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30 September 2026
Jefferson County Sex Offender Charged with Receiving and Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Mark Hill, age 55, of Dexter, New York, appeared in federal court last week on charges of receiving and possessing child pornography.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Anthony Patrone, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.
The complaint alleges that during a search of Hill’s home on September 9, 2026, law enforcement recovered a laptop and hard drive belonging to Hill that contained thousands of media files of child pornography that Hill had downloaded using an internet-based peer-to-peer filesharing program. Because of Hill’s prior 2013 conviction in New York state for rape in the third degree, he is required to register as a sex offender.
The receipt of child pornography charge carries a term of imprisonment from 15 to 40 years. The possession of child pornography charge carries a term of imprisonment from 10 to 20 years. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. Hill will also be required to continue registering as a sex offender upon his release from prison. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
Hill appeared in Syracuse, New York, before United States Magistrate Judge Carla B. Freedman, and was detained pending trial.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone stated, “This defendant’s recidivism has landed him exactly where he belongs, behind bars. Now my office will continue to work to ensure the defendant stays there for a very long time.”
“The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing: a registered sex offender is accused of using peer-to-peer technology to obtain thousands of files depicting the sexual exploitation of children,” said HSI Buffalo Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone. “Those who seek out and download child sexual abuse material are not passive observers; they are participants in a cycle of exploitation that causes lasting harm to victims and threatens public safety. HSI Syracuse will continue to bring the full weight of our investigative capabilities to these cases in close coordination with our trusted federal, state, and local partners.”
The charges in the indictment are merely accusations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
HSI is investigating the case with assistance from the New York State Police, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Cheung and Adrian LaRochelle are prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the 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.
Independence Blue Cross to Pay $22.5M to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Independence Blue Cross (IBX), an insurance company incorporated under the laws of Pennsylvania, has agreed to pay $22.5 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by failing to withdraw inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for its Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees in order to improperly retain overpayments from Medicare.
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays MAOs a fixed monthly amount adjusted for various risk factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs.
The United States alleges that IBX submitted inaccurate and untruthful patient diagnosis data to CMS that inflated the risk adjustment payments it received from CMS, knowingly failed to withdraw the inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis data and repay CMS, and falsely certified in writing to CMS that the data was accurate and truthful. The settlement announced today resolves these allegations.
“The government pays private insurers over $530 billion each year to care for Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “When insurers knowingly and improperly retain inflated payments based on inaccurate and untruthful diagnoses, we will hold them accountable whether they are a small regional plan or a large nationwide organization.”
“The Medicare Advantage program depends on accurate data about patient health,” said U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “When insurers inflate their profits and the government’s costs by submitting or failing to correct unsupported diagnoses, my office will continue to hold them accountable.”
“Providing medical services to Americans is a privilege that requires strict adherence to the rules and accountability when they are not followed,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Private insurers enrolled in the Part C program purposely inflating diagnoses for financial gain is unacceptable. Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the integrity of the Medicare program and to partnering with the Department of Justice to pursue allegations of risk adjustment fraud.”
The United States contends that, for payment years 2017-2021, IBX operated a “chart review” program in which its nurse reviewers reviewed medical records (also known as “charts”) and identified all medical conditions that the charts supported. IBX relied on the results of those chart reviews to submit additional diagnosis codes to CMS to obtain additional payments. However, IBX’s chart reviews did not substantiate some diagnosis codes previously reported by IBX to CMS. IBX did not delete or withdraw those diagnosis codes, which would have required IBX to reimburse CMS. The United States alleges that IBX used the results of its chart reviews to identify instances where IBX could seek additional payments from CMS while ignoring those same results when they indicated IBX was overpaid.
The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Crawford v. Independence Blue Cross, No. 20-cv-5818, in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, a former IBX employee, to receive a $3,825,000 share of the settlement amount.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, in conjunction with HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorney Wendy Zupac and Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Carr for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Independence Blue Cross Agrees to Pay $22.5 Million to Resolve Allegations That It Violated the False Claims Act by Submitting or Failing to Correct Inaccurate Diagnoses for Medicare Advantage EnrolleesRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced today that Independence Blue Cross, a Pennsylvania insurer, has agreed to pay $22,500,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the civil False Claims Act by submitting and failing to withdraw inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis codes for its Medicare Advantage Plan enrollees in order to increase its payments from Medicare.
Under the Medicare Advantage (“MA”) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) pays MAOs a fixed monthly amount adjusted for various risk factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs.
The United States alleges that IBX submitted inaccurate and untruthful patient diagnosis data to CMS in order to inflate the risk adjustment payments it received from CMS, failed to withdraw the inaccurate and untruthful diagnosis data and repay CMS, and falsely certified in writing to CMS that the data was accurate and truthful. The settlement announced today resolves these allegations.
“The Medicare Advantage program depends on accurate data about patient health,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “When insurers inflate their profits and the government’s costs by submitting or failing to correct unsupported diagnoses, my office will continue to hold them accountable.”
“The government pays private insurers over $530 billion each year to care for Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department's Civil Division. “When insurers knowingly and improperly retain inflated payments based on inaccurate and untruthful diagnoses, we will hold them accountable whether they are a small regional plan or a large nationwide organization.”
The United States contends that, for payment years 2017-2021, IBX operated a “chart review” program in which its nurse reviewers reviewed medical records (also known as “charts”) and identified all medical conditions that the charts supported. IBX relied on the results of those chart reviews to submit additional diagnosis codes to CMS to obtain additional payments. However, IBX’s chart reviews did not substantiate some diagnosis codes previously reported by IBX to CMS. IBX did not delete or withdraw those diagnosis codes, which would have required IBX to reimburse CMS. The United States alleges that IBX used the results of its chart reviews to identify instances where IBX could seek additional payments from CMS while ignoring those same results when they indicated IBX was overpaid.
The civil settlement resolves a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the government when they believe that a defendant has submitted false claims for government funds and receive a share of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Crawford v. Independence Blue Cross, No. 20-cv-5818 (E.D. Pa.). The settlement in this case provides for the whistleblower, a former IBX employee, to receive a $3,825,000 share of the settlement amount.
“Providing medical services to Americans is a privilege that requires strict adherence to the rules and accountability when they are not followed,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (“HHS-OIG”). “Private insurers enrolled in the Part C program purposely inflating diagnoses for financial gain is unacceptable. Today’s settlement demonstrates our commitment to ensuring the integrity of the Medicare program and to partnering with the Department of Justice to pursue allegations of risk adjustment fraud.”
The matter was handled in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania by Assistant United States Attorney Peter Carr and litigative consultant Lauren M. Cordrey, along with Civil Fraud Section attorney Wendy Zupac. HHS-OIG supported the investigation.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Illegal Alien who Distributed Cartel Cocaine in St. Louis Area Sentenced to 20 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – An illegal alien who distributed cocaine in St. Louis for a Mexican cartel was sentenced Wednesday to 20 years in prison.
Jose Luis Mata-Cedillo, 40, pleaded guilty in June to four felony counts: conspiracy to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, illegal reentry after deportation as an aggravated felon and being a felon in possession of a firearm. As part of his plea agreement, Mata-Cedillo admitted working for a large-scale, multi-country drug trafficking organization as a distributor in St. Louis. After a courier was intercepted in Junction City, Kansas with 27 kilograms of cocaine, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations began learning about Mata-Cedillo’s drug activities in St. Louis. On April 26, 2025, Mata-Cedillo provided a confidential informant with 5 kilos of cocaine. Later that night, investigators intercepted a courier who had been paid by Mata-Cedillo, seizing $54,600 in cash and about 10 kilos of cocaine. Three days later, he paid another courier, who was then stopped with $66,680, his plea says. In mid-May, agents learned that Mata-Cedillo was trying to order 50 kilos of methamphetamine from Mexico. Mata-Cedillo was arrested at the scheduled delivery point with a loaded 9mm Glock handgun.
Mata-Cedillo was involved in the receipt of at least 37 kilograms of cocaine and 50 kilograms of methamphetamine, a sentencing memo filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider says. He was financially irresponsible and owed the Mexican cartel large sums of cash. He earned the nickname “El Mentiroso,” or “The Liar” because he so often lied about having the cartel’s money, the memo says, and had a cartel babysitter live with and monitor him for weeks during the investigation.
Mata-Cedillo was caught at the border in El Paso in 2008 and removed to Mexico. He entered the country again and was deported in 2020 after being released from a 78-month prison sentence he received in the West District of Washington after being convicted of another drug conspiracy charge. He was living in St. Louis under someone else’s name at the time of his arrest.
Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Junction City (Kansas) Police Department, the Illinois State Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torrie J. Schneider prosecuted the case.
Illegal Alien from Mexico and Utah Business Owner Admits to Laundering over $17M in Drug Proceeds, an HSTF InvestigationRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – As part of a Homeland Security Task Force-led investigation, an illegal alien from Mexico and former Salt Lake County business owner and operator of Multiservicios Lokos, LLC, admitted to her involvement in laundering over $17 million in drug proceeds.
Multiservicios Lokos, LLC is the operating business for the Money Service Business (MSB) side of Antojitos Lokos.
Georgina Espinoza-Grajeda, 43, of Eagle Mountain, Utah, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder monetary instruments. She was initially indicted on November 8, 2023, and charged in a third superseding indictment on January 21, 2024.
According to court documents and admissions made at Espinoza-Grajeda’s change of plea hearing, from a date unknown to on or about November 15, 2023, she and her co-conspirators conducted financial transactions affecting interstate commerce with the intent to promote the distribution of various controlled substances. She assisted in the money laundering of these drug proceeds by receiving cash proceeds from the sale of controlled substances and sent wire transfers through Antojitos Lokos.
