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Thursday 2 April 2026
Advanced Urology and Jitesh Patel will pay $14 million to settle False Claims Act case involving allegations of fraudulent billing and unnecessary medical proceduresRead the Press Release
ATLANTA –Jitesh Patel, M.D., Advanced Urology, Inc., and affiliated companies (collectively “Advanced Urology”) will pay $14 million to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act by billing federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, for a series of urological and diagnostic procedures that were not performed or were medically unnecessary.
“Physicians commit fraud when they seek payment for medically unnecessary procedures or bill for services they never performed,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Our office will not tolerate abuse of patients or misuse of government funds, and we will enforce the False Claims Act to hold wrongdoers accountable.”
“This action underscores our commitment to safeguarding federal health care programs from fraud and abuse,” said Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Allegations of upcoding and medically unnecessary procedures undermine the integrity of Medicare and other government programs. We will continue working closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure that providers who submit false claims are held accountable.”
“The settlement underscores the FBI’s commitment to investigating complex healthcare fraud schemes that prioritize profit over patient care,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia. “Submitting false claims to federal healthcare programs is a serious violation of the law, and we will continue to ensure those responsible are held accountable.”
“This settlement demonstrates the VA OIG’s tireless commitment to protecting veterans’ healthcare programs from fraudulent billing,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
“Fraud against the Medicaid program is stealing from Georgia taxpayers – plain and simple,” said Jim Mooney, Deputy Attorney General of Georgia’s Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division. “Performing unnecessary procedures takes limited resources away from those who truly need them. This office will ensure that Medicaid providers treat their patients and Georgia taxpayers with respect and not as a scheme to get rich.”
"This settlement should serve as a strong deterrent to healthcare practitioners who abandon their Hippocratic Oath while seeking to exploit and defraud TRICARE, which provides critical healthcare services to those who defend our nation, retirees, and their families,” said Jason Sargenski, Special Agent in Charge, Department of Defense, Office of Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “DCIS, alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively investigate allegations of healthcare providers who defraud the U.S. Government, and will seek justice on behalf of our men and women in uniform.”
The government’s investigation began after a former Advanced Urology employee filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that Advanced Urology performed unnecessary procedures. A former Advanced Urology physician filed a second whistleblower complaint alleging that the practice billed government healthcare programs for procedures and tests that were not performed or were medically unnecessary.
The whistleblowers alleged, among other things, that Advanced Urology’s organization was designed to maximize revenue for Dr. Patel and others by performing medically unnecessary procedures and tests, by engaging in the following practices, among others:
- Implanting permanent Sacral Nerve Stimulator devices in patients without first determining whether the patients would benefit from the device.
- Performing numerous unnecessary Cystoscopy and Retrograde Pyelogram procedures, which involved placing a patient under anesthesia and inserting a small scope through the patient’s urethra and into the bladder.
- Performing an Electromyography test on almost every new patient at Advanced Urology even though it is rarely used in urology practices. This test involved transmitting electrical signals through an electrode attached to the patient’s genitalia.
- Ordering thousands of unnecessary ultrasound tests, including duplex ultrasounds and retroperitoneal ultrasounds.
The whistleblowers also alleged that Advanced Urology billed for a procedure known as Direct Visual Internal Urethrotomy (“DVIU”) that it never performed. The DVIU procedure involves using a scope to dilate a patient’s urethra and a knife to cut tissue inside the urethra. Allegedly, Advanced Urology performed a less complicated dilation of the urethra but billed government healthcare programs for DVIU to obtain more payment than it was owed.
The whistleblowers alleged that Advanced Urology and Dr. Patel’s conduct resulted in the submission of false claims to federal healthcare programs, including Medicare and Medicaid, in violation of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729, et seq., and the Georgia False Medicaid Claims Act, O.C.G.A. §§ 49-4-168.1, et seq.
This civil settlement resolves two lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act: United States and State of Georgia ex rel. Lorraine Perumal-Szramel v. Advanced Urology, Inc. et al., No. 1:18-cv-4482-SCJ, and United States and State of Georgia ex rel. Himanshu Aggarwal, M.D. v. Jitesh V. Patel et al., No. 1:19-cv-2844-WMR.
Under the False Claims Act, private citizens may bring suit for false claims on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery obtained by the government. The Relators will collectively receive $2,940,000 from the settlement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; the Medicaid Fraud and Patient Protection Division of the Georgia Attorney General’s Office; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of the Inspector General; and the Defense Health Agency.
The investigation and resolution of this matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam D. Nugent and Andres Sandoval and Georgia Assistant Attorney General James Champlin.
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.
8 Arrested in Health Care Fraud Takedown, Including Owners of Hospices that Billed Taxpayers Millions of Dollars to Serve the ‘Dying’Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – In coordination with the Vice President’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, eight defendants, including three nurses, a chiropractor, and a purported psychologist, have been arrested on federal charges that they schemed to defraud the nation’s health care system out of more than $50 million – including by running sham hospice care facilities that bilked Medicare by using people without terminal illnesses as beneficiaries, the Justice Department announced today.
Six of the defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. One defendant is expected to make his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Idaho.
“We are enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for criminals who defraud American taxpayers,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “The defendants arrested this morning who are charged with stealing millions of dollars of health care benefits got caught and now face years in federal prison.”
“The Southern California region is a high-risk environment for hospice-related and many other forms of health care fraud,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “The United States loses hundreds of billions of dollars annually to healthcare fraud at the expense of all American taxpayers, whose benefits decrease as premiums, co-payments and taxes grow. Our aim is to reverse that trend with ‘Operation Never Say Die’ and others like it.”
“The defendants charged today allegedly turned hospice care into a cash producing operation, resulting in more than $50 million in losses to taxpayers. The magnitude of the losses underscores a deliberate abuse of the authority and trust afforded to health care providers,” said Inspector General T. March Bell of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Today’s takedown reflects HHS-OIG’s commitment to deploy every tool at our disposal, and collaborate with our law enforcement partners, to dismantle hospice operations built on deception. Anyone who seeks to weaponize hospice care to bilk Medicare should expect to be held accountable.”
“Today’s arrests are another decisive strike in our war on fraud,” said U.S. Department of Labor Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito. “My office is relentlessly pursuing those who target union benefit plans and exploit employee healthcare programs for personal gain. Working side-by-side with the FBI, the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, and our law-enforcement partners, we are aggressively dismantling fraud schemes and taking down those who exploit American workers. Let this be a warning: If you steal from workers or taxpayers, your time is up. We will find you, investigate you, and hold you accountable.”
“When employee benefit plans become targets for fraud, it’s not just the plans that are hurt – everyday working Americans who earned those benefits honestly, their families, and the communities they live in are hurt,” said Robert Prunty, Acting Regional Director U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Los Angeles Regional Office. “In the Trump Administration, we will relentlessly seek out fraud and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.”
“Health care fraud undermines federal programs, threatens public trust, diverts resources away from legitimate patient care, and is a calculated attack on programs meant to protect the vulnerable,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS‑CI Los Angeles Field Office. “The enforcement actions taken today demonstrate IRS‑CI’s commitment to uncovering the financial lies behind these schemes and holding accountable those who profit at the expense of taxpayers and patients. Our agents will continue to work alongside our law‑enforcement partners to protect the integrity of our healthcare system and ensure that those who abuse it are brought to justice.”
MEDICARE HOSPICE CARE FRAUD
- USA v. Minerd
Lolita Beronilla Minerd, 65, a.k.a. “Lolita Beronilla Rice,” of Anaheim, a licensed vocational nurse, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging her with health care fraud.
According to court documents, Minerd owned and operated the Artesia-based Topanga Hospice Care Inc. From July 2020 to April 2025, Minerd used this company to submit more than $9,174,117 in fraudulent hospice claims to Medicare, which paid more than $8,510,448 on these claims.
Through Topanga, Minerd billed Medicare for hospice services for beneficiaries who were not terminally ill. Numerous beneficiaries had common addresses and lived far from the facility, which is consistent with being recruited by marketers. The investigation further revealed that Minerd paid kickbacks to beneficiaries and marketers for the referral of purported hospice patients to her company.
One beneficiary couple was approached at a market about signing up and then were visited at home by Minerd and three other Topanga employees, who promised them if they signed up everything would be free, and they each would receive $300 per month. The money was delivered in an envelope in cash: $600 per month for six months. Neither beneficiary stated they had a terminal illness, which their physician confirmed. The couple also reported receiving unneeded items such as nutritional shakes, non-prescription vitamins, and wheelchairs.
Topanga had a non-death discharge rate of approximately 85%, nearly five times the national average of 17.2% from 2021.
The FBI is investigating this matter along with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG).
Assistant United States Attorney Alexandra M. Michael of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
- USA v. Gill, et al.
Gladwin Gill, a 66-year-old purported psychologist, and his wife, Amelou Gill, a 70-year-old registered nurse, both of Covina, were arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging them with health care fraud.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, the Gills owned and operated the Glendale-based 626 Hospice Inc., which did business as St. Francis Palliative Care.
The Gills allegedly schemed to defraud Medicare by paying illegal kickbacks for the referral of patients who were not dying. The Gills also submitted more than $5.2 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for hospice services that either were not medically necessary or were not provided. Medicare paid the Gills more than $4 million on these fraudulent claims.
They then laundered the scheme’s proceeds and spent their ill-gotten gains on personal expenses such as mortgage payments, car payments, international flights, restaurants, and personal bills.
The Gills are expected to make their initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles.
HHS-OIG, the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the Food and Drug Administration are investigating this matter with assistance from United States Trustee, Region 16, Los Angeles Field Office.
Assistant United States Attorney David Y. Pi of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
- USA v. Palma, et al.
Nita Almuete Paddit Palma, 76, a thrice-convicted health care fraudster now incarcerated at a federal prison in Seattle, and her husband, Adolfo Cezar Catbagan, 68, of Glendale, are charged in an 11-count indictment with operating at least three fraudulent hospice care facilities – including while Palma was free on bond awaiting a hospice fraud trial. Law enforcement arrested Catbagan this morning.
Palma, who is a lawful permanent resident from the Philippines, and Catbagan are charged in an indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud and 10 counts of health care fraud.
According to the indictment, from June 2022 to April 2024, Palma and Catbagan opened three Glendale-based hospice care facilities despite Palma being legally barred from doing so: One Up Hospice Care Inc., Rosewood Hospice and Palliative Care Inc., and Advance Hospice and Palliative Care Inc.
Catbagan was named as the nominal owner and CEO of the three hospices when Palma in fact owned and exercised operating control of them – despite her exclusion – so Medicare would not deny the companies’ claims. The defendants submitted false claims to Medicare for beneficiaries who were not terminally ill and the physicians supposedly providing hospice services did not treat the patients.
Palma and Catbagan submitted at least $4.8 million in fraudulent claims through these companies, resulting in Medicare payments of at least $4.2 million.
HHS-OIG and the FBI are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Andrew M. Roach and Roger A. Hsieh of the Major Frauds Section are prosecuting this case. Assistant United States Attorney Alexander Su of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling asset forfeiture matters for this case.
- USA v. Tindimubona
Evelyn Tindimubona, 51, a licensed vocational nurse from Chatsworth, is charged in a federal criminal complaint with health care fraud. According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, from January 2022 to September 2025, Tindimubona used the Tarzana-based Comfort Choice Hospice Inc. to submit to Medicare hundreds of fraudulent claims for purported hospice services to dozens of beneficiaries. For those claims, Comfort Choice sought more than $3.8 million, of which Medicare paid approximately $3.4 million.
For example, in November 2022, Comfort Choice submitted a claim to Medicare in the amount of $7,021, for reimbursement of hospice services for a beneficiary. Law enforcement later interviewed this beneficiary and other Comfort Choice patients who said they were not terminally ill, a requirement to qualify for hospice care.
Tindimubona allegedly also paid kickbacks to marketers for their referral of hospice patients to Comfort Choice in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
HHS-OIG is investigating this matter.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Yervant P. Hagopian of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.
- USA v. Lauritzen
Ivan Verne Lauritzen, 50, of Simi Valley, was arrested Tuesday on a federal criminal complaint charging him with health care fraud. According to court documents, Lauritzen was the CEO and CFO of the Simi Valley-based Valley Pacific Hospice Inc., whose Medicare enrollment was revoked in August 2024.
In 2022, the live discharge rate of Valley Pacific patients was more than 75%, vastly higher than the national average that year of approximately 17%. Based on an audit examining 18 Valley Pacific Medicare claims from August 2023 to March 2024, CMS determined the company had a pattern and practice of submitting claims that failed to meet Medicare’s hospice standards and requirements. To facilitate this fraud, Lauritzen forged the signature of at least one physician on the Medicare enrollment forms.
During the alleged scheme, Valley Pacific billed Medicare more than $580,000 and was paid more than $526,000.
