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Monday 17 August 2026
Venezuelan Sentenced to 18 Years for Robbing Denver Jewelry Store at the Direction of Tren de AraguaRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jesus Lara del Toro, 22, of Venezuela, was sentenced to 216 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution after pleading guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence in connection with the armed robbery of the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store. Lara del Toro pleaded guilty without a plea agreement.
According to the indictment and facts established at sentencing, Lara del Toro and others entered the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store on West 38th Avenue in Denver on the afternoon of June 24, 2024. During the robbery, employees and customers were held at gunpoint, several employees were beaten with firearms, and nearly $4 million worth of gold and jewelry were stolen. Multiple victims were injured in the attack. The suspects were later located in the El Paso, Texas, area. The defendants in this case, including Lara del Toro, committed this crime acting under the directives of international Tren de Aragua (TdA) leadership.
“The District of Colorado continues to pursue the total elimination of the Tren de Aragua gang in Colorado, and sentences like this send a strong message that we will not tolerate this violence in our communities,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I hope the victims of this violent attack take some solace in justice being served as these criminals are sent to federal prison.”
“The violent crime behind this case and HSI’s broader Denver-area investigation into Tren de Aragua marks the beginning of the end for this criminal group,” said HSI Denver Special Agent in Charge Steve Cagen. “The professionalism of HSI Denver and El Paso agents, along with our FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office partners in Colorado and Texas, demonstrate the strength of a whole-of-government law enforcement approach.”
“The video surveillance of the jewelry store robbery was shocking in its violence, prompting an immediate action from local and federal partners. The crew that planned and carried out the robbery knew people would be inside, and they fully intended to terrorize anyone present during the robbery's commission,” said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski. “The FBI Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force in collaboration with our partners tracked them down and brought them back to face justice. This sentence reflects the decisions the defendant chose to make.”
Two other defendants, Jean Torres-Roman and Newman Castillo Delgado were previously sentenced. A fourth defendant will be sentenced later this year.
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencing.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Denver, the Denver Police Department, the FBI Denver Field Division, FBI El Paso Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso Police Department, and West Texas Anti-Gang Center. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczak.
These cases are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of 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. The Rocky Mountain HSTF comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Office of Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); United States Marshals Service (USMS); Diplomatic Security Service (DSS); United States Citizenship and Immigration Services; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement / Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE/ERO); and United States Customs and Border Patrol with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado.
Case Numbers: 24-CR-00247-NYW and 25-CR-00331-PAB
U.S. Attorney’s Office Marks National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day with Facebook Live DiscussionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Ahead of National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day on Friday, August 21, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is raising awareness about the dangers of illicit fentanyl and inviting the public to join “A Conversation on Fentanyl: Awareness, Prevention, and Public Health.” U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson will host the Facebook Live discussion on Tuesday, August 18, at 10 a.m. ET, focusing on prevention, enforcement, treatment, and recovery.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson will be joined by Eric Conaway, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Charlotte Division, Atrium Health emergency room physician Dr. Cory Hines, and treatment and recovery expert Mackie Johnson, Executive Director of MCJ Counseling Services.
National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day is observed annually on August 21 and brings together families, law enforcement, healthcare professionals, educators, community organizations, and others to increase education about the dangers of illicit fentanyl.
Illicit fentanyl remains one of the most dangerous drug threats facing our communities. Fentanyl is extremely potent, and even a small amount can be potentially lethal. Fentanyl is often mixed into other illicit drugs and pressed into counterfeit pills made to resemble legitimate prescription medicines.
“Some of the heaviest days I have as U.S. Attorney are meeting families who have lost a loved one to a fentanyl overdose,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This drug has devastated families across Western North Carolina. National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day is a time to remember those we have lost to an overdose, educate people about the dangers of counterfeit pills and other illicit drugs, and support those seeking treatment and recovery. The fentanyl crisis cannot be solved by any one agency or organization. We all have a role to play, from law enforcement and healthcare professionals, to parents, educators, and families. My office will continue pursuing cartels, drug trafficking organizations, and distributors who bring this poison into our communities, while working with our partners to promote prevention, education, treatment, and recovery. Awareness and support can save lives.”
“National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day reminds us that protecting our communities starts with prevention,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “We must protect lives by raising awareness of the dangers of fentanyl, prevent tragedy through education and informed decision-making, and support families with the resources they need to have these important conversations. Together, we can save lives and work toward a Fentanyl Free America.”
Identifying and dismantling drug trafficking networks remains a top enforcement priority for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners. Federal prosecutors regularly handle cases involving traffickers responsible for distributing fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
- On August 13, 2026, a repeat federal drug trafficker and his girlfriend were sentenced for distributing fentanyl.
- On August 13, 2026, a North Carolina physician was sentenced for conspiring to allow his DEA registration number to be used for thousands of unlawful buprenorphine prescriptions.
- On August 12, 2026, an illegal alien and affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel was sentenced for trafficking more than 133,000 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
- On August 5, 2026, two illegal aliens from Honduras were sentenced for fentanyl trafficking.
- On July 21, 2026, a convicted felon on probation was sentenced for distributing guns and drugs, including fentanyl.
- On June 4, 2026, a Mexican national with ties to the CJNG Cartel was sentenced for distributing fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
For more information about the dangers of illicit fentanyl and resources available to families and communities, visit the DEA’s fentanyl awareness webpage.
Contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for help with treatment referral and information for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit the online treatment locator.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Files Opening Brief for Appeal in United States v. Abrego GarciaRead the Press Release
Today, August 17, 2026, the United States filed its opening brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in United States v. Abrego Garcia asking the appellate court to reverse the district court’s order dismissing the indictment and to reinstate the case against Abrego Garcia.
As described in the United States’ brief, the decision to seek an indictment against Abrego Garcia for human smuggling was made by career prosecutors based on the evidence, the law, and their firm belief that there is proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Abrego Garcia had committed the offenses charged. The indictment and prosecution of Abrego Garcia in the Middle District of Tennessee was not vindictive and the evidence before the district court established that it was not. Instead, the evidence in the district court proved that charges were brought against Abrego Garcia because, in the view of career prosecutors, the evidence conclusively established that he had committed a serious crime, and not for any vindictive motive.
While the United States respects the district court, the United States argues in today’s appellate brief that the district court did not follow the relevant Supreme Court and Sixth Circuit precedent in making its decision to dismiss the indictment against Abrego Garcia. The ruling marks a dramatic expansion of the power of courts to dismiss serious criminal charges based on subjective assessments of a prosecutor’s motivations and is an unwarranted intrusion into the Executive’s powers and responsibility to protect the public. Therefore, an appeal is necessary to seek review of the district court’s decision and ensure that federal law is followed appropriately.
The link to the full brief can be found here:
26-5555_appellants_opening_br_filed_copy.pdfU.S. Attorney’s Office Files Civil Complaint against Texas Corporation and North Carolina Man for Allegedly Defrauding MedicareRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons has announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota filed a civil complaint against two defendants for an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare. The complaint filed in federal court is part of the Department of Justice’s 2026 National Health Care Fraud Takedown.
“We’ve been directed by the Attorney General to do everything possible to eliminate fraud against the government and seek to recover funds stolen from taxpayers,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “That is what we are doing—and I am incredibly proud of our Assistant United States Attorneys and our entire team of legal specialists who are working so hard to accomplish that mission.”
As alleged in the complaint, Michael Bingham, age 72, of Laurel Springs, North Carolina, and NeuroSolutions 100, LLC, of Dallas, Texas, violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims, false records, and false statements to obtain funds from Medicare. The government seeks a total recovery of $4,591,003 from the defendants. Within the complaint, the government alleges that NeuroSolutions 100, LLC, which is owned by Michael Bingham, improperly billed Medicare for the surgical implantation of electro-neurostimulators, when in fact the devices were temporary non-surgical electro-acupuncture devices applied behind the patients ear using an adhesive and/or with needles inserted into the patient’s ear similar to acupuncture. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) investigated this matter. The case is being litigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Weyer.
This year’s National Health Care Fraud Takedown represents the greatest whole-of-government effort to combat health care fraud in our Nation’s history,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under the decisive leadership of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, and our law enforcement partners, this administration has ushered in a new era of enforcement that will safeguard taxpayer dollars.”The complaint announced by U.S. Attorney Parsons is part of a strategically coordinated, nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in charges against 455 defendants, including 90 doctors and other licensed medical professionals, for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes involving over $6.5 billion in false claims and significant patient harm, including death. The Takedown represents a new era in federal, state, and international cooperation to combat health care fraud: charges in 56 federal districts and involving 45 U.S. states and territories, the most in Department history. In addition, unprecedented international cooperation over the two-week Takedown resulted in the apprehension and return to the United States of the following health care fraudsters: one defendant in Kyrenia in connection with an over $3.7 billion scheme; two defendants in Estonia in connection with a previously charged $10.6 billion scheme; and, in the Philippines, one of FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters in connection with a $1.2 billion telemedicine scheme. The Takedown involves the cutting-edge use of data analytics to target the worst actors; seize over $182 million in cash, houses, luxury vehicles, jewelry, and other assets; and provide full spectrum accountability for all criminal actors from doctor’s offices to corporate boardrooms.
This coordinated enforcement action involves a whole-of-government approach, including:
- Actions by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to suspend 1,079 providers and revoke billing privileges for 1,403 providers.
- 48 Civil Monetary Payment settlements amounting to over $73 million, over 1,400 provider exclusions, and 25 actions by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) under the Civil Monetary Penalties Law seeking more than $10 billion in payments to the Medicare Trust Fund from payments that CMS caught and suspended before the funds were paid to the fraudulent providers.
