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19 May 2026
Federal Jury Convicts Hanapepe Man of Producing, Receiving, and Possessing Child Pornography After 4-Day TrialRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Roger Biggs, 40, of Hanapepe, Hawaii, was convicted by a federal jury on May 14, 2026, of producing, receiving, and possessing child pornography, including of at least one child under the age of 12, following a four-day trial. Sentencing is set for September 3, 2026. Biggs remains detained pending sentencing, where he faces a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 15 years in prison.
At trial, the evidence showed that in December 2024, the FBI National Threat Operations Center received an anonymous online complaint regarding allegations of the sexual exploitation of a child. The complaint identified the subject as Roger Wesley Biggs, of Hanapepe, Hawaii. The FBI later became aware of numerous CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which were related to Biggs. These CyberTipline reports were filed by members of the public as well as multiple social media platforms.
The evidence at trial showed that Biggs was a serial, self-described “groomer” who targeted children, many of whom were mentally and emotionally vulnerable. Biggs contacted the children through direct message communications on social media platforms, sending thousands of messages to his victims. In one such message, he admitted to his victim: “i [sic] prey on vulnerable children.” Biggs groomed the children by sending them photographs of himself, gifts, and money, and by engaging in sexually explicit communications with them. He then convinced the children to produce, and send him, images and videos of themselves involved in sexually explicit conduct.
Among his many victims, were two 14-year-olds on the U.S. mainland, one of whom Biggs traveled to meet in person. Biggs was also convicted of possessing child pornography on his cellular phone, including at least one image of a prepubescent minor under the age of 12.
Trial Exhibit 12
“We remain committed to bringing to justice those depraved individuals like Roger Biggs who target, groom, and then victimize children, the most vulnerable members of our community,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “While we cannot undo the harm Biggs inflicted on his minor victims, we are committed in the belief that charging and obtaining convictions in these cases sends a forceful message that those who seek to exploit and prey upon our children will be held accountable in federal court.”
“The FBI will never waver from our mission to identify and apprehend those who prey on our children,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “Despite the defendant’s attempts to hide his illicit activities behind a screen, the expertise and persistence of our investigators brought his crimes to light, and justice to his doorstep. This verdict is a testament to the tireless work of the FBI’s Crimes Against Children Task Force and our commitment to protecting our island communities and youth.”
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret Nammar and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Turner 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 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Federal Inmate Pleads Guilty to Threatening Federal Court Employee in MassachusettsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A federal inmate pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to sending several threatening letters to an employee at the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse.
Devin James Melycher, 33, pleaded guilty to three counts of mailing threatening communications. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Sept. 22, 2026. Melycher was indicted by a federal grand jury in May 2024.
Melycher is a federal inmate who, since 2023, has been in the custody of the Bureau of Prisons. It is alleged that on three separate occasions: Dec. 16, 2022; Jan. 3, 2023; and Jan. 12, 2023, Melycher sent letters addressed to a U.S. official at the John Joseph Moakley U.S. Courthouse in Boston threatening to injure the victim employee.
The charges of using of mailing threatening communications each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $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 Dennis Matulewicz, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney’s Luke A. Goldworm and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Fargo, North Dakota Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for EscapeRead the Press Release
Sioux Falls - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Fargo, North Dakota man convicted of Escape. The sentencing took place on May 18, 2026.
Traye Mjelde, 29, was sentenced to one year in federal prison and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Mjelde was indicted for Escape by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on March 16, 2026.
Mjelde was initially sentenced to 30 months in federal prison after being convicted of possessing a firearm after a felony conviction. In April 2025, the Bureau of Prisons transferred him to a residential reentry center in Sioux Falls to finish the remaining term of his sentence. Mjelde walked away from the facility without authorization about two weeks later. Law enforcement found Mjelde approximately one month later and arrested him.
This case was investigated by United States Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
Mjelde was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Engineer for Illinois Company Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trade Fraud, Counterfeiting, and Other Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former engineer for an Illinois company has been sentenced to federal prison for manufacturing and selling counterfeit versions of his employer’s products and engaging in other fraud schemes.
SHAUN BROUWER worked as a mechanical engineer for an Illinois-based manufacturer of high-performance network infrastructure solutions, including network jacks. Brouwer stole proprietary information from the company and paid three vendors in China to manufacture jack modules and other products and falsely brand them as authentic products of Brouwer’s former employer. Brouwer then arranged for the counterfeit products to be sold online.
Brouwer also sold approximately 11,267 authentic jack modules and other products that his employer had sent him after Brouwer falsely represented that he would use them at trade shows. Brouwer admitted in a plea agreement that he sold a total of approximately 160,039 counterfeit and authentic products without the company’s authorization, causing a loss to the company of approximately $986,519.
Brouwer further acknowledged that he asked a vendor in China to create fake payment documents to lower the perceived value of some of the counterfeit items in order to avoid attracting attention from U.S. customs officials and avoid paying additional customs duty fees.
As part of his schemes, Brouwer also fraudulently applied for and received a loan under the Covid-relief Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In 2020, Brouwer received a $20,832 PPP loan for a purported side business and dispersed more than $10,000 of it to the online marketplace in China for counterfeit goods.
Brouwer, 47, of Cedar Lake, Ind., pleaded guilty in December 2025 to a federal mail fraud charge. On May 8, 2026, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey I. Cummings sentenced Brouwer to 18 months in federal prison. Judge Cummings found in mitigation that, among other things, Brouwer promptly waived indictment, accepted responsibility, and pleaded guilty to a criminal information.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly.
This case was prosecuted as part of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, which vigorously pursues enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade or otherwise undermine federal customs laws. The Department of Justice recently selected the Chicago U.S. Attorney’s Office to be lead prosecutorial partner on the Trade Fraud Task Force. In addition, on April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Delco Woman Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Christina Williams, 31, of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Joshua D. Wolson to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The defendant and her mother, Rosemarie Dixon, 54, also of Drexel Hill, were charged by indictment in November of last year.
As detailed in court filings and statements, from about January 2020 through April 2021, Williams conspired with Person 1, Dixon, and others to conduct financial transactions, knowing that the funds involved represented the proceeds of fraud, and knowing that the transactions were intended to disguise the source and ownership of the fraud proceeds.
In March 2020, Williams, Person 1, and others caused a business called Williams Royal Real Estate LLC (“Williams Royal”) to be registered in New Jersey, with Williams listed as the owner. Williams Royal never had any business operations or employees. Beginning in May 2020, at the direction of Person 1, Williams used the business registration paperwork to open business bank accounts in the name of Williams Royal at a variety of Philadelphia-area financial institutions.
In July 2020, Dixon, as well as Person 1 and others caused a business called Dixon Delish Kitchen LLC (“Dixon Delish”) to be registered in New Jersey, and Dixon was listed as the owner. Like Williams Royal, Dixon Delish never had any business operations or employees. At the instruction of Person 1, Dixon used the Dixon Delish business registration paperwork to open numerous business bank accounts at area financial institutions.
Around the time that the defendants opened these business bank accounts, Person 1 and others working with him caused fraudulent Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) applications to be submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), and the proceeds of those fraudulent applications to be deposited into the Williams Royal bank accounts controlled by defendant Williams.
Additionally, Person 1 and others caused the proceeds of business email compromise (“BEC”) fraud to be deposited into the Dixon Delish bank accounts controlled by defendant Dixon.
After the proceeds of the fraudulent EIDLs and the BECs were deposited into Dixon’s and Williams’s business bank accounts, Person 1, Williams, and Dixon worked together to move the money around quickly from one business account to another, between the defendants’ business bank accounts, from the business accounts to Williams’s and Dixon’s personal accounts, and out of their bank accounts to accounts in the names of other sham businesses controlled by other participants in the money laundering conspiracy.
The total amount of the fraudulently obtained funds that were deposited to Williams’s and Dixon’s business bank accounts as part of this conspiracy, and which they laundered, attempted to launder, and agreed to launder, was $7,171,730. With the permission of Person 1, Williams also kept some of the fraudulently obtained funds, spent them on herself, and converted them to cash for the benefit of herself and Person 1.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on September 9 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years’ imprisonment, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $14,343,460. Dixon pleaded guilty to conspiring to money launder last month, faces the same maximum possible term, and is also scheduled to be sentenced on September 9.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, United States Secret Service, and U.S. Navy Criminal Investigative Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nancy E. Potts and S. Chandler Harris.
Defendant Extradited from Nigeria to Face Wire Fraud and Money Laundering Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – The FBI arrested Samuel Ugberaese after the US extradited him from Nigeria on charges relating to cross-border romance scams that targeted victims in the United States and elsewhere. A federal grand jury returned the indictment in the EDNC on January 22, 2021. United States Magistrate Judge Brian S. Myers ordered Ugberaese detained pending trial.
According to the indictment, Ugberaese and his co-conspirators used romance scheme techniques, including false stories and promises, to exploit and defraud victims into transferring money on their behalf. The indictment further alleges that Ugberaese conspired with a co-defendant Oluwadamilare Kolaogunbule, a naturalized U.S. citizen, to conduct financial transactions through his bank account network, including accounts registered to purported export companies, to conceal and disguise the nature, location, source, ownership, and control of the criminal proceeds.
Ugberaese is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces a statutory maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, the South African Police Service, FBI's Law Enforcement Attaché Office in Abuja, the Department of State, and the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General’s Office of Nigeria and Nigeria Police Force – INTERPOL provided critical assistance securing the arrest and extradition of Ugberaese.
This case is being handled by the EDNC USAO’s Fraud Section. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam F. Hulbig is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Decatur Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Decatur man pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents, LaJason Jones a/k/a J Rock, 45, of Decatur, conspired to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine. Jones sold substances containing methamphetamine on multiple occasions, and methamphetamine was found at his residence during the execution of a search warrant.
Jones pled guilty to the charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute a controlled substance. He is scheduled to be sentenced on August 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Matt Wright, Acting Special Agent inCharge for Homeland Security Investigations in New Orleans, Louisiana, made the announcement.
The United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the case with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Allen and Kevin Payne are prosecuting the case.
Chicago Federal Court Imposes Statutory Maximum Sentence of 15 Years in Prison for Defendant’s Illegal Possession of Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to the statutory maximum of 15 years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded handgun.
