Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Thursday 9 April 2026
U.S. Attorney, ATF Offer Law Enforcement Training on Firearms TrendsRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey will open a one-day training about firearms intelligence and trends offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in Eastern Panhandle today.
“I commend the ATF for keeping our law enforcement partners on the cutting edge of firearms tracing and technology that is critical to solving gun crimes and preventing further violence,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey. “With effective firearms investigations, we can ensure that those committing violent crimes are held accountable.”
“This eight-hour training course is designed to enhance the capabilities of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting firearm-related violent crime” said ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes. “Participants will receive instruction on the latest crime gun investigative tools and techniques, including firearms tracing, emerging firearm and 3D-printing technologies, and advanced resources such as ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).”
ATF Crime Gun Intelligence-Building a Bulletproof Case will include crime gun trends, effective firearms tracing, and offer a demonstration of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) machine. NIBIN offers national tracing of expended shell casings and ammunition, connecting crimes across the nation by an individual firearm.
The training is free and open to law enforcement, offering 8 hours of education credits through LEPS. It will be held at Jefferson High School in Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia Thursday, April 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Two more defendants—Suleman Yusuf Mohamed and his brother Gandi Yusuf Mohamed—have pleaded guilty for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced Colin McDonald, Assistant Attorney General for the National Fraud Enforcement Division, and U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen for the District of Minnesota.
The number of defendants convicted scheme-wide is now at 65. The brothers were charged in United States v. Mohamed et al., along with five other defendants who pleaded guilty in March. The number of defendants convicted in the Feeding Our Future scheme has now reached 65.
Suleman Yusuf Mohamed, who pleaded guilty on April 2, 2026, participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program as a vendor under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. As a vendor, Star Distribution was supposed to provide food to meal distribution sites participating in the Federal Child Nutrition Program, including multiple sites operated by his co-defendants. While Star Distribution ultimately received approximately $10.1 million of Federal Child Nutrition Program funds—purportedly for providing food for more than 4.8 million meals—it spent relatively minimal amounts of that money on food. Instead, Mohamed used the money for his own personal expenses and transferred millions of dollars back to others participating in the scheme, including his sister Ikram Mohamed and brother Gandi. Suleman Mohamed pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and has agreed to pay $8,662,287 in restitution.
Gandi Yusuf Mohamed pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering today, April 9, 2016. Through his companies GAK Properties LLC and GIF Properties LLC, Gandi Mohamed owned three different buildings that purportedly housed Federal Child Nutrition Program meal distribution sites, including multiple sites operated by his co-defendants. Gandi Mohamed used those companies to receive and launder approximately $1.3 million of his co-defendant’s fraud proceeds, which he has agreed to pay back to the government as restitution.
Sentencing hearings for both defendants will be scheduled at a later date.
These cases result from an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and HSI.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 43 Months for Role in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme
Earlier today in Minneapolis, Abdullahe Nur Jesow of Minneapolis was sentenced to 43 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for his role in a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jesow was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $866,458.
According to court documents, from December 2020 through September 2021, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, 65, purported to operate a Federal Child Nutrition Program meal distribution site from his event space, Benadir Hall, located on Lake Street in Minneapolis. The site was ostensibly operated by a non-profit entity called Academy for Youth Excellence, for which Jesow served as Secretary.
Between December 2020 and September 2021, Academy for Youth Excellence claimed to have served over 1.7 million meals to children at Benadir Hall. In reality, Academy for Youth Excellence only provided a fraction of those meals. Based on these fraudulent claims, Academy for Youth Excellence and its alleged food vendor, S&S Catering, received $4,286,088 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Rather than feed children during the pandemic, Jesow misappropriated the funds for his own personal benefit, including for the purchase of a home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Two More Defendants Plead Guilty in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS –Two more defendants—Suleman Yusuf Mohamed and his brother Gandi Yusuf Mohamed—have pleaded guilty for their roles in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. The number of defendants convicted scheme-wide is now at 65. The brothers were charged in United States v. Mohamed et al., 24-cr-15 (NEB/DTS), along with five other defendants who pleaded guilty in March. The number of defendants convicted in the Feeding Our Future scheme has now reached 65.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Suleman Yusuf Mohamed, who pleaded guilty on April 2, 2026, participated in the Federal Child Nutrition Program as a vendor under the sponsorship of Feeding Our Future. As a vendor, Star Distribution was supposed to provide food to meal distribution sites participating in the Federal Child Nutrition Program, including multiple sites operated by his co-defendants. While Star Distribution ultimately received approximately $10.1 million of Federal Child Nutrition Program funds—purportedly for providing food for more than 4.8 million meals—it spent relatively minimal amounts of that money on food. Instead, Mohamed used the money for his own personal expenses and transferred millions of dollars back to others participating in the scheme, including his sister Ikram Mohamed and brother Gandi. Suleman Mohamed pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and has agreed to pay $8,662,287 in restitution.
Gandi Yusuf Mohamed pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering today, April 9, 2016. Through his companies GAK Properties LLC and GIF Properties LLC, Gandi Mohamed owned three different buildings that purportedly housed Federal Child Nutrition Program meal distribution sites, including multiple sites operated by his co-defendants. Gandi Mohamed used those companies to receive and launder approximately $1.3 million of his co-defendant’s fraud proceeds, which he has agreed to pay back to the government as restitution.
Sentencing hearings for both defendants will be scheduled at a later date.
These cases result from an investigation conducted by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and HSI.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Matthew D. Evans are prosecuting these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Two Mexican Nationals Sentenced to Prison for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two Mexican nationals, one of whom was in the United States illegally, were sentenced to prison today for trafficking methamphetamine, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. During the investigation, law enforcement found evidence of a connection between the leader of the drug conspiracy with Jalisco New Generation Cartel, also known as CJNG.
Jesus Miguel Angel Gutierrez-Lopez, 53, who was illegally present in the United States, was ordered to serve 70 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Lorenzo Lemus-Orozco, 42, who was legally residing in the United States, was sentenced to 140 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Both Gutierrez-Lopez and Lemus-Orozco will also be removed from the United States after they complete their respective prison sentences.
“Prosecuting drug traffickers – particularly those that are illegally in the United States and connected to foreign cartels – is a key priority of my office,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “This is one of many such cases in this focused effort.”
According to court records, from February 2024 to February 2025, Lemus-Orozco and Gutierrez-Lopez conspired to distribute kilogram quantities of methamphetamine in Catawba, Caldwell, and Watauga Counties and elsewhere. Lemus-Orozco was the leader of the local drug trafficking organization. Investigators conducted at least five controlled purchases of methamphetamine from the defendants.
As a part of law enforcement’s ongoing effort to interdict drug distributors, on December 5, 2024, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol conducted a stop of Gutierrez-Lopez’s truck in Caldwell County. Law enforcement seized almost half a kilogram of methamphetamine from inside Gutierrez-Lopez’s truck and arrested Gutierrez-Lopez.
After Gutierrez-Lopez’s arrest, Lemus-Orozco left the United States, traveling to Michoacan, Mexico. Michoacan, Mexico is an area that is often associated with Mexican drug cartel activity.
Lemus-Orozco returned to the United States in January 2025. Shortly after his return, law enforcement arrested Lemus-Orozco and searched his trailer in Hickory, North Carolina. In the trailer, law enforcement found approximately 99 grams of methamphetamine, approximately $2,000 in cash, and three firearms. Law enforcement also seized another $1,373 from the defendant’s person. In addition to the drugs, guns, and money found inside Lemus-Orozco’s trailer, police found clothing bearing CJNG branding.
Lemus-Orozco and Gutierrez-Lopez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Gutierrez-Lopez also pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine. Additionally, Lemus-Orozco pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine.
Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, and the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Two Jamestown men charged in superseding indictment with selling fentanyl causing serious bodily injury, Hobbs Act robbery and kidnappingRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment charging Blake D. Smith a/k/a Sweets, 50, and Willie Graham a/k/a Wu, 45, both of Jamestown, NY, with narcotics conspiracy, Hobbs Act Robbery, kidnapping, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and use of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In addition, Smith is charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and distribution of fentanyl causing serious bodily injury. Both defendants face a maximum of life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who is handling the case, stated that according to the superseding indictment, between February 2017, and January 2024, Smith and Graham conspired with Joseph S. Zaso, and others, to sell heroin, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Jamestown area. During the conspiracy, Smith possessed a firearm.
Between May 9 and 11, 2023, Smith sold fentanyl causing serious bodily injury to individuals identified as R. P. and D.C.
On March 8 and 9, 2023, the defendants kidnapped an individual identified as D.D. and robbed a $25,000 check from D.D. In furtherance of the robbery, a firearm was brandished.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The superseding indictment is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Twin Falls Woman Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOISE – Elisha Gabrielle Ortiz, 40, of Twin Falls, was sentenced to 144 months in federal prison for distributing methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, in January 2025 investigators learned that Ortiz was trafficking methamphetamine in the Magic Valley area. The investigation revealed that Ortiz sold methamphetamine to another person on two occasions. In July 2025, investigators obtained a search warrant for a storage unit where Ortiz stored drug. Inside the storage unit, investigators found approximately two pounds of methamphetamine and 1,200 fentanyl pills that Ortiz intended to distribute into the community.
Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Ortiz to serve five years of supervised release following her prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Idaho State Police, Twin Falls Special Investigations Unit, Twin Falls County Sheriff’s Office, Twin Falls Police Department, Blaine County Sheriff’s Office, Jerome County Sheriff’s Office, Mini-Cassia Drug Task Force, and the Idaho Department of Corrections Probation & Parole, which led to the charge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher A. Booker prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Three Crips Members Convicted of Racketeering, Murder, and Other Gang-Related CrimesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, a federal jury in Central Islip convicted Akeem Chambers, also known as “Luca,” Jonathan Vazquez, also known as “Chulo” and “Clutch,” and Jerell Shaw, also known as “Rells” and “Rells Fargo,” on 52 counts of a third superseding indictment charging them variously with racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, murder, attempted murder, assault, murder conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery, robbery conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, mortgage fraud conspiracy, and money laundering. The defendants are members of Crips sets known as the “Insane Crip Gang,” or “ICG,” based on Long Island, and the “Rollin 60s,” based in Brooklyn. The verdicts followed an 11-week trial before United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack. When sentenced, the defendants each face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), Patrick Ryder, Commissioner, Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), Anne Donnelly, District Attorney, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the verdict.
