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Thursday 23 April 2026
U.S. Attorney’s Office Partners with Judi’s Place for Kids for Therapy Dog to Support Crime Victims and WitnessesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky has partnered with Judi’s Place for Kids, a children’s advocacy center, headquartered in Pikeville, Ky., for use of their certified facility dog throughout the district.
A highly trained facility dog used in proper circumstances can reduce the stress experienced by victims and witnesses, foster connections with the prosecution team, encourage communication, and inspire a sense of trust.
Leslee is the Facility Dog for Judi's Place. Leslee or "Les" has been serving with Judi’s Place for the past seven years. Les's role is to support the children at their office and in judicial proceedings. This involves cuddling with children before and after therapy sessions, walking them to their sessions, and accompanying children as they testify in court. Les also attends many education and community events for Judi's Place. Les knows over 50 commands. Before coming to Judi's Place, Leslee trained for two years to become certified through Canine Companions.
“Protecting children and pursuing those who exploit them remains a top priority for our Office,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “This partnership with Judi’s Place for Kids enhances our ability to support victims in a trauma-informed way, strengthening our cases and our commitment to justice. During National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, we are proud to take this step forward in better serving our communities.”
“Leslee and Judi’s Place for Kids are honored for a chance to serve even more children and victims throughout the Commonwealth,” said Judi’s Place for Kids. “We cannot wait to show the difference a canine can make in the life of child victim.”
Judi’s Place for Kids – a bright solution for abused children – is a community working together promoting safety and justice, offering hope and healing so that all may thrive and reach their full potential. Judi’s Place is a non-profit established in 1999 with locations in Pikeville and Prestonsburg, serving Pike, Floyd, Johnson, Martin, and Magoffin Counties in eastern Kentucky. Judi's Place for Kids provides two programs: accredited children's advocacy center services and CASA (court-appointed special advocates) of Eastern Kentucky.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Advocates During National Crime Victims’ Rights WeekRead the Press Release
In recognition of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, Thomas E. Wheeler II, honored 18 members of federal, state, and local law enforcement at a private ceremony. The event celebrated professionals who have gone above and beyond advocating for the rights and well‑being of federal crime victims, demonstrating exceptional dedication to supporting survivors, raising awareness, and driving meaningful change in their communities.
The U.S. Attorney Office relies on a team of experienced victim‑witness professionals who listen to victims, help them navigate the criminal justice process, and ensure their voices are heard. Financial litigation and asset forfeiture teams act diligently to maximize asset recovery on behalf of victims. Every day, Assistant U.S. Attorneys appear in court to advocate for victims’ rights under the Crime Victims’ Rights Act (CVRA) and take action to protect those affected by federal crime.
In fiscal year 2025, our victim witness professionals contacted victims more than 14,000 times regarding services and court updates; asset forfeiture personnel collected more than $2.6 million in criminal restitution debts and forfeiture actions granted to victims via remission or restoration; and Financial Litigation Programs collected over $7.4 million in civil actions to enforce debts. This impressive work illustrates how our District listens, acts, and advocates on behalf of victims.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler also recognized Victim Witness Coordinators Stephanie Lloyd and Johnna Preidt, expressing gratitude for their leadership in organizing these annual efforts and for their unwavering, daily commitment to advocating for victims of crime in federal court.
The categories and honorees are listed as follows:
Victim Advocate Award honors the tireless efforts of victim advocates who work on the front lines, offering emotional support, resources, and guidance to those affected by trauma. Whether providing advocacy during legal proceedings, connecting victims with necessary services, or ensuring their voices are heard, the recipient of this award goes above and beyond to ensure that victims' rights are upheld, and their well-being is prioritized.
Awarded to:
- Susie’s Place Child Advocacy Centers
Federal Law Enforcement Victim Assistance Award recognizes the recipient’s commitment to ensuring victims' rights are upheld, providing them with compassionate support throughout investigations, and working to ensure they receive necessary resources and assistance. The recipient of this award demonstrates exceptional dedication to both the investigative process and the well-being of victims, working tirelessly to navigate the complex legal landscape while offering empathy and advocacy. It highlights their key role in bridging the gap between law enforcement and victims, helping to secure justice and support in the aftermath of crime.
Awarded to:
- Cassandra Jones, Special Agent, ATF
- Todd Bevington, Special Agent, ATF
- Kristen Hartman, Detective, IMPD
- Ryan Clark, Detective, IMPD (Retired)
Assistant United States Attorney Victim Assistance Award honors the outstanding efforts of an AUSA in providing exceptional support and advocacy for victims throughout the federal legal process. This prestigious award recognizes a deep understanding of the emotional and psychological challenges faced by victims, going above and beyond their legal duties to offer guidance, support, and resources. This distinction highlights the integral role AUSAs play in balancing the pursuit of justice with the compassionate treatment of victims.
Awarded to:
- Adam Eakman, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
- Bradley Blackington, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
- Michelle Brady, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
Support Professional Victim Assistance Award recognizes exceptional contributions to supporting victims of crime throughout the legal process, particularly in cases involving trauma or violence. This award honors the recipient’s dedication to managing the logistical and administrative aspects of cases, while also offering emotional support and compassion to victims during often difficult and overwhelming legal proceedings.
Awarded to:
- Jennifer Ross, Financial Litigation Paralegal Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana
- Molly Waldrop, Criminal Paralegal Specialist, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana
- Maurine Bwambok, Victim Witness Assistant, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana
Victim Assistance Trial Team Award recognizes the exceptional collaboration and dedication of a team working to support victims throughout the trial process. This award honors the collective efforts of law enforcement, legal professionals, victim advocates, and support staff who work together to ensure victims are informed, supported, and treated with dignity during legal proceedings. The recipients of this award have demonstrated outstanding teamwork in navigating the complexities of criminal trials, while prioritizing the needs and well-being of victims.
Awarded to:
U.S. v. Cameron Love
- Brendan Sullivan, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
- Pam Domash, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
- Shane Penney, Paralegal Specialist
- Kathy Wells, IT Systems Manager
U.S. v. Ellen Corn
- Michael Moore, Special Agent, U.S. Secret Service
- Greg Brescher, Detective Sergeant, Jasper Police Department
- Matt Miller, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana
- Tuesdae Suttles, Paralegal Specialist
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U.S. Attorney Capito to Hold Press Conference in Beckley to Announce Sentencing in over $1 Million COVID-19 Fraud CaseRead the Press Release
BECKLEY, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will hold a press conference tomorrow, Friday, April 24, 2026, outside the Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building in Beckley, following the sentencing of a Raleigh County man for theft of government money.
Ross Jay Bailey, 51, of Cool Ridge, admitted that he obtained a $2 million loan through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for his business and instead converted at least $1.4 million of the proceeds for his personal enrichment.
Bailey is one of three family members who pleaded guilty to stealing a total of more than $4 million in COVID-19 relief fund proceeds.
Capito will also provide an update on his office’s COVID-19 fraud prosecutions to date and announce the ongoing coordination with the recently established National Fraud Enforcement Division (NFED).
WHAT: Press Conference
WHEN: Friday, April 24, 2026, at 11:30 a.m. or following the conclusion of the sentencing hearing (sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10:00 a.m.)
WHERE: East Portico, Robert C. Byrd United States Courthouse and Federal Building, 110 North Heber Street, Beckley.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Two Illegal Aliens Indicted for Trafficking 3 Kilograms of Fentanyl Powder Through Fresno CountyRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment today against Santos Eliodo Irias Lobo, 36, of El Salvador, and Dariel Antonio Florentino Moncada, 21, of Honduras, charging them with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, on April 11, 2026, the defendants were traveling through Fresno County on I-5 to Oakland when law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop for speeding and other traffic violations. Lobo was the driver and presented the vehicle’s registration and an El Salvador ID card showing the name of another individual. Lobo consented to a search of the vehicle, which resulted in the discovery of three 1-kilogram packages of fentanyl powder destined for Oakland.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Sanchez is prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a fine up to $10 million. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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.
Twice-Deported El Salvadoran National Charged with Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Jose Adilio Anaya-Alas (36, El Salvador) has been charged by federal indictment with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Anaya-Alas faces up to two years in federal prison and subsequent deportation and removal from the United States. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, on September 16, 2015, and again on November 19, 2015, Anaya-Alas was removed from the United States by immigration authorities. On March 25, 2026, Anaya-Alas was found to be voluntarily back in the United States and was arrested in the Middle District of Florida. Records checks confirmed that he had not applied to U.S. immigration authorities for permission to lawfully reenter the United States after his prior removals.
This case was investigated by the Florida Highway Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the United States Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and human trafficking.
Twenty-Nine Members and Associates of Jersey City Drug Trafficking Organization Arrested with Narcotics and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – Twenty-nine members and associates of a Jersey City-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) were arrested this week with fentanyl and cocaine trafficking and firearms offenses, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
This week’s charges are the result of a long-term wiretap investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office (HCPO); Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); the New Jersey State Police; and the Jersey City Police Department. The charges—against 31 individuals—include conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl and cocaine; possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. (See chart below).
Twenty-nine defendants have been arrested in this operation so far. Twenty-six of the arrested defendants had their initial court appearances yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judges Jessica S. Allen and Michael A. Hammer in Newark federal court. Three additional defendants had their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jessica S. Allen.
“These defendants operated a large-scale drug trafficking enterprise that distributed massive quantities of dangerous drugs, like fentanyl and cocaine. That ended this week. Through the incredible, collaborative work of our federal, state, and local partners, we arrested 29 of these purveyors of poison, seized kilogram quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, and took numerous firearms off the street. We will continue to work tirelessly to accomplish our mission – protect the people of New Jersey, drive down violent crime, and shut the flow of dangerous drugs into this District.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Homeland Security Investigations Newark remains steadfast in its commitment to protect New Jersey communities from the threat of criminal organizations trafficking deadly drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl,” said HSI Newark Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy. “Through the Homeland Security Task Force framework, and in close partnership with our federal, state, and local counterparts, we are sharing intelligence and resources, identifying regional distributors and suppliers, and dismantling violent gangs linked to transnational criminal networks. Today’s operation marks a decisive step forward in our ongoing efforts to stem the flow of illicit opioids, secure our borders, and confront the fentanyl crisis that endangers lives across our state. New Jersey is safer as a result of these actions, and HSI Newark will continue to pursue those who threaten our communities with relentless determination.”
“These arrests send a clear message that ATF, alongside our federal, state and local law enforcement partners will not tolerate the dangerous combination of drug trafficking and firearms. This case exemplifies our dedication to dismantling criminal enterprises that threaten the safety of our communities and the lives of our citizens,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s New York Field Office is proud to have contributed to this operation alongside our federal, state, and local partners,” said New York Director of Field Operations Frank Russo. “More than 70 CBP officers, including SRT warrant entry teams, brought critical expertise to this effort, while CBP’s Air and Marine Operations provided essential aerial support. The arrest of dozens of suspected gang members and associates, along with the seizure of firearms, narcotics, and illicit proceeds reflects the professionalism and dedication of the task force teams. We remain committed to protecting our communities and disrupting violent criminal organizations.”
“This outcome is the direct result of law enforcement at all levels, including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, HSI, and ATF, working together to make neighborhoods safer. I commend the members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics and Gang Task Force for their professionalism throughout this investigation, and thank all of our law enforcement partners who made this operation a success,” said Prosecutor Wayne Mello of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.
“This takedown sends a clear and unmistakable message: drug trafficking will not be tolerated in our communities. This operation is the result of seamless coordination among federal, state, county, and local law enforcement—standing united against those who profit from poisoning our streets,” said Jeanne Hengemuhle, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “These dangerous drugs destroy lives, fuel violence, and erode the safety of our neighborhoods. This operation strikes at the heart of that threat, but our work is far from over. We will relentlessly pursue, dismantle, and hold accountable those who endanger our communities, with unwavering resolve and an unyielding commitment to public safety.”
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
The defendants are members and associates of a Jersey City-based drug trafficking organization that operated and distributed narcotics in the areas of Mrytle Avenue and Mallory Avenue in Jersey City and elsewhere. During the investigation, law enforcement obtained multiple court orders authorizing the interception of wire and electronic communications occurring over multiple cell phones used for the drug trafficking organization’s activities. Law enforcement also used other investigative techniques including controlled drug purchases using confidential sources, mobile and fixed surveillance, and phone record analysis.
The investigation revealed that the DTO distributes large quantities of suspected fentanyl and cocaine. During the investigation, law enforcement conducted more than a dozen controlled drug buys, including substances that tested positive for fentanyl, from various members of the organization. On April 22, 2026, law enforcement executed dozens of search warrants for premises, vehicles, and other locations and seized more than approximately 15 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, three kilograms of suspected cocaine, a kilogram press, nineteen firearms, high-capacity magazines, a bulletproof vest, and more than $160,000 in cash. Two additional firearms were seized earlier in the investigation.
The count charging conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute carries a maximum potential penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment, a mandatory minimum penalty of 5 years’ imprisonment, and a maximum fine of $5 million. The counts charging possession with intent to distribute each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a maximum fine of $1,000,000. The counts charging possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon carry a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment and a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents and task force officers with HSI, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael S. McCarthy; special agents with ATF, Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka; the HCPO, under the direction of Prosecutor Wayne Mello; special agents of the IRS-CI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan; the Jersey City Police Department, led by Chief of Police Robert J. Kearns; the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Acting Superintendent Lt. Colonel (Ret.) Jeanne Hengemuhle; and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Port Director TenaVel Thomas, with the investigation leading to the charges in this case.
This investigation was conducted as part of the Jersey City Violent Crime Initiative (VCI). The VCI was formed in 2018 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Jersey City Police Department, for the sole purpose of combatting violent crime in and around Jersey City. As part of this partnership, federal, state, county, and city agencies collaborate to strategize and prioritize the prosecution of violent offenders who endanger the safety of the community. The VCI is composed of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the ATF, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) New Jersey Division, the U.S. Marshals, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey State Parole, the Hudson County Jail, and the New Jersey State Police Regional Operations and Intelligence Center/Real Time Crime Center.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), which 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.
This investigation is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney John Maloy with the Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark, with invaluable assistance from Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Assistant Prosecutor Erica Bertuzzi.
