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Thursday 13 August 2026
Mexican National Sentenced to 6 months in Prison for Immigration OffenseRead the Press Release
HAMMOND - Horacio Alarcon-Roldan, 32 years old, of Mexico, 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.
Alarcon-Roldan was sentenced to 6 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. The supervised release term would go into effect should the Defendant remain in, or return to, the United States within that period following expected removal proceedings.
According to documents in the case, Alarcon-Roldan has a prior misdemeanor conviction for illegal entry without inspection in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.
“The Defendant was previously removed from the United States in May 2013 and showed that he did not believe our nations laws applied to him. He was wrong. Once he is released, the Defendant needs to return home and not violate our nation’s borders again illegally. Thanks to the combined efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District Transit Police, and Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan, the Defendant has been held accountable,” said US Attorney, Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District Transit Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily Morgan.
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Member of Maryland National Guard Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A member of the Maryland National Guard acknowledged his involvement in a money laundering scheme in federal court. This conspiracy laundered funds from at least 33 different victims.
Alagborenepakake Opuiyo, 32, pled guilty to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Allison Russo, Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Mid-Atlantic Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Daniel Wierzbicki, FBI Washington Field Office Counterintelligence and Cyber Division; Special Agent in Charge Jason Scalzo, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General Electronic Crimes Unit (FDIC-OIG); Special Agent in Charge Brian Tucker, Federal Reserve Board Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG); and Special Agent in Charge Eric Weindorf, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Washington, DC.
According to his plea agreement, from May 22, 2019, through November 28, 2022, Opuiyo conspired to launder funds which were stolen through a variety of fraudulent means, including romance fraud and business email compromise schemes. Opuiyo and his co-conspirators, including some who resided in Maryland, opened bank accounts that served as drop accounts. These accounts were opened or controlled as part of the scheme to receive money from the fraud victims.
After receiving the funds in the drop accounts, Opuiyo and his co-conspirators transferred the money to other accounts that either they or their co-conspirators controlled. Additionally, Opuiyo and his co-conspirators directly withdrew money in cash.
As a part of the scheme, romance-fraud victims believed they were communicating with individuals on online dating websites. The victims wired thousands of dollars to bank accounts that Opuiyo and his co-conspirators controlled.
Opuiyo and his co-conspirators used these bank accounts to initiate account transfers, such as withdrawing cash, obtaining cashier’s checks, and writing checks to other individuals and entities to hide the true ownership and source of the assets. As detailed in the plea agreement, the intended loss totaled $2,951,930.36. The actual loss resulting from these transactions was at least $2,270,668.40. Additionally, the amount of laundered funds that went into bank accounts that Opuiyo controlled was $244,614.35.
According to the plea agreement, Opuiyo is required to pay a money judgment of at least $244,614.35, and restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which the parties agree is at least $2,270,668.40.
Opuiyo is facing a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman scheduled sentencing for Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2027, at 2 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, FDIC-OIG, FRB-OIG, DCIS, and HSI for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Oki who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.# # #
Massachusetts Man Charged with Cyberstalking and Threats OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man has been charged with allegedly engaging in an extensive cyberstalking and threatening campaign against three individuals, including sending hundreds of harassing emails and repeatedly threatening to shoot and kill the victims and their family members.
Patrick McDonald, 33, of Cambridge, Mass. was charged by criminal complaint with three counts of cyberstalking and three counts of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. The defendant is currently in state custody and made an initial appearance in federal court in Boston earlier today.
According to the charging documents, McDonald allegedly engaged in an extensive cyberstalking and threatening campaign targeting three individuals following the breakdown of business and investment dealings involving his company, Waev. After the victims allegedly withdrew funding from McDonald and evicted him from a Winchester residence that had been purchased for him to use as a venture studio, McDonald allegedly began inundating the victims with harassing and taunting emails. The campaign allegedly escalated to repeated threats of violence against the victims and their family members, including threats to shoot and kill them unless McDonald was given back the Winchester residence.
McDonald allegedly continued sending threatening communications despite harassment prevention orders prohibiting him from contacting certain victims. Among other things, McDonald allegedly threatened to shoot victims “in the face,” threatened to kill a victim’s son, sent an email containing a victim’s home address and a threat to tear the victim’s body apart “limb by limb,” and sent images depicting firearms and shootings. Records obtained during the investigation allegedly showed that one email account used in the campaign sent approximately 193 emails to one victim over a seven-day period and approximately 259 emails to the victim’s attorney over an 11-day period.
The charge of cyberstalking provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, including a one-year mandatory period of imprisonment for anyone who commits the crime in violation of a restraining order, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, including a one-year mandatory period of imprisonment for anyone who commits the crime in violation of a restraining order, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; and the Boston, Dedham, Malden, Wayland, Somerville, Cambridge and Hingham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.Man Sentenced to 260 Months’ Imprisonment for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking Conspiracy Linked to Sinaloa CartelRead the Press Release
ST. PAUL – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Eric Anthony Rodriguez, 47, was sentenced to 260 months in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and the record at trial, Rodriguez conspired with other co-defendants to acquire and distribute hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine. Led and organized by Erick Emilio Diaz-Aguilar, the “Diaz-Aguilar Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO)” operated and distributed methamphetamine throughout Minnesota from April 2024 to March 2025. During a nearly year-long investigation, law enforcement seized approximately sixty pounds of methamphetamine, 1,500 fentanyl pills, and more than $20,000 from various individuals associated with the Diaz-Aguilar-DTO. Additional evidence showed that the Diaz-Aguilar DTO was affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel, a Transnational Criminal Organization (TCO).
Rodriguez was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Susan R. Nelson on August 13, 2026. He previously was convicted by a jury on February 10, 2026. Judge Nelson indicated that the sentence reflected Rodriguez’s role as a “crucial workhorse” in the organization. Judge Nelson also noted that the sentence was based on the harm methamphetamine causes to Minnesota communities through addiction and overdose deaths.
“Today’s sentencing reflects my office’s commitment to holding drug traffickers accountable. Rodriguez played a significant role in a conspiracy that pushed methamphetamine across Minnesota, and this sentence reflects the seriousness of his actions,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team (SEMVCET) work collaboratively with local, state, and federal agencies to disrupt and dismantle Drug Trafficking Organizations. This case is one example of positive outcomes achieved when working together. Minnesota and beyond are safer with these dangerous drugs off the streets and the suspects held accountable,” said Tim Parkin, Captain of the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office and Commander of the Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team.