“With today’s convictions, a clear message has been sent to those who perpetuate the cycle of gang violence on Long Island, in Brooklyn, and throughout our district: you will be prosecuted, and you will be held accountable. Our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to work tirelessly to eradicate the gang violence that terrorizes our communities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “The defendants and their co-conspirators used force and violence against rivals, terrorized surrounding neighborhoods, stole from government programs intended to provide services to the public, and enriched themselves through the illicit proceeds of their criminal activity. Today’s verdict ensures that these individuals have been held responsible for their crimes. This outcome is the result of the outstanding work of law enforcement agents and detectives who, alongside our prosecutors, brought this comprehensive investigation to a successful conclusion. Our Office will continue working tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to advance the Administration’s mandate to Take Back America by dismantling and eradicating lawless, violent gangs like the Insane Crips and make our communities safer.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s Long Island Safe Streets Gang Task Force and the Nassau County Police Department’s Homicide Squad and Gang Investigation Squad for their tireless efforts to bring these defendants to justice. Mr. Nocella also thanked the Hempstead Village Police Department for its efforts in the widespread investigation.
“These three Crips gang members are responsible for a litany of crimes across Long Island. Their collective tyranny ranged from public gunfights and multiple murders to exploiting government relief programs – all to protect the gang’s reputation and increase its illicit revenue stream. Today’s guilty verdict marks a significant milestone in the FBI Long Island Safe Streets Task Force’s unwavering fight against criminal enterprises flooding our streets with violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“These gang members committed heinous acts of violence, including the attempted murder of two Nassau County Police Officers. This case highlights the risks that our officers face every single day, when they put on the uniform to protect the residents of Nassau County. These individuals committed dangerous crimes including robbery and murder, that they are finally being held accountable for. Working with our law enforcement partners, we will stop at nothing to pursue individuals who harm our communities. I commend our investigators and our partners for their dedication and efforts on this case,” stated NCPD Commissioner Ryder.
“These convictions end a reign of terror across Nassau County,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly. “From targeted robberies and the senseless killings of innocent lives to the brazen attempted murder of two Nassau County police officers, these defendants showed a chilling disregard for human life. This verdict is a powerful message to the gangs that think they can operate with impunity across Long Island. We remain committed to working with our federal and local law enforcement partners to dismantle these violent enterprises and seek justice for the victims and their families.”“These Crips members committed a series of violent crimes – from murder and kidnapping to stealing federal relief meant for vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “The NYPD is intensely focused on taking down gangs, removing guns from our streets, and keeping communities safe. Thanks to the work of our NYPD investigators, alongside our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, these violent criminals have been convicted and will be held accountable.”
Racketeering and Violent CrimesChambers, Vazquez, and Shaw were each convicted of racketeering and racketeering conspiracy for their participation in the Crips criminal enterprise. In connection with the racketeering charges, they were also found guilty of participating in multiple acts of violence committed on behalf of the Crips, including murder, attempted murder, robbery, and kidnapping.
Chambers, who dubbed himself “Luca Da Shoota,” was convicted for his role in eleven shootings and three homicides between 2020 and 2022, including the August 2020 murder of Thiasia Williams in Hempstead, New York, the September 2021 murder of James Diamond in Freeport, New York, and the March 2022 murder of Malik Delima in Brooklyn, New York. In August 2020, Chambers, along with fellow Crips members and associates, carried out a drive-by shooting targeting a party on Martin Luther King Drive in Hempstead that was attended by members of a rival gang. Chambers and an associate each opened fire with 9mm handguns, discharging at least eight rounds into a crowd of partygoers. Their gunfire struck and killed Thiasia Williams, an innocent bystander who was seated in her car outside the party waiting to pick up a friend. Chambers was also convicted of assaulting another innocent female bystander, who sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound to her leg.
Chambers also was convicted of the January 3, 2021 attempted murder and assault of a victim in Rockville Centre, New York. Acting on a mistaken belief that he was a rival gang member, Chambers opened fire on the victim and his brother as they were driving home on Peninsula Boulevard. The victim was struck by gunfire and, as a result of the shooting, was left paralyzed.
Chambers was also convicted for his role in the 2021 robbery and murder of James Diamond in Freeport, New York. On September 10, 2021, Chambers and his co-conspirators planned to rob Diamond and another individual of a large sum of cash. During the attempted robbery, Chambers and another individual, both armed with firearms, confronted Diamond at gunpoint. In the course of the robbery, Chambers’ co-conspirator shot and killed Diamond.
Chambers and Shaw were convicted of murder and conspiracy to commit murder for their roles in the March 2022 killing of Malik Delima, a Rollin’ 60s gang member and rival of Shaw from Brooklyn. Shaw, who was involved in an internal gang power struggle with Delima, enlisted Chambers to shoot and kill Delima. On March 10, 2022, Chambers, using a car provided by Shaw, drove from Shaw’s residence and tracked Delima to his apartment in Brooklyn. When Delima exited his residence, Chambers shot Delima 11 times, killing him.
Vazquez was convicted of murder for his role in the November 19, 2016 shooting death of 19 year-old Joecephus Vanable in Hempstead, New York. Vanable, a rival of ICG in Hempstead, was shot and killed outside his girlfriend’s residence while speaking with his girlfriend and sister. Vazquez provided the firearm used in the murder and accompanied the shooter to carry out the killing. In the wake of Vanable’s murder, members of ICG repeatedly glorified the killing, including by posting numerous videos depicting Vazquez, Chambers, and others desecrating Vanable’s grave and by posting rap songs that referenced Vanable’s death to taunt rivals.
Vazquez was convicted of the attempted murder of two Nassau County police officers on March 1, 2022. When the officers attempted to stop a vehicle matching the description of one used in a robbery two weeks earlier, Vazquez opened fire at the officers’ vehicle, striking its hood. Vazquez then fled on foot and again attempted to fire at the officers. In addition, Vazquez was convicted of the February 16, 2022 gunpoint robbery of a woman in Levittown, New York, the same robbery that led officers to attempt the vehicle stop on March 1.
Chambers was convicted of committing seven shootings, involving the attempted murder or assault of rival gang members in 2020 and 2022, as well as several counts of illegal possession, brandishing and discharge of firearms.
Vazquez and Chambers were convicted of committing four shootings together, involving the attempted murder or assault of rival gang members in 2021 and 2022, as well as several counts of illegal possession, brandishing and discharge of firearms.
Shaw was convicted for his role in orchestrating the December 1, 2021 kidnapping and robbery of a woman in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Shaw recruited fellow Rollin’ 60s member Delima, as well as two additional Crips members, to kidnap the victim in order to gain access to her apartment and steal luxury items, including Birkin handbags, watches, and jewelry. Shaw enlisted ICG Crips gang members to assist in re-selling the stolen goods. After Shaw failed to pay Delima and his associates their share of the proceeds, an internal power struggle developed between Shaw and Delima. As a result of that conflict, Shaw enlisted Chambers to murder Delima several weeks later, for which Shaw was also convicted.
Government Program Fraud and Related Financial Crimes
Chambers, Vazquez and Shaw were each convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their participation in a wide array of fraud schemes carried out by the Crips, targeting state and federal relief programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The defendants and their fellow Crips used stolen identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims in multiple states, including California and Arizona. They then used the proceeds to purchase high-value assets, including expensive jewelry and luxury goods. The evidence at trial established that Shaw, who referred to himself as “Rells Fargo,” alone defrauded the California Employment Development Department for over $2 million from 2020 to 2021.
Shaw was convicted of laundering the proceeds of the fraud schemes by transferring thousands of dollars per day between various bank accounts and by wiring funds to his business account under the guise of legitimate business transactions. Shaw used these illicit proceeds to obtain a mortgage and purchase a $1.2 million home in New Jersey.* * * * *
These convictions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Central Operations and Regional Enforcement (CORE) Region 28, located in New York, is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEAJ, US Customs and Boarder Protection (CBP), the US Marshals Service SDNY, the US Marshals Service EDNY, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), US Postal Inspection Service, US Coast Guard, US Federal Probation SDNY, US Federal Probation EDNY, Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), the United States Secret Service, the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), the New York City Police Department (NYPD), the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and the prosecution is being led by the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael R. Maffei, Andrew P. Wenzel, Kaitlin C. McTague and Samantha S. Alessi prosecuted the case with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Michael Compitello and Lead Legal Administrative Specialist Kerry Ucci, as well as investigators and special agents from EDNY’s Criminal Investigations Unit.
The Defendants:
AKEEM CHAMBERS (also known as “Luca” and “Luca da Shoota”)
Age: 24
Uniondale, New YorkJONATHAN VAZQUEZ (also known as “Clutch” and “Chulo”)
Age: 24
Hempstead, New YorkJERELL SHAW (also known as “Rells” and “Rells Fargo”)
Age: 34
Millstone Township, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No.: 23-CR-157 (S-3) (JMA)
Three Admit Stealing Controlled Substances from Missouri, Kansas PharmaciesRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Three men from Texas have admitted stealing controlled substances from three pharmacies in Missouri and Kansas last year.
Erik Dewayne Lyons Jr., 21, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substance and entering a pharmacy with the intent to steal controlled substances. Jonathan Fore, 30, and Anthony Ray Venwright, 33, pleaded guilty on March 30 to the same charges.
All three admitted traveling from the Houston, Texas area to Lee’s Summit, Missouri on July 29, 2025. The next day, Lyons waited in a Toyota RAV4 nearby while Venwright and Fore broke into a pharmacy and stole drugs. They then broke into a pharmacy in Overland Park, Kansas. On July 31, 2025, they broke into a Maryland Heights pharmacy. Maryland Heights police identified the RAV4 and learned that it was in Arkansas. The Arkansas State Police stopped the RAV4 and a companion vehicle, and investigators later found two trash bags containing the drugs that the men had stolen from the third pharmacy and evidence linking them all of the burglaries.
The men admitted stealing a total of 25,610 doses of various pain pills and other controlled substances.
Lyons is scheduled to be sentenced on July 13. Both Fore and Venwright are scheduled to be sentenced on July 6. Each count is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
The case was investigated by the Maryland Heights Police Department, the Arkansas State Police, the Clark County (Arkansas) Sheriff’s Department, the Lee’s Summit Police Department and the Overland Park (Kansas) Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul D’Agrosa is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Texas man receives jail time for walking off designated boardwalk in a thermal area in Yellowstone National ParkRead the Press Release
A Texas man was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to walking off the designated boardwalk in a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park (YNP).