- Civil charges against 13 defendants for $14.8 million in health care fraud schemes, as well as civil settlements with 31 defendants totaling $23 million.
- 928 administrative cases by the Drug Enforcement Administration seeking the revocation of authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances since October 1, 2025.
The cases are being prosecuted by the Health Care Fraud Section’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, New England, Northeast, Texas, and West Coast Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the District of Arizona, Central District of California, Eastern District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Colorado, District of Connecticut, District of Delaware, Middle District of Florida, Northern District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Georgia, District of Idaho, Northern District of Illinois, District of Iowa, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, District of Massachusetts, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of Nevada, District of New Hampshire, District of New Jersey, District of Nex Mexico, Eastern District of New York, Northern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Western District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio, Northern District of Oklahoma, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Oregon, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania, District of Rhode Island, District of South Carolina, District of South Dakota, Middle District of Tennessee, Western District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Northern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, Eastern District of Wisconsin, and Western District of Wisconsin; and State Attorneys General’s Offices in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Inidiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
Descriptions of each case involved in the National Health Care Fraud Takedown are available on the Department’s website: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/national-health-care-fraud-takedown-results-455-defendants-charged-connection-over-65.
A civil complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven liable in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould announces Fifth Circuit victory clarifying citizenship transmission lawRead the Press Release
DALLAS — U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced that on Aug. 14, the Fifth Circuit affirmed the dismissal of two consolidated lawsuits seeking derivative U.S. citizenship and immigration related relief.
The plaintiffs asked the Court to adopt a “constructive presence” doctrine to bypass the statutory physical presence requirements for transmitting citizenship. The Fifth Circuit firmly rejected that theory, emphasizing that Congress, not the courts, defines who may acquire U.S. citizenship.
In a key line summarizing the Court’s approach, the panel wrote: “The applicable law for transmitting citizenship to a child born abroad is the statute in effect at the time of the child’s birth.” The Court concluded the plaintiffs could not satisfy those statutes and made clear that judges may not rewrite them: “We reject the constructive presence doctrine…none of the statutory exceptions apply here, and we will not create judicial ones.”
Judge Ho’s concurrence reinforced the ruling in direct terms: “Federal courts may not confer U.S. citizenship on any individual who fails to comply with all of the conditions and requirements set forth in our naturalization laws, and that includes the requirement of physical presence.”
The Court also held that the plaintiffs’ claims were barred under 8 U.S.C. § 1252(g), that their declaratory-judgment claims were unexhausted and that their APA claims lacked any reviewable final agency action.
U.S. Attorney Raybould praised the ruling:
“This opinion brings essential clarity to citizenship transmission law. The Fifth Circuit confirmed that Congress’s rules govern, and that those rules must be applied exactly as written. AUSA Brian Stoltz did outstanding work securing this clean and decisive victory.”
The Fifth Circuit’s decision was issued in the consolidated cases Guerra Quezada v. United States, No. 25-10372, and Guerra Vasquez v. United States, No. 25-10555.
For more information, please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas.
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Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Six Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Tyler D. Ogden, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to six years in federal prison for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our excellent state and federal law enforcement partners continue to work hard every day to stop the flow of drugs into our communities. Meth, in particular, has had a devastating impact on our District for several years, and this successful prosecution is yet another step toward delivering the safe, drug-free streets that the citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve.”
Court documents reflect that in April 2025, during a Tallahassee-area undercover law enforcement operation, the defendant purchased methamphetamine. Later, the defendant separated four ounces from a larger quantity of methamphetamine and distributed the controlled substance.
“Methamphetamine is trafficked regularly in the Florida Pan Handle and our agents and law enforcement partners are very active in this region,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, DEA Tampa Field Division. “Like Mr. Ogden, we have brought many criminals who sell this poison in our communities to justice.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Leon County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
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.
Tallahassee Man Indicted for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – James Dalton Bryant, 54, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for bank robbery. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge.
Bryant appeared in federal court for his arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for October 5, 2026, before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
Bryant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment if convicted.
The case was jointly investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
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.
South Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking in MassachusettsRead the Press Release
A South Carolina man pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking between January and August 2023.
According to court documents, Alexander Smalls, 27, of Beaufort, South Carolina, conspired with co-defendant Christy Parker, 28, and others to use physical beatings, threats, intimidation, sleep deprivation, starvation, and other means to coerce at least one adult victim to engage in repeated commercial sex acts in and around Fall River, Massachusetts between January and August 2023. Starting in January 2023, Smalls and Parker forced and coerced the adult victim to engage in repeated commercial sex acts by physically beating, threatening, and verbally abusing her. They also imposed manufactured debts on the victim, gave and withheld alcohol causing the victim to experience seizures, and threatened to have the authorities take the victim’s minor child away from her. When Smalls was incarcerated on unrelated charges in March 2023, he continued coordinating with Parker and participating in the sex trafficking conspiracy from jail until Parker’s arrest in August 2023.
“This defendant used deplorable means to compel the victim to perform commercial sex acts for the financial benefit of himself and his codefendants,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “His conduct was cruel and predatory in multiple ways, which included physical beatings and threatening to separate her from her child. This partnership between the Criminal Division and the District of Massachusetts will ensure that those who victimize people through human trafficking in Massachusetts will be investigated and prosecuted.”
“Alexander Smalls took extraordinary steps to target and exploit a vulnerable victim and continued to do so from jail, after he was taken into state custody on a separate offense. His ruthless predilection to exploit others for his own financial gain is simply heartless and reprehensible,” said U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley for the District of Massachusetts. “My office stands strong in its determination to protect our community from sex traffickers.”
“Smalls and his associates brutally trafficked women, using every cruel and inhumane tool they could to coerce them into commercial sex for their financial benefit,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey Grimming of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “This case shows the insidious tactics traffickers use, slowly gaining the trust of their victims before brutally betraying them. With cases like this, we choose to focus not solely on the cruelty of the perpetrators, but also on the resilience of the survivors. We hope today’s plea brings a measure of justice and sense of closure to those Smalls victimized as they continue to heal.”
Five of Smalls’s co-defendants were previously convicted, and four have been sentenced. Tyreik Reid, 22, and Cory Primo, 44, were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sentenced to 70 months in prison, followed by 60 months of supervised release. Avvani Jeffers, 24, was convicted of two counts of forced labor and sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by 24 months of supervised release. Tre’sean Reid, 23, was convicted of one count of forced labor and sentenced to time served, followed by 24 months of supervised release. Christy Parker pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, and one count of sex trafficking of a minor. Parker is awaiting sentencing.
Smalls pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 9. He faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years and maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The HSI Boston Field Office and the Fall River Police Department are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley-Cunniffe for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
Six Charged in Gang-Related RICO Conspiracy Involving Drugs, Guns and ViolenceRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Five alleged members and associates of the “El Cajon Locos” criminal street gang have been indicted on federal racketeering charges in connection with drug and firearms trafficking and violent crimes. A sixth defendant has been charged with witness tampering and witness harassment.
The defendants are charged under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which makes it a federal crime to participate in an enterprise through a pattern of racketeering activity, including drug trafficking, firearms offenses and violent crimes. All defendants are in custody.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation by state and federal authorities into alleged criminal activity by the El Cajon Locos (ECLS), including offenses allegedly committed on behalf of the gang between April and November 2025.
The indictment alleges that ECLS and its associates have primarily operated out of the Terraza Hills Apartments in El Cajon. According to the indictment, ECLS and its associates committed violent acts such as assaulting and robbing an individual believed to have cooperated with law enforcement, and robbing another person of drugs, guns, and money.
In addition, the indictment charges defendant Nicole Cristina Gracia with witness tampering and witness harassment. According to the indictment, the defendant intimidated, harassed, threatened and persuaded a robbery victim to mislead law enforcement by falsely claiming that a video depicting a robbery was staged for a music video.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 26-CR-2808-LL
Defendant 1 – SEALED Defendant 2 – SEALEDJose Morales
aka “Pee Wee”
Age: 49San Diego, CALuis Baltierrez
aka “Snow Owl”
Age: 40San Diego, CAOscar Mendoza Alatorre Sr.
aka “Lurch”
Age: 43San Diego, CANicole Christine GraciaAge: 34San Diego, CASUMMARY OF CHARGES
Conspiracy to Conduct Enterprise Affairs Through a Pattern of Racketeering Activity – 18 U.S.C. §1962(d)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
*Redacted defendants, Jose Morales, Luis Baltierrez, and Oscar Mendoza Alatorre Sr.
Felon in Possession of a Firearm — 18 U.S.C. §922(g)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Fifteen years in prison and $250,000 fine
*Redacted defendant
Possessing a Firearm During and In Relation to a Drug Trafficking Crime – 18 U.S.C. §924(c)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison with a five-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
*Redacted defendant
Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine — 21 U.S.C. §841(a)(1)
Maximum Penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
*Redacted defendant
Witness Tampering – 18 U.S.C. §1512(b)(3)
Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
*Nicole Cristina Gracia
Harassing a Witness – 18 U.S.C. §1512(d)(2)
Maximum Penalty: Three years in prison and $100,000 fine
*Nicole Cristina Gracia
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
El Cajon Police Department
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Homeland Security Investigations
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office
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 San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Shepherdsville Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Shepherdsville, Kentucky man was sentenced on August 11, 2026, to 9 years in federal prison for wire fraud and spending fraud proceeds.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Bobby Kuszynski of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office made the announcement.
Stacy Allen Taylor, 59, of Shepherdsville, conspired with others in an international wire fraud scheme to defraud more than forty victims out of over $23.6 million. Victims believed they were investing money into a private trading platform that would provide significant returns on their investments. Most victims lost their entire investment to the scheme.