In total, Espinoza-Grajeda and her co-conspirators deposited over $17,000,000 (U.S. dollars) in cash proceeds of drug sales of various controlled substances. See prior press release: 24 Defendants, including a Utah Business Owner, Accused of Running a Drug and Money Laundering Operation from Utah to Mexico and Honduras.
Espinoza-Grajeda is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 1.1 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
This case was investigated jointly by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, FBI Special Operations Group (FBI- SOG), IRS-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), United States Marshals Service, Adult Parole and Probation, Park City Police Department, Davis County Metro Narcotics Strike Force, Utah County Major Crimes Task Force, American Fork Police Department, Salt Lake City Police Department, Sandy Police Department, South Jordan Police Department, South Salt Lake Police Department, South Salt Lake Business License Department, West Jordan Police Department, West Valley Police Department, Unified Police Department of Greater Salt Lake, and the Utah State Bureau of Investigations (SBI).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jawayria Z. Auchter of the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
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 Salt Lake comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
Illegal Alien from Honduras and Kansas Woman Plead Guilty to Fraudulently Seeking to Obtain Custody of an Unaccompanied Alien ChildRead the Press Release
Romulo Hernandez Murillo, 46, an illegal alien from Honduras, and Lisa Marie Lopez Perdomo, 49, of Syracuse, Kansas, pleaded guilty today to submitting a sponsorship application containing false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of an unaccompanied alien child (UAC).
“This guilty plea demonstrates the success of the Trump administration’s efforts to root out fraud that undermines a government program designed to protect children,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice and Joint Task Force Alpha will continue to investigate and prosecute those who refuse to abide by laws that protect vulnerable children and who lie to the government officials charged with maintaining the integrity of these programs.”
“Our nation has programs which offer safe haven to refugee children fleeing dangerous conditions in their home counties. With feigned benevolence, the defendants submitted false information during the application process and utilized the system to gain access to a minor they could exploit and abuse,” said U.S Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “These instances are stark reminders that we need oversight to make sure these programs aren’t used for nefarious purposes.”
“Those who submit false statements to obstruct the federal process for protecting unaccompanied children place vulnerable minors at risk and compromise the integrity of a critical safety system,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS‑OIG, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and hold accountable individuals who attempt to exploit programs designed to ensure the safety and well‑being of children.”
“This was not a paperwork error or a technical violation. It was an intentional scheme built on false statements, fabricated documentation, and deception to improperly obtain custody of an unaccompanied child,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City. “Those who seek to exploit child-protection programs for unlawful purposes should understand that HSI will pursue the full scope of their conduct, identify their co-conspirators, and work with our federal, state, and local partners to bring them before the court. Protecting vulnerable children and defending the integrity of our immigration processes remain a core HSI priority.”
According to court documents, Hernandez Murillo agreed to pay Lopez Perdomo to assist him with applying to sponsor and obtain custody of a then 17-year-old Honduran UAC. Lopez Perdomo filled out and submitted the application, which contained false statements claiming that Hernandez Murillo resided with Lopez Perdomo at her home address, and included a photograph of Hernandez Murillo standing in front of her residence. After submitting the application, Lopez Perdomo spoke to an HHS employee and posed as a household member living with Hernandez Murillo. Hernandez Murillo and Lopez Perdomo have been held in federal custody on these charges since December 2025 and January 2026, respectively.
Hernandez Murillo pleaded guilty to making a false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement. Lopez Perdomo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and making a false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement. Both face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. Sentencing is set for Jan. 6, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG and HSI are investigating the case with assistance from the Kansas Department of Labor, Special Investigations Unit; IRS Criminal Investigations; and the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR have provided invaluable assistance along with the U.S. Marshals Service.
Deputy Chief Christian Levesque and Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine J. Andrusak for the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and indictment leading to the guilty plea announced today was supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations throughout the Americas. A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking networks that impact public safety and border security. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by other Criminal Division components, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest border, Southern Florida, and Northern New York and Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and Customs and Border Protection/Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 483 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 436 U.S. convictions; and more than 371 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Working Using Someone Else’s Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
An illegal alien who used someone else’s social security number to obtain employment was sentenced today to over eight months in federal prison.
Jesus Isreal Ubaldo-Cano, age 32, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States and residing in Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after an August 6, 2026, guilty plea to two counts of unlawful use of identification documents.
At the guilty plea, Ubaldo-Cano admitted he used a fraudulent Social Security card and number, both belonging to an actual United States citizen, to prove his authorization to work in the United States. Ubaldo-Cano used the fake card, number, and name when he completed employment and tax forms in August and October 2022 at two businesses in Northeast Iowa.
Ubaldo-Cano was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Ubaldo-Cano was sentenced to 100 days’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Ubaldo-Cano is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transferred into the custody of immigration officials.
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 case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-CR-2033.
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Idabel Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Scotty Edward Lester, age 46, of Idabel, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Lester with knowingly possessing one .38 Special caliber revolver on November 29, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
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.
Lester will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Hopkinton Woman Sentenced to Prison for Role in Bank Fraud RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON—A Hopkinton woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her role in a scheme to defraud banks in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Rosemary Parks, 59, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick to 26 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Parks was also ordered to pay $4,000 in restitution. Parks was arrested in January 2026 and pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in May 2026.
Between August 2024 and October 2024, Parks impersonated at least eight bank customers to withdraw money from the customers’ accounts. Parks used fake driver’s licenses with the customers’ information but her own photo and presented bank tellers with withdrawal slips that listed the customers’ names and account numbers. She successfully withdrew $536,000 from the customers’ accounts in the form of cashier’s checks and a cash withdrawal.
In July 2025, six men were charged as part of a related investigation into a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud banks in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Three of those defendants—Phalentz Vernot, Victor Kolawole and Keith Wainaina—have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Additionally, co-defendant William Shaw pleaded guilty today for his role in a related scheme and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 6, 2027.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Haven Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Connecticut State Police, the Glocester (RI) Police Department, the Sutton Police Department, the Concord (MA) Police Department, the Dracut Police Department, the Westwood Police Department and the Abington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Homeowners’ associations and private club pay over $2.6M to resolve allegations of fraudulently obtaining pandemic-era loansRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Three homeowners’ associations and a private club have paid a combined $2,691,673 to settle allegations that they violated the False Claims Act and the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 by knowingly making false statements and certifications in their applications for Paycheck Protection Program loans.
Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide forgivable loans to qualified businesses to maintain payroll and operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each PPP loan was calculated based on the applicant’s average monthly payroll and number of employees. Under the CARES Act, certain entities organized under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans. Moreover, under the Small Business Administration’s regulations, private clubs that limit the number of memberships for reasons other than capacity were ineligible for PPP loans.
Heritage Hunt Homeowners Association, Inc. is an age-restricted community located in Gainesville that obtained a PPP loan of $397,600 in April 2020. Heritage Hunt paid $425,000, of which $255,000 was restitution, to settle allegations that it knowingly made, or knowingly caused to be made, false statements and certifications about its employee count, average monthly payroll, use of its PPP loan proceeds, and eligibility for its PPP loan.
Lake Caroline Property Owners Association is a homeowners’ association in Ruther Glen that was organized as a 501(c)(7) tax-exempt organization when it applied for a PPP loan of $169,400 in May 2020. Lake Caroline paid $225,000, of which $178,932.81 was restitution, to settle allegations that it knowingly made, or knowingly caused to be made, false certifications about its eligibility to receive a PPP loan and economic necessity for a PPP loan.
The Commonwealth Club, Inc. is a private club located in Richmond that restricted its membership. The Commonwealth Club obtained first and second-draw PPP loans totaling $1,615,050 in April 2020 and March 2021, respectively. The Commonwealth Club paid $1,676,117, of which $1,257,221.28 was restitution, to settle allegations that it knowingly made, or knowingly caused to be made, false certifications about its eligibility to receive a PPP loan.
Villages of Kiln Creek Owners’ Association is a community in Newport News that obtained a second-draw PPP loan of $772,156 in March 2021. The Villages of Kiln Creek paid $365,556, of which $228,472.38 was restitution, to settle allegations that it knowingly made, or knowingly caused to be made, false statements about its industry code under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS code). The United States alleged Villages of Kiln Creek falsely stated in its PPP application that its applicable NAICS code was 722511, which was the industry code for full-service restaurants. The United States further alleged that Villages of Kiln Creek’s false statement about its NAICS code caused its PPP loan to be overstated by $228,472.38.
This settlement arises in connection with a lawsuit filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, United States ex rel. Riner v. Lake of the Woods Ass’n et al. A whistleblower suit, or qui tam action under the False Claims Act, is commenced by an individual filing a complaint under seal in the U.S. District Court and providing a copy of the complaint and evidence to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The whistleblower received 10% of the government’s recovery.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the Small Business Administration.
This matter was investigated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor and Forensic Auditor Peter Melaragni.
Related court documents and information from the civil lawsuit can be accessed on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:23-cv-1558.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
The civil claims settled are allegations only; there has been no determination of civil liability.
Homeland Security Task Force investigation results in prison sentence for drug traffickerRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 54-year-old Federal Way, Washington, man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years in prison for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy that preyed, in part, on unhoused people in “The Jungle” under I-5 and Seattle’s International District, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charle Neil Floyd. Leonardo Rojas Cruz was indicted in May 2025, following a lengthy wiretap investigation. Rojas Cruz was a redistributor of cocaine and methamphetamine ordering up multiple pound quantities of the drugs. At the sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge Tana Lin noted that cocaine users, such as Rojas Cruz, were particularly vulnerable to overdose because cocaine and fentanyl powder are very similar in appearance. Judge Lin told him, “You not only gambled with your own life but with the lives of others as well.”