“Eric Rodriguez’s drug trafficking efforts in Minnesota serve as a reminder of how the Sinaloa Cartel continues to attempt making inroads into our communities,” DEA Omaha Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dustin Gillespie said. “These weren’t small amounts of methamphetamine that he was moving into and around Minnesota. These were hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine and fentanyl that carry life-altering consequences to those who roll the dice by using these substances.”
“This investigation represents two years of dedicated work by BCA agents and our law enforcement partners to stop the distribution of methamphetamine in our communities,” said Drew Evans, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension superintendent. “The effects of methamphetamine reach far beyond those who use it, impacting families, increasing crime and placing additional demands on our health care system. We will continue working together to disrupt drug trafficking and prevent further harm.”
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office, Southeast Minnesota Violent Crime Enforcement Team, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Minnesota State Patrol, Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Office, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Chisago County Sheriff’s Office, East Central Minnesota Drug Task Force, Hastings Police Department, Rochester Police Department, Cannon River Drug Task Force, and the New Prague Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorneys Raphael B. Coburn and William C. Mattessich prosecuted the case.
Note: Previous press releases on Rodriguez’s indictment (April 8, 2025) and jury conviction (February 17, 2026) linked here.
Leader of Fentanyl Trafficking Operation Sentenced to More Than Decade in PrisonRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Harrison County man was sentenced today for leading a drug trafficking operation responsible for distributing deadly amounts of fentanyl and other substances across North Central West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Michael Adam Sine, 44, of Clarksburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 145 months in federal prison for selling fentanyl. Sine, also known as “Mike Mike,” led a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine throughout Harrison County. Investigators determined that Sine supplied five others with controlled substances for further distribution and used several residences, including his own, to store and sell drugs.
During searches of Sine’s home and other properties, including a hotel room he rented, investigators seized nearly half a pound of fentanyl, several grams of methamphetamine and cocaine, multiple firearms, ammunition, drug paraphernalia, and cash. The amount of fentanyl recovered contained enough lethal doses to potentially kill nearly twice the population of Harrison County.
Sine’s criminal history includes prior convictions for drug trafficking, robbery, and mail fraud.
Five additional defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the conspiracy, receiving a combined total of 15 years in prison. They are Kimberly Dawn Goins, 45, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Caleb Malcomb Daniel Hudkins, 31, of Bridgeport, West Virginia; Rebecca Darlene Keiper, 39, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; Roxanne Parker, 35, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; and Geneva Shantell Shaffer, 38, of Clarksburg, West Virginia.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
La Jolla Teen Pleads Guilty to Harassing La Jolla Sea LionRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Tyler Muehl, an 18-year-old from La Jolla who appeared in a viral video repeatedly kicking at a California sea lion in La Jolla Cove, pleaded guilty in federal court today to violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act’s prohibition on harassment of wildlife.
“Federal crime. Federal consequences,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon.
“National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement takes all violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act very seriously,” said NOAA-Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement West Coast Division Assistant Director Eric Morgan. “Intentionally striking or kicking a marine mammal is not only illegal—it is dangerous for the well-being of the animal.”
According to his plea agreement, Muehl admitted that late in the evening on July 22, 2026, he repeatedly kicked at the sea lion that was peacefully sitting on the sea wall in La Jolla Cove near Ellen Browning Scripps Park. Muehl approached the animal with his hands at high guard as if preparing to box with or fight the animal. As Muehl approached, he referred to himself as “Max Holloway,” the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter.
The defendant admitted that he kicked at the sea lion four different times and that he made contact while kicking at the animal. Muehl twice forcefully kicked at the sea lion’s face, which caused the sea lion to rear flinch and immediately recoil. After the second kick, the sea lion turned and tried to flee, but Muehl chased after the animal and kicked at it a third time. As the sea lion tried to get away, it stumbled on the sea wall as it fled. Muehl kicked at the sea lion a fourth time and continued to chase the animal, ending his pursuit only when the sea lion escaped over the sea wall and made it to the beach. Muehl agreed as part of his plea agreement that a video capturing the event was a fair and accurate recording of what occurred.
Muehl pleaded guilty to the charge of “knowingly and unlawfully tak[ing] a marine mammal in waters or on lands under the jurisdiction of the United States in that he did harass and hunt” a California sea lion (Zalphus californianus). Under the Marine Mammal protection Act, the word “take” includes harassment, which means “any act of pursuit, torment, or annoyance which: (i) has the potential to injure a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild; or (ii) has the potential to disturb a marine mammal or marine mammal stock in the wild by causing disruption of behavioral patterns, including, but not limited to, migration, breathing, nursing, breeding, feeding, or sheltering.”
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge Jill L. Burkhardt on October 20, 2026, at 9:30 am.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Allen and Elizabet Brown from the Southern District of California.
DEFENDANT Case Number 26CR3151-JO-JLB
Tyler Muehl Age: 18 La Jolla, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (misdemeanor) – Title 16, U.S.C., Sections 1372(a)(2)(A) and 1375(b)
Maximum penalty: One year in prison and $100,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCY
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Justice Department and LA County Sheriff’s Department Settle LawsuitRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice agreed to a settlement with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LCSD) regarding its procedures for issuing firearm carry permits. LCSD has agreed to bring its procedures in line with the Supreme Court’s landmark Bruen decision. This is a huge win for the residents of Los Angeles County and for the Second Amendment.
The Second Amendment requires law enforcement to have objective standards for issuing carry permits and to issue those permits without imposing lengthy delays on applicants. When the Justice Department filed this lawsuit, applicants were waiting an average of over nine months to receive their permits. In response to the lawsuit, LCSD drastically cut those waiting times and is now in compliance with statutory deadlines.
“The Justice Department supports our law enforcement partners.” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, “The sheriff acknowledged the problem and devoted substantial additional resources, including new processing software and additional personnel, to cutting waiting times dramatically. We applaud their efforts and are happy to be able to bring this litigation to a successful conclusion!”
