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Tuesday 31 March 2026
Lena Man Pleads Guilty to Assault on the Choctaw Indian ReservationRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Lena man pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026, to the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and use of a firearm during a crime of violence on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff of the Jackson Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to court documents, Jarvis Ficklin, 37, of Lena, used a shotgun to shoot a tribal member on the Choctaw Indian Reservation which resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim.
In March of 2022, a federal grand jury indicted Ficklin on the assault and firearms charges. Ficklin pleaded guilty to the charges and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2026. Ficklin faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the assault charge and not less than 10 years on the firearms charge. The sentence for the firearms charge will be served consecutively to the sentence for the assault charge. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Police Department of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, who investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 20 years for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for his involvement in drug trafficking and the illegal possession of a firearm.
Brandon R. Haywood, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 20 years in federal prison without parole for possessing with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and felon in possession of a firearm. Haywood was convicted of those offenses at the conclusion of a jury trial held in September 2025.
On Feb. 4, 2023, law enforcement officers were dispatched to a store in Independence, Mo., regarding a sexual assault, for which Haywood is charged in Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court. On Feb. 15, 2023, Haywood returned to the same store and was arrested by officers. His vehicle was towed from the scene in anticipation of a search warrant. When the state search warrant was executed on his vehicle, investigators located a Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber firearm; the defendant’s wallet; and approximately 30 grams of cocaine in the center console. Prior to this incident, Haywood was convicted of the felony offense of Voluntary Manslaughter in Jackson County, Mo., Circuit Court.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashleigh Ragner and Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department.
Kansas City Man Sentenced to 11 Years for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for illegally possessing a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
Daniel E. Lablance, 46, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 11 years in prison without parole for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
On Dec. 10, 2023, officers were called to E. 59th St. and U.S. 71 Hwy., Kansas City, Mo., regarding a stranded motorist. When officers arrived, they saw a silver Infiniti with a Missouri temporary tag in between two lanes of traffic. The vehicle was not moving with a green traffic light at the intersection. When officers approached, they observed the driver, Lablance, who appeared to be passed out in the driver’s seat. Lablance had a Glock, Model 27, .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol on his lap. As officers tried to remove Lablance from his vehicle, Lablance put the vehicle in drive and fled the scene, running over stop sticks and deflating some of the vehicle’s tires. During the police pursuit that followed, Lablance ran over a second set of stop sticks, deflating the Infiniti’s remaining tires. Lablance was eventually stopped and taken into custody at Meyer and U.S. 71 Hwy. When arrested, Lablance was wearing a shoulder bag that contained 38 alprazolam pills.
Lablance, who is a convicted felon, had been found guilty of nine prior felony offenses before today’s hearing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad K. Kavanaugh. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.
Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices Reach $3 Million Settlement with Georgia Professional Licensing Boards for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into an agreement with 42 Georgia state licensing boards (“Georgia Boards”) to resolve allegations that the Georgia Boards failed to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”).
This settlement is the first of its kind and will provide up to $3 million in compensation to servicemembers and military spouses whose applications for licensure were improperly denied or delayed. The settlement also requires the Georgia Boards to adopt new policies that comply with the SCRA and provide a streamlined application process for servicemembers and military spouses who are already licensed in another state.
“Members of the military and their families already make great sacrifices to defend our nation – they should not have to sacrifice their professional careers or financial well-being because the military requires them to move,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This groundbreaking settlement ensures that servicemembers and their spouses stationed in Georgia can have their out-of-state licenses recognized without facing unnecessary hurdles. Licensing authorities in other states should take note of this settlement and ensure they comply with the SCRA.”
“The agreement we are announcing today allows servicemembers and their spouses to focus on what is most important when military service sends them to Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Federal law requires every state to recognize hard-earned professional licenses when our warfighters must uproot their families in service to our country. This settlement ensures that servicemembers and military spouses can work in their chosen and trained professions free from bureaucratic hurdles, unnecessary costs, and burdensome waits. I am proud that my office, alongside the Justice Department and the two other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Georgia, worked together with our state partners in the Secretary of State’s office, the Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office to make it easier for our brave fighting men and women to call Georgia home.”
“As a U.S. Army veteran and reservist, it is a particular honor to announce that our servicemembers are guaranteed the full protections of the SCRA,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia. “I am grateful for our strong partnership with state officials in reaching this resolution, which ensures that servicemembers and their spouses with professional licenses can relocate to Georgia and continue their careers and lives here more smoothly.”
“This settlement will provide monetary relief to military spouses whose professional employment opportunities have been limited because of the state of Georgia’s unnecessary delays and red tape,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret “Meg” Heap of the Southern District of Georgia. “More importantly, this settlement clears a path now and in the future for military spouses to pursue continued employment when they move with their servicemember to our community. We are grateful for the work of our staff in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and to the staffers in the Northern and Middle Districts and the Civil Rights Division for their tireless, detailed work on reaching this settlement. All of our communities are stronger today because of their efforts.”
An investigation led by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Georgia and the Southern District of Georgia, uncovered multiple complaints from servicemembers and military spouses regarding the Georgia Boards’ previous refusal to recognize out-of-state professional licenses. As a result, servicemembers’ spouses were unable to work in their professional fields or earn money for their families after relocating to Georgia on military orders. One military spouse, for example, had to drive to a neighboring state to work because the Georgia Board did not recognize her professional license as required by federal law.
Since January 2023, the SCRA has required state licensing authorities to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and military spouses who relocate to a new state due to military orders. The law is intended to remove barriers to employment and improve the financial readiness of military families. Many military spouses work in fields that require licenses and must move across state lines every two to three years due to their spouses’ military orders. The SCRA provides that if a servicemember or military spouse holds a covered license, the new state must recognize the license as valid and may not impose requirements beyond those set forth in the statute.
The United States estimates that up to 5,000 servicemembers and military spouses may be entitled to compensation under this settlement. The professions covered by this settlement include teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists, barbers, opticians, massage therapists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, pharmacists, social workers, and many more.
The investigation and resolution of this matter were led by attorneys from the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Fallica and Aileen Bell Hughes of the Northern District of Georgia in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle and Southern Districts of Georgia.
Any servicemember or military spouse who applied for a professional license from one of the Georgia Boards after January 2023 and who may have been wrongfully denied rights guaranteed by the SCRA should contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at [email protected] or (404) 581-4626.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorney's Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $487 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Justice Department and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices Reach $3 Million Settlement with Georgia Professional Licensing Boards for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
ATLANTA, Ga. – The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into an agreement with 42 Georgia state licensing boards (“Georgia Boards”) to resolve allegations that the Georgia Boards failed to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”).
This settlement is the first of its kind and will provide up to $3 million in compensation to servicemembers and military spouses whose applications for licensure were improperly denied or delayed. The settlement also requires the Georgia Boards to adopt new policies that comply with the SCRA and provide a streamlined application process for servicemembers and military spouses who are already licensed in another state.
“As a U.S. Army veteran and reservist, it is a particular honor to announce that our servicemembers are guaranteed the full protections of the SCRA,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia. “I am grateful for our strong partnership with state officials in reaching this resolution, which ensures that servicemembers and their spouses with professional licenses can relocate to Georgia and continue their careers and lives here more smoothly.”
“Members of the military and their families already make great sacrifices to defend our nation – they should not have to sacrifice their professional careers or financial well-being because the military requires them to move,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This groundbreaking settlement ensures that servicemembers and their spouses stationed in Georgia can have their out-of-state licenses recognized without facing unnecessary hurdles. Licensing authorities in other states should take note of this settlement and ensure they comply with the SCRA.”
“The agreement we are announcing today allows servicemembers and their spouses to focus on what is most important when military service sends them to Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Federal law requires every state to recognize hard-earned professional licenses when our warfighters must uproot their families in service to our country. This settlement ensures that servicemembers and military spouses can work in their chosen and trained professions free from bureaucratic hurdles, unnecessary costs, and burdensome waits. I am proud that my office, alongside the Justice Department and the two other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Georgia, worked together with our state partners in the Secretary of State’s office, the Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office to make it easier for our brave fighting men and women to call Georgia home.”
“This settlement will provide monetary relief to military spouses whose professional employment opportunities have been limited because of the state of Georgia’s unnecessary delays and red tape,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret “Meg” Heap of the Southern District of Georgia. “More importantly, this settlement clears a path now and in the future for military spouses to pursue continued employment when they move with their servicemember to our community. We are grateful for the work of our staff in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and to the staffers in the Northern and Middle Districts and the Civil Rights Division for their tireless, detailed work on reaching this settlement. All of our communities are stronger today because of their efforts.”
An investigation led by the Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Georgia and the Southern District of Georgia, uncovered multiple complaints from servicemembers and military spouses regarding the Georgia Boards’ previous refusal to recognize out-of-state professional licenses. As a result, servicemembers’ spouses were unable to work in their professional fields or earn money for their families after relocating to Georgia on military orders. One military spouse, for example, had to drive to a neighboring state to work because the Georgia Board did not recognize her professional license as required by federal law.
Since January 2023, the SCRA has required state licensing authorities to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and military spouses who relocate to a new state due to military orders. The law is intended to remove barriers to employment and improve the financial readiness of military families. Many military spouses work in fields that require licenses and must move across state lines every two to three years due to their spouses’ military orders. The SCRA provides that if a servicemember or military spouse holds a covered license, the new state must recognize the license as valid and may not impose requirements beyond those set forth in the statute.
The United States estimates that up to 5,000 servicemembers and military spouses may be entitled to compensation under this settlement. The professions covered by this settlement include teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists, barbers, opticians, massage therapists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, pharmacists, social workers, and many more.
Any servicemember or military spouse who applied for a professional license from one of the Georgia Boards after January 2023 and who may have been wrongfully denied rights guaranteed by the SCRA should contact the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at [email protected] or (404) 581-4626.
The investigation and resolution of this matter were led by attorneys from the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Fallica and Aileen Bell Hughes of the Northern District of Georgia in partnership with Assistant U.S. Attorney Taylor McNeill of the Middle District of Georgia and Civil Division Chief Bradford C. Patrick of the Southern District of Georgia. The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $487 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Justice Department and U.S. Attorney's Offices Reach $3 Million Settlement with Georgia Professional Licensing Boards for Alleged Violations of the Servicemembers Civil Relief ActRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - The Justice Department announced today that it has entered into an agreement with 42 Georgia state licensing boards (“Georgia Boards”) to resolve allegations that the Georgia Boards failed to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and their spouses, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (“SCRA”).
This settlement is the first of its kind and will provide up to $3 million in compensation to servicemembers and military spouses whose applications for licensure were improperly denied or delayed. The settlement also requires the Georgia Boards to adopt new policies that comply with the SCRA and provide a streamlined application process for servicemembers and military spouses who are already licensed in another state.
“The agreement we are announcing today allows servicemembers and their spouses to focus on what is most important when military service sends them to Georgia,” said Theodore S. Hertzberg, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia. “Federal law requires every state to recognize hard-earned professional licenses when our warfighters must uproot their families in service to our country. This settlement ensures that servicemembers and military spouses can work in their chosen and trained professions free from bureaucratic hurdles, unnecessary costs, and burdensome waits. I am proud that my office, alongside the Justice Department and the two other U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in Georgia, worked together with our state partners in the Secretary of State’s office, the Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office to make it easier for our brave fighting men and women to call Georgia home.”
“Members of the military and their families already make great sacrifices to defend our nation – they should not have to sacrifice their professional careers or financial well-being because the military requires them to move,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This groundbreaking settlement ensures that servicemembers and their spouses stationed in Georgia can have their out-of-state licenses recognized without facing unnecessary hurdles. Licensing authorities in other states should take note of this settlement and ensure they comply with the SCRA.”
“As a U.S. Army veteran and reservist, it is a particular honor to announce that our servicemembers are guaranteed the full protections of the SCRA,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes of the Middle District of Georgia. “I am grateful for our strong partnership with state officials in reaching this resolution, which ensures that servicemembers and their spouses with professional licenses can relocate to Georgia and continue their careers and lives here more smoothly.”