The charges and allegations contained in the complaints are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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DEFENDANTS
Defendant NameChargesPotential PenaltiesDefense CounselJAMAAR MCGEACHY, a/k/a “Mooky”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsAidan O’Connor, Esq.JOHNEL DUNLAP, a/k/a, “Supreme”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsMichael T. Simon, Esq.ALBERT CLAWSON, a/k/a, “Pop”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsLaurie M. Fierro, Esq.ROBERT SAWH21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsJohn Azzarello, Esq.NAKIA WIGGINS21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsStacy Biancamano, Esq.KION AMAKER, a/k/a, “Scooby”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsMaximillian A. Novel, Esq.KENNETH HAYWARD, a/k/a, “Cutty” 21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsTBDJIMMY LEE COOPER, a/k/a “Flip”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsPasquale Giannetta, Esq.CHRISTOPHER DANGELO, JR.21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsJoseph Amsel, Esq.SHANE IRBY21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsAdrien Moncur, Esq.RAHEAN BROWN, a/k/a, “Rah Rah”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsTBDSHAON GRIFFIN21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsCharles Alvarez, Esq.DURAN WILLIAMS, a/k/a, “D Nice”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsDavid E. Schafer, Esq.OMAR SISAY21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsMichael Pappa, Esq.HENRY BEATO21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsRoberto Espinosa, Esq.KEVIN HAMPTON, a/k/a, “CB”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsJacqueline E. Cistaro, Esq.DWIGHT MCGEACHY21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsJulian Wilsey, Esq.BRUCE TAYLOR21 U.S.C. § 846, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)5 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 years; up to 15 yearsLinda Foster, Esq.JAMAHL DANIELS21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsCharles McKenna, Esq.THOMAS NESMITH21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsErnesto Cerimele, Esq.YUSEF GREENE21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsAlyssa A. Cimino, Esq.IKECHI ANAELE, a/k/a “Ike”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsBruce A. Levy, Esq.RASHONDA RIVERS21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsLaura K. Gasiorowski, Esq.SEQUANNA RIVERS21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsJoel Silberman, Esq.RAMERE PARKER, a/k/a “Parks”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsMichael Rubas, Esq.ABDUL RAMSEY21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsKathleen Theurer, Esq.JEREMY POWELL, a/k/a “O Dog"21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsWilliam Strazza, Esq.KASIB JOHNSON, a/k/a “Peso”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsKevin A. Buchan, Esq.BASHIR ALLEN, a/k/a “Barshir Allen”21 U.S.C. § 8465 year mandatory minimum, up to 40 yearsPerry Primavera, Esq.SHAYNE LOVE21 U.S.C. § 841Up to 20 yearsTBDMANEL SMITH21 U.S.C. § 841, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)Up to 20 years; up to 15 yearsTBDRASHID SALEEM21 U.S.C. § 841, 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)Up to 20 years; up to 15 yearsTBDTuolumne County Man Convicted for Receiving and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Following a three-day jury trial, Stephen Tyler Prock, 58, of Jamestown, was found guilty today of receipt and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, as well as testimony and evidence presented at trial, between May 2018 and March 2020, Prock used his desktop computer to receive and distribute over a hundred videos depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Prock used the peer-to-peer file sharing network Shareaza to download and share the CSAM with others. Additional CSAM was in the process of being downloaded to Prock’s computer when agents arrived at his residence to execute a search warrant.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brittany M. Gunter and Calvin Lee are prosecuting the case.
Prock is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston on July 27, 2026. Prock faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, a maximum of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. 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.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Three sentenced for roles in deadly transnational human smuggling operation following HSTF and JTFA investigationRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – More sentences have been imposed in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in the death of a Guatemalan man and several other dangerous events, including a rollover crash, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Dagoberto Mizzael Flores, 25, Laredo, and Mexican nationals David Alejandro Gomez-Flores, 30, and Martha Angelica Limon Parra, 30, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport an illegal alien causing serious bodily injury and resulting in death.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now imposed a 240-month-term of imprisonment for Gomez-Flores, while Parra and Flores received sentences of 135 months and 60 months, respectively. Not U.S. citizens, Gomez-Flores and Parra are expected to face removal proceedings, while Flores must also serve three years of supervised release following his imprisonment.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence describing numerous instances in which aliens transported by the organization had to be “rescued” or were otherwise injured during their journeys. The court also heard evidence regarding Gomez-Flores’ involvement with Los Fantasmas, a Laredo-based gang working with Cartel del Noreste to smuggle aliens once they reached the United States. In imposing sentence, Judge Marmolejo emphasized the extensive and lucrative nature of the operation—which involved the movement of thousands of aliens—and each defendant’s reckless disregard for human life.
Mexican national Cynthia Gabriela Muniz-Carreon, 31, and Guatemalan national Edy Lima-Flores, 38, also pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced to 135 and 240 months, respectively. Lima Flores was also ordered to pay a $150,000 fine.
All five were part of a transnational human smuggling organization responsible for moving illegal aliens across the southern border of Texas. In one week alone, the organization generated approximately $79,000 in smuggling proceeds.
Authorities identified Muniz-Carreon and Parra as Mexico-based coordinators for the organization. Evidence showed that both participated in a WhatsApp group chat titled “La Oficina,” which the organization used to coordinate human smuggling activity. The group maintained detailed ledgers and color-coded spreadsheets.
Although many of the aliens were from Guatemala, the smuggling group instructed them to falsely claim Mexican nationality. This tactic exploited U.S. immigration procedure by ensuring the aliens would be removed to Mexico instead of their home country which made it faster and easier for the organization to smuggle them back into the United States.
Lima-Flores was the organization’s Laredo-based transportation coordinator who hired Flores, while Gomez-Flores served as stash house coordinator responsible for receiving aliens from Mexico and illegally harboring them in Laredo. Gomez-Flores had been involved with the organization since at least 2022 and received more than $330,000 for helping conceal and transport aliens illegally.
On July 2, 2024, Flores was driving a Ford F-150 transporting aliens. He fled when authorities attempted a traffic stop. The aliens scattered into the brush, including a Guatemalan national who became separated from the group. The investigation revealed he had repeatedly contacted Lima-Flores and Muniz-Carreon asking for help and sharing his location. Muniz-Carreon told him to stay well hidden and be patient. Authorities later found him deceased. His cause of death was determined to be from heat exhaustion, with temperatures reaching 100 degrees that day.
The investigation also revealed additional smuggling incidents dating back to 2022, including one in which an alien became so weak and delirious that he could no longer walk through the brush. Authorities also linked the same organization to a smuggling event April 19, 2024, that resulted in a rollover crash near Laredo. A Guatemalan alien involved in the crash suffered serious back injuries and required hospitalization.
Gomez-Flores, Parra and Flores have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, Laredo Police Department Gang Unit, Border Patrol, Texas Department of Public Safety, Encinal Police Department, Customs and Border Protection and CBP Air and Marine Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Day prosecuted the case.
This operation is now part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF South Texas comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Invesitgations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation/IRS; Interpol/Department of State and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
The investigation and charges are also a result of coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha, a partnership with Department of Homeland Security which has been elevated and expanded with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border, including the Southern District of California, Districts of Arizona and New Mexico and Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners.
To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 455 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 400 U.S. convictions; more than 350 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Three Individuals Sentenced for Separate Federal Gun Crimes in Rapid CityRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced three individuals for separate gun crimes. The individuals were sentenced on April 20, 2026.
Oscar Ortiz-Romero, 34, a Mexican national, was convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person and sentenced to time served after having been held for over a year. Ortiz-Romero was pulled over by the Box Elder Police Department on March 15, 2025, for speeding. He was driving while intoxicated. Ortiz-Romero is in the United States unlawfully and is expected to be deported. In the vehicle, Ortiz-Romero had a loaded pistol and, in his pocket, had ammunition. It is unlawful for an illegal alien to possess a firearm or ammunition. Ortiz-Romero was immediately turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities.
Avalon Gayton, 23, of Rapid City, was convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person and sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. On September 5, 2025, Rapid City police officers initiated a traffic stop on Gayton’s vehicle. Gayton had a pistol in her possession. She had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by over a year in prison. It is a federal felony to possess a firearm or ammunition after such a conviction.
Ashton Shaw, 20, of Rapid City, was convicted of Receipt of a Firearm While Under Indictment and sentenced to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. On June 12, 2025, Rapid City police officers responded to a report of shots fired from a vehicle. Law enforcement found the vehicle and determined Shaw had been inside it moments earlier. Officers found a stolen pistol with an extended magazine inside the car. Shaw received and possessed this pistol after being indicted with a felony in South Dakota State Circuit Court. It is a federal felony to receive a firearm while charged for such a crime.
“These cases reflect this Administration’s ongoing commitment to reducing gun violence and keeping our communities as safe as they can possibly be,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “It is illegal under federal law for a convicted felon to possess a gun or ammunition, for an illegal alien to possess a gun or ammunition, and for someone under indictment for a felony to acquire a gun or ammunition. If you are aware of a felon in possession of a gun, or any other violation of federal gun laws, please report it to law enforcement right away. You can do so without giving your name and you may well be saving someone’s life.”
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
The first case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, and the Box Elder Police Department. The second and third cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted these cases.
All three individuals were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Tallahassee Felon Indicted for Gun & Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Christopher Lamar Daniels, 47, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for possession with intent to distribute multiple controlled substances, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charge.
Daniels appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for June 15, 2026, at 8:15 am before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle in Tallahassee, Florida.
Daniels faces a minimum mandatory prison sentence of 10 years’, and up to life, imprisonment on the drug possession count, and a consecutive five years’ imprisonment for carrying a firearm during a drug-trafficking crime. If his prior felony convictions are determined to qualify him as an Armed Career Criminal, Davis faces a minimum mandatory 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to life, if convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
St. Louis Nonprofit Executive Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for $2.3 Million Dollar Student Meal FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Rodney W. Sippel on Thursday sentenced the woman who fraudulently obtained $2.3 million in funds intended to feed hungry Missouri children to 41 months in prison.
Judge Sippel also ordered Cymone McClellan, 33, of St. Louis, to forfeit the vehicles and real estate that she spent meal money to buy and pay back the rest of the money that she obtained.
McClellan operated a nonprofit, Sister of Lavender Rose (S.O.L.R.), that submitted false and fraudulent meal reimbursement claims to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services from about January 2019 to June 2022. Terra Davis, now 44, was McClellan’s second-in-command at S.O.L.R. and aided in the scheme.
At the start of McClellan’s enrollment with the state program in 2019, she submitted fraudulent management plans falsely claiming that her finance director, who was not truly a signor on S.O.L.R.’s account, would sign all checks and provide financial oversight. “These lies demonstrate that Defendant McClellan made a calculated effort from the beginning of her participation in the state’s meal program to enrich herself at the expense of hungry children in our community,” a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman says.
McClellan and Davis submitted false reimbursement claims for a total of 860,876 meals that they purportedly supplied to Missouri children but S.O.L.R. only purchased enough food and milk to serve fewer than a quarter of those meals. McClellan also provided dozens of bogus attendance sheets to DHSS to bolster her false claims.
McClellan’s fraud spiked after the COVID-19 pandemic prevented the state from conducting regular in-person audits—and after the state allowed non-profits to run drive-thru meal services, the sentencing memo says.
S.O.L.R. submitted management plans to DHSS falsely asserting that state meal reimbursement dollars were spent only in connection with the provision of meals to low-income children, and that the nonprofit did not use meal money to make purchases over $5,000. McClellan spent $60,000 for the down payment on a house in Collinsville, Illinois and another $86,172 on a house in Florissant, Missouri. She spent almost $135,000 in student meal money more to buy five vehicles: a 2021 Chevrolet Traverse, a 2012 Chevrolet Express G3500 van, a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Metris van, a 2012 Ford E350 box truck and a 2018 Lexus RX SUV.
“Cymone McClellan caused lasting damage to the program meant to feed hungry Missouri children, not only by stealing $2.3 million that should have gone to student meals but by diminishing public support and increasing cynicism through her corruption,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus.
“Fraud targeting programs designed to feed children is particularly egregious,” said Inspector General John Walk for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. “This non-profit owner exploited a USDA program meant to feed low-income children during the coronavirus pandemic by submitting $2.3 million in reimbursement claims for providing meals the organization never served. Instead, the defendant lived lavishly off tax-payer dollars by spending the funds on two homes and five vehicles. Stealing from an emergency relief program meant to provide food to needy children for personal gain is depraved. This guilty plea reflects USDA OIG’s commitment to aggressively pursue those who commit fraud against USDA nutrition programs. I commend SAC Matthew Wilkins for his work on this investigation and thank the United States Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their continued collaboration in holding the defendant accountable.”
“For the second time in as many months, we are holding accountable individuals who exploited programs meant to feed children for their own personal gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Cymone McClellan diverted approximately 75% of the taxpayer funds entrusted to her nonprofit over a three-year period. While children in the St. Louis area went without meals, she used those funds to pay for homes, vehicles, and luxury items. Let this case serve as a clear warning: those who steal from programs designed to serve our most vulnerable will be identified, investigated, and brought to justice.”
McClellan pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May of 2025 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.Judge Sippel sentenced Davis, who also pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, to five years of probation in June of 2025 and ordered her to repay $2.3 million.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
St. Francis Man Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a St. Francis, South Dakota, man convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on April 20, 2026.
Julian Arcoren, age 37, was sentenced to time served through April 20, 2026, equal to approximately 15 months in custody, followed by three of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Arcoren was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. He pleaded guilty on March 4, 2026.
On January 3, 2024, in St. Francis, Arcoren distributed methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance. This case was investigated by Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Arcoren was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
South Texas woman arrested for posing as federal agent in two separate fraud schemesRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A 29-year-old Brownsville resident is now in federal custody for impersonating a federal agent and wire fraud, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Mayra Collins is expected to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Julie Hampton April 30 at 9:45 a.m.
According to the now unsealed five-count indictment, Collins fraudulently posed as a federal agent with various agencies in 2022 and again in 2025.
She had first allegedly posed as an immigration officer employed by the United States to carry out a Visa fraud scheme. The charges allege she falsely represented she could expedite the process for obtaining U.S. Visas and took money from four victims.
In 2025, Collins pretended to be a Border Patrol agent with influence in the hiring of employees, according to the indictment. She allegedly told another victim there were job positions available, but they would have to send money to her for uniforms and ballistic vests prior to beginning employment.
The charges allege Collins never worked for the United States and had no power to provide victims of her schemes with Visas or employment with BP.