Eric Bedient, 50, of Frisco, Texas was sentenced to five days of incarceration on March 31, 2026, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick. According to court documents, Mr. Bedient walked directly on several fragile and dangerous hydrothermal features in the Mammoth Hot Springs area. Those features included Canary Spring, Mound Terrace, Palette Hot Spring, and Jupiter Terrace. The sentence reflected the extensive nature of violation, the damage Bedient’s footprints left behind, and Bedient’s failure to educate himself about Yellowstone National Park’s regulations.
U.S. Attorney Darin Smith said, “Yellowstone’s thermal areas are among the most dangerous natural features in the world. Mr. Bedient’s disregard for the law could have cost him his life. Prosecuting crimes like this deters others from similar conduct—and from risking becoming thermal soup. We will continue to hold individuals accountable to protect lives and preserve this unique, irreplaceable landscape when their actions threaten these national treasures for future generations.”
This crime was investigated by Yellowstone National Park law enforcement officers and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes.
For travelers planning to visit YNP this year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds the public to stay safe and adhere by all park regulations.
- Stay on boardwalks
Always walk on boardwalks and designated trails. Keep children close and do not let them run on boardwalks.
- Don't touch thermal features or runoff
Even thermal runoff can be extremely hot and cause burns. Hot springs also contain algae, bacteria, and fungi found nowhere else in the world; coming in contact with these life forms can destroy them. Resist the temptation to touch!
- Swimming or soaking in hot springs is prohibited
More than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into Yellowstone’s hot springs. For your safety and for the protection of thermal features in Yellowstone, it is illegal to swim or bathe in any water that is entirely of thermal origin.
- Pets are prohibited in thermal areas
Pets are not allowed in thermal areas or on boardwalks, even if they're on a leash or carried in arms, strollers, or backpacks. This policy exists to protect our pets from being burned or killed in hot springs. Trained service animals that perform tasks directly related to a person's disability are allowed throughout the park and in all park facilities. They must be leashed at all times.
For questions relating to Yellowstone National Park, please contact the Public Affairs Office at [email protected]. A Safety Press Kit is available for the media at: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety-press.htm
Tennessee man who was found in Florida with missing Ohio teen charged with transporting a minor to engage in sexual activityRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Charges have been filed in the Southern District of Ohio against a Tennessee man with whom a previously missing Colerain teenager was found in Florida on March 13.
Stephen L. Negron, 42, of Rogersville, Tennessee, is charged federally with transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, a federal crime punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
“I want to commend the excellent work of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies involved in this investigation, recovery, and prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “My office is proud to partner with these outstanding public servants to ensure that our children remain safe from those who seek to prey upon them.”
According to charging documents, cell phone data revealed the victim’s cell phone was powered off on Feb. 13. Just prior to being turned off, cell site data placed the phone at an intersection near the victim’s home.
Subsequent review of area security cameras showed a silver Chevrolet pickup truck with a Tennessee license plate number registered to Negron in the vicinity at the same time. Investigators used license plate readers to track the truck’s previous travel southbound through Kentucky and into Tennessee.
Further investigation into Negron revealed an ongoing protective order issued out of Texas regarding an 18-year-old female who allegedly met Negron online in 2023 when she was 16 and Negron was 41. According to documents related to that matter, Negron traveled from Florida and Tennessee to meet up with the teenager and brought her back to Tennessee. He allegedly drugged her, sexually assaulted her and threatened violence to her and her family.
On March 12, FBI agents in Tennessee executed a federal search warrant at Negron’s home and found evidence of a new cell phone number. GPS pings on that cell phone number led agents to the Quality Inn & Suites Palatka Riverfront Hotel in Palatka, Florida.
Court documents detail that Negron had driven to Florida in a work truck, a White Dodge Ram, with a Virginia license plate. On March 13, law enforcement officials located Negron and the victim in Florida and arrested Negron on charges out of the Eastern District of Tennessee related to the former Texas victim.
Negron will be transferred to the Southern District of Ohio to face his charges here.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; Colerain Township Police Chief Edwin C. Cordie III and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Kyle J. Healey is representing the United States in this case.
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (Florida), Palatka Police Department (Florida), FBI Jacksonville, FBI Nashville, the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee have all played integral parts in this investigation.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the 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.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
# # #
Ten Indian Nationals Indicted for Visa Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Ten Indian nationals have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with a conspiracy to carry out staged armed robberies of convenience stores for the purpose of allowing store clerks to falsely claim they were crime victims on immigration applications. The defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint in March 2026.
The following defendants have been indicted by a federal grand jury with one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud:- Jitendrakumar Patel, 39, unlawfully residing in Marshfield, Mass.;
- Maheshkumar Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph, Mass.;
- Sanjaykumar Patel, 45, unlawfully residing in Quincy, Mass.;
- Dipikaben Patel, 40, deported to India after unlawfully residing in Weymouth, Mass.;
- Rameshbhai Patel, 52, unlawfully residing in Eubank, Ky.;
- Amitabahen Patel, 43, unlawfully residing in Plainville, Mass.;
- Ronakkumar Patel, 28, unlawfully residing in Maryland Heights, Miss.;
- Sangitaben Patel, 36, unlawfully residing in Randolph, Mass.;
- Minkesh Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio; and
- Sonal Patel, 42, unlawfully residing in Perrysburg, Ohio.
All 10 defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint and released on conditions. Rameshbhai Patel and Ronakkumar Patel have been taken into immigration custody. The defendants are subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. This case stems from an investigation into Rambhai Patel, the organizer of the scheme, and getaway driver Balwinder Singh – both of whom were charged in December 2023 and later convicted in May 2025.
According to the charging documents, in March 2023, Rambhai Patel and his co-conspirators set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least six convenience/liquor stores and fast food restaurants in Massachusetts and elsewhere. It is alleged that the purpose of the staged robberies was to allow the clerks present to falsely claim that they were victims of a violent crime on an application for U non-immigration status (U Visa). A U Visa is available to victims of certain crimes who have suffered mental or physical abuse and who have been helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of criminal activity.
In the course of the alleged staged robberies, the “robber” would allegedly threaten store clerks and/or owners with an apparent firearm before taking cash from the register and fleeing, while the interaction was captured on store surveillance video. The clerks and/or owners would then wait five or more minutes until the alleged “robber” had escaped before calling police to report the “crime.” The “victims” are alleged to have each paid Rambhai Patel to participate in the scheme. In turn, Rambhai Patel paid the store owners for the use of their stores for the staged robbery.
The organizer Rambhai Patel, the “robber,” and the getaway driver, Balwinder Singh, were convicted in May 2025. The 10 defendants indicted today are alleged to have either arranged with Rambhai Patel to set up each robbery, or paid for themselves or a family member to participate as a “victim.”
The charge of conspiracy to commit visa fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Additionally, the defendants are subject to deportation after any sentence imposed.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Eastern District of New York, the Western District of Washington, the Northern District of Ohio, the Eastern District of Missouri, and the Eastern District of Kentucky; FBI’s New York, Seattle, Louisville, Cleveland and St. Louis Field Offices; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations; Massachusetts State Police; Worcester County District Attorney’s Office; and the Boston, Dedham, Hingham, Malden, Marshfield, Randolph, Somerville, Weymouth, Worcester, Upper Darby, (Pa.), West Pittston (Pa.), Louisville, (Ky.) and Bean Station (Tenn.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Jessica L. Soto of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Cedrick Campbell, 36, pleaded guilty in federal court to two counts of possession of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office will continue to prioritize the aggressive prosecution of predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize our kids. Viewing and distributing child porn has the effect of re-victimizing the innocent kids who have been sexually exploited each and every time one of those horrific images or videos is shared. My office will hold accountable those who peddle child porn to the greatest extent possible.”
Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received information that the defendant was possessing and viewing child pornography. Further investigation led to the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and a search of his cell phone, which revealed that he had also used an overseas server to access and store child pornography.
Campbell faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on each count, and a lifetime of supervision upon release.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2026, at 10:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before United States District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph Ravelo and Meredith Steer are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Suburban Chicago Man Charged with Robbing Undercover Federal Task Force OfficerRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office has charged a suburban Chicago man with robbing a federal task force officer during an undercover drug transaction last week.
The task force officer was working undercover for the Federal Bureau of Investigation on April 3, 2026, when the officer met with MARCUS LEWIS and a juvenile in a residential neighborhood of Ford Heights, Ill. to buy cocaine from them, according to a criminal complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. During the meeting, Lewis and the juvenile said words to the effect that they knew the undercover officer “was a cop,” the complaint states. They then beat the officer with a firearm and robbed the officer of $10,000 in government funds that the officer planned to use to purchase the cocaine, the complaint states. Lewis and the juvenile attempted to flee in their vehicle, but it crashed into a responding law enforcement vehicle, the complaint states. The juvenile was quickly arrested, while Lewis fled on foot and was apprehended early the next morning. The juvenile is expected to face charges in state court.
The federal complaint charges Lewis, 23, of Ford Heights, Ill., with one count of robbery. Lewis waived his right to a detention hearing and was ordered to remain detained in federal custody pending trial. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 15, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim.
The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Cook County Sheriff’s Office provided valuable assistance in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jalan L. Jaskot.
“FBI task force officers and agents are first responders in the fight against violent crime in our neighborhoods and communities,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The dangerous and brave work they do requires them to put their lives on the line every day. We all owe our law enforcement agents and task force officers a debt of gratitude for their dedication to the mission and their commitment to public safety. As I have said numerous times during my first year as United States Attorney, we will not tolerate attacks against federal law enforcement officers in the Northern District of Illinois. The Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek to hold this violent offender accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
“The men and women of the FBI swore an oath to serve and protect the very communities in which they live and serve,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Violent attacks on our personnel, which include the elite cadre of embedded task force officer partners, erode respect for the rule of law and compromise the safety of everyone across our country. The FBI, with the full backing of our federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, will ensure that there is no safe haven or amnesty for anyone seeking to harm the very personnel working to protect the American people and uphold the U.S. Constitution.”
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Stockton Nurse Practitioner Agrees to Pay $1.4 Million to Resolve Alleged Controlled Substance Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
rubinger_settlement_agreement_003.pdfSACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced today that Joan Rubinger, a nurse practitioner in Stockton, has agreed to pay $1.4 million to resolve allegations that she violated the Controlled Substance Act on at least 900 occasions by dispensing controlled substances without any legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice. The United States contends that Rubinger sold prescriptions for controlled substances to individuals who were not her legitimate medical patients, with whom she had not established a bona fide medical provider relationship, or for whom she failed to identify and document a legitimate medical need for controlled substances.
“We remain unwavering in our commitment to hold health care providers accountable when they violate their duty to properly prescribe controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Our community has the right to trust that providers will prescribe these drugs only within the usual course of professional practice and only in accord with the law.”