Lauritzen made his initial appearance Tuesday and was ordered released on $10,000 bond. His arraignment is scheduled for April 27.
HHS-OIG is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Neil P. Thakor of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
PRIVATE HEALTH CARE PLAN FRAUD
- USA v. Aulava-Moala, et al.
Four defendants with South Bay ties – one of them a licensed chiropractor – have been charged in a two-count information with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud in connection with a $19 million scheme to defraud a labor union’s health plan via false claims for chiropractic services and physical therapy that weren’t needed or never provided.
The defendants charged are:
- Tolu Aulava-Moala, 51, of Carson, who was the director of the facilities;
- John Nicola, 77, of El Segundo, a licensed chiropractor;
- Crysta Richter, 40, of Torrance, who owned a medical billing company; and
- John Keohuloa, 49, of Long Beach.
These defendants will be summonsed into Los Angeles federal court and are expected to make their initial appearances in the coming weeks.
According to court documents, from January 2010 to September 2023, they fraudulently submitted at least $19,005,463 in claims to International Longshore and Warehouse Union Pacific Maritime Association and other private health insurers on behalf of several chiropractic and physical therapy service companies: Ohana Wellness Center, Ohana Management Corp., and R3New Wellness – all based in Carson – and the Huntington Beach-based One Life Acupuncture APC.
Aulava-Moala and Keohuloa induced beneficiaries to visit clinics to receive medically unnecessary services, such as massages or endoscopies, in exchange for kickback payments. Nicola knowingly created fake client notes for beneficiaries, and Aulava-Moala, Nicola, and Richter submitted false and fraudulent claims to health insurers for reimbursement for medical services.
In August 2022, the former owner of the Ohana companies testified under oath at a civil trial that the companies falsified patient chart notes and billed claims under chiropractors’ names and insurance numbers without their knowledge. A state court later that month found the Ohana companies liable for the fraud scheme.
In addition, from March 2016 to June 2023, Aulava-Moala and Keohuloa conspired to submit approximately $700,000 in fraudulent receipts for a charity donation program operated by a Los Angeles-based oil refinery for which the company paid at least $500,000.
The FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration are investigating this matter with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the United States Secret Service.
Assistant United States Attorney Jason C. Pang of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.
- USA v. Cartmell; USA v. Surace
Gregory Cartmell, 62, of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, a licensed chiropractor, was arrested today on a four-count indictment charging him with two counts of health care fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. He is expected to make his initial appearance today in U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho. He will be arraigned in Los Angeles in the coming weeks.
According to the indictment, from December 2018 to November 2022, Cartmell submitted approximately $9.14 million in fraudulent claims to the ILWU-PMA health plan for chiropractic services – including for services not rendered – and received approximately $6.43 million in payment from the union’s health plan, which had terminated him from the plan in December 2020.
To circumvent his termination, Cartmell arranged with a co-conspirator – Vincent Surace, 87, of McKinney, Texas – to bill ILWU-PMA’s health plan under the co-conspirator’s name and identification number. In exchange for allowing his name and ID number to be used in the scheme, Cartmell paid Surace a portion of the proceeds the union’s plan paid for the fraudulent claims.
Surace is charged via information with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. He will be summonsed to Los Angeles federal court in the coming weeks.
The FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jason C. Pang of the Transnational Organized Crime Section and William M. Larsen of the Criminal Appeals Section are prosecuting this case with assistance from Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Kendall of the Transnational Organized Crime Section.
- USA v. Griffen
Sonia Griffen, 51, of Lakewood, was arrested today on a five-count indictment charging her with health care fraud. From April 2019 to May 2024, Griffen allegedly submitted nearly $5 million in fraudulent claims to ILWU-PMA’s health care plan through her wellness company, Bee Well Holistic Wellness Center, for purported chiropractic services given to union members, even though the plan had previously terminated Bee Well and barred it from submitting claims.
According to the indictment, to circumvent Bee Well’s termination from the ILWU-PMA plan and obtain payments, Griffen concealed Bee Well’s identity and involvement by arranging with two chiropractors to bill the plan under their names and at fictitious addresses. She also submitted false claims billing the plan for chiropractic services that were never rendered.
In total, Griffen submitted approximately $4.9 million in fraudulent claims to the ILWU-PMA plan, resulting in payments of approximately $2.5 million.
The FBI, the United States Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG), and the Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA) are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jing Yan of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
IMMIGRATION HEALTH CARE FRAUD
- USA v. Ko
Young Joo Ko, 59, of East Hollywood and a lawful permanent resident from South Korea, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging her with fraud and misuse of visas, permits, and other documents.
According to an affidavit filed with the complaint, Ko engaged in a medical fraud scheme exploiting the green card application process by creating fraudulent immigration documents. Civil surgeons designated by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and operating in the Los Angeles area did not examine green card applicants as required by law.
Instead, Ko – for a fee – fraudulently prepared the required forms by presenting herself as a nurse or doctor and indicating false compliance with medical examination requirements necessary for immigration applicants to register permanent residence or adjust their immigration status.
If convicted, Ko would face a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
HSI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and USCIS are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Brenda N. Galván of the General Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Health care fraud-related charges in these cases carry a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. Wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year consecutive prison sentence.
Complaints and indictments contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
13-Count Indictment Charges D.C. Man in March 2026 Violent Armed CarjackingsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON D.C. – A 13-count Indictment was unsealed March 31 in U.S. District Court charging Dequan Simpson, 18, of the District of Columbia, in two alleged armed carjackings and a shooting that occurred last month in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The Indictment charges Simpson with multiple counts of Carjacking, Interfering with Interstate Commerce by Robbery (Hobbs Act), and corresponding counts of Using of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. It also charges Simpson with Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Vehicle, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and Fleeing a Law Enforcement Officer.
Three of the counts also name Jayvaun Brown, 20, a resident of the District. Brown is charged with Interstate Transportation of a Stolen Vehicle, Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, and Fleeing a Law Enforcement Officer. Brown will have his first court appearance on April 2.
Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya on April 1 ordered Simpson to be held without bond.
According to the court documents, on March 4, shortly after noon, a pizza delivery driver allegedly was lured to a residence on the unit block of Webster Street NE, under the pretext of a routine food order. When the pizza delivery driver arrived, he was robbed, assaulted, held at gun point, and carjacked of his 2014 Toyota Corolla.
Two days later, on March 6, a freelance barber was lured to the same Webster Street residence under the pretext of a request for a haircut. When the barber arrived, he was robbed and shot multiple times as he attempted to flee. The gunman took the barber’s black 2009 Infiniti G37X. Investigators later recovered seven spent shell casings at the scene.
On March 9, about 10:20 p.m. police spotted the stolen Infiniti, occupied by several people, speeding on Florida Ave. NE. Officers gave chase. During the high-speed pursuit, an occupant of the Infiniti appeared to throw a rifle from the vehicle. Investigators recovered a Hammerli TAC R1 .22 LR caliber rifle near 9th and K Streets NW.
About 10:32 p.m., the suspects were traveling southbound on the 11th Street sidewalk when they attempted to turn onto M Street NW. They were stopped when the Infiniti crashed into a U.S. Park Police cruiser.
Officers apprehended Simpson shortly after. Police located Brown in a nearby parking garage and arrested him.
This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, the U.S. Park Police, and Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Levy.
Charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Wednesday 1 April 2026
White Plains Man Arrested and Charged for Manufacturing, Stockpiling, and Detonating Explosive DevicesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced federal criminal charges against RAYMOND ELDERS for manufacturing and possessing suspected improvised explosive devices in his apartment in White Plains and detonating them on a residential street. ELDERS was arrested by the FBI and presented yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy in White Plains federal court and detained.
“By allegedly manufacturing dozens of suspected explosive devices and storing them in his apartment, Raymond Elders put everyone in his community at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “But he didn’t stop there. As alleged in the complaint, and over a period of months, he lit these devices and detonated them in his neighborhood in White Plains, causing unexplained explosions that his neighbors repeatedly reported to the police. It should go without saying that anyone who tosses illegal explosives onto New York residential streets should expect to face serious consequences, including federal criminal charges brought by our Office.”
“Raymond Elders allegedly constructed dozens of IEDs and detonated at least two in his neighborhood,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Elders’s alleged actions repeatedly disregarded the public’s safety by subjecting innocent bystanders to potentially devastating harm. We thank the White Plains Police Department and the Westchester County Bomb Squad for their prompt response and for protecting the residents of Westchester County. The FBI continues to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to protect our communities from violence.”
As alleged in the Complaint:[1]
ELDERS, a convicted felon, was captured on surveillance video on at least two occasions in March 2026 igniting suspected improvised explosive devices and tossing them onto Odell Avenue in White Plains. Below are excerpts from surveillance footage obtained from residential premises on Odell Avenue during the afternoon of March 18, 2026:
Below are additional excerpts from surveillance footage depicting Odell Avenue during the early morning hours of March 30, 2026:
In response to multiple 911 calls on March 30, White Plains Police Officers responding to the scene found an apparent pipe bomb on the steps of ELDERS’s apartment building. A warrant-authorized search of ELDERS’s apartment returned at least approximately 25 suspected explosive devices, in addition to materials and supplies ELDERS allegedly used to assemble explosive devices. Law enforcement evacuated all residents of the apartment building while FBI explosives specialists secured the scene. Law enforcement’s analysis of the suspected improvised explosive devices remains ongoing.
An associate of ELDERS informed law enforcement that he has seen ELDERS assemble the suspected explosive devices while sitting on the living room couch in his apartment, which is on the first floor of a multi-family residence.
* * *
ELDERS, 65, is charged with one count of use of a weapon of mass destruction, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of possession of destructive devices after a felony conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; as well as one count of receipt and possession of explosives after a felony conviction, one count of unlawful possession of destructive devices, and one count of unlawful manufacture of destructive devices, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI New York Office Westchester Safe Streets Task Force and Joint Terrorism Task Force, the White Plains Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samantha Briggs and John Sarlitto are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
West Virginia Correctional Officer Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy Against Inmates’ RightsRead the Press Release
A former corrections officer at the Southern Regional Jail in Beaver, West Virginia pleaded guilty Monday for his role in a conspiracy in which he and other correctional officers would use unreasonable force against inmates, including pretrial detainees, as a form of punishment and retaliation. Michael Pack pleaded guilty to one count of violating 18 U.S.C. § 371.
According to his plea agreement and during the plea hearing, Pack acknowledged that he and his co-conspirators would strike, assault, and harm inmates they believed or perceived to have engaged in misconduct. As part of this conspiracy, Pack and his co-conspirators would bring inmates to “blind spots” – areas of the jail that were not captured on surveillance cameras – so that they could use unreasonable and unjustified force against the inmates without being recorded and thus avoid being held accountable for their actions.
Pack further admitted that, as part of the conspiracy, he and his co-conspirators would prepare false reports denying their unreasonable uses of force against inmates and failing to document injuries that inmates sustained during use of force incidents, so that the conspirators would not be investigated or held accountable for their actions.
Pack pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn. He will be sentenced on July 24. According to his plea agreement, Pack faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
Deputy Chief Christine M. Siscaretti and former Trial Attorney Sam Kuhn of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Venezuelan National Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that Kleider Enrique Garcia Ochoa, age 30, a Venezuelan national who is present in the United States without authorization, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to admissions made during his plea, Ochoa used social media applications and the name “Conociendo” in an attempt to convince someone he believed was a 15-year-old boy in Denham Springs, Louisiana, to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. Ochoa agreed to travel to Denham Springs, Louisiana, to pick up the supposed 15-year-old boy to engage in sexual acts. An undercover law enforcement officer posed as the 15-year-old boy and officers arrested Ochoa when he arrived at the location. During his conduct, Ochoa sent the undercover officer a picture of himself and his genitals and requested that the supposed 15-year-old boy send him sexually explicit images of himself. Ochoa also asked for the undercover officer’s location and expressed his desire to engage in illegal sex acts in person.
Ochoa’s conviction is punishable by a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to a lifetime period of supervised release, and includes sex offender registration requirements. He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing his sentence.
“This guilty plea is the result of great teamwork between our law enforcement partners and our prosecutors,” stated U.S. Attorney Wall. “An illegal immigrant, who was attempting to commit a sex offense with someone he believed to be 15-years-old, will now be going to prison for a long time. This is a good day for justice!”
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Lead Homeland Security Task Force Trial Attorney, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen Ross.