DIRK HUGO was arrested on May 1, 2024, after he was found in a parking garage in Arlington Heights, Ill., possessing a loaded handgun in his waistband and wearing a bulletproof vest. The prior month, Hugo was involved in an assault at a Glenview, Ill. motel during which he allegedly struck a man’s head with a gun. Hugo had previously been convicted of multiple felony firearm offenses in state court and was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Hugo has remained in law enforcement custody since his arrest.
A jury in federal court in Chicago last year convicted Hugo, 49, of Arlington Heights, Ill., of illegal possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon. On May 12, 2026, U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold sentenced Hugo to 15 years in federal prison, which was the statutory maximum sentence that could be imposed for this criminal conviction.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
“As defendant’s criminal record makes clear, he absolutely refuses to give up his firearms despite decades of being told that he cannot possess a gun,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephanie C. Stern and Simar Khera argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant’s refusal to give up his guns combined with his violent tendencies are a dangerous enough combination; but when defendant’s absolute disdain for the law and his failure to acknowledge his own misconduct is added, it showcases an individual who is an extreme danger to the community.”
Charleston Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Nicholas Kagen Woodin, 35, of Charleston, was sentenced on Monday, May 18, 2026, to five years and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 22, 2024, law enforcement officers went to Woodin’s residence to arrest him for alleged violations of his parole. Officers recovered a Hi-Point model C9 9mm pistol under the pillow of Woodin’s bed in his bedroom.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Woodin knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for first-degree robbery in Putnam County Circuit Court on January 17, 2018, possession of a stolen vehicle in Kanawha County Circuit Court on September 6, 2018, and escape from custody in Fayette County Circuit Court on September 13, 2020.
Woodin’s criminal history also includes prior convictions for receiving or transferring stolen goods, grand larceny, assault, domestic battery, stalking, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), West Virginia Parole Services, and the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-178.
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California Doctor Convicted of $45M Botox Fraud Scheme Targeting MedicareRead the Press Release
A jury in the Central District of California convicted a California doctor yesterday in a $45 million scheme to defraud Medicare by submitting claims for Botox injections that were never provided and medically unnecessary, and for obstructing the investigation by manipulating and altering medical records in an attempt to mislead criminal investigators. The investigation was initiated as a result of a referral from the Health Care Fraud Section’s Data Analytics Team, after its analysis showed that the defendant was paid more by Medicare for Botox injections than any other doctor in the United States.
“Violetta Mailyan falsely diagnosed patients, fraudulently billed for Botox injections while she was actually on lavish vacations, and tried to trick federal agents with fake records,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division’s data-driven approach will shine a light on fraud schemes across the country, ensuring that no doctor can engage in these types of brazen schemes to rob Medicare.”
“Let this conviction serve as a warning: anyone who leverages their medical authority to defraud Medicare will be caught and held accountable,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the Health and Human Servics Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This defendant’s actions were a blatant betrayal of patients and the public trust. HHS‑OIG will stay relentless in protecting federal health care programs from those who seek to exploit them.”
“Physicians who defraud and manipulate federally funded health care programs to line their own pockets do so at the expense of American taxpayers and those who are in legitimate need of medical procedures,” said Assistant Director in Charge Patrick Grandy of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The FBI is gratified that the jury convicted Dr. Mailyan based on the evidence, which uncovered the largest Botox fraud scheme in the United States, to include brazenly billing for someone who was incarcerated. Furthermore, the FBI is committed to pursuing physicians and others in the healthcare system who fleece Medicare and, in doing so, drive up premiums and co-payments for law-abiding citizens.”
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Violetta Mailyan, 45, of Glendale, owned and operated Healthy Way Medical Center, a clinic that purported to provide beauty and cosmetic services. Although Medicare reimburses medical providers for Botox injections when necessary to treat documented cases of chronic migraines, Mailyan billed and received payments for thousands of injections that were never provided or were provided only for cosmetic purposes or for patients whose primary care physicians had not referred them for treatment of chronic migraines. For example, the evidence at trial showed that Mailyan billed for providing Botox injections when she was actually on vacation in Cabo, Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas; Pennsylvania; and New York; billed for purportedly injecting a Medicare beneficiary who was actually incarcerated in federal prison at the time; and billed for thousands of injections, representing over $19 million, purportedly provided on days when her clinic was closed. The evidence also showed that Mailyan backdated some claims to bill for injections purportedly provided before the patients even contacted Mailyan’s clinic to request an appointment, and fabricated patient medical records, including patient consent forms, to make it appear as if patients suffered from chronic migraines and had received treatment for those migraines in her office.
In addition to the fraudulent billing, the evidence at trial showed that Mailyan actively sought to cover up her crimes when investigators were closing in. After receiving a grand jury subpoena seeking medical records, Mailyan altered patient records to make it appear as if she had provided Botox injections for chronic migraines when in fact those services had not been provided, and provided the altered documents to federal agents.
The evidence at trial showed that Mailyan used Medicare funds she obtained through the scheme to pay for her lavish vacations in Mexico, Hawaii, and elsewhere, and to purchase luxury collectible goods such as a $12,000 17th century crossbow and a $3,000 painting, depicted below:
This prosecution illustrates the success of the Department’s efforts to use advanced data analytics to detect health care fraud schemes and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Health Care Fraud Section’s Data Analytics Team identified Mailyan as an extreme outlier among doctors receiving Medicare payments for Botox, having at the time been paid more than $24 million over the previous four years — six times the next highest group of providers, all of whom were neurologists. As the investigation and evidence presented at trial showed, Mailyan’s outlier status owed entirely to her pervasive and long-running fraud scheme.
Following the conviction, the jury also found that a Tesla Model X, a Tesla Cybertruck, $251,124 in funds contained in multiple bank accounts, brokerage accounts valued at $7,312,037 at the time of seizure, and four properties in Surfside and Glendale, California with combined estimated equity of $7,343,636, were proceeds of the fraud subject to forfeiture. The Cybertruck seized from Mailyan is shown below:
Mailyan was convicted of nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of obstruction of a criminal investigation of a health care offense. She is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2026. She faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 5 years in prison for each count of obstruction. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Trial Attorneys Sandor Callahan and Jeffrey A. Crapko of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Vavere of the Central District of California’s Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Boalsburg Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Kristina Johnson, age 69, formerly of Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to 15 months of imprisonment for falsification of records during a bankruptcy proceeding.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Johnson and her husband, John J, Johnson II, were owners of the Springfield Bed & Breakfast in Boalsburg, PA. The Springfield Bed & Breakfast filed for bankruptcy in 2022. As part of the bankruptcy proceedings the bed and breakfast continued to operate as the Johnsons attempted to reorganize their debts. The Johnsons were required to submit monthly operating reports to the bankruptcy court. However, the reports submitted to the bankruptcy court by the Johnsons included false information about bank activity and also concealed the existence of a bank account that was not disclosed to the court. Along with her husband, Kristina Johnson previously entered a guilty plea in this case in November 2025.
John J. Johnson was sentenced to 18 months of imprisonment in March 2026.
The United States Bankruptcy Trustee and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur is prosecuting the case.
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Beloit Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Gabriel Lebron Mejia, 27, Beloit, Wisconsin, was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 10 years in federal prison for possessing 100 grams or more of heroin intended for distribution and maintaining a drug trafficking premises. Lebron Mejia pleaded guilty to these charges on March 13, 2026.
Between January and August 2025, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of heroin and fentanyl from Lebron Mejia. During his subsequent arrest on August 28, 2025, officers searched Lebron Mejia’s vehicle and found a hidden compartment behind the vehicle’s glove box. Inside, officers recovered 115 grams of a mixture containing heroin and fentanyl and 60 grams of cocaine. Officers also searched Lebron Mejia’s apartment and recovered 100 grams of fentanyl pills, a hydraulic pill press, a gas mask, cutting agents, and other tools and drug packaging material. Police also found a 9mm handgun, ammunition, and over $21,000 in cash.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson determined that Lebron Mejia was a high-level drug trafficker. Judge Peterson also noted that the chemical makeup of the fentanyl that Lebron Mejia distributed raised a public safety concern about whether conventional overdose reversing treatments would be effective.
Rock County District Attorney Jason Sanders joined U.S. Attorney Elgersma in praising the federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who worked together to bring Lebron Mejia to justice. “I am grateful for the collaboration between Rock County and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case,” said District Attorney Sanders. “I am proud that we were able to work together to secure a significant sentence against a large-scale drug trafficker.”
The charges against Lebron Mejia were the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and the City of Beloit Police Department. The ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force is comprised of federal agents with ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department 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 (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Possessing A Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Davon Nelson, age 41, of Baltimore, MD, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to 18 months in prison for possessing a weapon in prison.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on October 8, 2024, Nelson was an inmate at Allenwood Federal Correctional Institution and possessed an inmate-made, sharpened steel weapon, measuring 4 ½ inches in length.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger prosecuted the case.
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Assumption Parish Man Sentenced for Trying to Fly from New Orleans International Airport with Zatarain’s Pro Boil Container Full of MethRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –EMANUEL HARRIS (“HARRIS”), age 41, of Plattenville, Louisiana, was sentenced on May 14, 2026, by United States District Judge Brandon Long, after previously pleading guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
HARRIS was sentenced to 40 months in prison, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court records, HARRIS arrived at New Orleans International Airport (MSY) on September 8, 2023, and checked his suitcase with United Airlines. After screening, the Transportation Security Administration searched HARRIS’s luggage and found a Zatarain’s Pro Boil container with the lid glued shut. Inside the container was a Ziploc bag wrapped in blue tape buried in the Pro Boil powder. The Ziploc bag contained 442.2 grams of methamphetamine, which included 375.8 grams of pure methamphetamine.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Rachal Cassagne.
Arizona Woman Indicted after Allegedly Attempting to Smuggle Firearms, RPG Launcher Tube into MexicoRead the Press Release
PHOENIX Ariz. – A woman has been charged in federal court after she attempted to cross the southern border in a vehicle loaded with firearms, firearm parts, and an RPG launcher tube.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging Migdelia Irma Mendoza, 42, of Phoenix, with Attempted Smuggling Goods from the United States. The charge resulted from a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation.
According to the court documents, on April 19, 2026, Mendoza was traveling to Mexico and passed multiple signs warning drivers that firearms and ammunition are prohibited in the Republic of Mexico. When Mendoza attempted to cross the border at the DeConcini Port of Entry in Nogales, officers conducted an outbound inspection.