If convicted, Collins faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the two wire fraud counts as well as another three years for the impersonation charges. She could also be ordered to pay a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
CBP - Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the investigation in a coordinated effort with the FBI’s McAllen Border Corruption Task Force with assistance from the Cameron County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bird and Tyler Foster are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Six Defendants Charged with Participating in Violent Spree of Carjackings and a Home Invasion Robbery in Queens, Brooklyn, and on Long IslandRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal court in Brooklyn, an 11-count indictment was unsealed charging Leny Cruz, Brandon Corona, Eddie Nunez, Jose Ramos, Savion Jones, and Justin Kenny with variously committing carjacking, attempted carjacking, Hobbs Act robbery conspiracy, being a felon in possession of ammunition, and interstate transportation of stolen property. Nunez was arrested yesterday in Mount Vernon, New York, arraigned this afternoon before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon, and ordered detained pending trial. The other defendants are in state custody in New York City and Suffolk County and will be arraigned at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF), announced the charges.
“As alleged, these defendants used violence to threaten and intimidate, turning their victims’ everyday routines into terrifying ordeals,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Armed carjackings and robberies strike at the core of community safety, and our Office will continue to work tirelessly to protect our community from violent predators.”
“The pattern of violent carjackings and home invasion robberies alleged in this case is exactly the type of gun-related violence ATF and our partners are working to stop,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo. “Through coordinated enforcement and timely intelligence sharing, we are disrupting those responsible and preventing further harm. This case reflects the impact of strong partnerships and a shared commitment to protecting our communities. Special thanks to the diligent efforts of ATF/NYPD’s Strategic Pattern Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (SPARTA) Group, NYPD’s Queens Robbery Squad, USAO Eastern District NY, Suffolk County DA and Suffolk County Police.”
As set forth in court filings, between July 12, 2025, and August 2, 2025, the defendants engaged in a sprawling and violent carjacking and robbery scheme, among other crimes, which involved stealing numerous luxury vehicles, cash, and other possessions from several victims.
On July 12, 2025, Cruz and Ramos carried out a carjacking of a BMW M240i from the driveway of a home in Malba, Queens. Less than a week later, on the evening of July 17, 2025, Cruz and Corona carried out a carjacking of another victim’s BMW M3 in the parking lot of a smoke shop in Queens, New York. Several hours later on July 18, 2025, Corona and Nunez carried out an armed carjacking of a BMW 540 stopped at a red light on Prince Street in Flushing, Queens, pistol-whipping the victim. The following day, on July 19, 2025, Corona shot a victim twice in the leg on Blake Avenue in Brooklyn. Then, on July 24, 2025, Corona and Nunez carried out carjacking of a BMW X5 luxury SUV from another victim in Bayside, Queens.
On July 30, 2025, Cruz engaged in an attempted home invasion robbery of an individual in Orlando, Florida, who was involved in drug trafficking. Cruz then fled from Florida to Brooklyn in a stolen vehicle used during the robbery. On August 2, 2025, Cruz, Jones, and Kenny engaged in a home invasion robbery of a residence in North Amityville, Long Island, where they entered the residence with firearms and stole a large quantity of money.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of all charges, Cruz, Corona, and Nunez face up to life imprisonment; Ramos faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment; and Jones and Kenny face up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephen H. Petraeus and Alessandra V. Rafalson are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Marlane Bosler.
The Defendants:
LENNY CRUZ
Age: 23
Brooklyn, NYBRANDON CORONA
Age: 23
Brooklyn, NYEDDIE NUNEZ
Age: 28
Brooklyn, NYJOSE RAMOS
Age: 21
Bay Shore, NYSAVION JONES
Age: 22
Huntington Station, NYJUSTIN KENNY
Age: 24
West Babylon, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No 26-CR-103 (PKC)
26-cr-103_detention_letter_filed.pdfSioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 9 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of Child Pornography. The sentencing took place on April 21, 2026.
Alexander Juan Cotton, age 28, was sentenced to nine years and two months in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in the amount of $100. Once released from federal prison, Cotton will have to register as a sex offender.
Cotton was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 27, 2026.
The conviction stemmed from incidents between May 2, 2024, and June 13, 2024, when Cotton possessed over 300 images and videos of child pornography including of victims as young as 1-2 years old. Cotton obtained these files over the internet and through various online platforms including Telegram and Mega.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Ebert-Webb prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by 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.
Cotton was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shreveport Man Whose House Shamar Elkins Fled to Charged with Illegally Possessing Firearms While under Domestic Violence InjunctionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT– On April 23, 2026, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana charged Michael Mayence, a 54-year-old Shreveport resident, by criminal complaint with illegally possessing a firearm while being subject to a domestic violence injunction. Mayence faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the charge.
“Shamar Elkins’ heinous acts have shined a bright light on the danger that domestic violence presents, and the fact that he fled to the home of a man who himself illegally possessed firearms while being subject to a domestic violence order reflects the need to deter this illegal conduct,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “This ongoing investigation shows our Office’s commitment alongside our law enforcement partners to fully investigate this tragic situation.”
“The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)’s mission is to prevent, reduce, and solve violent crime, especially firearm related violence,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “This arrest by ATF is to prevent further risk to the public from an individual who is prohibited to have firearms and demonstrated to law enforcement, through the ongoing mass shooting investigation, as a continued threat to public safety.”
After committing a mass shooting on April 19, 2026, Shamar Elkins fled from law enforcement to his associate Mayence’s home in Bossier Parish. After the scene was made safe, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Mayence’s home, which revealed that several firearms were inside the home. A review of Mayence’s criminal history revealed that he had been subject to an active domestic violence protection order since October 2024, with the order having been served on Mayence in December 2024 and lasting until May 2026, all of which prohibits him from possessing firearms under federal law.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
ATF investigated this case alongside the Louisiana State Police, Shreveport Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford with assistance from Legal Assistant Amanda Morgan.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer. The case number for this matter is 26-mj-00107-01.
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CONTACT: Public Affairs [email protected]
United States Attorney’s Office www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Western District of Louisiana Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Seminole County Resident Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering and Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Rachel Leah Sitton, a/k/a Rachel L. Sitton, a/k/a Rachel Sitton, a/k/a Rachel Leah Chesser, a/k/a Rachel Chesser, age 42, of Konawa, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, punishable by a term of up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, and one count of Money Laundering, punishable by a term of up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that from in or about January 2021, and continuing through in or about March 2021, Sitton agreed and conspired to devise a scheme and artifice to defraud and to obtain money and property by means of false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises, through wire communications in interstate commerce, certain signals and sounds for the purpose of executing a scheme and artifice to defraud Customers Bank and the Small Business Administration.
The Indictment further alleged that on or about March 18, 2021, Sitton knowingly engaged in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property of a value greater than $10,000.00, that is a cashier’s check in the amount of $20,000.00 in U.S. currency, derived from the specified unlawful activity of Wire Fraud.
The charges arose from an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Secret Service, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Sitton is released on bond with conditions pending sentencing.Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers Targeting AmericansRead the Press Release
Warrant to Seize Property Subject to Forfeiture by Telephone
Jiang Wen Jie Criminal Complaint
Huang Xingshan Criminal Complaint
Application for a Warrant to Seize Property Subject to Forfeiture
The Department of Justice, through U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Criminal Division, together with its partners, today announced a series of coordinated actions by the Scam Center Strike Force against Southeast Asian criminal organizations operating scam centers that have defrauded Americans of billions of dollars.
The Scam Center Strike Force’s actions include criminal charges against two Chinese nationals who managed a cryptocurrency investment fraud compound in Burma and attempted to open another compound in Cambodia, the seizure of a Telegram messaging app channel used to recruit human trafficking victims to a scam compound in Cambodia in order to work a law enforcement impersonation scam, and the seizure of 503 fake invesment websites, among other actions.
Additionally, the Strike Force has continued to identify funds involved in money laundering from scam centers, seeking to seize and forfeit the same, and collectively the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department’s Criminal Division, and their partners have restrained more than $700 million in cryptocurrency alleged to be tied to money laundering from cryptocurrency scams.
Also today, in a coordinated interagency action, the Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against Cambodian scam center operators, and the Department of State announced rewards for information leading to the seizure or recovery of proceeds related to the Tai Chang scam center in Burma.
“The President’s Executive Order Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens establishes a clear, whole-of-government strategy to confront cyber-enabled crime and transnational scam operations – bringing together law enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic, and financial tools in a unified effort,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “Building on that direction, the Scam Center Strike Force launched in November 2025 has delivered real operational results and reflects the kind of focused action this strategy demands. Together, these efforts are driving a coordinated campaign to disrupt and impose consequences on the transnational criminal organizations behind these schemes.”
“Today we announce significant milestones in that fight,” Pirro continued. “We have charged the Chinese bosses who ran a scam compound in Burma, where trafficked workers were beaten and forced to steal from Americans. We have seized a Telegram channel that was luring workers into a forced labor compound in Cambodia where they were ordered to pose as U.S. banks and NYPD to steal American’s life savings. We have taken down more than 500 websites used to steal people’s savings. And my Office continues to work to identify funds stolen from victims, having now caused restraint of more than $700 million in cryptocurrency involved in money laundering from U.S. victims of fraud. This Administration is lock-step in combatting these scams, and we are not done.”
“The Department’s Criminal Division is proud to partner with U.S. Attorney Pirro’s office on the latest enforcement actions of the Scam Center Strike Force to stop foreign-based criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas may believe that they cannot be reached, but the Department of Justice and our Strike Force partners are working to ensure that these criminals cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside.”
Joining today’s announcement were FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher G. Raia, U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) Assistant Director Brent Daniels, Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg, and Department of the Treasury’s Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Jonathan Burke.
“Eliminating fraud is a top priority for the Trump Administration,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Treasury will continue to target fraudsters and scam centers that steal billions of dollars from hardworking Americans, no matter where they operate or how well-connected they are.”
“The FBI remains committed to protecting Americans from fraud, holding perpetrators accountable, and leveraging partnerships, intelligence, and enforcement to safeguard the public,” said FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher G. Raia. “These joint actions represent a significant blow to transnational criminal organizations preying upon our American citizens.”
“The Scam Center Strike Force has been a collaborative effort since its formation,” said Assistant Director of Field Operations Brent Daniels of U.S. Secret Service. “The Secret Service is proud to be a part of this group, which is dedicated to pursuing the criminal networks that rely on our online and financial infrastructure to target American citizens.”
“The Department of State, in support of the Department of Justice’s Scam Center Strike Force, is announcing two reward offers under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program to disrupt cyber scam centers in Southeast Asia and hold accountable those who prey on Americans online,” said Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “Under the leadership of Secretary Rubio, the State Department, together with our partners, will continue to protect the American people from cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes perpetrated by these insidious scam centers.”
Background: Cyber-Enabled and Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud in Southeast Asian Scam Centers
Cyber-enabled and cryptocurrency investment fraud (referred to by the scammers as “pig butchering”) is among the fastest growing and most financially devastating forms of cybercrime targeting Americans. In these schemes, victims are cultivated over time and deceived into depositing funds into fraudulent investment platforms that appear to show substantial returns. In reality, all victim funds flow directly to the scammers. The scam continues until the victim runs out of money or discovers the fraud, at which point the scammers cease contact.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), investment scams became the most commonly reported crime type in 2023, with cryptocurrency investment fraud comprising 83 percent of that category. Reported losses from these scams rose from $3.96 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion in 2024. Reported losses rose 24 percent in 2025 to over $7.2 billion, according to IC3’s newly released 2025 annual report. Those figures, based largely on victim reports, are believed to significantly underrepresent actual losses, as most victims do not report to law enforcement. According to the United States Institute of Peace, a conservative estimate of the annual value of funds stolen by scam syndicates worldwide approached $64 billion as of the end of 2023.
Many of these schemes are run out of industrial-scale compounds along the Burma-Thailand border and in Cambodia. Criminal syndicates often lure workers to Thailand with promises of high-paying technical jobs, then seize their identification documents and traffic them to work in scam compounds. Within the compounds, trafficked workers are frequently forced to conduct fraud operations against victims in the United States and elsewhere under threat of violence. Public reporting on these compounds has documented beatings, electrocutions, and murder.
Criminal Charges: Shunda Compound, Min Let Pan, Burma
The Strike Force unsealed criminal complaints and arrest warrants against two Chinese nationals in connection with cryptocurrency investment fraud operations at the Shunda compound in Min Let Pan, Burma: two managers in the compound, Huang Xingshan, also known as “Ah Zhe,” and “Huang Xing Saan” and Jiang Wen Jie, also known as “Jiang Nan.” They are charged with wire fraud conspiracy.
Aerial surveillance photo of the Shunda compound in Burma, where forced-labor conducted fraud operations under threat of violence.The Shunda compound operated from at least January 2025 until approximately November 2025, when it was seized by the Karen National Liberation Army of Burma. The compound used scam websites and mobile applications disguised as legitimate investment platforms to defraud victims, including Americans. Workers within the compound were trafficked individuals who were held against their will and forced to defraud victims under the threat of violence and torture.
The FBI deployed personnel to Thailand following the compound’s seizure. Working with Thai authorities, including the Anti-Cyber Scam Center task force of the Royal Thai Police, FBI agents reviewed thousands of mobile devices and hard drives recovered from Shunda. Agents also interviewed tens of former compound workers. That investigation identified a hierarchical organization of Chinese operators running the compound and supported the charges against the two defendants.
Phones seized from the Shunda compound.According to the investigation, Huang served at Shunda as a high-level manager and enforcer and personally participated in the physical punishment of trafficked compound workers. Jiang served as a team leader directly supervising workers who specifically targeted American victims. Under Jiang’s supervision, one of the people under his command successfully defrauded a single American victim of over $3 million utilizing a fraudulent investment platform. The theft was celebrated within the organization as a paradigm of success.
The interior of one of the buildings in the Shunda compound in Burma.After the Shunda compound was seized, Huang and Jiang relocated to another scam compound located in Cambodia where they attempted to continue their cryptocurrency investment fraud operation. In early 2026, Huang and Jiang decided to return to Burma, traveling through Thailand.
Huang and Jiang were arrested on immigration charges by Thai law enforcement in early 2026 in Thailand. The case is being investigated by FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from the FBI Legal Attaché in Bangkok and Thai authorities including the Anti-Cyber Scam Center task force of the Royal Thai Police.
The Strike Force conducted a first-of-its-kind seizure of a Telegram channel with more than 6,000 followers that was used to recruit individuals to travel to Cambodia under false promises of high-paying employment. Once there, recruited workers were held against their will and forced to defraud victims, including Americans, as part of a sophisticated law enforcement impersonation scheme.
The Telegram channel included postings for jobs in Cambodia that were specifically for workers who spoke with “American” accents, would work a night shift (i.e., during U.S. daytime hours), and some specifically sought attractive female candidates. The Telegram channel was connected to a scam compound in rural Cambodia near the Thai border.