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 http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is also part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Utah Licensed Osteopathic Physician Indicted for Allegedly Receiving Misbranded Drugs from China and Selling them to PatientsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment today against a Utah physician who allegedly received, recommended, delivered, and sold to his unwitting patients, misbranded drugs from China that were not approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
According to the allegations in court documents, Justin Bradley Watkins, 39, of Pleasant View, Utah, obtained misbranded drugs from China, specifically peptides that he knew were not FDA approved. Watkins obtained the drugs through a middleman between February 2024 to April 2025. The peptide orders included, among others, Tirzepatide, Semaglutide, Retatrutide, Cagrilinitide, BPC-157, TB500, Ipamorelin, CJC 1295, GHK, GHK-CU, and NAD+. Watkins purchased the peptides at a deeply discounted price, and knew they were not backed by proper, reliable testing and clinical trials. In furtherance of the fraud, Watkins made and affixed labels to vials and/or pill bottles before providing them to clinic staff. None of the labels disclosed the name and place of business of the manufacturer, packer or distributor, as required by the FDA’s Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA). During the fraud period, Watkins recommended, provided, delivered, and sold misbranded, non-FDA-approved peptides to over 200 trusting patients.
Watkins is charged with receipt in interstate commerce and delivery for pay misbranded drugs with intent to defraud or mislead, and aiding and abetting. His initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for April 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI), and the Utah Division of Professional Licensing (DOPL).
Assistant United States Attorney Mark Y. Hirata of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States and State of Wisconsin Obtain over $140M Judgment and Permanent Injunction Against Operator of Deceptive Timeshare Exit Services Aimed at Elderly ConsumersRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri granted summary judgment to the Department of Justice and State of Wisconsin against Defendant Christopher Lee Carroll, finding he was a “mastermind” of an unlawful timeshare exit services scheme that harmed over 11,000 consumers. As part of its ruling, the court permanently enjoined Carroll from marketing timeshare exit services and from engaging in other unfair and deceptive trade practices. The court also ordered Carroll to pay over $95 million to redress harm caused to consumers and over $45 million in civil monetary penalties for his misconduct.
“The Justice Department will hold accountable anyone who uses unlawful high-pressure sales tactics and deception to take advantage of and exploit consumers,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Americans deserve to be treated fairly and honestly.”
In a memorandum and order, the district court held that Carroll was at the center of an unlawful enterprise that violated the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Act’s prohibition on unfair or deceptive trade practices, the federal Cooling-Off Rule’s requirement that consumers be given three business days to cancel certain purchases made at locations other than the seller’s regular place of business, and Wisconsin state laws concerning fraudulent misrepresentations and direct marketing.
The court found that Carroll and his co-defendants used high pressure tactics and false and misleading statements to induce consumers to pay from $5,000 to over $80,000 to businesses including Square One Group LLC, and Consumer Law Protection LLC, for a purported release or exit from the consumers’ timeshare contracts. Carroll and his co-defendants often did not actually provide those services, did not inform consumers of their right to cancel the sales contracts within three business days without penalty, and denied consumers refunds when they or law enforcement officials complained.
Carroll was the final remaining defendant in this action. The court previously also imposed permanent injunctions against seventeen other defendants. Those defendants include several interrelated corporate entities, which were also held liable for the over $140 million monetary judgment against Carroll, and four other individual defendants, who agreed to stipulated orders under which they are collectively liable for over $11 million in monetary penalties, partially suspended due to their demonstrated inability to pay.
The United States is represented in this action by Trial Attorneys Meredith L. Reiter and Zachary L. Cowan and Assistant Director Zachary A. Dietert, from the Enforcement Section of the Civil Division’s Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Branch, in coordination with staff at the FTC. The United States was previously also represented by former Trial Attorney Wesline N. Manuelpillai. Lewis W. Beilin represents the State of Wisconsin.
For more information about the Enforcement & Affirmative Litigation Branch and its enforcement efforts visit www.justice.gov/civil/enforcement-affirmative-litigation-branch.
U.S. Attorney’s Office brings federal firearms charges in 8 cases in Dayton as part of downtown gun violence initiativeRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Federal and local law enforcement officials announced today eight recent cases involving violations of federal firearms laws.
“It’s my job as U.S. Attorney to keep our communities in Southern Ohio safe. Doing that requires strong partnerships between our local police departments and our federal law enforcement agencies. And we have those strong partnerships here in Dayton,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “We want to make it clear to criminals, if you illegally possess or use a firearm or ammunition in Dayton, or anywhere else in our district for that matter, expect to see federal charges.”
The federal defendants include:
JaMichael Craver
On Monday, March 30, federal charges were filed against JaMichael Craver for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Craver was arrested on Friday night during operations conducted by the Dayton Police Department and the Ohio State Highway Patrol as part of the Violent Crime Reduction Initiative between the City of Dayton and the State of Ohio.
According to charging documents, Craver fled on foot from a vehicle being tracked by Dayton police officers and an aviation unit from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He was apprehended by officers after a foot pursuit and allegedly found to be in possession of a loaded 9mm handgun. At the time of this incident, Craver was a wanted fugitive with multiple warrants for his arrest on state charges, including aggravated trafficking in drugs and having weapons while under disability. Craver has previously been convicted in state court of aggravated robbery and kidnapping.
Terrence Gay
On March 24, Terrence Gay was charged with assaulting federal agents with a deadly weapon, attempted murder of federal agents, discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, Gay was a federal fugitive out of Missouri who had failed to surrender after being sentenced for drug trafficking in 2021. The Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) tracked Gay to a home a Dayton on March 23. After strike team officers announced their presence and attempted to convince Gay to exit the residence, Gay opened fire on the officers. Officers ultimately secured Gay and recovered multiple weapons from the residence.
Johnny Ray Perkins and Elisah Lobbley
On March 10, Johnny Ray Perkins and Elisah Lobbley were indicted for trafficking drugs in the vicinity of the RTA bus hub in downtown Dayton. During these sales, Perkins allegedly kept a firearm on him and is charged with possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Anton Hurston
On Feb. 10, a federal grand jury in Dayton indicted Anton Hurston for possession of a firearm fitted with a high-capacity magazine during a traffic stop in Dayton’s central business district.
Rondell Coleman
On Feb. 10, a federal grand jury indicted Rondell Coleman for possession of a machinegun and possession of a stolen firearm. As alleged in an earlier criminal complaint, while responding to a domestic violence incident on Feb. 1, Dayton police encountered Coleman carrying a stolen machinegun in his pants.
Dylan Hiner
On Feb. 4, Dylan Hiner pleaded guilty to illegally shipping, transporting and receiving ammunition while under indictment for a felony offense. Hiner repeatedly discharged a handgun near the University of Dayton’s campus. At the time of this shooting, Hiner was under indictment on state weapons charges.
Colby Smith
On Jan. 13, Colby Smith was indicted for kidnapping, carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. As alleged in an earlier criminal complaint, during the morning of Dec. 9, 2025, Smith used a handgun to rob two Dayton-area residents of their vehicles and personal belongings as they traveled to their jobs.
Jacquan Sims, Miyauhn Vineyard, Raheem Goff and Joshua Haggins
On Dec. 9, Jacquan Sims, Miyauhn Vineyard, Raheem Goff, and Joshua Haggins were federally indicted for conspiring to distribute over 400 grams of fentanyl and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Law enforcement officials seized multiple firearms in that case, including one machinegun.
Illegally possessing a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon is punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Possessing an unregistered firearm or a machinegun is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Illegally shipping, transporting, or receiving ammunition while under indictment for a felony offense is punishable by up to five years in prison. Possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug crime requires a mandatory minimum of at least five years in prison in addition to any other sentence imposed. Brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence requires a mandatory minimum of at least seven years in prison in addition to any other sentence imposed. Discharging a firearm during a crime of violence requires a mandatory minimum of at least 10 years in prison in addition to any other sentence imposed.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Dayton Police Chief Kamran Afzal; Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF); Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and United States Marshal Michael D. Black announced the charges. Deputy Criminal Chief Brent G. Tabacchi and Assistant United States Attorneys Christina Mahy, Erica Lunderman, Ryan Saunders, Rob Painter and Kelly Rossi are representing the United States in these cases.
Indictments and criminal complaints merely contain allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Recovers and Forfeits More Than $600K in Cryptocurrency from Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office, working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, has recovered and forfeited more than $600,000 in cryptocurrency associated with a fraud scheme.
As alleged in court documents, in September 2025, a Connecticut resident identified as “T.M.” received a letter purporting to be from “Ledger Security & Compliance.” The letter claimed that T.M.’s Ledger device, which is a device used for storing cryptocurrency, needed to undergo a new mandatory security check. In reality, when T.M. followed the instructions in the letter, the fraudsters were able to compromise T.M.’s Ledger device and steal approximately $234,000 in cryptocurrency.
The FBI and Connecticut State Police traced the cryptocurrency transactions through multiple cryptocurrency wallets and successfully seized approximately $600,000 worth of Tether, a form of cryptocurrency. The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture complaint (3:26-cv-28) alleging that the Tether cryptocurrency was the proceeds of wire fraud and that it was involved in money laundering. On March 31, 2026, the U.S. District Court entered a decree of forfeiture.
Generally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office first seeks to forfeit the cryptocurrency, then works with the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section to, in many cases, return it to crime victims so that victims have clear title to the property without risk of further litigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Nelson.
More information on cryptocurrency fraud schemes and where to report related criminal activity is available here: https://www.ic3.gov/CrimeInfo/Cryptocurrency.
U.S. Attorney's Office Files Petition Seeking Information to Locate Violent Criminal Aliens in OregonRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— Today the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon filed a petition seeking information from four Oregon counties, Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah, and Washington, to locate violent felons who are likely subject to removal from the United States and under these counties’ supervision.
On November 24, 2025, the U.S. District Court granted a similar petition against the same counties for information to locate 10 violent criminal aliens Oregon officials released into the community. The violent criminal aliens had been convicted in Oregon of a variety of crimes, including rape and sodomy of a minor child, assault, kidnapping, and manslaughter. In its order, the court noted that Oregon law “explicitly permits state law enforcement agencies to ‘exchange information with a federal immigration authority.’”
Currently, there are more than 300 active immigration detainers at the Oregon Department of Corrections for criminals likely subject to removal from the United States.
“The District of Oregon will continue to prioritize the safety of all Oregonians,” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We will continue our efforts to prevent violent criminal aliens from further harming our community.”
This petition seeks information possessed by the counties to locate more than 30 violent criminal aliens who have victimized Oregonians through a variety of criminal conduct like sexual abuse, rape, assault, and domestic violence. Following prison sentences, Oregon officials released these violent criminal aliens into Oregon communities rather than to federal immigration authorities, who sent immigration detainers to Oregon officials. State officials did not honor those detainers and released the following violent criminal aliens into Oregon communities:
Criminal Alien 3 was convicted in 2019 of three counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving a victim under the age of 14. He was sentenced to 225 months in prison and 45 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 5 was convicted in 2018 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 75 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 6 was convicted in 1996 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, sentenced to several years of supervised probation, and required to register as a sex offender. In 2018, he was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 45 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 7 was convicted in 2018 of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Attempted Rape in the First Degree, Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and Strangulation– Constituting Domestic Violence, and sentenced to 160 months in prison, 24 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 8 was convicted in 2017 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, one count of Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct, and one count of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree. He was sentenced to 160 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 9 was convicted in 2020 of Attempted Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree and sentenced to 45 months in prison and 75 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 11 was convicted in 2015 of Recklessly Endangering Another Person. In 2016, he was convicted of one count of Rape in the First Degree and one count of Sodomy in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 200 months in prison, 144 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 12 was convicted in 2011 of three counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree involving a victim under the age of 14, sentenced to 60 months supervised probation, and required to register as a sex offender. He was convicted in 2018 of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine and sentenced to 18 months supervised probation. In 2019, he was convicted of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine and Failure to Register as a Sex Offender and sentenced to 8 months in prison. In 2021, he was convicted of Burglary in the Second Degree and sentenced to 18 months of supervised probation. In 2023, he was convicted of Burglary in the Second Degree and sentenced to 36 months of supervised probation.
Criminal Alien 13 was convicted in 2012 of Criminal Mischief in the Second Degree. In 2016, he was convicted of Attempted Murder with a Firearm and sentenced to 90 months of prison and 36 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 14 was convicted in 2020 of one count of Rape in the First Degree, one count of Kidnapping in the Second Degree, one count of Extortion, one count of Coercion, two counts of Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and one count of Assault in the Fourth Degree. He was sentenced to 194 months and 364 days in prison, several years’ post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 19 was convicted in 2020 of one count of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and one count of Strangulation–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 96 months of imprisonment and 36 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 20 was convicted in 2008 of one count of Rape in the First Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 175 months of imprisonment, 120 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender. In 2016, he was convicted of one count Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving a victim under the age of 14 and sentenced to 75 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 21 was convicted in 2012 of Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 24 months of supervised probation. In 2016, he was convicted of two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree involving a victim under the age of 14 and sentenced to 150 months in prison, 45 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 22 was convicted in 2016 of one count of Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree and one count of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to a total of 175 months in prison, 140 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 23 was convicted in 2017 of two counts of Attempted Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct and two counts of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree. He was sentenced to 120 months in prison, 24 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 24 was convicted in 2016 of Kidnapping in the Second Degree, Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and Strangulation–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 36 months of probation. In 2018, he was convicted of Attempted Rape in the First Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence, and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. He was sentenced to 195 months in prison, 95 months post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 25 was convicted in 2015 of one count of Rape in the First Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence. He was sentenced to 100 months in prison, 3 years of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 26 was convicted in 2015 of one count Rape in the First Degree and sentenced to 100 months in prison, 140 months of post-prison supervision, and required to register as a sex offender.