Taylor was previously convicted in the Western District of Kentucky and served a three-year sentence for federal fraud and drug crimes related to his role in an illegal online pharmacy.
In this case, Taylor entered guilty pleas to the seven counts in his indictment, including charges for wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy, and carrying out transactions over $10,000 with criminal proceeds. Taylor has been ordered to pay restitution to victims of his fraud scheme.
“Taylor is a repeat offender engaged in complex fraud, causing significant harm to dozens of victims,” said United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner. “A dedicated team of agents from FBI and IRS-CI worked together tirelessly over the course of years to bring justice to the fraud victims in this case. Taylor’s significant prison sentence will help protect others who might have fallen prey to this fraud scheme and, hopefully, sends a strong deterrent message to other fraudsters to stop or they will certainly find themselves in a cell next to Taylor.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson stated, "Investment schemes like the one perpetrated by Mr. Taylor may not only lead to the loss of a victim's life savings, but can irreparably damage one's livelihood. Through the FBI’s strong partnerships with IRS-CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office-Western District of Kentucky, this fraud scheme was identified and stopped before additional unsuspecting Americans were victimized.”
“When you knowingly mix deceit and fraud into the financial well-being of individuals, you create a recipe for devastation that could last a lifetime,” said Robert Kuszynski, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “Today's sentencing demonstrates how federal law enforcement will band together to help put an end to the criminal behavior of those who prey on investors for their personal financial gain. IRS-CI special agents will continue to use their financial expertise to identify and trace laundered funds in these types of investor fraud schemes.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI Louisville Field Office and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Detroit Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corinne E. Keel prosecuted the case.
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Safire nursing homes agree to pay $9 million to resolve fraudulent Medicare and Medicaid billing allegationsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Safire Rehabilitation of Northtowns, LLC, Safire Rehabilitation of Southtowns, LLC, and Williamsville Suburban, LLC, have agreed to pay $9,000,000 to resolve allegations arising under the Federal False Claims Act and the New York False Claims Act regarding false claims submitted to Medicare and Medicaid. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
The United States alleges that between approximately January 1, 2015 and approximately October 1, 2019, Safire submitted false claims to the Medicare and Medicaid programs for skilled rehabilitative therapy services that Safire knew were not reasonable or necessary, supported by the documentation in medical records, documented as provided, or provided at all. The United States specifically alleged that Safire fraudulently inflated reimbursements from the Medicare and Medicaid programs by: (a) scheduling skilled rehabilitative therapy and setting skilled rehabilitative therapy goals for residents based on the reimbursement policies of the residents’ insurer, rather than medical need, such that Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries were scheduled for more skilled rehabilitative therapy than was necessary; (b) pressuring treating therapists to provide therapy even when treating therapists recommended against therapy; (c) pressuring residents to attend therapy sessions even after the residents repeatedly refused to participate; and (d) manufacturing and/or altered therapy referrals and medical records to justify unreasonable and unnecessary therapy.
“Medicare and Medicaid fraud drains taxpayer funds and weakens these vital government programs”, stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This settlement reinforces our commitment to safeguarding federal funds and ensuring seniors receive the care they deserve.”
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The civil settlement is the result of a matter brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act in the matter captioned United States and the State of New York ex rel. Ciavarella v. Safire Rehabilitation of Northtowns, LLC., et al., 20-cv-07078-EAW (W.D.N.Y.). Of the $9 million settlement, $5.4 million constitutes the federal portion of the recovery and $3.6 million constitutes a recovery for State Medicaid programs. The Relator/whistleblower will receive a share of the federal recovery in this case.
The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, and the New York State Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Coriell and Investigator Peggy McFarland handled the matter on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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Rosebud Man and Woman Sentenced to 3 Decades in Federal Prison for Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Rosebud, South Dakota man and a Parmelee, South Dakota woman, following their convictions for Second Degree Murder.
Dillion Millard, age 27, pleaded guilty on August 13, 2025. On August 10, 2026, he was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Charmaine Medicine, age 31, pleaded guilty on May 12, 2026. On August 10, 2026, she was also sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Millard and Medicine were indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024. The convictions stem from an incident that occurred July 2019, in Todd County, South Dakota, in the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. In the early morning hours of July 9, 2019, Millard and Medicine picked up the victim, a 15-year-old male, from his residence, and told him they were going to go drink alcoholic beverages together. They drove him to a nearby park and walked to a secluded area where they sat and drank. The victim became intoxicated, at which point Millard began to strangle the victim with his hands. When the victim stopped struggling, Millard dragged his lifeless body over to a tree and used his belt to tie the victim to a branch by his neck. Medicine and Millard then departed the scene. A few hours later, however, they returned, poured oil on the victim’s body and lit him on fire in an effort to destroy the evidence of their malicious and evil deed. The victim’s body was discovered by hikers on the afternoon of July 10, 2019. The case remained under active investigation until May 2024, when Millard confessed to his and Medicine’s actions.
“I am so saddened and disheartened by the inhumanity of this terrible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “But I’m relieved for the victim’s family that they finally have some answers and can know that a measure of justice has been achieved,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services, the FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
Millard and Medicine were immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of their individual sentencing hearings.North Carolina Physician Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A North Carolina physician has been sentenced to prison for conspiring to allow his Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration number to be used for thousands of unlawful buprenorphine prescriptions, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell ordered Henry Ronald Emery, Jr., 54, of Waxhaw, N.C., to serve six months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. The sentencing hearing was held on Thursday, August 13, 2026.
“To end the opioid epidemic, we have to address the problem on all fronts, and that includes physicians who abuse their responsibility prescribing controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Physicians play a significant role in treating patients struggling with substance use disorder and the vast majority take that responsibility very seriously. However, those who abandon that responsibility, compromise patient care, and fuel the unlawful distribution of addictive drugs will be held accountable.”
According to filed documents, from September 2018 through 2022, Emery was a licensed physician in North Carolina with a family medicine practice in Weddington, N.C. He was also employed by Church Ekklasia Sozo (CES), a non-profit corporation operating as an online medical provider. CES purported to offer a legitimate opioid addiction treatment program that provided care through telemedicine. In order to obtain a prescription through CES, patients were required to fill out a short questionnaire on the organization’s website. Generally, a member of the CES administrative staff then reached out to the patient, obtained payment for the prescription, and used a medical prescriber’s DEA registration number to issue the prescription. Emery allowed administrative personnel at CES to use his DEA registration number to issue over 25,000 prescriptions of buprenorphine to patients in multiple states. Generally, Emery did not have any personal interaction with a CES patient before a buprenorphine prescription was issued in his name by CES administrative personnel.
Emery received payments totaling $452,830 from CES during the conspiracy. A forfeiture money judgment was ordered in this amount by Judge Bell at sentencing.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the DEA for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick J. Miller and William Bozin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Niagara Falls man going to prison for gun conspiracy and filling fraudulent hydrocodone prescriptionsRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Sean Reed, Jr., 38, of Niagara Falls, NY, who was convicted of conspiracy to illegally transport firearms and obtaining controlled substances through fraud, was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara.
Between September 2018 and May 2019, Reed conspired with others to transport at least 25 firearms to New York State that had been purchased in the State of Kentucky. Reed traveled to Kentucky, purchased the firearms from an individual living in Kentucky, and then transported the firearms back to New York. The firearms were purchased at various flea markets and pawn shops.
In addition, beginning in July 2021, Reed began receiving fraudulent prescriptions for hydrocodone from a secretary at a medical practice in Niagara Falls. The secretary had illegally accessed a doctor’s e-prescribing token and used it to issue hydrocodone prescriptions for herself, Reed, and others. The doctor was unaware of the secretary’s unlawful use of his e-prescribing token. Reed submitted the prescriptions to various pharmacies in the Niagara Falls area to obtain the hydrocodone pills. Reed received a total of 68 hydrocodone prescriptions, with each containing between 20 and 28 pills.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Bryan DiGirolamo, New York Field Division, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
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Mexican national admits role in fatal human smuggling attemptRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – A 19-year-old illegal alien has pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport illegal aliens resulting in death and bringing three illegal aliens into the United States for financial gain.
Gerardo David Zarate Martinez admitted he participated in the smuggling scheme in exchange for payment.
On Jan. 8, law enforcement encountered a white SUV in Laredo suspected of being involved in human smuggling. As authorities followed the vehicle, the driver accelerated, ran multiple red lights, and ultimately crashed into a utility pole.
Following the crash, authorities discovered two illegal aliens unresponsive in the rear of the SUV. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
As part of his plea, Zarate Martinez admitted an individual in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, offered to pay him to guide a group of illegal aliens further into the United States after they crossed the Rio Grande.
A juvenile drove the SUV while Zarate Martinez rode in the passenger seat. After the crash, both attempted to flee.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga accepted the plea and set sentencing for Nov. 10. At that time, Zarate Martinez faces up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Sentenced for Felony Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Jose Zapata-Ramirez, 35 years old, of Mexico, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to felony reentry of a removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Zapata-Ramirez was sentenced to time served of approximately four months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release which would take effect should Zapata-Ramirez remain in, or return to, the United States within that period following anticipated removal proceedings.
“Zapata-Ramirez was stopped by the Porter Police Department for committing a traffic violation with a fictitious Texas license plate affixed to the back of his vehicle. An investigation revealed that he was an illegal alien who was previously deported in April 2014. By his own admission, he returned to the United States in 2022 without inspection by an immigration officer. He clearly has no respect for our nation’s laws, borders, or sovereignty. Once he is released, Zapata-Ramirez must return to his home country and not return to the United States illegally. Thanks to the combined efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Porter Police Department, and Assistant United States Attorney Steven J. Lupa, this defendant has been held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Porter Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Lupa.