“This settlement will provide monetary relief to military spouses whose professional employment opportunities have been limited because of the state of Georgia’s unnecessary delays and red tape,” said U.S. Attorney Margaret “Meg” Heap of the Southern District of Georgia. “More importantly, this settlement clears a path now and in the future for military spouses to pursue continued employment when they move with their servicemember to our community. We are grateful for the work of our staff in the Civil Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia, and to the staffers in the Northern and Middle Districts and the Civil Rights Division for their tireless, detailed work on reaching this settlement. All of our communities are stronger today because of their efforts.”
An investigation led the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle District of Georgia and the Southern District of Georgia, and the DOJ Civil Rights Division uncovered multiple complaints from servicemembers and military spouses regarding the Georgia Boards’ previous refusal to recognize out-of-state professional licenses. As a result, servicemembers’ spouses were unable to work in their professional fields or earn money for their families after relocating to Georgia on military orders. One military spouse, for example, had to drive to a neighboring state to work because the Georgia Board did not recognize her professional license as required by federal law.
Since January 2023, the SCRA has required state licensing authorities to recognize the out-of-state professional licenses of servicemembers and military spouses who relocate to a new state due to military orders. The law is intended to remove barriers to employment and improve the financial readiness of military families. Many military spouses work in fields that require licenses and must move across state lines every two to three years due to their spouses’ military orders. The SCRA provides that if a servicemember or military spouse holds a covered license, the new state must recognize the license as valid and may not impose requirements beyond those set forth in the statute.
The United States estimates that up to 5,000 servicemembers and military spouses may be entitled to compensation under this settlement. The professions covered by this settlement include teachers, nurses, electricians, plumbers, cosmetologists, barbers, opticians, massage therapists, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, pharmacists, social workers, and many more.
The investigation and resolution of this matter were led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marissa Fallica and Aileen Bell Hughes of the Northern District of Georgia in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Middle and Southern Districts of Georgia and attorneys from the DOJ Civil Rights Division.
Any servicemember or military spouse who applied for a professional license from one of the Georgia Boards after January 2023 and who may have been wrongfully denied rights guaranteed by the SCRA should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at [email protected] or (404) 581-4626.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $487 million in monetary relief for over 149,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Justice Department Secures Agreement with American Giants Museum in Atlanta, Illinois, to Improve Access for People with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has reached a settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with the American Giants Museum, located in Atlanta, Illinois, to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Department reached the agreement with the Atlanta Betterment Fund, which owns and operates the museum.
The settlement resolves an ADA complaint alleging that the Museum does not comply with the ADA and has safety concerns for people with disabilities. The complaint prompted an investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois. The investigation revealed that the museum’s front entrance, bathroom, and outdoor exhibits are not accessible as required by the ADA and that some injuries to visitors had been reported.
Under the agreement, the Museum will make twenty-four improvements to its building and facilities, including construction of a new entrance, modifications to its bathroom, and improvements to its outdoor exhibits to expand access.
The Museum, which opened a brand-new building to the public in 2024 near the historic Route-66 highway, showcases a collection of giant fiberglass statutes. As a place of public accommodation, the ADA requires the Museum to be accessible to people with disabilities and provide full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, and facilities.
“Places of public accommodation like museums must be accessible to all citizens, including people with disabilities, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant for the Central District of Illinois. “We commend the Museum for its cooperation and prompt action to renovate its facilities to expand access for all.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at https://www.justice.gov/crt/how-file-complaint.
Jefferson Parish Man Sentenced After Pleading Guilty to Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CHARLES WHITE (“WHITE”), age 34, a resident of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, was sentenced on March 12, 2026 by U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown to time served, three (3) years of supervised release, and a mandatory $100.00 special assessment fee after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, in June 2022, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office (JPSO) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents initiated a joint investigation into WHITE as a member of a cocaine distribution organization with co-conspirators. As part of the investigation, agents utilized multiple controlled purchases of cocaine through an intermediary WHITE believed was a legitimate seller.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
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Jefferson County Woman Indicted for Distribution of Illegal DrugsRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand jury has indicted a Jefferson County woman on drug charges, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Catherine L. Crosby
A three-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Lekeria Antionette Toles, 26, of Mount Olive, Alabama, with distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl. The incidents allegedly occurred between October 2024 and January 2025 in Jefferson County, Alabama.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The FBI investigated the case along with the Bessemer Police Special Operations Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Alan S. Kirk is prosecuting the case.
An indictment contains only charges. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Jefferson County Man Admits to Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Shepherdstown, West Virginia man has admitted to illegally having firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
James William Jacobs, 63, pled guilty today to unlawfully possessing a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Jacobs is prohibited from having firearms because of a prior domestic battery conviction and a felony fleeing conviction. Officers responded to a call of shots fired and a domestic altercation at Jacob’s home. A lawful search was conducted, and two firearms and ammunition were seized.
Jacobs faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Kane is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office investigated.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.
Illegal alien sentenced to federal prison under Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Mexican national illegally living in the United States has been sentenced to five years in federal prison under the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Sergio Uriel Munoz-Rodriguez, 44, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on March 31, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in 2020 federal agents identified Munoz-Rodriguez while investigating drug trafficking activity in the Metroplex area. Munoz-Rodriguez admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing at least 15 kilograms of a substance containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. It was also determined during the investigation that Munoz-Rodriguez is a citizen of Mexico and illegally in the United States.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Illegal Alien from Vietnam Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Illegal Firearms PossessionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Hieu Trung Vu, 37, a previously convicted felon and illegal alien from Vietnam, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in connection with drug trafficking from a Georgetown Airbnb as well as being a previously convicted felon in possession of two guns, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Vu pleaded guilty before Judge Amit P. Mehta to one count of unlawful possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base, amphetamine, and fentanyl, and to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2026. Because of his illegal status, Vu is subject to deportation to Vietnam following the completion of his sentence.
“Vu was operating a drug trafficking scheme out of a Georgetown Airbnb while armed with two loaded pistols. He had no legal right to be in this country, no legal right to possess firearms, and no right to endanger our communities with these deadly narcotics,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “This prosecution will reinforce that he has no right to victimize our citizens ever again.”
According to court documents, on Dec. 4, 2025, Metropolitan Police responded to an emergency call from a woman who reported that a man in her Airbnb had narcotics in his possession. Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence on the 1400 block of Wisconsin Ave. NW.
Officers executed the warrant that afternoon and discovered a tan backpack in the rear bedroom containing two handguns. In the kitchen, officers found a black backpack containing, among other items, a black and tan Coach bag. Inside the Coach bag were narcotics packaged in multiple bags, drug paraphernalia, and a debit card bearing Vu’s name.
Lab testing confirmed the drugs were methamphetamine (about 48 grams), cocaine (about 14 grams), cocaine base (about 2 grams), amphetamine (about 6 grams), and fentanyl (about 10 grams). Vu admitted that he possessed all five substances with the intent to distribute them.
The two handguns were a Glock 43X, 9mm pistol, and a CZ Model 27, 7.65mm pistol. The Glock was loaded with nine rounds in a 10-round capacity magazine. Vu admitted that both firearms belonged to him.
Vu was previously convicted in 2022 in Fairfax County, Virginia, of possession with intent to manufacture or sell narcotics and sentenced to five years in prison with two months and four months of the sentence suspended. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Liss and Caelainn Carney.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump’s Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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Hartford, Connecticut Men Charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base, Cocaine, and FentanylRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on March 26, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Harold Sterling, 33, and Isaias Ramos, 31, both of Hartford, Connecticut with possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances, specifically, more than 28 grams of cocaine base, cocaine, and fentanyl. The indictment additionally charged Ramos with being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.
Sterling and Ramos entered pleas of not guilty to the charge during an arraignment on March 30, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle had previously ordered that Sterling and Ramos be detained during the pendency of this matter.
According to court records, on March 12, 2026, U.S. Border Patrol spotted the vehicle Sterling and Ramos were driving in at approximately 11:45 p.m. near North Troy, Vermont. The Border Patrol agent suspected the vehicle to be involved in potential human smuggling across the Canadian border into the United States. When the Border Patrol agent activated his lights to initiate a stop, the vehicle sped away. As the vehicle sped away, a plastic bag was thrown out of the vehicle’s window. Border Patrol later recovered the bag and found it to contain, with packaging, approximately 82 grams of fentanyl, 23 grams of cocaine powder, and 107 grams of cocaine base. Border Patrol also later found the vehicle, which Sterling and Ramos had abandoned in a nearby parking lot. Inside of Ramos’s backpack in the vehicle, Border Patrol found a .22 caliber revolver. Border Patrol tracked footprints from the vehicle to a residence in North Troy, Vermont. On March 13, 2026, law enforcement from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, and the Newport Police Department assisted Border Patrol to locate and arrest Sterling and Ramos at that residence.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Sterling and Ramos are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. If convicted, Ramos faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment, and as a result of a prior conviction for a serious drug felony, Sterling is expected to face up to life imprisonment. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Vermont State Police, and the Newport Police Department.
The government is represented by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew C. Gilman. Ramos is represented by Sarah Puls, Esq., and Sterling is represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Samuel Ansell.
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.
Guatemalan Illegal Alien Sentenced for Helping Other Illegal Aliens Obtain Counterfeit Identity DocumentsRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Edgidio Vasquez-Mencho, 41, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 6 months in custody for conspiracy to transfer false identification documents.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Vasquez-Mencho deserved to be prosecuted and punished. It is bad enough that he has repeatedly violated our immigration laws by crossing the border without permission. Worse than that, once he got here, he operated an illegal document business that allowed others like him to illegally obtain employment and claim taxpayer-supported public services. This conduct must stop.”
Vasquez-Mencho is the second of three defendants charged with and convicted of participating in a scheme by Guatemalans illegally present in the United States to advertise, manufacture, and sell fraudulent Social Security and Permanent Resident cards, as well as other false identification documents, to other persons illegally residing in the Grand Rapids area during 2024 and 2025. The conspirators profited by receiving payments for the counterfeit documents, and the recipients benefitted by using the documents to obtain employment and access to services intended for citizens and immigrants legally in the United States. Vasquez-Mencho’s role was primarily to deliver the counterfeit documents to and collect payments from the purchasers.
This is the third time Vasquez-Mencho was found in United States illegally. The first time he was located here, he was allowed to voluntarily depart and the second time, he was removed by immigration authorities to Guatemala. After the completion of his sentence, he will again be removed to his native Guatemala.
“This sentencing sends a clear message: Homeland Security Investigations will aggressively pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that traffic in fraudulent identification documents and exploit our immigration system,” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities, uphold the integrity of our nation’s laws, and ensure that those who undermine public safety face the full consequences of their actions.”
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Great Falls man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for drug traffickingRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who distributed methamphetamine was sentenced today to 43 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Nicholas Charles Williams, 46, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that between 2021 and March 2025, law enforcement officers investigated a group of individuals suspected of distributing methamphetamine in and around Great Falls. Williams was one of the members of the group. As part of the investigation into Williams, officers conducted three controlled purchases of methamphetamine from him utilizing a confidential informant. On each occasion, the drugs were sent to the DEA Laboratory for testing, which confirmed each of the substances acquired from Williams was methamphetamine.
On July 9, 2024, officers interviewed Williams and he admitted to selling methamphetamine between 2021 and late June 2024.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Montana comprises agents and officers from a number of federal agencies as well as drug task forces throughout the state, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zeno Baucus and Jeff Starnes prosecuted the case. The Russell Country Drug Task Force and DEA conducted the investigation as part of the HSTF.
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Georgia Man Guilty of Misprision of a FelonyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ELDER CAMACHO (“CAMACHO”), age 36, a resident of Georgia, pled guilty on March 25, 2026, before United States District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to misprision of a felony, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 4, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2022, CAMACHO, drove a codefendant from Atlanta, Georgia to New Orleans, in order to launder bulk cash drug proceeds from the Eastern District of Louisiana to Texas. CAMACHO also assisted in purchasing packaging materials to conceal the bulk cash.