Criminal Alien 27 was convicted in 2016 of Coercion–Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to 3 years of probation. Then in 2017, he was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 120 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 28 was convicted in 2017 of Theft in the Second Degree and sentenced to 12 months of probation. She was convicted in 2020 of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 120 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 30 was convicted in 2020 of two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 150 months in prison and 120 months of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 31 was convicted in 2018 of Attempted Assault in the Second Degree and sentenced 5 years of probation. That probation was revoked in 2023 and he was sentenced to 19 months in prison and 3 years of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 32 was convicted in 1992 of two counts of Public Indecency and sentenced to 3 years of probation. He was convicted in 1994 of Theft in the Second Degree and sentenced to 30 days in jail and 2 years of probation. In 1996, Criminal Alien 32 was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 19 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision. In 2025, he was convicted of Failure to Report as a Sex Offender and sentenced to 2 years of probation.
Criminal Alien 33 was convicted in 2017 of three counts of Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct and two counts of Rape in the Third Degree and sentenced to 238 months in prison and 3 years of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 34 was convicted in 2014 of three counts of Sodomy in the First Degree, eight counts of Sodomy in the Second Degree, three counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and one count of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree and sentenced to over 1,000 months in prison and 3 years of post-prison supervision. In 2024, however, the judgment was amended to reflect convictions only for three counts of Attempted Sodomy in the Second Degree.
Criminal Alien 35 was convicted in 2017 of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 36 was convicted in 2016 of Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to 36 months of probation. In 2019, he was convicted of two counts of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to a total of 36 months in prison and 5 years of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 38 was convicted in 2016 of Rape in the First Degree, Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree, Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, and Assault in the Fourth Degree–Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to 287 months in prison and 20 years of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 40 was convicted in 2017 of Sodomy in the First Degree and two counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 250 months in prison and 20 years of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 42 was convicted in 2011 of Menacing – Constituting Domestic Violence and sentenced to two years of probation. In 2015, he was convicted of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 75 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision.
Criminal Alien 44 was convicted in 2020 of Rape in the Second Degree and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and sentenced to 150 months in prison. After a successful appeal, however, the judgment was modified to one conviction for Sexual Abuse in the First Degree and one conviction for Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree with a total sentence of 89 months in prison and 10 years of post-prison supervision.
Two Men Indicted in Lehigh Valley-Area Drug CasesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that two defendants have been charged in separate Lehigh Valley-area drug cases just unsealed.
Richie Rivera, 33, of Reading, Pennsylvania, was charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute heroin, fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine.
The indictment alleges that, on or about February 24, 2026, in Berks County, Pa., the defendant was found in possession of approximately 1.24 kilograms of heroin, approximately 435 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl, medetomidine, and xylazine, approximately 711 grams of cocaine, and approximately 206 grams of methamphetamine.
The indictment further alleges that, prior to possessing these narcotics, Rivera was convicted in October 2023 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
This case was investigated by the Reading Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rosalynda M. Michetti.
Samuel Paulino, 51, of Union City, New Jersey, was charged by indictment with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.
The indictment alleges that on or about March 2, 2026, in Northampton County, Pa., the defendant was found in possession of approximately four kilograms of heroin and approximately six kilograms of cocaine.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
This case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictments are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Two Georgia Men Face Life in Prison for Trafficking Fentanyl from ChinaRead the Press Release
ATHENS, Ga. – Two men are facing a maximum of life in prison for trafficking fentanyl and a new synthetic designer drug from China into Georgia, one of whom was an inmate directing the operation from behind bars.
Devito Duran Young, aka “Big” aka “Big Man,” 46, of Macon State Prison and Marietta, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Young faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and an $8 million fine.
Trace Davrin Works, 29, of Mableton, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Works faces a maximum sentence of life in prison with a mandatory minimum of ten years in prison and an $8 million fine.
The defendants pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self III on April 1. Their sentencing dates are scheduled for July 8, 2026. There is no parole in the federal system.
“From a Georgia prison, the defendants trafficked fentanyl from China, profiting from the suffering of others,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Our office, in collaboration with law enforcement, is dedicated to dismantling criminal organizations, whether they operate from prisons or across borders.”
“These defendants profited from the opioid epidemic and endangered thousands of lives by trafficking fentanyl,” said FBI Georgia Supervisory Senior Resident Agent Robert Gibbs. “Disrupting the manufacturers and distributers of this poison remains a high priority for the FBI and our law enforcement partners.”
“These defendants were involved in a fentanyl trafficking ring contributing to the opioid crisis in our communities,” said Inspector in Charge Rodney Hopkins of the Atlanta Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “This case demonstrates the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and its partners’ commitment to protecting the public, combating the spread of deadly drugs and holding accountable those who profit from addiction.”
The following individuals have been charged by a federal indictment returned on May 14, 2025, and unsealed on August 7, 2025:
Andreaus Benard Oliver Sr., aka “Doomie Oliver,” 43, of Macon State Prison and Cordele, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $2 million fine;
Andreaus Benard Oliver Jr., aka “Dray Oliver,” 27, of Cordele, Georgia, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and one count of using or maintaining a drug premises and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine;
Xin Wang, 28, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance, and he faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison with a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a $5 million fine for the fentanyl charge and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for the conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance charge; and
Gao Yong, 29, of China, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance and faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Oliver Sr. and Oliver Jr. had their initial appearances in August 2025 and were remanded into federal custody by U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles H. Weigle. Wang and Yong are fugitives and have active warrants for their arrest. An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Photos of Xin Wang and Gao Yong.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Young conspired to acquire and distribute fentanyl and synthetic cannabinoids (marijuana) from China to the United States beginning in 2023. It is alleged that Oliver Sr. conspired with Young while both were inmates at Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Georgia.
The shipments of the synthetic cannabinoids arrived at an address allegedly occupied by Oliver Jr. on 4th Avenue in Cordele. Wang and Yong are alleged to have facilitated the sale and distribution of synthetic controlled substances from China to customers around the world, including to Oliver Sr. and Young.
Online advertisement of drugs for sale; this evidence was admitted as part of the forfeiture proceedings.
Yong allegedly communicated directly with customers, negotiated the sale of the drugs and provided shipment tracking information. Wang allegedly directed the sale of fentanyl worldwide and maintained cryptocurrency wallets for payments. Yong was allegedly aware that the substances were being introduced into prison facilities.
Young placed multiple orders of fentanyl using encrypted chat applications he accessed using a contraband cellphone while in prison. Young directed Works to acquire the fentanyl and ship it to customer addresses, including addresses in the Middle District of Georgia, and both Young and Works paid for the drugs with cryptocurrency.
Oliver Jr. and other co-conspirators allegedly placed multiple orders for synthetic cannabinoids from Wang and Yong online and paid them with cryptocurrency, directing the packages to addresses in Cordele and his 4th Avenue residence, referred to as the “lab.”
After a package originating from China was intercepted by law enforcement, agents executed a search warrant at Oliver Jr.’s residence on July 22, 2024, and found more than 175 metal pans with sheets of paper; multiple jugs and bottles containing suspected cannabinoids; several measuring beakers; more than 350 dried sheets of paper soaked with cannabinoids; return address labels purporting to be from various attorneys; shipping labels addressed to inmates in jail and prison facilities around the country; cash; and ledgers indicating how many sheets had been processed. In addition, $170,000 in cryptocurrency was seized and forfeited from Wang as part of the investigation.
Interior of Oliver Jr.’s residence which allegedly served as an illegal drug conversion lab. This image shows papers being soaked in pans with synthetic cannabinoid liquid. This evidence was admitted during the criminal proceedings.
Young and Works are being held accountable for trafficking 2,610 fentanyl pills weighing 279.64 grams and 5,502.55 grams of MDMB-4en-PINACA, a new synthetic cannabinoid.
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.
FBI and the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) investigated the case, with assistance from the GBI and Georgia Department of Corrections. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Two Defendants Plead Guilty in Transnational Fraud Scheme Targeting Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE –Two individuals have pleaded guilty in federal court in Rhode Island for their roles in orchestrating and executing a transnational fraud and money laundering scheme targeting elderly victims in the United States and Canada, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Fangzheng Wang, 25, of Westborough, MA, a Chinese national and Cynthia Jia Sun, 25, of Houston, TX, a naturalized United States citizen born in China pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Sun and Wang are both scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026. The sentences imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Wang and Sun were part of a transnational fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in the United States and Canada.
Members of the conspiracy used pop-up messages and telephone calls falsely claiming that the victims’ financial accounts had been compromised or were at risk. The pop-up message contained information that directed victims to call a “live agent,” who informed the victims that their financial assets were at risk or could be garnished, but that they, the agent, could assist in protecting their assets.
During a series of calls, victims were connected with other persons who falsely claimed to be “representatives” of the victim’s financial institutions and/or government agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and Federal Reserve Bank. Those “representatives” were, in fact, members of the conspiracy. Some victims were told to transfer their funds via wire transfers and cryptocurrency into accounts controlled by conspiracy members.
Other victims were directed to withdraw cash or purchase gold bars with withdrawn cash and provide the cash or gold bars to a purported government courier, after being told that the courier would transfer the cash or gold to a secure government location until the issue with the victims’ accounts was resolved.
Wang and Sun participated in the scheme by communicating and coordinating with co-defendants to make pickups of cash and gold from victims, traveling to the victims’ residences and picking up the cash and gold from the victims, and thereafter transporting and transferring the victims’ cash and gold to other conspiracy members.
At the time of the indictment, law enforcement had identified approximately 300 individuals in at least 37 states, including several in Rhode Island, who have been defrauded. To date, victims of the conspiracy group of which Wang and Sun were members are estimated to have suffered known losses exceeding $5 million. However, investigators have identified a bank account through which approximately $16 million in additional suspected fraud funds appear to have been laundered.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, followed by a term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise M. Barton.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Providence and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, as part of the Rhode Island Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), a multi-agency task force focused on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Twice Deported Peruvian National Previously Convicted of Narcotics and Other Offenses Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CESAR RUBEN YLLESCAS, 52, a citizen of Peru, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
As alleged in court documents, between 1995 and 2015, Yllescas was arrested, convicted, and sentenced multiple times in Connecticut Superior Court and Chicopee, Massachusetts District Court for narcotics offenses, threatening, assault, failure to appear in court, and illegal operation of a motor vehicle. In June 2016, Yllescas was deported to Peru. He subsequently reentered the U.S., was convicted in federal court of unlawful reentry and, in December 2019, was sentenced to 10 months of imprisonment. In May 2020, Yllescas was again deported to Peru.
It is further alleged that Yllescas again illegally reentered the U.S. On March 20, 2026, he was arrested by the West Springfield, Massachusetts Police Department for motor vehicle-related charges and on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court in 2015 for a violation of probation. After Yllescas was released on bond on those state charges, he was arrested by ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations on March 23, 2026, in West Springfield.
Yllescas appeared yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was ordered detained.
If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Yllescas faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Tuba City Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Voluntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Wyatt Op Maloney, 24, of Tuba City, Arizona, was sentenced on March 26, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 144 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Maloney previously pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.
On July 14, 2023, Maloney assaulted the victim by striking and kicking him multiple times in the head and face, causing the victim to sustain fatal blunt force trauma injuries. Maloney, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted the victim in Tuba City on the Navajo Nation. The victim was also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
The FBI Phoenix office in Flagstaff and the Navajo Nation Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christina J. Reid-Moore, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-23-08099-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-053_Maloney
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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.
Texas Resident Charged with Five Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – On March 30, 2026, JESSICA LACOUR (“LACOUR”), age 38, currently of Texas and formerly of the Eastern District of Louisiana, was charged with participating in multiple acts of fraudulent conduct, including generating fake evidence for a lawsuit, stealing from two COVID-19 assistance programs, creating over $200,000 in fake store receipts, and misusing persons’ identities, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The bill of information charges LACOUR with five counts of wire fraud, with each count alleging a different fraud scheme.
As alleged in the first count, LACOUR used a fake tax return to obtain a forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loan, which was a type of assistance authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic. As alleged in the second count, LACOURused the identities of other people to obtain emergency rental assistance, which was another type of COVID-19 aid. As alleged in the third count, LACOUR created hundreds of fake Walmart receipts purporting to have been issued by at least 10 stores totaling at least $228,114. It is alleged that the receipts were used by an accomplice to steal merchandise, which was then sold. As alleged in the fourth count, LACOUR helped generate false evidence for a lawsuit filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court. As alleged in the fifth count, LACOUR misused people’s identities to open accounts, such as utility and financial accounts. As part of that scheme, LACOUR allegedly used her job at a French Quarter hotel to take pictures of a hotel guest’s driver’s license and credit card, which she then sent to an accomplice.