“In March 2025 alone, law enforcement seized 100 pounds of methamphetamine, 111 kilos of cocaine, 19 kilos of fentanyl powder, 250,000 fentanyl pills, and four kilos of heroin as they investigated this drug ring and a related one,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “The street value of those narcotics is nearly $3 million – but the damage to our community due to addiction, crime and deaths far surpasses that number.”
“Despite a prior drug trafficking conviction, Mr. Rojas Cruz chose to continue down a path leading to suffering and addiction for so many, purchasing kilogram quantities of controlled substances from his co-conspirators for resale to vulnerable populations," said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "The FBI and our partners will continue to combat drug trafficking and violent crime in Seattle and throughout the state of Washington.”
“Mr. Rojas Cruz pushed deadly poison into the Chinatown International District, profiting from some of Seattle’s most vulnerable living in ‘The Jungle’,” said Robert A. Saccone, Special Agent in Charge, DEA Seattle Field Division. “The fentanyl powder alone seized from this drug trafficking organization could have unleashed 1.7 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl into our community. Through Fentanyl Free America, DEA, along with our federal, state, and local partners, is disrupting the fentanyl supply chain, reducing its availability, and saving American lives.”
On May 29, 2025, law enforcement executed 16 search warrants in Federal Way, Vancouver, Everett, Pacific, Tukwila, Kent, Issaquah, Seattle, Woodlake, California and Beaverton, Oregon. Investigators seized more than seven kilograms of cocaine, 18 kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 57,000 fentanyl pills, and 17 firearms. They also seized more than $353,000 in cash.
Rojas Cruz is a Mexican national with a prior federal conviction for drug trafficking in the Eastern District of Washington. In 1991 he was sentenced to more than five years in prison. Nevertheless, he returned to drug trafficking for an extended period of time. Prosecutors wrote to the court, “Rojas Cruz trafficked two of the three leading causes of overdose in King County- cocaine and methamphetamine. And he was not merely trafficking a small amount. In fact, the intercepts show Rojas Cruz purchased substantial quantities of cocaine from his co-defendant over a short amount of time, which provides circumstantial evidence of Rojas Cruz’s trafficking activities. Moreover, he was involved in trafficking controlled substances over a long period of time. Investigators identified Rojas Cruz as a trafficker through communications intercepted in October 2024 and then, after the investigation of Ibarra Loera resumed in 2025, Rojas Cruz was intercepted discussing the sale of a pound of methamphetamine in February 2025 too.”
These coconspirators have already been sentenced:
Daniel Ibarra Loera, 32, of Kent, WA -- 96 months in prison
Jose Garcia Corona, 62, of Seattle -- 15 months in prison
Oscar Omar Serrano Serrano, 32, of Algona, WA -- 30 months in prison
Juan Lopez Roblero, 44, of Tukwila, WA -- twelve months in prison
Giovanni Antonio Garduno Garcia, 47, of Issaquah, WA – 72 months in prison
Sang Su, 44, Seattle, is scheduled for sentencing on November 4, 2026.
Rojas Cruz will likely be deported following his prison term.
This investigation 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 Seattle comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington.
The investigation was led by the FBI, Seattle Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) with significant assistance from the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas program (HIDTA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Washington National Guard Counterdrug Program. Investigators also worked with the Oregon State Police and Clark County, Washington Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Conzatti and Brian Wynne.
Holland man arrested, charged with threatening to blow up Georgia power plantRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Joseph Leone, 23, of Holland, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with maliciously conveying a false threat to use an explosive device on a building, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
On April 26, 2026, Georgia Power (GA Power), which operates nuclear power plants in the State of Georgia, received a private message on its publicly available Instagram account (ga_power) stating the following: “I am active employee at GA Power. I have planted a detonation device inside your office headquarters. You have until Friday 5pm ON THE DOT to figure out a way to make things right to the citizens of Little Neck Rd in Savannah, where you cut down their 300 year old oak.” The message was sent from an Instagram account with the username “joe_1eone.”
GA Power alerted law enforcement, which resulted in significant responses from federal, state, and local resources, as well as fire department resources for an extended period of time. The threat also halted work and led to evacuation and lock down at two headquarters facilities, one in Atlanta, Georgia, and one in Savannah, Georgia. Bomb squads, supported by police and fire resources, swept the facilities for explosive devices. The lockdown had significant operational and financial implications for both facilities and created a massive fear implication for Georgia Power. Ultimately, no explosive device was located.
Subsequent investigation traced the username “joe_leone” to the defendant.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles M. Kruly. The complaint is the result of an investigation by FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II.
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Guatemalan National Sentenced for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Fairon Daniel Carpio-Beteta, 37 years old, of Guatemala, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Gretchen S. Lund after pleading guilty to felony reentry of removed alien, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred
Fairon Daniel Carpio-Beteta was sentenced to time served followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 Special Assessment. The supervised release term will go into effect if Carpio-Beteta remains in, or returns to, the United States within that period following expected removal proceedings.
According to documents in the case, Carpio-Beteta was previously removed from the United States on two prior occasions in September 2019 and November 2019.
“The Defendant has been deported previously and clearly did not respect our nation’s laws, borders, or her sovereignty then or when he illegally returned. Once he is released, the Defendant needs leave and not return again to the United States illegally,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Nadia Wardrip.
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 National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After Being Previously DeportedRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty before Federal Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to the sole count of the indictment charging him with illegally reentering the United States after being previously deported with a prior subsequent felony conviction.
Tomas Paxtor-Paxtor, 29, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry by a previously deported alien, who had been convicted of another felony offense. On March 8, 2026, Paxtor was contacted by officers with the Missouri Department of Conservation. During the contact, Paxtor admitted that he had illegally reentered the United States on an unknown day in 2025, after he had been previously deported. Paxtor also admitted that he was illegally present in the United States. On Aug. 26, 2026, Paxtor was found voluntarily in the United States after being previously deported on Dec. 9, 2024. Paxtor was previously convicted of a felony offense in Newton County Circuit Court for driving while intoxicated that resulted in serious physical injury.
Under federal statute, illegally reentering into the United States after being previously deported is in direct violation of existing federal immigration law and is subject to a sentence of up to ten years imprisonment. The maximum statutory sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations and the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Operation Take Back America
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Grand Blanc man sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for attempted sexual coercion of a minorRead the Press Release
FLINT – A Grand Blanc man who booked a hotel room to meet and rape an 8-year-old girl was sentenced yesterday to 12 years in federal prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, announced Jerome F. Gorgon Jr., United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by acting Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Pierczynski, Homeland Security Investigations Detroit
“HSI will relentlessly pursue individuals who seek to exploit and harm children, whether they operate online or in person,” said HSI Detroit acting Special Agent in Charge Jeremy Pierczynski. “Through proactive investigations and strong law enforcement partnerships, we will work to stop child predators before they can harm a child.”
Daniel Joseph Martina, 38, of Grand Blanc, Michigan, was sentenced by United States District Judge Shalina D. Kumar. At the time of his guilty plea, Martina admitted that while online in November 2025 he met whom he believed to be the father of an 8-year-old girl who would let Martina rape his daughter in a hotel room while the father watched. In reality, the child did not exist and the ‘father’ was an undercover agent with Homeland Security Investigations.
According to court records, Martina messaged the undercover agent over the course of several days using the social media application Kik. He told the agent that the child’s young age was what he was looking forward to most about the encounter. And in exchange for access to the child, Martina promised to give the undercover agent a cache of child pornography and offered to bring a six-pack of beer for them to split at the hotel.
Martina eventually booked a hotel room to complete the crime and fulfil what he described as a long-time sexual fantasy of his. When he arrived, HSI agents were waiting for him with handcuffs. He’d brought with him a six-pack of beer, condoms, and devices with over 4,000 files of child pornography on them. As agents escorted Martina from the hotel, he told them, “I just want to thank you guys for catching me before I hurt someone.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Rawsthorne and Grant Newman.
Gloversville Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking and Firearms CrimesRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Angel Ruiz, age 30, of Gloversville, New York, was sentenced on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, to 93 months in federal prison for drug trafficking and firearms crimes, including conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking crime. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), made the announcement.
As part of his previously entered guilty plea, Ruiz admitted to his participation in a drug conspiracy from June 2020 to March 2021. Ruiz further admitted to selling cocaine out of a co-defendant’s house, where the drugs and multiple firearms were stored. The firearms were stored in a safe where the drugs were kept so that the defendant and his co-conspirator could access them to protect their drugs, drug proceeds, and themselves, from potential robbers.
In addition to the term of imprisonment imposed, Senior U.S. District Judge, Frederick J. Scullin Jr., also sentenced Ruiz to serve a three-year term of supervised release to begin after Ruiz is released from prison.
“I commend ATF on their steadfast commitment to keeping communities like Gloversville safe,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone. “The sentence imposed should serve as a message to those who poison our communities with drugs and violence that you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished severely.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan DiGirolamo stated: “Drug trafficking and firearms are a dangerous combination that fuels violence and threatens the safety of our communities. This 93-month federal prison sentence demonstrates that those who possess firearms while engaging in drug trafficking will be held accountable. ATF remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to identify, investigate and bring to justice those who use firearms to further criminal activity. We appreciate the dedicated efforts of our partners who helped bring this case to a successful resolution.”
ATF investigated the case with assistance from the Gloversville Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey J. L. Brown prosecuted the case.