The Telegram channel that was used to recruit individuals to work in Cambodia. A job post on the Telegram channel.Once at the scam compound, the scam workers specifically targeted U.S. persons. In the fraud scheme, victims received cold calls from individuals posing as bank representatives, including impersonators of JPMorgan or other U.S. bank customer service agents, warning them that their bank accounts had been used to purchase firearms from an actual U.S. gun store website. Victims were then transferred to individuals posing as “NYPD detectives” or other supposed law enforcement, and later sent to the “New York Supreme Court” or other purported prosecutorial officials. Through sustained pressure conducted over WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams, victims were induced to disclose their bank account information and ultimately transfer their savings to the scammers.
Individuals posed as bank representatives, worked from a script, and told their intended victims that their bank accounts had been used to purchase firearms from a gun store website.The Telegram seizure case is being handled by FBI’s Miami Field Office, USSS Headquarters, and investigators at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. As part of the Strike Forces’s efforts at public-private collaboration on the scam center threat, after being alerted by law enforcement, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, and Meta voluntarily took internal investigative measures to combat the fraud operating on their systems and occurring under their names.
503 Web Domain Seizures
The Strike Force announced the seizure of more than 503 .com web domains identified through the Operation Level Up initiative as having been used to defraud U.S. victims. The seized domains all were disguised as legitimate “investment platforms,” which victims reported to law enforcement were causing them to unknowingly deposit cryptocurrency funds and view supposed “returns” on what they believed were legitimate investments.
Operation Level Up, established in January 2024, by FBI and USSS is an ongoing proactive initiative to identify and notify victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud. As of March 2026: (i) Operation Level Up has notified 8,935 victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud; (ii) 77% of those victims were unaware they were being scammed; (iii) the estimated savings to victims is $562,726,245 of monies they otherwise would have sent to their scammers; and (iv) ninety-three victims have been referred to an FBI victim specialist for suicide intervention due to the devastating nature of these scams. Some victims have reported to law enforcement that—prior to being notified by the FBI about the scam—they were in the process of liquidating their 401K, selling their home, or obtaining a sizable loan. One elderly victim was surviving on disability pay; he had already paid the scammers $1,200 and would have cut into money he needed for food to pay more. Each of the 503 .com domains seized was identified by a victim contacted by Operation Level Up and involved in laundering that victim’s cryptocurrency funds.
Visitors to these domains are now informed on a splash page that it has been seized by law enforcement. The investigation was conducted by the Operation Level Up Initiative, with the FBI’s Detroit and Phoenix Field Offices handling the seizure with support from investigators at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Examples of the seized domains that were disguised as legitimate investment platforms, causing victims to unknowingly deposit funds.Restraint of Cryptocurrency Involved in Money Laundering from Scams
The Scam Center Strike Force continues its work to identify, seize, and forfeit funds involved in money laundering related to scams, so that funds can be returned to victims whenever possible. Under leadership from the FBI and the USSS, more than $701,962,392.15 million in cryptocurrency has been identified as allegedly involved in laundering of funds stolen from victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud and restrained through voluntary actions of cryptocurrency providers, as well as U.S. legal process. The Strike Force is working tirelessly to forfeit funds with its goal of returning funds to victims, and it continues to support victims who have lost homes and life savings to these schemes. FBI San Francisco, San Diego, Washington, Seattle, Phoenix, Nashville, and Honolulu Field Offices, and the USSS Headquarters, San Francisco, Nashville, and Washington Field Offices investigated these matters and conducted associated seizures.
State Department Rewards and Actions Related to Tai Chang
Consistent with the Strike Force’s whole of government approach, in a coordinated action, the Department of State today announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the seizure or recovery of proceeds from fraud and money laundering schemes associated with the Tai Chang scam centers in Burma’s Karen State.
The Strike Force also announced the seizure of the latest domain used by the Tai Chang scam centers, fortuneprimeglobalirts.com. The domain was a new iteration of the centers’ fraudulent investment platform and was launched after the Strike Force seized its predecessor domain, tickmilleas.com. The latest seized domain was designed and functioned similarly to its predecessor scam investment website. Visitors to the domain are now informed on a splash page that it has been seized by law enforcement, and victims are encouraged to submit complaints to the FBI. The Tai Chang scam centers were subject of web domain seizures by the Strike Force and designations by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced in November 2025.
FBI’s San Diego Field Office is investigating the case in conjuction with the FBI Law Enforcement Attaché in Bangkok. Tips should be sent to them at [email protected].
Treasury Department Sanctions
Also in a coordinated action, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today announced new sanctions against individuals and entities perpetrating cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes against Americans using forced labor and violence in Cambodia. The sanctions target Cambodian Senator Kok An, Cambodian businessman Rithy Raksmei, several associates, and their respective business empires, including holding companies for scam center operations.
About the Scam Center Strike Force
The Scam Center Strike Force was officially launched by U.S. Attorney Pirro in November 2025 to address the growing threat posed by Chinese organized crime syndicates operating scam centers primarily in Southeast Asia. The Strike Force targets cryptocurrency investment fraud, cyber-enabled fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering operations that have cost American victims billions of dollars.
On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is unleashing every available tool to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud. The Scam Center Strike Force is a critical node in executing the mission outlined in the President’s Order.
The Strike Force’s founding partners are the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service, who have now been joined by numerous additional law enforcement agencies as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Alaska, Rhode Island, and Western Washington. The Strike Force works in collaboration with other agencies, including the Treasury and State Departments. The Strike Force works in strategic partnership with private industry and calls on all U.S. businesses to take more proactive steps to protect users from scam operations.
The Scam Center Strike Force will use every tool available to help secure Main Street Americans from these scams. With its interagency and public partners, it will educate Americans on how to identify these scams, prevent generational wealth from flowing from America into the pockets of Chinese organized crime, and work with unwavering focus to return stolen funds to victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia directs the Strike Force, in consultation with Associate Counsel Richard Goldberg of the Department’s Criminal Division. The Shunda Compound cases are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Emma Ellenrieder for the District of Columbia. Cryptocurrency investigations and seizures were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Blaylock and Jafer Aftab for the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jehiel Baer for the Western District of Washington, and Trial Attorneys Ethan Cantor and Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The Tai Chang case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie Zimmerman, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Datta, all for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Cantor. The Telegram and 503 domain seizures were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seifert, Blaylock, and Ellenrieder. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Government of Thailand provided significant assistance on the Shunda Compound case.
An indictment or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by a Southeast Asian Scam Center scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
This press release has been updated to include more information about the assistance of Thai authorities.
Scam Center Strike Force Takes Major Actions Against Southeast Asian Scam Centers Targeting AmericansRead the Press Release
scsf_26-sz-27_signed_redacted_in_color.pdf jz_26-sz-27_jz_signed_redacted_in_color.pdf scsf_4_26-mj-17_wen_jie_ecf_7_redacted_complaint_and_affidavit.pdf scsf_3_26-mj-18_xingshan_ecf_11_redacted_complaint_and_affidavit.pdf scsf_x_26-sz-32_-_redacted_szw_package.pdfWASHINGTON – The Department of Justice, through U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Criminal Division, together with its partners, today announced a series of coordinated actions by the Scam Center Strike Force against Southeast Asian criminal organizations operating scam centers that have defrauded Americans of billions of dollars.
The Scam Center Strike Force’s actions include criminal charges against two Chinese nationals who managed a cryptocurrency investment fraud compound in Burma and attempted to open another compound in Cambodia, the seizure of a Telegram messaging app channel used to recruit human trafficking victims to a scam compound in Cambodia in order to work a law enforcement impersonation scam, and the seizure of 503 fake investment websites, among other actions.
Additionally, the Strike Force has continued to identify funds involved in money laundering from scam centers, seeking to seize and forfeit the same, and collectively the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department’s Criminal Division, and their partners have restrained more than $700 million in cryptocurrency alleged to be tied to money laundering from cryptocurrency scams.
Also today, in a coordinated interagency action, the Department of the Treasury announced sanctions against Cambodian scam center operators, and the Department of State announced rewards for information leading to the seizure or recovery of proceeds related to the Tai Chang scam center in Burma.
“The President’s Executive Order Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens establishes a clear, whole-of-government strategy to confront cyber-enabled crime and transnational scam operations – bringing together law enforcement, intelligence, diplomatic, and financial tools in a unified effort,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Building on that direction, the Scam Center Strike Force launched in November 2025 has delivered real operational results and reflects the kind of focused action this strategy demands. Together, these efforts are driving a coordinated campaign to disrupt and impose consequences on the transnational criminal organizations behind these schemes.”
“Today we announce significant milestones in that fight,” Pirro continued. “We have charged the Chinese bosses who ran a scam compound in Burma, where trafficked workers were beaten and forced to steal from Americans. We have seized a Telegram channel that was luring workers into a forced labor compound in Cambodia where they were ordered to pose as U.S. banks and NYPD to steal American’s life savings. We have taken down more than 500 websites used to steal people’s savings. And my Office continues to work to identify funds stolen from victims, having now caused restraint of more than $700 million in cryptocurrency involved in money laundering from U.S. victims of fraud. This Administration is lock-step in combatting these scams, and we are not done.”
“The Department’s Criminal Division is proud to partner with U.S. Attorney Pirro’s office on the latest enforcement actions of the Scam Center Strike Force to stop foreign-based criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans,” said Assistant Attorney General Duva. “Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas may believe that they cannot be reached, but the Department of Justice and our Strike Force partners are working to ensure that these criminals cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside.”
Joining today’s announcement were Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia, U.S. Secret Service’s (USSS) Assistant Director Brent Daniels, Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) Senior Bureau Official Chris Landberg, and Department of the Treasury’s Assistant Secretary for Terrorist Financing Jonathan Burke.
“Eliminating fraud is a top priority for the Trump Administration,” said Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. “Treasury will continue to target fraudsters and scam centers that steal billions of dollars from hardworking Americans, no matter where they operate or how well-connected they are.”
"The FBI remains committed to protecting Americans from fraud, holding perpetrators accountable, and leveraging partnerships, intelligence, and enforcement to safeguard the public," said FBI Co-Deputy Director Christopher Raia. "These joint actions represent a significant blow to transnational criminal organizations preying upon our American citizens."
“The Scam Center Strike Force has been a collaborative effort since its formation. The Secret Service is proud to be a part of this group, which is dedicated to pursuing the criminal networks that rely on our online and financial infrastructure to target American citizens,” said Assistant Director of Field Operations Brent Daniels, U.S. Secret Service.
“The Department of State, in support of the Department of Justice’s Scam Center Strike Force, is announcing two reward offers under the Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program to disrupt cyber scam centers in Southeast Asia and hold accountable those who prey on Americans online,” said Senior Bureau Chris Landberg of the Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs. “Under the leadership of Secretary Rubio, the State Department, together with our partners, will continue to protect the American people from cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes perpetrated by these insidious scam centers.”
Background: Cyber-Enabled and Cryptocurrency Investment Fraud in Southeast Asian Scam Centers
Cyber-enabled and cryptocurrency investment fraud (referred to by the scammers as “pig butchering”) is among the fastest-growing and most financially devastating forms of cybercrime targeting Americans. In these schemes, victims are cultivated over time and deceived into depositing funds into fraudulent investment platforms that appear to show substantial returns. In reality, all victim funds flow directly to the scammers. The scam continues until the victim runs out of money or discovers the fraud, at which point the scammers cease contact.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), investment scams became the most commonly reported crime type in 2023, with cryptocurrency investment fraud comprising 83 percent of that category. Reported losses from these scams rose from $3.96 billion in 2023 to $5.8 billion in 2024. Reported losses rose 24 percent in 2025 to more than $7.2 billion, according to IC3’s newly released 2025 annual report. Those figures, based largely on victim reports, are believed to significantly underrepresent actual losses, as most victims do not report to law enforcement. According to the United States Institute of Peace, a conservative estimate of the annual value of funds stolen by scam syndicates worldwide approached $64 billion as of the end of 2023.
Many of these schemes are run out of industrial-scale compounds along the Burma-Thailand border and in Cambodia. Criminal syndicates often lure workers to Thailand with promises of high-paying technical jobs, then seize their identification documents and traffic them to work in scam compounds. Within the compounds, trafficked workers are frequently forced to conduct fraud operations against victims in the United States and elsewhere under threat of violence. Public reporting on these compounds has documented beatings, electrocutions, and murder.
Criminal Charges: Shunda Compound, Min Let Pan, Burma
The Strike Force unsealed criminal complaints and arrest warrants against two Chinese nationals in connection with cryptocurrency investment fraud operations at the Shunda compound in Min Let Pan, Burma: two managers in the compound, Huang Xingshan, also known as “Ah Zhe” and “Huang Xing Saan,” and Jiang Wen Jie, also known as “Jiang Nan.” They are charged with wire fraud conspiracy.
Aerial surveillance photo of the Shunda compound in Burma, where forced-labor conducted fraud operations under threat of violence.
The Shunda compound operated from at least January 2025 until approximately November 2025, when it was seized by the Karen National Liberation Army of Burma. The compound used scam websites and mobile applications disguised as legitimate investment platforms to defraud victims, including Americans. Workers within the compound were trafficked individuals who were held against their will and forced to defraud victims under the threat of violence and torture.
The FBI deployed personnel to Thailand following the compound’s seizure. Working with Thai authorities, including the Anti-Cyber Scam Center task force of the Royal Thai Police, FBI agents reviewed thousands of mobile devices and hard drives recovered from Shunda. Agents also interviewed tens of former compound workers. That investigation identified a hierarchical organization of Chinese operators running the compound and supported the charges against the two defendants.
Phones seized at the Shunda compound.
According to the investigation, Huang served at Shunda as a high-level manager and enforcer and personally participated in the physical punishment of trafficked compound workers. Jiang served as a team leader directly supervising workers who specifically targeted American victims. Under Jiang’s supervision, one of the people under his command successfully defrauded a single American victim of over $3 million utilizing a fraudulent investment platform. The theft was celebrated within the organization as a paradigm of success.
Interior of one of the buildings at the Shunda compound.
After the Shunda compound was seized, Huang and Jiang relocated to another scam compound located in Cambodia where they attempted to continue their cryptocurrency investment fraud operation. In early 2026, Huang and Jiang decided to return to Burma, traveling through Thailand.