Each of the five wire fraud charges is punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment, which may be followed by up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, and a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the bill of information is merely a charge and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
For more information on the Department of Justice’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chandra Menon of the Public Integrity Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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Teleworkaholic pleads guilty to claiming to work multiple government jobs at onceRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A King George woman pled guilty today to wire fraud for submitting timecards for the same hours at multiple government jobs.
According to court documents, from May 2022 through at least in or around April 2025, Nehemie Almonor, 41, electronically submitted timecards certifying that she had performed full-time work during overlapping hours for multiple entities, including a private company, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Almonor commonly submitted timecards for full-time work at three positions simultaneously, attesting to having worked 120 hours or more in single 40-hour periods.
Almonor, a human resources specialist, would commonly keep at least three work laptops open next to each other to falsely represent to her employers that she was online and working full-time solely for each of them. Over the course of being employed by at least three full-time positions simultaneously, TSA received multiple complaints that Almonor was commonly unreachable during the hours she was certifying on her timecards. While employed in various full-time telework positions at once, Almonor applied to other government agencies claiming to be unemployed and therefore available to start immediately. Almonor also claimed full-time work while on military orders with the U.S Air Force at the same time she claimed full-time work for three other entities.
Almonor collectively defrauded her employers of at least $291,905.
Almonor is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 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 Transportation Security Administration, Office of Law Enforcement/Investigations investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jake Drucker is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-45.
Tahlequah Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Shaylyn Holmes, age 33, of Tahlequah, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Homes with knowingly possessing one semi-automatic pistol and nine rounds of assorted ammunition on January 30, 2026, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year of imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Holmes will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Spring resident sent to prison for over 13 years after distributing child sexual abuse materialRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 41-year-old area man has been ordered to federal prison for multiple child pornography convictions, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Joshua Jerome Finney pleaded guilty Jan. 5.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal has now imposed a total 160-month-term of imprisonment – 160, 160 and 120 months for the respective counts of distribution, receipt and possession of child pornography to be served concurrently. At the hearing, the court heard and considered additional evidence regarding the lifelong damage Finney caused to the minor victims and how he encouraged further abuse for his pleasure.
Finney was further ordered to pay restitution and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completing of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to the internet.
In December 2023, authorities discovered child sexual abuse material on a dark web forum.
The investigation eventually led to Finney who had been communicating with others. In some of the text messages, Finney discussed having sex with minors and received several CSAM images and videos.
A search warrant at Finney’s residence resulted in the seizure of his cell phone. Forensic examination ultimately uncovered 178 images and 260 videos depicting CSAM. The material depicted children under the age of 12, sadistic or masochistic conduct, bestiality and acts of violence such as the penetration of the minors.
Communication on that device also showed he was receiving and distributing child pornography with other individuals through his Telegram account.
Finney has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
FBI - Houston conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Valenti and Kimberly Leo are prosecuting the case, which was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative the Department of Justice launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section leads PSC, which marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children and identifies and rescues victims. For more information about PSC, please visit DOJ’s PSC page. For more information about internet safety education, please visit the resources tab on that page.
Southern Indiana Tax Preparers Sentenced to Federal Prison for Multi Million Dollar Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
EVANSVILLE- Two tax preparers have been sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating a multi-year tax fraud scheme that generated millions in fraudulent refunds. Both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false and fraudulent tax return, and filing false tax returns.
Angel De La Rosa, 41, of Jasper, was sentenced to four years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay $15,005,149.83 in restitution.
Yaimy Real, 34, of Louisville, was sentenced to three years in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $ 15,019,543.84 in restitution.
According to court documents and information presented in court, De La Rosa and Real operated a tax return preparation business, “De La Rosa Multiservices,” in both Jasper, Indiana and Louisville, Kentucky. From January 2018 through July 2021, they prepared approximately 5,892 fraudulent federal tax returns for tax years 2017 through 2020. Their conduct caused an estimated $10,577,612 in tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service.
A central component of the scheme involved filing returns that falsely claimed the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC). The pair routinely submitted Form 8863 (Education Credits) asserting that taxpayers were enrolled at one of two institutions: Sacerdotes Del Sagrado Corazon, located in Louisville; or YMR Language Services LLC, located in Jasper. Neither entity qualified as an eligible educational institution under federal law. By fabricating tuition and education‑related expenses, the defendants generated inflated refunds for clients who were not entitled to receive them.
When the IRS began scrutinizing their clients’ returns, the defendants attempted to conceal their fraud by creating and submitting false records. These fabricated documents included enrollment verification letters and receipts designed to make it appear that their clients qualified for the AOTC.
De La Rosa and Real also prepared returns that falsely claimed self-employment losses on Schedule C and inflated itemized deductions on Schedule A.
When preparing returns for their clients, the defendants acted as ‘ghost’ return preparers. Federal law requires paid tax return preparers to sign the returns they prepare and include a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number. De La Rosa and Real failed to identify themselves as the preparers, which allowed the returns to be filed without disclosing their involvement.
Through the scheme, the defendants collected approximately $736,500 in fees from their clients.
De La Rosa also filed false personal tax returns for tax years 2017 through 2020, causing a tax loss of approximately $6,374. Real filed false personal returns for tax years 2017 and 2018, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $4,000.
“Due to the defendants’ deceit, the United States lost over ten million dollars in unjustified refunds. The defendants compounded their fraud by creating and submitting false records during the IRS’ investigation,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “Preparing or filing false tax returns is a serious crime that deprives the government of vital revenue for public services, and today’s sentence sends a clear warning to anyone considering such fraudulent conduct.”
“Angel De La Rosa and Yaimy Real hid in the shadows as ghost preparers, filing fraudulent returns to line their pockets while leaving honest taxpayers to pick up the tab,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “IRS-CI special agents followed the money, unraveled the fraud, and brought it into the light. We will continue using our forensic accounting expertise to track down and hold accountable any preparer who thinks they can cheat the tax code without consequences.”
The Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Richard L. Young.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew B. Miller, who prosecuted this case.
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Restaurateur Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Insurance Fraud Scheme and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today the arrest of ZHAN PETROSYANTS, a/k/a “Johnny,” in connection with the unsealing of an Indictment charging PETROSYANTS with operating an extensive no-fault insurance fraud scheme that submitted tens of millions in fraudulent medical claims and laundering the proceeds. PETROSYANTS was taken into federal custody last night and will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Ona T. Wang in Manhattan Federal Court. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.
“As alleged in the indictment, Zhan Petrosyants orchestrated a complex scheme to cheat insurance providers out of millions of dollars,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “No-fault insurance fraud schemes raise costs for everyone and reduce benefits to consumers, an unnecessary burden we all unfortunately share. Today’s arrest demonstrates this Office’s continuing commitment to rooting out this pernicious type of fraud that imposes costs on all New Yorkers.”
“Zhan Petrosyants allegedly stole money by submitting fabricated medical claims to receive millions of dollars in unauthorized payments,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “The FBI remains dedicated to dismantling fraudulent schemes that exploit benefits at the expense of New Yorkers.”
According to allegations in the Indictment and other publicly filed information in this case:[1]
Under New York State Law, every vehicle registered in New York State is required to have no-fault automobile insurance, which enables the driver and passengers of a registered and insured vehicle to obtain benefits of up to $50,000 per person for injuries sustained in an automobile accident, regardless of fault (the “No-Fault Law”). The No-Fault Law requires prompt payment for medical treatment, thereby obviating the need for claimants to file personal injury lawsuits in order to be reimbursed. Under the No-Fault Law, patients can assign their right to reimbursement from an insurance company to others, including medical clinics that provide treatment for their injuries. New York State law also requires that all medical clinics in the State be incorporated, owned, operated, and/or controlled by a licensed medical practitioner in order to be eligible for reimbursement under the No-Fault Law. Insurance companies will not honor claims for medical treatments from a medical clinic that is not actually owned, operated, and controlled by a licensed medical practitioner.
PETROSYANTS and his co-conspirators defrauded automobile insurance programs designed to provide health care benefits for motor vehicle accident victims out of millions of dollars. PETROSYANTS and his co-conspirators agreed to and did submit fraudulent claims to the insurance programs for services that were never provided, services that were unnecessary and excessive, and services that were billed under the names of medical corporations that were not actually owned, operated, and controlled by licensed medical professionals, as required by New York State laws and regulations. If insurance companies had known that the nominee medical corporations were actually owned and controlled by non-medical professionals, the insurance companies would have denied payment for claims submitted by the nominee medical corporations.
To carry out the scheme, PETROSYANTS and his co-conspirators recruited purported physicians, psychologists, and other clinicians under whose names the fraudulent no-fault insurance claims were submitted, and prepared fraudulent no-fault insurance claims to obtain benefits from the automobile insurance companies. When preparing these fraudulent bills, the conspirators frequently used the license information and signatures of licensed psychologists and medical professionals on fraudulent billing records submitted to insurance companies.
In furtherance of the scheme, PETROSYANTS and his co-conspirators obtained advance payments based on the fraudulent claim amounts through financing agreements with funding companies. In particular, PETROSYANTS arranged for his-conspirators to use the services of a funding company (“Funding Company-1”) affiliated with a law firm, which provided quick access to criminal proceeds through advances paid by the funding company and provided a veneer of legitimacy to the scheme. In exchange for securing financing from Funding Company-1, PETROSYANTS received a referral fee from Funding Company-1 as well as kickback payments from his co-conspirators representing a portion of the advances paid by Funding Company-1 to the scheme participants. Some of the kickback payments were paid to PETROSYANTS using blank, pre-signed checks drawn on accounts nominally controlled by certain of the No-Fault Providers, which were filled out by co-conspirators in PETROSYANTS’s presence.
Further, PETROSYANTS caused Funding Company-1 to pay millions in advances on no-fault medical claims to two shell corporations. Neither shell company was a provider of medical services and the bank accounts in their names that received Funding Company-1’s advances were not controlled by a medical professional. Substantially all of the money that these shell companies received from Funding Company-1 was then transferred to a bank account nominally held by a jewelry business based in the Diamond District of midtown Manhattan.
As a result of their fraudulent scheme, PETROSYANTS and his co-conspirators caused insurance providers to be billed tens of millions of dollars in fraudulent no-fault medical claims.
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ZHAN PETROSYANTS, 44, of Edgewater, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence; and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cecilia Vogel, Christopher Brumwell, and Eli J. Mark are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitutes only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Registered sex offender arrested on multiple new child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that John Peterson, 42, of Jamestown, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with distribution and possession of child pornography by a person with a prior child pornography conviction, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas A.C. Penrose, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in June 2025, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a CyberTip from the messaging app Kik that two files of suspected child pornography were uploaded between June 14 and June 16, 2025. The files were uploaded with the username “hardinny41_mkc” and were shared with other Kik users. On July 05, 2025, NCMEC received another CyberTip from Kik that a file of suspected child pornography was uploaded on June 28, 2025 by someone with the username, hardinny4_mf7” and had also been shared with other Kik users. Subsequent investigation traced the uploaded files to Peterson. On December 3, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant on Peterson’s person, seizing his cell phone. A forensic analysis identified approximately nine image files and five video files of suspected child sexual abuse material. Some of the images included infants, toddlers, and prepubescent children.
Peterson is a level 1 sex offender following a 2010 misdemeanor conviction in Carroll Town Court for Attempted Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child Less than 16 Year of Age. He was subsequently convicted in 2023 in Chautauqua County Court of Possessing a Sexual Performance by a Child Less than 16 Years of Age and Criminal Possession of a Firearm.
Peterson made an initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy and was held pending a detention hearing on April 2, 2026.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan and the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Amie Feroleto.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Providence Man Charged After Attempting to Obtain Fentanyl Shipped from CaliforniaRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A federal grand jury in Rhode Island has returned an indictment charging the Kelvin German Luperon De Jesus with attempted possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Luperon De Jesus, 32, is charged with one count of attempted possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. He was arrested in October 2025. An arraignment date in federal court on the indictment is not yet scheduled.
According to court documents, on October 14, 2025, Luperon De Jesus attempted to obtain a package that was shipped from California to Rhode Island and contained fentanyl. The package was flagged as being suspicious and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents tested the contents and determined that the package contained approximately one kilogram of fentanyl.
Two days later, the defendant was arrested by DEA agents as part of an undercover investigation.
If convicted, the charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years of imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney G. Michael Seaman.
The matter was investigated by the DEA.