“DEA is committed to preventing, detecting, and investigating the diversion of controlled pharmaceuticals from legitimate sources. Dispensing controlled substances without any legitimate medical purpose and outside the course of professional practice is illegal, and anyone in violation will be held accountable,” said Bob P. Beris, Special Agent in Charge, DEA San Francisco Field Division.
This settlement resolves the case against Rubinger, which alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act. On March 26, 2026, the Court entered a permanent injunction requiring Rubinger to surrender the ability to dispense, or have involvement in dispensing, controlled substances in the future, directly or indirectly, including (a) dispensing or prescribing, or assisting in dispensing or prescribing, any controlled substance; (b) having an ownership interest, including partial ownership, in an entity that is in the business of dispensing controlled substances; or (c) employing any person who dispenses, or assists in dispensing, any prescription for a controlled substances for any person.
The DEA Tactical Diversion Squad conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin represented the federal government.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
St. Croix Man Sentenced to 16 months for Assaulting a U.S. Postal CarrierRead the Press Release
St. Thomas, USVI –U.S. Attorney Adam F. Sleeper announced today that Omarion Webbe, 23, of St. Croix, was sentenced on April 6, 2026, by Chief District Judge Robert A. Molloy for assaulting a U.S. postal carrier. He was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment, three years’ supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
According to court documents, on or about October 15, 2024, postal employee L.L., dressed in her United States postal employee letter carrier uniform, was delivering mail at Harbor View Apartments. She saw a young man near her postal van. She had seen the same young man before on October 11th when she was delivering mail at Sugar Beach Condominiums. He said something to her, but she could not hear. She also saw him a short time later at Club St. Croix Condominiums when she was delivering the mail.
After leaving Harbor View Apartments, L.L. went to Carib Villas and began delivering mail. She saw the same young man. The young man, later identified as the defendant, made a sexual comment to her. L.L. ignored him but was able to take a picture of the defendant with her phone. L.L. continued her route to Sugar Beach and saw the defendant as she was leaving. When L.L. arrived at Club St. Croix and began delivering mail, the defendant suddenly appeared from around a corner. He approached L.L. and was within a couple feet of her when he made another sexual comment to her. L.L. told him to back off, and the defendant hit her hard on the left side of her buttocks. She screamed and tried to back up. Two maintenance workers came to her aid, but the defendant had already left, jumping over a concrete wall.
The investigation was conducted by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Virgin Islands Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rhonda Williams-Henry prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of the Virgin Islands.
Spree of Carjackings in August 2022 Results in 29 Year Prison Sentence for D.C. ManRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jerome Israel, 22, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced for three carjackings, which took place in August 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Israel pleaded guilty on August 5, 2025, to one count of armed carjacking and two counts of unarmed carjacking in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. Today, Superior Court Judge Andrea Hertzfeld declined to sentence the defendant under the Youth Rehabilitation Act and affirmed her initial sentencing on March 4th for the defendant to serve 29 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 8:27 p.m. on August 20, 2022, Israel and a co-conspirator approached a victim from the rear on the corner of 7th and D Streets, SE. The victim, who was driving a 2021 grey Nissan Sentra, was unloading items from the vehicle when approached by the two men, who were wearing ski masks. As the co-conspirator brandished a firearm, the defendant reached into the victim’s pants’ pockets and took a cell phone, wallet, house key and the car keys to the Nissan. Both men got into the Nissan and drove off.
Three days later, in the early morning hours of August 23, 2022, Israel and a co-conspirator drove the stolen Nissan to a gas station in the 2500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, where they approached a second victim. The victim, who was driving a 2009 white BMW 328i, parked at a gas pump and exited the vehicle to purchase items at the gas station’s window. The victim was approached by the co-conspirator, who brandished a firearm and took the victim’s car keys while Israel searched the victim’s pants’ pockets and stole his wallet. Israel got the car keys from his co-conspirator and drove off in the victim’s vehicle. The co-conspirator drove off in the Nissan.
Two days later, on August 25, 2022, at approximately 5:51 p.m., Israel and a co-conspirator approached a third victim at a Citgo gas station in the 2300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, SE. They were driving the stolen BMW from two days earlier. The victim, who was driving a 2021 blue Dodge Challenger, was parked at a gas pump, and the two men drove up behind him. The defendant approached the victim, brandished a firearm, and demanded the car keys. The victim informed them that the keys were inside the vehicle. The two co-conspirators drove off in the victim’s Challenger and the stolen BMW.
Israel was arrested on August 30, 2022, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll thanked those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael C. Lee and Ella Gladman, who prosecuted the case.
2022 CF1 007472
Southbridge Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Cocaine Conspiracy and Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Southbridge man was sentenced today for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, including possessing a machinegun and cocaine intended for distribution.
Miguel Lopez, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to six years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. In December 2025, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances; and one count of unlawful possession of a machine gun.
From in or about April 2023 through in or about April 2024, Lopez conspired with others to distribute cocaine shipped from Puerto Rico to Massachusetts. On at least four different occasions during that period, Lopez was observed collecting packages suspected of containing controlled substances. On or about Jan. 29, 2024, a package addressed to Lopez was seized and one kilogram of cocaine was found hidden inside. During an April 2024 search of Lopez’s residence, approximately two kilograms of cocaine was found hidden inside a package that had been delivered earlier that day. A Glock pistol with a machinegun conversion device attached to the back along with ammunition, a 30-round magazine and a 50-round drum magazine were also found at Lopez’s residence.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin Brown of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Boston is comprised of agents and officers from HSI, FBI, DEA, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS, DOL-OIG and DSS, as well as several state and local law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.Sioux Falls Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026.
Amber Marie Gentapanan, 28, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Gentapanan was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in August 2025. She pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.
The case arose on March 25, 2025, when Gentapanan possessed a semi-automatic pistol in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She fled from law enforcement and discarded a bag containing the pistol but was apprehended. She is prohibited from possessing any firearm due to her 2022 felony conviction for Possession of a Controlled Substance.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Gentapanan was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of MinorRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor over a four-year period.
According to court documents, Brian Begay, 30, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, engaged in a pattern of sexual abuse against Jane Doe between 2015 and 2019, beginning when the victim was 12 and continuing until she was 16.
Begay pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and abusive sexual contact and faces up to life in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with the assistance of the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Pecoraro is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Seven Illegal Aliens Sentenced for Operating a Multistate Burglary RingRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced that United States District Judge Jane M. Beckering sentenced John Sebastian Quintero-Herrera, a Colombian national, to serve 70 months in prison. Quintero-Herrera was the leader of a multi-state burglary ring involving six other defendants. All the defendants were in the United States illegally. Quintero-Herrera subsequently pled guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen property and was the last defendant to be sentenced, with the exception of one additional defendant who has evaded custody thus far.
During sentencing, U.S. District Judge Beckering expressed dismay over the defendant’s conduct in operating a large-scale burglary operation that spanned most of the continental United States. She described the defendants’ sophisticated operation as “Ocean’s Eleven-style conduct” while being “downright cruel.” When describing how Quintero-Herrera and his co-defendants behaved, Judge Beckering described the burglaries as leaving behind “ransacked houses” producing a “bone-chilling” effect on homeowners. All of this caused the court to exceed the sentence recommended for ordinary theft offenses.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “This case represents another example of why we are so alarmed by illegal immigration into the United States. When these people sneaked into our country, they weren’t looking for a chance to get a job. Their idea of a better life was to set up a burglary operation targeting the homes of people all over the United States. These professional burglars made over $1,500,000 breaking into people’s homes, but perhaps the most precious thing they stole from their victims was their sense of security and safety. I salute law enforcement’s ability to track down and stop these people men, but the fact remains that they should never have been allowed inside our borders to do this.”
Quintero-Herrera and six others engaged in a conspiracy that encompassed much of the United States and involved twenty known residences. The burglary ring was very sophisticated: The conspirators would identify small business owners whom they suspected stored large amounts of cash or other valuables in their homes. The defendants then surveilled their targets, using GPS trackers to monitor their movements and cameras to surveil the homes of the victims. Ultimately, Quintero-Herrera and his co-conspirators broke into the homes of the victims, sometimes cutting off their power, and then ransacking the houses. The group took cash, jewelry, luxury brand purses and shoes, family heirlooms, as well as personal documents, like passports and mortgage paperwork. The houses were often left in complete and total disarray, with mattresses slashed and belongings strewn about. The defendants spent the money they obtained on drugs, nightclubs and extravagant travel.
The defendants used hidden surveillance cameras to watch potential victims
The defendants put GPS trackers on their victims’ cars to locate their homes
The defendants ripped apart their victims’ homes looking for valuables
“The defendants’ actions were calculated, invasive, and left lasting harm on their victims,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “HSI is actively targeting South American theft groups that operate sophisticated, multi-state burglary rings like this one, and we are working tirelessly to disrupt their networks and hold them accountable. Through coordinated efforts across multiple states, we were able to bring those responsible to justice and restore a sense of security to the affected communities.”
In total, the United States charged seven defendants as part of the conspiracy. Six have pleaded guilty and been sentenced. One defendant remains at large. The Court has imposed the following prison sentences on the convicted defendants:
NameAgeCount of ConvictionSentenceJohn Quintero-Herrera29Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property70 monthsIesua Ramirez-Perez26Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property39 monthsIvan Chaparro-Perez31Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property42 monthsWilliam Villarraga-Joya33Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property90 monthsPaul Mendoza-Arevalo39Conspiracy to Transport Stolen Property48 monthsWendy Acosta-Arevalo31Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property24 monthsThis prosecution was made possible only through the inter-departmental cooperation of many law enforcement agencies spanning the country. The agencies that investigated this case include Dearborn (Michigan) Police Department; Greer (South Carolina) Police Department; Union County (North Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anderson County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Anniston (Alabama) Police Department; Foxborough (Massachusetts) Police Department; Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) Police Department; Hoover (Alabama) Police Department; Spartanburg County (South Carolina) Sheriff’s Office; Worcester (Massachusetts) Police Department; Dracut (Massachusetts) Police Department; Farmington Hills (Michigan) Police Department; Mason (Ohio) Police Department; Alexandria (Kentucky) Police Department; Franklin (Wisconsin) Police Department; Wisconsin Department of Justice Criminal Investigations; Sheboygan (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Department; Flint Township (Michigan) Police Department; Kent County (Michigan) Sheriff’s Office. Both the Federal Bureau of Investigations and Department of Homeland Security were involved from the federal side.
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.