Huang and Jiang were arrested on immigration charges by Thai law enforcement in early 2026 in Thailand. The case is being investigated by FBI’s New York Field Office with substantial assistance from the FBI Legal Attaché in Bangkok and Thai authorities including the Anti-Cyber Scam Center task force of the Royal Thai Police.
Telegram Channel Seizure
The Strike Force conducted a first-of-its-kind seizure of a Telegram channel with more than 6,000 followers that was used to recruit individuals to travel to Cambodia under false promises of high-paying employment. Once there, recruited workers were held against their will and forced to defraud victims, including Americans, as part of a sophisticated law enforcement impersonation scheme.
The Telegram channel included postings for jobs in Cambodia that were specifically for workers who spoke with “American” accents, would work a night shift (i.e., during U.S. daytime hours), and some specifically sought attractive female candidates. The Telegram channel was connected to a scam compound in rural Cambodia near the Thai border.
Once at the scam compound, the scam workers specifically targeted U.S. persons. In the fraud scheme, victims received cold calls from individuals posing as bank representatives, including impersonators of “JPMorgan” or other U.S. bank customer service agents, warning them that their bank accounts had been used to purchase firearms from an actual U.S. gun store website. Victims then were transferred to individuals posing as “NYPD detectives” or other supposed law enforcement, and later sent to the “New York Supreme Court” or other purported prosecutorial officials. Through sustained pressure conducted over WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams, victims were induced to disclose their bank account information and ultimately transfer their savings to the scammers.
The Telegram seizure case is being handled by FBI’s Miami Field Office, U.S. Secret Service Headquarters, and investigators at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. As part of the Strike Forces’s efforts at public-private collaboration on the scam center threat, after being alerted by law enforcement, JPMorgan Chase, Microsoft, and Meta voluntarily took internal investigative measures to combat the fraud operating on their systems and occurring under their names.
503 Web Domain Seizures
The Strike Force announced the seizure of more than 503 dot-com web domains identified through the Operation Level Up initiative as having been used to defraud U.S. victims. The seized domains all were disguised as legitimate “investment platforms,” which victims reported to law enforcement were causing them to unknowingly deposit cryptocurrency funds and view supposed “returns” on what they believed were legitimate investments.
Operation Level Up, established in In January 2024, by FBI and the U.S. Secret Service is an ongoing proactive initiative to identify and notify victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud. As of March 2026: (i) the Operation Level Up has notified 8,935 victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud; (ii) 77% of those victims were unaware they were being scammed; (iii) the estimated savings to victims is $562,726,245 of monies they otherwise would have sent to their scammers; (iv) 93 victims have been referred to an FBI victim specialist for suicide intervention due to the devastating nature of these scams. Some victims have reported to law enforcement that—prior to being notified by the FBI about the scam—they were in the process of liquidating their 401K, selling their home, or obtaining a sizable loan. One elderly victim was surviving on disability pay; he had already paid the scammers $1,200 and would have cut into money he needed for food to pay more. Each of the 503 dot-com domains seized was identified by a victim contacted by Operation Level Up and involved in laundering that victim’s cryptocurrency funds.
Visitors to these domains are now informed on a splash page that it has been seized by law enforcement. The investigation was conducted by the Operation Level Up Initiative, with the FBI’s Detroit and Phoenix Field Offices handling the seizure with support from investigators at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Marshals Service.
Restraint of Cryptocurrency Involved in Money Laundering from Scams
The Scam Center Strike Force continues its work to identify, seize, and forfeit funds involved in money laundering related to scams, so that funds can be returned to victims whenever possible. Under leadership from the FBI and the USSS, more than $701,962,392.15 in cryptocurrency has been identified as allegedly involved in laundering of funds stolen from victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud and restrained through voluntary actions of cryptocurrency providers, as well as U.S. legal process. The Strike Force is working tirelessly to forfeit funds with its goal of returning funds to victims, and it continues to support victims who have lost homes and life savings to these schemes. FBI San Francisco, San Diego, Washington, Seattle, Phoenix, Nashville, and Honolulu Field Offices, and the USSS Headquarters, San Francisco, Nashville, and Washington Field Offices investigated these matters and conducted associated seizures.
State Department Rewards and Actions Related to Tai Chang
Consistent with the Strike Force’s whole of government approach, in a coordinated action, the Department of State today announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the seizure or recovery of proceeds from fraud and money laundering schemes associated with the Tai Chang scam centers in Burma’s Karen State.
The Strike Force also announced the seizure of the latest domain used by the Tai Chang scam centers, fortuneprimeglobalirts.com. The domain was a new iteration of the centers’ fraudulent investment platform and was launched after the Strike Force seized its predecessor domain, tickmilleas.com. The latest seized domain was designed and functioned similarly to its predecessor scam investment website. Visitors to the domain are now informed on a splash page that it has been seized by law enforcement, and victims are encouraged to submit complaints to the FBI. The Tai Chang scam centers were subject of web domain seizures by the Strike Force and individuals and entities associated with the Tai Chang scam centers were designated by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced in November 2025.
FBI’s San Diego Field Office is investigating the case in conjunction with the FBI Legal Attaché in Bangkok. Tips should be sent to them at [email protected].
Treasury Department Sanctions
Also in a coordinated action, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control today announced new sanctions against individuals and entities perpetrating cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes against Americans using forced labor and violence in Cambodia. The sanctions target Cambodian Senator Kok An, Cambodian businessman Rithy Raksmei, several associates, and their respective business empires, including holding companies for scam center operations.
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About the Scam Center Strike Force
The Scam Center Strike Force was officially launched by U.S. Attorney Pirro in November 2025 to address the growing threat posed by Chinese organized crime syndicates operating scam centers primarily in Southeast Asia. The Strike Force targets cryptocurrency investment fraud, cyber-enabled fraud, human trafficking, and money laundering operations that have cost American victims billions of dollars.
On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is unleashing every available tool to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud. The Scam Center Strike Force is a critical node in executing the mission outlined in the President’s Order.
The Strike Force’s founding partners are the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Secret Service, who have now been joined by numerous additional law enforcement agencies, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Alaska, Rhode Island, and Western Washington. The Strike Force works in collaboration with other agencies, including the Treasury and State Departments. The Strike Force works in strategic partnership with private industry and calls on all U.S. businesses to take more proactive steps to protect users from scam operations.
The Scam Center Strike Force will use every tool available to help secure Main Street Americans from these scams. With its interagency and public partners, it will educate Americans on how to identify these scams, prevent generational wealth from flowing from America into the pockets of Chinese organized crime, and work with unwavering focus to return stolen funds to victims.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert for the District of Columbia directs the Strike Force, in consultation with Associate Counsel Richard Goldberg of the Department’s Criminal Division. The Shunda Compound cases are being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emma Ellenrieder for the District of Columbia. Cryptocurrency investigations and seizures were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rick Blaylock and Jafer Aftab for the District of Columbia, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jahiel Baer for the Western District of Washington, and Trial Attorneys Ethan Cantor and Stefanie Schwartz of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The Tai Chang case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolie Zimmerman, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Raj Datta, all for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Cantor. The Telegram and 503 domain seizures were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seifert, Blaylock, and Ellenrieder. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Government of Thailand provided significant assistance on the Shunda Compound case.
An indictment or a complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by a Southeast Asian Scam Center scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
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Sacramento Man Sentenced for Interstate Theft ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jonathan Matthew Curl, 36, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to two years in prison and ordered to pay $282,193 in restitution, for conspiracy to transport stolen property and for interstate transportation of stolen property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Curl worked with co-conspirators Trevor Fountain, 38, of Sacramento; Stephan James Evanovich, 46, of Placerville; and Andrea Carter, 35, formerly of Sacramento, to illegally enter communications towers and steal rectifiers and other communications equipment. Rectifiers are a power source necessary to maintain power at communications towers.
Curl obtained access information through his employers, and then shared that information with co-conspirators, enabling them to steal rectifiers without detection. Curl, Fountain, and Carter, were responsible for stealing equipment and transferring it to Evanovich, who then paid them for the stolen equipment. Evanovich sold the stolen property to legitimate third-party vendors in California, Illinois, Colorado, and Texas. The conspirators stole, sold, and shipped more than 485 stolen rectifiers across state lines and stole more than 700 rectifiers from telecommunications towers throughout Northern California. Curl pleaded guilty on Jan. 8, 2026.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from Weld County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Delaney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nchekube Onyima are prosecuting the case.
Carter pleaded guilty and was sentenced on June 5, 2025, to 29 months in prison. Fountain pleaded guilty on Sept. 25, 2025, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2026. Evanovich pleaded guilty on March 5, 2026, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2026. Evanovich faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Fountain faces maximum statutory penalties of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentences, 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.
RelyOn Nutec Agrees to Pay $2.3 Million to Resolve Allegations of PPP Loan FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – RelyOn Nutec USA LLC (RelyOn), a company headquartered in Houma, La., has agreed to pay $2,389,213 to resolve allegations that it fraudulently obtained a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan for which it was ineligible.
Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and the Economic Security Act (CARES Act) on March 29, 2020, to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CARES Act authorized forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses through the PPP, which the Small Business Administration (SBA) administered. The PPP provided for loans in two “draws”—first draw loans became available in March 2020, with a second draw announced in January 2021. To be eligible for PPP loans, businesses were required to certify on their loan applications that they met certain size standards based on, for example, the number of employees they, and their affiliated entities, collectively employed. In determining number of employees, businesses generally were required to count all employees of U.S. and foreign affiliates. Businesses with more than 300 employees were not eligible for second draw loans.
As part of the settlement, RelyOn admitted that, in January 2021, it received a $1,279,707 second draw PPP loan. RelyOn certified that it was eligible for the loan under the PPP regulations in effect at the time of the application and represented that it had 99 employees, including affiliates’ employees. RelyOn later sought and received forgiveness of the full amount of that loan. When it applied for the loan and when it applied for forgiveness, RelyOn did not qualify for the loan because it had more than 300 employees, when considering employees of its affiliates. Prior to 2021 and through 2022, RelyOn was a wholly owned subsidiary of RelyOn Nutec Holding A/S Denmark (RelyOn Denmark), a global company based in Denmark. When it applied for the second draw loan and when it applied for forgiveness, RelyOn had more than 300 employees, when considering employees of its foreign affiliates.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and the U.S. Small Business Administration made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the matter.
Owner of Florida Security Firm Pleads Guilty in Washington D.C. for Defrauding Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jewral McIntyre, 44, of Venice, Florida, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to participating in a conspiracy that fraudulently obtained more than $257,980 in Paycheck Protection Program loans, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Fraud is never a victimless crime—McIntyre’s actions diverted critical resources from the small businesses and workers who needed it most,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Our office remains committed to rooting out fraud, holding accountable those who exploit federal programs for personal gain, and safeguarding taxpayer funds.”
McIntyre pleaded guilty before Judge Rudolph Contreras to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. Sentencing is pending.
According to court documents, McIntyre was owner of Rat Pack Worldwide Security & Consulting, a security consulting business registered as a corporation in Florida. In January 2021, an individual asked if he wanted to apply for a PPP loan in the name of Rat Pack.
McIntyre agreed that the individual who had approached him would receive a portion of the PPP funds if the loan application was approved and funded.
At the individual’s request, a co-conspirator created a PPP loan application for Rat Pack containing materially false statements, claiming that Rat Pack had 18 employees and an average monthly payroll of $103,192.35. In fact, Rat Pack had no W2 employees, and its payroll was only a fraction of the amount claimed.
In addition, the co-conspirator created false and fraudulent supporting documents to submit with the loan application. Those documents included false financial payroll reports for 2020 and false Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return (Forms 941), for each quarter of 2020.
On March 12, 2021, the Small Business Administration and Capital Bank approved McIntyre’s fraudulent PPP loan application and deposited $257,980.87 into Rat Pack’s bank account.
Next, the co-conspirators prepared a loan forgiveness application for Rat Pack. It falsely claimed Rat Pack had 18 employees at the time McIntyre received the PPP loan. It also falsely claimed that, for the period of March 12, 2021, through May 14, 2021, Rat Pack spent the full amount of the loan, $257,980.87, on payroll costs. On Aug. 8, 2022, McIntyre e-signed and submitted the loan forgiveness application. As a result, Capital Bank and the SBA forgave Rat Pack’s PPP loan.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the PPP. In April 2020, Congress authorized over $300 billion in additional PPP funding.
Joining in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, D.C. Inspector General Daniel Lucas, and Executive Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office.
This case was investigated jointly by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the FBI Washington Field Office, the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C., Field Office. This matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney S. Babu Kaza and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
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Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Pleads Guilty to Deprivation of Rights Under Color of LawRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Gabriel Blake, age 31, of Cameron, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law, punishable by up to ten years in prison.
The Information alleged that on January 28, 2025, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma, Blake, while acting under color of law as an Oklahoma State Highway Patrol Trooper, and while using a dangerous weapon, kicked the victim in the head, thereby willfully depriving the victim of the right, secured and protected by the Constitution and laws of the United States, to be free from unreasonable seizure, which includes the right to be free from the unreasonable use of force by a law enforcement officer.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Blake was released on bond with conditions pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
Okfuskee County Resident Sentenced for Accessory to MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced today that Sejaryee Lee Bear, age 42, of Okemah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served in prison (147 days) for one count of Accessory After the Fact—Murder in Indian Country, to be followed by a term of two years of supervised release.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okemah Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
On August 12, 2025, Bear pleaded guilty in federal district court. According to investigators, on June 30, 2024, Bear helped Michael Wayne Lambert flee after Lambert shot and killed the victim at an Okemah apartment complex. In the hours after the murder, Bear turned off location services to her cell phone, deleted her location data, phone call records, and messages, and accompanied Lambert to the Bearden River Bridge on the North Canadian River, where Lambert discarded the murder weapon later recovered by investigators.
On September 11, 2025, a federal jury convicted Lambert at trial. On April 2, 2026, Lambert was sentenced to a term of Life in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country, and a consecutive ten years for one count of Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence.
The crime occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Ryan Conway represented the United States.
New York Man Indicted for Involvement in Stolen Identity and Access Device Fraud RingRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Dustin Lemmon Carpio, 33, of New York, New York, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, use of a counterfeit access device, possession of 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices, use of a false passport, and aggravated identity theft. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Carpio appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon, in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 18, 2026, before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Carpio faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to commit wire fraud count; up to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the use of a counterfeit access device, possession of 15 or more counterfeit and unauthorized access devices, and use of a false passport counts; and a mandatory two years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence on the aggravated identity theft count.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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 available 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.