CAMACHO faces up to three years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration – New Orleans Field Division Office, and assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Border Patrol, the Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, the Kenner Police Department, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, the St. John’s Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the New Orleans Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Lynn E. Schiffman of the Narcotics Unit.
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Georgia Man Charged with Christmas Eve KidnappingRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Georgia man was charged with kidnapping his former girlfriend on or about December 24, 2025 and transporting her to New Jersey without her consent after shooting her in his car, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced today.
Jovan Young, 37, was charged by a two-count complaint with one count of kidnapping and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition. He had an initial appearance earlier today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark, III in Newark federal court and was ordered detained.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On or about the evening of December 24, 2025, Young and the victim, who had been traveling from Georgia to New York to celebrate Christmas with the victim’s family, engaged in a dispute while they were driving in Young’s car in New York. At that time, Young pulled out a gun and shot the victim in her abdomen, paralyzing her. Young then transported the victim from New York to New Jersey without her consent and trapped her in Young’s vehicle for several hours after the shooting before leaving her on the side of the road in or around Denville, New Jersey, where she was later found by law enforcement. Following Young’s arrest on December 25, 2025, he was found to be in possession of a firearm with a green laser that matched the victim’s description of the gun that he used to shoot her.
The kidnapping charged in Count One is punishable by a maximum penalty of life in prison. The unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition charged in Count Two is punishable by a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Both are also punishable by a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross loss or gain, whichever is greatest.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s North Jersey Violent Crimes Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy, the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, under the direction of Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, and the Denville Police Department Detective Bureau, under the direction of Chief Scott Welsch, with the investigation leading to the charge. He also thanked the Boonton Police Department for their assistance.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica L. Guarracino of the Organized Crime and Gangs Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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young.complaint.pdfFormer congressional staffer pleads guilty to using access to Congressperson’s bank account to pay her own credit card billsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An Alexandria woman pled guilty today to wire fraud after misusing the financial information of her former employer, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
According to court documents, Courtney Melissa Hruska, 40, was employed on the member’s staff from August 2015 to January 2022. To fulfill part of Hruska’s official duties and responsibilities, the member entrusted Hruska with the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. On Jan. 30, 2022, Hruska left the office for a new position with a federal agency.
Without authorization, Hruska retained the member’s personal credit card and bank account information. Between Aug. 19, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Hruska used the member’s bank account information to make payments towards the balance of Hruska’s own personal credit card bills on 10 separate occasions. The member did not use electronic banking and did not receive immediate alerts from the bank. Because more than a year had lapsed between Hruska’s first fraudulent transaction and the member’s discovery of the theft, the member recovered less than nine percent of the stolen funds in fraud compensation.
In total, Hruska caused a loss to the Representative of at least $22,865.07.
Hruska is scheduled to be sentenced on June 23 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 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General 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-57.
Former Secretary of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Take Illegal Kickbacks to Award Government ContractsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE– On March 31, 2026, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (“LDWF”) Jack Montoucet pled guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States by corruptly soliciting and accepting kickbacks in return for being influenced in awarding state contracts and committing wire fraud. Montoucet faces up to five years in federal prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
“The citizens of Louisiana deserve and demand honesty and integrity from those entrusted with public office, including when they contract for services on behalf of our Louisiana communities,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Officeholders like Mr. Montoucet who abuse that trust undermine confidence in government and the public contracting process, and our Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to prosecute these abuses and see that offenders face justice.”
"Mr. Montoucet helped a co-conspirator get a lucrative state contract to provide online courses for kickbacks," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "Thankfully, there are still good people out there who reached out to the FBI and local law enforcement to report this illegal activity. The FBI and our partners will continue to ensure public officials honor the public’s trust."
“Public officials are entrusted with serving the people – not enriching themselves. Today’s guilty plea makes clear that the defendant abused that trust by engaging in a scheme to manipulate the contract process and steer contracts for personal gain,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Atlanta Field Office Special Agent in Charge Demetrius D. Hardeman. “We will continue to work in concert with our partner organizations and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to hold accountable those who exploit their official positions for personal profit.”
According to court documents, Montoucet agreed, while Secretary of the LDWF, to steer a LDWF contract to a company called DGL1, LLC, in exchange for one-third of the profit that would result from the contract, with the other two-thirds divided between Montoucet’s two conspirators, Dusty Guidry and Leonard Franques. On January 27, 2021, Montoucet caused LDWF to award a no-bid contract to DGL1 to provide online hunter and boater education courses. Then, when the Louisiana Department of Administration, Office of Special Procurement raised concerns about the no-bid contract, the LDWF put out a public bid for the contract that Montoucet influenced for DGL1 to win. Then, on October 8, 2021, Montoucet acted on behalf of LDWF as Secretary to sign a contract with DGL1 to provide the hunter and boater classes, knowing he was to receive bribery kickbacks from the contract. A month later, Montoucet met with Franques and Guidry to discuss how to conceal and disguise the source, ownership, and payout of these kickbacks, with the parties agreeing that Franques would hold Montoucet’s portion until after he’d departed LDWF and then pay it to him as a “signing bonus” to Montoucet for consulting work.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Myers P. Namie, Lauren L. Nickel, and LaDonte A. Murphy, along with Trial Attorney Alex Dempsey of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section of the Department of Justice and with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 25-cr-00134.
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Former Boston Housing Secretary Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Overtime FormsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former executive secretary at the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to falsifying overtime forms. The defendant lied about working overtime and forged her supervisor’s signature on the overtime forms.
Helen Murray, 41, of Malden, pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for July 7, 2026.
From 2017 to 2024, Murray worked as an executive secretary at BHA. As an executive secretary, Murray was responsible for collecting weekly BHA timesheets, as well as overtime forms from other BHA employees. Murray was also eligible to work overtime and receive overtime pay.
To collect overtime, Murray’s overtime work had to be pre-approved by her senior management. Specifically, Murray would have to perform the overtime work, accurately and truthfully fill out an overtime form and submit it to her immediate supervisor via email to be approved electronically.
However, in January 2023, Murray began submitting false overtime forms to BHA payroll. Instead of submitting the forms to her supervisor for approval, Murray entered overtime hours that Murray had not worked and then falsified her supervisor’s signature on the form, without her supervisor’s knowledge nor permission. Murray would then submit the falsified overtime forms directly to BHA Payroll via email, after which BHA payroll would include Murray’s fraudulent overtime pay in her weekly paycheck.
In total, Murray submitted over 100 falsified overtime forms between January 2023 to August 2024 – ultimately collecting approximately $72,131 in fraudulent overtime pay.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 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; Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The Boston Housing Authority provided valuable assistance during the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of the Public Corruption Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Former Board Chairman and Executive Director of Healthcare Non-Profit Indicted for Embezzlement, Bribery, and Kickback SchemesRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, an indictment was unsealed charging Jean Ronald Tirelus and Roberto Samedy for embezzling more than $1.3 million from a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization that provided home care services and operated homeless shelters in New York City. Tirelus was the former chairman of the organization’s board of directors, and Samedy was the executive director of the organization. In addition, the indictment charged Tirelus, Samedy, Edouardo St. Fort and Miguel Jorge for their roles in a related scheme in which Tirelus and Samedy steered business to companies controlled by St. Fort and Jorge in exchange for bribes and kickbacks. Tirelus and Samedy were each charged with wire fraud, embezzlement, and bribery-related offenses, and conspiracy to commit the same, as well as money laundering conspiracy. St. Fort and Jorge were charged with federal program bribery and related charges. Tirelus, Samedy and Jorge are being arraigned this afternoon before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Vera M. Scanlon. St. Fort was arrested in Boston, Massachusetts and will be arraigned in Eastern District of New York at a later date.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Christopher Ryan, Acting Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI); and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the arrests and indictment.
“As alleged, the defendants used their leadership positions to loot public funds from an organization devoted to serving vulnerable New Yorkers,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Rooting out corruption is a priority for our Office, and we will hold accountable anyone who exploits charitable trust for private gain.”
“As charged, these defendants devised a scheme that siphoned more than $1.3 million from a publicly-funded nonprofit that provided home health care services and received City homeless shelter contracts. Two of the defendants were leaders at the nonprofit who capitalized on the City’s urgent need for homeless shelter providers by allegedly steering business to favored vendors in exchange for bribes and kickbacks, according to the indictment. Those who exploit the City’s need for homeless shelters endanger the very programs meant to help unhoused people. I thank the City Department of Social Services for originally referring issues related to this nonprofit to DOI; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Easten District of New York and the FBI for their partnership on this investigation and their commitment to protect precious tax dollars,” stated Acting DOI Commissioner Ryan.
"Jean Tirelus and Roberto Samedy allegedly stole more than $1.3 million from their nonprofit through fabricated investment opportunities, while separately steering contracts to other co-defendants. Tirelus and Samedy allegedly abused their executive positions to selfishly enrich themselves at the expense of vulnerable citizens and taxpayer dollars. The FBI is committed to protecting charitable organizations and public funds from illicit corruption and greed," stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As set forth in court filings, the charges arise from an investigation of a Brooklyn-based nonprofit organization that provided home care services to elderly New Yorkers and individuals with acute medical needs and also operated homeless shelters (the Public Interest Organization, which operated two charitable entities known as Nonprofit #1 and Nonprofit #2). The Public Interest Organization received millions of dollars in Medicaid payments and has been awarded hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from New York City.
As a result of their leadership positions at the Public Interest Organization, Tirelus and Samedy exercised significant control over its operations and finances. Between August 2020 and January 2024, Tirelus and Samedy exploited their positions, stealing more than $1.3 million from the Public Interest Organization through several forms of embezzlement and fraud. For example, in May 2023, Tirelus and Samedy fraudulently induced the board of directors to authorize an $800,000 payment that went to a shell company controlled by Tirelus. Tirelus and Samedy falsely advised the board of directors that the Public Interest Organization had been approached by a bank regarding a joint venture to invest in affordable housing. After the board approved a proposal authorizing the Public Interest Organization to invest, Tirelus and Samedy caused Nonprofit #1 to wire $800,000 to a bank account controlled by Tirelus, who diverted the funds to the benefit of himself and Samedy.
Separately, St. Fort and Jorge controlled several vendor companies that provided private security services, facilities maintenance, and furniture to homeless shelters operated by the Public Interest Organization. Between February 2023 and January 2024, Tirelus and Samedy steered millions of dollars of the Public Interest Organization’s business towards the companies controlled by St. Fort and Jorge in return for bribes and kickbacks.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, Tirelus and Samedy each face up to 20 years in prison, and St. Fort and Jorge face each face up to 10 years in prison.
The government’s case is being handled by the Public Integrity Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Assistant United States Attorneys Laura Zuckerwise and Andrew Wang are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Daniel Arakawa.
The Defendants:
RONALD JEAN TIRELUS
Age: 50
Brooklyn, New YorkROBERTO SAMEDY
Age: 50
Brooklyn, New YorkEDOUARDO ST. FORT
Age: 47
Taunton, MassachusettsMIGUEL JORGE
Age: 52
College Point, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-69 (RER)
Five Recent Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) Cases Disrupt Significant Drug Trafficking Operations by Illegal Aliens and Others Across Louisiana’s Western DistrictRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, LA – Today, United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller, together with federal partners at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), and Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced five significant HSTF drug trafficking cases charged by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana (“USAO”) that it charged between mid-February and mid-March and that involved the arrest of illegal aliens and local gang members who were trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine in the District.
“The five HSTF cases we’re announcing today, which involve over a dozen defendants and hundreds of kilograms of hard drugs, show how our federal and state partners are disrupting major drug trafficking operations that impact every corner of this District,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office is laser-focused on HSTF’s mission to stamp out every foothold that transnational criminal organizations like the Jalisco Nueva Generacion Cartel and Gulf Cartel make in peddling poisons like fentanyl and methamphetamine in our communities. And for traffickers still operating in our Louisiana communities, the message here is simple: we’re doing everything we can to come for you, and when we do you’re going to be facing charges that can land you in prison for decades.”