Serial Child Predator Sentenced for Accessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A serial child predator was sentenced today for accessing child pornography after being previously convicted of possessing child sexual abuse material twice, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson sentenced William Don Woods, 49, of Claremore, for Possession of and Access with Intent to View Child Pornography. Woods was ordered to serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by lifetime supervised release. Upon his release, Woods will be required to register as a sex offender.
Federal court dockets show that Woods was convicted in 2008 for Possession of Child Pornography. He knowingly possessed videos and images of children under 12 being sexually abused. Woods was ordered to serve 87 months imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, required to register as a sex offender, and ordered not to view, purchase, or possess any form of pornography. In 2014, 2015, and 2016, Woods violated his supervised release by looking at photos of children and pornography.
In 2017, Woods was indicted a second time for Possession of Child Pornography. He admitted to viewing videos of children being sexually abused under the age of 12. He was ordered to serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Again, Woods was required to not view, purchase, or possess any form of pornography.
Five weeks after his latest release from prison, in the fall of 2025, Woods was caught again searching for, accessing, and possessing child pornography. He was indicted in November 2025 and pleaded guilty the following month. Woods admitted to using DuckDuckGo to access videos and images of children under 12 years old being sexually abused.
Woods will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Scaife prosecuted 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 U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, local, and tribal resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Repeat Drug Offender Faces Life After Pointing Gun at Police During ChaseRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – A South Georgia resident with three prior felony convictions for drug distribution is facing up to life in prison after he pointed a loaded gun at a Southwest Georgia police officer as he attempted to flee arrest.
Quentin Hall, 30, of Valdosta, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime before Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on April 8, 2026. Hall faces a maximum imprisonment of life. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Armed repeat offenders will face steep federal penalties when they choose to endanger the community with ongoing criminal conduct, especially when possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “This case highlights the constant danger police encounter as they work to keep our streets safe and uphold the law. I commend the Moultrie police officer and all dedicated law enforcement personnel who put themselves in harm’s way to protect our communities and work for justice.”
"This case underscores the importance of collaboration between agencies, as we work tirelessly to protect our communities from harm,” said ATF Atlanta’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Davis.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Hall was pulled over for a traffic violation on Nov. 26, 2024, on 7th Avenue in Moultrie, and didn’t immediately pull over, but instead continued driving and entered the Art Center Apartments. While the car he was driving was still moving, Hall jumped out and ran away holding a bookbag.A Moultrie Police Department officer chased after Hall; Hall threw his bookbag as he ran, then lost his balance and fell to the ground. Hall ignored the officer's verbal commands to lie on the ground and not move, but pulled out a black handgun, pointed it at the officer, and said to “go on” before he turned and ran. The chase continued, with Hall again falling and dropping the gun before picking it up and continuing to run. He ran behind a stairway and eventually surrendered to officers.
Law enforcement retrieved the firearm that Hall had pointed at the police officer, which had a round in the chamber. Inside Hall’s backpack, officers found several small baggies containing cocaine and other drugs. Later, Hall admitted to officers that the drugs belonged to him and that the gun was not his, but a family member’s. He said he blacked out when he pointed the gun at the officer. Hall told officers that he was on parole and had been out of prison for 16 months.
Hall has three prior drug distribution state convictions, two in Colquitt County, Georgia, and one in Bulloch County, Georgia. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Moultrie Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Monica Daniels and Tamara Jarrett are prosecuting the case for the Government.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in Rapid CityRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 30, 2026.
Ezra Bald Eagle, 27, was sentenced to 10 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.
Bald Eagle was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in June 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025.
Between December 2024 and May 2025, Bald Eagle cultivated a network in the Rapid City area to facilitate the sale of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Bald Eagle routinely traveled to Colorado to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl and then transported the narcotics into Rapid City. Once back in South Dakota, Bald Eagle and his network of sub-distributors sold large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl within the Rapid City area. Bald Eagle’s operation ended on May 20, 2025, when law enforcement conducted a targeted traffic stop as Bald Eagle returned to South Dakota from purchasing narcotics in Colorado. During the stop, officers seized over 3,300 counterfeit M/30 fentanyl pills, 96 grams of fentanyl powder, and three quarters of a pound of methamphetamine.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Bald Eagle was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to over 5 Years in Federal Prison for Brutally Assaulting Another Woman in the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Assault Resulting in Sioux Bodily Injury – Aiding and Abetting. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026.
Jessie Sutton, 37, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sutton was indicted for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Aiding and Abetting, as well as Assault with a Dangerous Weapon – Aiding and Abetting by a federal grand jury in November 2024. She pleaded guilty on December 22, 2025.
The charges stem from an incident in which Sutton and her sister, Joann Sutton, brutally attacked another woman about her body and head necessitating emergency surgery to address resultant brain injuries.
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 Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anna Lindrooth prosecuted the case.
Sutton was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to over 19 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine in Rapid City and in the Pine Ridge ReservationRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026.
Shauntel Shangreaux, 32, was sentenced to 19 years and two months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Shangreaux was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. She pleaded guilty on December 29, 2025.
Throughout 2023, Shangreaux distributed multiple ounces of fentanyl and multiple pounds of methamphetamine throughout the Rapid City community and on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Her principal source for the drugs was the drug trafficking organization leader, Juan Sertuche, who was convicted at trial in January 2026. Between 2002 and September 2023, Juan Sertuche led a drug distribution conspiracy and provided hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and tens and thousands of fentanyl pills to multiple sub-dealers, including Shangreaux, to be further distributed in the Rapid City and Pine Ridge areas of South Dakota.
“Shangreaux was a key lieutenant in Sertuche’s interstate criminal operation,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the FBI, DCI, Rapid City Police, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the BIA, our federal prosecutors have been dismantling that organization piece by piece.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Rapid City Police Department, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Oglala Sioux Tribe-Department of Public Safety (OSTDPS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige M. Petersen prosecuted the case.
Shangreaux was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Petersburg felon sentenced to 10 years in prison for federal drug trafficking convictionRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Petersburg man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for distribution and possession with the intent to distribute a mixture of heroin and fentanyl and distribution and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, from August to October 2024, law enforcement conducted a series of controlled transactions in which Jawara Tyrone Williams, 45, sold fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine at his residence in Petersburg. During one of those transactions, Williams possessed a handgun that had been reported stolen. Among other crimes, Williams previously was convicted for distributing cocaine. As a convicted felon, Williams cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. McGorman prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. 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. 3:25-cr-152.
Oswego County Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing “Molly”Read the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Eric Petrie, age 32, of Oswego County, pleaded guilty on April 8th to distribution of a controlled substance. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
As part of his plea, Petrie admitted that between January 2022 and February 2023, he knowingly and intentionally distributed the controlled substance N,N-Dimethylpentylone, commonly referred to as “molly,” to customers in and around Oswego County. The defendant further admitted that he obtained the molly from multiple sources, including by purchasing directly from other individuals and by delivery through a website. The defendant admitted that he then repackaged the molly and sold it to customers.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone stated, “We will not tolerate those who poison our community for profit. Today’s guilty plea is a testament to the strong partnerships between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and both federal and local law enforcement agencies. While our state system may not treat these drug cases with the same urgency, we will step in to ensure accountability. If you choose to distribute dangerous drugs, know that we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will hold you fully accountable.”
“Dangerous drugs have no place in our communities. Homeland Security Investigations is working every day with our law enforcement partners to disrupt drug trafficking networks and keep our neighborhoods safe,” said Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo Special Agent in Charge Erin Keegan.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 6, 2026, before Senior U.S. District Judge Glenn T. Suddaby. Petrie faces a maximum term of 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $1 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 3 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statute the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case was investigated by HSI and the other members of the Oswego County Drug Task Force, which is comprised of members of HSI, the Oswego County Sheriff’s Office, Oswego City Police Department, Fulton Police Department, and United States Border Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie is prosecuting the case.
Oklahoma City Man Charged in Multi-Million Dollar Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal grand jury has charged MATTHEW MCLAIN VEAZEY, 36, of Oklahoma City, with wire fraud, money laundering, and aggravated identity theft, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, from June 2021 through December 2025, Veazey held himself out as an experienced and successful financial investment professional and induced friends and family to send him money by claiming he had special access to favorable investment opportunities due to his connections and prior employment with investment companies. Despite promising to invest funds on behalf of his victims or to include them in his own claimed investments, Veazey allegedly kept the money for himself and used it for personal expenses. Court records allege that investors transferred at least $2,385,000 into Veazey’s personal checking accounts, funds that were never repaid. It is further alleged that Veazey fabricated text messages and email communications from real people to convince victims that his investment activities were real and legitimate.
On April 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a 30-count indictment charging Veazey with 21 counts of wire fraud, five counts of money laundering, and four counts of aggravated identity theft. If convicted, Veazey faces up to 20 years in federal prison and fines of up to $250,000 for each count of wire fraud, up to 10 years in federal prison and fines up to $250,000 for each count of money laundering, and a mandatory 2 years in federal prison for each count of aggravated identity theft.
The public is reminded that these charges are merely allegations, and that Veazey is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS Criminal Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jackson D. Eldridge and Julia E. Barry are prosecuting the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Navy Reservist Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining Tens of Thousands of Dollars of Military Leave Pay from the Department of CorrectionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Christopher Ryan, announced that Leah Mathieu, a correction officer with the New York City Department of Correction (“DOC”) and a Sailor in the United States Navy Reserve and New York Naval Militia, pled guilty to defrauding the DOC by falsely claiming tens of thousands of dollars in military leave pay. MATHIEU pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Naomi Reice Buchwald.
“As admitted, Leah Mathieu used forged documents to collect tens of thousands of dollars in military leave pay she had not earned,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “That money came from New Yorkers’ pockets. New Yorkers expect those who serve them to follow the rules on all pay—regular wages, overtime, leave pay, etc.—and when there is cheating, New Yorkers want justice.”
“Falsifying military leave to obtain City pay is a crime and undermines the service members who rightfully earn those benefits,” said DOI Acting Commissioner Christopher Ryan. “As charged, this Correction Officer betrayed the trust granted in her by the City and the New York State Naval Militia. I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York for their continued partnership and commitment to protect City funds.”
According to the allegations in the Information:
MATHIEU is a correction officer employed by the DOC and a member of the United States Navy Reserve. MATHIEU repeatedly made false representations and provided forged documentation, including purported military orders, to the DOC falsely claiming that she was on state active duty with the New York Naval Militia and therefore entitled to leave from her employment with the DOC. Based on MATHIEU’s false representations and forged documentation, MATHIEU fraudulently obtained military leave pay from the DOC from December 2022 through March 2024, totaling approximately $80,297.90.