Meth Trafficking Leads to Significant Federal Prison Sentence for Ohio ManRead the Press Release
WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA – An Ohio man will spend the next 12 years behind bars after being sentenced for selling methamphetamine in Wetzel County, West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Christopher W. Radcliff, 56, of Byesville, Ohio, was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison for methamphetamine offenses. Radcliff, also known as “Squeak,” was observed selling methamphetamine in New Martinsville, West Virginia on several dates in 2024. During a traffic stop in Pleasants County, West Virginia, officers seized methamphetamine and $1,200. In total, the drug weight from the sales and the seizure amounted to nearly a pound and a half of methamphetamine.
Radcliff’s criminal history includes multiple drug and theft convictions.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clayton Reid prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Marshall County Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey presided.
Massachusetts Pharmacist Pleads Guilty to Diverting Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Massachusetts pharmacist Rima Gerges-Maalouf, 60, pleaded guilty today in Federal Court to diverting controlled prescription drugs while working as a pharmacist in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
As set forth in the plea agreement, in August 2024, Gerges-Maalouf served as a per diem pharmacist at a pharmacy in northern New Hampshire. While on duty, Gerges-Maalouf removed capsuled medication powder and prescription pills that were meant for patients and kept them for her own use. Gerges-Maalouf ingested some of the controlled substances while at work at the pharmacy. Judge Landya B. McCafferty scheduled sentencing for November 23, 2026.
“The facts in this case are that the defendant – a licensed pharmacist – emptied medication from pills prescribed for others and took them herself, giving some pills to patients where the medication had already been drained out. This is very dangerous for patients whose health and safety depend on these treatments,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “We will continue to pursue enforcement against misuse of controlled substances to protect healthcare customers, patients, and the public safety of all citizens here in New Hampshire.”
“Diversion of controlled substances, particularly by a licensed pharmacist, is a serious crime that erodes public trust and places lives at risk,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “The DEA and our law enforcement partners will use every available resource to identify those responsible for diverting controlled substances and bring them to justice. We remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting the integrity of our nation’s healthcare system, safeguarding the controlled pharmaceutical supply chain, and ensuring that those who abuse positions of trust are held fully accountable.”
The charge of diverting controlled substances carries a maximum prison term of 4 years, a maximum fine of $250,000 and term of supervised release not to exceed 1 year. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The Drug Enforcement Agency and the Federal Drug Administration Office of Inspections and Investigations led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.
Man Charged for Interstate Threats and CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A man with ties to New Jersey, Georgia, Malaysia, Morocco, and Albania was charged with threatening to kill and injure victims in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Jarvis Shabazz, 37, who most recently was living in Albania, was charged in an indictment with eight counts of interstate threats and two counts of cyberstalking. He made his initial appearance and was arraigned today in Camden federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Sharon A. King.
According to the Indictment and statements made in court:
On October 10, 2022, Shabazz left a graphic voicemail for a victim, threatening to kill that victim and stating that Shabazz would soon be “dismembering bodies and carving human f***ing flesh.” Approximately a week later, Shabazz left another threatening voicemail for the same victim, stating, “there is not a white paramilitary organization on planet Earth that is going to prevent me from taking your life. I want you to understand me well. You will die at my hands. White people cannot protect you. And your children will suffer the same fate. Inshallah mother f***er.”
For the next fifteen months, Shabazz continued to send additional death threats and harassing communications to this same victim, as well as to another victim. Shabazz made his threats in voicemails and text messages. He frequently changed his phone number, so that he could continue making threats to the victims even after they had blocked his number. Shabazz’s threats were filled with violent imagery, religious references, racial epithets, and obscenity.
Each of the counts of interstate threats, and each of the counts of cyberstalking, carries a maximum penalty of up to 5 years in prison, for a total potential maximum penalty of up to 50 years in prison. Each of the charged counts also carries a maximum fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross loss to the victim or gain to the defendant, whichever is greatest. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment against Shabazz are merely accusations, and Shabazz is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office and South Jersey Resident Agency Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, with the investigation leading to these charges. He also thanked the West Deptford Police Department Office, under the direction of Chief John Craig, for their valuable assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jason Richardson and Sara Aliabadi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Camden.
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Lebanon Man Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Timothy Cassidy, age 33, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania and Menominee, Michigan, was indicted on August 12, 2026, by a federal grand jury for failing to register as a sex offender after relocating to Maryland.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that from May 2025 through the present, despite being required to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), Cassidy traveled in interstate commerce from Pennsylvania to Michigan and failed to register his address as required by SORNA.
This matter was investigated by the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Justice Department Investigates William & Mary’s Scholarships & Student Benefits for Unlawful Race-Based CriteriaRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced today that it is opening a compliance review into the College of William & Mary (W&M) to determine whether the school’s scholarships and student benefits include racial criteria that violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin.
“Awarding scholarships or offering coveted opportunities to students based on the color of their skin is illegal and offends the guarantees of our color-blind Constitution,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We will find out if scholarships or other student benefits at William & Mary favor applicants of certain races. The Department will not turn a blind eye to race-based preferences, however they are packaged or portrayed by universities.”
The “W&M Scholars” program for first-year undergraduate students includes a scholarship “covering at least the full cost of in-state tuition and fees.” Applicants with an “interest in diverse people and perspectives” receive “top consideration.”
W&M School of Education (W&M SOE) offers the need-based Martha L. Muguira Fellowship to graduate students and gives a “preference” to Hispanic or Latino women. And the W&M SOE doctoral-level Holmes Scholars program gives “future education leaders of color” mentorship, access to job fairs and position announcements, as well as national-level professional development benefits such as policy/advocacy training and opportunities to present their research.
W&M Law School (W&M Law) offers the Lemon Legal Scholars Program (LLSP), a “multifaceted financial and mentorship opportunity” for graduates of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) who are admitted to W&M Law’s J.D. program. Through LLSP, W&M Law offers up to five full-ride scholarships — covering tuition and fees — which appear exclusively earmarked for HBCU graduates. Recipients also receive networking opportunities, one-on-one academic advising regarding course load and bar exam preparation, and access to special events with W&M Law faculty, senior administrators, and alumni.
W&M Law also advertises the “Reaching Back Scholarship” — a need-based scholarship that has a “preference” for HBCU graduates or those “who contribute to the diversity” of W&M Law.
The Civil Rights Division has not reached any conclusions about the subject matter of the investigation.
Note: Read the Department’s Notice Letter here.
Illinois Man Charged with Scheme to Impersonate Doctors and Make False Statements to Obtain GLP-1 MedicationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”), Naomi D. Gruchacz, announced that RODNEY GREER, a/k/a “Christian Marchand,” appeared for arraignment today in connection with a four-count Indictment charging GREER with a scheme to impersonate doctors to obtain unauthorized prescription medications on behalf of individuals who paid him. GREER was arrested in Chicago on June 17, 2026. This case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian.
“As alleged in the indictment, Rodney Greer impersonated and stole the identities of physicians and made false statements to pharmacies to obtain unauthorized prescription medications,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “This alleged conduct put scores of individuals in danger by allowing them to access prescription medication without the evaluation or approval of a licensed physician. The defendant now faces serious criminal charges for his alleged crimes.”
“The misuse of a physician's personally identifiable information to fraudulently obtain GLP-1 medications is a serious crime,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Rodney Greer's alleged scheme not only compromises sensitive data, but also abuses systems designed to support legitimate patient care. The FBI does not tolerate fraud in any form, and we will continue to investigate those who exploit the healthcare system and the providers.”
“The defendant in this case allegedly orchestrated an extensive scheme that generated hundreds of thousands of dollars in prescription claims paid by federal health care programs—claims that should never have been authorized,” said HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge Naomi D. Gruchacz. “HHS‑OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to dismantle schemes that exploit federal health care programs and to hold accountable those who perpetrate such fraud.”
As alleged in the Indictment:(1)
Beginning in or about March 2023, GREER engaged in a scheme to impersonate physicians and make false statements to pharmacies and other third-party pharmacy benefit managers located throughout the United States in order to fraudulently obtain unauthorized prescription medications for customers in exchange for payments.
GREER acquired personal identifying information (“PII”) for individual physicians, including their names and their national provider identification number (“NPI”). GREER maintained handwritten lists containing physicians’ PII for approximately 60 physicians located in approximately 19 states.
Between on or about January 4, 2023, through on or about March 9, 2026, GREER called approximately 261 Pharmacies on approximately 3,329 occasions. Throughout that period, GREER used physicians’ PII and license information to impersonate them. GREER falsely claimed to be a health care provider; falsely identified himself as a physician; and provided other false information to receive GLP-1 and other prescription medications.
By fraudulently inducing the provision of unauthorized medications to individuals who had not obtained prior authorization or approval for these prescription medications, GREER facilitated the unauthorized redemption of hundreds of thousands of dollars in healthcare plan benefits to the individuals who paid GREER for his services.
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GREER, 51, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and two counts of aggravated identity theft, each of which carries a mandatory term of two years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding work of the FBI and HHS-OIG.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brandon C. Thompson and Georgia V. Kostopoulos are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described therein should be treated as an allegation.
Illegal Firearm Possession Lands Oklahoma City Man in Federal Prison After Fleeing Officers During Traffic StopRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – TREY ALEXANDER WARD, 29, of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve 72 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, on December 29, 2025, an Oklahoma City Police Department officer observed Ward commit multiple traffic violations while riding a motorcycle near Southwest 61st Street and South May Avenue. When the officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Ward abandoned the motorcycle and fled on foot, jumping several residential fences before officers ultimately apprehended him. After his arrest, officers recovered a firearm from Ward’s person.