“The Homeland Security Task Forces led by FBI and HSI integrate federal, state, and local law enforcement to focus targeted investigations on Foreign Terrorist Organization-designated drug cartels and transnational gangs," said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. "This criminal organization led by Mr. Baker tried to flood our streets with illegal drugs and poison our people. However, the HSTF is effectively rooting these groups out of Louisiana.”
“Whether it is concealed in ice cream machines or hidden in the cab of an 18-wheeler, the DEA and our partners are seeing right through the deceptive tactics of these criminal organizations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Steven Hofer. “Removing nearly 550 pounds of methamphetamine and cocaine from the supply chain in just two stops is a massive victory for public safety. We remain relentless in our mission to dismantle these networks and protect our communities from the violence and addiction these traffickers bring to our doorstep.”
“Investigations like this one show the power of true partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Wright, Homeland Security Investigations New Orleans. “Working with the Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Task Force and the DEA, HSI helped take 15 kilograms of cocaine off the streets and ensure the defendants in this case will face justice. Whether narcotics are crossing our borders or transiting through the United States, HSI will continue to use the HSTF model and our vital partnerships to follow the evidence, dismantle cartel-driven networks, and protect our communities from the violence and devastation caused by illegal drugs.”
The following five cases build upon HSTF’s cases in the Vernon Parish and Natchitoches areas that the USAO has prosecuted recently:
In the Shreveport area, the matter United States v. Willie Baker et al., No. 25-cr-00296, involves 10 defendants trafficking kilogram quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, and methamphetamine from transnational criminal organizations through Houston and ultimately to Shreveport. This case charges that one death resulted from the fentanyl trafficking and that two of the defendants, including Willie Lee Baker, have prior drug trafficking convictions that expose them to higher mandatory minimum and maximum penalties. If convicted, the defendants face sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment. The case is being investigated by FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Shreveport Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and Sam Crichton with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Denise Duhon.
The following images depict some of the narcotics and guns involved in this case:
In Breaux Bridge area, the matter United States v. Ranulfo Garcia Rodriguez and Christian Antonio Sanchez Ramirez, No. 26-cr-00070, involves two Mexican nationals towing several ice cream freezers concealing several fabricated metal boxes, which were welded to the back wall of the insulated freezer compartment. Inside of the metal boxes, agents located approximately 147 kilograms of methamphetamine. If convicted, the defendants face sentences that range from 10 years to life in federal prison. The matter is being investigated by the DEA and Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Vermaelen with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
The following images depict the ice cream machine and the methamphetamine it was concealing:
In the Lafayette area, the matter United States v. Lance Fields and Ronald Adams, Jr., No. 26-cr-00102, involves an 18-wheeler found to be trafficking approximately 100 kilograms of cocaine, concealed in a hidden compartment inside of the cab of the 18-wheeler. If convicted, the defendants face sentences that range from 10 years to life in federal prison. The matter is being investigated by the DEA and Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Vermaelen with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
The following are a few images of the cocaine recovered in this investigation:
In the Lake Charles area, the matter United States v. Juan Francisco Gonzalez de Leon et al., No. 26-cr-00106, involves two Mexican nationals conspiring with another person to traffic approximately 15 kilograms of cocaine on behalf of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG). The three were stopped by members of the Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Taskforce (“CAT”) and arrested in February and then indicted in March. The matter is being investigated by HSI and CAT and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LaDonte Murphy with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
The following is an image of the cocaine recovered in this investigation:
In the Alexandria area, the matter United States v. Elijah Jones, No. 26-cr-00074, involves the trafficking of approximately 6.2 kilograms of fentanyl, 2 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 1 kilogram of oxycodone pills, as well as approximately $34,000 in cash, that were concealed in a storage unit in Alexandria. The matter is being investigated by FBI and the Rapides Area Drug Enforcement group at the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Vermaelen with assistance from Legal Assistant Christy Angelle.
The following is an image of the narcotics and cash recovered in this investigation:
These cases reflect the USAO’s ongoing priority to vigorously enforce federal laws designed to protect law enforcement officers, our judicial process, and those who serve the administration of justice. Federal law provides significant penalties for threats, assaults, and obstruction of officers and court personnel, and those who violate these statutes will be held accountable.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region 15 (New Orleans) comprises agents and officers from multiple law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana.
Indictments are merely allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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CONTACT
Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
Twitter @USAO_WDLA
Five Accused of Stealing $511,000 from Missouri Childcare Expansion ProgramRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Five people have been indicted and accused of stealing $511,692 from a Missouri childcare expansion program and using some of the money for kickbacks, travel and luxury goods.
LaDonna P. Smith, 43, pleaded not guilty Monday to five counts of wire fraud and two counts of identity theft. Dennis L. Douglas, 40, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to five counts of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Deaun A. Flowers, 61, Princess T. Jones, 47, and Toi P. Jones, 65, were each indicted with one count wire fraud and one count of theft of government property. All three appeared in court last week.
The March 18, 2026, indictment says that between August 2021 and February 2023, the five took advantage of a Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education program to award Child-Care Relief Funds for the opening of new childcare facilities or the expansion of existing facilities. The CCRF funds came from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRSSA).
The indictment says Smith submitted fraudulent CCRF applications on behalf of “Little Precious Angels Childcare 2” that resulted in a total of $100,000 in payments and another application on behalf of “Little Precious Angels Childcare 3” that resulted in $127,066. Douglas fraudulently received $79,927 on behalf of “Above and Beyond Playmate Center,” the indictment says.
Smith, Flowers and Toi Jones submitted a fraudulent application on behalf of “Totta Tots Daycare” that resulted in $129,699, the indictment says, $30,000 of which went towards a kickback for Smith. After DESE demanded repayment of $100,000 for failing to spend the funds on allowable expenses within four months, Flowers wrote Toi Jones a check for $15,000 and wrote herself a $11,000 check, the indictment says. Douglas and Princess Jones fraudulently obtained about $75,000 on behalf of “Childhood Memories Daycare and Learning Center,” $20,000 of which was paid as a kickback to Douglas, the indictment says.
The defendants submitted fraudulent receipts and documentation showing that they had paid for furniture, equipment, materials, salaries and benefits, lease or rent payments, supplies and/or remodeling for a daycare, to verify that the requested CCRF money had been spent on allowable expenses related to opening or expanding a childcare facility, the indictment says. In some cases, the receipts, invoices or lease agreements were false. In others, the documents had been altered to make purchases occurring outside allowable dates eligible for reimbursement.
Smith and another person also attempted to fraudulently obtain $125,000 on behalf of “Bright Star Academy,” the indictment says.
“We take allegations of fraud involving programs meant to help Missouri’s children and families very seriously,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus. “We’d like anyone with concerns about public benefit programs to contact investigators so that we can ensure the integrity of these programs.”
“The federal relief funds at the center of this case are intended to support families and strengthen childcare services across Missouri, and any attempt to divert such resources through fraud is taken seriously,” said Linda T. Hanley, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect taxpayer-funded programs and pursue accountability whenever federal funds are put at risk.”
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow is prosecuting the case.
Final defendants convicted at trial in south Georgia drug trafficking conspiracyRead the Press Release
WAYCROSS, Georgia: The final two of 35 defendants in a south Georgia drug trafficking operation have been convicted after a four-day trial in federal court.
Marquan Jenkins, aka “Anna Brooke,” aka “Mary Thompson,” 31, and Christopher Hawkins, aka “Rayshon Hawkins,” 30, of Douglas, Georgia, were convicted in a jury trial in U.S. District Court in Waycross, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Jenkins was convicted on a charge of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, and one count of Distribution of more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, up to life. Hawkins was convicted on a charge of Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute, and to Distribute, more than 500 grams of methamphetamine, 11 counts of Distribution of a Controlled Substance, and one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, up to two life sentences. There is no parole in the federal system.
“These drug traffickers operated inside and outside Georgia’s prison system, distributing dangerous, illegal drugs throughout communities in rural Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “These guilty verdicts confirm our commitment to the relentless pursuit of drug traffickers, whether they are in big cities or small towns, and keeping our neighborhoods safe.”
Jenkins and Hawkins were the remaining defendants in USA v. Brinson et al., a sweeping, 60-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in January 2025. The indictment alleged the participation of 37 defendants in a conspiracy to import and distribute large amounts of illegal drugs in the Douglas, Georgia, community and in surrounding counties during a roughly four-year period from early 2021 through the time of the indictment.
Much of the conspiracy was directed from inside Georgia state prisons using contraband cell phones, and the indictment included a notice of seizure of 21 illegally possessed firearms.
Testimony during the trial before U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood showed that Jenkins led the drug conspiracy from inside the walls of the Georgia State Department of Corrections where he has been serving a custodial sentence for Georgia state robbery convictions since 2012. Hawkins was identified as a major distributor in the drug conspiracy.
Of the other defendants, 35 were convicted or entered guilty pleas to various drug- and gun-related charges, with 17 of them sentenced to terms of up to 126 months in prison and the others awaiting sentencing. One defendant passed away before adjudication; and another was acquitted at trial.
Judge Wood will schedule sentencings for Jenkins and Hawkins after completion of pre-sentence investigations by U.S. Probation Services.
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners uncovered a dangerous drug trafficking network that brazenly operated both on the streets and from inside a prison cell, fueling the spread of methamphetamine across rural Georgia,” said Brad Snider, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent of FBI Georgia’s Savannah office. “These convictions send a clear message that no matter where offenders attempt to hide or operate – from behind bars or within our communities – the FBI remains committed to dismantling criminal organizations and protecting the public from the violence and addiction they drive.”
“A person in possession of a firearm with the intent to distribute illegal drugs is a serious threat to public safety,” said Beau Kolodka, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. “ATF and our law enforcement partners are focused on stopping those who endanger our communities, and we’ll continue to utilize every resource we have to keep our streets safe.”
Agencies conducting the investigation in USA v. Brinson et al. include the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit, the Georgia State Patrol, the Bacon County Sheriff’s Office, the Waycross Police Department, and the Jacksonville (Florida) County Sheriff’s Office. The case is prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley R. Thompson, Ryan E. Bondura and Joshua K. Davis.
Felon Gang Member Sentenced for Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A prior felon and gang member was the last of three defendants sentenced today for working with others to distribute methamphetamine around Tulsa, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
Kenneth Lee Camp, 44, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to Drug Conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell ordered Camp to serve 180 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
In 2022, law enforcement began investigating methamphetamine being trafficked over state lines into Tulsa. Law enforcement discovered that Camp is a high-ranking member of the Indian Brotherhood and was conspiring with other gang members, and his co-defendants, Jeremiah Jacob James Harper and Billy Gene Talley, to distribute methamphetamine. When law enforcement served a search warrant on Camp and Harper’s home, they found more than two pounds of methamphetamine, $2,800 in cash, firearms, ammunition, and several cellphones. Agents reviewed the cellphones and found drug-related conversations between the defendants and others.
Court records show that Camp has a lengthy criminal history. While being investigated for this crime, Camp was charged with beating up a pregnant woman and obstructing a police officer. Previously released on bond, Camp was taken into custody following today's sentencing and will remain pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Camp’s co-defendant, Jeremiah Jacob James Harper, 31, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to Distribution of Methamphetamine and Unlawful Use of Communication Facility. He was sentenced on March 2 and was ordered to serve 60 months imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release. Camp’s second co-defendant, Billy Gene Talley, 44, of Hutchinson, Kansas, pleaded guilty to Drug Conspiracy. He was sentenced on March 16 and was ordered to serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Niko Boulieris prosecuted the case.
Federal Prosecutor for District of South Dakota Recognized as Midwest HIDTA Outstanding Prosecutor of the YearRead the Press Release
(Left to Right Group): U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons, AUSA Mark Hodges, Midwest HIDTA Director Dan Neill, EAUSA Alison Ramsdell, FAUSA and Criminal Chief Gregg Peterman
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges has been selected by the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) as the Outstanding Prosecutor of Year. Hodges was presented with the Award by Daniel Neill, Executive Director, Midwest HIDTA, Office of National Drug Control Policy, during a ceremony at the Sioux Falls Police Department on Wednesday, March 25, 2026.“This well-deserved award is a recognition of Mark’s tireless commitment and incredible success working with agents and offices at all levels of law enforcement in the prosecution and conviction of drug dealers and their money launderers throughout the state, our nation, and reaching across international borders,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “His hard work and dedication, day in and day out, helps make South Dakota a safer place to live. Mark is truly a prosecutor’s prosecutor, and we are proud to have him as our colleague.”