* * *
MATHIEU, 34, of Freeport, New York, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. MATHIEU will be sentenced by Judge Buchwald on August 27, 2026.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of DOI, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, the New York State Department of Military and Naval Affairs, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection – New York Field Office, and the Special Agents and Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rebecca T. Dell is in charge of the prosecution.
Muskogee Resident Sentenced for Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Lynn Byrd, Jr., age 38, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 33 months in prison for one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department.
On September 30, 2025, Byrd pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on January 9, 2025, Byrd struck the victim multiple times on the head with a hammer. The victim suffered severe scalp contusions and was treated at an area hospital.
The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Byrd will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Miramar Man Indicted for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Arthur Gabriel Young, 23, of Miramar, Florida, has been federally charged with six counts of sexual exploitation of children producing child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Young appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry in Gainesville, Florida. His jury trial is scheduled for May 27, 2026, before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
If convicted, Young faces a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, on the production of child pornography counts. Young also faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the receipt and possession counts.
The case was jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Gainesville Police Department, and the Westminster Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
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 was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Minnesota Man Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Subordinate During Training Mission at Army Base in San Bernardino CountyRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A former member of the Minnesota National Guard was found guilty by a jury today of sexually abusing a subordinate during a training mission at Fort Irwin United States Army base in San Bernardino County.
Kelly Boylan, 56, of Minneapolis, was found guilty of one count of abusive sexual contact. He was remanded into federal custody immediately following the reading of today's verdict.
According to evidence presented at a four-day trial, in July 2020, Boylan was a member of the Minnesota National Guard and, during a training mission at Fort Irwin, sexually abused a direct subordinate, who then was a 23-year-old woman. Both Boylan and the victim had been deployed to Fort Irwin for one month of training.
Boylan was a staff sergeant, which is a non-commissioned officer, and outranked the victim, who was a specialist, which is a junior soldier.
In the Army, non-commissioned officers are prohibited from engaging in sexual relationships with junior soldiers because of the military authority they exert over them.
The victim reported the attack to the Army’s law enforcement division, which began an investigation that led to Boylan’s arrest and prosecution.
United States District Judge Wesley L. Hsu scheduled a July 24 sentencing hearing, at which time Boylan will face a statutory maximum sentence of two years in federal prison.
The FBI investigated this matter. The United States Army Criminal Investigation Division provided assistance.
Assistant United States Attorneys Neil P. Thakor of the Major Crimes Section and Erin C. Kiss of the Riverside Branch Office are prosecuting this case.
Minneapolis Man Sentenced to 43 Months for Role in Feeding Our Future Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – Abdullahe Nur Jesow of Minneapolis has been sentenced to 43 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release for his role in a $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. Jesow was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $866,458.
According to court documents, from December 2020 through September 2021, Abdullahe Nur Jesow, 65, purported to operate a Federal Child Nutrition Program meal distribution site from his event space, Benadir Hall, located on Lake Street in Minneapolis. The site was ostensibly operated by a non-profit entity called Academy for Youth Excellence, for which Jesow served as Secretary.
Between December 2020 and September 2021, Academy for Youth Excellence claimed to have served over 1.7 million meals to children at Benadir Hall. In reality, Academy for Youth Excellence only provided a fraction of those meals. Based on these fraudulent claims, Academy for Youth Excellence and its alleged food vendor, S&S Catering, received $4,286,088 in Federal Child Nutrition Program funds. Rather than feed children during the pandemic, Jesow misappropriated the funds for his own personal benefit, including for the purchase of a home in Columbia Heights, Minnesota.
Jesow was one of eight defendants charged in a 23-count indictment in September 2022. On September 18, 2025, Jesow pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering. He was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy E. Brasel. In imposing sentence, Judge Brasel stated that the defendant’s brazen fraud “severely undermined public trust in government programs and in the government itself.”
"The sentence handed down today should be a clear message to those who would seek to enrich themselves by defrauding critical child nutrition programs," said FBI Minneapolis Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. "The FBI and our investigative partners have and will continue to direct significant investigative resources to rooting out fraud in the programs that support and sustain our children and our communities."
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS – Criminal Investigations, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys for the District of Minnesota Rebecca E. Kline and Matthew C. Murphy prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Memphis Resident Sentenced for Federal KidnappingRead the Press Release
Oxford, MS – Elmer Smith, 39, of Memphis, Tennessee, pled guilty and was sentenced today to over 14 years in prison for kidnapping a victim as a result of domestic violence.
According to court documents, on February 15, 2024, he left Memphis, TN searching for the victim, with whom he was involved in an intimate relationship, and found her at her employment in Southaven, MS. At that time, he physically assaulted the victim, abducting her by force into his vehicle and taking her to Memphis, TN without her consent. A short time later, Memphis Police Department located the victim and arrested Elmer Smith.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael P. Mills sentenced Smith today to 170 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release. Smith was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
“In 2024, an individual felt entitled to travel from Memphis to the Northern District of Mississippi, kidnap a lady and return her to Memphis,” U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary emphasizes, “Such conduct is unconscionable and will not be tolerated in our district. Hopefully, criminals understand if you travel to Mississippi to commit a crime, you will be caught, prosecuted and jailed. A special thanks goes to the Southaven Police Department, the FBI and to the Memphis Police Department. You have the public’s back, and it is much appreciated.”
Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff said, “Today’s sentence sends a clear message: the violent and reprehensible acts committed by Elmer Smith will not be tolerated. There is no excuse for the abuse or the profound trauma inflicted on the victim. The FBI remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and community partners to ensure individuals who threaten public safety are held fully accountable for their actions. We commend the Southaven Police Department and the Memphis Police Department for their professionalism and collaboration throughout this investigation.”
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip Levy and Robert Mims.
Medford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A convicted felon was sentenced to federal prison today for illegally possessing firearms.
Devon James Wright, 31, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Wright was caught on two separate occasions with firearms. First, on June 23, 2024, Wright was in a car that was stopped for a traffic violation. In Wright’s backpack, police found a semi-automatic pistol and a full magazine. At the time, Wright was on parole for a previous conviction for unlawfully possessing a firearm.
Second, on October 26, 2024, Wright was stopped in a stolen vehicle and before exiting placed a loaded handgun inside the purse of another occupant next to a fully loaded extended magazine.
On March 6, 2025, a federal grand jury in Medford returned a two-count indictment charging Wright with felon in possession of a firearm. On December 8, 2025, Wright pleaded guilty to both counts.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the Portland Police Bureau and the Central Point Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa E. LeRitz and John C. Brassell.
Management Company Agrees to Pay More Than $2 Million to Resolve Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – An automotive management company, Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc., agreed to pay $2,106,927 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits the submission of false or fraudulent claims.
Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to provide emergency financial assistance to small American businesses struggling to pay employees and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Borrowers were required to certify in their applications that they were eligible for the requested loans and that the information they provided was true and accurate. Regulations provided various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of employees and exceptions for certain types of businesses operating as franchises, such as automotive dealerships.
The settlement resolves allegations that Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. falsely certified it was eligible to apply for and receive forgiveness for a first-draw PPP loan. Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. served as the management company for a network of automotive dealerships. Under the PPP, automotive dealerships were not required to count affiliates’ employees in their PPP applications if the dealerships qualified for the PPP’s franchise exception. Although Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. managed automotive dealerships, it did not operate as a franchise and thus was required to include its affiliates’ employees when considering PPP eligibility. The Government contends that, together with its affiliates, Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc. had more than 500 employees and was therefore ineligible for its first-draw loan.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by a private citizen under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery. As part of this resolution, the individual who filed the qui tam complaint is eligible to receive a portion of the settlement proceeds. The civil case is captioned United States ex rel. David Reed v. Jeff Wyler Automotive Family, Inc., Case No. 2:25-CV-00084-SCM.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Stubblebine, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
– END –
Lynn Man Pleads Guilty to Receiving Stolen Government Money and Making False StatementsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to receiving stolen Social Security benefits and making false statements.
James C. Burdulis, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of receiving stolen government money or property and one count of false statements. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for July 8, 2026. Burdulis was charged on March 26, 2026.Burdulis received approximately $63,959 in stolen Social Security benefits from June 2019 through June 2025 that were intended for a beneficiary that had died. Prior to the beneficiary’s death in May 2019, Burdulis had been appointed as the beneficiary’s representative payee to manage their Social Security benefits and provide regular accountings to the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Between June 2020 and June 2024, Burdulis submitted five fraudulent representative payee reports to the SSA under penalty of perjury in which he stated that he spent money received from the SSA on behalf of the deceased beneficiary after their death. Further, Burdulis submitted a fraudulent verification form to the SSA in September 2020 stating that the deceased beneficiary continued to live at the same location.
The charge of receiving stolen government money or property provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of false statements provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Amy Connelly, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Louisville Woman Sentenced for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Louisville, Ky., woman, Sarah Morris, 33, was sentenced on Thursday to 80 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
According to her plea agreement, between December 2023 and January 2025, Morris developed relationships with suppliers that allowed her to regularly obtain pound quantities of methamphetamine from them. Morris then regularly supplied multiple customers, including those who Morris knew who were distributing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Kentucky. On some occasions, drug traffickers traveled to Louisville to obtain methamphetamine, and on other occasions, Morris traveled to Eastern Kentucky to deliver the methamphetamine.
Specifically, on January 22, 2025, Morris traveled from Louisville to Eastern Kentucky to deliver three pounds of methamphetamine. Morris had distributed a portion of the methamphetamine when law enforcement approached a building where Morris and others were located. When law enforcement approached, an individual in that building threw the majority of the methamphetamine that Morris had brought into a fire. Morris admitted that the amount that was destroyed in the fire was about two pounds.
Under federal law, Morris must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and John Nokes, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, Louisville Field Division, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by ATF. Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Trimble is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
– END –
Lexington Man Sentenced for Armed Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Lexington man, Laurance Newby, 38, was sentenced on Wednesday to 180 months by U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove for possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to his plea agreement, between December 2024 until June 2025, law enforcement used a confidential informant to purchase fentanyl from Newby on three occasions. On June 25, 2025, a trained drug-detection dog gave a positive alert for Newby’s car. Law enforcement approached the vehicle and Newby fled on foot, eventually being arrested. A search of Newby’s vehicle resulted in the recovery of a backpack containing a loaded Glock 26 firearm and 996.4 grams of cocaine, as well as 439.8 grams of fentanyl in the trunk of the car. Newby admitted that he intended to distribute the drugs located in the vehicle and that he possessed the firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking.