Public records further reflect that Ward has previous felony convictions in Oklahoma County District Court that include:
- possession of a stolen vehicle, concealing stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving without a driver’s license in case number CF-2016-8310;
- possession of a controlled dangerous substance, domestic abuse (assault & battery), and possession of drug paraphernalia in case number CF-2017-2033; and
- unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm while in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm while on probation, acquiring proceeds from drug activity, and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia in case number CF-2020-2783.
On January 20, 2026, a federal grand jury charged Ward with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Ward pleaded guilty on April 7, 2026, and admitted he possessed a firearm despite his previous felony convictions.
At a sentencing hearing on August 7, 2026, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Ward to serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Wyrick noted that Ward’s conduct put members of the public and law enforcement at risk and that the sentence was necessary to teach Ward respect for the law.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Desiree Veca prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Transporting AliensRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Igor Vieira-Bastos, 30, of Brazil, pled guilty Wednesday, July 29, to one count of transporting aliens. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Richard J. Fortunato, Acting Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Border Patrol made the announcement.
On March 22, 2026, United States Border Patrol detected two individuals crossing the United States-Canada border near Chateaugay, New York. The two individuals were observed entering a vehicle that was waiting for them. The vehicle was stopped moments later, and Vieira-Bastos was identified as the driver, the two back seat passengers matched the descriptions of the individuals that were observed crossing the border.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “This administration’s commitment to securing our borders is evident in the relentless work carried out every day by U.S. Border Patrol agents. Thanks to their efforts, this defendant was stopped in his tracks as he attempted to smuggle two aliens into the country—while being unlawfully present himself. As a result of his actions, he will now serve a term of imprisonment before facing deportation.”
Swanton Sector’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Vieira-Bastos to four months’ imprisonment. Following his sentence, Vieira-Bastos is subject to deportation.
United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Whalen prosecuted the case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Transporting AliensRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Faraon Chavez-Rosas, 25, of Mexico, pled guilty Tuesday, July 28, to one count of transporting aliens. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Richard J. Fortunato, Acting Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, made the announcement.
On May 24, 2026, United States Border Patrol detected three individuals crossing the United States-Canada border near Churubusco, New York. A vehicle was observed entering the area of the crossing and leaving moments later. The vehicle was subsequently stopped, and Chavez-Rosas was identified as the driver, along with three passengers. Upon stopping the vehicle, agents determined that the three individuals and the defendant had no legal right to be in the United States. After questioning, Chavez-Rosas admitted that he was asked and then drove to pick up his brother and two individuals at the border.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “Our northern border remains a central focus of this administration’s efforts to combat illegal immigration. This defendant’s attempt to smuggle three individuals into the United States was stopped thanks to the vigilance and quick action of U.S. Border Patrol agents. I commend their decisive work in identifying and investigating this vehicle, ultimately disrupting an attempted alien‑smuggling operation.”
Swanton Sector’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Chavez-Rosas to two months’ imprisonment. Following his sentence, Chavez-Rosas is subject to deportation.
United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Whalen prosecuted the case.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Martin Aranda Zavala, a/k/a Martin Misael Aranda Zavala, age 29, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Illegal Alien in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by imprisonment for up to 15 years and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on May 6, 2026, Zavala, an alien, was found in possession of one semi-automatic pistol and 15 rounds of ammunition, knowing that he was an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Okmulgee County Sheriff’s Office.
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 Honorable Jason A. Robertson, 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.
Zavala will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Chuck Sullivan represented the United States.
Guilty plea in $400k tax evasion case could bring five-year federal prison termRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, Ryan Raybould, announced that Anderson Condoll, Jr., 44, from The Colony, Texas, pleaded guilty in court filings to one count of tax evasion on Aug. 10.
Condoll, Jr. was indicted in April 2026 on five counts of tax evasion for years 2019-2023. He entered into a plea agreement on Monday to one count of tax evasion.
“Tax fraud is not a victimless crime,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Every dollar stolen from the Treasury is a dollar that cannot support the men and women who defend our country, care for our veterans or provide a lifeline to Americans who truly need one. This defendant admitted to stealing money from Americans, and we will seek a stiff prison sentence at his sentencing hearing for his crimes.”
“American workers must file an accurate IRS Form W-4, so the correct taxes are withheld,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher J. Altemus Jr. of IRS CI’s Texas Field Office. “When someone falsely claims exempt status to evade paying taxes, it’s a crime that shifts the burden to everyone else. The women and men of IRS-CI and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas, will continue to aggressively pursue those who would attempt to defraud or defeat the United States tax system."
In plea papers, Condoll, Jr. admitted that he owed $437,245 in federal income taxes spanning 2014-2025. Condoll, Jr. admitted that he would file Forms W-4 with his employers falsely claiming to be exempt from income taxes, causing his employers to not withhold income taxes from his wages.
Condoll, Jr. faces up to five years in federal prison if convicted. His sentencing date has not been set.
IRS Criminal Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ignacio Perez de la Cruz from the Fraud section and Katy Gardner from the Major Crimes section are prosecuting the case.
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Guilty Plea in Spree of Violent Armed Carjackings in the District, Maryland, and VirginiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Taurian Anderson, 21, of the District of Columbia, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with his role in a conspiracy to commit a series of armed carjackings in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Anderson pleaded guilty before Judge Beryl A. Howell to one count of conspiracy to commit carjacking, one count of carjacking and aiding and abetting, and to two counts of using a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Judge Howell scheduled sentencing for Jan. 29, 2027.
According to court documents, Anderson and his co-conspirators began their spree of carjackings on Aug. 9, 2024. At about 12:11 a.m., Anderson brandished a handgun, approached a DoorDash delivery driver on the 4200 block of East Capitol Street NE, and ordered the driver out of his Hyundai Elantra.
About 3 hours later, at 3:30 a.m. on August 9, 2024, Anderson and a co-conspirator approached a Toyota Corolla on the 4200 block of Dupont Terrace SE. The duo ordered the driver out of the car at gunpoint and said to leave all belongings behind. The co-conspirator got behind the wheel of the Toyota and drove off in the car.
On Sept. 7, 2024, about 1:26 a.m., Anderson and his co-conspirator traveled in a stolen vehicle from the District to Silver Spring. A driver was parking their vehicle, a Honda Civic, on the 8000 block of Eastern Avenue. Anderson and his co-conspirator blocked the Civic, preventing it from moving. When the driver exited the Civic, one of the conspirators pointed a firearm and ordered the driver to “get on the ground.” As the victim was lying on the ground, the duo grabbed his iPhone, wallet, and the keys to his vehicle and house. The victim, a professional musician, pleaded with them to let him get his saxophone out of the car. The duo refused. As the victim attempted to grab his instrument, one of the conspirators began to drive away in the car and dragged the victim approximately five feet down the road before he let go of the saxophone. The carjacking duo fled the area and returned to the District.
An hour later on Sept. 7, 2024, about 2:40 a.m., Anderson and his co-conspirator were in the 6700 block of New Hampshire Ave., in Hyattsville, Maryland. A driver had just parked a Toyota Prius on the block when the duo approached in the Honda Civic they had just carjacked. One of the conspirators pointed a firearm at the Prius driver while the other punched the driver twice. The Prius driver surrendered their iPhone, two laptops, credit cards, house keys, and the keys to the car. Following the carjacking, the co-conspirators took the carjacked Prius back to the District. Anderson then exchanged text messages with an unidentified individual in an attempt to sell the Prius and two other vehicles.
On Oct. 4, 2024, at about 12:15 a.m., Anderson and co-conspirators traveled to the 3000 block of South Jefferson Street, Falls Church, Virginia. One of the co-conspirators walked up to the driver’s side of a parked and occupied Dodge Charger and tried to open the locked door. The conspirator then tapped on the glass of the driver’s door with a firearm, at which point the driver put the Charger in drive, stepped on the gas, and fled.
Fifteen minutes later on Oct. 4, 2024, about 12:35 a.m., Anderson and his co-conspirators traveled to 5000 block Columbia Pike, Falls Church, Virginia. Four people were standing outside of a Credit Union. Anderson and his co-conspirators approached them. Anderson and one of his co-conspirators, both of whom were armed, held the four at gunpoint and ordered the group to get on the ground and empty their pockets. The bandits took the group’s phones and the keys to one of the group’s Toyota Prius and drove the stolen car to the District.
On October 4, 2024, less than an hour later at 1:20 a.m., Anderson and a co-conspirator approached a driver at the BP gas station on the 5000 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue, NE. Anderson pointed a gun at the driver’s face and demanded the keys to his Infiniti.
Anderson got behind the wheel of the Infiniti and started to drive away from the gas station. The co-conspirator entered the driver’s seat of a nearby Mercedes-Benz and drove away in the same direction.
Later that day, about 4:03 p.m., a Metropolitan Police Department helicopter located the carjacked Infiniti moving recklessly through traffic. At Independence Avenue SE and East Capitol Street SE, the Infiniti collided with another vehicle but fled the scene. In the area near RFK stadium the vehicle became stuck in heavy traffic. Anderson and his co-conspirator abandoned the car. U.S. Capitol Police apprehended the co-conspirator in a nearby recreational field. Anderson, still armed, ran under the Whitney Young Memorial Bridge and then into the Anacostia River, placing his handgun on his head. Members of MPD’s Emergency Response Team and MPD negotiators responded to the scene. Around 6:42 p.m., Anderson dropped the weapon into the river, surrendered to officers on the scene, and was placed under arrest.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Taskforce. The U.S. Capitol Police, Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, and Fairfax County Police Department provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand is prosecuting the matter.