New York Man Charged with Narcotics OffenseRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on April 16, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Errol Richards, 42, originally from Bronx, New York, with possession with the intent to distribute cocaine.
Richards entered a plea of not guilty to the charges during an arraignment on April 22, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle ordered that Richards be detained during the pendency of this matter.According to court records, the Defendant possessed approximately 47.2 grams of cocaine on September 11, 2025. Law enforcement found the cocaine as they arrested Richards on an outstanding state warrant.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Richards is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Richards faces up to 20 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Burlington Police Department.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Joshua L. Banker. Richards is represented by John-Claude Charbonneau, Esq.
New Orleans Man Convicted of Drug Conspiracy and Federal Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – DESHAWN JONES (“JONES”), age 44, pleaded guilty on April 21, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan to conspiracy to distribute, and possess with the intent to distribute, controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(B), 841(b)(1)(C), and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of 18 United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, beginning at a time unknown but prior to December 27, 2021, and continuing to on or about November 25, 2024, JONES conspired with others to distribute fentanyl, crack, and cocaine in the Eastern District of Louisiana. On November 25, 2024, JONES possessed, with the intent to distribute, 40 grams or more of a mixture containing fentanyl, 28 grams or more of a mixture containing crack, cocaine, and 2 guns, including a Smith and Wesson, Model 67, .38 special caliber revolver and a DPMS Panther Arms, Model A-15, .223 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
As to the drug trafficking charges, JONES faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years up to 40 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least 4 years of supervised release. For the firearm charge, JONES faces a maximum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release. As to each charge, JONES also faces payment of a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne of the Narcotics Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to 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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
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Nevada Man Sentenced to 92 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug Trafficking in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Nevada man was sentenced to 92 months’ imprisonment for drug crimes after law enforcement seized approximately 30,000 fentanyl pills during a traffic stop in southern Utah in 2023.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Christopher Gerard Ruiz, 42, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pleaded guilty on March 31, 2025, to possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Ruiz was sentenced to three years of supervised release. His codefendant, Rachel Marie Aponas, 34, of Las Vegas, was sentenced on May 14, 2025, to 28 months’ imprisonment with credit for time served, and three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made at Ruiz’s sentencing and change of plea hearings, on October 26, 2023, a Utah Highway Patrol trooper made a traffic stop on I-15. Ruiz was the passenger, Aponas was the driver, and three children ages10 and under were in the backseat. Aponas admitted to law enforcement that methamphetamine was in the car. A search was conducted, and law enforcement located in the rear cargo area of the vehicle in a small lunch cooler, packages of blue M-30 pills, which they seized. The pills field-tested positive for fentanyl and weighed 2,700 grams (approximately 30,000 pills). Law enforcement also located and seized a methamphetamine pipe, methamphetamine, multiple cell phones, and a digital scale. An additional analysis by the Utah state crime lab identified the M-30 pills as fentanyl. Both Ruiz and Aponas were arrested, and the children were removed by DCFS.
“The safety of children is a top priority of my office and this administration. The fact that Ruiz and Aponas had three children in the vehicle with illicit drugs, specifically 30,000 fentanyl pills and methamphetamine within arm’s reach is unimaginable,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Anyone who jeopardizes the safety of children and our communities with poisonous drugs will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was investigated by the Department of Public Safety, Utah Highway Patrol (DPS-UHP), and the Utah State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).
United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Morgantown Night Club Owner, Two Others Convicted of Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey has announced that Mike Sheriff Scott, 47, Rachelle Gaston, 41, and Phineas Chaplin, 42, were convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances by a federal jury yesterday following a 7-day trial. Scott and Gaston were convicted of additional felony charges related to the drug operation, including Aiding and Abetting the Maintaining of a Drug-Involved Premise. The jury also returned a guilty verdict for Scott for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.
“I am grateful for the swift and decisive actions taken by law enforcement that inevitably saved lives,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “This case should send a clear message to drug dealers that West Virginia is not open for business.”
Evidence presented at trial established Scott utilized CowGirlz Nightclub, which was not yet open to the public, on Earl Core Road in Morgantown, West Virginia as a front to distribute drugs. Evidence presented at trial established that Scott used the nightclub to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as to store his supply of illicit drugs obtained from out-of-state. Further, evidence presented at trial established that Scott utilized individuals with substance abuse disorder to conduct renovations on the building to prepare it to operate as a nightclub and paid those individuals with controlled substances.
Jurors also heard about a shooting in Monongalia County which led investigators to obtain a search warrant for the nightclub. Footage from the cameras outside showed Chaplin firing at a vehicle and Scott cleaning up the shell casings from the crime. A subsequent search of the nightclub led to the seizure of five pistols – including two of the firearms used in the shooting – and ammunition concealed inside of a hidden compartment inside of the stairs to Scott’s office in the nightclub. Also seized were methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, and drug paraphernalia. Recorded jail calls showed that Scott continued to attempt to operate the drug trafficking organization while incarcerated and solicited others to destroy evidence.
Chaplin previously pled guilty to another felony drug charge and a firearms violation connected to this case.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zelda E. Wesley and Eleanor F. Hurney prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Drug Enforcement Administration; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 8.5 Years for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal district court yesterday sentenced Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, 23, of
Minneapolis, MN, to 102 months’ (or 8.5 years’) imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised
release, for his attempts to Provide Material Support and Resources to a Designated Foreign
Terrorist Organization, namely the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, known as “ISIS,”
announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. ISIS has been duly designated as a foreign terrorist
organization by the U.S. Secretary of State since 2014.
According to court documents, Hassan began consuming information from and about ISIS and
other State Department designated foreign terrorist organizations in at least 2024. For example,
Hassan obtained and reposted ISIS propaganda articles and videos (some of them extremely
violent) on his various social media accounts. He downloaded multiple files from a known media
wing of ISIS, with names like, “The life of a Mujahideen,” “The month of Jihad,” “The return of
the Caliphate,” and “The path of jihad.” He obtained online manuals written in Arabic on how to
make highly explosive materials such as C4, urea nitrate, HMTD, and hexamine. He openly
posted his desire for jihad and an Islamic caliphate on his various social media accounts. He also
obtained manuals on ammunition-making and sniper-training skills, contacted an online school
specializing in gunsmithing and drone technology, and conducted online research on topics such
as gun ranges, ISIS supporter, Somalia weapons, and various articles related to ISIS-inspired
attacks and terroristic acts on an interactive map.
According to court documents, Hassan had frequent and extensive social media communications
with ISIS media wings and recruiters operating in Somalia. In November 2024, Hassan reached
out to one such account that was spreading ISIS propaganda in Somalia and expressly calling
for the establishment of an Islamic caliphate and the overthrow of the Somali government, and
Hassan requested help contacting someone in ISIS-controlled areas in Somalia. He also referred
to persons he communicated with as “commander” and “uncle” and referenced the “battlefield”
in Somalia.
After several weeks of regular communication with accounts operated by ISIS members, Hassan
prepared to leave behind his life in the United States in December 2024 and posted “I will become
ISIS straight away.” Hassan quit his job, liquidated his savings, and bought a one-way plane
ticket for travel from Minneapolis to Somalia, to join and fight on behalf of ISIS. On December
13, 2024, FBI agents surveilled Hassan attempt to fly to Somalia from Minneapolis-St. Paul
International Airport (MSP). Lacking proper travel documents, however, he was turned away.
After acquiring additional travel documents, Hassan rebooked the same one-way itinerary to
Somalia, and on December 29, 2024, he flew from MSP to Chicago, enroute to Somalia.
Prior to boarding his international flight in Chicago, Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP)
Tactical Terrorism Response Team interviewed Hassan about his intentions, which prevented
his onward travel. Inside Hassan’s only carry-on bag, CBP agents found his birth certificate,
naturalization certificate, and high school diploma. During the interview, Hassan initially denied
any nefarious intent but later professed his belief in ISIS, his consumption of ISIS propaganda,
and his hopes for the establishment of an Islamic caliphate, telling the CBP agents that he did
not believe in democracy and that America’s justice was in fact terrorism.
Upon returning to Minnesota, Hassan continued researching ISIS attacks and activities and
making social media posts espousing ISIS, including his praising the perpetrator of the January
1, 2025, ISIS-inspired terrorist attack in New Orleans, Louisiana, who killed 14 people and
injured dozens more, referring to the perpetrator as a “Muhaajid” and “the legend that killed the
Americans.” In late February 2025, Hassan created and posted his own ISIS-inspired videos,
including of him driving his vehicle at night, while holding a homemade black ISIS flag in his
hand, and displaying an open, long-bladed buck-style knife on his lap.
The FBI arrested Hassan on February 27, 2025 on a Complaint-Warrant filed with the U.S.
District Court. At the time of his arrest, Hassan had the same knife described above on his
person and the homemade ISIS flag in his vehicle. On April 29, 2025, a grand jury returned an
Indictment charging Hassan with one count of attempting to provide material support and
resources to ISIS, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2339B, a qualifying “Federal crime of terrorism.”
On September 29, 2025, Hassan pleaded guilty to that charge before Judge Donovan W. Frank
in U.S. District Court.
On April 22, 2026, following a hearing in U.S. District Court, Judge Frank sentenced Hassan to
102 months’ imprisonment, followed by 15 years of supervised release with special conditions.
“Abdisatar Hassan took active steps in an attempt to join and support ISIS—a brutal foreign
terrorist organization responsible for the violent deaths of thousands of innocent people,” said
FBI Minneapolis Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “Hassan celebrated
the 2025 murder of 14 innocent Americans in New Orleans—a senseless attack on American soil,
attempted to travel in order to take up arms on behalf of ISIS, and when unable to get to his
destination, promoted ISIS and al-Shabaab propaganda encouraging others to fight against the
United States. The sentence handed down today takes a would-be terrorist off the streets and
sends a clear message that the FBI and our partners will unremittingly pursue anyone seeking
to join or support a foreign terrorist organization.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force,
Customs and Border Protection, and the New York Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar prosecuted the case with assistance from National
Security Division Counterterrorism Section Trial Attorney Eric Hanson.Michigan Man Sentenced to 270 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – On April 23, 2026, Devin Melvin, 33 years old, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to two counts of aiding and abetting the distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Melvin was sentenced to 270 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Melvin was the organizer and leader of a fentanyl trafficking group consisting of Clinton Rouse, Tyler Wood, Justin Hervey, and Raquan Perry. The group worked together to distribute fentanyl pills throughout Michigan City over a period of approximately 10 months, between October 2023 and July 2024. During the spring of 2024, Melvin, Wood, and Rouse lived together at a home in Michigan City, and Melvin would transport tens of thousands of pills from the Detroit area to Michigan City for further distribution by the group. Law enforcement seized approximately 10,000 of these fentanyl pills during its investigation.
Last year, the other members of the drug trafficking organization pled guilty to various drug and firearm related offenses and were sentenced in federal court.
On May 20, 2025, Clinton Rouse of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to 188 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
On May 22, 2025, Tyler Wood, of Michigan City, Indiana was sentenced to 160 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanyl, and illegal use of a communications facility.
On February 27, 2025, Justin Hervey, of Michigan City, Indiana, was sentenced to 125 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm.
On June 6, 2025, Raquan Perry, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm.
“Devin Melvin and his accomplices trafficked one of the most harmful drugs into our community,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “Twenty-two and a half years in federal prison is the price he has chosen to pay for profiting from his illegal drug enterprise. Let this message be clear to those who seek to distribute this poison into the Northern District of Indiana: our law enforcement team will work tirelessly to find you and stop you. We are safer with this crew behind bars, thanks to the partnership of the DEA and their North Central Laboratory, ATF, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, Michigan City Police Department, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan and his office,” Mildred said.
“Illicit fentanyl remains the primary cause of overdose deaths and poisonings in the United States, to include northern Indiana. Often, fentanyl is hidden in the form of counterfeit pharmaceutical pills, much like the ones trafficked by Mr. Melvin. Over the course of his unethical, immoral, and illegal career as a drug dealer, Mr. Melvin brought thousands of counterfeit pills, all containing deadly fentanyl, to northern Indiana from Michigan. It is unknown how many lives and families he destroyed. The Drug Enforcement Administration celebrates the collaborative effort among law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels in bringing Mr. Melvin to justice. He is now being held accountable for his crimes – and northern Indiana is safer and healthier because of it”, said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
“This case is another example of the strength of our shared partnerships in Northern Indiana in addition to highlighting the effectiveness of the Homeland Security Task Force as an important tool in combatting drug trafficking. The defendants in this case put profits over human life and helped contribute to an epidemic that is causing destruction in our cities and neighborhoods. Today’s sentence sends a strong message, but our work is not done. ATF will continue to work with our HSTF and other partners to disrupt firearm and drug trafficking networks and ensure those responsible are held accountable,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon.
“This case reflects what is possible when agencies commit to a unified, intelligence-driven approach to public safety,” said Michigan City Chief of Police Steven Forker. “This was not a short-term effort—it was a sustained, coordinated investigation that removed a dangerous organization responsible for distributing fentanyl and contributing to violence in our community.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, Michigan City Police Department, the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office, the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office, and the DEA North Central Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Katelan McKenzie Doyle.
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 Indianapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, IRS, Indiana State Police, and other partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana.This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Mexican man who is in the United States illegally was sentenced to time served, 59 days, and remanded to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Juan Abraham Carranco-Carranco, 30, pleaded guilty in March 2026 to one count of illegal reentry.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on February 23, 2026, Border Patrol agents received information regarding a possible illegal alien traveling in a Chevy Traverse, bearing Texas license plates. Agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle in Hinsdale, Montana, but the driver of the vehicle accelerated rapidly after noticing the agents, exceeding speeds of 100 miles per hour before agents could activate their emergency lights. Due to the vehicle’s high speeds, agents were unable to maintain a visual of the vehicle and nearby law enforcement agencies were notified the vehicle was traveling eastbound on U.S. Highway 2 toward Glasgow, Montana.
Law enforcement stopped the suspect’s vehicle on Highway 2, near Oswego, Montana. There were two occupants inside. The driver was identified by his Honduran passport and issued a warning for speeding. Carranco-Carranco was identified as the passenger and detained.
Carranco-Carranco is suspected of reentering the United States on or about November 1, 2021, near Laredo, Texas. Records checks confirmed he has never applied for or obtained permission from the United States Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter the United States.