As officers searched Mendoza’s Lexus, they folded up the rear seat and found non-factory black fabric beneath it. Under the fabric, officers felt objects that were solid and did not appear to be part of the vehicle. After anomalies were confirmed through a scan of the vehicle, officers conducted a closer inspection and discovered the RPG launcher tube, firearms, and firearm parts.
Specific items included four AR-style rifles, 16 AK-style rifles, one AK-style pistol, one RPG-7 launcher tube, 20 firearm pistol grips, 16 rifle buttstocks, and 24 AK-style firearm magazines. These items are prohibited by U.S. law for export without a valid U.S. government issued export license, which Mendoza did not possess.
This prosecution is part of the 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 Arizona-Tucson comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Border Patrol, the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Marshals Service, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, and various local and state law enforcement agencies, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Phoenix.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-489
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-080_Mendoza
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Aberdeen Maryland Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Attempting to Provide Contraband to an InmateRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that James Hampton-Smith, age 38, of Aberdeen, MD, was sentenced by Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann to 15 months in prison for attempting to provide contraband to an inmate.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on August 14, 2024, security officers at United States Penitentiary, Lewisburg, observed the defendant climb the prison perimeter fence around 12:25 a.m. Utilizing a thermal imaging device, security officers watched the defendant jump down onto prison grounds and place a backpack in a trash can near the facility’s basketball court. The bag’s contents included vape pens, cell phones, cutting tools, and synthetic marijuana.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tatum Wilson and Robin Zenzinger prosecuted the case.
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2 Mexican illegal aliens sentenced to federal prison for drug, immigration crimesRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Two illegal aliens from Mexico were sentenced in U.S. District Court today for their roles in a cocaine conspiracy and for violating immigration laws.
Cristian Melendez, 42, and Ismerio Garcia-Ontivaro, 39, were transporting more than three kilograms of cocaine in a hidden compartment in a car when they were pulled over by law enforcement on I-70 in June 2025 for a window tint violation.
Melendez and Garcia-Ontivaro received the Honda Accord from a car hauler traveling from Arizona to Columbus. The Accord had a hidden compartment from the console to the rear seats.
Melendez and Garcia-Ontivaro were each sentenced today to 60 months in prison.
“Both defendants previously were convicted of drug trafficking and subsequently deported from the United States, only to illegally return and continue to traffic dangerous drugs into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “This Office will continue to aggressively prosecute such repeat offenders and seek strong sentences to hold them to account.”
Both men were in the United States illegally after previously being removed and previously being convicted of aggravated felony offenses. Melendez had former convictions for trafficking heroin and illegally possessing firearms. Garcia-Ontivaro’s prior crimes include cocaine trafficking in North Carolina.
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.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Kevin Raycraft, Acting Field Office Director, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Detroit Field Office; announced the sentences imposed today by Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case.
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18 May 2026
Wilmington Man Indicted for Threatening President TrumpRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – A federal grand jury indicted Christopher James Hill, 32, of Wilmington, NC, for threatening President Donald J. Trump. The Defendant posted messages on Facebook threatening to kill the President.
According to the indictment, between October 3, 2025, and October 13, 2025, the Defendant posted public comments on Facebook.com that contained a threat to kill and injure the President. If convicted, the Defendant faces up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
W. Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement. The FBI and USSS are investigating 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.
A copy of this press release is located on our website.
Utah Jury Convicts Business Owners of Fraud after Victims Were Scammed More than $30MRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – After a five-week trial, a federal jury in Salt Lake City returned a guilty verdict against multiple defendants for their participation in a nationwide scheme to defraud victims out of more than $30,000,000 by inducing them to invest in Noah’s Event Centers and promising impressive long-term financial returns. The defendants, Christopher J. Ashby, 52, Jordan S. Nelson, 45, both of Salt Lake County, Utah; and Scott W. Beynon, 49, of Davis County, Utah, were each found guilty on all charged counts: 17 counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Three other codefendants pleaded guilty as well. The founder of Noah’s, William J. Bowser, 63, of St. George, Utah, pleaded guilty in the middle of trial on April 16, 2026, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prior to trial, John D. Hamrick, 67, of Franconia, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026, to three counts of wire fraud; and Scott L. Rutherford, 54, of Utah County, Utah, pleaded guilty on June 9, 2025, to wire fraud.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants conspired and engaged in a nationwide scheme to defraud investors. The victims were defrauded out of more than $30,000,000 after being persuaded by the defendants to invest in Noah’s Event Centers as part of 1031 exchanges. Despite defendants’ promises that the investments were “safe” and “secure” and that Noah’s was a reliable corporate partner, Noah’s Event Centers were, collectively, an unprofitable enterprise sustained only through infusions of new investor funds. Five promised buildings were never constructed, as new investor funds were diverted elsewhere. Evidence presented at trial demonstrated that the defendants misrepresented important information regarding Noah’s financial health and falsely promised to safeguard victims’ money during construction.
Marketing materials displayed at trial depicted luxurious Noah’s event spaces and boasted of Noah’s “demonstrated . . . ability to examine and modify their business to achieve maximum profitability.” However, evidence at trial demonstrated that the defendants were aware that Noah’s was not profitable and was facing dire financial straits. According to the evidence, investors were left with empty, undeveloped lots rather than the promised venues, while the defendants received millions of dollars for their role in the scheme.
At trial, prosecutors showed satellite images of the undeveloped event centers, including unbuilt sites in Dublin, Ohio, Independence, Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, Jacksonville, Florida, and Carmel, Indiana.
The defendants are expected to be sentenced before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City in the coming months.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah thanked federal law enforcement partners for their work on the case and emphasized that her Office is “committed to ensuring justice for victims of complex financial crimes.”The case is being investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS).
Assistant United States Attorneys Cy C. Castle, Stephen P. Dent, Luisa Gough, and Bryant L. Watson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office recognizes Columbus police officer who saved man from burning vehicle as Hometown HeroRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II presented today the District’s Hometown Hero award to Columbus Division of Police officer Gloria West.
The Hometown Hero award commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. It honors the enduring ideals of Liberty, Service, and Civic Responsibility. This award is dedicated in recognition of a steadfast commitment to these ideals and an embodiment of the spirit upon which our Nation was founded.
“Officer West represents the very best of the Columbus Division of Police,” said U.S. Attorney Gerace. “Her dedication to her community, her professionalism, and her willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty make her an exemplary officer and a true hometown hero.”
Officer West is recognized for her extraordinary bravery, selflessness and unwavering commitment to public safety.
On Nov. 13, 2024, Officer West responded to a vehicle crash that quickly escalated into a life-threatening emergency when the car caught fire. The driver of the vehicle was trapped and in imminent peril after his vehicle’s brakes failed and he crashed into a pillar of a highway bridge.
While on the phone with 911 dispatchers, the driver told them that he was trapped and, fearing he was going to die, he asked them to, “Tell my wife I love her, please tell my wife I love her.” Without hesitation and fully aware of the danger, Officer West rushed toward the burning vehicle. While demonstrating remarkable courage under pressure, Officer West acted decisively, pulling the driver from the vehicle moments before the fire fully engulfed it. Officer West suffered significant burns to her hands; the driver lived.
“Officer West’s actions that day were nothing short of heroic,” U.S. Attorney Gerace added. “She placed the life of another above her own safety, embodying the highest ideals of law enforcement and public service. Because of her quick thinking and fearless response, a life was saved—an outcome that likely would not have been possible without her intervention.”
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U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont Collected $4,437,008.08 in Civil and Criminal Actions and Forfeited $7,720,856.00 in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
BURLINGTON – First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont collected $4,437,008.08 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2025. Of this amount, $1,722,712.24 was collected in criminal actions and $2,714,295.84 was collected in civil actions. The District of Vermont also worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $73,705.04 in criminal cases pursued jointly by these offices.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
U.S. Attorneys’ Offices also use civil and criminal forfeiture tools to seize and forfeit monies and property that were proceeds of or facilitated serious criminal conduct. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $7,720,856.00 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets are deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
Notable forfeitures and collections include the following:
- Over $6.9 million of funds and property that were the proceeds of a cryptocurrency confidence scam impacting over 100 victims across the United States. In total, during fiscal years 2024 and 2025, FBI Vermont and the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office have forfeited over $8.1 million of funds and property related to the scam. FBI and the Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office worked to identify assets purchased with victim money, ultimately forfeiting a residence in Frisco, Texas and $6.9 million of cryptocurrency. Feng Chen, 36, and Tianqiong Xu, 36, recently of Frisco, Texas, were indicted for the scheme on June 27, 2024, but are fugitives and believed to have returned to China. The indictment contains allegations only; Chen and Xu are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The Vermont U.S. Attorney’s Office is currently working to return the seized funds to the victims of the scheme.
- $226,409.95 of restitution, fines, and assessments were collected from Matthew Ernest, 51, of Winooski, Vermont in 2025. In 2024, Ernest was convicted of possessing child sexual abuse materials. On January 16, 2025, United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier ordered Ernest to serve 8 months in prison, pay $104,000.00 of restitution to 14 victims of his offense, a $100,000.00 fine plus interest, and $22,100.00 of special assessments.
- $82,500.00 was collected from Madison Carrig in 2025. In 2024, Carrig was convicted of access device fraud related to her embezzlement of money from the automobile dealerships that employed her. During Carrig’s 2025 sentencing, she was ordered to pay $141,000.00 of restitution.
- $321,718.00 of restitution and fines were collected from James Mailhiot. In 2024, Mailhiot was convicted of federal income tax evasion, stemming from Mailhiot’s understating the income he earned from his roofing business. $296,718.00 of back taxes and a $25,000.00 fine were collected from Mailhiot in 2025.
- $1,994,000.00 was collected from Galvion, Ltd., in connection with its 2024 settlement of False Claims Act allegations for the knowing sale of non-conforming parts to the United States Department of Defense.
- $426,186.23 was collected from Revision Military, Ltd., in connection with its 2024 settlement of False Claims Act allegations for selling eyewear products that it falsely represented were wholly sourced in the United States.
- $201,400.00 was collected on behalf of the Department of Housing and Urban Development to resolve debts owed to the government.