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Georgia Felon Accused of Possessing Guns, 53 Kilos of Cocaine in St. Louis CountyRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A convicted felon from Georgia has been arrested and accused of possessing about 53 kilograms of cocaine and two firearms.
Chad E. “J-Bo” Brown, 54, was charged by complaint in U.S. District Court in St. Louis on August 14 with one count of possession with the intent to distribute more than 10 kilograms of cocaine. He appeared in court Monday.
The complaint and affidavit say that the day before Brown’s arrest, the Drug Enforcement Administration learned of a cocaine shipment that had arrived in St. Louis and suspected that Brown was using a St. Louis County home as a drug stash house. Agents conducted a court-approved search of the home on August 14 and found about 49 kilos of cocaine in duffel bags in a bedroom closet and four more kilos in the kitchen, the affidavit says. Two guns were found in a bedroom.
A charge set forth in a criminal complaint is merely an accusation and does not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was initiated by the St. Louis Gateway Strike Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Delworth is prosecuting the case.
Gainesville Man Sentenced to 144 Months in Federal Prison for Spree of RobberiesRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Antrell Jermaine Hillard, 33, of Live Oak, Florida, was sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment for conspiracy to steal postal keys, theft of postal keys, and postal robbery/assault. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial, violent felon has shown that the only way we can keep our communities safe from his criminality is by keeping him behind bars in federal prison, so that is exactly what we will do. I appreciate the excellent investigative work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, FBI, and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office that supported this successful prosecution. The Department of Justice launched Operation Take Back America to devote our full might toward removing the perpetrators of violent crime from our streets, and my office will continue to deliver aggressive prosecutions like this to accomplish that task.”
Court documents reflect that between March 21, 2025, and March 29, 2025, the defendant conspired with others to steal Postal Service keys in Gainesville and Ocala. The defendant planned and participated in three separate incidents involving the theft of keys directly from United States Postal Service carriers while they were delivering mail. In one of the incidents, the defendant snatched a key that was still physically connected to the carrier’s belt, causing it to break from the carrier’s belt. The court also found that shortly before the postal robberies, the defendant held a man at gunpoint during an armed robbery of a Gainesville convenience store.
“This sentence should serve as a warning to anyone who is considering committing a violent crime against a U.S. Postal Service employee.” said Bladismir Rojo, Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Miami Division. The Inspection Service will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to ensure that those who chose to engage in these types of crimes will be held accountable.”
“This sentence holds Hillard accountable for his actions and serves as a reminder to those who choose to commit serious crimes,” said FBI Jacksonville Special Agent in Charge Jason Carley. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue working together to investigate and pursue dangerous offenders who threaten our communities.”
Upon his release, Hillard will be subject to three years of supervised release.
The case involved a joint investigation by United States Postal Inspection Service, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Hapner and James McCain.
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.
Former Miami Gardens Police Officer Pleads Guilty to COVID-19 Relief Loan FraudRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A former Miami Gardens Police Department (MGPD) officer has pleaded guilty to making a false statement to obtain a $63,900 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) through a COVID-19 relief program administered by the Small Business Administration (SBA).
Alvin Bernard, 38, of Miami Gardens, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to the SBA.
“Alvin Bernard was a police officer sworn to uphold the law, yet he lied to obtain federal relief funds intended for businesses harmed by the pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “His guilty plea holds him accountable for abusing the public trust and stealing from a program funded by American taxpayers.”
The EIDL program, established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, provided financial assistance to qualifying businesses suffering economic injury during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applicants were required to certify, under penalty of perjury, that the information submitted — including the business’s gross revenues — was true and accurate.
According to court records, Bernard was employed as a police officer with the MGPD while serving as the sole manager and authorized representative of Vanity Properties LLC. Acting on behalf of the company, Bernard submitted an online EIDL application that falsely represented Vanity Properties’ gross revenues in order to qualify for federal disaster assistance.
Specifically, Bernard falsely certified that Vanity Properties generated $127,881 in gross revenues for the 12-month period preceding Jan. 31, 2020. In reality, the company had not earned those revenues. Based on the false information, the SBA approved and disbursed a $63,900 EIDL by electronic funds transfer into Vanity Properties’ bank account.
Bernard faces a maximum sentence of two years in federal prison. As part of his plea agreement, he also agreed to resign from the MGPD, surrender his Florida law enforcement certification, and permanently refrain from seeking recertification.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones; Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jason Xerri of the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General (SBA OIG), Eastern Region; and Special Agent in Charge Michael Townsend of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami, SBA OIG Eastern Region, and USSS Miami Field Office are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward N. Stamm is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Zack is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20055.
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Florida Man Sentenced to 48 Months for Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
JACKSON, MS – A Miami, Florida man was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. A sentence of 24 months was imposed as to the conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge. A sentence of 24 months was also imposed as to each of the two aggravated identity theft charges. The sentences for the aggravated identity theft charges were imposed to run concurrently to each other, but consecutively to the conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge for a total of 48 months.
According to court documents, and statements made in open court, Guy Gerral Georges, 32, conspired with another person in a scheme that utilized fraudulent ATM cards to obtain thousands of dollars. Georges used a card programming device, in conjunction with information provided to him by his co-conspirator, to access the bank accounts of numerous individuals through various ATM machines. Thanks to the quick action of law enforcement officers, Georges was stopped and arrested in the midst of the scheme. The funds that Georges gained through fraud were seized during a search of the car he was using. Those funds were returned to the affected bank, and the bank refunded the amounts wrongfully taken from its customers.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Georges on March 4, 2025. Georges pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft on October 14, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi; U.S. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge Patrick Glaze; and Lynn Fitch, Mississippi Attorney General, made the announcement.
The United States Secret Service and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office investigated the case through their partnership in the Cyber Fraud Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Herbert S. Carraway and Charles W. Kirkham prosecuted the case.
Florida Man Indicted for Allegedly Swindling Victims from Illinois in Fraudulent Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Florida man who previously resided in Illinois has been indicted for allegedly swindling numerous individuals in a fraudulent investment scheme.
MAKAIO’ KEKOA falsely informed victim investors, including four individuals residing in the Northern District of Illinois, that he had the ability to invest their money in short-term, high-yield investment opportunities, when, in reality, Kekoa knew that no such investment opportunities existed, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Instead of investing the victims’ money, Kekoa misappropriated the funds for his personal use, including gambling, the indictment states.
From 2019 to 2022, Kekoa allegedly caused the victim investors to incur cumulative losses of at least $180,000.
Kekoa, formerly known as “Lorenzo Hood,” “Lorenzo Chryssikos Hood,” or “Zo,” 39, of Wimauma, Fla., is charged with two counts of wire fraud. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment on Tuesday in federal court in Chicago. A status hearing was set for Sept. 24, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Ryan Whalen, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Hillsborough County, Fla. Sheriff's Office provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
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. Each count of wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and must also order restitution to the victims.
kekoa_indictment.pdfFederal Grand Jury Indicts Man for Allegedly Conspiring to Traffic Fentanyl and Cocaine in ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for allegedly conspiring to traffic fentanyl and cocaine in Chicago.
JAYLIN ARNOLD, 28, of Chicago, conspired with four other individuals to distribute fentanyl and cocaine in Chicago from January to June of 2025, according to an indictment returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment seeks forfeiture from Arnold of three handguns and associated ammunition. Arnold’s arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled. Arnold was recently convicted of a firearm crime in state court in connection with the June 5, 2025, police chase that led to the shooting of Chicago Police Department Officer Krystal Rivera.
The four alleged co-conspirators—DASHAWN POWELL, 40, TARELL SMITH, 39, JOSHUA THOMAS, 42, and BERNARD SPENCER, 33, all of Chicago —were indicted separately earlier this year on federal drug conspiracy and related firearm charges. They have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
All five defendants are currently being held in law enforcement custody.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
arnold_indictment.pdfFederal Grand Jury Indicts Illegal Alien for Allegedly Possessing Eight “Molotov Cocktail” Destructive Devices in Chicago SuburbRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a man for illegally possessing eight “Molotov cocktail” destructive devices in a Chicago suburb earlier this month.
On Aug. 1, 2026, in Mokena, Ill., HAMED ALSAIDI knowingly possessed eight glass liquor and beer bottles containing an ignitable liquid and a wicking component in the form commonly referred to as a “Molotov cocktail,” according to an indictment returned today in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
The indictment charges Alsaidi with eight counts of possessing an unregistered destructive device. Each count is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison.
Alsaidi, 31, who most recently resided in Oak Forest, Ill., is an illegal alien in the United States and currently in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Mokena, Ill. Police Department and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Davis Price Shugrue.
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.
alsaidi_indictment_stamped.pdfColumbia Man Sentenced to More than 20 Years in Federal Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Pearish Pierre Pretty, 43, of Columbia, has been sentenced to more than 20 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of 5 kilograms or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Pretty was a major cocaine and methamphetamine supplier for a drug trafficking organization operating in the Columbia and Lexington County areas. Pretty was held responsible for distributing more than 18,000 grams of methamphetamine and 9,000 grams of cocaine between November 2022 and December 2024.
Pretty has prior federal convictions for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and possession with intent to distribute marijuana. Pretty committed the offenses while on federal supervise release.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Pretty to 250 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the City of Columbia Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariyana Gore prosecuted the case.###
Colombian national pleads guilty to a money laundering conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Colombian national pled guilty today to a seven-year money laundering conspiracy involving the purchase of consumer electronics using drug proceeds.
According to court documents, from January 2018 through March 2025, Andrelio Castaño Rojas, 55, conspired to launder drug trafficking proceeds using a currency exchange scheme. Rojas opened U.S. bank accounts for two of his U.S. companies and arranged for his business accounts to receive drug proceeds through bank wires and bulk cash deposits. Rojas used these funds to purchase consumer electronics that he exported to Colombia.