Fort Walton Beach Felon Indicted for Federal Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Jamil M. Hampton, 55, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine; one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and more than 28 grams of cocaine base; one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense; and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.
Hampton appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho for his initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. Trial is scheduled for October 19, 2026, in Pensacola before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Hampton faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment on the drug conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute counts due to a prior conviction for a serious drug felony; a minimum mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment and up to life imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking count; and up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the felon in possession count.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Thomas S.P. Geeker.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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.
Former State Official Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for School Construction Extortion and Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
KONSTANTINOS “KOSTA” DIAMANTIS, 70, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for extortion, bribery, conspiracy, and false statement offenses related to his conduct as director of Connecticut’s Office of School Constructions Grants and Review (“OSCGR”), the state agency responsible for the grant administration of all Connecticut public school construction projects seeking state funding.
Diamantis failed to appear for his sentencing and is currently being sought by law enforcement.
According to court documents and the evidence introduced during his trial, Diamantis demanded and received bribes from contractors in connection with multi-million dollar school construction projects he supervised as director of OSCGR. In exchange for those bribes, and promises to pay bribes, Diamantis used his official position to assist Acranom Masonry, Inc. (“Acranom”) to obtain and maintain contracts to perform work on state-funded school construction projects. Diamantis helped Acranom resolve a dispute concerning Hartford’s Weaver High School renovation project around 2018; obtain an additional work on that same project; and, in approximately 2019, obtain the masonry contract for the emergency rebuilding of the Birch Grove Primary School in Tolland. In numerous electronic messages between Diamantis and Acranom principals John Duffy and Salvatore Monarca, the three discussed their plan to pay Diamantis in exchange for his official action on behalf of Acranom. Diamantis also demanded payment in exchange for his actions and threatened to remove Acranom from the Weaver and Birch Grove projects if he was not paid.
Diamantis also demanded and received bribes from Antoinetta Roy in her capacity as the owner of Construction Advocacy Professionals, LLC (“CAP”). In exchange for those bribes, Diamantis used his official position to assist CAP in obtaining contracts to provide construction administrator and related services on state school construction projects, including a 2019 contract on the Birch Grove project in Tolland, a 2019 contract to assist New Britain in obtaining state reimbursement for school construction projects, and a 2019 contract related to the renovation project at Hartford’s Bulkeley High School. Roy paid Diamantis via cash and check, and hired Diamantis’s daughter at an inflated salary.
To conceal this conduct, on three different occasions in 2023, Diamantis made multiple false statements to federal agents investigating the matter.
Diamantis was arrested on May 16, 2024. On October 22, 2025, a federal jury in Bridgeport found him guilty of two counts of extortion, two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, two counts of bribery, two counts of conspiracy to commit bribery, and 13 counts of making false statements.
“As the jury unanimously found, Kosta Diamantis abused his office to extort contractors and demand bribes, and then repeatedly lied to federal investigators to cover up his corrupt behavior,” said David E. Novick, First Assistant U.S. Attorney. “Rather than face the court at sentencing, this former criminal attorney and influential state official chose to mock the judicial system by becoming a fugitive. I thank the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation agents who diligently investigated this matter. Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue working until Diamantis is returned and justice is fully served.”
“Public officials hold a privileged position of public trust,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien. “When an official abuses that trust for personal gain and enrichment, it harms taxpayers, undermines confidence in government, and diverts attention and resources from the communities those programs are meant to serve. A conviction for egregious public corruption offenses carries significant consequences. Failing to appear for sentencing, and attempting to flee from justice, does not change the jury’s verdict or our commitment to ensure accountability. We will aggressively pursue all options to return Mr. Diamantis to the United States to be held accountable for his offenses. FBI New Haven will continue to work with our federal and local law enforcement partners to pursue justice and help restore the public trust whenever public officials participate in corrupt acts.”
“Today’s sentencing of Konstantinos Diamantis demonstrates IRS-CI’s commitment to ensuring that all those who abuse their positions of power to enrich themselves at the cost of the American public are brought to justice,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “In one final self-serving act, Diamantis chose to flee the country in an effort to evade the sentence that the court ordered today. IRS-CI will continue working with our federal and global law enforcement partners to track down this international fugitive and ensure that he is returned to the United States where he will face justice.”
Judge Underhill will determine restitution after additional court proceedings.
Duffy, Monarca, and Roy pleaded guilty to related charges and await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan N. Francis and David E. Novick.
Former St. Louis Tax Preparer Sentenced to 56 Months in Prison for Preparing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Joshua M. Divine on Wednesday sentenced a former tax preparer to 56 months in prison for preparing false tax returns and ordered her to repay $270,793.
Latasha L. Frison, 39, owned a tax preparation business in downtown St. Louis under various names including Taxed Rite. Evidence and testimony at her trial, which concluded July 1 with guilty verdicts on 16 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent tax returns, showed that Frison falsified those tax returns in multiple ways. She made up businesses out of thin air and claimed tens of thousands of dollars in fake business expenses on Schedule C forms, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Clow wrote in a sentencing memo. She “exploited a COVID-19 tax credit intended to provide tax relief to those who were sick or caring for loved ones sick during the pandemic.” She “fabricated ludicrous amounts of creditable gas purchases by her clients—in one instance, claiming that a full-time liquor store cashier purchased 40,000 gallons of fuel in a single year,” the memo says.
The trial showed that Frison falsified information on 16 tax returns for six taxpayers for tax years between 2020 and 2023, triggering hundreds of thousands of dollars in refunds to which they were not entitled. Eight additional returns were identified during the criminal investigation that contained similar falsehoods, and 37 more were civilly audited by the IRS and found to contain false information, according to court filings and statements in court Wednesday.
Clow told Judge Divine that “significant statistical aberrations” in Schedule C and tax credits that were similar to those that triggered the initial investigation surfaced in returns dating back to when Frison first opened her tax business in late 2017. Returns prepared by Frison included an unusually high percentage of credits as compared to state and national averages, Clow said.
Frison charged some of her clients exorbitant fees, the sentencing memo says. Frison told one client who owed the IRS over $20,000 that it would cost $700 to prepare her taxes, then charged $5,000 after falsifying the return and obtaining a tax refund of $22,000. In a four-year period, she received at least $240,000 in fees. She spent over $145,000 at St. Louis-area casinos, the memo says. At trial, Frison lied under oath when she blamed clients for the false information in the returns, the memo says.
“Stopping fraud against taxpayer funds and keeping the tax system fair are top priorities for IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI),” said Kansas City Field Office Special Agent in Charge William Steenson. “Latasha Frison operated a tax preparation business that profited by filing falsified information on her clients’ tax returns and caused thousands of dollars in refunds the clients were not entitled to. The tax loss to the Treasury and the tax nightmare created for the clients demands accountability. Through the partnership of IRS-CI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, taxpayers now have justice.”
Frison lived in Cahokia at the time of her crimes and now lives in Texas.
The case was investigated by IRS - Criminal Investigation.
Former Sallisaw High School Coach Sentenced for Receiving Child Sexual Exploitation MaterialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Joshua Lee Bolin, age 27, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 72 months in prison for one count of Receipt of Certain Material Involving the Sexual Exploitation of a Minor.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sallisaw Police Department.
On July 24, 2025, Bolin pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, beginning in January 2024 and continuing until June 28, 2024, Bolin received visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.
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, Tribal, 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.
The Honorable John A. Woodcock, Jr., Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Maine, sitting by designation, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Bolin will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Producing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Callaway County, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court for producing and possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
Jimmy Joe Culbertson, 68, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Culbertson is a retired police sergeant, who served for more than 24 years.
Through his plea, Culbertson admits to photographing his abuse of two minor children. He also admits to possessing more than 150 CSAM files. Law enforcement located software intended to hide his online activity as well as permanently delete digital evidence.
Under federal statutes, Culbertson is subject to a sentence of up to 70 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley S. Turner. It was investigated by the Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Taskforce.
Project Safe Childhood
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc . For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."
Former New York City Police Department Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Impersonating ICE OfficialRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, former New York City Police Department (NYPD) Sergeant Atickul Islam, also known as “James W. Anderson,” pled guilty to false impersonation of an officer of the United States, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 912. Islam was charged after he falsely claimed to be a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official and directed a female victim and her family to turn themselves in at an ICE office or face “legal action” and “enforcement measures.”
The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Dora L. Irizarry. As part of his guilty plea, Islam was required to resign from the NYPD—which he did on September 25, 2026—and cannot apply to another position with the NYPD, or any law enforcement agency, at any time. When sentenced, Islam faces a maximum of three years’ imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the guilty plea.
“Instead of upholding the law and serving members of his community, Atickul Islam used lies and the threat of deportation to take revenge on a woman in his personal life,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “We expect law enforcement officers of every rank to act with honesty and integrity. As demonstrated by today’s plea, our Office will not tolerate any officer who would use the threat of federal law enforcement to carry out a personal vendetta.”
“Atickul Islam's guilty plea shows that impersonating a federal officer is a serious crime that erodes public trust. By using fake authority to target and intimidate a victim for personal reasons, he betrayed that trust - and now faces the consequences,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
As set forth in court filings and during today’s plea proceeding, between March 22, 2025 and March 29, 2025, Islam sent the victim a series of text messages. On March 29, 2025, he sent the victim a message in which he stated that her family would always “live poor”; threatened to call ICE to “come get” her and her family; and implied that he knew her location. Approximately four hours after sending this message, Islam sent the victim another text message from an unknown number, claiming to be the Director of ICE’s New York Field Office. In the message, the defendant told the victim that this was an “official notice” that she had been reported to ICE and that she and her family must report to an ICE office or face “further legal action and enforcement measures.”