First Assistant United States Attorney Ophardt commended the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Financial Litigation Unit and Asset Forfeiture personnel for their diligent work on behalf of crime victims and the public.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Welcomes Sean M. Lewis to Newly Created Civil Rights SectionRead the Press Release
MIAMI – United States Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones announced today that Sean M. Lewis has been sworn in as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida. Lewis will serve in the Office’s newly created Civil Rights Section within the Criminal Division, under the leadership of Joe diGenova, and will be based in the Fort Pierce office.
Lewis brings nearly two decades of trial, appellate, and judicial experience to the Southern District of Florida. He previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in both the District of Columbia and the Western District of Michigan, where he prosecuted violent crime, narcotics, white collar, child exploitation, and sexual assault cases. During his federal prosecutorial career, Lewis tried dozens of cases to verdict, handled substantial appellate work, and argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
Lewis is widely recognized for his work as the federal prosecutor in the case against Lawrence Gerard Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor whose crimes shocked the nation. Nassar was sentenced in federal court to 60 years in prison for child-pornography and obstruction-of-justice offenses, with the federal sentence ordered to run consecutive to any state sentences. The Department of Justice’s Western District of Michigan release identified Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean M. Lewis as the prosecutor in that case.
“Sean Lewis is exactly the kind of prosecutor we want helping lead this work in South Florida,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones. “He has stood in court for victims in some of the most serious and nationally significant cases in the country, including the federal prosecution of Larry Nassar, where justice required courage, precision, and an unwavering commitment to the vulnerable. Sean brings deep trial experience, appellate judgment, and a prosecutor’s heart to our newly created Civil Rights Section. Under Joe diGenova’s leadership, this section will protect constitutional rights, pursue those who abuse power or target others because of who they are, and ensure that every community in our district receives the full protection of federal law.”
Before joining the Southern District of Florida, Lewis served as a General Magistrate in Florida’s Nineteenth Judicial Circuit, where he presided over trials and evidentiary hearings, resolved civil pretrial matters, conducted Baker Act and Marchman Act hearings, and prepared findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommended orders for circuit court judges.
Lewis previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Western District of Michigan from 2012 to 2021 and in the District of Columbia from 2008 to 2012. In those roles, he prosecuted and tried serious federal and local offenses, briefed and argued criminal appeals, mentored younger attorneys, trained law enforcement officers, and served as liaison to the 11 federally recognized Indian Tribes in the Western District of Michigan.
Earlier in his career, Lewis was an associate at Covington & Burling LLP, where he worked on white collar investigations, complex civil litigation, and pro bono matters. He also served as a law clerk to Judge James L. Ryan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Lewis earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School, where he graduated cum laude, was elected to the Order of the Coif, and served on the University of Michigan Law Review. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree, summa cum laude, from Grove City College, with studies in political science and French.
The newly created Civil Rights Section will focus on enforcing federal criminal civil rights laws throughout the Southern District of Florida, including cases involving hate crimes, official misconduct, human trafficking, threats, and other offenses that strike at the dignity, safety, and constitutional rights of victims.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Honors Law Enforcement Partners and “Hometown Heroes” During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- On May 15, 2026, United States Attorney Tom Wheeler recognized more than 160 individuals from 33 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies during the Office’s annual awards ceremony at the Indiana War Memorial & Museum in downtown Indianapolis. Held during National Police Week, the ceremony honored law enforcement professionals whose exceptional work safeguarded communities across Indiana in cases concluded in 2025.
In commemoration of America’s 250th anniversary, the U.S. Attorney’s Office named Matt and Laurie Shahnavaz—Founders of the Remember Officer Noah Foundation—as the 2026 Hometown Heroes. This award honors the enduring American ideals of liberty, service, and civic responsibility. Matt and Laurie were recognized for their extraordinary service, unwavering devotion to their community, and steadfast support of law enforcement in carrying forward the mission and legacy of fallen Elwood Police Officer Noah Jacob Shahnavaz.
Case Awards:
Outstanding Collaborative Investigation
Recognizes cases demonstrating exceptional teamwork and the ability to overcome significant challenges through multi‑agency coordination.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Carranza, et al and U.S. v. Patients Choice Labs
Project Safe Childhood – Shield of Innocence
Honors those who provide extraordinary assistance to victims of federal child sexual abuse crimes, including sustained emotional support, extensive off‑duty dedication, detailed financial analysis to secure restitution, and resolving complex investigative challenges.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Austin Ryan Lauless, U.S. v. Bryan Lee Fish, and U.S. v. Moises Bojorquez
L.E.A.T.H Heroism Award
Presented to a case demonstrating extraordinary commitment and fortitude in pursuing justice for domestic violence victims. The award honors IMPD Officer Breann Leath, who was killed in the line of duty while responding to a domestic disturbance. The LEATH Initiative—led by ATF, IMPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office—focuses on domestic violence offenders who illegally possess firearms or have significant violent criminal histories.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Pedro Zuniga-Lopez
Investigative Excellence Award
Recognizes cases that significantly advanced the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice through complex, thorough, and proactive evidence analysis.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Julian Green, et al and U.S. v. Freire-Pifferrer, et al
Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice
Presented to a case in which local, state, and federal officials achieved extraordinary results in preventing crime, enhancing community safety, and seeking justice.
Awarded to: U.S. v. James Henley, et al
Community Impact
Recognizes a case that produced widespread, positive impact on constituents, strengthened law enforcement relationships, and contributed to the lasting legacy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Indiana.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Desha Morris, U.S. v. Aaron Strong and U.S. v. Kristopher McDonald
Outstanding Agency Service
Presented to cases that substantially contributed to the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Lawrence Taylor, U.S. v. Otha Watkins II, U.S. v. Jeremy Mack, U.S. v. Mitchell Gibson and Quaylan Anderson v. United States.
Excellence in Appellate Practice
Recognizes an appellate case exemplifying excellence in legal writing, issue preservation, and advocacy before the appellate courts, contributing meaningfully to the development of the law and the protection of the United States’ interests.
Awarded to: U.S. v. Fenner, et al
Participating Agencies
Honorees represented the following 33 agencies:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Federal Bureau of Investigation – Indianapolis and Tampa
- Federal Bureau of Prisons – FCC Terre Haute
- Homeland Security Investigations – Indianapolis and Cleveland
- IRS–Criminal Investigation
- U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Frauds Section
- U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
- U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service
- Indiana Attorney General’s Homeowner Protection Unit
- Indiana Family and Social Services Administration
- Indiana State Police
- Charlestown Police Department
- Clarksville Police Department
- Cleveland, Ohio Police Department
- Evansville Police Department
- Fishers Police Department
- Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office
- Henry County Sheriff’s Office
- Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department
- Jeffersonville Police Department
- Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office
- Morgan County Sheriff’s Office
- New Castle Police Department
- Plainfield Police Department
- Princeton Police Department
- Richmond Police Department
- Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office
- Zionsville Police Department
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Three People from St. John the Baptist Parish and Jefferson Parish Sentenced in Fentanyl Distribution CaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – JESSICA PORTWAY, age 42 of St. John the Baptist Parish, RACHEL PORTWAY, age 23 of Jefferson Parish, and TYLER SALADINO, age 25 of Jefferson Parish were sentenced on May 13, 2026 by United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo, after previously pleading guilty to a drug conspiracy, drug distribution, and possession with intent to distribute, announced United States Attorney David I. Courcelle.
TYLER SALADINO was sentenced to 48 months and three (3) years of supervised release as to Counts 1, 2, and 3. JESSICA PORTWAY was sentenced to thirty-seven (37) months as to Counts 1, 2, and 4 and three (3) years of supervised release. RACHEL PORTWAY was sentenced to time-served, three (3) years of supervised release and a 12-month period of home incarceration as to Counts 1, 2, and 3.
According to court documents, in August 2023, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) investigated an overdose death in Jefferson Parish that revealed SALADINO, RACHEL PORTWAY, JESSICA PORTWAY, and others, conspired to distribute fentanyl in the Eastern District of Louisiana. As part of the conspiracy, SALADINO and RACHEL PORTWAY sold pills containing fentanyl to the victim in Jefferson Parish. The investigation further revealed that RACHEL PORTWAY had obtained the pills from JESSICA PORTWAY in the weeks leading up to the transaction and that JESSICA PORTWAY had received the pills from another individual in California.
A search warrant was executed on SALADINO and RACHEL PORTWAY’S shared residence and additional pills were recovered. Testing by the JPSO Crime Laboratory confirmed the pills contained fentanyl. A search warrant was executed on JESSICA PORTWAY’S residence in LaPlace, Louisiana and law enforcement also recovered 26 doses of LSD, a quantity of methamphetamine, and a quantity of fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration – Fentanyl Overdose Response Team (FORT), the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Briana Williams and Andre’ Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
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Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Multi-State Scheme to Defraud Factoring CompaniesRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Hector Perez, 35, of Stockton, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme to defraud companies of $2 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between May 2018 and November 2020, Hector Perez and his brother Flavio Perez, 30, of Stockton, carried out a fraudulent scheme targeting invoice factoring companies.
Invoice factoring is a financial service that provides immediate cash flow to a business in exchange for the business’s outstanding invoices. The invoice factoring company, which has bought the outstanding invoices, then has the right to collect the money owed by the debtors on those invoices.
To execute the scheme, the brothers created corporate entities posing as businesses seeking to sell fabricated debt in the form of fraudulent invoices. The defendants then sold these fraudulent invoices to at least four different factoring companies. As a result of this deception, the victim factoring companies transferred money to bank accounts held under the control of one or both of the defendants. The victim factoring companies would either never get paid on the fake invoices that they had purchased or if they did, would get paid much less than they were due. If they were paid, the money generally came from the defendants, most often via bank accounts held in the names of fictitious debtors. These payments were designed to disguise the fraud so that the defendants could avoid detection and continue the fraudulent enterprise. From May 2018 through September 2020, the overall loss to the victims totaled more than $2 million.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Thuesen is prosecuting the case.
Hector Perez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb on Aug. 24, 2026. Hector Perez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the wire fraud counts, and a mandatory consecutive two-years in prison for the aggravated identity theft count. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
A status conference is scheduled for Flavio Perez on July 13, 2026. He faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the conspiracy count. 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.