Rojas pled guilty to a money laundering conspiracy. He faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on Jan. 22, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Matthew Allen, Chief of Operations of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), made the announcement.
The DEA Norfolk and Miami Field Divisions are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorneys Yuliana Reyes and Mark Irish of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) are prosecuting the case.
MNF’s mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-21.
Colombian National Pleads Guilty to a Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Colombian national pleaded guilty today to a seven-year money laundering conspiracy involving the purchase of consumer electronics using drug proceeds.
According to court documents, Andrelio Castaño Rojas, 55, of Colombia, from January 2018 through March 2025, conspired to launder drug trafficking proceeds using a currency exchange scheme. Rojas opened U.S. bank accounts for two of his U.S. companies and arranged for his business accounts to receive drug proceeds through bank wires and bulk cash deposits. Rojas used these funds to purchase consumer electronics that he exported to Colombia.
Rojas pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy. Sentencing is set for Jan. 22, 2027. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Theophani K. Stamos for the Eastern District of Virginia; and Chief of Operations Matthew Allen of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
The DEA Norfolk Resident Office and Miami Field Division are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Yuliana Reyes and Mark Irish of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section (MNF) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson for the Eastern District of Virginia are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section's (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s Money Laundering and Forfeiture Unit investigates and prosecutes sophisticated money laundering schemes involving financial facilitators, gatekeepers, and other individuals and entities laundering criminal proceeds, and litigates complex civil forfeiture cases to recover assets on behalf of victims.
Christopher J. Nassar Appointed U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of OklahomaRead the Press Release
Christopher J. Nassar was sworn in as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma on August 14th, 2026, after being nominated by President Donald J. Trump and confirmed by the United States Senate.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to serve as the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Nassar. “I want to thank President Trump, Senator Lankford, Senator Armstrong, and (former Senator) Secretary Mullin for having the confidence in me to serve and protect the citizens of the Northern District. I am grateful for their support throughout the nomination and confirmation process. With the exception of Washington, D.C., federal law enforcement in the Northern District of Oklahoma has a greater responsibility for public safety than any other district in the country. I am excited to lead this office and advance this important mission.”
As U.S. Attorney, Mr. Nassar serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Northern District of Oklahoma, overseeing all federal criminal prosecutions and civil litigation involving the United States. The district spans 11 counties and includes 14 federally recognized Indian tribes. The Northern District is uniquely situated following the Supreme Court’s McGirt decision. As a result of that ruling, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecuting all Major Crimes occurring in Indian Country within the district, in addition to its traditional federal law enforcement responsibilities. Mr. Nassar leads a team of more than 130 attorneys and support professionals dedicated to carrying out this mission.
Mr. Nassar joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Oklahoma in January 2018 as an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In 2023, he was promoted to Deputy Criminal Chief, where he supervised investigations and prosecutions involving national security, cybercrime, child exploitation, human trafficking, and Project Safe Neighborhoods. He has prosecuted and tried a wide range of offenses, with concentrations in child exploitation, sex trafficking, cybercrime, Indian Country homicides and sexual assaults, gun crime, and national security cases. He has also served as the District’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator, National Security Coordinator, and Crisis Management Coordinator. From 2015 to 2016, Mr. Nassar served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of North Carolina
Mr. Nassar is a lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and has served as an active duty and reserve judge advocate since 2009. On active duty, Mr. Nassar served as a trial counsel prosecuting criminal cases involving military members around the world, primarily concerning crimes against children and national security matters. In the reserves, Mr. Nassar has served as a victims’ legal counsel, cyber operational law advisor to USCYBERCOM, and a legal advisor to MARFORRES and MARFORSOUTH.
U.S. Attorney Nassar is a graduate of the University of Arkansas and the University of Oklahoma College of Law. Additionally, he holds certifications as a Supervisory Litigator and a Master of Cyber, Intelligence, and Information Law from the US Marine Corps.
Canton Man Connected to Madison Timber Ponzi Scheme Sentenced to 20 months for PerjuryRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Canton man was sentenced to 20 months in prison for perjury.
According to court documents, on February 25, 2026, William Byrd McHenry, Jr., 79, a federal jury found defendant guilty of making false statements under oath. On October 1, 2018, a civil suit was filed against McHenry and others to recover monies for victims of the Lamar Adams - Madison Timber Properties multi-state Ponzi scheme involving more than one hundred million dollars and hundreds of victims spanning a number of years. McHenry recruited others to invest in the scheme. A court judgment against McHenry for $3,473,230 was obtained in the civil suit on August 16, 2019. This was the amount the court determined McHenry owed to the victims. The court-appointed receiver, charged with recouping money for the victims, later examined McHenry under oath in a judgement-debtor examination when she could not recover any monies from McHenry towards satisfaction of the judgment. During the examination, McHenry lied about assets that could have been used to partially satisfy the civil judgment against him. More specifically, McHenry was asked directly about certain assets and whether he had sold them during the pendency of his own personal bankruptcy, which he filed after the $3,473,320 judgment. He falsely denied selling any such assets.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff made the announcement.
“McHenry believed he could evade justice by committing perjury to avoid accountability. Today’s sentence proves otherwise. Making false statements under oath and attempting to obstruct justice will not be tolerated. The FBI and our partners remain steadfast in our commitment to uncover, investigate, disrupt, and dismantle finance and illicit fraud schemes-and to pursue justice and restitution for the victims affected by them.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Allen prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to 92 Months for Pharmacy BurglariesRead the Press Release
BOISE – Andrew Rumbo-Ochoa, 28, of Santa Clara, California, was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, Rumbo-Ochoa conspired with others to burglarize pharmacies and steal controlled substances to sell. Rumbo-Ochoa and his co-conspirators drove from California to Idaho to commit the crime. On May 22, 2025, Rumbo-Ochoa and his co-conspirators were seen on surveillance footage outside a pharmacy in Montpelier, Idaho. Later, on May 22, they broke into a pharmacy in Grace, Idaho and stole Schedule II controlled substances, including 345 pills containing hydrocodone, 200 pills containing hydromorphone, and 5,773 pills containing oxycodone, with the intent to distribute the substances.
In March 2025, Rumbo-Ochoa travelled with others to Missoula, Montana. On March 10, 2025, they broke into a pharmacy in Missoula, and stole Schedule II controlled substances, including 1,593 pills containing hydrocodone, 565 pills containing oxycodone, 80 pills containing hydromorphone, 194 pills containing methylphenidate, and 1,591 pills containing amphetamine.
Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Rumbo-Ochoa to serve 3 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Rumbo-Ochoa pleaded guilty to the charge on April 30, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of the U.S Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Caribou County Sheriff's Office, the Caribou County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Missoula Police Department, which led to the charges.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darci Crane prosecuted the case.
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Border enforcement actions continue with 198 additional cases filed in Operation Take Back America effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – The Southern District of Texas has charged another 199 people, including 188 illegal aliens, for immigration- and border security-related crimes from Aug. 7-13.
A total of 154 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 27 illegal aliens face charges of illegal entry. Many have prior felonies involving narcotics, violent crime, immigration crimes, and more. In addition, 16 people have been charged with human smuggling, which includes seven illegal aliens themselves.
Among the new cases are three Mexican nationals, all charged with felony reentry after removal.
Authorities found Juan Pablo Sosa-Alvizo and Janny Martinez-Solis in the McAllen area allegedly without legal authorization to be in the United States. According to the criminal complaints, both had previously been removed already this year. Sosa-Alvizo has a prior conviction for theft of property, while Martinez-Solis has a prior conviction for injury to a child/elder/disabled, according to their respective charges.
Law enforcement also discovered Agueda Anait Ambriz-Penaloza near Rio Grande City after he had allegedly been removed Feb. 14, 2025. Court records reflect a prior conviction for conspiracy to possess meth with intent to distribute.
All face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
In addition to the new cases, Mexican national Juan Garcia-Villa was ordered to serve 42 months in federal prison for his illegal reentry conviction. The court considered his criminal history while unlawfully present in the United States, including convictions for possession with intent to manufacture and/or distribute a controlled substance, evading arrest, and illegal reentry. Authorities first removed him in October 2008, but he repeatedly returned. Law enforcement discovered him again in Houston with no authorization to be in the country.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 immigrants, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Boone County Man Sentenced for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky. – A Hebron, Ky., man, William Mason Fryman, 26, was sentenced on Monday to 150 months by Chief U.S. District Judge David Bunning for the distribution of child pornography.
In May 2025, Fryman began communicating with undercover agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over Telegram in an effort to trade sexually explicit videos of minors. During the conversations, which spanned several months, Fryman sent over 15 videos of child sexual abuse material to the undercover agent. On December 9, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Fryman’s residence and arrested him. When he was interviewed, he admitted that he was the individual communicating on Telegram and that he had used other online platforms to communicate with other individuals who were interested in trading child sexual abuse material.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elaine Leonhard prosecuted 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. Attorney’s 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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Attorney General Blanche Launches New Process to Restore Federal Firearm RightsRead the Press Release
As one of his first actions as Attorney General, Todd Blanche today finalized a federal regulation and launched a new process allowing eligible individuals who are prohibited from possessing firearms to apply for restoration of their federal firearm rights.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and the federal government should not permanently deprive Americans of a constitutional right without regard to whether they pose a danger to public safety,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This rule establishes a rigorous, commonsense process that protects the public while giving deserving Americans a real path to restoration.”