“A critical component of Midwest HIDTA’s mission is to reduce the availability of illicit drugs by targeting, disrupting, and dismantling drug trafficking organizations. The Midwest HIDTA Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) Initiative for the District of South Dakota is strategically designed to strengthen the capacity of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and ensure aggressive, coordinated federal prosecution. AUSA Hodges’ efforts exemplify the impact and intent of this initiative—holding traffickers accountable while making our communities safer,” said Executive Director Neill.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges began his career as a federal drug prosecutor in 2020, when he was selected to serve as the HIDTA-funded Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota. After just one year in that position, he was hired by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division. Since joining the office, he has prosecuted dozens of complex, multi-defendant drug conspiracies and fentanyl overdose deaths, racking up more than 2,500 years of federal prison time for drug dealers. In 2024, he was promoted to OCDETF Lead Attorney, and today, he serves as the District’s Homeland Security Task Force Lead Attorney.
Comprised of 73 designated counties in Missouri, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Illinois, the Midwest HIDTA is designed to disrupt the market for illegal drugs throughout the “heartland” of America by identifying, targeting, and dismantling the most violent and prolific drug trafficking organizations operating in the Midwest. Its goal is to enhance and facilitate the coordination of regional drug-control efforts among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies—through information and intelligence sharing, cooperative investigations, and joint operations—to reduce drug trafficking and its deadly consequences across the region. The Midwest HIDTA currently supports 61 different initiatives across seven states, including 44 drug task forces, six domestic highway interdiction programs, and five intelligence initiatives.
Federal Judge Revokes Naturalization of Married Couple Who Conspired to Steal Medical Trade Secrets and Share Them with ChinaRead the Press Release
On March 30, Judge James E. Simmons Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California entered an order revoking the naturalized U.S. citizenship of husband and wife Li Chen and Yu Zhou, finding they illegally procured their naturalization. Chen and Zhou each previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of trade secrets and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which the court determined constituted crimes involving moral turpitude that prevented them from having the good moral character necessary to naturalize. The court additionally found that both Chen and Zhou were ineligible to naturalize because they committed unlawful acts that adversely reflected on their moral character for which there were no extenuating circumstances.
“Gaining citizenship after committing serious crimes against the American people is an unacceptable abuse of our immigration system,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “These latest denaturalizations illustrate this Department of Justice's focus on ensuring that citizenship remains a privilege to obtain, not a right to abuse.”
“Naturalization is not a right — it’s a privilege given by the generous people of this nation,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Divison. “When the generosity of America’s immigration process is abused, our system works to correct such abuse. Full stop.”
Chen, a Chinese national, entered the United States in 2007 on an H-1B Specialty Occupation visa sponsored by Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH). In 2011, after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services approved a Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker as an alien of extraordinary ability, Chen adjusted her immigration status to permanent resident. Zhou, also a Chinese national, entered the United States in 2005 as an exchange visitor. In 2008, Zhou arrived in the United States again on an H-1B Specialty Occupation visa sponsored by NCH, and he adjusted his immigration status to permanent resident in 2011 as the derivative spouse of his wife, Chen. Chen naturalized in 2016, and Zhou naturalized in 2017.
In 2019, both Chen and Zhou were arrested for criminal conduct involving the theft of medical trade secrets used in the course of their employment as NCH research scientists focused on exosome isolation. Each indictment alleged that the couple personally benefitted from their theft and sale of NCH trade secrets by establishing their own company and by acquiring shares in another company that utilized the stolen trade secrets. In addition, both Chen and Zhou received funding from the People’s Republic of China’s State Administration of Foreign Expert Affairs. In total, Defendants jointly received nearly $1.5 million in transactions resulting from their exchange of exosome isolation intellectual property. Chen was subsequently sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release, and Zhou was sentenced to 33 months in prison and three years of supervised release, with over $2.6 million in restitution ordered to be paid jointly and severally between them.
The court held that the couple’s wire fraud — and thus their conspiracy to commit wire fraud — constituted a crime involving moral turpitude that warranted the revocation of Defendants’ naturalization. The court additionally determined that, given the lack of any extenuating circumstances, Zhou and Chen’s crimes of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit trade secret theft constituted unlawful acts that reflected adversely on their moral character, and therefore these crimes represented a separate basis to revoke their U.S. citizenship.
These cases were investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the ICE Office of the Principle Legal Advisor (OPLA). The cases were litigated by the Affirmative Litigation Unit of the Civil Division’s Office of Immigration Litigation. The underlying criminal cases were prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Ohio.
Federal Court sentences foreign national drug trafficker who moved thousands of kilograms of cocaineRead the Press Release
DETROIT – U.S. District Court Judge Denise Page Hood sentenced an Albania national, Ylli Didani, 48, to 25 years in prison. A federal jury recently convicted him of conspiracy to distribute cocaine, conspiracy to distribute cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. and Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon, Drug Enforcement Administration, DEA Detroit Field Division.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Marty Raybon, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Special Agent in Charge Karen Wingerd, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations and Chief John Piggott, Farmington Hills Police Department.
Evidence at trial proved Didani was a leader of an international drug trafficking organization with ties to the United States, South America, and Europe. Didani and other unindicted co-conspirators planned and financed the distribution of cocaine from several locations including the Eastern District of Michigan. Didani arranged the distribution of enormous shipments of cocaine from South America to Europe, where the cocaine was seized by law enforcement. As a result of this investigation, in 2019 and 2020, law enforcement seized over 4300 kilograms of cocaine Didani’s organization loaded onto five different containerships that were bound for international ports. The seized cocaine has a street value of over $100,000,000.00.
The evidence at trial proved Didani and other members of his organization planned the design of an underwater drone that would be utilized to transport large quantities of cocaine to Europe. The drone, which was going to be equipped with an underwater modem and GPS antenna, would transport the cocaine while attached to the bottom of a commercial containership. The drone would then be remotely released from the containership off the shore of Europe. The drone and cocaine would then be picked up by a fishing boat controlled by Didani’s organization.
“The interagency collaboration on this case is a prime example of how the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) is designed to combat transnational criminal organizations just like this one. We thank our partners for sinking this operation and bring justice to a foreign national who was poisoning our friends abroad,” said Gorgon.
“This sentencing sends a clear message that no drug trafficking organization is beyond our reach,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Dixon. “The DEA works side-by-side with our local, state, federal, and international partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these global criminal networks. The seizure of more than 4,300 kilograms of cocaine during this investigation demonstrates what we can achieve when we stand united in protecting the public from those who profit from addiction.”
“The laws governing the trafficking of drugs in the United States are very clear, there is no separate set of rules if the drugs are trafficked by land or sea,” said Karen Wingerd, Special Agent in Charge, Detroit Field Office, IRS Criminal Investigation. “This sentencing sends a direct message to drug traffickers globally that they will he held accountable for drug trafficking and the money laundering that comes with it. IRS Criminal Investigation is proud to be on the team with our law enforcement partners, keeping illicit drugs off our streets and out of America.”
“Today’s sentencing marks a definitive victory in our ongoing mission to dismantle transnational criminal organizations that profit from the scourge of dangerous drugs in our communities,” said CBP Director of Field Operations Marty C. Raybon. “This outcome is the result of seamless cooperation between CBP and our law enforcement partners and this sense of collective vigilance remains our strongest tool in protecting our communities and securing our borders.”
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Detroit comprises agents and officers from numerous agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service and the Farmington Hills Police Department provided critical assistance in this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Bilkovic and Tim McDonald.
Dominican National Extradited to the United States to Face Child Sexual Exploitation Charges After Fleeing ProsecutionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Dominican national extradited from the Dominican Republic to face child sexual exploitation charges appeared in federal court today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in North Carolina, joined U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making the announcement.
“Hinojosa is accused of exploiting children and then fleeing the United States to evade prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We will not give up on those that flee; we will track down and prosecute those who prey on our children, wherever they go.”
“Roberto Severino Hinojosa was indicted in the Western District of North Carolina, nearly a decade ago and fled the U.S., likely believing he had escaped the reach of the FBI and the Department of Justice. He was proven wrong when he was apprehended and handcuffed in the Dominican Republic. By leveraging the strength of our law enforcement partners in this country and around the world, there is no place to hide for those who prey on children,” said Reid Davis, the FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge.
On February 22, 2017, a federal grand jury in Charlotte returned a five-count indictment charging Roberto Severino Hinojosa, 29, a Dominican national who was a lawful permanent resident at the time of his offense, with one count of possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), one count of transportation of CSAM, and three counts of receipt of CSAM.
After being interviewed by the FBI, Hinojosa fled the United States. With the assistance of the FBI Law Enforcement Attaché in the Dominican Republic and Dominican Law Enforcement, Hinojosa was located in the Dominican Republic and subsequently arrested on Jan. 30 by Dominican authorities at the request of the United States. On March 25, 2026, Dominican authorities extradited Hinojosa from the Dominican Republic. On March 26, 2026, Hinojosa appeared in federal court in Charlotte for his initial appearance. Today, Hinojosa had his arraignment and detention hearing and was ordered detained pending trial, which has not been scheduled.
According to allegations in the indictment, between May and June 2015, Hinojosa engaged in the sexual exploitation of children by possessing, transporting, and receiving child sexual abuse material, some of which involved prepubescent minors that had not yet attained 12 years of age.
If convicted, Hinojosa faces a statutory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count of receipt and transportation of CSAM, and up to 20 years in prison for possession of CSAM. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation was led by the FBI in Charlotte with assistance from the Union County Sheriff’s Office. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, FBI LEGAT, and Dominican authorities provided significant assistance in securing Hinojosa’s arrest and extradition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
District Man Sentenced to 19.5 Years in Prison for Murder and CarjackingRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Maleek Thomas, 23, was sentenced Friday to 19.5 years in prison, in connection to a deadly carjacking that killed Melvin Dock, Jr., , in Southeast Washington, D.C. on October 30, 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Thomas pleaded guilty on December 2, 2025, to one count of second-degree murder while armed for the murder of Melvin Dock, Jr. and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon for the shooting of the victim. On March 27, 2026, Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson sentenced Thomas to 19.5 years of incarceration and five years of supervised release at the conclusion of his sentence.
The government’s evidence indicates that on October 30, 2023, Thomas messaged an individual, the intended carjacking victim, via Instagram to hang out in Southeast DC. The individual travelled from out of town to meet the defendant. Unbeknownst to this victim, Thomas’ true intention was to carjack this victim at gunpoint. When the defendant got into this victim’s car, he pointed a pistol at the victim and instructed the victim to give up the car. The victim would not relent. Instead, the victim attempted to flee. Around the same time as Thomas attempted to carjack the victim, Melvin Dock, Jr., approached the driver-side door of the car. The defendant pulled the trigger and, because the pistol was equipped with a “switch” that initiated automatic gunfire, multiple rounds were expelled and both the victim and Dock were shot. The victim slammed on the gas and made his escape. He ultimately survived. Dock, however, succumbed to his injuries later that night.
Thomas was arrested by MPD in February of 2024.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Wes Faulkner, Jr. and Sabena Auyeung.
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Denton County man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison under Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Denton man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison under the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Brandon Lynn Hunter, 41, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on March 31, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in 2021, Hunter was identified as a source of methamphetamine in the Denton area. A search of Hunter’s residence in June 2021 resulted in the seizure of over 35 grams of methamphetamine and drug trafficking paraphernalia. Hunter admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing at least 45 kilograms of a substance containing methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Denton Police Department; Pilot Point Police Department; Little Elm Police Department; Cooke County Sheriff’s Office; Denton County Sheriff’s Office; and Texas Department of Public Safety. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
D.C. Man Sentenced to 205 Months for Role in 29 Armed Robberies and Attempted RobberiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tavarus Thompson, 32, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 205 months in prison for his role in a spree of dozens of armed robberies and attempted armed robberies of commercial establishments that included restaurants, convenience stores, and liquor stores in the metropolitan region during early 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Thompson pleaded guilty March 29, 2024, before Judge Reggie B. Walton to Conspiracy to Interfere with Interstate Commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act robbery), and to Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. In addition to the 205-month term of incarceration, Judge Walton ordered Thompson to serve five years of supervised release.