Carranco-Carranco was first removed from the United States in September 2015 by Expedited Removal through the Laredo, Texas, foot bridge.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol, and Fort Peck Tribes Department of Law and Justice conducted the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Maryland Resident Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jasper Collinson, 26, of Columbia, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to distribution of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
According to court documents, in October 2025, Collinson messaged with another user on a messaging application. Collinson told the other user about Collinson’s interest in child sexual abuse material. During the course of the communications, Collinson distributed nine videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. Collinson also told the other user about a private channel on the messaging application where users distributed hundreds of videos depicting child sexual abuse. On Nov. 5, 2025, the FBI arrested Collinson.
A search of Collinson’s phone showed several conversations with other online users about child sexual abuse material. In one of the conversations, Collinson discussed prior experiences of having sex in front of a friend’s child and failed efforts to arrange to meet up with a minor for the purpose of having sex.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case is being investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Kelley.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Man sentenced after selling fully automatic machine gun to undercover agentRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Colorado man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for selling a fully automatic weapon to a Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) agent who was working undercover.
According to court documents, Kyle Simmonds, 35, of Fort Morgan, Colorado, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a machine gun.
In August 2025, the KBI began investigating Simmonds on suspicion of distributing narcotics and firearms. During a text message exchange with an undercover agent, Simmonds discussed selling an illegal machine gun and sent photos of a firearm. Simmonds and co-defendant Damien Zamora then traveled from Colorado to Decatur County, Kansas, to meet with the undercover agent. The agent saw a Heckler & Koch, model MP7 A2, 4.6x30 caliber machine gun in their vehicle which the agent recognized from the photos Simmonds sent.
Zamora confirmed the firearm was fully automatic and that he builds these guns. Simmonds told the agent it was illegal to own this weapon. The agent gave Simmonds money for the firearm and for narcotics.
Zamora pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a machine gun and is awaiting sentencing.
“Make no mistake. I am a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “However, because I understand the damage these weapons can inflict, I know that guns, particularly automatic weapons, and selling drugs do not mix well. We will hold anyone selling illegal firearms accountable. These criminals have no regard for the possible loss of life when cavalierly selling fully automatic weapons to whoever is willing to pay their prices.”
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Larry Fadler prosecuted the case.
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Leader of Gun Dealing Ring Sentenced to over 17 Years in Prison for Selling More Than 500 Guns in CaliforniaRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Jerrell Lawson, 35, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta to 17 years and five months in prison for his convictions for conspiracy to unlawfully deal in firearms, unlawfully dealing in firearms, transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident, unlawful mailing of a firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between November 2019 and March 2022, Lawson arranged to buy more than 500 firearms in Georgia and ship them into California, where his sub-distributors sold them on the streets. In total, Lawson and his co-conspirators paid more than $300,000 to purchase those firearms. Lawson would broker firearms transactions in Georgia over the internet, and co-defendant Malek Williams, a Georgia resident with a license to carry a concealed firearm, would pick up firearms in person and mail the firearms to various locations in California at Lawson’s direction. Some of the firearms went to individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms due to prior felony convictions. Some of the guns were also particularly dangerous: machine guns and guns with “drums” designed to hold dozens of rounds of ammunition.
The investigation began when a firearm used in a violent shooting in California was traced to Georgia, then to Lawson’s organization. Law enforcement learned Lawson and his co-conspirators used coded language to traffic firearms and moved money using a variety of financial institutions. During the investigation, interdicted packages destined for Lawson and other co-conspirators were found to contain firearms, ammunition, knives, and brass knuckles, among other things.
In August 2023, a grand jury charged Lawson and nine co-defendants with various firearms offenses relating to this interstate firearm dealing ring. All of Lawson’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. Lawson pleaded guilty on Nov. 6, 2025.
This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the San Francisco Bay Area/Sacramento Region Cross-Jurisdictional Firearms Trafficking Strike Force Initiative and a number of other state, local, and federal agencies. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ross Pearson and Justin Lee are prosecuting 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 Sacramento is composed of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Northern California High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, Central Valley High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California.
Kyle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing ChecksRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Kyle, South Dakota, man convicted of Larceny. The sentencing took place on April 20, 2026.
Lyle Dean Misun Tibbits, 33, was sentenced to one year in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund and $9,880.00 in restitution.
Tibbits was indicted for Larceny by a federal grand jury in November 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 9, 2026.
In June 2025, Tibbits, while working on a ranch in Kyle, stole several blank checks belonging to his employer. Between June and July 2025, he unlawfully wrote several checks totaling nearly $10,000.00 to himself and another person and then cashed the checks and used the proceeds for his own personal gain.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Tibbits was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Kenton County Man Sentenced for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Crestview Hills, Ky., man, William Clark, 70, was sentenced on Thursday to 63 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for receiving child pornography.
According to his plea agreement, on July 13, 2024, law enforcement responded to a report that a man was taking photos of children in their swimsuits at a recreation center in Kenton County. Officers spoke to Clark who admitted that he possessed computer-generated depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct and that he had downloaded the material from two websites. Clark consented to the search of his electronic devices and law enforcement found approximately 885 digital images and three digital videos depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Law enforcement further found that hundreds of those files had been downloaded from websites including those the Defendant admitted visiting.
Under federal law, Clark must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for 5 years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, Colin Jackson, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Chief Mike Leming, Erlanger Police Department, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the HSI and Erlanger Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Spievack is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Kansas City Man Pleads Guilty to COVID FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man pleaded guilty today to wire fraud in a scheme to fraudulently obtain two Paycheck Protection Plan (PPP) loans totaling $92,233.32, guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Mark Crosby, 43, was the owner of a Missouri limited liability company called Crosby Auto LLC. On May 14, 2020, Crosby submitted a $71,417 PPP loan application on behalf of Crosby Auto. In the loan application, Crosby falsely stated that, in 2019, Crosby Auto had a monthly payroll of $28,567, and gross receipts of $736,928. In reality, Crosby Auto did not have that payroll or annual revenue.
Based on the fraudulent representations Crosby made in the PPP loan application, on June 2, 2020, $71,400 was transferred to Crosby Auto’s bank account.
Crosby was also the owner of a business called MSC & Sons Trucking LLC. MSC & Sons Trucking LLC applied for a $20,833.32 Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. The application stated the business had gross income of $131,848 in 2019. The application included a 2019 Schedule C which stated the business had gross receipts of $131,848, and contract labor expense of $69,129. The Schedule C was not filed with the IRS and MSC & Sons Trucking LLC did not have gross receipts or payroll in those amounts.
On May 5, 2021, MSC & Sons Trucking LLC’s account received the $20,833.32 PPP loan.
Under federal statutes, Crosby is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on a set of advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul S. Becker. It was investigated by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Justice Department Places FDA-Approved Marijuana Products and Products Containing Marijuana Subject to a Qualifying State-issued License in Schedule III, Strengthening Medical Research While Maintaining Strict Federal ControlsRead the Press Release
In accordance with President Trump’s December 18, 2025, Executive Order on Increasing Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research, the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) today announced the issuance of an order immediately placing both FDA-approved products containing marijuana and marijuana products regulated by a state medical marijuana license in Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, as well as the initiation of an expedited administrative hearing process to consider the broader rescheduling of marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. The new hearing, beginning June 29, 2026, will provide a timely and legally compliant pathway to evaluate broader changes to marijuana’s status under federal law. Together, these actions provide immediate and long-term clarity to researchers, patients, and providers alike while still maintaining strict federal controls against illicit drug trafficking.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche is placing both FDA-approved drug products containing marijuana, and medicinal marijuana products subject to a qualifying state-issued license in Schedule III under his authority to reschedule drugs to carry out the United States’ obligations under the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs. This action recognizes the longstanding regulation of medical marijuana by state governments and the need for a common-sense approach to this reality.
“The Department of Justice is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand Americans’ access to medical treatment options,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This rescheduling action allows for research on the safety and efficacy of this substance, ultimately providing patients with better care and doctors with more reliable information.”
“Under the direction of President Trump and Acting Attorney General Blanche, DEA is expeditiously moving forward with the administrative hearing process — bringing consistency and oversight to an area that has lacked both,” said DEA Administrator Terry Cole. “Our men and women in law enforcement remain committed to fighting drug cartels, the fentanyl epidemic, and protecting American lives.”
Separately, the Department announced procedural updates to expedite the ongoing rulemaking process required to fully remove marijuana from Schedule I and place it into Schedule III under the Controlled Substances Act.
Under the prior administration, a notice of proposed rulemaking was published in the Federal Register on May 21, 2024, followed by a notice of hearing on August 29, 2024. Upon further review, the DEA is withdrawing the prior notice of hearing and terminating those proceedings in order to move more efficiently toward the completion of marijuana’s complete redesignation. This action will accelerate the administrative process, include firm deadlines, and allow DEA to proceed in the most expeditious manner consistent with federal law.
DEA will hold a new administrative hearing beginning June 29, 2026, regarding the proposed rescheduling of marijuana. A new notice of hearing is being published in the Federal Register to govern these proceedings and facilitate a timely resolution of the rulemaking.
Today’s order is reflective of the Department of Justice’s continued dedication to common-sense policies and the prioritization of the safety and well-being of all Americans.
Jury Convicts Mexican National of Federal Immigration ViolationRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An illegal alien has been convicted of illegally reentering the United States.
According to evidence introduced at trial, Jaime Cruz-Hernandez, 37, was stopped and arrested on Jan. 6, 2026, by the Grandview, Mo. Police Department for driving while intoxicated. It was then determined that Cruz-Hernandez is a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally, after having been previously deported to Mexico in 2019.
Under federal statutes, Cruz-Hernandez is subject to a sentence of up to two years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Following the presentation of evidence, the jury in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Mo., deliberated for about 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict to U.S. District Judge Roseann Ketchmark, ending a trial that began on April 22, 2026.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rudolph R. Rhodes IV, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Viet Le. It was investigated by Grandview, Missouri Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations, and Homeland Security Investigation.
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.
Jackson Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Anthony Flowers, 59, of Jackson, has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
In September 2025, an internal auditor with Gerdau Long Steel of North America discovered that an employee in its Jackson office was downloading large data files to his work computer. Using data loss prevention software, the auditor was able to determine that Flowers was the employee in question. The auditor found that Flowers had downloaded 90 data files over the previous week, at least nine of which contained blatant child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The auditor determined that Flowers utilized his work laptop at his residence and offloaded the data files to an external hard drive. The auditor subsequently notified the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about the incident.
A search warrant for Flowers’s residence in Jackson was later obtained and executed. During the search, Flowers agreed to speak with FBI agents regarding his activities. Flowers admitted to viewing CSAM on his work computer and transferring the material to an external hard drive, which he later deleted from the hard drive. FBI agents in Tampa, Florida were able to meet the auditor at Gerdau’s office in that area and obtained a thumb drive containing many of the files located during the internal audit.
Upon reviewing the files, FBI agents discovered that Flowers had downloaded 40 images and nine videos that contained blatant CSAM, including images of prepubescent minors and minors under 12 years of age engaging in sexually explicit conduct, material that portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct, and material that portrayed the sexual abuse or exploitation of infants and toddlers.
Following Flowers’s guilty plea to a one-count criminal information charging him with possession of child pornography in November 2025, United States District Judge S. Thomas Anderson sentenced Flowers to 78 months in prison and five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
Judge Anderson also ordered that Flowers pay a special assessment in the amount of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "Let this sentence serve notice on those who use the internet and electronic means to access materials that exploit, abuse, and victimize minor children: You cannot hide, we will track you down, and you will be held accountable for such disturbing and predatory criminal conduct."
This case was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Jackson Police Department, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Illegal alien indicted for attempting to coerce a minor into prostitutionRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging an illegal alien from Guatemala for allegedly trying to lure a minor into engaging in criminal sexual conduct.
According to court documents, Nicolas Perez-Paxtor, 40, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation and one count of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
In February 2026, Perez-Paxtor is accused of attempting to persuade or coerce a minor under the age of 18 years old to engage in prostitution.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are investigating the case.
OTHER INDICTMENTS
Ramiro Erik Flores-Hernandez, 44, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on four counts of distribution of cocaine and two counts of attempt to commit possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Kansas Highway Patrol are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Samuel Juarez-Leal, 23, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry after deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is investigating the case.
Luis Luna-Magdaleno, 51, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Inocencio Rodriguez-Antonio, 30, 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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Juventino Hernandez-Zalazar, 37, an illegal alien from Mexico was indicted on one count of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ola Odeyemi is prosecuting the case.
Dennis D. Dees, 39, of WaKeeney was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm in violation of the National Firearms Act. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), and the U.S. Secret Service are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak is 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.An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###Illegal Alien from England Pleads Guilty and Is Sentenced for Entering the United States Without InspectionRead the Press Release
BANGOR, Maine: A citizen of the United Kingdom pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Bangor for entering the United States without inspection.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John C. Nivison sentenced Ali Mohammed Ali Abdullah, 18, to time served. Abdullah will be turned over to immigration authorities for removal proceedings.
According to court records, Abdullah and three other men walked through the heavily wooded border between Quebec and Franklin County during the pre-dawn hours of April 3, 2026. Their point of entry was within a few hundred yards of the Saint Zacharie, Maine port of entry that was manned by agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (“OFO”). Upon exiting the woods, Abdullah and his companions began walking down the Golden Road heading east.
Passersby in the area reported to an OFO agent seeing the four men walking east on the Golden Road. The OFO agent reported the sighting to the U.S. Border Patrol (“USBP”) station in Jackman. A USBP agent and an OFO agent responded to the area of the sighting, located the four men and took them into custody without incident. When questioned about their citizenship, Abdullah and his three companions stated they were citizens of the United Kingdom. The four were subsequently transported back to the Jackman Border Patrol station. Further investigation revealed that Abdullah had entered the country unlawfully to secure work in the U.S.
USBP, OFO, Homeland Security Investigations, and the FBI investigated the case.
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.
Illegal Alien Who Possessed a Dangerous Weapon in Cook County Jail and Committed an Attempted Vehicular Hijacking Indicted for Allegedly Unlawfully Re-Entering U.S. After DeportationRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien who resided in a Chicago suburb has been indicted on a federal immigration charge for allegedly unlawfully re-entering the United States after a deportation.
An indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago charges HECTOR DANIEL GAMBOA-MANTALVO, 30, with one count of unlawful re-entry after deportation and removal. Gamboa-Mantalvo pleaded not guilty to the charge during his arraignment on Tuesday in federal court in Chicago. A status hearing is set for May 27, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge LaShonda A. Hunt.