“President Trump keeps making history - this time by his unprecedented restoration of firearms rights to millions of Americans” said U.S. Pardon Attorney Edward Martin. “Over the past months, we have worked at the direction of Attorney General Todd Blanche to build a program to give a pathway for restoration for the 30 million Americans who have lost their Second Amendment rights. We are proud to serve and defend our great Second Amendment.”
For more than three decades, the statutory process Congress created under 18 U.S.C. § 925(c) was effectively unavailable to most individuals seeking relief from federal firearms disabilities. The final rule restores a functioning process for the individualized consideration Congress authorized and advances President Trump’s directive to protect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans.
Under the final rule, restoration of firearm rights is neither automatic nor guaranteed. Each applicant must establish to the Attorney General’s satisfaction that the circumstances giving rise to the prohibition, together with the applicant’s record, reputation, and subsequent conduct, demonstrate that the applicant is not likely to act in a manner dangerous to public safety and that granting relief would not be contrary to the public interest. The Department will consider the facts and circumstances of each application, while maintaining strong presumptions against relief for individuals whose crimes, conduct, or status demonstrate heightened risks to public safety. Absent extraordinary circumstances, violent felons, registered sex offenders, illegal aliens, and other individuals who present an ongoing danger will remain presumptively ineligible for relief. Any relief granted under the rule removes only applicable federal firearms disabilities and does not override independent restrictions imposed by state law.
The final rule, as submitted to the Office of the Federal Register, is available here. This rule will take effect thirty days after publication in the Federal Register. Individuals seeking restoration of their federal firearm rights may visit the Justice Department’s Federal Firearm Rights Restoration Program website at www.justice.gov/ffrr for eligibility information, application instructions, and access to the Department’s application process.
Asbury Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
A man who illegally possessed cocaine was sentenced today to 18 months in federal prison.
Marcus Allen Thomas, age 37, from Asbury, Iowa, received the prison term after a February 18, 2026, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance.
In a plea agreement, Thomas admitted he possessed cocaine that he intended to distribute. On April 12, 2025, investigators searched Thomas’s home in Asbury. Investigators found approximately 6.14 pounds of marijuana and approximately 101.56 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine in the basement bathroom.
Thomas was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Thomas was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and fined $5,500. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Thomas is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and investigated by the Dubuque Drug Task Force, Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office, Dubuque Police Department, Asbury Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-01046. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Alleged Mastermind of $165 Million Cryptocurrency Ponzi Scheme Facing Federal Charges after Deportation from FijiRead the Press Release
GAINESVILLE, Ga. - After allegedly perpetrating a $165 million Ponzi scheme, fleeing to Fiji, and being deported back to the United States, Edward Zimbardi will appear in federal court today to face wire fraud and money laundering charges.
“Zimbardi allegedly tricked thousands of people to invest in his ‘Crypto Program’ with false promises of enormous returns. Instead, he spent the money on risky currency trades, payments to early investors, and treating himself to a house and expensive vehicles,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “When his scam imploded, he allegedly tried to evade federal prosecution by fleeing to the other side of the world. Thanks to law enforcement and diplomatic authorities in Fiji and the United States, Zimbardi is back on American soil and will face trial.”
“Zimbardi allegedly preyed on trusting individuals through a complex scheme to separate people from their hard-earned money and then reportedly fled more than 7300 miles to the South Pacific,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Scammers are trying everything they can to defraud people out of their hard-earned money, but the FBI is doing everything we can to make sure they don’t succeed, no matter where they hide.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between June 2022 and August 2023, Edward Zimbardi allegedly created and promoted an alleged Ponzi scheme called The Crypto Program. In his promotional videos and websites, Zimbardi allegedly told investors that The Crypto Program was an opportunity to invest in advertising packages with a guaranteed 25% monthly return. Investors were encouraged to pay for their advertising packages by moving cryptocurrency into wallets Zimbardi secretly controlled. Together, thousands of investors sent more than $165 million to those wallets.
Instead of using investments to buy advertising packages, Zimbardi allegedly gambled more than $34 million on risky foreign currency bets and lost substantial money. To keep the Ponzi scheme going, Zimbardi allegedly used funds from later investors to pay earlier investors. Finally, he allegedly spent at least $10 million on personal expenses, including buying a house for his son, purchasing luxury vehicles, and making alimony payments to his ex-wife.
When The Crypto Program imploded in August 2023 and victims lost their invested funds, Zimbardi traveled to Hawaii, Fiji, and other locations around the world. In July 2025, after becoming aware of the FBI’s investigation, he fled to Fiji and lived there for over a year. In May 2026, Zimbardi canceled plans to attend his son’s wedding in Virginia after suspecting—correctly—that FBI agents would attempt to arrest him there. On August 14, 2026, after Fijian authorities learned of the charges against Zimbardi, they deported Zimbardi to the United States, in coordination with the FBI and U.S. Department of State.
On July 8, 2026, Edward Zimbardi, 59, of Flowery Branch, Georgia, was charged in a federal indictment with twelve counts of wire fraud, twelve counts of money laundering, and one count of money laundering conspiracy. He will appear before a federal magistrate judge in Los Angeles, California later today, and the Government will argue he should be detained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending further proceedings in the Northern District of Georgia.
Individuals who invested in The Crypto Program are encouraged to provide victim information to the FBI at http://fbi.gov/thecryptoprogram. The FBI will contact victims at a later date regarding further proceedings, including potential documentation needed for restitution.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Substantial assistance has been provided by the Department of Justice Office of International Affairs; the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) Overseas Criminal Investigations Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Suva, Fiji; the Fiji Ministry of Immigration; the Fiji Police Force; the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission; the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; the Georgia Secretary of State; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
Assistant United States Attorney Bethany L. Rupert is prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Alien Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Luis Armando Tamaquiza Bastidas, 43, of Ecuador, pled guilty Tuesday, July 28, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Richard J. Fortunato, Acting Chief Patrol Agent, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, made the announcement.
Tamaquiza Bastidas had been arrested two previous times for entering the United States illegally. Most recently, in October 2025, he was arrested in Texas and was subsequently deported later that year.
On May 24, 2026, Tamaquiza Bastidas was arrested after crossing the United States-Canada border near Churubusco, New York.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “The failures of the previous administration’s border and immigration policies created openings that allowed illegal aliens to enter our nation by the millions. This defendant exploited those gaps and has already been deported twice. On his third attempt to illegally enter the United States, he was stopped thanks to President Trump’s strong policies and the men and women at U.S. Border Patrol. He will now serve a federal prison sentence and, once completed, will again be deported.”
Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”
United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino sentenced Tamaquiza Bastidas to two months’ imprisonment. Following his sentence, Tamaquiza Bastidas is subject to deportation.
United States Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Whalen prosecuted the case.
Alien Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering the CountryRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Emmerson Versain Velasquez-Hernandez, age 25, of Guatemala, pled guilty on Tuesday, July 21, to one count of illegal reentry into the United States. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Swanton Sector made the announcement.
Velasquez-Hernandez was previously arrested in 2024 for entering the country illegally and was subsequently deported. On May 4, 2026, he was found in the country following a traffic stop in Franklin County. Velasquez-Hernandez had not sought or received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reapply for admission into the United States.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone said, “Illegal aliens who enter the United States unlawfully pose a real and immediate risk when their identities and intentions are unknown. This defendant had previously been removed for illegal entry and again chose to violate U.S. law by reentering the country. Thanks to the efforts of our partners at the U.S. Border Patrol, this individual will be returned to Guatemala.”
Swanton Sector’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”District Court Judge Elizabeth C. Coombe sentenced Velasquez-Hernandez to time served based on the two and a half months he has spent imprisoned on the charge since his arrest. Following his sentence, Velasquez-Hernandez is subject to deportation.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Cheung prosecuted the case.
Afghan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Khan Afsar Ahmadzai, age 30, of Kabul, Afghanistan pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry into the United States and was immediately sentenced.
The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III, and U.S. Border Patrol's Swanton Sector Acting Chief Richard J. Fortunato.
As part of his guilty plea, Khan Afsar Ahmadzai admitted that on June 3, 2026, he entered the United States from Canada by walking across the international boundary near Champlain, New York, avoiding United States Immigration and Customs inspection. Khan Afsar Ahmadzai was subsequently apprehended by United States Border Patrol Agents.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarcone said, “This defendant has repeatedly attempted to violate U.S. immigration laws. This Administration is delivering on its commitment to secure our borders each and every day. Thanks to the vigilance of our partners at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, he was apprehended and arrested. Following his sentence, Ahmadzai will be subject to deportation.”
Swanton Sector’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Richard J. Fortunato said, “I commend the agents of Swanton Sector for their hard work in contributing to the successful prosecution of those who commit crimes along our nation’s borders. Our efforts help protect and improve the quality of life for border communities and for those in the interior of our country.”
Prior to this case, in May 2026, Khan Afsar Ahmadzai had entered the United States at the Port of Entry near Niagara Falls, New York, but was denied entry by immigration officials. Khan Afsar Ahmadzai was subsequently returned to Canada.
Immediately following his guilty plea, Khan Afsar Ahmadzai was sentenced to 51 days in jail.
This case was investigated by United States Border Patrol and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy Anderson.
Saturday 15 August 2026
New Orleans Felon Sentenced for Distributing Pure MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – LUIS MORALES (“MORALES”), age 36, was sentenced on August 13, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier to 66 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, along with a $300 special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to three counts of distributing more than five grams of actual methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in August of 2023, MORALES sold methamphetamine to individuals he believed to be legitimate buyers on three separate occasions. In total, MORALES distributed more than 120 grams of methamphetamine that was between 96%-99% pure. MORALES also sold to the individuals he believed to be legitimate buyers, a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Louisiana State Police, and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime 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.
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