am grateful for this resolution with Cleveland Clinic, but our work is far from over, and our division will continue to work tirelessly to protect America’s children and hold accountable those that have preyed on vulnerable children, whether they be pharmaceutical companies or medical providers.”
These matters and the investigations into sex-rejecting procedures on minors are being led by the Justice Department’s Civil Division Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch and Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
The claims resolved by the United States in the settlements are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Cleveland Clinic has denied all allegations.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Spring CleaningRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the FBI to combat gang-related threats and enhance public safety. The operation coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and targeted the illegal flow of firearms and narcotics in our communities. The operation began on March 1 and ended May 31.
In total, Operation Spring Cleaning led to over 1100 arrests, over 600 charges filed, and almost 600 search warrants conducted. The operation also resulted in the seizure of:
- Almost 1000 illegal firearms, dozens of which were equipped with machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) as well as over 75 stand-alone MCDs;
- Over 2,700 pounds of illegal narcotics including
- Over 500 kilograms of cocaine or more than 1100 pounds,
- Nearly 700 pounds of methamphetamine,
- Over 550 pounds of marijuana,
- Nearly 50 kilograms of fentanyl or more than 100 pounds,
- Almost 40 kilograms of heroin or more than 85 pounds,
- More than 7 kilograms of crack cocaine or more than 16 pounds, and
- More than 13,200 pills of MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly.
“When our neighborhoods are safe from the scourge of deadly drugs, individuals and families can prosper,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Trump Administration has made significant progress in removing this poison from our streets, a key step in our commitment to making America safe again.”
“This FBI understands that communities across our country have been ravaged by gangs and the firearms and narcotics they flood our streets with,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Spring Cleaning represents our total commitment to crushing this kind of violent crime and eliminating the criminal networks who facilitate them – with over 1,000 arrests, 1,000 firearms seized, and 3,000 pounds of narcotics removed from our neighborhoods. Righteous operations like this show this FBI is only getting started and will continue delivering the most prolific run of crime reduction in U.S. history.”
Drugs seized by FBI Sacramento Field Office during Operation Spring Cleaning Guns seized by FBI Philadelphia Field Office during Operation Spring Cleaning Guns, drugs, and money seized by FBI Los Angeles Field Office during Operation Spring CleaningJustice Department Announces Results of Operation Spring CleaningRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the FBI to combat gang-related threats and enhance public safety. The operation coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and targeted the illegal flow of firearms and narcotics in our communities. The operation began on March 1 and ended May 31.
In total, Operation Spring Cleaning led to over 1100 arrests, over 600 charges filed, and almost 600 search warrants conducted. The operation also resulted in the seizure of:
- Almost 1000 illegal firearms, dozens of which were equipped with machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) as well as over 75 stand-alone MCDs; and
- Over 2,700 pounds of illegal narcotics, including:
o Over 500 kilograms of cocaine or more than 1100 pounds,
o Nearly 700 pounds of methamphetamine,
o Over 550 pounds of marijuana,
o Nearly 50 kilograms of fentanyl or more than 100 pounds,
o Almost 40 kilograms of heroin or more than 85 pounds,
o More than 7 kilograms of crack cocaine or more than 16 pounds, and
o More than 13,200 pills of MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly.
“When our neighborhoods are safe from the scourge of deadly drugs, individuals and families can prosper,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Trump Administration has made significant progress in removing this poison from our streets, a key step in our commitment to making America safe again.”
“This FBI understands that communities across our country have been ravaged by gangs and the firearms and narcotics they flood our streets with,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Spring Cleaning represents our total commitment to crushing this kind of violent crime and eliminating the criminal networks who facilitate them – with over 1,000 arrests, 1,000 firearms seized, and 3,000 pounds of narcotics removed from our neighborhoods. Righteous operations like this show this FBI is only getting started and will continue delivering the most prolific run of crime reduction in U.S. history.”
“Operation Spring Cleaning represents a significant step in Hawaii and across the country toward dismantling and disrupting drug trafficking and the violent gangs that plague our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “We will continue to hunt down and bring to justice those who victimize Hawaii with drug trafficking and the use of firearms to protect their illicit criminal operations.”
“As reflected in the record number of arrests, seizures, and disruptions across the country, the message sent by Operation Spring Cleaning is deliberate and unequivocal—to the violent gangs operating in our communities: your time is up,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Through enforcement operations and the removal of illegal firearms and lethal narcotics from our streets, we haven’t just disrupted criminal networks—we have actively prevented violence and saved lives. The FBI, alongside our dedicated federal, state, and local partners, will continue to relentlessly track down those who flood our communities with poison and traffic in fear. We live here. We work here. This is our home, and we refuse to cede our neighborhoods to violent criminals.”