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity and Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Sections. Assistant United States Attorneys Russell Noble and Molly Delaney are in charge of the prosecution with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Melissa Bennett.
The Defendant:
ATICKUL ISLAM (also known as “James W. Anderson”)
Age: 29
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 25-CR-359 (DLI)
Five People Charged with Obstructing Access to Federal Facility in Williston, VermontRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Peter Booth, 58, of Jericho, Vermont; Lexington Kennedy, 22, of New York, New York; Henry Prensky, 80, of Burlington, Vermont; Roan Wade, 23, of Red Hook, New York; and Sherri Wormser, 57, of Colchester, Vermont, have been charged by Information with knowingly obstructing access to the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement National Criminal Analysis and Targeting Center, located in the White Cap business park in Williston, Vermont. The Court has issued summonses which will require the defendants to appear before the Court for initial appearances, which have not yet been scheduled.
According to court records, on February 9, 2026, Booth, Kennedy, Prensky, Wade, and Wormser entered the atrium of the White Cap building and used their bodies to block the access doors between the atrium and the federal facility. All five were repeatedly warned their conduct was in violation of the law. All five ignored the warnings and directives to disperse. Access to the federal facility was restored only when law enforcement physically removed the five from White Cap. On May 14, 2026, Booth and Prensky again entered the atrium of the White Cap building and used their bodies to block the access doors between the atrium and the federal facility. Both were repeatedly warned their conduct was in violation of the law. Both ignored the warnings and directives to disperse. Access to the federal facility was restored only when law enforcement physically removed Booth and Prensky from White Cap. On July 24, 2026, Kennedy and Wade again entered the atrium of the White Cap building and used their bodies to block the access doors between the atrium and the federal facility. Both were warned their conduct was in violation of the law. Both ignored the warning and directive to disperse. Access to the federal facility was restored only when law enforcement physically removed Kennedy and Wade from White Cap.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt stated: “By repeatedly blocking the entrances and exits to this federal facility, the defendants created a risk to the safety and wellbeing of the Vermonters who work there. Such obstructions are dangerous, as they restrict the ability of people to enter and exit the facility, including in the event of an emergency. Moreover, the actions of these defendants, and others, necessitated a substantial police response, diverting law enforcement resources from other important priorities and responsibilities. The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont will prosecute all those who knowingly obstruct access to federal facilities.” First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ophardt thanked the Vermont State Police, the Williston Police Department, and the Federal Protective Service for their assistance in maintaining access to and from the federal facility.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the Information contains allegations only and that all five defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Booth, Kennedy, Prensky, Wade, and Wormser face up to 30 days of imprisonment and a fine of up to $5,000 if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the Court with guidance from the statutory sentencing factors.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Nate Burris. Booth, Kennedy, Prensky, Wade, and Wormser have not yet retained nor been appointed counsel.
Federal jury convicts Dallas man on six counts of interstate threatsRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould today announced that a federal jury convicted Phillip Daniel Peterson, 56, of Dallas, on six counts of transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce.
“Today’s guilty verdict affirms that violent threats carry real consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Cyber‑based threats are real threats, and those who misuse online communications to sow fear should expect meaningful federal consequences. We are grateful for the jury’s careful consideration and remain committed to protecting the public from those that misuse technology to harm or frighten others.”
“This verdict makes clear that conveying violent online threats is a serious criminal offense with substantial consequences,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI remains committed to protecting our communities and ensuring that individuals who exploit digital platforms to intimidate, coerce, or instill fear are held accountable.”
According to evidence presented at trial, Peterson sent a series of threatening emails on June 23, 2023, directing violent language toward multiple victims. The following six communicated threats transmitted across state lines resulted in each of the convicted counts.
- “M.M., I am going to f**k you up.”
- “I am going to put your f**king head on a stick.”
- “I am going to a** f**k you M.M. you f**king c*nt.”
- “M.M. I am going to f**k you in the a** you stupid c*nt.”
- “I am going to f**k both J.H. and D.W. in the a**.”
- “You stupid f**gots better know I know where you live.”
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2027, before U.S. District Judge David C. Godbey. Peterson faces up to five years in federal prison per count on each of the six counts.
The FBI Dallas conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ted Hocter and Caroline Poore from the National Security Division prosecuted the case.
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Federal Jury Finds Sarasota Armed Felon Guilty of Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl with a MachinegunRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Kelvin Undray Cokley, II (31, Sarasota) guilty of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, possession of 40 grams or more of fentanyl with the intent to distribute it, possessing a firearms as a convicted felon, and possessing a machinegun in furtherance of drug trafficking. Cokley faces a minimum penalty of 40 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 30, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, in November 2024, Cokley was the subject of a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation involving fentanyl trafficking in Sarasota. Cokley used an apartment in Sarasota to store and process fentanyl. Agents observed Cokley conducting drug transactions in a hotel parking lot in Sarasota. During their surveillance, Cokley called Elijah Jones, a charged co-defendant, to discuss suspected police surveillance in the area. Cokley and Jones became concerned about law enforcement activity and Cokley declared it was time to “clean house.” Agents obtained three search warrants and executed them within hours of the call. They seized 10 firearms and ammunition from Cokley’s bedroom as well as approximately 12.5 grams of a fentanyl mixture from a satchel with his wallet and a scale.
Next, agents searched the stash apartment and found over 200 grams of fentanyl mixtures as well as xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer. Agents located blenders, cutting agents, baggies, ammunition, and a machinegun in a cabinet in the kitchen. The machinegun had an extended magazine with ammunition loaded inside.
Figure 1 Trial Exhibit 67C
Figure 2 trial exhibit 67D
Agents also recovered a blender with fentanyl residue in a tub of male clothing in the bedroom. A Pioneer Arms Hellpup rifle, loaded with ammunition, was tested and determined to have Cokley’s DNA on the grip and trigger. The tub was recovered next to bulk currency and the vacuum sealed fentanyl.
Figure 3 trial exhibit 83Q
Cokley has been ordered to forfeit the firearms and currency used or gained by the crimes of conviction. He is also subject to enhanced penalties for committing these crimes within 15 years of release from prison on a serious violent felony. According to records from the Florida Department of Corrections, Cokely previously served 10 years in prison for an aggravated battery.
Co-defendant Elijah Jones was sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in this case.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Sarasota Police Department, the Tampa Police Department, and the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Samantha Beckman and Lindsey Schmidt. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne C. Nebesky will handle the forfeiture.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Ten Foreign Nationals for Voter Fraud in Minnesota ElectionsRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that ten defendants were separately indicted on September 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury for voter fraud. All defendants have made their initial appearances in federal court.
“Today's charges allege that ten foreign nationals committed voter fraud in Minnesota, one voting illegally as recently as this August's primary,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The law is clear, only American citizens may vote in American elections, and enforcing this law is fundamental to our democracy. That should not be a partisan concept.”
“Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this administration will never allow the votes of American citizens to be cancelled out by non-citizens illegally voting in our elections. Only American citizens should be electing American leaders.”
“Voting in American elections is a privilege of American citizenship,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Stealing that privilege is a crime. When, in order to obtain a ballot, a non-citizen swears he or she is a citizen, we will prosecute.”
The defendants and their charges include:
- Bhator Konah Bryant, 61, a Liberian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote. She is alleged to have falsely claimed United States citizenship when registering to vote on October 18, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Edvile Vaidoto Edmunds, 59, a Lithuanian national, on one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 8, 2022. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Joshua Frederick Kofi Edzie, 63, a Ghanaian national, on two counts of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on August 11, 2026, and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on October 23, 2024 and August 11, 2026. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- Alan Barbu Kargbo, 48, a Liberian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- Paul Kras, 78, a German national, on one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Fadil Rasim Ozegovic, 58, a Bosnian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Aparecido Donizetti Padovan, 62, a Brazilian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Chris Adam Pettiquoi, 43, a Liberian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Christian Liam Schenk, 47, a Canadian national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance in the District of Massachusetts on September 29, 2026.
- Hester Sophia Weihmann, 69, a South African national, on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
The charge of false claim of citizenship in order to vote is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f) and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Voting by aliens is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 611 and is a class A misdemeanor and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a maximum fine of $100,000.
These cases were the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph S. Teirab is prosecuting these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Note: This press release was edited on September 30, 2026, to correct the spelling of a defendant’s name.
Federal Court Dismisses Another Challenge to Energy Development in Gulf of AmericaRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia yesterday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 2018 biological opinion and 2025 consultation determination for oil and gas activities in the Gulf of America.
In March, the Endangered Species Committee voted unanimously to exempt oil and gas activities in the Gulf of America from the Endangered Species Act’s requirements. The Committee acted on the Secretary of War’s finding that the exemption was necessary for national security reasons. The ruling follows a similar decision in Maryland in June and a related April ruling in Louisiana, both giving effect to the exemption.
“This Department of Justice will never cease defending this Administration's efforts to ensure our Nation's security,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward Jr. “We are pleased that a third court has correctly applied the Committee’s national security exemption to dismiss another legal challenge intended to pose an obstacle to oil and gas production in the Gulf of America. Make no mistake, under President Trump, American energy dominance is back.”
“The national security exemption for Gulf of America oil and gas activities means what it says, as another federal court has now confirmed,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “This decision removes another obstacle to energy production vital to our national security. The Department will keep defending President Donald J. Trump’s agenda to unleash American energy.”
The Endangered Species Committee, chaired by the Secretary of the Interior, may exempt federal agency actions from the Act’s requirements. The statute directs the committee to grant an exemption for any agency action if the Secretary of War finds it necessary for reasons of national security.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section handled this matter.