A federal indictment is merely an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Philadelphia Man Indicted for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Tahid Green, age 34, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on drug trafficking charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on March 3, 2026, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Green distributed more than 40 grams of fentanyl; and that on March 25, 2026, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, Green possessed with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum Wilson is the assigned prosecutor.
The maximum penalty under federal law for each of these offenses is forty years imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Unlawful Possession of a Gun and Ammunition by a FelonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Arthur Thompson, 40, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted late yesterday afternoon at trial of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on December 20, 2022, two Philadelphia police officers saw the defendant commit a traffic violation and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Thompson stopped his car, got out, tossed a loaded firearm, and ran away from the officers. After a brief foot chase, the defendant was detained and later charged locally with firearms violations.
Thompson was federally indicted in January of last year and then charged by superseding indictment in December. He had previously been convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year and was not permitted to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Gun Violence Task Force, and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Eckert and Special Assistant United States Attorney Tracie J. Gaydos.
Peoria Tax Preparer Indicted for Preparing Fraudulent Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – On March 17, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging a tax preparer in Peoria, Arizona, with 17 counts of tax evasion.
Butoyi Mechack, 38, of Peoria, is charged with three counts of Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return and 14 counts of Willfully Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of False or Fraudulent Tax Returns.
According to the indictment, from 2019 to 2023, Mechack prepared and assisted in the preparation of numerous false and fraudulent tax returns on behalf of clients of his business, PTPS Tax Services, LLC. In helping prepare these returns, Mechack overstated and misrepresented tax credits, deductions, income, and expenses to fraudulently reduce the taxpayers’ tax liability and claim refund amounts to which they were not entitled. Mechack also filed individual tax returns for himself for tax years 2021, 2022, and 2023, that substantially underreported his income.
Mechack’s arraignment was held on March 26, where he pleaded not guilty to charges and was released on conditions.
A conviction for Making and Subscribing a False Tax Return carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. A conviction for Willfully Aiding and Assisting in the Preparation of False or Fraudulent Tax Returns carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin M. Rapp, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
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.
As we head into the final weeks of tax season, IRS Criminal Investigation wants to remind the public to protect themselves when choosing a tax preparer. Keep these tips in mind:
- Be wary of tax return preparers who claim they can obtain larger refunds than others can.
- Avoid tax return preparers who base their fees on a percentage of the refund or who offer to deposit all or part of your refund into their financial accounts.
- Ensure you use a preparer with a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Paid tax return preparers must have a PTIN to prepare all or substantially all of a tax return.
- Use a reputable tax professional who enters his or her PTIN on the tax return, signs the tax return, and provides you a copy of the return (as required).
- Consider whether the individual or firm will be around for months or years after filing the return to answer questions about the preparation of the tax return.
- Never sign a blank tax form.
- Good preparers will ask to see your records and receipts. They’ll also ask questions to determine your total income, tax deductions and credits.
- Check the preparer’s history. Taxpayers can ask the local Better Business Bureau about the preparer.
- Check the preparer’s credentials. Only attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents can represent taxpayers before the IRS in all matters, including audits, collections, and appeals. Other tax return preparers who participate in the IRS Annual Filing Season Program have limited practice rights to represent taxpayers for audits of returns they prepared and signed. See Annual Filing Season Program for more information.
CASE NUMBER: CR-26-00247-PHX-KML (JZB)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-054_Mechack
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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.
Pensacola Man Sentenced for Illegal Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Isaiah Markeis Sims, 23, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to 27 months’ in federal prison following his previous guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The term of imprisonment will be followed by three years on federal supervised release. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners are on the front lines of the fight against dangerous criminals in our communities, and my office stands ready to back them up with successful prosecutions like this one to keep our streets safe. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice toward eliminating the threats to our communities posed by dangerous criminals, and my office is committed to ensuring we are successful in that effort.”
Court documents reflect that in August 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle in which the defendant was a passenger. After detecting the odor of marijuana in the vehicle, law enforcement asked the occupants to step out of the vehicle. Upon exiting the vehicle, the defendant fled on foot and deputies gave chase, catching him when he later fell to the ground. After detaining him, deputies found a loaded Glock handgun that the defendant had dropped next to him on the ground. The defendant is a convicted felon.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 60 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Keisand Santiago-Maldonado, 33 years old, of Milton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after a jury convicted him of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Santiago-Maldonado was sentenced to 60 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, Santiago-Maldonado was driving a rental car on the interstate in LaPorte County. Law enforcement observed Santiago-Maldonado commit traffic infractions and performed a traffic stop. During the stop, officers found 997 grams of cocaine underneath the passenger’s seat.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force, LaPorte County Sheriff’s Department, LaPorte County Prosecutor’s Office, and Indiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius, Hannah T Jones, and Appellate Chief Joseph P. Falvey.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to Creating and Distributing Animal Crush VideosRead the Press Release
Joseph Garrett Buckland, of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to create and distribute “animal crush” videos. Buckland was charged on Feb. 26 with violating the federal Animal Crushing statute.
According to court documents and statements made in court during a change of plea hearing, Buckland was a member of several online chat groups and private payment groups dedicated to the creation, distribution, and discussion of sexual and violent videos depicting monkeys being tortured, including baby and adult monkeys having their limbs broken and genitals mutilated. Buckland personally collected money to create and distribute obscene torture videos.
“Today’s plea should serve as a warning: animal crush videos are illegal, and we will prosecute individuals engaged in this sadistic behavior,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Investigating and prosecuting cases like this is not easy, and we commend all who worked to bring this perpetrator to justice.”
“Producing and trafficking in animal crush videos is a serious federal crime,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “Intentionally inflicting harm and torture on innocent animals not only feeds a broader market of criminal depravity, it also often is linked to, or leads to, additional dangerous and violent conduct that further erodes society and public safety. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute all crimes involving violations of federal law relating to horrific acts of cruelty to animals.”
“Buckland’s decisions, actions, and financial investments directly contributed to the brutal torture of defenseless animals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “Thanks to the diligent investigative efforts of our special agents, in collaboration with the FBI, he has now admitted his role and will face justice in federal court. HSI will continue to investigate these heinous crimes and work with our law enforcement partners, domestically and abroad, to identify, pursue, and hold offenders accountable.”
Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 29. Buckland faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy to create and/or distribute animal crush videos. A U.S. District Court judge will determine sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
HSI investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Emily R. Stone of ENRD’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Locher for the Western District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case.
Panama City Beach Meth Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Jerry Thomas McCarigie, 49, of Panama City Beach, was sentenced to over six years in federal prison after a jury previously found him guilty of possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Eliminating the scourge of methamphetamine in our communities requires close collaboration between our state and federal law enforcement partners and aggressive prosecutions to send the peddlers of this deadly poison to prison. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward dismantling and eradicating drug trafficking networks that have invaded our communities, and my office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this one to deliver on the promise that our citizens deserve safe, drug-free streets.”
Evidence and testimony admitted at trial established that on November 15, 2023, the Bay County Sheriff's Office’s Special Investigations Division conducted a drug trafficking investigation at a motel located in Panama City Beach. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s motel room. During the execution of the warrant, the defendant was detained and law enforcement located fentanyl, multiple baggies containing more than 48 grams of methamphetamine, and a digital scale in the defendant’s pockets.
“We continue to have success targeting criminals in the Panhandle region,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa Field Division. “We will not rest until they are brought to justice.”
After serving his term of imprisonment, McCarigie will have to serve 4 years on supervised release.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by Bay County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Norfolk man convicted at trial for his role in a cocaine and heroin trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A federal judge convicted Brehon Kanell Davis, 44, of Norfolk, today on charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and heroin. Davis was further convicted on two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, from at least April 2021 to December 2023, Davis’ co-conspirators procured cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and parafluorofentanyl from out-of-state sources and had it shipped in wholesale quantities to Virginia. Davis and others then received the drugs for further distribution in Norfolk. Davis and his fellow distributors used internet payment services, such as Cash App, to pay for the narcotics.
Davis faces up to 10 years in prison when sentenced on July 28. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Norfolk Police Department investigated this case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Darryl J. Mitchell and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly A. Cournoyer are prosecuting the case. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Marek and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Graham Stolle and Marc W. West assisted in the prosecution.
This operation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative. The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-53.
Newtonville Man Pleads Guilty to Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Newtonville man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to a drug distribution offense involving cocaine.
Trevor Headley, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2026. Headley was arrested and charged in October 2025.
In August 2025, Headley distributed cocaine to an undercover law enforcement officer on multiple occasions. On Aug. 12, 2025, after arranging the first transaction through a series of communications, Headley met the undercover officer at a pre-arranged location and sold approximately 112 grams of cocaine. On Aug. 27, 2025, Headley conducted a second controlled transaction, this time distributing approximately 451 grams of cocaine.
Additionally, on recorded phone calls with the undercover officer in September 2025, Headley discussed obtaining an additional kilogram of cocaine for sale and expressed interest in obtaining firearms and machinegun conversion devices – stating that the firearms would be included as part of the negotiation, in exchange for the cocaine.
During a search of Headley’s residence following his arrest in October 2025, approximately three kilograms of cocaine packaged for distribution, along with more than $32,000 in cash and other items consistent with drug trafficking were recovered.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charges of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute cocaine each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.
New Jersey Man Who Engaged in Sexual Activity with Minor, Gave Her Cocaine, Sentenced to 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MIGUEL FRANCISCO GUZMAN, 31, of Woodbridge Township, New Jersey, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 168 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for child exploitation and drug distribution offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 18, 2025, Guzman began messaging on Snapchat with a girl under the age of 13 (“minor victim”) in Connecticut. Guzman solicited sexually explicit images from the minor victim and sent sexually explicit images of himself to the minor victim. Later that night, Guzman travelled to Connecticut and engaged in sexual conduct with the minor victim. He also coerced the minor victim into ingesting cocaine.
A court-authorized search of Guzman’s Snapchat account revealed that, between March and May 2025, Guzman attempted to solicit sexually explicit images and arrange sexual encounters with other minors.
Guzman has been detained since his arrest on August 12, 2025. On November 6, 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity and one count of distribution of a controlled substance to a person under age 21.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of local police in Connecticut and the Woodbridge Township (N.J.) Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
New Jersey Emergency Medical Services Company Owner Admits Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – The owner of several New Jersey companies, including an emergency medical services company, pleaded guilty to willfully evading taxes, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Louis V. Greco III, 38, of Highland Mills, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Georgette Castner in Trenton federal court today, to an information charging him with tax evasion for tax years 2018 to 2022.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Greco owned NJ Mobile Health Care LLC (“NJMHC”), an emergency medical services company that provided ambulance services out of Mahwah, New Jersey. Beginning in or around 2018, Greco caused NJMHC to fail to pay over payroll taxes that were collected from NJMHC’s employees. After the IRS began efforts to collect the outstanding payroll taxes, Greco opened SSME Services LLC (“SSME”) and moved NJMHC’s employees to SSME. Greco then caused SSME to fail to pay to the IRS payroll taxes that were collected from SSME’s employees. After the IRS began efforts to collect the outstanding payroll taxes owed by SSME, Greco opened Lime Line Operations LLC (“LLO”), and moved employees that were previously under NJMHC and SSME’s payrolls to LLO’s payroll. From 2018 to 2022, Greco caused these three companies to fail to pay to the IRS more than $1.4 million in payroll taxes, as well as over $400,000 in Trust Fund Recovery Penalties the IRS assessed against Greco for causing the three companies to fail to pay their employment taxes.
The tax evasion charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for August 5, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Jenifer L. Piovesan in Newark, with the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter A. Laserna, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering and Recovery Unit.
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Defense counsel: Kevin G. Walsh, Esq., Florham Park, New Jersey
Jude Roberto Cardenas, Esq., Carle Place, New York
greco.information.pdfMount Pleasant Resident Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Create and Distribute Animal Crush Videos Containing Violent Torture of MonkeysRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge of conspiracy to create and distribute animal crush videos, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Joseph Garrett Buckland, 44, pleaded guilty to one count before United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that Buckland and others conspired to pool their money to commission the creation of animal crush videos—that is, videos that show actual obscene conduct in which living non-human mammals, in this case, monkeys, were purposely crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled, or otherwise subjected to serious bodily injury—and then distributed those videos to other group members and chat groups via an instant messaging application. Buckland admitted to sending money on more than 15 occasions to commission animal crush videos and collecting money from others involved in the conspiracy to pool resources to commission such videos for distribution to individuals on the instant messaging app.
“Producing and trafficking in animal crush videos is a serious federal crime,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “Intentionally inflicting harm and torture on innocent animals not only feeds a broader market of criminal depravity, it also often is linked to, or leads to, additional dangerous and violent conduct that further erodes society and public safety. With our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and prosecute all crimes involving violations of federal law relating to horrific acts of cruelty to animals.”
“Today’s plea should serve as a warning: animal crush videos are illegal and we will prosecute individuals engaged in this sadistic behavior,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Investigating and prosecuting cases like this is not easy, and we commend all who worked to bring this perpetrator to justice.”
