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Thursday 9 April 2026
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Abraham Suy Suar, age 35, a Guatemalan national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On February 2, 2026, Suy Suar pleaded guilty in federal district court. According to investigators, on November 17, 2025, Suy Suar, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on September 23, 2014.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Illegal Alien 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 Cesar Gonzalez Falcon, a/k/a Cesar Falcon Gonzalez, a/k/a Cesar Gonzalez-Falcon, a/k/a Cesar Falcon Gonzales, age 41, a Mexican national unlawfully residing in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Illegal Alien in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
On August 26, 2025, Gonzalez Falcon pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on May 12, 2025, Gonzalez Falcon, an alien illegally and unlawfully in the United States, and knowing of such status, knowingly possessed a 12-gauge pump action shotgun and four rounds of ammunition.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. Gonzalez Falcon was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshal for resolution of an ICE detainer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Hugo Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Machine GunRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that John Thomas Worthy, age 51, of Hugo, Oklahoma, was sentenced to one year of probation for one count of Possession of a Machine Gun.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
On October 6, 2025, Worthy pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on January 21, 2025, Worthy knowingly possessed a firearm that had been modified to shoot more than one round of ammunition by a single function of the trigger without manual reloading.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Homeland Security Task Force investigation leads to 27-year sentence for Guatemalan man trafficking cocaine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Guatemalan national has been sentenced to over 27 years in federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Crysthian Omar Escobar Angel, 48, a Guatemalan national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine knowing it would be unlawfully imported into the United States. Escobar Angel was sentenced to 327 months in federal prison on April 7, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant.
According to information presented in court, in 2015, federal agents identified and began investigating a large-scale drug trafficking organization operating throughout Central and North America. The organization used a sophisticated infrastructure to manufacture and distribute multi-ton quantities of cocaine from Colombia, through Central American countries and into the United States for further distribution. Escobar Angel was identified as managing a portion of those activities in Guatemala and indicted in the Eastern District of Texas in 2019.
Based on information presented in court, Escobar Angel was involved in threats of violence including this statement he sent in a text message, “Let me talk with someone I am just going to need some specifics for tomorrow and we will throw some poison on him…. [l]eave that [expletive] to me…. Let’s [expletive] him up….”
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.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
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Homeland Security Task Force Nets Six Individuals for Trafficking in FentanylRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces the unsealing of two indictments charging six individuals, including a federal inmate and a Cuban national, with fentanyl trafficking conspiracies and related charges. If convicted of all counts, each faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. See chart below for details.
Name
(Age, City of Residence)
Charges
Theophilus Santroy Williams (43, Tampa)Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanylMaurice Labrone Copeland
(43, Tampa)
Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanylEdward Verdi-Bruno
(33, FCI Coleman)
Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl, attempted distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanylDaniel Dayan Hernandez-Hernandez (34, Cuba)Conspiracy and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanylRoshard Dawayne Lewis
(41, Port Richey)
Conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanylJourney Lynn Harding
(24, Tampa)
Conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, distribution of fentanylAccording to the indictments, the defendants conspired with one another to distribute fentanyl on various occasions within the Middle District of Florida.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case consisted of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Tampa Police Department, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeff Chang and Samantha Newman.
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 Region 20 (Tampa) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida.
Giles County Man Arrested for Importing Powerful PsychedelicRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Ripplemead, Virginia man was arrested recently on charges of attempting to possess with intent to distribute dimethyltryptamine (DMT) and distributing lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), powerful psychedelic drugs.
Police investigators arrested Charles Herman Aardema III, 28, for these charges as alleged in a federal criminal complaint. According to the complaint, in September 2021, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at the Miami international mail facility examined a parcel due to suspicious anomalies revealed by X-ray. The parcel was addressed to Aardema’s Ripplemead home and shipped by a “Raul Wictor Silva Batista” of Brazil.
Inside the parcel, officers found several plastic bags containing over 11 kilograms of reddish powder, which chemical analysis confirmed to contain DMT, a psychedelic drug known for its fast working and intense effects.
Shipments records further revealed that between November 2020 and April 2021, CBP intercepted four other parcels of DMT powder en route to Aardema, totaling approximately 20 kilograms.
In October 2021, law enforcement executed a state search warrant on Aardema’s home. During the search, Aardema claimed he ordered DMT because he was “really into tie-dying,” even though he had no tie-dying equipment or tie-dye T-shirts.
Aardema admitted that he received packages of Mimosa hostilis powder from Brazil and reshipped it in smaller quantities across the United States, as directed by Batista. Aardema estimated he shipped 10 or 11 kilograms of the powder to as many as six people.
While Aardema was still on state bond conditions, officers with the Blacksburg Police Department independently arranged several controlled purchases of LSD and DMT from Aardema in March and April 2025. Aardema directed the undercover police informant to meet him on the campus of Virginia Tech during each drug sale.
The case is being investigated by Department of Homeland Security- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Giles County Sheriff’s Office; Pearisburg Police Department; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; and Blacksburg Police Department. The United States Attorney’s Office thanks the Commonwealth’s Attorneys’ Offices for Giles County and Montgomery County for their assistance.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and HSI Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf made the announcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Former Ohio Senate Candidate Sentenced to Federal Prison for $4.5M Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 45-year-old man who embezzled millions from his employer and a local fraternal police organization—to fund a lavish lifestyle and his election campaign—has been sentenced to prison.
Jonathan Leissler, of Stow, Ohio, has been sentenced to 48 months (four years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Pamela A. Barker, after pleading guilty in December 2025 to three counts of Wire Fraud. He was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after imprisonment and pay $4,421,154.54 in restitution.
According to court documents, in March 2022 Leissler was hired as the chief financial officer for an industrial supply company in Warrensville Heights, Ohio. In this role, he was entrusted to manage payroll, expenditures, accounts payable, and company credit cards. However, in his first month on the job—and despite already receiving a six-figure salary—he created fake payroll records to add unauthorized extra money to his paychecks in the form of bonuses, commissions, and other payments. Investigators determined that by November 2024 he stole $3.8 million across 70 pay periods.
While Leissler continued to add unauthorized payments to his paychecks, he was also using the company’s credit cards to make donations to his own election campaign in his bid for a seat on the Ohio Senate during the November 2024 general election. He utilized an online fundraising platform to collect more than $700,000—charged on the company’s credit cards—toward his failed election campaign. When his employer confronted him about the credit card charges, Leissler processed refunds from the fundraising platform. However, the online platform was left on the hook for refund amounts because he had already changed the bank connected to the account to a different one that did not exist.
Another source of funds Leissler accessed was through a local Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) organization. While serving as their treasurer, he was issued a debit card and checkbook for the FOP account, which he then used to write checks to himself, withdraw cash, and pay his personal credit card bills. Ultimately, he stole more than $50,000 from the FOP on 69 separate occasions. The amount accounted for 80% of the organization’s funds which had been earmarked to provide scholarships for the children of police officers.
Federal investigators learned that Leissler used the embezzled funds to live an extravagant lifestyle. He traveled by chartered private planes and bought a vacation property in South Carolina. He also used funds to pay for mortgage payments, credit cards, vehicles, cryptocurrency mining equipment, and start a business.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI Cleveland Division.
Assistant United States Attorney Megan R. Miller for the Northern District of Ohio led the prosecution.
Former New Britain Tax Preparer Charged with Tax Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a 37-count indictment yesterday charging JESSLY GUZMAN, 36, of Hughestown, Pennsylvania, with tax fraud offenses stemming from the preparation and filing of numerous false federal tax returns.
As alleged in the indictment, Guzman, who formerly resided in New Britain, Connecticut, prepared tax returns for clients through her business Jacky’s Multiservices LLC, based in New Britain. In addition, in approximately 2013, Guzman established Molina and Family Construction LLC (“MAFC”), a purported construction business in New London. Insofar as it was ever a going concern, MAFC ceased operations in approximately 2014. During the 2019 through 2022 tax years, Guzman falsified information on certain tax returns she prepared for clients to reduce her clients’ tax liability, increase their tax refund, or increase the size of their tax credits. On some returns, Guzman fabricated Forms W-2 to trusted taxpayer clients that fraudulently indicated that those clients were employees of MAFC. The W-2s reflected false wages from the company and false federal income tax withholdings. Guzman then caused the false W-2s to be filed with the Social Security Administration and the IRS. For some clients, Guzman also prepared and included false Schedules C reporting business expenses and losses, a false Schedule E reporting rental property expenses and losses, and false education expenses, education credits, and child and dependent care expenses.