Southern California Man Pleads Guilty to Importation and Possession with Intent to Distribute KetamineRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A 19-year-old southern California man pleaded guilty today to importation and possession with intent to distribute more than 70 pounds of ketamine that was discovered in his luggage.
According to court documents, on or about September 29, 2025, Nehemiah Bayonne arrived at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, from London, England. After deboarding the airplane, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer referred Bayonne to Customs for a baggage inspection. During the inspection of Bayonne’s two bags, CBP officers found a total of 32 “bricks” of ketamine – 16 bricks in each bag. The approximate total weight of ketamine was 32.8kg (72.3 lbs). Ketamine is a schedule III controlled substance.
According to the DEA, Ketamine, commonly known on the street as Special K, is a dissociative anesthetic that has some hallucinogenic effects. It distorts perceptions of sight and sound and makes the user feel disconnected and not in control.
Bayonne pleaded guilty to one count of importation of a controlled substance and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance. United States District Judge Cristina D. Silva set sentencing for August 24, 2026. The maximum statutory penalty is 20 years in prison, a period of supervised release, a fine, and a mandatory special assessment.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
HSI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Federal Air Marshal Service investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Brenna Bush is prosecuting the case.
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Sioux Falls, South Dakota Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on May 11, 2026.
Amanda Thompson, 36, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Thompson was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering by a federal grand jury in December 2024. She pleaded guilty on January 21, 2026.
Thompson worked with others to obtain methamphetamine in Omaha during multiple trips and then redistributed those drugs in Sioux Falls. She also sent drug proceeds through multiple money wire transfers directly to people in Mexico at the direction of a co-conspirator. During her involvement in the conspiracy, Thompson was involved in trafficking over four pounds of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges handled the prosecution of the case.
Thompson was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux City Man to Federal Prison for Possession of MethRead the Press Release
Richard Martinez, 30, from Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced May 14, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Martinez pled guilty on July 24, 2025, to possessing and aiding and abetting another’s possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Evidence at the plea and sentencing hearings showed that on July 17, 2024, law enforcement was conducting surveillance at WinnaVegas Casino (near Sloan, Iowa) and observed a vehicle traveling away from the casino over the speed limit. Law enforcement attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle, which took off at high-speed to elude police. As police followed, they observed two packages of methamphetamine thrown out the passenger window. The thrown meth (approximately ½ pound) was later located and seized by law enforcement. Martinez admitted that the driver of the vehicle handed him the methamphetamine and instructed him to throw it out of the window to avoid their apprehension with the methamphetamine in their possession.
Sentencing was held before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Martinez was sentenced to 65 months’ imprisonment and must serve four years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Martinez remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Tri-State Drug Task Force based in Sioux City, Iowa, that consists of law enforcement personnel from the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sioux City, Iowa, Police Department; Homeland Security Investigations; Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office; South Sioux City, Nebraska, Police Department; Nebraska State Patrol; Iowa National Guard; Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; United States Marshals Service; South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation; and Woodbury County Attorney’s Office, and the DEA Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4078. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
San Jose Resident Sentenced to Five and A Half Years in Federal Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – David Alvarez was sentenced last week to 66 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. Senior U.S. District Judge William Orrick handed down the sentence.
Alvarez, 38, of San Jose, was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 31, 2024. Alvarez pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025, to one count of possession of child pornography. According to the plea agreement, Alvarez admitted to possessing five electronic devices that he knew contained approximately 960 files of child pornography. Alvarez further admitted that he distributed child pornography to others via social media and messaging applications, and that he also generated screen recordings of video chat sessions where he played his child pornography collection for 70 different people.
During those recorded video chats, Alvarez asked one user to masturbate next to the user’s sleeping child. Alvarez also showed another user a video depicting the sexual abuse of a child and, while the video played, remarked that he “[d]id this to my nephew a few times” when the nephew was seven years old. Alvarez also exchanged messages that were sexual in nature with a person who told Alvarez he was 15 years old. In those messages, Alvarez solicited pictures from the minor, who sent Alvarez a nude picture. In return, Alvarez sent the minor images of his own genitalia.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Jeff Brannigan made the announcement.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Orrick sentenced the defendant to a 10-year period of supervised release and ordered that he pay restitution to one of his victims. The defendant will begin serving the sentence on July 10, 2026.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared S. Buszin is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
Sacramento Man Sentenced to 22.5 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Michael David Dickey, 31, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd to 22 years and six months in prison for sexual exploitation of a child, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in 2024, Dickey was identified during a law enforcement investigation into forums on the dark web where posters traded child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Law enforcement traced several usernames to Dickey whose posts indicated that he recorded video of a 13-year-old boy engaging in sexually explicit activity and posted it onto the forums. A search warrant revealed an extensive collection of CSAM. Dickey pleaded guilty on Dec. 8, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Roger Yang prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Rapid City Man Convicted of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that Kyle Beck, age 23, of Rapid City, South Dakota, was found guilty of Attempted Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Attempted Enticement of a Minor Using the Internet, and Attempted Receipt of Child Pornography, following a federal jury trial in Rapid City. The verdict was returned on May 12, 2026.
The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 15 years of imprisonment and a maximum penalty of up to life in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, five years of supervised release, and a $300 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Beck was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024.
The convictions stem from an incident that occurred in Rapid City in May 2023. At trial, the evidence established that on May 28, 2023, Beck messaged a 15-year-old girl via Instagram and requested sexually explicit photographs of her. Beck was subsequently interviewed and admitted to his conduct.
This case was investigated by the South Dakota Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the Rapid City Police Department, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Albertson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as a 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. Attorney’s 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 presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. Beck was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Prior Federal Felon Sentenced to Twelve Years in Prison for Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
A man who was previously prosecuted in the Northern District of Iowa for illegally possessing a firearm was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for again possessing a firearm.
Davion Lashaun Trawick, age 26, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a December 8, 2025, guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a felon.
On August 9, 2025, Dubuque police responded to a 911 call. Police tried to make entry into the home, but due to concerns about the presence of firearms and hostages, remained outside. Victims later reported that Trawick, Donta Euells (co‑defendant), and another man, forced their way into the home, and that Trawick pointed his firearm at the victims, including a minor child. Previously, in 2019, defendant was convicted in the Northern District of Iowa for illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user.
Trawick was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Trawick was sentenced to 144 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Trawick is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole L. Nagin and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 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
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1042-1.
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Owner of group homes for at-risk youth and her drug-dealing boyfriend charged with money launderingRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Kristin Draper has been arraigned on federal charges of money laundering conspiracy for allegedly conspiring with her boyfriend, Antwaun Brown, to funnel proceeds of Brown’s fentanyl dealing through a Dayton, Ohio group home for at-risk youth. Brown, a felon with state and federal convictions for trafficking crack cocaine and heroin, is facing federal drug charges related to the seizure of a massive amount of fentanyl in Sandy Springs, Georgia last year.
“Draper was entrusted with protecting at-risk children, but instead allegedly used her position to launder money from fentanyl sales – a lethal drug that is killing our young people,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will continue to work tirelessly to aggressively prosecute the drug dealers who poison our communities, as well as the money launderers who facilitate crime by concealing the proceeds of illicit activity.”
“Money laundering enables criminal organizations to profit and operate in the shadows,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Through coordinated investigative efforts and strong partnerships, law enforcement remains committed to following the money, uncovering criminal networks, and ensuring those responsible are brought to justice.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Draper owns Reflections Group Home, LLC, which operates three group homes in Dayton, Ohio, with space for 15 children. In 2024, Draper reported personally earning nearly $1 million in wages and distributions from Reflections Group Home’s 15 beds. A financial investigation allegedly showed that Brown and Draper conspired to commingle the profits of Brown’s Atlanta-area drug dealing with legitimate income from Reflections Group Home to obscure the source of the drug proceeds.
The investigation revealed that Draper used the commingled funds to purchase a $3 million dollar home in Forsyth County, Georgia, and a Lamborghini SUV worth over $200,000. On March 21, 2025, Brown was arrested driving that Lamborghini SUV with nearly ten pounds of fentanyl inside. The vehicle was registered to Reflections Group Home.
Kristin Draper, 37, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas on charges of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.
Antwaun Brown, 40, of Alpharetta, Georgia, was previously indicted on April 22, 2025, on charges of possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. He will be arraigned on a superseding indictment, charging both drug and money laundering violations, at a later date. Brown has been in custody since his arrest.
A grand jury returned the superseding indictment against Brown and Draper on May 12, 2026.
Members of the public are reminded that the superseding indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with valuable assistance from the Sandy Springs Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew R. LaGrone is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Owner of California Medical Companies Pleads Guilty to Stealing More than $1 Million in Pandemic Relief FundsRead the Press Release
The owner of two Southern California non-emergency ambulatory companies pleaded guilty today to wire fraud and money laundering.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mehrdad Tabrizi was the sole owner of Life Fleet Inc. and Resonante Group, two medical businesses based in Orange County. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Tabrizi used these two companies to defraud the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) out of more than $1 million of COVID-19 relief funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, two government programs intended to provide financial assistance to Americans suffering economic harm during the COVID-19 pandemic. In May 2020 and March 2021, Tabrizi submitted two fraudulent PPP loan applications falsely claiming Life Fleet Inc. was in operation and had employees that received wages in 2019 and 2020. In fact, Tabrizi had shuttered the company in 2018, and it had been non-operational since then. As a result of these fraudulent applications, the SBA’s lending partner disbursed approximately $696,565 in PPP funds to bank accounts Tabrizi controlled.
In addition, in June and July 2020, Tabrizi submitted two fraudulent EIDL applications to the SBA falsely claiming that both Life Fleet Inc. and Resonate Group had gross revenues and paid for goods in the 12 months prior to January 2020. Because of these two fraudulent applications, the SBA transmitted an additional $319,800 to bank accounts Tabrizi controlled. Neither Life Fleet Inc. nor Resonate Group was entitled to receive any of these funds under either PPP or EIDL.
In May 2020, Tabrizi withdrew $60,000 of the fraudulently obtained money to help purchase a 2019 Porsche Turbo Cabriolet.
Tabrizi pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and 10 years in prison for money laundering. 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 First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal A. Essayli for the Central District of California made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Boris Bourget and John Gerardi of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Out of state trucker arrested in failed human smuggling attempt of 42 in hot, locked trailerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 43-year-old Beaver, Oklahoma, resident has been charged with smuggling numerous illegal aliens as well as possession with intent to distribute meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Juan Nasario-Reyes is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby May 19 at 9:40 a.m.