The Second Amendment Section of the Civil Rights Division enforces the Second Amendment, the Police Pattern or Practice Act (34 U.S.C. § 12601), and Executive Order 14206. If you are a current or prospective gun owner and believe that a state or local government has infringed your right to keep or bear arms, please submit a complaint through https://www.justice.gov/crt/second-amendment-section.
Illegal Alien Indicted for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ecuadorian national unlawfully residing in Milford, Mass., has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally reentering the United States after deportation. The defendant was previously deported from the United States and arrested four times for driving under the influence in Massachusetts.
Luis Rolando Clavijo Tacuri, 32, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint in July 2026 and remains in federal custody.
According to court filings, Tacuri was first encountered by immigration officials in October 2015, while he was incarcerated on charges of operating under the influence in Holliston, Mass. At the time, it was allegedly Tacuri’s third operating under the influence offense. Tacuri was allegedly subsequently placed into removal proceedings and deported to Ecuador in December 2016.
Sometime after his removal, it is alleged that Tacuri illegally reentered the United States. On May 27, 2024, Tacuri was arrested in Milford, Mass., for allegedly again operating under the influence.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $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; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran National Unlawfully Residing in the United States Sentenced to 21 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Honduran national unlawfully residing in the United States was sentenced to federal prison today for distribution of fentanyl resulting in the fatal overdose death of a Portland man and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford. Gomez-Soto had more than two prior deportations and a prior drug dealing conviction.
Hugo Gomez-Soto, 51, was sentenced to 21 years in federal prison and a lifetime term of supervised release.
“This case is a stark reminder of the danger fentanyl poses to our community. The defendant was peddling death, and this time it resulted in the tragic loss of a young man’s life.” said Scott E. Bradford, U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon. “Our hearts go out to the victim’s family. Fentanyl is deadly and leaves devastation for families in its’ wake. As this case shows, my office will do everything we can to hold these merchants of death accountable for the destruction they cause to the community and pursue justice for the victims and their families.”
“While this sentence is truly justified, no amount of prison time and no amount of restitution will bring back a lost loved one,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “We want to thank our Portland Police Bureau partners for their work on this case. Together, we can make an impact against those like Mr. Gomez-Soto, who harm our communities with fentanyl and other illegal narcotics.”
According to trial testimony, Gomez-Soto sold the victim illicit fentanyl, in the form of powder and counterfeit pills. The following day the victim, a 29-year-old resident of Southwest Portland, used some of the fentanyl and died moments later.On January 25, 2024, a Portland Police Bureau (PPB) officer used the victim’s phone, pretending to be the victim, to buy drugs from Gomez-Soto. When Gomez-Soto arrived at the deal, he was arrested on state charges. At the time of the arrest, Gomez-Soto possessed both fentanyl powder and counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
The police referred the case to the Multnomah District Attorney’s Office who charged Gomez-Soto with negligent homicide and multiple counts of delivery of a controlled substance.
On May 5, 2025, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office asked the U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the case for federal prosecution. On May 9, 2025, with the assistance of an Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and PPB, a federal criminal complaint was filed charging Gomez-Soto with the distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On June 18, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Gomez-Soto with distribution of fentanyl resulting in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
On April 13, 2026, after a six-day trial, a federal jury found Gomez-Soto guilty of distributing fentanyl that resulted in death and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the PPB Narcotics and Organized Crime Unit with assistance from HSI and the FBI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott M. Kerin and Nicole Bockelman.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and 30 to 50 times more powerful than heroin. A 2-milligram dose of fentanyl—a few grains of the substance—is enough to kill an average adult male. The wide availability of illicit fentanyl in Oregon has caused a dramatic increase in overdose deaths throughout the state.
If you are in immediate danger, please call 911.
If you or someone you know suffers from addiction, please call the Lines for Life substance abuse helpline at 1-800-923-4357 or visit www.linesforlife.org. Phone support is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also text “RecoveryNow” to 839863 between 2pm and 6pm Pacific Time daily.
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.Hardin man sentenced to over 4 years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Hardin man who had downloaded Child Sexual Abuse Material was sentenced today to four years and nine months in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said. He was also ordered to pay a total of $10,100 in special assessments.
Randall Allen Flatlip, 36, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to one count of possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge William M. Mercer presided.
The government alleged in court documents that a cyber tip in July 2022 alerted authorities that Flatlip, who was living in Hardin, had downloaded a video depicting a child under 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Investigators received a search warrant for Flatlip’s email where they learned multiple images and videos had been deleted prior to the search. Investigators interviewed a former roommate who said she once saw Flatlip watching Child Sexual Abuse Material on a mobile tablet.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
HSTF Investigation Leads to Tucson Man Being Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Roman Emilio Rascon Jr., 36, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced on Aug. 11, by United States District Judge Raner C. Collins to 78 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Rascon previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
As part of the drug conspiracy, Rascon distributed more than six kilograms of cocaine and possessed firearms when he distributed the cocaine. In addition to serving over six years in prison, the District Court ordered Rascon to forfeit vehicles, firearms, ammunition, and drug proceeds.
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. This HSTF Arizona investigation involved agents and officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, United States Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, United States Customs and Border Protection, United States Border Patrol, United States Postal Inspection Service, United States Secret Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-5214-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2024-136_Rascon# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Grand jury indicts Butler County sex offender for sex crimes involving 10-year-oldRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A federal grand jury has indicted a Butler County registered sex offender who allegedly committed aggravated sexual abuse against a 10-year-old victim.
Adam Kendel, 43, of Fairfield Township, was arrested on related local charges in April. He was indicted federally in late July and taken into federal custody on Aug. 12. Kendel is due to appear in U.S. District Court on Aug. 18 for a detention hearing.
According to charging documents, on Feb. 28, Kendel crossed a state line with the intent to engage in a sexual act with a minor when he allegedly traveled from Ohio to Kentucky to engage in sexual conduct with the child victim. The indictment also alleges that, from August 2025 through March 2026, Kendel coerced and enticed the 10-year-old Kentucky girl to engage in sexual activity and produce child pornography. The final count in the indictment charges Kendel with committing new sex crimes while already registered as a sex offender.