“Tavarus Thompson committed dozens of armed robberies and attempted armed robberies in less than three months—targeting restaurant workers, store clerks, and gas station attendants, ordinary people simply doing their jobs. Each time, they were forced to stare down the barrel of a gun,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Thompson turned workplaces into war zones. This is the kind of individual who does not belong in our society, and today, he is being held fully accountable.”
According to court documents, the spree began on Jan. 12, 2022, with the gunpoint robbery of a gas station on 18th Street NE. It ended in March 2022, after law enforcement stopped a stolen car on March 6 at the intersection of 1st Street NW and Gallatin Street NW, leading to the arrests of co-defendant Stephon Harrigan. Thompson was arrested in South Carolina on March 18, 2022. Co-defendant Aaron Harrigan, was arrested March 29, 2022.
Thompson acknowledged that he engaged in 29 of the robberies or attempted robberies. In all of them, at least one firearm was brandished including, many times, by Thompson himself.
Aaron Harrigan, 30, pleaded guilty on Oct. 3, 2023, to a charge of Conspiracy to Interfere with Interstate Commerce by Robbery for his participation in the conspiracy and was sentenced on Sept. 25, 2023, to 87 months in prison.
Stephon Harrigan 32, pleaded guilty on March 29, 2024, Conspiracy to Interfere with Interstate Commerce by Robbery and Possession of a Firearm During and in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence for his participation in the conspiracy and was sentenced on Aug. 1, 2024, to 210 months in prison.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Columbia, South Carolina, Field Office, and the Mount Rainier, Md., Prince George’s County, Md., and Montgomery County, Md. Police Departments.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Solomon Eppel. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Kinskey and Andrea Duvall, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Fletcher.
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Corpus Christi resident admits to producing child sexual child abuse material involving toddlerRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 31-year-old local man has entered a guilty plea to production of child pornography, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The investigation into Troy Vasquez began after law enforcement discovered he had been uploading child pornography over the internet. They executed a search warrant at his home where they discovered child sexual abuse material he had created the day before the search.
A forensic examination of his phone uncovered another video Vasquez recorded two days after Christmas 2024. In it, he is encouraging a three-year-old child to perform sexual acts.
U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing June 20. At that time, Vasquez faces up to 30 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
He has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Corpus Christi Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Overman prosecuted 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.
Convicted Felon Sentenced in Illegally Possessing Stolen of Firearm After Fleeing OfficersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Guy Cummings, 30, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 50 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Cummings was found guilty by a federal jury on July 16, 2025, following a three-day jury trial before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg. In addition to the 50-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Cummings to serve three years of supervised release.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, on Jan. 18, 2025, about 1:30 a.m., Metropolitan Police Department officers on patrol in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood observed a group of individuals on the sidewalk in the 300 block of 50th Street NE.
As officers approached, Cummings immediately separated from the group and fled on foot between buildings. An officer gave chase and never lost sight of Cummings as he ran through the Lincoln Heights complex in a circular pattern. The officer observed Cummings make a tossing motion with his right hand over a brick wall on the 300 block of 50th Street NE before he was apprehended nearby.
Officers retraced Cummings' path and discovered a stolen black Glock 26 9mm pistol in the snow on the other side of the brick wall, loaded with one round in the chamber and 15 rounds in the magazine. The firearm had been reported stolen.
Cummings had previously been convicted in 2017 of robbery and carrying a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 36 months in prison, making him ineligible to possess a firearm.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division, with assistance from the FBI Washington Field Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
CAPTION: Officers recovered a Glock 26 pistol where Cummings had tossed it on a snow-covered path.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcConvicted Felon Sentenced for Possession of a Machine Gun & Other Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – James Wiley Kelley, Jr., 51, of Altha, Florida, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act weapon, possession of a machinegun, and possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Operation Take Back America is not just a powerful initiative that deploys the full might of the Department of Justice toward targeting dangerous criminals, it is a long-overdue recognition that our citizens deserve safe streets and crime-free communities. President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi promised to Take Back America from the perpetrators of violent crime who have plagued our streets, neighborhoods, and communities, and my office will continue to fulfill that promise with every successful prosecution we deliver.”
Court documents reflect that United States Customs Border Protection Agents identified a parcel bearing a fictitious name and an Altha, Florida, address while inspecting packages from a flight originating in China. Examination of the parcel revealed a small box purporting to be plastic vent mounts for a smart phone but contained three metal component parts comprising a machinegun conversion device (MCD), which enable a semi-automatic firearm to be converted into a fully automatic weapon. Following a controlled delivery of the MCD, agents executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, resulting in the seizure of pistols, rifles, shotguns and ammunition of various calibers, as well as methamphetamine. The defendant was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition due to prior felony convictions for fleeing or attempting to elude a marked police car and possession of a controlled substance.
The case involved a joint investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jason R. Coody prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty in Connection with $50 Million Real Estate Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A convicted felon pleaded guilty to orchestrating a years-long real estate investment fraud scheme that raised more than $50 million from investors through false promises about high-value property assets and the use of investor funds.
Jean Joseph, also known as “Jon,” 55, of Boca Raton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. His co-defendant, Janalie Camille Bingham, also known as Janalie Camille Joseph, 44, also of Boca Raton, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud.
“These defendants sold the illusion of a $450 million real estate portfolio that simply did not exist,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “Instead of investing $50 million as promised, they diverted millions into speculative trading, paid high commissions to keep money flowing, purchased a luxury home for themselves, and used new investor funds to make Ponzi-style payments to earlier investors. That is fraud, plain and simple. In South Florida, if you build a scheme on deception and misuse investor funds, you will be investigated and you will be prosecuted.”
According to court records, Joseph and Bingham formed Wells Real Estate Investment, LLC in or around 2017 and operated the company together, with Bingham serving as the Chief Executive Officer. Beginning in approximately 2019, Joseph and Bingham concealed Joseph’s involvement in the business after he became a convicted felon.
Despite beginning to serve a prison sentence in June 2020 in an unrelated wire fraud case, Joseph continued to direct aspects of the scheme from prison. Earlier, in October 2019, Joseph and Bingham opened a bank account in the name of Wells Real Estate, with Bingham as the sole authorized signer due to Joseph’s pending criminal prosecution. Joseph nevertheless directed transactions in the account, including while incarcerated.
From approximately 2019 through 2024, Joseph and Bingham solicited investors to purchase promissory notes issued by Wells Real Estate. They falsely represented that investor funds would be used to acquire and improve residential and commercial real estate and that the notes were backed by valuable real estate holdings. In reality, only a small portion of investor funds was used for real estate. Instead, Joseph diverted approximately $28 million into speculative equities trading.
Joseph and Bingham also falsely claimed that the investment notes were secured by a real estate portfolio purportedly worth as much as $450 million. In truth, neither Wells Real Estate nor the defendants owned sufficient real estate assets to secure the investments.
Joseph and Bingham further misled investors by claiming that Wells Real Estate did not pay commissions on note sales. In fact, the company paid up to 15% in commissions, distributing approximately $8 million in investor funds to sales personnel.
To sustain the scheme, the defendants used funds from newer investors to make more than $8 million in Ponzi-style payments to earlier investors, without disclosing the source of those payments.
They also used more than $2 million in investor funds for personal expenses, including a down payment on a $1.95 million home that they used as their primary residence. Shortly after purchasing the home through a limited liability company, the property was transferred into Bingham’s name.
Joseph and Bingham are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez. Bingham’s sentencing is scheduled for May 8, and Joseph’s sentencing is set for June 4. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case. The U.S. Attorney’s Office appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, which previously brought a civil action against Joseph and Bingham.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eli S. Rubin and Roger Cruz are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Grosnoff is handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 25-cr-20483.
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Colombian National Unlawfully in the United States Pleads Guilty to Interstate Burglary Conspiracy Targeting Asian American Business OwnersRead the Press Release
EUGENE, Ore.— A Colombian national unlawfully residing in the United States pleaded guilty today in federal court for his role in a multi-state burglary conspiracy that targeted Asian American business owners in Oregon and Washington.
Jhon Alexander Quintero, also known as Edwin Andres Cadena-Pineda, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods.
According to court documents, in early October 2025, Quintero and six co-conspirators targeted homes for burglary in Oregon and Washington by traveling from state to state, staying in short-term rentals, identifying and surveilling potential burglary victims—who were all Asian American business owners—and then performing reconnaissance on the victims’ residences.
When they carried out the burglaries, Quintero and his co-conspirators employed signal jamming technology, perimeter countersurveillance, and seven-way group calls. They entered their victims’ homes by shattering glass doors. Once inside, they ransacked the residences, stealing United States and foreign currency, jewelry, designer handbags, purses, wallets, travel documents, and other valuables. After the burglaries, the crew returned to their short-term rental and package the proceeds for transport, transfer, or transmittal.
The investigation revealed that Quintero and the crew burglarized a home in Auburn, Washington, on October 3, 2025, then a home in Gresham, Oregon, on October 5, then a home in Eugene, Oregon, on October 6, and a home in Salem, Oregon, on October 9. All the burglary victims were Asian American business owners who were away working at their businesses. Between the Eugene and Salem burglaries, detectives with the Eugene Police Department became aware of the group’s movements and began surveillance.
Following the burglary in Salem, detectives learned that Quintero and his co-conspirators returned to their rental in Eugene and executed a search warrant at the rental that night. Investigators recovered money and property, believed to be stolen from the various residences, more than a dozen cell phones, believed to be used by the burglary crew, evidence of money wires to Bogota, Colombia, and various Colombian travel documentation, including passports. They also located commercial-grade Wi-Fi signal jammers that were plugged in and charging following their suspected use during the burglary that day.
Upon noticing the officers executing the search warrant, Quintero and the rest of the crew fled into a nearby wooded area. Law enforcement eventually detained all seven individuals. Investigators later performed searches of the devices, which revealed additional evidence of the conspiracy, including sending and receiving coordinates for the houses they burglarized, surveillance communications, and shared messages containing messages highlighting the burglary targets from the preceding days. For instance, Quintero researched the value of jewelry the night of the Auburn burglary, received the contact information for a Colombian shipping company two days after the Eugene burglary and then called that company, and returned to the Eugene rental to package stolen property the night of the Salem burglary.
On November 20, 2025, a federal grand jury in Eugene returned an indictment charging Quintero and the other six members of the burglary crew with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods.
On December 3, 2025, Quintero made his initial appearance in federal court and was ordered detained.
Quintero faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 30, 2026, before a U.S. district court judge.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Eugene Police Department with assistance from the Salem Police Department, the Auburn Police Department, and the Gresham Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William M. McLaren.
Closing the National Center for Disaster FraudRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department announced the closure of the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF), effective March 31, 2026. The NCDF was established in the fall of 2005 in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to coordinate disaster fraud complaints from victims across the country. Since its founding, the NCDF processed more than a million complaints, and served as a national hub for disaster fraud referrals to federal, state, and local law enforcement.
Over the past two decades, the law enforcement landscape has evolved significantly. Following a 2023 program review, the Criminal Division determined that the NCDF’s intake function was no longer the most effective avenue for pursuing disaster fraud. Many of the NCDF’s original agency partners now operate their own dedicated hotlines, and advances in data analysis have given federal investigators powerful new tools to identify and pursue fraud at scale – particularly the large, multi-district schemes that represent the highest enforcement priorities. This closure will save the Department more than $600,000 per year.