On May 16, Nasario-Reyes allegedly drove a white Volvo tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita where authorities noticed his nervous behavior. According to the complaint, he claimed his vehicle was empty and he was alone, but a K-9 alerted to the sleeper portion of the tractor and the front of the trailer.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered four illegal aliens concealed inside the cab area and 38 more inside the trailer, according to the complaint.
The charges further allege the trailer had been latched shut from the outside with no means for the individuals inside to open the doors or escape.
A subsequent search allegedly revealed water bottles, trash, a cushion and a bucket for urination inside the trailer. According to the complaint, the temperature inside the trailer was approximately 92.5 degrees.
The illegal aliens are from the countries of Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Columbia, Cuba and Brazil, according to the charges.
Authorities also allegedly located approximately 16 grams of meth, a glass pipe and glass funnel inside a headphone box in the cab area.
If convicted of the human smuggling offenses, Nasario-Reyes faces up to five years in federal prison as well as a $250,000 maximum fine, while the drug charges carry a maximum of 40 years.
A total of 13 of the illegal aliens are facing either illegal entry or reentry charges, while the remaining are expected to be immediately removed from the country.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce 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.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Omaha Woman Sentenced to a Total of 292 Months for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Joyce M. Beauchamp, 40, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 13, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, for Production of Child Pornography and Distribution of Child Pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Beauchamp to 292 months’ imprisonment on the production count and 240 months’ imprisonment on the distribution count. The sentences will be served concurrently. There is no parole in the federal system. After Beauchamp’s release from prison, she will begin a five-year supervised release term.
On October 31, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at an Omaha residence and seized electronic devices for forensic examination. Investigators located numerous images and/or videos depicting child pornography and identified several individuals in the Omaha area who discussed and exchanged child pornography. The FBI identified Beauchamp as one of these individuals. In December 2022, Beauchamp took multiple nude photographs of two minor victims and sent them to another individual. The photos were sent in a text message string discussing the sexual abuse of children. In an additional message between Beauchamp and the individual, the individual sent Beauchamp an image depicting child sexual abuse material and Beauchamp explicitly described what a sexual encounter between Beauchamp, the individual, and the child might look like.
United States Attorney Lesley Woods said, “The children of Nebraska deserve protection from sexual predators like Beauchamp, and this office will spare no effort or resources in pursuing every threat to the children in our communities. There is no greater evil than the evil found in those who harm children in this unspeakable way.”
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 138 Months for Firearms and Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Muhammad Ali Hasan, 52, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on May 7, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for distribution of methamphetamine, possession of a firearm by a felon, and for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Hasan to 78 months’ imprisonment on the drug conviction and for possession of a firearm as a felon, each to run concurrently, and a consecutive 60 months’ imprisonment for the possession of a firearm during drug trafficking charge, for a total sentence of 138 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After his release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
On March 5 and March 6, 2024, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives special agents utilized a third-party buyer to purchase methamphetamine and firearms from Muhammad Ali Hasan, who had multiple prior felony convictions, including for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. Both controlled buys occurred outside of or near Hasan’s apartment near 16th and Hickory streets in Omaha.
On March 5, 2024, Hasan sold the buyer 48 grams of actual methamphetamine, a Ruger AR-556 multi-caliber rifle, and two compatible, high-capacity magazines. Hasan then offered to sell another firearm and more methamphetamine at a later time. On the following day, Hasan sold the buyer 40 grams of actual methamphetamine, a DPMS Inc., Model A15 multi-caliber rifle, and a compatible high-capacity magazine containing .223 ammunition. The DPMS Inc. rifle had previously been reported stolen.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and 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.
Ohio Investment Manager Sentenced to Nine Years for $10M Cryptocurrency Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced today to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release for orchestrating a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme that raised over $10 million from investors, many of whom resided in or around Columbus, Ohio.
According to court documents, Rathnakishore Giri, 31, of New Albany, Ohio, misled investors by fraudulently promoting himself as an expert cryptocurrency trader, with a specialty in trading Bitcoin derivatives. Giri falsely promised investors that he would generate lucrative returns with no risk to their principal investment amount, which he guaranteed to return. In reality, Giri often used money provided by new investors to repay old investors – a hallmark of a Ponzi scheme. In addition, Giri had a record of investment failures, including a long history of losing investors’ principal investments, and misled investors about reasons for delays when they sought to cash out their investments or otherwise obtain the return of their “guaranteed” principal.
In October 2024, Giri pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. Following his guilty plea, while on pretrial release pending sentencing, Giri continued to solicit funds from cryptocurrency investors, causing additional harm to new victims. In advance of today’s sentencing, Giri admitted to this additional conduct pursuant to an amended plea agreement with the Department.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie of the FBI Cincinnati Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Lucy B. Jennings and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by a cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme, please contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
Northern Virginia duo pleads guilty to defrauding pandemic relief programsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Teresita Tiongson, 81, of Springfield, and Chung K. Shih, 39, of Sterling, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in submitting fraudulent loan applications through pandemic relief programs. This case is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, on March 27, 2020, Congress passed and the President signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Among other relief measures, the law authorized the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program. PPP was intended to provide loans backed by the Small Business Administration (SBA) to certain businesses, nonprofit organizations, and others to help them remain afloat during the pandemic. The EIDL program was intended to enable small businesses to meet financial obligations and operating expenses during the pandemic.
According to court documents, prior to April 2020, Tiongson owned and operated a home health services company called Alpha Health Resource, LLC (AHR). In March 2020, AHR closed for reasons unrelated to the pandemic.
On May 4, 2020, Shih prepared and electronically submitted a PPP loan application for $57,143 on behalf of AHR, with the knowledge, consent, and assistance of Tiongson. The application falsely stated that AHR had 25 employees and an average monthly payroll of over $22,000. On May 7, 2020, $57,143 of PPP loan funds were deposited into an AHR bank account. On April 27, 2021, Shih prepared and submitted and Tiongson signed a second PPP loan application for $75,616 on behalf of AHR, falsely stating that AHR had seven employees and an average monthly payroll of $40,000. On May 3, 2021, $75,616 of PPP loan funds were deposited into an AHR bank account.
On Sept. 28, 2020, Shih prepared and submitted and Tiongson signed an EIDL application for $150,000 on behalf of AHR, falsely stating that AHR was an operating business. On Oct. 2, 2020, the SBA deposited $149,900 of EIDL funds into an AHR bank account. On July 13, 2021, Shih prepared and submitted and Tiongson signed an EIDL increase application for $350,000 on behalf of AHR. On July 19, 2021, the SBA deposited $350,000 of EIDL funds into an AHR bank account.
Shih prepared and submitted each application with Tiongson’s knowledge, consent, and assistance. After the funds from each loan were received, Tiongson and Shih engaged in numerous financial transactions to split the funds between them and used the funds for personal expenses. In total, Shih and Tiongson fraudulently received $632,659 in pandemic assistance loans to which they were not entitled.
Shih is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 3 and faces up to 20 years in prison. Tiongson is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 27 and faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Harvey is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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. 1:26-cr-87 and 1:26-cr-96.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Theft CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Kwanique Martin, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, pleaded guilty today to theft of public money, property, or records.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 1, 2025, Martin traveled from New York to a business in Summersville, West Virginia, where he cashed a $1,400 United States Treasury check made out to the name of another person. As part of his guilty plea, Martin admitted that the check did not belong to him, that he had no legal authority to possess or cash it, and that he presented a fraudulent passport card with his photograph but matching the name on the check when he cashed it.
Martin further admitted that on March 1, 2025, he fraudulently cashed nine other U.S. Treasury checks at businesses in Morgantown, Grafton, Weston, Buckhannon, Sutton, Clarksburg, and Kingwood, West Virginia and in Oakland, Maryland, and received a total of approximately $14,002.72 from all 10 checks. Martin also admitted that he possessed another $18,286.97 in U.S. Treasury checks that he planned to fraudulently cash, but that he inadvertently left a green bag containing those checks and the $14,002.72 in fraudulent proceeds in a Summersville area motel on March 2, 2025, after spending the night there. The motel contacted law enforcement after finding the green bag in the room where Martin had stayed. Officers arrested Martin when he returned to the motel to retrieve the green bag.
Martin is scheduled to be sentenced on September 10, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Martin also owes $14,002.72 in restitution.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Summersville Police Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the United States Department of the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the assistance provided by the Nicholas County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-47.
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New York City Felon Sentenced to 77 Months for D.C. Swatting and Carjacking IncidentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Thierno Barry, 23, a previously convicted felon who resided in Queens, New York, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 77 months in federal prison in the March 2025 multijurisdictional crime spree that included a high-speed police chase, the swatting of a random Northwest residence and a subsequent carjacking of an elderly couple the same day at Union Station, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Barry, aka “Usman Barrie,” pleaded guilty on January 22, 2026, to one count of carjacking, to one count of interstate transport of a stolen vehicle, and to making false alarms and reports. In addition to the 77-month prison term, Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Barry to serve three years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a prison term of 102 months.
“Thierno Barry led police on a 120-mile-per-hour chase while live-streaming the pursuit, filed a false shooting report that sent officers rushing to a sleeping family’s home, and carjacked an elderly couple on their way to the hospital,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This violent and reckless conduct put countless lives at risk. Our office will continue to hold accountable anyone who treats the District as a playground for violence and lawlessness.”
According to court documents, at about midnight on March 31, 2025, Barry was being pursued by Virginia State Police when he drove into the District. During the chase which reach speeds over 120 m.p.h., Barry used his cellphone to post to social media, including an Instagram selfie with the caption “Run or pull over like a ?bitch” at 11:41 p.m. At 11:52 p.m., Barry posted a video narrating the pursuit, saying: “ . . . I’m talking about five state troopers on my a** bro! I swear to god . . .”
Barry abandoned the Volkswagen SUV he was driving in an alley behind 4300 block of Reno Road, NW. Metropolitan Police officers responded to the area at 12:21 a.m., recovered the vehicle, but were unable to locate Barry.