Aggravated sexual abuse is punishable at least 30 years and up to life in prison. Coercion and enticement carries a potential penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison. Committing these crimes while registered as a sex offender adds a mandatory 10-year prison sentence to any other sentence imposed.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and the Ashland, Kentucky, and Fairfield Township police departments announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Ryan A. Keefe are representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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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Georgia Woman Charged in Alleged Tax Fraud Targeting Truck DriversRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes today announced a 54-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week charging a Georgia woman with allegedly defrauding at least 26 people, mostly self-employed truck drivers, in a tax scheme as part of an ongoing National Fraud Enforcement Division investigation led by the FBI and the IRS.
Diane Marie Poe, 62, of Loganville, Georgia, is charged by federal indictment in Case No. 3:26-CR-14, filed on Aug. 12, with 32 counts of bank fraud; 14 counts of failure to account for and pay over withholding and FICA taxes; four counts of failure to file a corporate tax return; two counts of making and subscribing a false return; and two counts of federal program theft. Poe faces a maximum of 30 years imprisonment per count of bank fraud; five years imprisonment per count of failure to pay over taxes; one year imprisonment per count of failure to file a corporate return; three years imprisonment per count of making a false return; and 10 years imprisonment per count of federal program theft. There is no parole in the federal system. The defendant's initial appearance will occur at a time determined by the Court.
According to the indictment, Poe is the owner of Genuine Financial Services, Inc. (GFS), an accounting and tax preparation service in Walton County, Georgia, that employed several people. The company provided bookkeeping, payroll, and payroll tax services, as well as business and personal tax preparation and filing, mostly for individuals employed in the trucking industry. As part of their services, clients would pay over to GFS their estimated payroll taxes.
Poe allegedly defrauded at least 26 individuals, mostly self-employed truck drivers, by accepting payments for tax and filing services she did not deliver, including collecting estimated payroll or trust fund taxes but failing to remit them to the IRS. She is also accused of failing to file her personal and business taxes properly and of failing to pay payroll taxes for her employees.
Many of Poe’s clients in the truck business came from word of mouth. If any individuals used GFS tax services or employed Poe for tax services and believe they might be victims of fraud, please call the FBI Atlanta at (770) 216-3000. In addition, anyone with information about this case is encouraged to contact the FBI.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The FBI and the IRS are investigating the case, with assistance from the Loganville Police Department, Walton County Sheriff’s Office and the Walton County District Attorney’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Peach is prosecuting the case for the Government.
An indictment and criminal complaint are merely allegations of criminal conduct, and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond a reasonable doubt.
Georgia Man Sentenced for Gun Charge from 2023 S.C. Trooper ShootingRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Derrick Gathers, 40, of Augusta, Georgia, has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm when he shot a patrolman. Eighty months of his 180-month sentence will be served consecutively to his current state sentence.
According to statements made in court, on Aug. 16, 2023, Lance Corporal Frazier with the South Carolina Highway Patrol (SCHP) stopped Gathers for speeding on Highway 78 in Bamberg County. Gathers gave Trooper Frazier a license and vehicle registration, and Trooper Frazier took those items back to his patrol vehicle to run a routine records check. Trooper Frazier had concerns about the authenticity of the driver’s license, and when Trooper Frazier reapproached the driver’s side of the vehicle to investigate, Gathers pulled out a firearm, shot trooper Frazier in the face, and sped away. Trooper Frazier’s injuries were non-life threatening. A Bamberg County Sheriff’s Department (BCSD) deputy was providing support during the traffic stop, and both officers returned fire at Gather’s fleeing vehicle. Gather’s vehicle was located by law enforcement, including by members of the Bamberg Police Department, SCHP, and BCSD. During the chase, Gathers lost control of the vehicle and crashed in Branchville. Gathers was thereafter taken into custody.
The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant on the vehicle and found a pistol loaded with 9mm ammunition under the brake pedal. SLED confirmed that the pistol found on Gather’s floorboard matched the firearm used to shoot Trooper Frazier.
“This case highlights two realities: law enforcement put their lives at risk every day, and felons with guns pose a serious threat to our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We will continue to support our law enforcement partners by federally prosecuting offenders that put law enforcement and the public’s lives at risk.”
“An attack on law enforcement is an attack on the entire community,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Alicia Jones. “Threats against our law enforcement cannot be tolerated, and ATF will apply every resource we have available to help protect our partners.”
Gathers has previous felony convictions for 3rd degree rape and 2nd degree criminal possession of a weapon out of New York, both of which prevent him from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Gathers to 180 months in federal prison. Eighty months of his 180-month sentence will be served consecutively to his current state sentence. One hundred months of the federal sentence will be served concurrently to the state sentence. He will also have a three-year term of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the Orangeburg County Sheriff’s Office, the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bamberg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lamar Fyall prosecuted the case.###
Former Escrow Officer Sentenced to Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Cameron, Mo., woman was sentenced in federal court for bank fraud in relation to an embezzlement scheme committed between December 2018 and February 2024.
Tracy L. Kellerstrass, 52, former escrow officer for Cameron Title Company, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison without parole. Following her release from prison, Kellerstrass will serve a three-year term of supervised release. She will also be required to pay restitution for her theft of $460,415.84. This successful prosecution is one of many federal fraud cases pursued under the leadership of President Donald Trump and through the establishment of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud. Kellerstrass previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud on March 24, 2026, and admitted to forging another employee’s signature on numerous company checks and presenting them for deposit into her personal bank account.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Brown It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
National Fraud Enforcement Division
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Fluvanna County Pharmacist Charged with Stealing Prescription OpioidsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed today charging a Fluvanna County pharmacist with diverting liquid hydromorphone for his own use and replacing it with water.
According to the indictment, Joshua Joseph Walden, 52, who previously worked at Jefferson Pharmacy in Palmyra, Virginia, is charged with one count of tampering with consumer products and attempt to tamper with a consumer product, two counts of theft of pre-retail medical products, and one count of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud.