Under federal law, Newby must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division, announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ron Walker is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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 comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); US Secret Service; FBI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Marshals Service; IRS- Criminal Investigations; U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and the Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Kentucky.
– END –
Leader of Sex Trafficking Ring Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to her role in a sex trafficking conspiracy that victimized two minors and one adult.
Christy Parker, a/k/a “Lula,” 28, 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 a minor. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for July 15, 2026. Parker was arrested and charged in June 2024 along with five others in connection with the sex trafficking conspiracy. She has remained in federal custody since.
Between January and August 2023, Parker used physical beatings, threats, intimidation, sleep deprivation, starvation and other means to coerce at least one adult victim and two minor victims to engage in repeated commercial sex acts in and around Fall River, Mass.
Specifically, in early 2023, Parker coerced the adult victim to engage in repeated commercial sex acts by physically beating, threatening and verbally abusing the victim; imposing manufactured debts on the victim; supplying the victim with alcohol and subsequently withholding it; and threatening to have the authorities take the victim’s three-year-old child away from her.
Parker later worked with a minor to recruit two minor victims for commercial sex with false promises of easy money. Parker and her co-defendants harbored the minor victims in a house and a Somerset, Mass., hotel and provided them for commercial sex over the course of two months in July and August 2023. Parker physically beat at least one minor victim and threatened both minor victims, prohibited them from sleeping so they could engage in more commercial sex, starved them and confiscated all of their earnings.
Parker’s scheme ended in August 2023, when one of the minor victims called her social worker and asked for help. The social worker contacted law enforcement, and Parker was arrested at the Somerset, Mass., hotel where she was harboring the victims.
Parker is the fifth defendant to be convicted in the case. In November 2025, Tyreik Reid and Cory Primo were each sentenced to 70 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking in June 2025. Avvani Jeffers and Tre’sean Reid were sentenced in January 2026 after each pleading guilty to their roles in October 2025. Alexander Smalls has pleaded not guilty is pending trial.
The charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, provides for a sentence of at least 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of sex trafficking of a minor provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $ 250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office and the Somerset Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit is prosecuting the case alongside Trial Attorney Francisco Zornosa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecution Section.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Latimer County Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Wayne Taylor, age 47, of Wilburton, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 13 months in prison for one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Latimer County Sheriff’s Office.
On August 27, 2025, Taylor pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, Taylor knowingly possessed a .22LR revolver and 53 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition on November 18, 2024, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Taylor will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Lancaster Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Matthew James Addy, 47, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, entered pleas of guilty today before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher on 13 counts of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft, arising from schemes through which the defendant defrauded investors out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The defendant was charged by indictment in October of last year.
As detailed in court filings and admitted to by the defendant, Addy held himself out as a wealthy and successful businessman, entrepreneur, and investor, to induce investors and potential investors to make investments and loans to him.
From approximately January 2020 to July 2022, Addy made misrepresentations to investors and prospective investors about both his personal financial position, falsely claiming a significant net worth, and his business and entrepreneurial experience, mischaracterizing the financial results of the purported consulting business that he claimed to operate, “the Yarah Group.”
As the defendant admitted, he induced one victim (“Victim 1”) to hire him to operate Victim l’s business (“Company 1”), and to make multiple loans to, and investments in, “the Yarah Group,” which Addy falsely claimed was based in Beverly Hills, California, and worth approximately $200 million.
Further, Addy applied for and received loans in the name of Victim 1’s other business, without the knowledge or consent of Victim 1, giving the lenders Victim 1’s identifying information, signing in the name of Victim 1, and listing Victim 1 as the guarantor of the loans. Addy then failed to repay these loans.
In all, Addy defrauded Victim 1 of approximately $722,496.
As Addy also admitted, from about April 2023 to June 2023, he schemed to defraud a second victim (“Victim 2”), whom he had met and socialized with. Addy claimed to Victim 2 that he was a diamond dealer and had made his first million dollars by the time he turned 30 years old.
Addy induced Victim 2 to make a short-term loan to a contractor through Addy’s purported company “Yarah Holdings PLC,” promising that if Victim 2 funded approximately $25,000 of a bridge loan, “Yarah Holdings PLC” would repay Victim 2 $30,000 a short time later.
Instead of a bridge loan to a contractor, Addy spent Victim 2’s money, $25,000, for unauthorized purposes, including his own personal benefit, and, despite having signed a promissory note, did not repay Victim 2.
Separately, Addy defrauded a federal credit union headquartered in Pennsylvania, depositing a check in the amount of approximately $8,500, drawn on Company 1’s bank account, into his own account. The same day, across two transactions, Addy withdrew the face value of the check in cash.
A few days later, the credit union received notice that the check had been returned due to insufficient funds. When called by the credit union’s fraud investigator on a recorded line, Addy made false statements about the bounced check he had deposited. Addy never repaid the credit union for the approximately $8,500 that he had taken by fraud.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026. He faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 294 years in prison; three years of supervised release; and restitution of $755,995.
This case was investigated by FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.
LaPorte Woman Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Monica Del Real, 26 years old, of LaPorte, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Del Real was sentenced to 72 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, law enforcement observed Del Real driving in LaPorte County and discovered that she had active warrants for her arrest. Officers performed a traffic stop on her car. During the stop, a drug K9 alerted on the vehicle. Officers searched the car and found 136 grams of pure methamphetamine and 12 grams of fentanyl hidden in a compartment near the gas pedal.
“Monica Del Real thought that she could freely traffic in dangerous narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “State and local law enforcement, and their K9 partner, proved her wrong. Thanks to their excellent work, both the drugs and Del Real are off the streets. I thank DEA, Michigan City Police Department, the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan and his office for their partnership.”
“Methamphetamine and fentanyl are dangerous drugs and poisons that have driven addiction, death, and violence across northern Indiana. The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its Indiana law enforcement and prosecution partners, will continue to hold accountable those who disregard the moral values of society by trafficking narcotics. Ms. Del Real is now being held accountable for her criminal actions, which is the appropriate response for anyone wishing to bring pain and suffering to our northern Indiana home,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, Michigan City Police Department, and the LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lydia T. Lucius.
Kennebunkport Man Sentenced for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Kennebunkport man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing child pornography.
Chief U.S. District Judge Lance E. Walker sentenced Kevin Rockwell, 41, to 20 years in prison to be followed by life on supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $104,000 in restitution to victims whose images he possessed. Rockwell pleaded guilty on June 10, 2025.
In addition, Rockwell was ordered to serve 18 consecutive months in prison based on a violation of his supervised release stemming from his prior federal conviction for transportation of child pornography. He was sentenced to 8 ½ years in federal prison for that offense.
According to court records, in November 2024, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Rockwell’s residence in Kennebunkport. Agents recovered a tablet located on a nightstand; a review of the tablet uncovered numerous image and video files of child sexual abuse material, including prepubescent children. Rockwell admitted in an interview that he owned the tablet and acknowledged the files contained on it.
The FBI investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc
###
Jury Convicts Arsonist Who Threw Molotov Cocktails at a Minneapolis CaféRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – A federal jury convicted Firomsa Ahmed Umar, age 31, of one count of arson and attempted arson on October 19, 2025; possession of an unregistered destructive device on October 19, 2025; attempted arson on October 20, 2025; and possession of an unregistered destructive device on October 20, 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. The jury also found that the defendant selected Fletcher’s, which displayed a prominent Pride flag at the time, as the object of the offenses because of actual or perceived gender identity or sexual orientation.
According to court documents and evidence at trial, the defendant twice threw homemade destructive devices at Fletcher’s Ice Cream & Café in Minneapolis: once on October 19, 2025 and again on October 20, 2025. In each incident, the defendant threw glass bottles filled with gasoline. One contained a mixture known as “improvised napalm.”
October 19 attack
October 20 attack
In the first attack on the night of October 19, the defendant lobbed his first Molotov Cocktail at Fletcher’s large front windows, which broke both panes of glass and ignited in a large blast of flame. Fortunately, employees of a nearby business responded quickly and put out the remaining flames.
result of October 19 attack
The defendant returned the next day, attempted to open the door, found it locked, and again threw a similar Molotov Cocktail at the façade. Because the cloth wick inserted into the mixture fell from the bottle, the device failed to ignite, but did cause further damage to the window.
When arrested on October 20, the defendant had a gas can, a lighter, and a third bottle stuffed with a third bottle stuffed with an ingredient for improvised napalm, with other Molotov Cocktail components nearby
The jury heard additional evidence that the defendant chose Fletcher’s due to the prominent display of a Pride flag above the façade, and had painted homophobic graffiti outside a local apartment complex four weeks earlier.
This case is the result of a joint investigation by ATF, the Minneapolis Police Department, the Minneapolis Fire Department, and the Minnesota State Fire Marshal.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys William C. Mattessich and Jeanne D. Semivan tried the case.
Jefferson Parish Felon Indicted for Firearms Offenses and Trafficking Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –DERRICK SERIGNET (“SERIGNET”), age 44, was indicted on February 26, 2026, for possessing fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute those substances, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C); possession of a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(i); and being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The indictment was unsealed on April 6, 2026.
According to the indictment, on February 4, 2026, SERIGNET possessed fentanyl and cocaine with the intent to distribute those substances and possessed a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime. SERIGNET is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of prior convictions for attempted armed robbery in Jefferson Parish.
As to the drug-trafficking charge, SERIGNET faces up to 20 years in prison, up to a $1,000,000 fine, and at least three years of supervised release. As to the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, SERIGNET faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other sentence, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release. As to the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm, SERIGNET faces up to 15 years in prison, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Each count also carries a mandatory $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Iowa Farmer Sentenced to More Than a Decade in Federal Prison After Cheating Federal Taxpayers Out of More than $1.7 MillionRead the Press Release
An Iowa farmer who defrauded federal taxpayers out of more than $1.7 million in agricultural subsidies, stole multiple identities, and stalked a witness, was sentenced today to 13 years in federal prison.
Tanner James Seuntjens, age 33, from Danbury, Iowa, received the prison term after pleading guilty on September 19, 2025, to one count of theft of government funds, one count of aggravated identity theft, one count of crop insurance fraud, and one count of stalking.
Evidence in Seuntjens’ cases established that, between June 2020 and June 2021, he was a Western Iowa farmer who defrauded the United States Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) out of more than $1.5 million in Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (“CFAP”) grant moneys. Livestock producers qualified for CFAP subsidies on a per head basis that depended upon the producer’s self-certified livestock inventory. Seuntjens filed CFAP applications at three Iowa county USDA-Farm Service Agency (“FSA”) offices that each falsely claimed ownership of thousands of swine. Seuntjens forged the signatures of two other people when filing the applications with USDA. Seuntjens later submitted false documents to USDA-FSA county commissioners who were attempting to verify the USDA payments during so-called “spot checks.”