At 1:30 a.m., Barry called 911 and falsely reported to the operator that his ex-husband had shot his wife in the face and chest. He indicated that the shooter had driven away. Barry provided an address on Brandywine Street NW where he claimed the shooting had occurred. At the time Barry made the report, he knew that it was false. A few minutes after Barry made the call, 911 operators attempted to call back the phone number that had made the report but were sent to voicemail. The voicemail mailbox recording stated that the mailbox belonged to “Thierno Barry.”
MPD responded to the address of the reported shooting and made contact with the residents of the house, who were asleep when MPD arrived.
Barry remained in the area until 2:30 a.m., when video footage showed him at the 4200 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW boarding a WMATA bus. 3:11 a.m. he switched to another bus in the 2100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
Barry boards the second WMATA bus.
Shortly after getting off of the bus, Barry entered Union Station. Security guards reported that an individual matching Barry’s description was kicked out of station about 3:30 a.m. after making threats to commit a shooting there.
At 3:37 a.m., Barry approached a Buick sedan occupied by an 88-year-old man and an 87-year-old woman who had been stopped directly in front of the station.
Barry approached the driver’s side, then reached into the open window and opened the driver’s side door. Barry ordered the couple out of the car repeatedly, stating “Get out of the car! If you don’t, I’m gonna kill you.” Barry told the victims that he had a gun and held his hand in the pocket of his sweatshirt to imitate a firearm.
Surveillance photo shows Barry behind the wheel of the Buick sedan, as the 88-year-old man (CW-3) attempts to get up from the street where Barry had thrown him to the ground.
The victims told Barry that they could not give him the car because they were on their way to the hospital, but Barry continued to threaten them and demand the car.
With the driver’s door still opened, Barry grabbed hold of the driver’s upper body, physically wrenched him out of the vehicle, and threw him to the ground. Barry stepped over the man and climbed into the driver’s seat. The woman passenger got out of the car. With the doors still open, Barry drove away, eventually reaching a gas station in Greenbelt, Maryland. During that drive, images of the car were captured by a speed camera. Barry only stopped driving after the car suffered a flat tire.
The Greenbelt Police Department apprehended Barry, who initially identified himself as with the alias “Usaman Barrie.”
Barry has two prior felony convictions and has seven other open cases outside of this jurisdiction.
This case was investigated by the MPD, the FBI Washington Field Office, and the Greenbelt Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan M. Horan.
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New York City Based Drug Supplier Sentenced for Role in Ulster County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Defendant, Cecilio Wareham, age 48 of Queens, New York, was sentenced on May 11, 2026 by United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino to 63 months in Federal Prison to be followed by a term of three years of supervised release. The sentence stems from his conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Wareham previously admitted to supplying his co-conspirator, Greg Tejada, with quantities of cocaine for redistribution, including over 2 kilograms of cocaine that were seized from Tejada in October 2024.
The announcement was made by First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III; HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso; and Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, whose office leads the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement Narcotics Team (URGENT).
In April 2025, ten defendants, including Wareham, were indicted for their roles in drug trafficking organizations that distributed large quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine in and around Kingston, New York and other areas of Ulster County. The charges in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The organizations are alleged to have distributed over 11 kilograms of cocaine and hundreds of grams of cocaine base. Through the execution of search warrants in Ulster County and additional enforcement actions, law enforcement seized over five kilograms of cocaine and 270 grams of cocaine base.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated: “Cecilio Wareham will spend the next 63 months in federal prison due to his role in a distribution network poisoning our streets. Wareham and his accused associates were identified and indicted thanks to strong collaboration between law enforcement partners at the local and federal levels. Together their efforts uncovered this operation and have removed these deadly drugs from our streets.”
HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso: “Today’s sentence represents the culmination of a long-term joint effort to uncover and disrupt the organizations pushing dangerous narcotics into our neighborhoods. HSI New York, in close coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, will continue to target and root out the pipelines, intermediaries, and groups that profit from addiction. We will not waver in our mission to protect our communities and bring traffickers to justice.”
Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa stated: “Removing the threat of dangerous narcotics trafficking in our county is one of the main directives of the URGENT task force. Illegal drug use in our county leads to other serious crimes. I want to thank our Federal, state and local partners for the collaboration and hard work in this case.”
The remaining defendants, all of whom are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, would face the following minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment upon conviction:
NameAgeResidenceMinimum Term of ImprisonmentMaximum Term of ImprisonmentDamon Dunn, aka “Moe”48Tilson, New York10 yearsLifeGreg Tejada, aka “Bear,48Highland Lakes, New Jersey10 yearsLifeRichard Johnson35New York, New York10 yearsLifeKevin Dunn52New York, New York5 years40 yearsAidan White23Kingston, New York5 years40 yearsKristine Scibelli41Middletown, New York5 years40 yearsXavier Patterson, aka “Xay”28New York, New York5 years40 yearsAllen McGraw, aka “Snoop”44Utica, New YorkNone20 yearsRaymond Robinson53Kingston, New YorkNone20 yearsAdditionally, Damon Dunn, Raymond Robinson, Greg Tejada, Kristine Scibelli, Xavier Patterson, and Richard Johnson are charged with Distribution of a Controlled Substance, and Aidan White and Damon Dunn are charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance.
The charges in the indictments are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by HSI; the Ulster County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with URGENT (the Ulster Regional Gang Enforcement and Narcotics Team); Federal Bureau of Investigation, and New York State Police Special Investigations Unit, Valhalla.
Assistant United States Attorneys Paul DerOhannesian and Douglas Collyer are prosecuting the cases.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
New York Business Owner Sentenced to Prison for Using Shell Companies to Launder Health Care Fraud Proceeds for Transnational Criminal OrganizationRead the Press Release
A New York man was sentenced today to 37 months in prison for conspiring to launder nearly $1.5 million in illicit health care fraud proceeds through multiple domestic and global banks on behalf of a Transnational Criminal Organization (Organization).
According to court documents, Elnar Zarbailov, 42, of Staten Island, New York, and dual citizen of the United States and Azerbaijan, was a fixer and money launderer for the foreign-based Organization that spearheaded the largest health care fraud case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice, as uncovered by Operation Gold Rush. The Organization, based in Russia and elsewhere, orchestrated a multi-billion-dollar health care fraud and money laundering scheme to target, exploit, and steal from Medicare and private health insurance companies.
As alleged in charging documents, the Organization exploited the United States’ financial system by depositing insurance reimbursement checks from the fraud. The health care fraud proceeds were particularly susceptible to laundering because they originated from legitimate sources—Medicare and established private insurance carriers—giving the funds the initial appearance of legitimacy. To gain access to the United States’ financial system, the Organization deployed a range of tactics to circumvent internal controls at multiple banks and in some cases coordinated directly with associates employed at the banks.
As further alleged, to open financial accounts, the Organization armed its nominee owners, many of whom were not lawfully present in the United States, with false sale documentation and false corporate registration documents. This documentation falsely reflected that the nominee owners maintained beneficial ownership and control of various fraudulent durable medical equipment (DME) companies. This disguised the true beneficial ownership and control of the companies and the financial accounts. Upon opening the financial accounts, the Organization funneled fraud proceeds from Medicare and other legitimate health care insurers into the accounts as seemingly “clean” money. From there, the Organization siphoned off the funds to shell companies and various banks overseas.
Zarbailov facilitated a critical element of the transnational scheme. In furtherance of the conspiracy, Zarbailov deposited fraud proceeds from five DME companies linked to the scheme and transferred the fraud proceeds to other accounts, including accounts located overseas.
Zarbailov was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in September 2024 as he attempted to leave the United States to Azerbaijan. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering in October 2025. In addition to the prison term, Zarbailov was ordered to pay $1,457,898 in forfeiture.
Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s Fraud Division, Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG), and Chief Division Counsel Tony Costanza for the FBI New Haven for the FBI made the announcement.
HHS-OIG and FBI investigated the case. Homeland Security Investigations and the El Dorado Task Force assisted in the defendant’s arrest.
Assistant Chiefs Shankar Ramamurthy and Kevin Lowell, and Trial Attorneys Leonid Sandlar and Sara E. Porter, of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
New Jersey Man Indicted for Multiple Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cherry Hill, N.J., man previously arrested on state charges for armed home invasion in April 2025, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly sexually exploiting a minor in Massachusetts, as well as travelling across state lines to engage in illicit sexually conduct with the minor victim.
Essam Meawad, 34, was indicted on two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of interstate travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. Meawad was arrested on the state charge in July of 2025 and has remained in state custody since.
On or about August 2024 and November 2024, Meawad allegedly coerced a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, in August 2024, Meawad allegedly traveled in interstate commerce to engage in illicit contact with the minor.
The charge of sexual exploitation of minors (and attempt and conspiracy) provides for a sentence of no less than 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Chief Roy W. Frost of the Billerica Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, of the Major Crimes Unit and Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Hawkins of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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.
Nebraska United States Attorney Appointed to Serve on Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s Advisory CommitteeRead the Press Release
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche has appointed U.S. Attorney Lesley A. Woods of the District of Nebraska to serve on the Administration’s inaugural Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of U.S. Attorneys (AGAC) for a term of three years.
The Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) is a select and prestigious body of United States Attorneys chosen by Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to advise Department of Justice leadership on national law enforcement priorities. Acting Attorney General Blanche selected United States Attorney Lesley Woods to serve as the Eighth Circuit’s representative to his Advisory Committee.
Created in 1973, the AGAC is comprised of an exclusive group of 18 United States Attorneys and is designed to ensure broad geographic, operational, and subject-matter representation. Members work through subcommittees and working groups on issues including violent crime, national security, fraud, narcoterrorism, and other critical priorities as set by the President of the United States. The Committee plays a central role in ensuring that the experience of federal prosecutors in the field informs national Department of Justice strategy.
U.S. Attorney Woods is deeply honored at the opportunity to represent Nebraska and the interests of Nebraska and the Eighth Circuit on this committee and hopes to make her service impactful for both the District of Nebraska and the Department of Justice as a whole.
Prior to her appointment on the committee, U.S. Attorney Woods served as a JAG officer on active duty in the United States Air Force, an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Texas for approximately three years, the District of Nebraska for approximately seven years, and the District of Maryland in the Baltimore Office’s National Security Section for a short time while her husband was briefly assigned in the Washington, D.C. area. U.S. Attorney Woods also briefly served as a trial attorney for the Counterterrorism Section at Department of Justice Headquarters where she specialized in cases that combated international terrorism and served on a team of attorneys that were liaisons to the Department of Defense on matters of national security. U.S. Attorney Woods was grateful to return to Nebraska in her present role.