The indictment also alleges that Guzman prepared and filed false tax returns for her and her spouse claiming wages from MAFC and the withholding of federal taxes.
The indictment charges Guzman with 33 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false income tax return, and four counts of make and subscribing a false income tax return. The charges carry a maximum term of imprisonment of three years on each count.
Guzman’s arraignment is pending.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
Former FBI Most Wanted Fugitive Admits Child Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man who was once on the FBI’s Most Wanted list pleaded guilty Thursday and admitted providing sexual access to a child in exchange for cash and other items of value.
Donald Eugene Fields II, 61, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of child sex trafficking. He admitted accepting items of value from a friend and co-defendant, Theodore “Ted” John Sartori Sr., in exchange for access to the victim beginning when she was 14 years old. From the winter of 2013 through the summer of 2016, Sartori engaged in illegal sexual activity with the minor and provided Fields cash, a car, a motorcycle, Christmas presents and vacations. In the summer of 2016, Sartori financed a vacation to Florida and drove the victim there with the intention of engaging in sexual activity with her. Fields instructed the minor to engage in sexual activity with Satori.
Fields was indicted on Dec. 7, 2022. He was arrested on Jan. 26, 2025, after a traffic stop by police in Lady Lake, Florida, when officers learned that he was on the Most Wanted list.
Fields is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15. The crime carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years, with a maximum term of life.
Sartori, now 65, is serving a 10-year prison term. He pleaded guilty in August of 2024 to one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct.
The case was investigated jointly by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI, with assistance from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri State Technical Assistance Team. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division'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, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former DOE Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing Dead Relative’s PensionRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Effie Mae Youmans, 71, of Columbia, has pleaded guilty to theft of public money by collecting pension benefits that she was not entitled to collect.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed the Savannah River Nuclear Site learned one of its retirees had died, but the individual’s pension benefits were still being received. According to SRNS’s investigator, no one informed SRNS of the retiree’s death at the time, so SRNS continued to make pension payments to the individual’s account. SRNS made 18 months of payments after the death, at a rate of $3,025 per month, totaling $54,450. Investigators determined Youmans, a relative of the retiree, withdrew the overpayment funds from the bank account. As an SRNS pension recipient herself, Youmans knew she was not entitled to the relative’s pension funds.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The Fraud Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice.Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr accepted the guilty plea and will sentence Youmans after receiving and reviewing a sentencing report prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. As part of Youmans’ plea agreement, she will repay the stolen money.
This case was investigated by Department of Energy Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potterfield is prosecuting the case.###
Former Austin School Bookkeeper Sentenced for Embezzling over $1MRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Leander woman was sentenced in a federal court in Austin to 33 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion, said U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Alysa Dietz Gisser, 56, was employed as a bookkeeper and accountant for a non-profit private school in Austin for children with special needs and learning disabilities. Beginning in or around 2018, she began embezzling money from the school, directing parents to make tuition and other payments to a PayPal account connected to her consulting business. Gisser had renamed her business PayPal account to reflect the name of the school to misdirect the school’s funds. Additionally, she modified the school’s accounting files to reflect that funds had been paid to the school, when in reality the funds had been transferred to her personal bank account to make credit card and mortgage payments, and install an in-ground swimming pool at her residence.
In total, between the PayPal payments and the checks deposited into her personal bank account, Gisser embezzled more than $1 million from the school. She also underreported her income by $863,963.32 between 2018 and 2021.
Gisser was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion on Dec. 15, 2025. She pleaded guilty to both counts on Jan. 13. In addition to the prison sentence, Gisser was ordered to pay $1,318,684.34 in restitution and had a money judgment imposed against her for $1,049,012.34.
IRS-Criminal Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Henneke prosecuted the case.
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Florida CPA Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, FL — A Florida Certified Public Accountant pleaded guilty today to evading payment of more than $2.2 million of income tax liabilities.
According to court documents, Ronald St. Clair attempted to hide his assets from the IRS after accumulating tax debts for 2011 through 2017. In 2020, after the IRS notified St. Clair that it intended to levy his assets to collect his unpaid taxes, St. Clair sold real property he owned and transferred the proceeds into a bank account in a third party’s name. After transferring these funds out of his own name, St. Clair directed the money for his personal and business use and intentionally failed to disclose these funds and assets while he was seeking a payment plan with the IRS.
St. Clair pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. His sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Darcey of the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorneys Marissa R. Brodney and Aaron I. Henricks of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
Florida CPA Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
A Florida Certified Public Accountant pleaded guilty today to evading payment of more than $2.2 million of income tax liabilities.
According to court documents, Ronald St. Clair attempted to hide his assets from the IRS after accumulating tax debts for 2011 through 2017. In 2020, after the IRS notified St. Clair that it intended to levy his assets to collect his unpaid taxes, St. Clair sold real property he owned and transferred the proceeds into a bank account in a third party’s name. After transferring these funds out of his own name, St. Clair directed the money for his personal and business use and intentionally failed to disclose these funds and assets while he was seeking a payment plan with the IRS.
St. Clair pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. His sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, as well as restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Marissa R. Brodney and Aaron I. Henricks of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick L. Darcey of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Female duo sentenced for bank fraud and identity theftRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A pair of women from Charlotte, North Carolina who stole identities to withdraw funds from bank accounts have been sentenced, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
April Lynn Turner-Gross, 39, pleaded guilty in October 2025 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Yesterday, Turner-Gross was sentenced to 27 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
Kimberly Gail Worden, 41, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. On March 17, 2026, Worden was sentenced to 29 months imprisonment to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
The defendants were also ordered to pay $71,300 jointly in restitution.
U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Turner-Gross and Worden stole identities and fraudulently withdrew funds from customer accounts at banks in Montana. The investigation has identified 18 fraudulent cash withdrawals from 18 customer accounts at ten different financial institutions for a total loss of $71,300.00.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
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Federal jury convicts Manassas woman for maintaining a property used for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – A federal jury convicted Paris Chappe'll Hudson, 35, of Manassas, yesterday on charges of maintaining a drug-involved premises.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on June 12, 2025, Hudson and Khymarr Talib Cooper, 46, were arrested for their roles in a COVID-era unemployment insurance fraud scheme. When law enforcement arrived at the residence where the couple lived to arrest them, Hudson disclosed that she possessed a firearm. Investigators attained a warrant to search the residence and discovered additional firearms and ammunition as well as distribution amounts of marijuana, 161 street-pressed oxycodone pills, narcotics packaging material, two digital scales with narcotics residue, $4,107, a commercial money counter, two cellphones belonging to Cooper, and one cellphone belonging to Hudson.
Text messages between Cooper and Hudson on their phones confirmed Hudson knew of Cooper’s drug trafficking. Hudson was the sole lessee of the residence.
Hudson faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced on July 17. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Hudson pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on August 5, 2025, and was sentenced on Jan. 21 to six months in prison. Cooper pled guilty to wire fraud relating to the unemployment scheme on Aug. 25, 2025, and was sentenced on Dec. 5, 2025, to one year and eight months in prison. Cooper pled guilty on March 30 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 2.
The Prince William County Police Department; Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General; and Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter G. Osyf is prosecuting 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 Nos. 4:26-cr-8 and 4:25-cr-32.
Faith, South Dakota Man Found Guilty After Trial of First-Degree BurglaryRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a jury has convicted Dalton Hump, age 34, of Faith, South Dakota, of one count of First-Degree Burglary following a two-day jury trial in federal district court in Pierre, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 2, 2026.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in custody and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Hump was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2025.
At trial, the evidence established that on the evening of July 10, 2024, Hump unlawfully entered a residence in Ziebach County, in the Cheyenne River Sioux Indian Reservation. Hump assaulted two individuals inside the residence before being forced outside.