Guns, drugs, and money seized by FBI Honolulu Field Office during Operation Spring Cleaning.FBI Honolulu, with assistance from federal and local law enforcement partners, conducted 1 largescale takedown and 2 additional operations during Operation Spring Cleaning, which led to the arrests and indictments of 11 individuals, including 10 alleged members of a drug trafficking organization. After executing 27 warrants, investigators seized approximately 8 kilograms of methamphetamine, 5 kilograms of cocaine, 4 kilograms of other miscellaneous illegal drugs, 10 firearms, 11 firearm accessories, and $150,000 in U.S. currency.
Operation Spring Cleaning comes on the heels of another significant FBI Honolulu-led operation that led to the seizure of over 40 firearms – including an Uzi submachine gun, short-barreled rifles, and an AR-style pistol – and the arrest of two brothers.
FBI Honolulu and its enforcement partners seized approximately 14 kilograms of illegal narcotics as part of Operation Spring Cleaning.Investigators during Operation Spring Cleaning.
Justice Department Announces Results of Operation Spring CleaningRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice today announced the results of Operation Spring Cleaning, a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the FBI to combat gang-related threats and enhance public safety. The operation coordinated with federal, state, and local law enforcement and targeted the illegal flow of firearms and narcotics in our communities. The operation began on March 1 and ended May 31.
In total, Operation Spring Cleaning led to over 1100 arrests, over 600 charges filed, and almost 600 search warrants conducted. The operation also resulted in the seizure of:
- Almost 1000 illegal firearms, dozens of which were equipped with machine gun conversion devices (MCDs) as well as over 75 stand-alone MCDs;
- Over 2,700 pounds of illegal narcotics including
- Over 500 kilograms of cocaine or more than 1100 pounds,
- Nearly 700 pounds of methamphetamine,
- Over 550 pounds of marijuana,
- Nearly 50 kilograms of fentanyl or more than 100 pounds,
- Almost 40 kilograms of heroin or more than 85 pounds,
- More than 7 kilograms of crack cocaine or more than 16 pounds, and
- More than 13,200 pills of MDMA, also known as ecstasy or molly.
“When our neighborhoods are safe from the scourge of deadly drugs, individuals and families can prosper,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The Trump Administration has made significant progress in removing this poison from our streets, a key step in our commitment to making America safe again.”
“This FBI understands that communities across our country have been ravaged by gangs and the firearms and narcotics they flood our streets with,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Operation Spring Cleaning represents our total commitment to crushing this kind of violent crime and eliminating the criminal networks who facilitate them – with over 1,000 arrests, 1,000 firearms seized, and 3,000 pounds of narcotics removed from our neighborhoods. Righteous operations like this show this FBI is only getting started and will continue delivering the most prolific run of crime reduction in U.S. history.”
Jury finds previously convicted felon guilty of 3 armed robberiesRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal jury found a previously convicted felon guilty of seven federal robbery and firearms charges.
James Lockridge, 40, of Cincinnati, committed three armed robberies in February 2024.
“Lockridge fired shots during each robbery, endangering lives and terrorizing the workers and customers in the gas stations he robbed,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “My Office will not tolerate such violence in our communities. We will continue to aggressively prosecute—and win trials against—defendants like Lockridge. Thank you to the prosecutors and investigators on this case for their excellent work.”
The verdict was announced today following a trial that began on June 1 before U.S. District Judge Douglas R. Cole.
According to court documents and trial testimony, on Feb. 5, Feb. 10 and Feb. 21, 2024, Lockridge robbed a Cincinnati Marathon gas station. The first and third armed robberies occurred on Gilbert Avenue and the second robbery took place on Montgomery Road.
At each of the robberies, Lockridge was masked and brandished the same silver firearm. He fired his weapon and pointed it at store clerks. He also wore the same boots during each robbery and fled on foot towards a nearby apartment complex after the first and third robberies.
Lockridge was arrested 11 minutes after the third robbery. Officers discovered the firearm in his waistband.
After his arrest, officers located the boots, gloves and other clothing items used during the robberies, as well as a cash register, in and around the space where Lockridge had been residing.