Elberon, Iowa, Man Sent to Federal Prison for over Six Years for Illegally Possessing GunsRead the Press Release
A man who threatened to shoot up a community event and who sent multiple people threatening messages featuring guns was sentenced today to more than six years in federal prison.
Daniel Scott Carter, age 42, from Elberon, Iowa, received the prison term after a May 1, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm by a felon.
Information at sentencing showed that in May 2024, Carter posted a photograph on Facebook of an AK-47-style firearm with the caption, “Say hello to my little friend.” In the comments section of his post, Carter threatened to shoot people at an upcoming community event and commit a “baptism by blood.” He also sent photographs of a different gun to multiple people, along with threatening text messages. In June 2024, law enforcement officers seized seven firearms that belonged to Carter, including an AK-47-style firearm that matched the firearm in Carter’s earlier Facebook post.
Carter was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand. Carter was sentenced to 78 months’ imprisonment and must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Carter is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Tama County Sheriff’s Office, and the Linn County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-85.
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Dual citizen of UK and South Africa sentenced for violent disruption of flight from Dublin to SeattleRead the Press Release
Seattle – A resident of North Ireland who disrupted an Aer Lingus flight from Dublin to Seattle on June 19, 2026, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. James Bradley Noble, 35, spent about ten days in the King County Jail and Federal Detention Center (FDC) after disrupting the flight. He has been on home detention with electronic monitoring at a rented residence in Seattle since his release from the FDC. U.S. District Judge Lauren King accepted the recommendation of a time served sentence and told Noble, “Your behavior impacted all the people on the flight.” One flight attendant reported that the other passengers “were terrified” and had there been an inflight emergency, it would have been difficult for the crew to respond. “The flight attendants’ actions were admirable and ensured the safety of all on board,” Judge King said.”
According to records filed in the case, Noble was significantly impaired by alcohol and other medications he had taken while on the flight. He first assaulted the person sitting next to him, trying to force a pill on her and then spilling a drink on her. Next Noble went to the galley and aggressively grabbed a flight attendant from behind. The flight attendant attempted to escort Noble back to his seat. As he went down the aisle, he stumbled into the person sitting in front of him, cursed at the passenger and then violently shook the back of the person’s seat. The passengers around him had to be relocated and ultimately Noble was restrained to his seat. It took a number of flight attendants to get him securely restrained.
On August 19, 2026, Noble pleaded guilty to Interference with flight crew members and attendants.
In asking for the time served sentence prosecutors wrote to the court, “After consuming a large amount of alcohol and a prescription medication, Mr. Noble became disruptive, threatening to fight other passengers and flight attendants. While no one was seriously injured, the seriousness of this behavior should not be minimized. No one should be subject to bad and borderline violent behavior while locked in a metal tube at 30,000 feet, with no way to escape the disruptive behavior. And Mr. Noble certainly should have known better as a licensed pilot himself…. His conviction will doubtless have other collateral consequences on his ability to freely travel and pursue his current employment.”
Victims are still working to provide information on restitution for injuries they may have suffered due to Noble’s behavior. A hearing is scheduled to set restitution in late October.
Noble is expected to voluntarily depart the U.S. following sentencing. With a felony conviction he may not be able to return to the U.S.
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Vince Lombardi.
Department of Justice Indicts Ten Aliens for Voter Fraud in MinnesotaRead the Press Release
Attorney General Todd Blanche, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, and United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that a federal grand jury indicted ten defendants separately on September 24, 2026, for voter fraud. All defendants have made their initial appearances in federal court.
“Today's charges allege that ten foreign nationals committed voter fraud in Minnesota, one voting illegally as recently as this August's primary,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The law is clear, only American citizens may vote in American elections, and enforcing this law is fundamental to our democracy. That should not be a partisan concept.”
“Our message to aliens who vote in American elections is clear: we will find you, arrest you, and you will face the consequences, including criminal charges and deportation,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “Under President Trump’s leadership, this administration will never allow the votes of American citizens to be cancelled out by non-citizens illegally voting in our elections. Only American citizens should be electing American leaders.”
“Voting in American elections is a privilege of American citizenship,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “Stealing that privilege is a crime. When, in order to obtain a ballot, a non-citizen swears he or she is a citizen, we will prosecute.”
Case details are as follows:
- Liberian national Bhator Konah Bryant, 61, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote. She is alleged to have falsely claimed United States citizenship when registering to vote on October 18, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Lithuanian national Edvile Vaidoto Edmunds, 59, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 8, 2022. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Ghanaian national Joshua Frederick Kofi Edzie, 63, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on two counts of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on August 11, 2026, and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on October 23, 2024 and August 11, 2026. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- Liberian national, Alan Barbu Kargbo, 48, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 28, 2026.
- German national Paul Kras, 78, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Bosnian national Fadil Rasim Ozegovic, 58, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Brazilian national Aparecido Donizetti Padovan, 62, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Liberian national Chris Adam Pettiquoi, 43, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
- Canadian national Christian Liam Schenk, 47, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. He is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant will have his initial appearance in the District of Massachusetts on September 30, 2026.
- South African national Hester Sophia Weihmann, 69, a lawful permanent resident has been charged on one count of making a false claim of citizenship in order to vote and one count of voting by alien. She is alleged to have voted illegally as an alien in Minnesota and falsely claimed United States citizenship in order to vote on November 5, 2024. The defendant had her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Elsa M. Bullard on September 29, 2026.
The charge of false claim of citizenship in order to vote is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1015(f) and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a maximum term of supervised release of three years, and a maximum fine of $250,000. Voting by aliens is a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 611 and is a class A misdemeanor and carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year, a maximum term of supervised release of one year, and a maximum fine of $100,000.
These cases were the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph S. Teirab is prosecuting these cases.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
DeFuniak Springs Felon Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug & Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Bobby Womack, 45, of DeFuniak Springs, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This armed drug trafficker thought he could enrich himself by peddling deadly drugs, but thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners and this successful prosecution by my office, he has learned we have zero-tolerance for criminality in my district. Our citizens deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute drug traffickers, like this defendant, to deliver on that promise.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement received a tip that the defendant was distributing narcotics out of a hotel in DeFuniak Springs, Florida. Law enforcement surveilled the defendant at the hotel for several days and confirmed that the defendant was trafficking controlled substances. The defendant was arrested while attempting to leave the hotel, and was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the defendant’s hotel room and located several bags containing methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as a stolen handgun with a loaded magazine, in addition to other drug paraphernalia.
The defendant faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine count; up to 15 years’ imprisonment on the possession of a firearm or ammunition by a convicted felon count; and a minimum mandatory 5 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment consecutive to any sentence for the other offenses on the possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas S.P. Geeker and Christopher C. Patterson.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 29, 2026, at 1:00 pm, in the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
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.
Dauphin County Man Ordered to Forfeit $180,000 for Distributing Misbranded Drugs and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Skyler Garman, age 35, of Grantville, Pennsylvania, was sentenced to one year probation by United States District Judge Keli M. Neary for one count of conspiracy in connection with the distribution of misbranded drugs and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Neary also ordered Garman to forfeit $180,000, which were his proceeds from the offenses.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Garman admitted that from 2019 to 2021 he conspired to distribute and did distribute in interstate commerce both selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), knowing that it was unlawful to do so under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Garman knew that it was unlawful under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) to either (1) distribute in interstate commerce any new drug that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or (2) to introduce into interstate commerce any drug, or a dietary supplement, that was misbranded. Under the FDCA, “misbranding” could occur, among other ways, through false and misleading labeling and, in the case of a prescription drug, if it was dispensed without a valid prescription from a licensed medical professional.
During that time period, products containing SARMs were often illegally marketed and sold for body-building purposes. Athletes and bodybuilders who desired the muscle-building effects of anabolic steroids turned to products collectively called selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs). SARM products were synthetic chemicals designed to mimic the effects of testosterone and other anabolic steroids, and they were originally developed by drug companies as an alternative to anabolic steroids for people who suffered from age and disease-related muscle loss. FDA did not, however, approve any of these products for therapeutic use. In 2017, FDA issued safety alerts about SARMs and warning letters stating that products containing SARMs were unapproved new drugs and misbranded drugs.
Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) were a group of nonsteroidal compounds that had estrogen-like effects on some tissues but antiestrogen effects on other tissues. The SERMs class of drugs included branded drugs such as Tamoxifen, Exemestane, and Clomiphene. SERMS were also used by bodybuilders to counteract the unwanted side effects of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), including synthetic steroids, anabolic steroids, and SARMs. These side effects were caused by the infusion of estrogen into the body, which could cause breast enlargement in men, fat deposits, and erectile dysfunction. SERMs were typically used by bodybuilders and other athletes after an individual stopped taking, cycling, or using performance enhancing drugs (PEDs).
Garman opened Body Science Supplements, a health and wellness store that sold vitamins and supplements, at or around Cumberland Street, in Lebanon, Pennsylvania, around March 30, 2019. Garman and an associate then used Body Science Supplements and associated product brands, including such as “Savior Research Sarms” and “Savior Research Serms,” to sell unapproved and misbranded drugs. Garman knew, for example, that SARMs would affect the structure and function of the body, such as providing “increased muscularity,” and knew that the products contained false and misleading labeling, such as “not for human consumption.” Garman and an associate provided advice to customers on SARMs and SERMs dosing, including in conjunction with performance enhancing drugs.
Garman, through Body Science Supplements and associated brands, sold over $2.2 million in products, the large majority of which was comprised of unapproved and misbranded drugs. These products were sold through the internet and shipped via U.S. Mail and private and interstate carriers.