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 FBI and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services. Assistant U.S. Attorney Wayne Venhuizen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. Hump was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Essex County Man Sentenced to 149 Months in Prison for Robbing Drugstore Employees at Gun PointRead the Press Release
NEWARK N.J. – An Essex County man who robbed pharmacy employees at gun point was sentenced today to 149 months in prison and 5 years of supervised release before the Honorable William J. Martini, U.S.D.J., in Newark federal court, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Following a jury trial in October 2025 before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini in Newark federal court, Nariq Petes, 27, of Newark, was convicted of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and using and brandishing a firearm during and relation to a crime of violence, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial:
On December 30, 2023, Petes and Xavier Reyes drove together and entered a pharmacy in Livingston, New Jersey wearing black masks and carrying guns. Once inside the pharmacy, Petes and Reyes brandished handguns and demanded prescription drugs. Petes and Reyes took at least 6 bottles of prescription medication. Three days later, on January 2, 2024, law enforcement arrested Petes at his apartment in Newark, where he was found with stolen medication from the pharmacy. In May 2025, Reyes pled guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a) and Hobbs Act robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a), and was later sentenced to 111 months’ imprisonment and a three-year term of supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited special agents and task force officers of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka, members of the Livingston Police Department, under the direction of Gary Marshuetz, and members of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Theodore N. Stephens II, with the investigation leading to these convictions.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael K. O’Leary of the Narcotics/International Trafficking Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Pasquale F. Giannetta Esq., Newark
East Boston Man Charged with Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An East Boston man has been arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Three privately made firearms (ghost guns), four machine gun conversion devices, a 3D printer, five magazines and 31 privately made firearm receivers found during search.
Angel Negron, 47, of East Boston, was charged with one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Negron was arrested at his apartment on March 31, 2026 and remains detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston.
According to the charging documents, between Jan. 14, 2026, and March 2, 2026, Negron ordered 29 firearm parts to his apartment via his eBay account. Additionally, on March 3, 2026, Negron allegedly submitted an online complaint to a firearm company, saying that a trigger he purchased from the company’s eBay store did not fire his firearm properly. In that communication, Negron allegedly included a photograph of a firearm with a 3D printed frame:
During a search of Negron’s apartment on March 31, 2026, investigators seized three privately made firearms (ghost guns), four machine gun conversion devices, a 3D printer, five magazines and 31 privately made firearm receivers.
In 2007, Negron was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of possession of a firearm without a license and carrying a loaded firearm, for which he was sentenced to 30 months in the house of correction.
The charge of felon in possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years 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 and Jeffrey Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Boston Police Department. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael E. Robinson of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Cuban Man Sentenced for Cocaine Distribution Conspiracy, Possession with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – YAIDEL PLACIDO SALVADOR, (“PLACIDO”), age 40, a resident of Cuba, was sentenced on April 8, 2026, after previously pleading guilty to a superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. PLACIDO was sentenced to 120 months imprisonment, five years of supervised release, and a $200 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, PLACIDO, and other co-conspirators, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute, multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine within the Eastern District of Louisiana. PLACIDO transported kilogram quantities of cocaine into the Eastern District of Louisiana in furtherance of the conspiracy.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit was in charge of the prosecution.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) New Orleans as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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).
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Convicted Felon from Fall River Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing a firearm as a convicted felon and distributing cocaine.
Carlos Perez, 40, pleaded guilty to four counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count of distributing a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 14, 2026. In November 2025, Perez was arrested and charged.
On May 5, 2025, Perez sold cocaine as well as a .45 caliber pistol and ammunition to a cooperating witness. In addition, Perez sold a Sig Sauer, P230 SL, .380 caliber pistol and ammunition on June 2, 2025; a Ruger, Max 9, 9mm pistol and ammunition on June 30, 2025; and a Smith & Wesson, M&P 9 Shield, 9mm pistol and ammunition on Aug. 27, 2025.
Perez is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due multiple prior convictions. According to the charging documents, Perez has 61 adult charges on his record and over 15 criminal convictions, including a 2015 state conviction for Possession with Intent to Distribute a Class A Substance, for which he served two years in the house of corrections, as well as two separate convictions for Assault and Battery Dangerous Weapon in 2008, for which he received a two-year suspended sentence and six months in the house of corrections.
The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distributing a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Fall River and New Bedford Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Ernest Lee Thomas II, 35, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “With yet another successful prosecution under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America, we are fulfilling the promise made by President Donald J. Trump that we will stop at nothing to keep our citizens safe and dangerous, armed felons like this defendant locked away in prison. Sheriff Chip Simmons and his deputies continue to set the standard for investigative excellence in law enforcement, and my office will back up their hard work with aggressive prosecutions to keep our community safe.”
Court documents reflect that on May 31, 2025, deputies with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle occupied by the defendant. During the traffic stop, a search of the vehicle uncovered a loaded .45-caliber Taurus handgun with a round in the chamber and five rounds in the magazine. While speaking with law enforcement, the defendant made statements indicating the firearm belonged to him. The defendant had previously been convicted in the Northern District of Florida of distribution of cocaine and possession of stolen firearms.
The case was investigated jointly by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson prosecuted this 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 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.
Connecticut Woman Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Obtain U.S. Citizenship After Committing Torture and War Crimes in BosniaRead the Press Release
A woman who was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Bosnia and Herzegovina was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in Bridgeport, Connecticut, to 30 months in prison for naturalization fraud based on lies about her prior criminal conduct to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to statements made in court and court documents, Nada Radovan Tomanić, 53, of West Virginia, served with the Zulfikar Special Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, during the armed conflict in the region. Along with other Zulfikar Special Unit soldiers, Tomanić participated in the severe physical and psychological abuse of Bosnian Serb civilian prisoners, including torture and inhuman treatment amounting to a war crime.
When applying for U.S. naturalization in 2012, Tomanić, who resided in Hartford at the time, falsely denied having served in a detention facility or in any other situation involving the detention of others. She also falsely denied having committed a crime for which she had not been arrested — specifically, the crime of inflicting serious bodily harm under the Criminal Law of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia.
Tomanić’s deception extended beyond her written naturalization application. During her interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer, she was placed under oath and was legally obligated to answer questions truthfully. Despite that obligation, she again lied about her service in a detention facility and her past criminal conduct.
“The defendant tortured and abused prisoners in Bosnia and then lied to U.S. immigration authorities to live in the U.S. and become a citizen,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Human rights violators are not welcome in the United States. Thanks to the courage of the victims, and the diligence and dedication of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, the defendant has been held accountable for exploiting our immigration system and evading responsibility for her crimes.”
“I sincerely appreciate the investigative work of our law enforcement partners both here in the U.S. and in Bosnia who have disregarded the passage of decades to ensure that justice is served,” said U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan for the District of Connecticut. “There is no statute of limitations for human decency.”
“This case has always been about more than lying on naturalization documents,” said Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien of the FBI New Haven Field Office. “Over the course of this investigation Tomanić’s violent history of targeting people based on their ethnicity and religion came to light, and we hope that yesterday’s sentencing gives some measure of justice to her victims. The FBI, along with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Fraud Detection and National Security will continue to investigate crimes of this nature to ensure the sanctity of the immigration process for all who righteously apply for U.S. Citizenship.”
Tomanić pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2025, to one count of procuring citizenship contrary to law.
The FBI investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit (IHRU). The Justice Department thanks authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to include the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior, Serbian authorities, and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, who were instrumental in providing assistance that aided in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anastasia King and Angel Krull for the District of Connecticut prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP historians. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at www.tips.fbi.gov/, or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
Connecticut Woman Sentenced to Prison for Lying to Obtain U.S. Citizenship After Committing Torture and War Crimes in BosniaRead the Press Release
A Connecticut woman who was a naturalized U.S. citizen from Bosnia and Herzegovina was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for naturalization fraud based on lies about her prior criminal conduct to obtain U.S. citizenship.
According to statements made in court and court documents, Nada Radovan Tomanić, 53, of West Virginia, served with the Zulfikar Special Unit of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, during the armed conflict in the region. Along with other Zulfikar Special Unit soldiers, Tomanić participated in the severe physical and psychological abuse of Bosnian Serb civilian prisoners, including torture and inhuman treatment amounting to a war crime.