Gamboa-Mantalvo, a Mexican national who resided in Palatine, Ill., was removed from the United States in July 2020, the indictment states. During the arraignment hearing on Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman advised the Court that Gamboa-Mantalvo was discovered in the United States in 2023 when he was arrested for committing an attempted vehicular hijacking in Palatine. He was convicted of that offense and has been serving a five-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections. While in pre-trial custody in that case, Gamboa-Mantalvo possessed a dangerous weapon in the Cook County Jail. He was later convicted of a weapons offense and sentenced to a concurrent term of four years in state custody.
Gamboa-Mantalvo waived his right to a detention hearing on the federal charge and has been ordered into federal custody. The unlawful re-entry charge is punishable by up to twenty years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Defendants convicted of this offense are subject to deportation.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Russell Hott, Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Chicago.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. Among other priorities, the HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Selling Firearms and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully residing in Carver, Mass. was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling four firearms as well as fentanyl in 2024.
Talles Provette De Faria, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Angel Kelley to 32 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of the imposed sentence. In December 2025, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of dealing firearms without a license, one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was charged by criminal complaint in September 2024.
On two dates between April and September 2024, Provette De Faria met with a cooperating witness in Eastern Massachusetts and sold a total of four firearms. In addition, Provette De Faria communicated with the cooperating witness on other dates about other firearms and also sold the cooperating witness fentanyl.
Specifically, on April 24, 2024, Provette De Faria sold two 9mm pistols and ammunition in exchange for cash at a Home Depot parking lot in Plymouth. Later, on May 15, 2024, Provette De Faria sold fentanyl to a cooperating witness at a parking lot in Barnstable.
On subsequent dates, Provette De Faria continued to send pictures and videos to the cooperating witness showing firearms – both pistols and rifles – and offering them for sale. This continued across several dates and into June. On several occasions, Provette De Faria indicated that he had an out-of-state source of supply for firearms.
On Sept. 19, 2024, before he was arrested by authorities, Provette De Faria sold a pistol, a rifle, as well as a 30-round magazine loaded with 27 rounds of ammunition to the cooperating witness in Plymouth. The pistol had previously been reported as stolen:
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Plymouth, Barnstable and New Bedford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Reynolds and Michael J. Crowley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Huntington Man Ordered to Pay $347,038.02 in Restitution for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
FORT WAYNE – Robert Elsten, 57 years old, of Huntington, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge Holly A. Brady after pleading guilty to Fraud and False Statements, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Elsten was sentenced to time served, followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $347,038.02 in restitution.
According to documents in the case, Robert Elsten owned and operated Global Paving, LLC, a family-owned asphalt paving company. Elsten’s customers routinely paid Elsten by check for paving work. Elsten would then deposit some of those checks into the business bank account. Other checks received by Elsten for paving work were cashed by Elsten at various check cashing facilities. Elsten then failed to report on his taxes all gross income earned from Global Paving, LLC.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lesley J. Miller Lowery.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Leads to Lengthy Prison Sentences for Two Mexican Nationals Convicted of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson announced that a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation has resulted in lengthy prison sentences for two Mexican nationals for trafficking illicit drugs into Charlotte and elsewhere. During the investigation, law enforcement determined that the defendants were members of a drug trafficking organization with ties to the Sinaloa Cartel.
Leonardo Sandoval-Ocampo, 26, of Mexico, who is illegally present in the United States, was sentenced to 150 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine, and distribution of methamphetamine. Gerardo Agustin Salinas-Isais, 43, who was a non-citizen legally residing in the United States, was sentenced to 135 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. Both defendants will also be removed from the United States after they complete their respective prison sentences.
“We talk about cartels all the time – this case is an example of how real the threat is,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This case shows that cartels like Sinaloa are in our communities. The Homeland Security Task Force is dedicated to the complete elimination of cartels like Sinaloa, and this case is an important step in achieving that goal. These defendants will now spend more than a decade in federal prison and then be removed from the country.”
According to filed documents and court proceedings, from November 2022 through May 2023, Sandoval-Ocampo and Salinas-Isais were members of Mexico-based drug trafficking organization. During that time, Sandoval-Ocampo was a drug distributor for the organization, responsible for delivering multi-kilogram quantities of illicit drugs, including methamphetamine, for further distribution locally. Over the course of the investigation, Sandoval-Ocampo made or coordinated multiple drug deliveries to investigators working in an undercover capacity. Upon his arrest, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Sandoval-Ocampo’s residence in Lexington, N.C., where they seized methamphetamine, marijuana, and firearms, including a rifle and two semi-automatic pistols. The residence of an individual Sandoval-Ocampo directed to make deliveries was also searched, resulting in the seizure of 1.8 kilograms of pills pressed with fentanyl. Based on his part in the conspiracy, Sandoval-Ocampo was held accountable for more than four kilograms of methamphetamine.
Salinas-Isais worked for the organization as a local distributor. In April 2023, Salinas-Isais distributed approximately 1.5 kilograms of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. In May 2023, law enforcement stopped Salinas-Isais’s vehicle while he was traveling from Atlanta into Western North Carolina. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found a bag containing nearly a kilogram of methamphetamine and 355 grams of cocaine that Salinas-Isais possessed with the intent to distribute to others.
Sandoval-Ocampo and Salinas-Isais will remain in federal custody until they are transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
This was an investigation led by the HSTF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nick J. Miller of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is an initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF CORE 23 (Charlotte) is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), United States Marshal Service (USMS), United States Customers and Border Protection (CBP), United States ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), the United States Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), the Naval Criminal investigative Service (NCIS), the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FIDC) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the North Carolina Insurance Bureau, South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), the Raleigh Police Department, the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, the Cary Police Department, the Nash Count Sheriff’s Office, the Wake County Sheriff’s Office, the Halifax County Sheriff’s office, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, the Craven County Sheriff’s Office, the Sampson County Sheriff’s Office, the Brunswick Count Sheriff’s Office, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office, the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office, the Wilmington Police Department, the Nags Head Police Department, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety (NCDPS), the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, the Alexander County Sheriff’s Office, Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), the Kannapolis Police Department, the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office, the Waxhaw Police Department, the Gaston County Police Department, the Gastonia Police Department, the Huntersville Police Department, the Cornelius Police Department, the Matthews Police Department, the Pineville Police Department, the Stallings Police Department, the Kings Mountain Police Department, the Greensville County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Enforcement Unit (DEU), the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) International Airport Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the Anderson City Police Department, the Florence County Sheriff’s Office, the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office, the Charleston County Airport Police Department, the Charleston Police Department, the Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office, the Summerville Police Department, the Greensboro Police Department, the Winston-Salem Police Department, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office, the Alamance County Sheriff’s office, the Davie County Sheriff’s Office, the Eden Police Department, the Piedmont Triad Internal Airport Police Department, the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office, the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Districts of North and South Carolina.
Holly youth soccer coach indicted by federal grand jury for transporting a minor from Ohio to Michigan to engage in criminal sexual activityRead the Press Release
FLINT – A Holly, Michigan youth soccer coach has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of transporting a minor for criminal sexual activity and coercion and enticement of a minor, announced Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit Field Office.
Charged was Chason Pointer, 42, of Grand Blanc, Michigan.
According to court records, Pointer preyed on a minor child online and then traveled across state lines in the middle of the night to transport the child from the child’s northern Ohio home to a Michigan hotel to sexually abuse the child. Further investigation revealed that Pointer had traveled to Ohio previously to sexually assault the child and discussed this activity with the child through a social media messaging platform.
On April 10, 2026, a federal magistrate judge in Flint held a bond hearing and detained Pointer pending trial based on clear and convincing evidence that no set of bond conditions could ensure the community’s safety with Pointer in it.
Pointer pleaded not guilty at his arraignment. The magistrate judge continued Pointer’s detention pending trial on the charges.
“Creeps lurk online and prey on our children. They want to hurt them just as this man allegedly did. And we are in a race to stop these monsters,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon.
“Those who exploit children and transport them across state lines should know we will find them and ensure they are held accountable for their actions,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “The acts described in this indictment are disturbing. The child in this case was specifically targeted, posing a danger to the minor and to our communities across both states. I am grateful to the members from our FBI Flint Resident Agency for their work in this case, alongside the critical partnership with the Fenton Police Department and Sylvania Township (Ohio) Police Department. FBI Detroit will continue to use every resource available to identify and stop those who prey on children.”
If you have any information that may be relevant to this investigation and/or if you have a child who may have relevant information through the child’s contact with Pointer as a youth soccer coach in the Holly, Michigan area, please contact: Detroit FBI Field Office at 313-965-2323 or send email to tips.fbi.gov.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation Flint office investigated this case with significant assistance from the Fenton Police Department and Sylvania Township (Ohio) Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Grant Newman.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent. The burden is on the government to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Healthcare Worker at Detention Facilities Pleads Guilty to FraudRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Neery Velazquez admitted in federal court today that while he was a healthcare worker at U.S. Customs and Border Protection detention facilities in San Diego County, he submitted almost $250,000 in false travel claims for reimbursement.
Velazquez, who worked for a government contractor, pleaded guilty to a single count of False Claim. He is scheduled to be sentenced before District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo on July 14, 2026.
Contractor employees are eligible to request reimbursement of their lodging, meal and incidental expenses when they are on “Temporary Duty” (TDY) travel more than 50 miles from the employee’s permanent home.
The defendant was hired in January 2020 to work as a “traveler” performing contracted services for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) away from his permanent home in Las Vegas. In 2021, however, the defendant moved his permanent home to San Diego, making him ineligible for reimbursement for travel expenses.
According to his plea agreement, between 2021 and 2024, Velazquez submitted approximately 35 monthly travel claims to his employer and falsely attested that he was entitled to reimbursement of his lodging, meal, and incidental expenses because he was on TDY travel.
Velazquez also admitted he submitted forged documents to inflate and support his purported monthly expenses. This included a forged month-to-month lease agreement with a fake landlord, along with a forged rental receipt signed by the fake landlord, to make it appear as if he was paying thousands of dollars more for rent of a supposed temporary home each month than he was actually paying for his permanent residence.
In total, Velazquez submitted approximately $244,019.48 in false travel claims for reimbursement. CBP reimbursed approximately $181,082.85 of that amount before it discovered discrepancies in the submitted travel claims.
This case stemmed from an investigation led by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility, with assistance from CBP’s Office of Finance, Investment Analysis Office. The investigation revealed that nearly a third of the contractor’s 100 employees on TDY status in the San Diego area were committing some form of travel benefits fraud. Investigators determined that such employees had submitted more than $1.59 million in false travel claims to their employer for reimbursement, which CBP later reimbursed. CBP offset the loss by withholding funds payable to the contractor based on findings of false claims.
The investigation and subsequent scrutiny also resulted in a reduction in travel claims submitted by the contractor to CBP. Notably, the submitted claims decreased from an average of $3.9 million per month in calendar year 2023 to $3.1 million per month in calendar year 2024, resulting in a cost avoidance of approximately $9.6 million.
“Every dollar stolen through fraudulent travel claims is a dollar taken directly from the pockets of hardworking taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “We stand committed to preserving a government that stewards the public’s money wisely and protects it from wrongdoers.”
“This guilty plea sends a strong message that those who attempt to defraud the government and American taxpayer will be identified and held accountable for their actions,” said Joseph V. Cuffari, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “We appreciate the coordination with our law enforcement partners in their actions to exact justice for these crimes.”
“This plea agreement highlights CBP OPR’s ongoing commitment to accountability and integrity, said Jeffrey Egerton, Acting Executive Director of the Investigative Operations Directorate, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility. “Today’s resolution reaffirms our duty to protect taxpayers and ensure those who misuse government funds are held accountable.”
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick C. Swan.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26-cr-1544-CAB
Neery Velazquez Age: 31 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
False Claim – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 287
Aiding and Abetting, Title 18, U.S.C. Section 2
Maximum penalties: Five years in prison and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Professional Responsibility
Customs and Border Protection, Office of Finance
Harvey Man Guilty of Coercing Three Minors into Sending Him Sexually Explicit Images and Distributing and Receiving Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – LANCE ROTOLO, JR. (“ROTOLO”), age 20, a resident of Harvey, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, this investigation began when the Federal Bureau of Investigation learned of an online chat on a social media platform that an online covert employee had with an individual, subsequently determined to be ROTOLO. In the chat, ROTOLO sent images that appeared to constitute child sexual abuse material and made a series of concerning statements. Thereafter, agents executed a search warrant on ROTOLO’s residence. During the execution of the search warrant, agents seized numerous electronic items, including an iPhone belonging to ROTOLO.
A subsequent forensic review of ROTOLO’s iPhone revealed that ROTOLO used the iPhone on multiple occasions between in or around December 2024 and in or around March 2025, to take approximately three (3) photos and two (2) videos of Victim 1, a minor female, while Victim 1 was unclothed in a bathroom. ROTOLO took the pictures surreptitiously, without Victim 1’s knowledge or authorization.
The review of ROTOLO’s iPhone also determined that between January 2025 and February 2025, ROTOLO met Victim 2, a minor female, though a social media service. ROTOLO pretended to be a minor-aged male. During their correspondence, at ROTOLO’s request, ROTOLO and Victim 2 engaged in sexually explicit conduct via video calls. On numerous dates, ROTOLO demanded that Victim 2 engage and continue to engage in sexually explicit conduct while on video calls with him, at least some of which he recorded without Victim 2’s consent. When Victim 2 expressed reluctance and explained to ROTOLO that Victim 2 had previously been the victim of sexual assault, which ROTOLO was “making [] worse,” ROTOLO threatened Victim 2 by stating he would send sexually explicit photos and videos he had obtained of Victim 2 to Victim 2’s social media friends and contacts. ROTOLO’s iPhone also contained evidence that between December 2024 and January 2025, ROTOLO engaged in a similar extortionate scheme to obtain sexually explicit depictions of Victim 3, a minor female born in February 2010.
Finally, ROTOLO’s iPhone revealed that ROTOLO knowingly used his cellular phone to search for, download, save, and distribute at least fifty (50) images and twenty-three (23) videos depicting the sexual victimization of children on numerous dates between November 2024 and April 2025. Some of the children depicted in the digital files were as young as approximately less than one (1) year old at the time the child sexual abuse material was created.
ROTOLO faces a mandatory minimum of ten (10) years in prison and a maximum term of life imprisonment. ROTOLO further faces at least five years, and up to a lifetime, of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. He may also be required to register as a sex offender. Sentencing before Judge Fallon has been scheduled for July 23, 2026, at 2:00 pm.
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 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 better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Chief of the Criminal Division, is in charge of the prosecution.
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