U.S. Attorney Woods and other members of the AGAC met with Acting Attorney General Blanche and other Department leadership earlier in May and the AGAC will hold the first substantive meeting next month where the committee will focus on establishing subcommittees individually focused on matters that will be top priorities, such as committees focused on combating violent and organized crime and increasing national security in all fifty states from foreign threats that include the cartels and the violent Tren de Aragua organization that has committed alleged crimes in Nebraska that include human trafficking and ATM jackpotting offenses. AGAC members typically chair these subcommittees which are staffed with United States Attorneys from around the nation.
AGAC membership is selected to represent various federal judicial districts, geographic locations, and various sized offices. The Committee is comprised of 18 United States Attorneys and First Assistant U.S. Attorneys. U.S. Attorney Woods will serve alongside the Committee’s Chairman Jay Clayton (Southern District of New York) and Vice-Chairwoman Leah Foley (District of Massachusetts), as well as U.S. Attorney Dan Bishop (Middle District of North Carolina), U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros (Northern District of Illinois), U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford (District of Oregon), U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine (District of Arizona), Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine Crosby (Northern District of Alabama), U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant (Western District of Tennessee), First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bilal Essayli (Central District of California), U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon (Southern District of California), U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon (Eastern District of Michigan), Acting U.S. Attorney John Marck (Southern District of Texas), U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly (District of Colorado), U.S. Attorney David Metcalf (Eastern District of Pennsylvania), U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro (District of Columbia), U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones (Southern District of Florida), and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison (District of New Mexico).
Maryland Felon Pleads Guilty in D.C. in Possession of a Glock Pistol with an Extended MagazineRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rashim Johnson, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today in connection with his possession of a Glock 19 semiautomatic pistol with a 31 round capacity magazine, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Johnson pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Judge Mehta scheduled sentencing for October 2.
According to court documents, on Aug. 10, 2025, about 12:13 a.m., Johnson was loitering in the middle of the 4800 block of Sherrif Road, NE, when Metro Transit Police Department officers on patrol entered the block. Johnson sprinted away as the officers exited their vehicle. An officer pursued Johnson and observed Johnson take a black object from his waistband and toss it over a chain-link fence bordering a property on the 1000 block of 48th Street, NE. There was no one on the property when Johnson threw the object. The officer apprehended Johnson about 10 seconds later and subsequently recovered a 9mm Glock 19 pistol nearby.
The pistol was equipped with an extended magazine loaded with 31 rounds plus one round in the chamber. Additionally, the firearm was equipped with a laser attachment below the barrel, and the serial number was obliterated. Due to his status as a previously convicted felon, Johnson was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
This case was investigated by officers with the Metropolitan Transit Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department, and agents with the United States Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives – Washington Field Office.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Travis Wolf.
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Marina del Rey Woman Federally Charged with Paying Individuals, Including Homeless People on L.A.’s Skid Row, to Register to VoteRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A Marina del Rey woman who worked as a longtime signature collector for ballot initiatives has been charged with paying individuals – including homeless people living in the Skid Row area of downtown Los Angeles – to register to vote, the Justice Department announced today.
Brenda Lee Brown Armstrong, 64, a.k.a. “Anika,” is charged with one felony count of paying another person to register to vote, a federal charge that carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Armstrong has agreed to plead guilty to the charge and is scheduled to make her initial appearance this morning in United States District Court in Santa Ana. She is expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks.
“False registrations undermine Americans’ faith in elections – even more so when payoffs are involved,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Civil Rights Division. “This Justice Department is committed to ensuring that all U.S. elections are fair and free from illegal meddling – so that all Americans can accept the results with confidence.”
According to her plea agreement, for approximately 20 years, Armstrong periodically worked as a “petition circulator.” In that role, she was paid by individuals and entities – known as “coordinators” – to collect voter signatures on official petitions that qualify initiatives, referendums, and recalls for California state ballots. Armstrong drove around the Los Angeles area to find registered voters to sign the petitions.
After gathering enough signatures, Armstrong returned the petitions to her coordinators, who then paid her a set amount for each registered voter’s signature. The amount she was paid varied depending on the specific ballot initiative. Because her coordinators only paid for signatures attributable to registered voters, Armstrong endeavored to ensure the people who signed her petitions were registered voters.
Armstrong occasionally solicited petitioned signatures in Skid Row, an area of downtown Los Angeles notorious for its homelessness problem. Skid Row was a convenient place for Armstrong to collect signatures because of its high concentration of people in a relatively small area who were willing to sign petitions in exchange for payment. Armstrong regularly paid and offered to pay individuals cash, usually in amounts between $2 and $3, to induce them to sign her petitions.
Many of Skid Row’s homeless population were not registered to vote. To ensure she maximized her pay from her coordinators, starting no later than 2025, Armstrong began offering payment to individuals not only to sign her petitions, but also to complete a voter registration form. Before going to Skid Row, Armstrong gathered a stack of voter registration forms from the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters.
Some homeless people did not have an address to put on the forms. On several occasions, Armstrong provided a homeless individual with her own former address in Los Angeles so they had something to write on the registration form. These registration forms simultaneously registered an individual to vote in California elections and in federal elections.
Because California automatically sends a vote-by-mail ballot to every registered voter, this also meant ballots in some homeless individuals’ names could have the potential to be sent to Armstrong’s former residence where the homeless individual did not live or collect mail.
On January 30, 2026, as part of her ongoing scheme, Armstrong knowingly and willfully paid another person to register to vote. She paid the person for the purpose of causing that person to register to vote in federal elections.
The FBI and investigators with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California investigated this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Wheat and Nandor Kiss of the Orange County Office are prosecuting this case.
Manchester Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
Manchester Man Sentenced to 80 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm Violations
CONCORD – Craig Pearson, 43, of Manchester, was sentenced today in federal court for methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking and firearm offenses, United States Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Pearson was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Court Judge Samantha D. Elliott to 80 months in federal prison and 3 years of supervised release. Pearson previously pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
“Today’s sentence reflects the serious threat posed by those who seek to inject highly addictive and lethal drugs like methamphetamine and fentanyl into our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan. “Drug traffickers who arm themselves are not simply dealers, they are a compounded threat to public safety. Our office will continue to support drug interdiction efforts to prevent these deadly drugs from reaching our streets and will hold accountable traffickers who endanger our communities, whether through the poison they sell or the firearms they carry to protect it.”
“Today’s significant sentence demonstrates the serious consequences awaiting those who choose to traffic deadly drugs and illegally possess firearms in furtherance of their criminal activity,” said Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, New England Field Division. “Methamphetamine and fentanyl continue to devastate families and communities across New Hampshire and throughout New England, and the DEA remains committed to identifying, investigating, and dismantling the organizations responsible for distributing these dangerous substances. This case is the direct result of strong collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement partners working together to protect public safety and hold violent drug traffickers accountable.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, in late June and early July 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) seized a total of more than 600 grams of methamphetamine during two separate controlled purchase operations involving Pearson. As a result, on July 7, 2022, DEA arrested Pearson, searched a hotel room he rented, and seized an additional 400 grams of methamphetamine, 200 grams of fentanyl, and a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle.
The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cesar A. Vega is prosecuting the case.
This effort 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.
Man and Woman Charged with Smuggling Protected Parrots and Parakeets in a Spare Tire CageRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Sydney Johnson of Santee and Brandon Marion of Temecula appeared in federal court today to face charges that they illegally imported 27 protected parrots and parakeets in a modified spare tire in the trunk of a car.
Both species of birds - including 11 orange-fronted parakeets (Eupsittula canicularis) and 16 white-fronted Amazon parrots (Amazona albifrons) - are protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Federal agents detained Johnson and Marion applied for admission to the United States at the San Ysidro Port of Entry on May 3. Customs and Border Protection officers detected anomalies in the spare tire. When an officer inspected the tire, he heard a screeching noise and found the birds in the spare tire, which had been outfitted with a cage
In their post-arrest interviews, the defendants admitted they could hear the birds screaming as they drove. Marion described the birds’ sounds as a “pterodactyl screech.”
One of the birds was already dead; the surviving birds were initially cared for by Veterinary Services at the southern border before being transferred to a Department of Agriculture Animal Import Center for quarantine. One bird did not survive transit, and two birds died in quarantine. The remaining 23 birds are believed to be recovering from the journey.
White Fronted Amazon Parrots and Orange Fronted Parakeets are protected and are listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Concealment of the parrots and parakeets would have resulted in their entering the United States without any quarantine period or process.
To import many types of wildlife, the wildlife must be subject to quarantine before it can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals that can have disastrous health effects to human or animal populations. For example, birds can carry and spread Avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, that is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission.
The United States Attorney’s Office is a member of the Department of Justice’s Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort that also involves the National Fraud Enforcement Division, the Criminal and Civil Divisions, the Environment and Natural Resources Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Homeland Security, and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force was created to leverage all the Department’s tools and authorities to prevent trade fraud that deprives the government of vital revenue, threatens critical domestic industries, undermines consumer confidence, and weakens national security. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Justice Department encourages whistleblowers to alert the government to credible allegations of fraud, including utilizing the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act or through the Criminal Division’s Corporate Whistleblower Program at [email protected] using the form available here.
This case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Rookard.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26-mj-02857
Sydney Johnson Age: 27
Brandon Marion Age: 38
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Importation Contrary to Law – Title 18, U.S.C., Section 545
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Customs and Border Protection
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Lower Brule Man Sentenced to over 6 Years in Federal Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a Lower Brule, South Dakota, man convicted of Assault With a Dangerous Weapon. The sentencing took place on May 11, 2026.
Latrelle LaRoche, age 20, was sentenced to six years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
LaRoche was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2025. He pleaded guilty on February 12, 2026.
The conviction stems from a shooting that occurred on June 19, 2025, in the Lower Brule Sioux Indian Reservation. While inside the victim’s residence, LaRoche argued with the victim over money LaRoche owed him. LaRoche fired a warning shot and then fired a second time, striking the victim in the abdomen. The victim sustained serious bodily injury requiring medical treatment and surgery.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Office of Justice Services-Lower Brule Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Dilges prosecuted the case.
This matter is being 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.
LaRoche was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.