When applying for U.S. naturalization in 2012, Tomanić falsely denied having served in a detention facility or in any other situation involving the detention of others. She also falsely denied having committed a crime for which she had not been arrested — specifically, the crime of inflicting serious bodily harm under the Criminal Law of the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia.
Tomanić’s deception extended beyond her written naturalization application. During her interview with a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officer, she was placed under oath and was legally obligated to answer questions truthfully. Despite that obligation, she again lied about her service in a detention facility and her past criminal conduct.
“The defendant tortured and abused prisoners in Bosnia and then lied to U.S. immigration authorities to live in the U.S. and become a citizen,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Human rights violators are not welcome in the United States. Thanks to the courage of the victims, and the diligence and dedication of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners, the defendant has been held accountable for exploiting our immigration system and evading responsibility for her crimes.”
“I sincerely appreciate the investigative work of our law enforcement partners both here in the U.S. and in Bosnia who have disregarded the passage of decades to ensure that justice is served,” said U.S. Attorney David X. Sullivan for the District of Connecticut. “There is no statute of limitations for human decency.”
“This case has always been about more than lying on naturalization documents,” said Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien of the FBI New Haven Field Office. “Over the course of this investigation Tomanić’s violent history of targeting people based on their ethnicity and religion came to light, and we hope that yesterday’s sentencing gives some measure of justice to her victims. The FBI, along with our partners at the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Office of Fraud Detection and National Security will continue to investigate crimes of this nature to ensure the sanctity of the immigration process for all who righteously apply for U.S. Citizenship.”
Tomanić pleaded guilty on Nov. 10, 2025, to one count of procuring citizenship contrary to law.
The FBI investigated the case, with coordination provided by the Department of Homeland Security’s Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center (HRVWCC) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Office of Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS), along with the FBI’s International Human Rights Unit (IHRU). The Justice Department thanks authorities from Bosnia and Herzegovina, to include the Ministry of Justice of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Srpska Ministry of Interior, Serbian authorities, and the United Nations International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, who were instrumental in providing assistance that aided in furthering the investigation.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Nielsen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anastasia King and Angel Krull for the District of Connecticut prosecuted the case, with assistance from HRSP historians. The Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs also provided assistance.
Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALLFBI (1-800-225-5324) or through the FBI’s online tip form at www.tips.fbi.gov/, or Homeland Security Investigations at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE (1-866-347-2423) or through ICE’s online tip form at www.ice.gov/webform/ice-tip-form.
Clearwater Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Zachary William Thomas (29, Clearwater) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge William F. Jung to seven years and six months in federal prison for distribution and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). He pleaded guilty on October 7, 2025. Thomas was also ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution and will be required to register as a sex offender. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, between February 13 and 16, 2024, Thomas chatted online with an individual on a social media application. Thomas sent images and videos of CSAM to that individual and, in exchange, received additional CSAM from that individual. The FBI executed a search warrant at Thomas’s home and seized two cellphones that belonged to Thomas. Both cellphones contained hundreds of images and videos of CSAM.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
City of East St. Louis consents to Clean Water Act violations and agrees to implement actions to address unlawful discharges of untreated sewageRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – The Justice Department, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Illinois reached an interim agreement with the City of East St. Louis, Illinois to address the City’s Clean Water Act violations.
In December 2024, the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section filed a complaint against the City due to its failure to operate its sewer system in compliance with the Clean Water Act. According to the complaint, the failure led to hundreds of unlawful discharges of untreated sewage to various locations in the community, including the Mississippi River and Whispering Willow Lake in Frank Holten State Park.
On March 11, 2026, the United States, the State of Illinois, and the City of East St. Louis entered a Stipulation of Judgment on Liability, Stay of Litigation, and Interim Relief. The stipulation was approved by United States District Judge David W. Dugan on March 19. In the stipulation, the City of East St. Louis consented to liability on Counts One through Nine in the Complaint.
The parties further agreed to a stay of discovery and the court proceedings to allow for the preparation of a Long-Term Control Plan. According to their stipulation, the City will submit a revised Long-Term Control Plan no later than June 30, 2027. During the stay, the parties agreed to file bi-monthly status reports with the Court on the last business day of every other month.
“This interim agreement shows a shared commitment between the parties to continue working towards the improvement of health and safety in the local community,” said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
EPA and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency investigated the case.
Attorneys with the Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Environmental Enforcement Section and Illinois Attorney General’s office are handling the case.
Child Pornographer Sentenced to over 16 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
NEW BERN, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Kyle Kenneth Castino, 36, to over 16 years in federal prison followed by 8 years of supervised release, and $35,000 restitution for Distribution of Child Pornography.
“This crime exhibits stunningly disgusting antisocial behavior. Anyone who would descend to such dark depths of depravity should never walk freely amongst our children and families, ever again. Thanks to the identification of this spider and robust investigation by our law enforcement partners, we have stomped out this spider for the next two decades, and in reality, forever.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
The State Bureau of Investigations, the Garner Police Department, and the Selma Police Department investigated Inmate Castino after Facebook and Google reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that one of their users had uploaded child sexual abuse to their platforms. The IP address linked back to Inmate Castino at his Garner home. When the Garner Police Department learned Inmate Castino had moved to Selma, Selma PD and SBI executed a search warrant on Inmate Castino’s house. The search led to the seizure of digital devices that contained child sexual abuse materials. Inmate Castino admitted he had perverted sexual interest in children, and they found child sexual abuse material on his phone and thumb drive and in various digital devices in a lockbox inside his house. Additionally, law enforcement discovered Inmate Castino had produced images with a child. He possessed almost 385,000 images and over 3,000 videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after the sentencing. U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan handed down the sentence. Garner Police Department, Selma Police Department, and the SBI investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charity Wilson prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 5:24-CR-230-FL-BM.
Chicago Man Charged with Threatening to “Shoot up” United States Secret Service OfficeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois has charged a Chicago man with making a threat to “shoot up” an office of the United States Secret Service and “hunt” an agent.
On March 19, 2026, MICHAEL KOVCO sent an electronic message via the official White House website that stated, “I’m gonna hunt the secret service agent that comes to my door’s family so he better not tell me any identifying information at all like first or last name or pet name or address or place of work because im going to buy a small concealable firearm and go shoot up his place of work immediately if he tells me anything,” according to a criminal complaint unsealed today in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The message was sent approximately two hours after a Secret Service agent and two Secret Service task force officers visited Kovco’s residence in Chicago to inquire about a prior threat Kovco had sent on March 17, 2026, the complaint states. Kovco’s prior message, which was also transmitted via the official White House website, threatened President Donald J. Trump and one of the President’s sons, the complaint states. Kovco electronically signed that message as being from “Mr. I’m going to [expletive] kill your child Kovco,” the complaint states.
The complaint charges Kovco, 29, with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. Kovco was arrested on April 3, 2026. A detention hearing is scheduled for April 10, 2026, in federal court in Chicago, at which time the government will be seeking Kovco’s continued detention pending trial.
The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Dai Tran, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nina Ruvinsky.
“As I have stated repeatedly during my first year as United States Attorney, it is never acceptable to threaten a law enforcement officer, political figure, or a member of their family,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “Under my watch, political violence will be dealt with as the serious federal crime that it is. Working closely with our federal and state law enforcement partners, the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office will find, arrest, and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those responsible for criminally threatening the safety of our public officials and law enforcement officers.”
“The U.S. Secret Service’s top priority is safeguarding the President of the United States and all those we protect,” said SAIC Tran. “We take any threats seriously and aggressively pursue them to ensure our protectees’ safety. I commend our agents’ work in bringing this defendant to justice. I want to thank our partners at the Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Illinois for their help in pursuing this case.”
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
kovco_complaint.pdfChicago Drug Trafficker Who Illegally Possessed 17 Firearms Sentenced to Nine Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man who trafficked fentanyl and cocaine and illegally possessed 17 firearms in his Chicago residence has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison.