As a previously convicted felon, Lockridge is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Lockridge was convicted of three counts of robbery, three counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence and one count of illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. He faces up to 20 years in prison for reach robbery and an additional 10 years in prison for using a firearm during the robberies. Illegally possessing a firearm as a previously convicted felon carries a potential sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court at a future hearing based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) announced today’s verdict. Assistant United States Attorneys Ashley N. Brucato and Danielle E. Margeaux are representing the United States in this case.
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Jury Finds Former Sacramento Man Guilty for Knowingly Misusing Money Stolen from a School DistrictRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After a four-day trial, a jury found former Sacramento resident, William A. Sassman, 58, guilty of knowingly engaging in monetary transactions with criminally derived property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to the evidence at trial, in September 2019, the Tukwila School District in Washington mistakenly wired more than $6.5 million into Sassman’s bank account. District employees were duped into sending the funds to Sassman’s account instead of the account of a legitimate construction contractor.
Sassman then used part of the stolen funds to buy two luxury watches — a Patek Philippe for $195,000 and a Richard Mille for $318,324 — plus other personal items. After the school district discovered the fraud and reported it to Sassman’s bank, the bank froze Sassman’s account and informed Sassman that it had been funded with fraudulent proceeds. Even after knowing the money was stolen, Sassman resold the watches and deposited the resulting checks into an account at another bank in Sacramento.
“The evidence at trial showed that after being told by his bank that this money didn’t belong to him, Sassman nevertheless chose to spend it on high-end watches rather than return it to its rightful owner,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Today’s verdict demonstrates that those who knowingly profit from stolen funds will be held accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Veronica M.A. Alegría and Zachary B.L. Malinski are prosecuting the case.
Sassman is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins on Sept. 25, 2026. Sassman faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or up to twice the amount of the laundered money. 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.
Joplin Man Charged with Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Joplin, Mo. man was charged in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Andre E. Swindell, 41, was charged in a one-count criminal complaint and had his initial appearance in federal court this morning.
The complaint alleges that officers with the Joplin Police Department located firearms connected to Swindell while executing search warrants at his residence in connection with a homicide investigation on Feb. 28, 2026.
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 Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Joplin, Missouri Police Department.
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.
Jacksonville Serial Robber Convicted by Jury for Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – A federal jury has found John Flowers Grissom (55, Jacksonville) guilty of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and possession of an unregistered, short-barreled rifle without a serial number. Grissom faces a minimum of 15 years, and up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
Grissom was initially charged by criminal complaint on November 20, 2024.
According to evidence presented at trial, on September 30, 2024, three young men were playing basketball in Jacksonville when one of them discovered he had lost his keys. While retracing his steps, the young man encountered Grissom and asked whether Grissom had seen his keys. Later, as the young man circled the block in a vehicle, they observed Grissom hiding outside of his residence with a short-barreled rifle equipped with a red laser. As the young men drove by Grissom’s residence, Grissom pointed the short-barreled rifle at the young men.
Fearing for their lives, the young men called the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office (JSO) and provided officers with detailed physical descriptions of Grissom, his residence, and his firearm. JSO officers responded to the residence in an attempt to make contact with Grissom. Upon arriving at the residence, the officers observed Grissom’s window lit up from inside and observed his door quickly open and shut. The officers proceeded to bang on his door and window and announced their presence outside. For more than two hours, Grissom pretended not to be home.
Ultimately, Grissom exited the home and was arrested. When interviewed, Grissom stated that he was on heavy medication and did “it” because he was scared due to recent robberies in his neighborhood. A lawful search of his residence was conducted, and officers located rifle ammunition in Grissom’s toilet, an upper receiver for an AR15-style rifle underneath the covers of his bed, and the lower receiver and stock for the rifle inside a hole in his box spring. A bolt carrier and ammunition magazine were found in the trash. The barrel of the rifle measured approximately 8.5 inches, subjecting it to regulation under the National Firearms Act (NFA). A search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record revealed that the firearm was not registered to Grissom. The firearm had been privately made and did not bear a serial number as required under the NFA. As an eleven-time convicted felon, Grissom is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition under federal law.
The jury further found that Grissom had three or more convictions for robberies that were committed on different occasions, thus subjecting him to an enhanced penalty as an Armed Career Criminal.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Cofer Taylor and Rick Lasseter.
Iranian national pleads guilty in scheme to smuggle military related technology to Iran via ChinaRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 44-year-old citizen of Iran pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to federal felonies related to his scheme to violate trade sanctions against Iran, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Reza Dindar, aka Renda Dindar was indicted by the grand jury in August 2014. Dindar was arrested in Panama in July 2025 at the request of the United States. Dindar was extradited to the U.S. in April 2026. Today he pleaded guilty to two counts of export to an embargoed country and two counts of smuggling goods from the United States. U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez scheduled sentencing for August 28, 2026.