Walden worked as a pharmacist from in or before July 2023 until he resigned in February 2025, according to court records. Throughout the course of his employment, Walden stole liquid opioids and amphetamines, and further tampered with prescription medications with reckless disregard for the risk that another person would be placed in danger of death or bodily injury.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci for the Western District of Virginia made the announcement.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Browne is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Fayette County Man Sentenced to More than 12 Years in Prison for Federal Drug CrimesRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – William Joseph Kessler III, 45, of Beckwith, was sentenced today to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for one count of distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl and one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 25, 2024, Kessler sold a total of 18 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant over the course of two transactions, one in Raleigh County and the other at Kessler’s residence in Beckwith. On June 26, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Kessler’s residence and seized approximately 36 grams of fentanyl, 263.4 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl and ketamine, 45.7 grams of methamphetamine, a CZ Model P-10s 9mm pistol, and $4,603. The seized currency included $505 of prerecorded money exchanged during the controlled buys.
Kessler has a criminal history that dates back to 2004 and includes two prior felony convictions for drug trafficking.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Central Regional Drug and Violent Crime Task Force.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. McLaughlin prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-146.
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Delaware County man sentenced to nearly 27 years in prison for crimes involving bulk narcotics hauled in vehicle to Polaris Fashion PlaceRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A defendant convicted at trial in February of six counts of drug and gun crimes related to 28 kilograms of drugs found stashed in hidden compartments of a vehicle being hauled from California to Polaris Fashion Place was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 322 months in prison.
The case against Terrance Colvin, 39, of Columbus, Ohio, involved 27 kilograms of narcotics.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in May 2024, local HSI agents were notified by HSI Albuquerque that the New Mexico State Police stopped a commercial car hauler. One of the vehicles was to be delivered to Polaris Fashion Place in Delaware County. That vehicle had two hidden compartments and inside, investigators discovered 21 kilograms of methamphetamine and six kilograms of cocaine.
Federal and local law enforcement officials arranged for the controlled delivery of the vehicle to the Polaris mall parking lot.
Colvin took an Uber to Polaris Fashion Place to retrieve the vehicle upon delivery and drove the vehicle to his apartment in the 801 Polaris Apartments. Colvin parked the vehicle in a private parking garage next to a 2015 Cadillac Escalade and accessed the hidden compartments to transfer the narcotics, which law enforcement had primarily replaced with sham narcotics, into a duffel bag before being apprehended by law enforcement.
In a subsequent search of Colvin’s apartment, agents discovered and seized additional bulk amounts of narcotics, including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine. They also seized three loaded firearms.
As a previously convicted felon, Colvin is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. His criminal history includes arrests and convictions for various narcotics and weapons-related charges, kidnapping, receiving stolen property, driving under the influence, obstructing justice and disorderly conduct.
Colvin was originally indicted in June 2024.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and officials with the Delaware County Drug Task Force announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Edmund A. Sargus, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin W. Kelley represented the United States in this case.
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Cuban National Pleads Guilty for His Role in an International Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Cuban national pleaded guilty today to alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering.
According to court documents, Yuniel Lima-Santos, 31, of Tampa, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization (ASO) which encouraged or induced thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the United States through the southern border and used fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and visa waivers. The defendants advertised their smuggling services and bogus visa services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the United States and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States.
The ASO advertised services included assisting Cubans with false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States on a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA, and it filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses and fabricated documents. Cuban nationals are not eligible for the ESTA program, and the defendants falsely represented that the applicants had not been in Cuba since 2011. The defendants knew that Cubans are not eligible for the ESTA program, and that the applicants were actually in Cuba at the time the ESTA applications were submitted.
Lima-Santos furthered the conspiracy by helping move aliens from their country of origin, including Cuba, into the United States, including by purchasing international and domestic flights to transport aliens into and throughout the United States. Lima-Santos, along with co-defendant Frandy Aragon Diaz, smuggled five aliens into the United States and admitted to aiding Aragon Diaz with bringing Cuban women illegally into the United States, where they worked in strip clubs to pay off their smuggling debt. In furtherance of the conspiracy’s money laundering crimes, Lima-Santos filed articles of incorporation in Florida for a shell company that had no employees, payroll, or reported income, but were used to move money obtained from alien smuggling and conceal the true source and nature of the ill-gotten funds.
Aliens were charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for their smuggling services, and co-conspirators sometimes even chartered private planes to move groups of aliens. Lima-Santos and co-defendants conspired to regularly move funds to companies and other places outside of the United States, such as by purchasing international flights for aliens to travel into the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, Lima-Santos transmitted internationally over $600,000 from the United States to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.
Yuniel Lima-Santos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, five counts of alien smuggling for financial gain, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of conspiracy to conceal money laundering instruments.
Lima-Santos faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
As part of the conspiracy, 12 individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles. Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 31; Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 31; Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30; Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 29; Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 31; and Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 32, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on May 7 and was sentenced in July to 30 months in prison. Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 41, are awaiting trial scheduled to begin on Sept. 21.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Director Joseph Edlow of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made the announcement.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of 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 HSI and CBP U.S. 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 477 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 431 U.S. convictions; and more than 370 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)’s Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
Cuban National Pleads Guilty for His Role in an International Alien Smuggling and Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — A Cuban national pleaded guilty today to alien smuggling, asylum fraud, and money laundering.
According to court documents, Yuniel Lima-Santos, 31, of Tampa, Florida, conspired with others to operate an alien smuggling organization (ASO) which encouraged or induced thousands of Cuban aliens to enter the United States through the southern border and used fraudulent Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and visa waivers. The defendants advertised their smuggling services and bogus visa services across multiple social media platforms to solicit Cuban nationals and other aliens to attempt to illegally enter the United States and fraudulently obtain lawful status in the United States. The ASO advertised services included assisting Cubans with false claims of European citizenship to enter the United States on a European tourist visa waiver or ESTA and filed hundreds of fraudulent ESTA applications with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) using fake addresses and fabricated documents. Cuban nationals are not eligible for the ESTA program, and to obtain ESTAs the defendants made false representations that the applicants had not been in Cuba since 2011. The defendants knew that Cubans are not eligible for the ESTA program, and that the applicants were actually in Cuba at the time the ESTA applications were submitted.