Law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of HUGO PINZON’s residence in the Wicker Park neighborhood of Chicago in April 2024 and discovered distribution quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, as well as 17 firearms. As a previously convicted felon, Pinzon was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
The search also turned up a money-counting machine, a digital scale for weighing narcotics, and $95,456 in cash, which constituted proceeds from narcotics transactions. Pinzon had sold drugs on three occasions earlier in 2024 to an individual who, unbeknownst to Pinzon, was cooperating with law enforcement.
Pinzon, 36, pleaded guilty last year to federal drug and firearm charges. On April 2, 2026, U.S. District Judge John F. Kness sentenced Pinzon to nine years in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Matthew Scarpino, Special Agent-in-Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by the Carpentersville, Ill. Police Department.
“Distribution of narcotics, particularly cocaine and fentanyl, is a very serious offense,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Snell argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “These addictive drugs destroy lives and shatter families. In addition to the narcotics defendant kept in his house, he also kept an array of 17 firearms, knowing that he had previously been convicted of a felony and was not permitted to possess a firearm.”
Charlotte Man Who Boasted About Having “the Keys to the Streets” Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison today for his role in a scheme involving stolen checks, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Tyrell DeShaun Pace, 32, was sentenced to 35 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. On August 29, Pace pleaded guilty to three counts of financial institution fraud.
Rodney Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), which oversees North Carolina, joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
“Too many checks are getting stolen from the mail,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We continue to aggressively prosecute these cases and appreciate the work our law enforcement partners are doing to put an end to this crime.”
According to filed court documents, beginning in April 2022, Pace engaged in a financial fraud scheme by obtaining stolen checks, including checks stolen from the U.S. Postal Service. After he obtained the stolen checks, Pace used text messages, phone calls, and social media platforms to advertise the stolen checks, and to lure people to buy the stolen checks. For example, on September 2, 2022, Pace wrote on social media “I got the keys to the streets,” and with that post displayed a photograph showing ATM cards and stolen checks.
Pace also used the stolen checks to engage in fraudulent conduct that would generate large amounts of money. Court records show that Pace altered, forged, and counterfeited checks by, among other means, changing the payable amounts and the names of payees. Pace then deposited the altered checks at various banks and quickly withdrew the funds before the financial institutions could detect the fraud. The total face value of checks associated with the conspiracy was more than $646,600.
Pace will be ordered to report to the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked USPIS for their investigation and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their substantial assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenny Smith of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Central Valley Men Indicted for Possession of Approximately One Million Pills Containing Suspected MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment today against Jose Mendoza, 35, of Merced; Jessy Johnson, 34, of Turlock; and Alejandro Perez, 43, of Crows Landing, charging them with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and other drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, the defendants were part of a drug-trafficking organization that used the U.S. Mail to distribute drugs across the country. During the course of the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 100 parcels sent by the defendants’ organization. Those parcels contained controlled substances including methamphetamine, cocaine, MDMA, ketamine, LSD, and psilocybin mushrooms.
On March 26, 2026, law enforcement officers from multiple government agencies arrested the defendants and executed search warrants at multiple locations under their control. One location was a warehouse in Turlock that was being used as a stash location. The warehouse contained three pill presses, pans with powders used in manufacturing pills laced with controlled substances, and approximately one million pills containing suspected methamphetamine. Agents also found cocaine, alprazolam (Xanax), MDMA, psilocybin mushrooms, and THC products at the warehouse and other locations under the defendants’ control.
The investigation also found approximately $150,000 in cash, as well as information that led them to find and seize multiple electronic wallets that the defendants had used to store cryptocurrency believed to be proceeds from drug sales. To date, law enforcement has seized more than $400,000 in cryptocurrency from wallets under the defendants’ control.
This case is the product of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the San Joaquin County Metropolitan Narcotics Task Force, Homeland Security Investigations, the Stockton Police Department, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office, the Manteca Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Campbell and Kevin Khasigian are prosecuting the case.
If convicted, the defendants face a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Career offender sentenced to 20 years in prison for federal drug and firearms chargesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond drug trafficker was sentenced yesterday to 20 years in prison following his conviction for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Oct. 9, 2024, law enforcement was attempting to locate an individual who was wanted in Chesterfield County. When officers located the individual in Gilpin Court in Richmond, the individual was accompanied by Montrio Santos Neville, 40. When the pair was detained, an officer searched Neville and recovered a firearm, 6.8750 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine powder, and numerous tablets containing methamphetamine.
Neville previously was convicted of, among other crimes, forgery of a public record; malicious wounding for an incident in which he shot the victim four times; and possession with intent to distribute heroin. At the time Neville was arrested in this case, he had been released from prison just three months earlier for the heroin conviction and was on active probation. As a previously convicted felon, Neville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Groover 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.
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. 3:24-cr-183.
California man going to prison for more than 10 years for his role in cross country narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that La D. Huynh, 43, of Chula Vista, California, who was convicted of narcotics conspiracy, was sentenced to serve 126 months in prison by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that Huynh, a California-based drug trafficker, supplied quantities of methamphetamine, heroin/fentanyl, cocaine, and marijuana to other members of the conspiracy, including Jun Martinez, a Jamestown-based drug trafficker. In 2019, after receiving a large amount of methamphetamine, there was a payment issue between Martinez and Huynh, and Martinez stopped taking calls from Huynh. Sometime in 2020, Huynh and Martinez started their narcotics operations again, and Huynh began shipping quantities of cocaine, heroin/fentanyl, and methamphetamine in the mail, from the San Diego, California, area.
In September 2020, Martinez traveled to the San Diego area and met with Huynh and co-conspirator Kevin Hughes, receiving large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, and fentanyl. After the transaction, Martinez and Hughes started to travel back to the Western District of New York. During the return trip, on September 15, 2020, an Illinois State Police Trooper stopped Martinez and Hughes. A search of the vehicle yielded approximately 6,359 grams of methamphetamine, 3,157 grams of fentanyl, 2,241 grams of cocaine, and marijuana products. Martinez and Hughes were arrested and charged by Illinois State law enforcement.
On October 16, 2020, local law enforcement executed a search warrant at Martinez’s Wescott Street residence, recovering 438 grams of methamphetamine and approximately $62,000 in cash. On July 9, 2021, California law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Huynh, recovering narcotics in the trunk. A search warrant was then obtained. During the execution of the warrant, investigators found two cardboard boxes containing a total of 101 kilograms of cocaine.
Defendant Maritnez was previously convicted and is awaiting sentencing. Defendant Hughes was previously convicted and sentenced.
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 sentencing is the result of an investigation by the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Scott Forster, the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, and the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone.
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British Citizen Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), New England, today announced that JOHN O’ROURKE, also known as JOHN CASEY, 27, a citizen of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
O’Rourke appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and was ordered detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, O’Rourke has used several other aliases including “John O’Rouke,” “Michael Casey,” “John Joyce,” “Robert Davanzo,” “David Collins,” and “James McCormack.” On October 7, 2024, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended O’Rourke, under an alias, and four other individuals near Fort Covington, New York, close to Canadian border. An investigation revealed that O’Rourke did not have legal status in the U.S. and, on October 15, 2024, he was removed by foot from New York to Canada.
It is further alleged that on February 18, 2025, O’Rourke was arrested under the name John Casey in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and charged with state offenses including evading responsibility and breach of peace. Continued investigation revealed that O’Rourke has pending cases stemming from arrests under various aliases in Suffolk County, New York, in November 2023; Everett, Washington, in September 2025; Linden, New Jersey, in December 2025; and Snohomish County, Washington, in January 2026. He also has a pending arrest warrant for a larceny offense issued by Connecticut Superior Court judge in Danbury, Connecticut, and is being sought by law enforcement in Surrey, England.
O’Rourke was arrested on March 2, 2026, in Pleasonton, California, on an arrest warrant issued by a judge in Torrington, Connecticut, charging O’Rourke with larceny in the first degree, making home improvements without a valid home improvement certificate, and mispresenting or impersonating a registered contractor.
O’Rourke has been detained since his arrest.
If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, O’Rourke faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Brazilian National Sentenced for Conspiracy to Obtain Driver's Licenses for Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national illegally residing in Boston was sentenced today for conspiring to obtain driver’s licenses for ineligible applicants, principally illegal aliens.