Fraud targeting Americans in their most vulnerable moments, whether following natural disasters or during public health crises, is a serious federal crime that the Department of Justice will continue to investigate and prosecute vigorously. Victims of disaster fraud should report their complaints to the appropriate law enforcement agency based on the type of fraud. Reporting information can be found at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
Clarksburg Woman Admits to Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Clarksburg, West Virginia woman has admitted to purchasing a firearm for someone who was prohibited from possessing firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Shayla Ann Jackson, 27, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to straw purchase a firearm. According to court documents and statements made in court, Jackson was working with others to purchase firearms for a person prohibited from possessing firearms.
Jackson faces up to 15 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Choctaw County Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing Stolen FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jeremy Wayne Shirley, age 41, of Sawyer, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession of Stolen Firearm, punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on October 21, 2025, Shirley knowingly possessed a stolen semi-automatic pistol that had been shipped and transported in interstate commerce, knowing and having reasonable cause to believe that the firearm was stolen.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, 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.
Shirley will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
California man appears on fraud chargesRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A California man accused of scamming money and gold from his victim appeared for an arraignment yesterday, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
The defendant, Lingwei Yang, 24, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. If convicted of the most serious charge, Yang faces 20 years of imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen L. DeSoto presided. Yang was detained pending further proceedings.
Count one of the indictment alleges that beginning in or about October 2025 and continuing thereafter until at least February 20, 2026, at Missoula, Yang knowingly and unlawfully conspired with others to commit the offense of wire fraud.
Count two of the indictment alleges that beginning in or about October 2025 and thereafter until at least February 20, 2026, at Missoula, Yang, having devised and intending to devise a material scheme and artifice to defraud, and for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice, and attempting to do so, knowingly transmitted and caused to be transmitted by means of wire communication in interstate and foreign commerce, writings, signs, signals, pictures, and sounds for the purpose of executing such scheme and artifice.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack is prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
The charging documents are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
PACER case reference. CR 26-17-M-DLC.
The progress of cases may be monitored through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account, which provides electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.
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CEO of Credit Monitoring Company Pleads Guilty in Connection with Nationwide Online Marketing SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced the guilty plea of MICHAEL BROWN for his operation of a nationwide online marketing scheme to make money by posting fake advertisements for rental properties across the United States on a classified advertisements website. The purpose of the scheme was to fraudulently induce potential renters to enter their credit card information on credit monitoring websites owned by BROWN and pay for a credit report under false pretenses, including by automatically enrolling the customers in a paid monthly membership for credit monitoring services. BROWN pled guilty on Monday, March 30, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.
“Many Americans rely on online websites to safely and securely search for housing,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “For years, Michael Brown perpetrated an online scam by tricking ordinary Americans looking for housing, including here in New York, into paying for services they did not need and did not want. The defendant’s company made millions from over 160,000 victims. Mass online fraudsters try to hide by hitting each victim for a small amount. As demonstrated in this case, that will not work.”
According to the charging documents and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
BROWN owned and operated Credit Bureau Center, LLC, formerly known as MyScore LLC (“MyScore”), a company that provided credit reports and credit monitoring services via the websites eFreeScore.com, FreeCreditNation.com, and CreditUpdates.com, among other sites (collectively, the “MyScore Websites”). In order to drive potential customers to the MyScore Websites, BROWN employed the use of affiliate marketers. In affiliate marketing, a seller of goods or services such as MyScore uses other firms or individuals known as “affiliates” to market the seller’s goods or services by attracting customers to the seller’s websites.
From at least in or about 2014 through at least on or about January 10, 2017, BROWN and his affiliate marketers engaged in a nationwide online marketing scheme to post fake advertisements for rental properties across the United States on a classified advertisements website (the “Advertising Website”). The purpose of the scheme was to fraudulently induce prospective renters to enter their credit card information on the MyScore Websites and pay for a credit report under false pretenses in order to automatically enroll them in paying for a monthly membership for credit monitoring services.
The advertisements used in the scheme typically contained photos of the supposed rental properties and showcased properties in desirable locations for below-market prices in order to attract interest. The advertisements were posted for rental properties in metropolitan areas across the United States, including, among other locations, New York City, Miami, Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, and San Diego. In actuality, the rental properties did not exist as advertised or were not actually available for rent through the posts on the Advertising Website. The advertisements also did not disclose the specific address of the rental properties but instead contained a contact email address inviting prospective renters to contact the property owner if they were interested in the rental property.
When prospective renters inquired about the rental properties posted on the Advertising Website by responding to the advertisements, they received a form email purporting to be from the property owner requiring the prospective renter to obtain a copy of their credit report, and referring the prospective renter to one of the MyScore Websites to obtain a credit report, before scheduling a tour of the property. The form email typically described purported features of the advertised property and falsely informed the prospective renter, in substance and in part, that he or she was the second person to respond to the advertisement, that the first responder no longer needed the property, and that the property owner was ready to lease the property to the prospective renter with flexible terms and had just completed all new renovations.
Once a prospective renter clicked on the hyperlink in the form email from the purported property owner to obtain a copy of their credit report, the prospective renter was directed to the “landing page” of one of the MyScore Websites. The landing page of the MyScore Websites typically featured a large banner that stated, in substance and in part, “Get Your Free Credit Score and Report” with significantly smaller text referencing an unspecified “7-day trial” and a “Monthly membership of $29.94 automatically charged after trial.” In order to get the credit report, prospective renters were required to enter identifying information and credit card information through a series of webpages. Once the prospective renter entered credit card information, the prospective renter was charged $1.00 and was automatically enrolled in a monthly membership for credit monitoring services with recurring charges of typically $29.94 per month until the membership was canceled.
When prospective renters responded to the purported property owner asking to schedule a tour of the advertised property now that they had a copy of their credit report, there was typically no response, as the property was not actually available for rent as advertised and the scheme had succeeded in fraudulently generating a monthly membership subscription for MyScore. Many prospective renters who obtained a credit report from the MyScore Websites as a result of the scheme did not realize that they had been automatically enrolled in MyScore’s membership until they discovered the monthly charges on their credit card statements. Some prospective renters also had difficulties canceling the membership when they contacted MyScore’s customer service department.
BROWN continued to execute the scheme through at least on or about January 10, 2017, despite numerous complaints during the course of the scheme from customers and consumer organizations about the fraudulent nature of the rental advertisements on the Advertising Website, the automatic enrollment of customers in MyScore’s monthly membership with recurring charges without their knowledge, and the difficulties in cancelling the monthly membership.
In total, the scheme caused over approximately 2.7 million unique visits to the MyScore Websites and generated at least $6.8 million in revenue from at least 169,000 customers who were automatically enrolled in MyScore’s monthly membership for credit monitoring services through the scheme.
If you believe you may be a victim of the conduct described in this press release, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or use the online tips page: https://tips.fbi.gov.
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BROWN, 41, of Indian Trail, North Carolina, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, for a total maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. BROWN is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Failla on September 1, 2026.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Federal Trade Commission for their assistance with the case.
The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Connie L. Dang, Matthew Weinberg, and Shaun E. Werbelow are in charge of the prosecution.
Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty to Involuntary Manslaughter and AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Marissa Laneau Dill, age 38, of Caddo, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine; one count of Involuntary Manslaughter of an Unborn Child in Indian Country, punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine; and two counts of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country, each punishable by up to ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on May 5, 2025, Dill unlawfully killed the victim in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony, that is failing to devote full time and attention to driving, contrary to Title 47, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 11-901b, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of any intoxicating substance other than alcohol which may render such person incapable of safely driving or operating a motor vehicle, contrary to Title 47, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 11-902, and in the commission in an unlawful manner and without due caution and circumspection of a lawful act, that is, operating a motor vehicle left of the center line of the roadway, which might produce death.
The Indictment further alleged that on May 5, 2025, Dill unlawfully killed the victim’s unborn child in the commission of an unlawful act not amounting to a felony, that is failing to devote full time and attention to driving, contrary to Title 47, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 11-901b, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of any intoxicating substance other than alcohol which may render such person incapable of safely driving or operating a motor vehicle, contrary to Title 47, Oklahoma Statutes, Section 11-902, and in the commission in an unlawful manner and without due caution and circumspection of a lawful act, that is, operating a motor vehicle left of the center line of the roadway, which might produce death.
The Indictment also alleged that on May 5, 2025, Dill assaulted two other victims, resulting in serious bodily injuries to each.
The crimes occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Dill is free on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Baltimore Man Sentenced to 78 Months for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Young, 31, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 78 months in prison in connection with distributing thousands of files of child sexual abuse material, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Young, aka “Topher Young,” pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025, before Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan, to one count of distribution of child pornography. In addition to the prison term, Judge Sooknanan ordered Young to serve 10 years of supervised release.
“Christopher Young distributed more than 1,600 videos of children—some as young as infants—being sexually abused, and he did it, hoping people were watching, but thinking he would never get caught,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “My office will use every tool to identify those who exploit the most vulnerable and ensure they face serious consequences. Today's sentence sends a clear message: there is no anonymity for those who exploit children.”
According to court documents, on Oct. 4, 2024, Young, identifying himself as “too Nasty,” sent a private message on a mobile messaging application focused on dating and sexual encounters, to another online user, who was located in Washington, D.C. In the message, Young indicated his sexual interest in young children and asked the other user to contact him on the messaging platform Telegram.
On Oct. 7, 2024, Young and the online user communicated on Telegram using Young’s “Mrnunyab” Telegram handle. During the chat, Young stated that he was from Baltimore, reiterated his sexual interest in children, and asked if the other online user wanted to exchange pictures.
On Oct. 15, 2024, Young sent a link to a file that contained 1,616 videos depicting children as young as infants engaged in sexual conduct with adults.
On Dec. 13, 2024, Young sent the online user a picture of himself, which law enforcement used to identify him as the individual who distributed child pornography.
Law enforcement arrested Young on Feb. 13, 2025, in Baltimore. A forensic examination of Young’s iPhone revealed two videos and three images depicting child pornography.
This case was investigated by the MPD-FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Bohlen and was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative.
In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcArkansas Man Pleads Guilty to Insider TradingRead the Press Release
Washington- An Arkansas man pleaded guilty today to securities fraud in connection with insider trading based on material, nonpublic information that he misappropriated from a senior executive at a publicly traded company headquartered in Idaho.
According to court documents, Douglas Dalton, 48, of Bentonville, Arkansas, was close personal friends with Michael Smith, the then-President and Chief Operating Officer of Company-1. During a July 26, 2024, telephone call between Dalton and Smith, Dalton learned material nonpublic information regarding Company-1’s impending acquisition by another company at a price of approximately $31 per share. Given Smith’s senior role at Company-1 and their close personal relationship, Dalton knew that this information was confidential and material.
Based on the material nonpublic information he received from Smith, Dalton purchased Company-1 call options for approximately $19,985.30. After Company-1’s acquisition was publicly announced on August 7, 2024, Dalton sold the stock options he had purchased for a profit of approximately $96,515.44, representing a nearly 500% return on his illegal insider trading.
Dalton pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. In November 2025, Michael Smith pleaded guilty to the same offense. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS-CI) made the announcement.
USPIS-CI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kyle Crawford and John Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
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Arkansas Man Pleads Guilty to Insider TradingRead the Press Release
An Arkansas man pleaded guilty today to securities fraud in connection with insider trading based on material, nonpublic information that he misappropriated from a senior executive at a publicly traded company headquartered in Idaho.
According to court documents, Douglas Dalton, 48, of Bentonville, Arkansas, was close personal friends with Michael Smith, the then-President and Chief Operating Officer of Company-1. During a July 26, 2024, telephone call between Dalton and Smith, Dalton learned material nonpublic information regarding Company-1’s impending acquisition by another company at a price of approximately $31 per share. Given Smith’s senior role at Company-1 and their close personal relationship, Dalton knew that this information was confidential and material.
Based on the material nonpublic information he received from Smith, Dalton purchased Company-1 call options for approximately $19,985.30. After Company-1’s acquisition was publicly announced on August 7, 2024, Dalton sold the stock options he had purchased for a profit of approximately $96,515.44, representing a nearly 500% return on his illegal insider trading.
Dalton pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud, and he is scheduled to be sentenced on June 17. In November 2025, Michael Smith pleaded guilty to the same offense. They each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis for the District of Idaho; and Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Criminal Investigations Group (USPIS-CI) made the announcement.