The defendant, Yuniel Lima-Santos, furthered the conspiracy by assisting in the logistics of moving aliens from their country of origin, including Cuba, into the United States, such as purchasing international and domestic flights for aliens to transport them towards, into, and throughout the United States. Lima-Santos, along with co-defendant Frandy Aragon Diaz, smuggled five aliens into the United States and admitted to aiding Aragon Diaz with bringing Cuban women illegally into the United States, whereupon they would work in strip clubs to pay off their smuggling debt. In furtherance of the conspiracy’s money laundering crimes, Lima-Santos filed articles of incorporation in Florida for a shell company that had no employees, payroll, or reported income, but were used to move money obtained from alien smuggling and conceal the true source and nature of the ill-gotten funds.
As part of the conspiracy, aliens were charged between $1,500 and $40,000 for their smuggling services, and co-conspirators sometimes even chartered private planes to move groups of aliens. Lima-Santos and co-defendants conspired with each other to regularly move funds to companies operating outside of the United States and to other places outside the United States, such as by purchasing international flights for aliens to travel into the United States. Between 2021 and 2024, Lima-Santos transmitted internationally over $600,000 from the United States to purchase flights for aliens to unlawfully enter the United States.
Yuniel Lima-Santos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling for financial gain, five counts of alien smuggling for financial gain, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to launder monetary instruments, and one count of conspiracy to conceal money laundering instruments.
Lima-Santos faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled at a later date. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Twelve individuals were charged in a superseding indictment for their roles in the conspiracy. Defendants Liannys Yaiselys Vega-Perez, 31; Miguel Alejandro Martinez Vasconcelos, 31; Layra Libertad Treto Santos, 30; Emanuel Martinez Gonzalez, 29; Walbis Pozo-Dutel, 31; and Luis Emmanuel Escalona-Marrero, 32, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Defendant Erik Ventura-Castro, 24, pleaded guilty on May 7 and was sentenced on July 29 to 30 months in prison. Defendants Lazaro Alain Cabrera-Rodriguez, 28, and Gisleivy Peralta Consuegra, 41, are awaiting trial scheduled to begin on September 21.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Special Agent in Charge Nicholas Ingegno for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and Director Joseph Edlow of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) made the announcement.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of 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 HSI and CBP U.S. 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 477 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 431 U.S. convictions; and more than 370 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
HSI Tampa, U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)’s Fraud Detection and National Security led U.S. investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force. Authorities in the Cayman Islands provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Courtney Derry for the Middle District of Florida and Trial Attorney Amanda Brown of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section are prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon from Lakeville Arrested for Trafficking Methamphetamine and CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lakeville man was charged in federal court in Boston with drug trafficking, following the search of a commercial office building in Lakeville last week.
Christopher DiRusso, 55, was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to the charging documents, on Aug. 5, 2026, during a search of a commercial building in Lakeville where DiRusso appeared to be living inside an office suite, cocaine and drug packaging materials were found in plain view. It is alleged that thousands of counterfeit methamphetamine pills, designed to resemble the prescription drug Adderall, and over 2,000 grams of cocaine, some of which was packaged in a kilogram brick were also found in a closet.
According to the charging documents, DiRusso was previously convicted in state court of cocaine trafficking and firearm offenses in 2007 and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In 2001, DiRusso was convicted in state court for indecent assault and battery on a child and was sentenced to a total of three years in prison. During last week’s search, investigators allegedly found a copy of DiRusso’s Massachusetts sex offender registration from July 2026, when DiRusso registered as homeless and listed the commercial building as his secondary and work address.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Pembroke, Lakeville and Brockton Police Departments, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department and Massachusetts Department of Correction. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Cutshall of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Involved in Shootout that Struck School Bus Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Paris Alonzo Lewis-Bynum, 21, a previously convicted felon from Charlotte, was sentenced to nine years in prison today for illegally possessing a firearm and using a firearm to further drug trafficking activities, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
According to court records, Lewis-Bynum was convicted in 2023 for speeding to elude arrest. As a result of that conviction, he is not permitted to possess a firearm. Court records show that on December 2024, at approximately 3:50 p.m., a shootout occurred near the intersection of W.T. Harris Blvd. and Albemarle Rd. in Charlotte. A school bus full of students was struck multiple times by projectiles from the shooting. Investigators determined that Lewis-Bynum was involved in the shootout, and he was arrested on December 16, 2024. In addition to illegally possessing the firearm, law enforcement determined that Lewis-Bynum was involved in drug trafficking activities in the area.
“Lewis-Bynum is the type of repeat offender that my office prioritizes for federal prosecution,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “It is a miracle that none of the children on the school bus were seriously hurt or killed during the shooting. We will not stand idly by when people put our children in danger.”
Lewis-Bynum is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their work on this case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
Charlotte Man Sentenced for Cyber Extortion Scheme that Targeted International Technology CompanyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to prison today for carrying out an extensive cyber extortion scheme against a D.C.-based international technology company, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Cameron Curry, 27, was ordered to serve 24 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release. In March 2026, a federal jury convicted Curry of six counts of transmitting or willfully causing interstate communications with the intent to extort a victim company.
According to filed documents, trial evidence, and witness testimony, Curry was contracted to work as a data analyst for approximately six months with the victim company. In that capacity, Curry had access to the victim company’s data files and other personnel and corporate information. Trial evidence established that Curry misused his position to access the victim company’s personnel and other sensitive corporate records, which he then used to carry out the cyber extortion scheme. Curry hatched his extortion scheme after he learned that his contract was not going to be renewed and that he would no longer be employed by the company.
According to evidence presented at trial, from December 11, 2023, to January 24, 2024, Curry, identifying himself online as “Loot,” sent over 60 email messages to company employees and executives, threatening to disclose sensitive information unless he was paid $2.5 million dollars in cryptocurrency. Trial evidence further established that the email messages contained threats to disclose sensitive corporate information and employee data, including employees’ personally identifiable information (PII), as well as threats to harm the reputation of the victim company by reporting a breach of its information and publishing the information publicly if the victim company failed to pay him via cryptocurrency.
On January 24, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at Curry’s residence, seizing various electronic devices. A forensic analysis of the evidence revealed that Curry was committing the extortion scheme under the “Loot” alias.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI’s Washington Field Office, which conducted the investigation, and the FBI Charlotte Field Office, which provided significant assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Warren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the District of Columbia prosecuted the case.
Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Carlos Alvin Myles, also known as “Choppa,” 38, of Charleston, pleaded guilty today to distribution of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 12, 2024, Myles sold approximately 3.42 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant at a residence on Charleston’s West Side. As part of his guilty plea, Myles admitted to conducting the transaction. Myles further admitted that the transaction was part of a conspiracy to distribute drugs in and around the Southern District of West Virginia, and that he participated in the conspiracy between February and May 2024.
Myles is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2027, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Myles is among five defendants indicted by a federal grand jury following a federal investigation of drug trafficking in the Charleston area. Two co-defendants previously pleaded guilty. The indictment remains pending against the other defendants. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Charleston Police Department-Special Enforcement Unit, and the Metropolitan Drug Enforcement Network Team (MDENT), which is composed of the Charleston Police Department, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, the Nitro Police Department, the St. Albans Police Department, and the South Charleston Police Department.
United States District Judge Irene C. Berger presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Lesley C. Shamblin and former Assistant United States Attorney Alexander A. Redmon have prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-18.
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Casper man Sentenced for his role in drug trafficking organizationRead the Press Release
Another defendant in a trafficking ring was recently sentenced. A total of seven individuals were arrested in the Shrove et al case, stemming from a months-long investigation in 2025.
Gregory Keith McCoy, 56, of Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced to 132 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Aug. 10 in Casper.
According to federal court documents, the Wyoming Department of Criminal Investigation (DCI), with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and multiple state and local agencies, investigated a drug trafficking organization operating in Wyoming and Colorado. Investigators identified McCoy as one of the conspirators selling large quantities of methamphetamine in and around Natrona County.
Law enforcement attempted to stop McCoy near Sinclair on Sept. 24, 2025, after a drug-detection dog alerted to the presence of controlled substances in his vehicle and a passenger exited McCoy’s vehicle. McCoy fled, leading officers on a high-speed pursuit that spanned more than 70 miles and reached speeds of up to 130 mph. During and after the pursuit, law enforcement recovered approximately 1,020 grams of methamphetamine, 67.5 grams of heroin, 13.2 grams of fentanyl pills, less than 1 gram of LSD, and 50.6 grams of marijuana from the vehicle and from items discarded from the vehicle during the pursuit. Investigators subsequently linked McCoy to the broader drug conspiracy through correspondence and financial records.
"McCoy thought a desperate, 130-mile-per-hour chase could save him from the consequences of his crimes. He was wrong.” Said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “Today's sentence stands as a stark reminder that the rule of law is neither outrun by speed nor deterred by desperation. Our multi-agency task forces will hunt down, dismantle, and lock up the trafficking networks polluting our communities. Justice will prevail."
A federal complaint was filed Jan. 23, and he was transferred to federal custody on Jan. 26. McCoy pleaded guilty on May 19. The DCI, with assistance from the DEA, HSI and multiple state and local law enforcement agencies in Wyoming and Colorado, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case.
Case No. 26-00046
Buffalo man arrested, charged with stealing postal keyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Kaevon Raymere Leonard, 33, of Buffalo, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with unauthorized possession of U.S. postal service key, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
According to the criminal complaint, in July 2024, a U.S. Postal Service (USPS) letter carrier was robbed of their arrow key at gunpoint while working their delivery route in Buffalo. The arrow key is used to access several hundred USPS blue collection boxes located within Buffalo and surrounding towns and cities. Soon after the robbery, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, financial institutions, and local law enforcement started receiving numerous complaints from individuals and businesses, claiming they mailed envelopes containing checks from Buffalo metro-area blue collection boxes, which were stolen, altered and cashed, rather than delivered to their intended recipients.
In addition, law enforcement also identified individuals, including Leonard, posting pictures of USPS arrow keys on social media. In July 2024, a picture was posted to a Facebook account showing Leonard holding an arrow key attached to a USPS issued chain, which letter carriers use to secure the arrow key to their belt loops. A caption below the picture states, “Willing to die behind this metal it’s a trophy takes alot to understand me if you know me #vizagangceo.” On August 22, 2025, another image of Leonard was posted to his Facebook account showing an arrow key attached to his belt loop with a carabiner. On September 23, 2025, a search warrant was executed at Leonard’s North Park Avenue residence. During a search of Leonard’s person, investigators recovered a USPS arrow key, which was attached to his belt loop with a carabiner. The arrow key included the same serial number of the arrow key stolen from the letter carrier in July 2024. Investigators also recovered additional evidence of Leonard recruiting check cashers, also known as “mules,” on social media, and possessing stolen mail and checks.
Leonard made an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer and released on home detention.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright. The complaint is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Justin Page, Boston Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Brockton Man Sentenced to Nine Months in Prison for Role in Stolen Treasury Check FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced on Aug. 6, 2026, in federal court in Boston for depositing stolen and altered U.S. Treasury checks into shell company bank accounts that he controlled and then withdrawing the stolen money to conceal its origin.
Gino Rosario Tyler Alexander Allegra, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Denise J. Casper to time served of approximately nine months, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The court also ordered Allegra to restitution in the amount of $545,090. In May 2026, Allegra pleaded guilty to four counts of theft of government funds, four counts of bank fraud and three counts of money laundering. Allegra was charged in a superseding indictment in September 2025 and detained pending trial.
Allegra obtained U.S. Treasury checks that had been issued as tax refunds to individuals and businesses throughout the United States but were later stolen. Allegra deposited these checks into bank accounts that he opened in the name of World Advance, Inc. (WAI), a Massachusetts shell company with no bona fide operations. The stolen checks were altered to name WAI as a payee instead of the actual taxpayers eligible for the refunds. Allegra also purchased bank checks payable to other shell businesses to conceal the origin of the stolen proceeds and deposited and laundered bank checks that others purchased using other stolen Treasury checks. In total, Allegra stole or laundered more than $1.2 million in government funds.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Michael Carpenter, Special Agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division; and Justin Page, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto, Chief of the Securities, Financial and Cyber Frauds Unit prosecuted the case.
Brazilian National Indicted for Armed Robbery of a Cash CourierRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national, unlawfully residing in the United States on an expired visa, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in connection with the armed robbery of a cash courier in Framingham, Mass., in November 2025, which resulted in the theft of approximately $200,000.