Gabriel Nascimento De Andrade, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to time served (450 days in prison). The defendant is now subject to deportation. On March 6, 2026, the defendant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully produce and possess with intent to transfer identification documents.
From in or about November 2020 through in or about September 2024, Nascimento De Andrade and his alleged co-conspirators fraudulently procured driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who resided in states that prohibited illegal aliens from obtaining driver’s licenses. Prior to July 2023, illegal aliens residing in Massachusetts were not permitted to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses. Beginning in 2019, illegal aliens residing in New York became eligible to obtain New York driver’s licenses.
Gabriel Nascimento De Andrade and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to fraudulently obtain New York driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in New York, including Massachusetts residents, and after July 2023 to fraudulently obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for illegal alien customers who did not reside in Massachusetts. The co-conspirators collected money from the customers in exchange for fraudulently obtaining the driver’s licenses for them. In one instance, on April 24, 2024, Nascimento De Andrade requested and accepted $450 in cash from a customer in the parking lot of a Plymouth RMV location in return for providing the customer with a fake cable bill to provide to the RMV, falsely showing that the customer lived in Massachusetts.
In New York, before obtaining a driver’s license, applicants were required to pass a written permit test and complete driver’s education coursework from a New York driving school. Online permit test-takers were required by the New York Department of Motor Vehicles (NY DMV) to take a picture of themselves with a web camera during the test. This was to ensure that the test-taker was indeed the applicant and that there was not a person sitting with and helping the applicant with the test.
To avoid the customers having to take the permit tests, Gabriel Nascimento De Andrade and his alleged co-conspirators conspired to obtain several pictures of the customers sitting down, making it look as if the customers were taking the tests. They also allegedly conspired to complete the permit tests for the customers online and, when prompted by the NY DMV to take pictures during the tests, and to upload the pictures that the customers previously provided – purporting to show that it was the customers who were taking the tests, not the defendants. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to create fraudulent driver’s education certificates of completion, purportedly from New York driving schools, and they conspired to forge the signatures of driving school staff on the fake certificates and to give these documents to the customers to provide to the NY DMV.
The NY DMV also required that applicants appear at a NY DMV location and provide documents to prove their identity and residence in New York. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to meet Massachusetts-based customers at locations in Massachusetts and drive them to NY DMV branch locations. When they arrived at the NY DMV locations, the defendants allegedly gave the customers fraudulent documents falsely purporting to demonstrate that the customers resided in New York. The NY DMV relied on the misrepresentations to issue New York driving permits to the customers. The co-conspirators allegedly conspired to arrange for the NY DMV to mail the permits to locations in New York that were controlled by the defendants and provided the permits to the customers in-person. The defendants then allegedly conspired to schedule road driving license tests for the customers with the NY DMV and, again, drive the customers to New York for them to take the road tests. If the customers passed the tests, the NY DMV sent the driver’s licenses to mailing addresses in New York that the defendants allegedly controlled, and the defendants then provided the licenses to the customers.
The defendants allegedly conspired to obtain Massachusetts driver’s licenses for out-of-state residents, in generally the same manner as they allegedly obtained the New York licenses for Massachusetts residents. Collectively, the co-conspirators allegedly fraudulently applied for licenses for more than 1,000 customers, obtained licenses for more than 600 of the customers, and collected at least hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Nascimento De Andrade is the third defendant to be sentenced in this case. In September 2025, Cesar Agusto Marin Reis was sentenced to 290 days in prison and, in October 2025, Helbert Costa Generoso was sentenced to nine months in prison.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the NY DMV Division of Field Investigation; the Boston, Danbury (Conn.) and Waterbury (Conn.) Police Departments; the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut; and the New York State Inspector General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Box Elder Woman Sentenced to over 11 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute 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 Box Elder woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 30, 2026.
Lindsey Fitzgerald, 37, was sentenced to 11 1/2 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.
Fitzgerald was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. She pleaded guilty on December 19, 2025.
Between October 2021 and November 2024, Fitzgerald and others were involved in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine in the Rapid City, South Dakota, area. The trafficking organization routinely traveled to other states to purchase multi-pound quantities of methamphetamine destined for South Dakota. Fitzgerald made multiple trips out of state with a co-conspirator in order to transport large quantities of methamphetamine into South Dakota. Once here, Fitzgerald both personally and with a network of sub-distributors orchestrated the sale of at least 10 pounds of methamphetamine inside the state. Law enforcement seized over eight pounds of methamphetamine during the investigation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. 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 Agency, 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.
Fitzgerald was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Bowdoinham Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Bowdoinham man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Portland for possessing a firearm after previously being convicted of a felony offense.
U.S. District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr. sentenced Rodney Skipper, 46, to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Skipper pleaded guilty on September 11, 2025.
According to court records, Brunswick police responded to a Walmart regarding a potential shoplifting incident. Upon arrival, officers were directed to Skipper, who had gone outside to his vehicle. Officers noticed Skipper had an empty pistol holster on his hip, and were told that Skipper had been seen with a firearm in the holster before their arrival. A subsequent search of Skipper’s vehicle resulted in the recovery of a 9mm pistol, a .40 caliber pistol, and a 10mm pistol. Skipper was prohibited from possessing firearms by virtue of a prior felony conviction for assaultive conduct.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case with the assistance of the Brunswick Police Department.
Operation Take Back America: This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime
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Billings bail bondsman pleads guilty to exchanging bond money for sexRead the Press Release
BILLINGS - A Billings bail bondsman accused of paying bonds in exchange for sex admitted to charges yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Louis Christopher Ikeda, 46, pleaded guilty to 1 count of use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering. Ikeda faces 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy J. Cavan presided. U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing will be set at a later time. Ikeda was released with conditions pending further proceedings.
The government alleged in court documents that Ikeda was a licensed surety producer and bail bond agent employed with Northwest Bail Bonds in Billings, Montana.
In November 2024, Jane Doe was incarcerated at YCDF on several criminal cases pending before the State of Montana’s Thirteenth Judicial District Court. To be released from custody on those matters, Jane Doe was required, in pertinent part, to post $10,000.00 bail.
On November 18, 2024, Ikeda initiated a text message conversation with Jane Doe that continued over the course of the following weeks. Their conversation quickly turned sexual, including whenever Jane Doe would bring up the topic of her bail. After initially telling Jane Doe that he could not post her bond because it would be illegal, Ikeda later began discussing different amounts he would accept as payment. These discussions would typically be interjected with sexually explicit messages. Ultimately, Ikeda told Jane Doe he would accept $300 (the amount Northwest Bail Bond would owe its surety company) to post her bail. The conversation then turned sexual in anticipation of her release.
On December 2, 2024, Ikeda posted bail for Jane Doe. After the two left YCDF, Ikeda drove Jane Doe to an area by the river in Billings and they had sexual intercourse. Jane Doe later described feeling pressured into having sex with Ikeda because whenever she talked about being released from jail he would respond by expressing his desire to have sex with her. She also believed the sexual relationship was in exchange for Ikeda accepting a reduced amount to post bond for her release. Jane Doe reported that after she was released from custody, Ikeda instructed her that if anyone asked about their relationship, she should say it was strictly professional.
In total, Ikeda accepted $200 from a third party to post bond for Jane Doe’s $10,000 bail. However, Ikeda deposited a total of $300 in Northwest Bail Bonds’ accounts used to pay its surety. He later admitted he used his own money to make up the difference.
Subsequent to posting Jane Doe’s bond, Ikeda messaged two other female inmates at YCDF. He discussed bail with both inmates and both conversations quickly turned sexual. Ultimately, he posted bond for both inmates for less than the required minimum premium amount. Both women later reported they believed a sexual relationship with Ikeda was expected in exchange for his posting their bond, but both were able to evade him after their respective releases from YCDF.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Vestal and Tom Godfrey prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, State of Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office, and Montana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation.
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Armed Felon Who Fired into A Charlotte Apartment Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A convicted felon who fired a gun into an occupied apartment was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Robert Dale Emerson Jr., 37, of Charlotte, was sentenced to 105 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 20, 2025, Emerson pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Alicia Jones, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Charlotte Field Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
“Firing a gun into an apartment complex where families and children live shows a complete disregard for life and the law,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “This thoughtless act could have killed someone going about their life at home. Those who terrorize innocent people in their homes will face federal charges, and the Court’s sentence today demonstrates they will pay the price.”