From March 2021 through April 2022, Seuntjens defrauded a South Dakota bank. Seuntjens borrowed funds from the bank as early as 2014 and pledged his accounts receivable as collateral, which included payments from the sales of grain and livestock. As a result, when Seuntjens sold grain and livestock at a cooperative and an auction, the bank required the cooperative and auction to issue two-party checks to Seuntjens and the bank. Seuntjens forged an authorized representative of the bank’s signature on two-party checks at least 20 times and. He deprived the bank of more than $400,000 of its collateral. Seuntjens spent the diverted funds on a combination of farming expenditures, a trip to Cocoa Beach and Disney World, transfers to family members, and large cash withdrawals.
Seuntjens committed crop insurance fraud in 2022 and 2023. Crop insurance is a federally subsidized program where farmers may receive payment from an authorized insurer in the event of adverse weather, fire, disease, or price declines. Seuntjens admitted he repeatedly underreported his crop yields during the 2022 and 2023 crop seasons and received crop insurance funds to which he was not entitled. Seuntjens stole an additional $175,000 from federal taxpayers through this crop insurance fraud.
In 2023 and 2024, Seuntjens defrauded multiple agricultural suppliers by selling their collateral out of trust. He also sold livestock and grain in a third party’s name to avoid creditors’ liens and judgments.
Seuntjens stalked one of the victims of his agricultural fraud case, even though there were no contact orders forbidding him from having contact with that witness. In an unrelated state court case, the Iowa District Court for Woodbury County had found that Seuntjens had assaulted the witness and planted a tracking device on a minor. The Iowa District Court stated the court was “deeply concerned” about the safety of minors if Seuntjens were allowed to have contact with them and issued a no contact order. In August 2025, while the Iowa District Court’s no contact order was in effect, and while Seuntjens also was on federal pretrial release, Seuntjens travelled to Nebraska and placed a tracking device on the witness’s car. Seuntjens admitted he did so with the intent to harass and intimidate the witness and to place the person under surveillance.
A federal judge detained Seuntjens for his stalking activity, and the U.S. Marshal held Seuntjens in custody at a local jail. While in jail in late 2025, however, Seuntjens repeatedly contacted the minors. The Iowa District Court found in March 2026 found Seuntjens in contempt of court.
Seuntjens has a significant criminal history involving fraud and violence. In 2020, Seuntjens received a deferred judgment for a felony second-degree theft conviction. In 2023, Seuntjens was convicted of third-degree theft and fined after he presented the state court with a bad check to “pay” his restitution obligations in the prior second-degree theft case. In 2024 and 2025, Seuntjens received three additional fines from the state court after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct in three separate cases. Seuntjens received those fines after he put his hands on the victim’s throat causing fingernail markings on both sides of the victim’s neck. He also pushed his victim into a counter, followed the victim around town, called the victim from a blocked number, and violated a protective order.
Seuntjens was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Seuntjens was sentenced to 156 months’ imprisonment. He was ordered to make $1,704,434.74 in restitution to the USDA. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Seuntjens is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Vavricek and Shawn Wehde and investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General and Special Investigations Staff.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-4026 and 25-CR-4052.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Internet Child Predator Sentenced for Exploiting Children as Young as Twelve Years Old via Instagram, Snapchat, and X.Read the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- Bobby Cyprus Linhart, 24, of Greenfield, Indiana has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, after pleading guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material to a minor, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. Linhart has also been ordered to pay $68,000 in restitution to the victims.
According to court documents, between April 2023 and March 2024, Linhart repeatedly targeted minors between the ages of 12 and 15 through social media platforms including Instagram, Telegram, Snapchat, and X. Using the username “maps.syb,” he contacted at least six identified minor victims and attempted to reach additional children.
Linhart employed grooming tactics such as feigning interest in the minors’ activities, complimenting their appearance, lying about his age, and offering narcotics in exchange for sexual acts.
Linhart coerced multiple children into producing and sending sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. He later distributed images and videos of children obtained from various victims to attempt to entice other minor victims. He also arranged in‑person meetings with minors for sexual activity. Investigators determined that he traveled to at least two cities, including one out of state, to abuse his victims in person.
In one instance, Linhart used Instagram to groom a 12‑year‑old girl, persuading her to sneak out of her home to meet him. During the encounter, he provided her with marijuana and then sexually abused her.
On March 19, 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at Linhart’s home in Greenfield and seized an external hard drive containing thousands of images and videos of child sexual abuse material.
“What makes this case especially disturbing is that Linhart not only targeted children online, but also attempted to, and in least one instance succeeded in, meeting his young victims in person for sexual activities,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Protecting children from predators, particularly those who hide behind screens and operate outside the watchful eyes of parents, remains one of our highest priorities.”
“The facts and evidence of this case are deeply troubling, and our priority remains the protection of children and the pursuit of justice for victims. This investigation demonstrates what can be accomplished when local agencies, and federal law enforcement like Homeland Security Investigations, and specialized investigative resources work in close partnership. These cases are labor-intensive and sensitive but coordinated efforts like this are critical to uncovering the full scope of the crime and holding offenders accountable,” said Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force Lieutenant, Doug Baker.
Hamilton County Metro Child Exploitation Task Force (affiliate of the Indiana Crimes Against Children Task Force) and Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Carolyn A. Haney and Kyle M. Sawa along with former Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Preston, who prosecuted this case.
This investigation was conducted by the Indiana Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, a multiagency task force led by the Indiana State Police that investigates and prosecutes persons who use the internet to sexually exploit or entice children. Each year, Indiana ICAC investigators evaluate thousands of tips, investigate hundreds of cases, and rescue dozens of children from ongoing sexual abuse. Visit https://www.in.gov/isp/icactf/ to learn more about their efforts.
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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, 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.
###
Illegal alien handed nearly 500-month sentence for distributing drugs and machine guns from South Texas residence after illegally reentering United StatesRead the Press Release
LAREDO, Texas – Two men have been handed significant sentences related to the sale of cocaine, machine guns and other drugs, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The jury deliberated for less than three hours before finding Mexican national Carlos Alberto Garcia-Guajardo, 34, guilty on all 12 counts as charged following a less than three-day trial Dec. 3, 2025. Fernando Patino Jr., 32, Laredo, pleaded guilty prior to trial.
Visiting U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle has now ordered Garcia-Guajardo to serve a total of 495 months in federal prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment. Patino received a 30-year sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Garcia-Guajardo acted as a broker for selling narcotics and machine guns. Judge Lemelle considered that Garcia-Guajardo emulated the “gangster” lifestyle and saw images of a Scarface poster hung in Garcia-Guajardo’s bedroom. In handing down the sentence, the court noted Garcia-Guajardo’s illegal status, the number of drugs and weapons involved, that he was a leader in this criminal enterprise and the dangerousness of Garcia-Guajardo’s actions to include discharging firearms near children and from moving vehicles.
At trial, the jury heard that Garcia-Guajardo and Patino sold cocaine and firearms, including several machine guns, out of a residential home in Laredo. Testimony revealed details of the undercover operation which led to the discovery of the conspiracy. Starting Jan. 2, 2025, Patino and Garcia-Guajardo began selling cocaine and machine guns to undercover agents while using the sale of the narcotics and firearms to negotiate additional future deals.
Evidence also showed Garcia-Guajardo and Patino not only sold drugs and weapons but fired them indiscriminately within their neighborhood and conducted extensive drug trafficking. Both Garcia-Guajardo and Patino drove around Laredo, firing various firearms from the windows of their vehicle.
Further, on several occasions, the men had used a minor child to test fire various firearms, including machine guns. In several of these videos, Garcia-Guajardo and Patino were drinking excessively and using drugs.
On Jan. 31, 2025, law enforcement executed a search warrant on the 3000 block of Monterrey Street in Laredo. At that time, they found Garcia-Guajardo along with Jose Guadalupe Hernandez-Garza, a 27-year-old illegal alien from Mexico, as well as scales, cash in various denominations, crack cocaine and multiple firearms stored near items belonging to young children.
Garcia-Guajardo was also convicted of illegal reentry, having been ordered removed from the United States on two occasions, most recently in July 2024. As an illegal alien, he is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition per federal law.
Both Patino and Garcia-Guajardo will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Hernandez-Garza admitted to being an alien illegally in possession of a firearm and ammunition and has been ordered to prison. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings following his imprisonment.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Drug Enforcement Administration; Laredo Police Department; and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Anti-Gang Unit – Laredo Center and Border Patrol.
Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Tory R. Sailer and Brandon Scott Bowling prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Illegal alien and his associate charged with trafficking 85 kilograms of methamphetamineRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Alberto Ortiz-Osornio, an illegal alien from Mexico, and Marco Antonio Solano-Posadas face federal drug trafficking charges after law enforcement seized approximately 85 kilograms of methamphetamine in Norcross, Georgia.
“The defendants allegedly sought to traffic nearly 200 pounds of deadly methamphetamine before a coordinated law enforcement effort caught them in the act,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office and our law enforcement partners will use every tool at our disposal to prevent foreign drug cartels from poisoning Georgians and to hold drug dealers accountable for their crimes.”
“These arrests represent a significant step in dismantling a drug trafficking operation responsible for distributing dangerous amounts of methamphetamine into our communities,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “We will continue to pursue individuals involved in the distribution of methamphetamine with relentless focus. Those who engage in this criminal activity should understand that law enforcement is committed to bringing them to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: on April 3, 2026, as part of an ongoing investigation, DEA agents allegedly saw Ortiz place two large 12-gallon bins in his car parked outside his residence in Norcross, drive a short distance to meet with Solano, and place those bins in Solano’s car. Shortly thereafter, sheriff’s deputies from the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office stopped Solano’s car and located approximately 30 kilograms of methamphetamine inside the 12-gallon bins. Agents then searched Ortiz’s residence, where they allegedly found four more 12-gallon bins containing an additional 55 kilograms of methamphetamine. The investigation further revealed that Ortiz is a citizen of Mexico who is illegally present in the United States.
On April 3, 2026, Ortiz and Solano were named in a criminal complaint charging them with a drug-trafficking conspiracy and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. Earlier today, a federal magistrate judge ordered Ortiz to be held in federal custody without bail pending further proceedings. Solano is currently in the custody of the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office but is expected to appear in federal court within the next week.
Members of the public are reminded that the complaint only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with valuable assistance provided by the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Hwang is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.