According to records filed in the case, the smuggling in this case violates sanctions against Iran imposed by the President’s Executive Order in March 1995 and reimposed in 2001. The orders prohibit the unauthorized exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, from the United States of any goods, technology, or services to Iran or the Government of Iran; as well as the exportation or supply of goods, technology, or services to persons in third countries knowing or with reason to know that the goods, technology or services are intended for supply, trans-shipment, or re-exportation to Iran.
According to the plea agreement, between 2010 and 2014, Dindar managed a business called New Port Sourcing Solutions in Xi’an, China. The company hid the fact that it was procuring items in the U.S. for companies in Iran. It fraudulently claimed the goods were destined for China. In 2011 and 2012, Dindar and his coconspirators used deception to purchase parts for three military sonar systems from a business in the Western District of Washington. Dindar and his coconspirators claimed the systems would be used by a company in China. In fact, the plan was to ship the parts through China to Iran in violation of export controls.
Dindar pleaded guilty to two counts of export to an embargoed country and two counts of smuggling goods from the United States.
Export to an embargoed country is punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine. Smuggling goods from the U.S is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security - Office of Export Enforcement and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Panama to secure the arrest and extradition from Panama of Dindar. Significant assistance was provided by the Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS).
Illegal alien admits to exploiting fraudulent U.S. citizenship to access restricted offshore oil platformsRead the Press Release
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - A 52-year-old Mexican national unlawfully residing in the United States in Brownsville has pleaded guilty to using a stolen identity to fraudulently obtain an official permit to access offshore oil platforms, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Ezequiel Escamilla Martinez admitted he was born in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and not a U.S. citizen born in Brownsville.
From Sept. 23, 2022, to Feb. 12, 2025, he used the false identity to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential card granting access to offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of America as well as a Texas driver’s license and U.S. passport.
Martinez used the fraudulently obtained passport to cross the U.S.-Mexico border more than 80 times from 2024 through 2025.
“For years, Martinez deliberately exploited a fraudulent American identity to gain access to restricted offshore oil platforms, a U.S. passport, and a driver’s license—privileges reserved for lawful residents of this country,” said Marck. “This was a calculated scheme carried out with complete disregard for the American citizens whose livelihoods were put at risk and the security of our offshore facilities, which he had no legal right to enter. Those who abuse our immigration system to fraudulently obtain federal credentials and access our sensitive infrastructure will face the full force of federal prosecution in the Southern District of Texas”
“The Coast Guard Investigative Service remains steadfast in its mission to protect the integrity of critical infrastructure and uphold federal security regulations,” said Special Agent in Charge Damon J. Youmans, CGIS. “Following a comprehensive investigation, CGIS agents apprehended the individual responsible for fraudulent activity involving access to a federally regulated facility. We are grateful for the collaboration of our partners at the Department of Justice throughout this process and look forward to the continued prosecution of these cases to ensure the security and safety of our nation’s infrastructure.”
Sentencing is set for or Aug. 26. At that time, Martinez faces up to eight years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
CGIS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Laurence Goldman is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Honduran National Sentenced to Six Months Imprisonment After Guilty Plea to Illegal Entry into United StatesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –MAYCOL JAVIER CARCAMO-ANTUNEZ (“CARCAMO-ANTUNEZ”), age 21, a native of Honduras, was sentenced on June 4, 2026 to six (6) months imprisonment by U.S District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown after pleading guilty to illegal entry into the United States, and avoidance of examination and inspection by U.S. immigration officials, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1325(a), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, CARCAMO-ANTUNEZ, an illegal alien, was ordered removed from the United States on January 8, 2026 by an immigration judge in New Orleans. On April 15, 2026, at approximately 7:00am, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers located CARCAMO-ANTUNEZ in a vehicle in Tangipahoa Parish. Officers attempted to apprehend and arrest CARCAMO-ANTUNEZ but he accelerated his vehicle away from the officers, eventually disembarking and barricading himself inside a trailer residence in Tangipahoa Parish for over 13 hours. Immigration enforcement officers then acquired a signed criminal Complaint and Search Warrant, entered the residence and arrested CARCAMO-ANTUNEZ.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline), 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).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Immigration and Customs in investigating this matter. Special Assistant United States Attorney Rick Veters, of the General Crimes Unit oversees the prosecution.