“Today’s sentence is yet another example of the outstanding partnerships that keep our community safe,” said Chief Patterson. “Working alongside the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF, CMPD remains committed to ensuring that individuals who endanger our residents with violent and reckless actions are held fully accountable. We will continue to pursue every available resource and every collaborative effort to protect our neighborhoods and uphold justice.”
According to court documents, on the evening of June 22, 2023, Emerson fired between five and six rounds into an occupied apartment complex from his vehicle. At the time of the shooting, a family, including a child as young as a year old, lived at the apartment. No one was physically harmed as a result of the shooting. Once on the scene, CMPD officers retrieved a shell casing from the road outside of the home.
Months later, in the early morning of November 5, 2023, CMPD officers found Emerson asleep in the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Emerson’s vehicle matched the description of the vehicle driven by the perpetrator of the June shooting. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and recovered a loaded Canik TP9SF semi-automatic pistol affixed to the defendant’s right hip, loaded with an 18-round magazine and a round in the chamber. Officers also located a dual magazine pouch with two loaded magazines, each containing 18 rounds of 9mm ammunition, on the defendant’s left hip. Inside the vehicle, law enforcement found a loaded handgun magazine, additional rounds of ammunition, and body armor.
CMPD’s Crime Laboratory compared the shell casing collected during the June shooting against the firearm seized from Emerson. A firearm examiner determined Emerson’s pistol fired the shell casing.
Emerson has multiple prior felony convictions and is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the ATF and CMPD for their investigation.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
Adair County Resident Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that James Michael Young, Jr., age 43, of Bunch, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 2 years of probation 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.
On October 1, 2025, Young pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, Young knowingly possessed 244 firearms and 40 rounds of ammunition on October 29, 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.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Wednesday 8 April 2026
Wilmington Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A Wilmington man was sentenced yesterday to 121 months in prison for distributing child sexual abuse material (“CSAM”). U.S. District Judge Gregory B. Williams imposed the sentence.
According to court documents, Tyler Ramaley, 32, joined other men on Zoom video chat rooms for the purpose of watching, discussing, and masturbating to videos depicting graphic sexual violence toward minors, including infants less than one year old. During the calls, Ramaley even streamed his personal CSAM collection for others. Following Ramaley’s arrest, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) seized and searched Ramaley’s devices pursuant to a federal search warrant, where they discovered additional CSAM and conversations with others regarding the exploitation of children.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace stated, “Every time Tyler Ramaley watched a video of a child being sexually abused—and every time he helped another person do so—he was victimizing that child all over again. My Office will never stop pursuing those who hurt children, even if we need to chase those offenders through the darkest corners of the internet. I thank our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, whose excellent investigative work led to the arrest and conviction of this dangerous offender.”
“The FBI investigates crimes of violence and sexual abuse against children as a top priority,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “The sentencing of Tyler Ramaley for having knowingly received, possessed, and shared videos of child sexual abuse material will hopefully provide a degree of relief to Ramaley’s victims. Ramaley victimized the most vulnerable members of our society, and the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force will vigorously pursue anyone who commits such crimes.”
Upon his release from prison, Ramaley will be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force investigated this case, with the assistance of the New Castle County Police Department, Delaware State Police, and the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Claudia L. Pare prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-cr-49-GBW.
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Wilkinsburg Resident Sentenced Following Guilty Plea for Stealing from Another Passenger During FlightRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on April 7, 2026, to a charge of theft on an aircraft and was sentenced to one year of supervised release, including 90 days of home detention, and ordered to pay a $250 fine, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Mark R. Hornak imposed the sentence on Jaymer Ferrell, 23.
According to information presented to the Court, on April 9, 2025, the Allegheny County Police Department was called about an unruly passenger vaping on a Pittsburgh-bound flight from Los Angeles, California. A flight attendant told investigators that he had observed the passenger, Ferrell, vaping and going through numerous bags in the overhead bins during the flight. Based on Ferrell’s behavior over the course of the hours-long flight, the attendant believed that Ferrell had stolen from other passengers’ luggage.
Upon arrival at Pittsburgh International Airport, Ferrell was taken into custody on an outstanding warrant, and found in possession of a backpack containing the wallet, debit card, and credit cards of another passenger on the flight.
Assistant United States Attorney V. Joseph Sonson prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Allegheny County Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Ferrell.
Umatilla County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder, Robbery, and Prohibited Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Umatilla County man pleaded guilty yesterday on the second day of trial to attempted murder, robbery, and felon in possession of a firearm (Armed Career Criminal Act) related to an armed robbery of the Wildhorse Resort and Casino on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in 2022.
Javier Francisco Vigil, 54, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, robbery, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (Armed Career Criminal Act).
According to court documents, on August 17, 2022, Vigil entered the Wildhorse Casino, walked straight to the cashier cage in the gaming area, and handed the cashier a note demanding $1 million. Vigil then drew a holstered pistol, pointed it at the cashier, and threatened to “bathe everyone in blood.” After getting nearly $70,000 in cash, Vigil exited the casino and shot at the responding Umatilla tribal police officer, who returned fire striking Vigil.
On December 19, 2023, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a 6-count superseding indictment charging Vigil with attempted murder, interference with commerce by robbery, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, assault with a dangerous weapon, and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon (Armed Career Criminal Act).
U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford for the District of Oregon made the announcement.
Vigil will be sentenced on August 4, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
This case was investigated by the FBI and the Umatilla Tribal Police Department, with the assistance of ATF, the Hermiston Police Department, the Pendleton Police Department, Oregon State Police, Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office, and Morrow County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cassady Adams and Arin Heinz are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: This April, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine joins the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), communities across the U.S., and sovereign Tribal nations in observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is proud to stand with victims, and announces that in Fiscal Year 2025, OVW awarded $9,635,137 to several grantees in Maine including the Family Violence Project, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault, the Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence, the Mi’kmaq Nation, Partners for Peace, the Penobscot Indian Nation, Pine Tree Legal Assistance, the Maine Department of Public Safety, Safe Voices, and the Next Step Domestic Violence Project.
“Sexual assault has impacts that can reverberate through an entire community. These crimes leave lasting scars, and, as federal prosecutors, we have a responsibility to the citizens of Maine to pursue justice,” said United States Attorney for the District of Maine Andrew B. Benson.
Victims deserve safety, dignity, and justice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine is committed to prosecuting those who violate federal law and collaborating with local law enforcement and prosecutors to bring offenders to justice. Partners in our district have a key role in ensuring victims have access to resources for safety and healing.
We encourage everyone in our district to learn more about sexual assault and take steps to support friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors who have suffered these crimes. By understanding the signs of abuse and connecting victims to available resources, we can all play a role in creating safer, supportive communities.
For more information on sexual assault or to access resources, please visit mecasa.org.
The Department of Justice funds essential victim services through its grants. Grantees of OVW andthe Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) run programs that support victims of sexual assault. There are many services available to help victims, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, OVW’s website has a ”Resources for Survivors” page, which lists state sexual assaultcoalitions that can direct victims to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.
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Two Sentenced in Connection with Fraud Ring That Stole Millions in Government Funds, Thousands of IdentitiesRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney for the District of Colorado announces that Ikponmwosa Erhinmwinrose, 39, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Nyerhovwo Presley Agbure, 34, of Atlanta, Georgia, each sentenced in connection to a fraud ring that stole millions in government funds and victimized thousands of people nationwide. Erhinmwinrose will spend 17 years in federal prison after a federal jury in Denver convicted him on six counts of wire fraud, three counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of wire fraud conspiracy, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Agbure will spend 57 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Two other codefendants await sentencing.