USPIS-CI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Kyle Crawford and John Liolos of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Mazorol for the District of Idaho are prosecuting the case.
52 Members of the Criminal Organization known as La Familia Nunca Muere (the Family Never Dies) Charged with Drug Trafficking and Firearms Violations in San Juan, Morovis, and Cataño, Puerto Rico as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF)Read the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 17, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an indictment charging 52 gang members from the municipalities of San Juan, Morovis, and Cataño with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, possession and distribution of controlled substances, and firearms violations, announced W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) San Juan Strike Force, with the collaboration of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) and Air and Marine Operations (AMO), the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Border Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Today during the arrests, the following agencies provided support: Puerto Rico National Guard, Guaynabo Municipal Police, Bayamón Municipal Police, and San Juan Municipal Police.
“Thanks to the great investigative work of our law enforcement partners and prosecutors, the important leaders, enforcers and other members of the violent gang are being taken off our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Muldrow. “These arrests reflect our steadfast determination to remove violent gangs from our communities.”
“This operation makes one thing absolutely clear, those who choose to spread violence and poison our communities will be relentlessly pursued and dismantled,” said Acting DEA SAC Evan Martínez. “There is no safe haven for criminal organizations in Puerto Rico. Together with our federal and local partners, we are applying every resource, every authority, and every strategy to hold these individuals accountable. We will not stop, we will not slow down, and we will not back off until our communities are safer and justice is served.”
The indictment alleges that from 2018 to the present, the drug trafficking organization distributed cocaine, marijuana, heroin, and fentanyl within 1,000 feet of the Los Lirios (San Juan), Jardines de Cataño (Cataño), Juana Matos (Cataño), El Coquí (Cataño), and Nemesio Rosario Canales (San Juan) Public Housing Projects (PHPs), and areas near those locations, all for significant financial gain and profit.
The object of the conspiracy was to distribute wholesale quantities and street amount quantities of controlled substances at those PHPs. At times, gang members would pool resources from different areas such as the Luis Lloréns Torres and the Vista Hermos PHPs, Barriada Figueroa and others within the municipalities of San Juan, Morovis, and Cataño. The organization referred to itself as “La Familia Nunca Muere” (The Family Never Dies) (hereinafter “LFNM”), also sometimes referred to as “Los Incorregibles” (The Incorrigibles) or “La Colectora” or “La Cole” (The Collectors). The defendants communicated with each other using two-way radios and cell phones, via instant messaging and social media. Members of LFNM promoted themselves, their narcotics, their firearms, their money, and their gang using social media. Some leaders who were incarcerated participated in meetings using contraband cellular phones, normally via video call.
It is alleged that members of LFNM participated in acts of violence, including shootings and murders, in response to mere perceived threats, without first verifying the veracity of the threats. The defendants carried out shootings and murders in public places, in broad daylight, and in the presence of innocent bystanders, including children. Shootings also took place in public establishments such as bars and nightclubs. During the commission of these shootings, LFNM members would often use bulletproof vests, gloves, face masks and other face coverings. At times, they would use stolen or carjacked cars to evade capture and arrest by law enforcement. The investigation, including investigation regarding murders committed by the gang, remains ongoing.
The defendants acted in different roles to further the goals of the drug trafficking conspiracy, including as leaders, suppliers, drug point owners, enforcers, runners, sellers, lookouts, and facilitators. Forty defendants are facing one charge of possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and twenty-one of those defendants are facing one count of possession of a machinegun in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The defendants charged in the indictment are:
[1] Tomás Junior Sánchez-González, a.k.a. “Father/Boss/Patrón/Gemelo”
[2] Junior Tomás Sánchez-González, a.k.a. “Bere/Bereta/Gemelo”
[3] Jaime Vázquez-Román, a.k.a. “Tio/Tioito”
[4] Edwin Rivera-Pérez, a.k.a. “Bubu”
[5] Carlos D. Valladares-Díaz, a.k.a. “Dany/Lalo/Ojos Bellos/Ojos Lindos”
[6] Omar Matías-Martínez, a.k.a. “KTM”
[7] Duhamel J. Natal-González, a.k.a. “Banchi”
[8] Luis Joel Rivera-Torres, a.k.a. “Taly”
[9] Nestor N. González-Muñíz, a.k.a. “Silencio/Mudo”
[10] Randy Padilla-Fernández, a.k.a. “R”
[11] Tomás Niochar Sánchez-Feliciano, a.k.a. “Nio”
[12] Ángel De Jesús-Vasquez, a.k.a. Ángel De Jesús-Vázquez/El Negro/D.O.”
[13] Jonathan González-Agosto, a.k.a. “Tatán”
[14] Israel J. González-Rosado, a.k.a. “Kiko”
[15] Saúl Rodríguez-Serrano, a.k.a. “Patroncito”
[16] Javbdiel López-Paz, a.k.a. “Dreki Malo”
[17] Luis Antonio Rosa-Hernández, a.k.a. “Menor de Fajardo”
[18] Luis Isander Medina-Vázquez, a.k.a. “Sugar/Flaco/Trenzas”
[19] Kevin M. Rijos-Sepúlveda, a.k.a. “Yeezy”
[20] Jorge S. Rodríguez-Rivera, a.k.a. “Gallero”
[21] John Michael Rentas-Rivera, a.k.a. “Dálmata”
[22] Gabrielle Eliud Delgado-Garay, a.k.a. “Kayak/KK”
[23] Pedro Antonio Barreto-Martínez, a.k.a. “Pedrito/Mago/Maguito”
[24] Pedro A. Polanco-Febus
[25] Yadiel Daniel Rosario-Castro, a.k.a. “Papote”
[26] Jeancarlos Reynoso-Peralta, a.k.a. “Domi/Greña”
[27] Jordanish Manuel Torres-Villegas, a.k.a. “Mutombo”
[28] John Huertas-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Casque”
[29] Giann Luis Rijos-Sepúlveda, a.k.a. “Yeesy/Yisi/Yeezysito”
[30] Freddy Maldonado-Castillo, a.k.a. “Sonrisa/Sonri”
[31] Carlos Rosario-Reyes, a.k.a. “Carlos Papi”
[32] Yahir Armando Ayala-Rodríguez, a.k.a. “Duende”
[33] Yecdiel Daniel-Oliveras, a.k.a. “Chagui”
[34] Josten Anthony Ramos, a.k.a. “Justin Ramos/Prosper”
[35] Carlo André Díaz-Sepúlveda, a.k.a. “Chavito”
[36] Adrián Gabriel Ramos-López, a.k.a. “ADN”
[37] Javier Colón-Oppenheimer, a.k.a. “Javielito/Javi/TT de Trastalleres”
[38] Adam Yadiel Díaz-Santiago, a.k.a. “El Menor”
[39] Joshua Yadie De Jesús-De Jesús, a.k.a. “Tokio/Yadiel”
[40] Jonathan Ramón González-Pérez, a.k.a. “Tripi/Cripi”
[41] Fabián O. Martínez-Maldonado, a.k.a. “Dreki Bueno/Draky Bueno”
[42] Noriel Iván Alvarado
[43] Joseph Colón-Pagán, a.k.a. “Canito”
[44] Elliott Francis Correa-Martorell, a.k.a. “Ele”
[45] Adin Jafet Cruz-Sastre, a.k.a. “J”
[46] Pauliana Santiago-Vega
[47] Yatniel Iván Ramos-Borrero, a.k.a. “Chama”
[48] Miguel Sánchez-Reyes, a.k.a. “Cabe”
[49] Ronny Arias-Paulino, a.k.a. “Karate”
[50] Elvin Josué Jiménez-De la Rosa, a.k.a. “Bin”
[51] Jomar Rashid Torres-Torres, a.k.a. “Jomo/Yomo”
[52] Juan Gianny Rodríguez-Tosado, a.k.a. “Guasy”Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) and Chief of the Gang Section Alberto López-Rocafort, Deputy Chief of the Gang Section, AUSA Teresa Zapata-Valladares, AUSA Joseph Russell, and AUSA María López-Aponte are in charge of the prosecution of the case.
If convicted on the drug charges, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and up to life in prison. If convicted of both the drug and firearms charges in Count Four, the defendants face a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison. The defendants charged with possession of machineguns in furtherance of drug trafficking in Count Five face a mandatory sentence of thirty years in prison to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed on the drug trafficking charges. All defendants are facing a narcotics forfeiture allegation of $12,796,800.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
HSTF San Juan comprises agents and officers from the following federal partners: FBI, ICE-HSI, CBP (OFO, AMO and Border Patrol), the U.S. Marshals Service for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, DEA, ATF, IRS, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Department of State, and the U.S. Secret Service, the Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands HIDTA, TSA, FAA, and the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Districts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The HSTF also has the following state and local law enforcement partners as participating agencies: the Puerto Rico Police Department; the San Juan, Carolina, Guaynabo, Barceloneta, and Ponce Municipal Police Departments, the Puerto Rico National Guard – Counter Drug Program; the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the Puerto Rico Internal Revenue Service (Hacienda); the Puerto Rico Port Authority; and the Virgin Islands Police Department.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Monday 30 March 2026
Zuni Man Charged with KidnappingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been charged with kidnapping after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman he tricked into getting in his car by offering her a ride home.
According to court documents, on March 23, 2026, Barton Rico Cooeyate, 41, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, allegedly kidnapped and sexually assaulted Jane Doe after offering her a ride home in Zuni, New Mexico, only to transport her to an abandoned rural residence 15 miles away. The victim escaped from Cooeyate’s vehicle and hid until a Zuni Pueblo Tribal Ranger conducted an unrelated DWI stop on Cooeyate. As a result of the assault, the victim suffered injuries including a contusion to her left forearm.
Cooeyate is charged with kidnapping by inveiglement. This means Cooeyatelured the woman into his car by false representations or promises, or other deceitful means. He will remain in La Pasada Halfway House pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Cooeyate faces up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Fish and Wildlife and the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worcester Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting MinorsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man has been sentenced for sexually exploiting three minor females.
Antonio Merced, 29, was sentenced on March 26, 2026 by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 30 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. This sentence will run consecutive to his state prison sentence. In July 2025, Merced pleaded guilty to three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography.
In July 2024, Merced exposed two minor victims to pornography and sex toys. A subsequent investigation revealed that Merced had been sexually abusing three minors and producing videos of their sexual abuse. Documentation of the abuse occurring in 2023 of a six year old child, and videos created in 2024 of two other children being sexually abused by Merced were found during the investigation. At a plea hearing in July 2025, Merced admitted to using the three minors to create sexually explicit videos and to possessing hundreds of photos and videos of child sex abuse material of children unknown to him.
Merced was arrested in September 2024 and was subsequently indicted in Worcester Superior Court. He was convicted of 10 counts of aggravated rape of a child and sentenced to 25-30 years in state prison.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Waco Area Man Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing, Sharing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WACO, Texas – A Clifton man was sentenced in a federal court in Waco to 480 months in federal prison for possessing and distributing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, on Feb. 24, 2025, Redus Duncan Smith, 28, sent another individual a private KIK message containing a 15-second video file that depicted child sexual abuse of a prepubescent girl. That same day, he sent an additional five video files of toddlers and prepubescent children being sexually assaulted. Using the username “big_john7895,” he stated in the chat that his name was Reed, he was 27 years old, lived in Texas, and worked in fast food. He also sent two “selfie” styled photos of himself. An investigation determined that through his chats with other KIK users, Smith was intent on teaching others how to groom children in order to sexually abuse them.
FBI agents executed a search warrant at Smith’s home on Aug. 26, 2025, seizing digital devices that contained approximately 858 images and 704 videos of child sexual abuse material, including sexually explicit depictions of prepubescent minors, infants and toddlers. Smith was arrested during the search. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 17, 2025, to one count of distribution of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors and one count of possession of visual depictions of sexual activities by minors. U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright sentenced Smith to two consecutive 240-month terms of imprisonment followed by 20 years of supervised release. Smith was also ordered to pay $33,000 in restitution.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Gloff prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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