Garman used multiple bank accounts to conduct the business involving unapproved and misbranded drugs, including a business bank account in the names of Garman and another person. Once proceeds of these sales were in this business bank account, Garman and a co-conspirator then executed a series of wire transfers to other accounts, including personal accounts of Garman and an associate, and to pay for charges on a credit card.
Garman made over $180,000 in net profit from this unlawful activity.
"The FDA is committed to protecting public health by ensuring that drugs marketed to American consumers are safe and properly labeled," said Special Agent in Charge Marie Maguire, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Metro Washington Field Office. "This case demonstrates the risks posed when individuals illegally distribute misbranded drugs that have not undergone the rigorous FDA review process. With our partners, we will continue to hold accountable those who circumvent federal drug safety laws for financial gain."
The Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations and Assistant United States Attorney Ravi Romel Sharma are prosecuting the case.
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Coweta Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Anthony Joseph Ellison, age 32, of Coweta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Ellison with knowingly possessing one 9x19mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol, one multi-caliber, semi-automatic rifle, and 10 rounds of 9mm Luger caliber ammunition in December 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Coweta Police Department.
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.
Ellison will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Pippin represented the United States.
Convicted Felon Sentenced for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Jeremy Jovan Randolph, 37, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners work hard every day to keep dangerous criminals, like this defendant, off our streets to ensure our citizens can live in the safe, crime-free communities they deserve. By aggressively prosecuting cases like this, and ensuring dangerous criminals like this defendant are kept behind bars, we will succeed in improving public safety for the law-abiding citizens of the Northern District of Florida.”
Court documents reflect that on February 5, 2026, Tallahassee Police Department detectives assigned to the Traffic Unit noticed a vehicle parked illegally in a handicapped spot in a gas station parking lot. The detectives observed the defendant exit the store and enter the vehicle. The detectives then approached and could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle and confirmed the defendant did not have a medical marijuana card. The defendant was asked to exit the vehicle. As the defendant did so, the detectives saw an AR-style pistol on the driver’s side floor of the vehicle where he had been sitting. The pistol was equipped with a 60-round magazine. The defendant is a previously convicted felon and was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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.
Columbus man who solicited sexual abuse of non-verbal minor sentenced to 25 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Richard (Tyler) Campbell, 36, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 300 months in prison for child exploitation and pornography crimes.
Campbell is one of five defendants implicated in a child pornography investigation that began with cyber tipline reports to the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Other defendants include Christian Toms and Carson Bigham, who were sentenced in recent months to 420 months and 80 months in prison respectively.
According to court documents, between December 2024 and February 2025, Campbell solicited the sexual abuse of a minor victim. He also posed online as both an adult with access to a minor and as a minor himself.
Campbell distributed child pornography to other individuals, including three of the other defendants. He told others he was looking for someone to have sexual relations with both him and his fictitious son, claiming the minor in the sexual abuse materials was his son.
Forensic review of the child pornography led investigators to Toms, who was sentenced in May to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing the minor depicted in the images, an 11-year-old non-verbal boy with Autism. Digital communications between Campbell and Toms revealed that Campbell made specific requests about how to sexually abuse the minor. Further, court documents detail that Campbell and Toms met up in person at an area Kroger, where they exchanged used children’s underwear.
Campbell possessed 165 files of child sexual abuse material, including that of infant, prepubescent and pubescent minors engaged in sex acts and subjected to bondage.
Campbell pleaded guilty in November 2025 to sexual exploitation of a minor, distribution and receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin and other members of the Franklin County Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Emily Czerniejewski is representing the United States in this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
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Columbia Man Indicted for Possession of Gun Fired at Richland County Sheriff’s DeputiesRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a single-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Renardo Tyson, Jr., 24, of Columbia, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September 2025, Tyson knowingly possessed a firearm, which was found in Tyson’s car after he led Richland County Sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase and fired numerous rounds at deputies and K9s. The deputies and K9s were not injured.
Tyson has a prior felony conviction for possession of a stolen firearm, which prohibits him from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law. Tyson faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael A. Parente is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Canadian-American Man Pleads Guilty to Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Casey Oakes, age 23, a dual citizen of Canada and the United States and a resident of the Akwesasne Mohawk Indian Reservation (AMIR), pleaded guilty on August 20,2026, for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Oakes admitted that in 2024, he received numerous packages shipped by a co-conspirator from Florida and California at residences in and around the AMIR that contained cocaine. Oakes transported the cocaine across the St. Lawrence River by boat to Canada, where it was received by additional members of the conspiracy. The conspiracy was uncovered when one of the packages was intercepted by HSI.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarcone said, “For decades, law enforcement and this Office have investigated and prosecuted narcotics trafficking occurring on and through the AMIR; this case is just the tip of the iceberg. My office remains committed to stopping narcotics smuggling in and around the AMIR and we need the cooperation of Tribal leaders and law enforcement to root out anyone who facilitates the poisoning of Americans with deadly and dangerous drugs.”
Acting Special Agent in Charge Anthony Patrone said, “Behind this case was a calculated cross-border narcotics pipeline, with cocaine concealed in shipments from across the country and ferried by boat into Canada through the Akwesasne region. This guilty plea demonstrates the resolve of HSI and our law enforcement partners to identify, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks that exploit border communities for profit. As a co-leader of the Homeland Security Task Force, HSI Massena will continue to pursue those who place greed above public safety and bring accountability to individuals who inflict harm on our communities.”
At sentencing, scheduled for December 21, 2026, Oakes faces a term of imprisonment up to life, a fine of up to $10 million, and a term of supervised release of at least 5 years and up to life. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is convicted of violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, and other factors.
The case is being investigated by HSI with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the New York State Police, the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department, and Sûreté du Québec. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ben Gillis is prosecuting the case.
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 Buffalo comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Internal Revenue Service (IRS/ CID), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Border Patrol (CBP/ OBP), Customs and Border Protection/ Office of Field Operations (CBP/ OFO), DEA, Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), USPIS, U.S. Secret Service (USSS), and Department of State/Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
California Man Sentenced to More than Five Years in Prison for Possessing Firearms and Ammunition as a Previously Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
ST. GEORGE, Utah – A Southern California man was sentenced to 64 months’ imprisonment today after he possessed two firearms and ammunition as a restricted person.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Ann Marie McIff Allen, comes after Francisco Andrade Santio, 46, of Los Angeles, California, pleaded guilty on February 26, 2026, to felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. In addition to his term of imprisonment, he was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made at Santio’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 20, 2025, officers were dispatched to a Denny’s restaurant in St. George on a report of an intoxicated person, later identified as Santio. Santio was in the restaurant holding a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey, vaping from a THC pen and stroking one of the waitress’ arms. Santio was asked by employees to leave and was observed by arriving officers exiting the restaurant, staggering to his vehicle and attempting to drive away. Officers pulled in behind Santio’s vehicle to prevent him from driving away. After a brief investigation and Santio’s refusal to perform field sobriety tests, Santio was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI). During a search of Santio’s vehicle, law enforcement located two firearms and ammunition. Santio has a violent criminal history that includes multiple felony convictions.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the St. George City Police Department and the Washington County Drug Taskforce.
Assistant United States Attorney Joseph M. Hood of The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Buffalo smoke shop owner going to prison on cocaine chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Basheer Saleh, 42, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of cocaine, was sentenced to serve 108 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
In July 2025, law enforcement began an investigation into Basheer’s drug trafficking activities. In July and August 2025, investigators conducted four controlled purchases of cocaine, totaling approximately 532 grams, at Basheer’s store, Sweet Puff's Smoke Shop, on Delaware Avenue in Buffalo. On September 2, 2025, law enforcement executed search warrants at several locations, including the smoke shop, a vacant store next door owned by Basheer, and his Delaware Avenue residence. Investigators seized approximately 5,000 grams of cocaine, a quantity of crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and ammunition.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt I. Kass and Monica Benjovsky. The sentencing is the result of an investigation by FBI, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
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Bryan County Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Andre Deshawn Love, age 45, of Colbert, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Love with knowingly possessing one .380ACP caliber, semi-automatic pistol and 42 rounds of assorted .380ACP caliber ammunition on November 6, 2025, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Love will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Machine GunRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his participation in a shootout that left a female victim with a gunshot wound to her chest.
Natalio Miranda, 35, pleaded guilty to one count each of possession of a machinegun and being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16, 2026. Miranda was indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2025 along with three co-defendants Romeo Miller, Jonathan Alves and Jahleil Monteiro.
On June 2, 2024, at approximately 1:45 a.m., law enforcement responded to a “shots fired” call at a home in Brockton where s large crowd was observed. A 31-year-old female victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest was transported to a nearby hospital and survived.
Numerous bullet casings were found scattered throughout the front yard and driveway of the residence. Video footage obtained from the home’s surveillance system determined that a house party led to a physical altercation in the driveway and an exchange of gunfire between the victim and Miranda, Miller and allegedly Alves.
Specifically, surveillance video captured Miranda as he discharged several bursts of ammunition from an automatic weapon in the front yard of the residence before leaving the scene. Miller and, allegedly Alves, are also shown firing towards the victim from the driveway. Miller is later seen on the footage crossing the street to hide behind a parked car, where he shot the victim in the chest. Surveillance video captured Miller returning to the driveway, where he passed his firearm off to Monteiro, before the two drove away in separate parked cars.
At the time of the shooting, Miranda was on federal supervised release for a fentanyl distribution conspiracy conviction. He also has a prior state conviction for cocaine distribution.
The charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of being an accessory after the fact to a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to half the maximum punishment for the underlying offense. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Division; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda I. Perez made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Pohl of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, residing in Milford, Mass. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to transportation and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Joao Carlos Tavares Da Silva, 22, pleaded guilty to transportation and possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 29, 2027. Tavares Da Silva was arrested and charged in January 2026.
Tavares Da Silva is a Brazilian citizen with an outstanding warrant in Brazil for statutory rape; production, reproduction, direction, recording or filming of scenes of explicit sexual acts or pornography involving children or adolescents; and selling or offering for sale any photograph, video, or other recording that contains scenes of explicit sexual acts or pornography involving a child or adolescent. During a search of Tavares Da Silva’s home in Milford, multiple electronic devices were seized. Images containing CSAM were located on one of those devices. The images depicted the sexual exploitation of an identified minor victim in Brazil. Tavares Da Silva produced the images in Brazil then transported the images to the United States via a mobile phone that he carried when he moved to Massachusetts in May 2025.
The charge of transportation of child pornography provides for a sentence of no less than five years and up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for life and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, supervised release for life and a fine of $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Milford Police Department and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Auto Thief Sentenced for Possession of a Machinegun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – Tavious Bruce, 21, of Memphis, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for possession of a Glock 9mm pistol equipped with a machinegun conversion device while driving a stolen Porsche SUV. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
According to information presented in court, law enforcement encountered the defendant inside a stolen Porsche SUV with the license plate removed and replaced by temporary tags registered to a different make and model vehicle. Officers discovered a Glock 9mm pistol fully loaded with an extended magazine and equipped with a machinegun conversion device (“MCD”), commonly known as a “switch,” which rendered the firearm fully automatic, in violation of federal law. Furthermore, the Glock was in the stolen Porsche within defendant’s reach.
Photo of seized firearm.
Though the defendant had no prior felony convictions which prohibited possession of a firearm, Bruce had an extensive pattern of unlawful behavior between ages 17 and 21. Beginning at age 17, the defendant stole a brand‑new car and repeatedly refused to comply with law enforcement during subsequent encounters. Bruce's conduct escalated over time, including fleeing during police encounters, demonstrating a lack of respect for authority. While his federal case was pending, Bruce was involved in a domestic dispute that allegedly turned violent.
The Court found that the defendant’s escalation from stealing a Volkswagen as a juvenile to a Porsche as a young adult reflected increased boldness and disregard for the law and further noted that machinegun conversion devices seem to exist solely to maximize a weapon’s destructive potential and significantly reduce firearm controllability, dramatically increasing the risk to the community.
On September 24, 2026, United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker imposed a sentence of 18 months of incarceration followed by three years of supervised release, underscoring that probation is not appropriate for serious offenses involving machinegun conversion devices, even when the defendant has no prior convictions. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant stated, “Machinegun conversion devices pose a serious and lethal threat to public safety. This sentence sends a clear message that individuals who possess these dangerous weapons—especially in stolen vehicles and during escalating criminal conduct—will face real federal consequences.”
This case was investigated as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
Special Assistant United States Attorney Kesha Zaffino, of the United States Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps, and Assistant United States Attorney Greg Wagner prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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For more information, please contact our Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates
Auburn Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Unlawful Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – Dustin Hampshire, 42 years old, of Auburn, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Cristal C. Brisco after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Hilliard was sentenced to 70 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, police responded to multiple calls from citizens who reported that Hampshire was acting erratically in the parking lot of a family restaurant. Police arrested Hampshire and they found three firearms in the trunk of the car he was driving. One of the firearms was a short-barrel shotgun. Hampshire has previous felony convictions for dealing cocaine and burglary and thus was prohibited from possessing any firearms.
“Today’s 70-month prison sentence sends a clear message that convicted felons who choose to unlawfully possess firearms will face serious consequences. Protecting our neighborhoods depends on strong, strategic partnerships of the ATF, Cass County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office led by Noah Schafer, and the Logansport Police Department, all of whom are tough on crime and unified in their pursuit of justice. By working hand-in-hand with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, we ensure both accountability and deterrence through the rigorous prosecution of the most serious offenses. We remain fully committed to removing illegal weapons from our streets and keeping our communities safe,” said United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Logansport Police Department, and referred by the Cass County Prosecutor’s Office led by Noah Schafer. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Andrew A. Krumwied.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Attleboro Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Attleboro man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Defendant previously served 30 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography.
Gerard R. Proulx, Jr., 60, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 7, 2027. Proulx was arrested and charged in February 2026. He is currently detained.
According to the charging documents, in the summer of 2025, law enforcement investigating the receipt and distribution of child pornography via the internet downloaded multiple files from an IP address determined to be registered to Proulx. On Feb. 25, 2026, during a search of Proulx’s residence, various electronic devices including a desktop computer were recovered. An initial forensic examination of Proulx’s desktop computer revealed over 1500 files consistent with CSAM. Further review of Proulx’s devices remains on-going.
In 2012, Proulx was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in the District of Rhode Island and sentenced to 30 months in federal prison.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].
Because of Proulx’s prior conviction, the charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julissa Walsh of the Major Crimes Unit 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 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.
Arizona Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl and More Than 150 Pounds of Methamphetamine in the Sioux Falls AreaRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier has sentenced a Glendale, Arizona, man convicted Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine and Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Fentanyl. The sentencing took place on September 28, 2026.
John Roth, 58, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $200 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Roth was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in October 2025. He was convicted after a three-day trial on July 8, 2026.
Evidence at trial showed Roth was the Arizona-based source for a Sioux Falls drug trafficking organization, providing fentanyl and methamphetamine from Mexico through Arizona to Sioux Falls and the surrounding area. Roth provided the drugs while other members of the conspiracy transported and sold them. The evidence revealed more than 150 pounds of methamphetamine was delivered to Sioux Falls for sale within approximately eight months in 2024 and early 2025.
“John Stanford Roth was a key part of the Matthew Shade drug trafficking organization, which funneled Cartel-sourced fentanyl and methamphetamine in bulk quantities across the border from Mexico, into Arizona, and then up to Sioux Falls and the surrounding area,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “Of thirteen defendants in this conspiracy, he is one of the last to be sentenced. The methodical takedown of the Shade organization is the result of incredible work by our federal prosecutors and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force.”
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Investigation Service and the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mark Hodges and Connie Larson prosecuted the case.
Roth was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Antlers Resident Pleads Guilty to Assault with Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Do Bodily HarmRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Billy Jack Janoe, age 43, of Antlers, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on or about March 18, 2026, Janoe assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon with intent to do bodily harm.
The crime occurred in Pushmataha County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Antlers Police Department, and the Pushmataha County Sheriff’s Office.
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.
Janoe will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Alien Charged for Illegally Voting in 2024 ElectionRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Bahamian national Terrance Patrick Evans, 37, a lawful permanent resident, has been charged by information with one count of voting by an alien. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of up to one year in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the information, Evans voted in the 2024 federal general election despite knowing that he was not a citizen of the United States.
An information is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Florida Department of State - Office of Election Crimes, and the Citrus County Supervisor of Elections. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Jerry M. Harre.
Alachua County Man Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Transfer Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Joseph Stephen Branton (56, High Springs) has pleaded guilty to attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The sentencing date has not yet been scheduled. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, while working in Haiti in July 2025, Branton began chatting online with an individual whom he believed to be a 14 to 15-year-old girl. That “minor” was actually an undercover special agent with Homeland Security Investigations. During their communications, Branton engaged in a sexually explicit conversation with the minor. On September 3, 2025, Branton sent a sexually explicit photograph of himself to the minor.
Branton was arrested on January 28, 2026. He remains detained pending the resolution of the case.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
14 Arrested for Drug Distribution and Firearms Charges as a Result of Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – Law enforcement agencies came together in the Northern District of Mississippi to bring down a major firearm and drug trafficking organization. U.S. Attorney Scott Leary of the Northern District of Mississippi, ATF Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson and HSI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Matt Reidell made the announcement.
The following individuals were arrested:
- Joshua Alexander, 30, of Greenville, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- Craig Baker, 60, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- Trevion Bernard, 20, of Leland, Mississippi, has been charged with possession of a machinegun.
- Jackie Brunson, 54, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- Kabriyen Clark, 23, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been charged with illegal possession of machinegun.
- Lucas Davis, 43, of Greenville, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- Otheno English, 42, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- George Jefferson, 43, of Greenville, Mississippi has been charged with drug distribution.
- Raymond Long, 52, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- Floyd Milton, 41, of Greenville, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- La’Jayvion Moy, 21, of Greenville, Mississippi, has been charged with carjacking and felon in possession of a firearm.
- Rana Owens, 44, of Tupelo, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- Marquez Palmer, 38, of Greenville, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
- Dajuante Rancifer, 34, of Greenville, Mississippi, has been charged with drug distribution.
There were three separate operations that made up this HSTF effort. The coordinated enforcement actions resulted from ongoing investigations into two drug trafficking organizations operating in North Mississippi and an investigation into the importation and distribution of Glock-type conversion devices. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In addition to ATF and HSI, The U.S. Marshals Service, Mississippi Bureau of Investigations, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, North Mississippi Narcotics Unit, Greenville Police Department and Tupelo Police Department provided invaluable assistance in these investigations and arrests.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chad Doleac, John Herzog, Clyde McGee, Sam Stringfellow and Feleica Wilson are prosecuting the cases.
These arrests are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating tin 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 Jackson comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ICE ERO, CBP, CBP OFO, CBP USBP, CBP AMO, CGIS, ATF, USMS, IRS-CI, USPIS and with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Mississippi.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.