According to the evidence presented at the trial and sentencing of Erhinmwinrose, he and other conspirators including Agbure, applied for more than $90 million in government benefits and stole more than $7.6 million in government benefits from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, multiple state unemployment insurance programs including from the state of Colorado, and tax refunds. The PPP and EIDL are economic relief programs launched by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
To obtain these benefits, Erhinmwinrose, Agbure, and other conspirators in the fraud ring used the stolen identities of more than 1,000 victims. As a result of Erhinmwinrose and Agbure’s actions, identity-theft victims never received IRS stimulus payments, received letters in the mail stating that they had to start repaying loans that were taken out in their names, and faced backlash on social media because others thought they had taken out large loans that in fact went to Erhinmwinrose, Agbure, and other members of his fraud ring. To facilitate the criminal activity, the defendants created dozens of email accounts under false names to impersonate real individuals and businesses, worked with conspirators to submit fraudulent applications for benefits, and then instructed a network of conspirators to launder the proceeds through multiple bank accounts before converting the money to cash or transferring it overseas.
“Driven by greed and selfishness, these criminals ran an aggressive fraud scheme which stole millions of dollars from American taxpayers and victimized more than a thousand innocent people,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “The United States Attorney’s Office in the District of Colorado in partnership with the National Fraud Enforcement Division will continue to vigorously seek out and prosecute those who defraud and victimize American taxpayers.”
United States District Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney presided over the sentencing.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, FDIC Office of Inspector General, Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General handled the investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Craig Fansler and Sonia Dave handled the prosecution.
The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it.
Department of Justice efforts 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.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form
Case Number: 1-23-cr-00300-CNS
Twice Deported Ecuadorian National Previously Convicted of Sex Abuse, Other Offenses, Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE RAUL MAITA, 55, a citizen of Ecuador, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 1996, Maita was granted status as a legal permanent resident in the United States following approval of an application based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen. In February 1998, Maita was convicted in Westchester County Court in New York of sexual abuse first degree involving sexual contact by forcible compulsion. The victim of the offense was nine years old. Maita was sentenced to five years of probation and was required to register as a sex offender. In November 2000, Maita was convicted in New York of failure to register as a sex offender. In August 2001, he was convicted of driving while intoxicated and for violating his probation stemming from his sexual abuse conviction. Maita’s probation was revoked and he was sentenced to one year of incarceration. In October 2003, Maita was deported to Ecuador.
Maita illegally reentered the U.S. and, in November 2006, he was convicted in Westchester County Court of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. In April 2007, he was convicted in New York of failure to register as a sex offender. In April 2008, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Maita and, in October 2008, he was convicted in the Southern District of New York of unlawful reentry. In August 2009, Maita was again removed to Ecuador. He subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S.
On September 20, 2025, Maita, who identified himself as “Jose P. Maita” and provided a false date of birth, was arrested by the Connecticut State Police in Southbury on charges of illegal operation of a motor vehicle without a license and illegal operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Maita was subsequently released on bond.
On November 4, 2025, the U.S. District Court in New Haven issued a criminal complaint charging Maita with unlawful reentry. Maita was located and arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on March 18, 2026, in Waterbury. He has been detained since his arrest.
Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for July 2, at which time Maita faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Tulsan Sentenced for Possessing Cocaine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced today for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to Distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson sentenced Daryl Delando Jackson, 39, to 108 months imprisonment, followed by 8 years of supervised release.
In June 2025, Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers observed a vehicle driving 100 mph in a 65-mph zone. When troopers attempted to pull Jackson over, he refused to stop and led troopers on a pursuit through a residential neighborhood. Jackson drove through an apartment complex, where he fled on foot from troopers. After being detained, troopers recovered a firearm, a large bag with several small baggies of cocaine, liquid PCP, marijuana, and a scale.
Jackson has a lengthy criminal history, including eluding officers, drug possession, burglary, felony possession of a firearm, and possession of a stolen vehicle. He will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bailey prosecuted the case.
Trinitarios Gang Member Convicted of Witness Retaliation for Assault at Detention CenterRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the conviction at trial today of BRIAN HERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Malaki,” for his role in an assault carried out at the Metropolitan Detention Center (“MDC”) in Brooklyn, New York on December 3, 2023. The conviction comes after a four-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman. HERNANDEZ is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026.
“With today’s verdict, the jury has found that the defendant, a member of the Trinitarios, committed this brutal attack in which another inmate was horribly stabbed and slashed across the face,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “They also found that this heinous and senseless crime was committed for the purpose of retaliating against his victim because the defendant believed he was cooperating with the government. We commend the jury for its careful consideration of the evidence, and this verdict repeats loud and clear for all to hear that New Yorkers will not tolerate the harassment and intimidation of any witness, let alone the kind of violence a notorious and violent street gang committed here. Regardless of who you are or who you may be affiliated with, if you retaliate against a witness, the women and men of this Office and our partners in law enforcement will bring you to justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
On December 3, 2023, HERNANDEZ and other members of the Trinitarios, while incarcerated at MDC, coordinated and carried out an attack on another inmate believed by the attackers to be providing information to the Government. During the attack, the victim was slashed and stabbed multiple times, including by HERNANDEZ who slashed the victim above the eye, leaving a deep gash and causing substantial bleeding.
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HERNANDEZ, 26, of New York, New York, was convicted of three total counts and faces up to 50 years in prison.
CountChargeSentenceCount OneConspiracy to Retaliate Against a Witness20 Years In PrisonCount ThreeWitness Retaliation (Causing Bodily Injury)20 Years In PrisonCount FourWitness Retaliation (Causing Harm to a Person)10 Years In PrisonThe maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Bureau of Prisons.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Frank J. Balsamello, Lisa Daniels, and William K. Stone are in charge of the prosecution. The team was assisted by paralegal specialist Ananya Sankar.
Topeka man uses federal grant funds as shopping moneyRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A former employee of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation (PBPN) pleaded guilty to misapplying thousands of dollars the tribe received in federal grants and using the money to purchase sports memorabilia.
According to court documents, Matthew Waits, 41, of Topeka pleaded guilty to one count of misapplication of federal grant funds.
Waits previously worked for the PBPN as manager and program director of the Diabetes Prevention Program. In January 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) / Indian Health Service awarded federal grants and assistance to the tribe. Waits misapplied more than $5,000 in grant money by using it to buy sports memorabilia, which is not an authorized purchase under the rules of the grant and in violation of federal law.He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“Diabetes patients are susceptible to long-term damage to their heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. It was the defendant’s job to teach people how to avoid this chronic disease. Waits took money intended to help save lives and used it to purchase materials to enhance his hobby shop that sold collectables such as Pokemon cards and sports memorabilia,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (HHS – OIG) are investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared Maag and Lindsey Debenham are prosecuting the case.
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Three Former Employees of the Psychiatric Institute of Washington Indicted for Criminal Negligence in the Death of a PatientRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nelson Kuma, 37, Richard Hounnou, 45, and Norma Munoz-Bent 68, all from Maryland, were indicted on charges of criminal negligence and appeared in court yesterday for their arraignment, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
After the arraignment, Kuma, Hounnou, and Munoz-Bent were released pending trial. They are scheduled to appear before the Honorable Carmen McLean on May 29, 2026.
The indictment was returned by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on March 31, 2026. It is alleged that on the date of his death, and while in the care of PIW staff, G.W., a 58-year-old male, became unresponsive and stopped breathing. Kuma and Hounnou, who were employed by PIW as psychiatric counselors, and Munoz-Bent, a registered nurse, discovered G.W. in this condition, but failed to timely and properly assess G.W., failed to perform CPR, and failed to provide any potentially lifesaving measures. G.W. did not receive life saving measures for at least 21 minutes. By the time lifesaving measure started, it was too late, and G.W. could not be resuscitated.
Joining the announcement was Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
In announcing the indictment, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Inspector General Lucas acknowledged the work of those who are investigating and prosecuting the case from the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). They commend the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Facci, who is prosecuting the case.
The United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia urges anyone with information regarding abuse of a vulnerable adult at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington to call our tipline at (202) 252-0809.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
2026 CF2 005110; 2026 CF2 005111; 2026 CF2 005112
piw_indictment.pdfTallahassee Man Indicted for Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Chandler Brittain Smith, 27, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of distribution of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of attempted transfer of obscene material to minors. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Smith appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 26, 2026, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Smith faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment on the attempted enticement count. Smith also faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the attempted transfer of obscene materials count.
The case is being jointly investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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.