“Buckland’s decisions, actions, and financial investments directly contributed to the brutal torture of defenseless animals,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. “Thanks to the diligent investigative efforts of our special agents, in collaboration with the FBI, he has now admitted his role and will face justice in federal court. HSI will continue to investigate these heinous crimes and work with our law enforcement partners, domestically and abroad, to identify, pursue, and hold offenders accountable.”
Judge Ranjan scheduled sentencing for October 29, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania and Trial Attorney Emily Stone of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans’ Cyber and Human Exploitation Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Buckland.
Morgantown Man Sentenced to Prison for Violating the Federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification ActRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – James Mansfield Davis, 69, of Morgantown, was sentenced today to five months in prison for failure to register as a sex offender as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). The sentence is to be served consecutively to previously imposed sentences totaling seven years and 10 months in prison.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Davis was living in South Charleston when he failed to register as a sex offender as required following his conviction for possession of child pornography in United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia on May 20, 2024.
For that offense, Davis was sentenced on September 5, 2024, to six years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by 20 years of supervised release. Davis failed to self-report to prison as required on October 4, 2024. Law enforcement officers arrested Davis in Williamsburg, Virginia, on October 15, 2024. Davis was sentenced on August 20, 2025, to one year in prison for failing to surrender for a federal sentence, with the sentence to run consecutively to the sentence for possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS).
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan T. Storage prosecuted the case.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 and provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the United States. SORNA seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs, in part by requiring registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.
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. 2:24-cr-189.
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Michigan City Man Sentenced to 70 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Jalen Wilson, 33 years old, of Michigan City, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Wilson was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 4 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on two separate occasions, Wilson sold fentanyl to another person. On another occasion, Wilson sold a firearm that was affixed with a machinegun conversion device. Wilson has a prior federal felony conviction for conspiring to distribute heroin and was therefore prohibited from possessing a firearm.
“Jalen Wilson decided to ignore the lessons he should have learned during his first trip through the federal criminal justice system,” said U.S. Attorney Mildred. “Instead, he escalated by diversifying his illicit business into to fentanyl and firearms. Thankfully, the committed public servants with DEA, ATF, LaPorte County Drug Task Force, and our Office brought this recidivist drug dealer to justice. I commend them all for their efforts.”
“Fentanyl remains the country’s deadliest drug threat, claiming nearly 50,000 lives last year. The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement and prosecution partners, will continue to hold accountable anyone who is cruel and evil enough to drive more Americans towards the poison of fentanyl. Mr. Wilson will have much time in a federal penitentiary to think of the lives he destroyed; and hopefully he will discern ways to be a productive member of society once he is free again,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Chip Cooke.
“Every machinegun conversion device taken off the streets is a potential mass shooting prevented. The sentence imposed in this case reflects the seriousness of these offenses as well as the threat dangerous drugs and illegal machinegun conversion devices pose in our community. ATF, alongside our law enforcement partners and the United States Attorney’s Office, will continue to work together to ensure these violent offenders are held accountable,” said ATF Chicago Field Division Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with assistance from the LaPorte County Drug Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lydia T. Lucius and Andrew A. Krumwied.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Members of Richmond-area cocaine conspiracy sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men and a woman from Colonial Heights are the latest defendants sentenced to prison for their roles in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy investigated by the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and the Richmond Police Department.
According to court documents, Timothy Keon Cousins, 40, led a cocaine distribution conspiracy based in Southwood Apartments in Richmond. Cousins was the source of cocaine for other members of the conspiracy, who then returned proceeds to Cousins.
From Aug. 23, 2024, through July 17, 2025, law enforcement conducted a series of seven controlled buys during which Cousins sold cocaine. Cousins’ co-conspirators Aiyanah Keturah Holloway, 25, and Dequan Duane Evans, 27, participated in some of those transactions. Evans sold cocaine during separate transactions, during one of which Evans used a juvenile to distribute the cocaine to and receive payment from the buyer.
On Aug. 20, 2025, investigators searched Cousins’ residence and seized four firearms, approximately 173 cartridges of ammunition, and two scales with suspected drug residue.
On Oct. 23, 2025, Cousins pled guilty to distribution of cocaine and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. On March 31, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
On Oct. 23, 2025, Holloway pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. She was sentenced today to five years in prison.
On Nov. 13, 2025, Evans pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, employing minors in drug trafficking, and distribution of cocaine. Evans was sentenced on March 23 to six years in prison.
During the same investigation, law enforcement identified Jamale Raquon Kelly, 26; Atio Terrain Walton, 22; and Davante Aandrell Jefferson, 20.
On March 21, 2025, Kelly was arrested with 5.81 grams of cocaine, $635, and a digital scale. Kelly pled guilty on October 23, 2025, to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced on March 26 to one year and six months in prison.
On July 10, 2025, Walton was arrested in possession of 5.24 grams of cocaine. On March 20, Walton pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 21 and faces up to 20 years in prison.
On Sept. 13, 2025, Jefferson committed an armed robbery and carjacking and was arrested on Sept. 30, 2025. On Feb. 19, Jefferson pled guilty to carjacking and use, carry, brandish a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 16 and faces a mandatory minimum of seven years and up to life in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-131.
Massachusetts Man Arrested for Threatening President TrumpRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Great Barrington, Mass., man has been arrested and charged for allegedly threatening President Donald J. Trump. Defendant allegedly posted messages on Facebook threatening to injure and kill the President.
Andrew D. Emerald, 45, was indicted by a federal grand jury on eight counts of interstate transmission of threatening communications. Emerald was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Springfield, Mass., at 2:30 p.m. today.
According to the indictment, from May 2025 to July 2025, Emerald intentionally made eight separate Facebook posts in which he threatened to injure President Trump. Specifically, it is alleged that Emerald made the following posts:
- May 3, 2025: “When I see to it that Trump is put to death. It will be the the day the purpose creation put me here for beyond creating. My daughter is fulfilled. (because what she is destined to do for the world is far greater than mine, taking out the orange menace!)”
- May 13, 2025: “Oh, I’m not just watching!! Either Trump is dead and in the ground by 2026 or I am hunting him down and putting him there. Do you hear that FBI and any other organization that wants to show up at my f****** door? 🚪Put the enemy of the United States in a f****** body bag or I will.”
- May 15, 2025: “Cause and effect. Trump being a monster to humanity caused this family suffering, and they might never choose to have children because of him Affect we’re going to f****** kill Trump on public television so the world sees what we do to f****** monsters and then we’re gonna hang him from the Statue of Liberty until his pathetic bloated corpse rots off falls in the ocean, and I swept out the to see with humanities trash 🚮 After what I just heard if Trump is not dead by 2026 I’m going to Mar-a-Lago and I’m going after myself.”
- May 15, 2025: “That’s not a threat that’s a f****** promise and I don’t have Trump arrangement syndrome. The bulls*** they made up. I’m going after him for taking my second amendment rights on constitutionally for calling him the Russian asset that he is! Cause and f****** affect!!!’ I’m going after him because I’m an actual f****** patriot. By the way, if there’s any arrangement syndrome caused by Trump it’s what his cult is inflicting on the rest of us!!!! That is going to end up going down in the psychological history books. Including the bulls*** that is Trump arrangement syndrome. I have very good reason to threaten his life and to go after it whether I have my second amendment rights or not. If the people that are supposed to have not gone after him by the new year, I am hear Trump I’m coming for you you little b****.”
- May 30, 2025: “If others have not taken care of you before the end of the year, Trump, I will, and I won’t make the mistake of not knowing where the f*** you are when I come for you. I’ll make sure you’re at Mar-a-Lago when I burn it to the f****** ground.”
- May 30, 2025: “And you shouldn’t have listened to my father when he said I wasn’t dangerous. I burned a house to the ground once in my life on accident when I burn you to the ground, it will very much be by intention, and I will revel in it instead of regret it for the rest of my life.”
- June 14, 2025: “Because killing is not wrong defending your life or putting down a predator you see taking others through murder. Which is why I’m coming for you, Trump. You’ve killed millions of people by proxy. And you’re a monster to f****** humanity and it is my mission in this life to end your f****** existence. And I won’t be murdering you I will be executing a monster. I will be fulfilling my constitutional duty to execute a criminal citizen that’s committed high treason just like the constitution tells me too, tells us all f****** too.”
- July 7, 2025: “Trump either you’re dead by 2026 or I’m coming for you personally and if I’m the one that kills you, you’re gonna suffer you little f****** b****.”
The charge of interstate transmission of threatening communications provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the United States Secret Service; the United States Postal Inspection Service; and the Great Barrington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Madison Man Sentenced to 3 Years for Marijuana TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Dejaun Angelo, 23, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 3 years in federal prison for possessing marijuana intended for distribution. The prison term will be followed by 4 years of supervised release. Angelo pled guilty to this charge on November 19, 2025.
In June 2025 the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a tip indicating that Angelo’s “X” account posted racist and violent threats to kill Jews and African Americans. Police obtained a search warrant for Angelo’s near eastside Madison apartment and found numerous marijuana compounds including approximately 19.5 pounds of marijuana, 423 grams of hashish, and 1,500 grams of hashish oil. Police also found numerous firearms in the apartment and hundreds of ammunition boxes in Angelo’s rented storage unit. The investigation determined that Angelo operated a cannabis company and regularly sold marijuana in the community.
At Angelo’s sentencing, Judge Conley expressed profound concern over Angelo’s hateful online comments and noted that it was fortunate police stopped him “before he went further.”
The charge against Angelo was the result of an investigation conducted by the Madison Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. Levins prosecuted the case.
Lynn Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking Two WomenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for benefitting financially from trafficking two women for sex and knowingly persuading and coercing both women to travel to another state to engage in prostitution.
Anthony Coleman, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 12 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Coleman was also ordered to pay $77,000 in restitution. In December 2025, Coleman pleaded guilty to two counts of benefitting financially from trafficking and two counts of knowingly persuading and coercing a person to travel to engage in prostitution. Coleman was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2024 and subsequently arrested in April 2024. He has remained in federal custody since.
Coleman targeted victims who had lost their jobs or homes during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns in March through August of 2020. Coleman had his victims move in with him, posted or controlled online commercial sex advertisements for them, provided them scripts to negotiate payment and terms with commercial sex buyers and transported his victims to hotels and other places to engage in commercial sex. The victims were required to give Coleman all the money they made. Coleman also regularly coerced his victims to have sex with him.
Specifically, in March 2020, Coleman recruited one victim who had lost her job due to the pandemic. The victim would sometimes be forced to engage in sex acts with 10-16 clients per day, with Coleman taking all the profits. Coleman also took the victim to Florida on multiple occasions to engage in commercial sex. Coleman also physically abused the victim – one time holding the victim underwater and threatening to drown her.
Around March and April 2020, Coleman recruited a second victim, convincing her to come live with him after she was kicked out of her home. The victim was unable to get a job because many businesses were closed due to COVID-19. The victim began engaging in commercial sex for Coleman and in May 2020, Coleman persuaded the victim to travel to California to engage in commercial sex. After she left him, Coleman threatened the victim – telling her he would hurt her mother and her sibling.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Revere and Cambridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit prosecuted the case.
Luzerne County Man Charged with Pandemic Fraud OffensesRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that George Moses, age 45, of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, was indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on wire fraud, mail fraud, and bank fraud charges.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Moses submitted applications for unemployment compensation, pandemic unemployment compensation, economic injury disaster loan, and paycheck protection program loan benefits falsely representing that he had qualifying income from the operation of multiple businesses in 2019 and 2020. Based upon the false representations, Moses is alleged to have received benefits totaling $134,083.88. The indictment further alleges that during the same time-period, Moses orchestrated a bank fraud scheme, writing checks to himself from financial institution accounts which had been closed or did not maintain sufficient funds, and then depositing those checks, causing total losses of approximately $11,656.90 to financial institutions.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & industry (PA DLI) investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah R. Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's efforts to combat fraud related to the COVID19 pandemic, particularly with respect to the resources made available by Congress through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for programs including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, and the Provider Relief Fund.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 30 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Ludlow Man Charged with Witness Tampering and RetaliationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Ludlow man has been arrested and charged for allegedly threatening the father of a victim in a pending federal sex trafficking case.
Christopher Barbaro, 72, was charged with harassing and threatening a witness in an ongoing sex trafficking prosecution. The defendant was arrested on March 27, 2026 and made an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson in federal court in Boston. The defendant was released on conditions.
According to the charging document, in May 2025, Barbaro’s grandson was charged with conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor and with transporting a victim to engage in prostitution. While those crimes were under investigation in the fall of 2024, government investigators interviewed multiple people, including one of the victims and that victim’s father. After the individuals had been interviewed, Barbaro allegedly sent the victim’s father a text message in November 2024 that stated: “You and your kid are a couple of f***** rats [rat emoji] and you know what happens to rats they choke on cheese you no good mother f***** I know what you guys did.”
It is further alleged that in December 2025, Barbaro allegedly called the victim’s father and left the following voicemail: “You c***sucker. I’m gonna get ahold of you at your f****** office, you prick. Be ready!” Five minutes after leaving that voicemail, Barbaro allegedly called the victim’s father again and told him, among other things, that he was a “rat.”
In March 2026, Barbaro allegedly told federal agents that he made communications to the victim’s father. It is further alleged that Barbaro confirmed that he knew where the victim’s father lives and works. Barbaro allegedly stated that if he saw the victim’s father he would “beat the s*** out of him…after what he did to my grandson.” When asked again if he would beat up the victim’s father, Barbaro allegedly stated, “I’d like to smash his face is what I’d like to do, for what he did miss. I’ll be honest with you. You can write that down. Take it as a threat. Whatever you wanna do. But that’s my feelings towards him. Alright? He’s a slippery SOB.”
“My office is committed to vigorously prosecuting anyone who threatens or harasses victims or witnesses,” said United States Attorney Leah B. Foley. “This office is committed to protecting the brave individuals who report crimes and assist in prosecutions to hold defendants accountable for their criminal conduct.”
“Christopher Barbaro learned today that witness tampering can land you in handcuffs,” said Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Mr. Barbaro is accused of harassing and threatening to harm a federal witness in a sex trafficking conspiracy case involving his grandson. Let me be clear: ensuring the safety of federal witnesses both before and after a prosecution is paramount, and the FBI takes Barbaro’s alleged acts extremely seriously.”
The charge of harassing another person and thereby hindering a person from assisting in a criminal prosecution, or attempting to do so, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of threatening to cause bodily injury with intent to retaliate against a witness, or attempting to do so, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three 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.
U.S. Attorney Foley and FBI SAC Docks made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Ludlow, Wilbraham and East Longmeadow Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings, Craig Estes and Kunal Pasricha of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lakeland Couple Pleads Guilty to Committing String of Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL - Andres Correa (39, Lakeland) and Cassandra Kerr (46, Lakeland) have pleaded guilty to a string of Hobbs Act robberies that occurred in August 2025. Correa pleaded guilty to four Hobbs Act robberies, four counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, and conspiring to commit the robberies. Kerr pleaded guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and conspiring to commit the robberies. Sentencing dates have not yet been set. Each faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, on July 28, 2025, Correa and Kerr robbed a food truck on Sheldon Road in Tampa. During the robbery, Correa entered the business and brandished a firearm while demanding money from two victims. Kerr acted as a lookout for Correa during the robbery.
On August 5, 2025, Correa and Kerr robbed a gas station in Tampa. Correa brandished a pistol and demanded money. Correa pointed a firearm into one of the victim’s stomachs until he received money. Kerr acted as a lookout for Correa outside the store in her vehicle.
Two days later, Correa and Kerr robbed a food mart in Tampa. Correa entered the business and produced a pistol from his chest area while demanding money. Correa held one of the store clerks at gunpoint until receiving cash from the register. Kerr again acted as a lookout for Correa during this robbery.
On August 19, 2025, Correa robbed a smoke shop in Seffner. After pulling a pistol from his chest area, Correa grabbed a customer and moved him back towards the counter. He pointed a gun at the back of his head and demanded cash. The clerk complied by handing Correa the cash register drawer.
On August 26, 2025, FBI and ATF agents, along with detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, executed search warrants in two residences. Inside one of the homes they found clothing consistent with surveillance footage, a firearm consistent with the firearm used in the robberies, a stomach holster, and a ledger with a list of banks and smoke shops along with directions to get to those businesses.
This case is the result of joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Samantha Newman.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Justice Department Sues New Jersey Township over Natural Gas BanRead the Press Release
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against Morris Township, New Jersey, over its ordinance banning natural gas, propane gas, and fuel oil infrastructure and appliances in certain new construction. This lawsuit is another example of the Department hard at work in keeping President Donald J. Trump’s promise to the American people to restore consumer freedom and cut energy costs.
As detailed in the complaint, filed Tuesday in the District of New Jersey, Morris Township’s natural gas ban drives up energy costs for everyday American consumers and weakens our Nation’s energy dominance. Such policies reflect a radical left effort to outlaw federally regulated gas stoves, furnaces, water heaters, dryers, and other appliances that American families rely on daily to cook their meals and heat their homes.
“This latest litigation in New Jersey follows two successful lawsuits in California as this Department of Justice fights to make energy more affordable for Americans,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Radical environmentalist policies that drive up costs and limit consumer choice will not stand.”
“The Department brought this lawsuit to protect American citizens the Township abandoned by kowtowing to progressive fearmongering in passing its natural gas ban,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward.
“The Township’s illegal interference with national energy policy must be stopped,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate. “Congress preempted local efforts to outlaw gas stoves and other appliances Americans count on and prefer. This case is about upholding that choice.”
“Where the federal government has exclusive authority to regulate appliances and infrastructure, we will fight state and local overreach,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Banning natural gas is illegal. It makes heating, cooking, drying, and other life functions more unaffordable for consumers. This Administration is committed to unleashing American energy and empowering Americans.”
Read the full Department of Justice complaint here.
The case is the latest action from the Justice Department fighting back against state and local overreach. Earlier this year, the Department successfully sued two California cities, for similar progressive natural gas bans. As a result of the Department’s suit, the City of Morgan Hill and the City of Petaluma passed ordinances earlier this month rescinding their previous prohibitions on natural gas, in recognition of their unlawfulness.
Justice Department Sues Idaho for Failure to Produce Voter RollsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division announced it has filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Idaho for failing to produce their full voter registration lists upon request. This brings the Justice Department’s nationwide total to 30 states and the District of Columbia.
“The Justice Department will continue to fulfill its oversight role dutifully, neutrally, and transparently wherever Americans vote in federal elections,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Many state election officials, however, are choosing to fight us in court rather than show their work. We will continue to verify that all States are carrying out critical election integrity legal duties.”
According to the lawsuits, the Attorney General is uniquely charged by Congress with broad authority to request election records under the Civil Rights Act of 1960. This Act allows her to demand the production, inspection, and analysis of statewide voter registration lists that can be cross-checked effectively for improper registrations.
Jamaican national sentenced to six years in prison for trafficking cocaine and returning proceeds to MexicoRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Jamaican national was sentenced today to six years in prison for his role in an international cocaine trafficking conspiracy investigated as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative.
According to court documents, since at least early 2022, Jason Kristian Duncker, 54, conspired with others in the United States and Mexico to traffic multi-kilogram loads of cocaine and collect the proceeds to be sent to co-conspirators in Mexico. In all, Duncker trafficked between 75 and 100 kilograms of cocaine in 2021 and 2022.
On July 22, 2022, Duncker coordinated a bulk cash pickup of cocaine-trafficking proceeds in Chesapeake, after which law enforcement conducted a traffic stops. Investigators searched Duncker’s vehicle and recovered $250,004 destined for Mexico.
After his arrest, Duncker fled to Mexico. On Oct. 2, 2025, Mexican law enforcement, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), located Duncker and arrested him in General Teran, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. Mexican immigration authorities transported Duncker to Laredo, Texas, where he was turned over to U.S. law enforcement.
Duncker pled guilty on Dec. 22, 2025, to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute cocaine; distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine; and interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
The DEA’s Washington Division investigated this case with assistance from USMS.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Hudson, former Assistant U.S. Attorney John Butler, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Graham Stolle prosecuted the case.
The HSTF is a United States government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, transnational gangs, and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) worldwide. This initiative identifies TCOs engaged in a wide range of criminal schemes that violate federal law, while dismantling cross-border human smuggling and trafficking networks that fuel violence and instability that threatens the safety and security of the United States and its global partners. It also places a particular emphasis on criminal offenses involving children and ensures the use of all available law enforcement tools to prosecute offenders and/or facilitate the removal of criminal aliens from the United States.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:24-cr-24.
Illegal Alien, a Convicted Cocaine Dealer Previously Deported Five Times, Sentenced to 122 MonthsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Damion Alexander Peddie, 54, a Jamaican citizen who previously had been convicted of multiple drug trafficking offenses and removed from the United States on at least five prior occasions, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 122 months in federal prison in connection with possessing a cache of weapons and narcotics and for illegally re-entering the country, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Peddie pleaded guilty on Dec. 19, 2025, before Judge Timothy J. Kelly to a three-count information charging him with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, alien in possession of a firearm, and unlawful re-entry of a previously removed alien. In addition to the 122-month prison term, Judge Kelly ordered Peddie to serve three years of supervised release and to comply with any order of deportation.
“Damion Peddie showed a complete disregard for our laws and our borders—deported five times, yet he chose to come back and arm himself with a cache of weapons and narcotics. A previously convicted drug trafficker, he continued to put American communities at risk,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This career criminal illegal alien is exactly the type of offender the Trump administration is working tirelessly to remove from our country—after serving his sentence, he will be deported.”
According to court documents, in the Summer of 2024, FBI agents initiated a long-term investigation of a drug trafficking conspiracy centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE. Law enforcement had identified an alleged fentanyl and PCP trafficker with a stash house in the 2900 block of Knox Place. Over the course of their investigation into the trafficker’s narcotics suppliers, investigating agents determined that Peddie was conspiring with members of the drug trafficking operation (DTO) in the redistribution of fentanyl, amongst other narcotics.
On August 26, 2025, FBI agents executed a search warrant at a home in the 400 block of Taylor Street NW as part of a coordinated arrest and search warrant operation in connection with the Knox Place DTO investigation. Agents encountered Peddie walking down the stairs from the second floor of the residence.
In Peddie's bedroom, agents found a ghost gun, a privately manufactured black 9mm Polymer 80 pistol bearing no serial number and untraceable by law enforcement, along with a .22 caliber handgun. Agents also recovered about seven pounds of marijuana, along with distribution quantities of fentanyl and crack cocaine.
On the first floor of the home, agents found an H&R .32 caliber revolver, an AR-style ghost gun, six ammunition magazines, assorted rounds of ammunition, and a High Point 9mm carbine rifle.
This criminal case marks Peddie's fifth federal conviction for unlawful re-entry of a previously removed alien. He previously had been convicted of the same offense in the District of Maryland in January 1996, and in the District of Columbia in May 2004, October 2010, and October 2013.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was prosecuted under the auspices of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) network, which is directed under President Trump’s Executive Order titled Protecting the American People Against Invasion.
The mission of the HSTF network is to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs and transnational criminal organizations, and to ensure the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, with assistance from the DEA Washington, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew W. Kinskey, John Crabb, and Sarah Akhtar of the Violence Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section. Valuable assistance was provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi and John Parron.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcIllegal Alien who Shot at DEA Agents Charged with Attempted Murder of a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – An illegal alien who shot at Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) special agents attempting to arrest him during a fentanyl sale on Feb. 24, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for attempted murder.
Eduardo Valenzuela Lopez, 33, of Cajeme, Sonora, Mexico, has been charged with Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer; Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Law Enforcement Officer; Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of/Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense; Possession of a Firearm by an Alien Unlawfully Present in the United States, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and two counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl.
His codefendant, Jael Gonzalez Banuelos, 22, of Phoenix, was also indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl. The two men were arraigned today in federal court.
“Under the leadership of President Trump and Attorney General Bondi, we are driving a nationwide effort to choke off the flow of fentanyl at every level- from transnational criminal organizations to street-level distribution,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “We continue to stand by our federal agents as they confront these violent criminal networks head on.”
The indictment alleges that the men conspired to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl on Feb. 24, 2026. According to court documents, from Jan. 30, 2026, through Feb. 24, 2026, Valenzuela Lopez negotiated and coordinated the sale and delivery of approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills. Law enforcement officers became aware of the deal and tried to arrest Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos as they delivered the pills. When agents approached their Dodge Ram truck, Valenzuela Lopez opened fire on officers. In response, officers returned fire. No injuries or fatalities resulted, and law enforcement officers subsequently arrested Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos. Investigators then discovered a firearm on the ground by the driver’s side of the truck, as well as approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills in the truck’s passenger compartment. Later, law enforcement also located a brick of fentanyl powder weighing approximately 1 kilogram at Valenzuela Lopez’s residence.
Convictions for Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer and Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding a Law Enforcement Officer each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. Convictions for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of/Use of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking Offense; Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl; and Possession with Intent to Distribute 400 grams or more of Fentanyl each carry a maximum sentence of life in prison. The maximum sentence for Possession of a Firearm by an Alien Unlawfully Present in the United States is 15 years in prison.
The FBI Phoenix Division investigated the assault on a federal officer. DEA Phoenix conducted the drug investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
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-00284
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-055_Valenzuela Lopez, Gonzalez Banuelos
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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