Helbert Oliveira, 47, was indicted one count of Hobbs Act robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, as well as brandishing a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. Oliveira was previously charged by criminal complaint in May 2026 and arrested in Pompano Beach, Fla., on July 21, 2026. At the time of his arrest, Oliveira was found in possession of a Glock-43 pistol, a suppressor, gloves, masks and ammunition.
According to court records, Oliveira is alleged to have conspired with another individual, Curt Porcher, to rob a cash courier delivering money to a Framingham business. Porcher allegedly served as the getaway driver in a rented vehicle, while Oliveira allegedly pointed a firearm at the victim, taking approximately $200,000. Surveillance footage from the robbery is included below:
Prior to Oliveira’s arrest, his alleged co conspirator, Porcher, was charged by criminal complaint in the District of Massachusetts with Hobbs Act armed robbery and conspiracy. He was subsequently indicted in April 2026.
The charge of Hobbs Act armed robbery, or conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act armed robbery, provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to life in prison, which must run consecutively to any other prison term. Each count also carries a potential $250,000 fine.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Division and the Marlborough Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting Oliveira. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Richardson, also of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting Oliveira’s alleged co-conspirator, Porcher.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bergen County Man Sentenced to 24 Months’ Imprisonment for Covid-19 Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A Bergen County man, who orchestrated a scheme to fraudulently obtain approximately $670,292 in COVID-19 relief funding, was sentenced on August 12, 2026, to 24 months imprisonment, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Malak Faltawws, 49, of Rutherford, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Evelyn Padin in Newark Federal Court to two counts of an Indictment charging wire fraud and money laundering. Judge Padin also imposed the sentence.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
From March 2020 through November 2021, Faltawws fraudulently obtained approximately $670,292 of COVID-19 emergency relief funds, which included loans and cash advances meant for distressed small businesses under the EIDL and PPP programs, by submitting false and fraudulent applications, inflating his businesses’ revenue, payroll expenses, and number of employees. After receiving the fraudulent funds, he diverted the proceeds for his personal gain.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Padin sentenced Faltawws to three years of supervised release and to pay restitution in the amount of $670,292 and a fine of $10,000.
United States Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Newark Field Office, under the direction of Jenifer L. Piovesan.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Farhana C. Melo of the Economic Crimes Unit in Newark.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Defense counsel: Daniel Goldman, Esq., San Clemente, California
Bellefontaine husband & wife plead guilty to federal narcotics crimeRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A couple from Logan County pleaded guilty in federal court to participating in a narcotics conspiracy involving bulk amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the mail.
Justin Salsburey, 44, pleaded guilty today, and Ruthann Rankin, 39, pleaded guilty last week.
According to court documents, in early November 2025, the Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force received information from the Logan County Sheriff’s Office that Salsburey was receiving parcels of bulk narcotics at his residence in Bellefontaine and that his wife was involved in the narcotics trafficking.
Further investigation revealed that between August 2024 and December 2025, the husband and wife received in the mail approximately 260 parcels from throughout the United States.
Law enforcement surveillance showed Salsburey and Rankin retrieving the parcels and then placing drugs in a cooler on their porch for pickup. Salsburey also drove to a Post Office in Dublin to mail fentanyl and methamphetamine pills out to customers. For example, he sent 52 parcels from addresses in Bellefontaine to a man in Middleburg Heights.
When law enforcement officials conducted a search warrant at the couple’s residence, they discovered bulk fentanyl and methamphetamine pills, suspected steroid virals and 12 firearms.
Rankin told authorities she assisted Salsburey in selling steroids and “Adderall” pills and that her husband started selling steroids and progressed to other drugs.
Salsburey and Rankin each pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 500 grams of methamphetamine and at least 40 grams of fentanyl, which carries a potential penalty of at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; David Cunningham, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); and Logan County Sheriff Randall J. Dodds announced the guilty plea entered today before U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Bangladeshi man pleads guilty to his role in fraud conspiracyRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Iftekhar Latif Nieon, 24, of Bangladesh, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
In 2025, Nieon conspired with others to commit wire fraud against three victims, including:
- In March 2025, Nieon’s co-conspirators obtained the credit card information of a 68-year-old woman residing in the Western District of New York and placed an unauthorized charge on the card for “virus protection software.” The woman noticed the unauthorized charge and called a number that she believed belonged to the “virus protection software company.” Co-conspirators answered the call and fraudulently represented that they were “representatives” of the “virus protection software company,” and that she needed to give the “representative” remote access to her computer so that the “representative” could process a refund. The woman did so but, instead of processing a refund, the co-conspirator transferred $20,000 from her savings account to her checking account, without her knowledge or permission. The “representative” executed the transaction in a way that made it appear as if the “representative” had accidentally deposited a $20,000 refund into the checking account. The “representative” then falsely represented that the woman had to “return” $19,500, instructing her to withdraw the funds in cash and meet Nieon at a particular location, which the woman did.
- In April 2025, a 73-year-old man residing in the Western District of New York received an email from a co-conspirator who falsely claimed to be from “Geek Squad.” The man was told that his “Geek Squad subscription” was going to be renewed within 12 hours and that he was going to be charged $329.99 unless he contacted “Geek Squad” at a particular number. The man called the number and received a return call from a co-conspirator, who falsely identified him or herself as a “Geek Squad supervisor” and advised the man that he would be refunded $440. The man was then told that $30,000 was accidently refunded to his account and that he needed to give back $28,000 of the refund. The man checked his account and confirmed there was a “pending” $30,000 deposit. At the instruction of a co-conspirator, the man withdrew $28,000 in cash and turn it over to Nieon and a co-conspirator at a particular location. The following day, the man checked his account and realized that the $30,000 deposit never cleared.
- Also in April 2025, a co-conspirator called an 82-year-old man in Ohio, falsely identified him or herself as a representative of PayPal, and claimed that there was an “error” in his account. The man was instructed to withdraw $15,000 from his account and give it to Nieon at a particular location. The man complained but met Nieon at a predetermined location and gave him $14,500.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan K. McGurire. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Allen D. Davis, II, the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation New York, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Kevin Sucher, and the Pepper Pike, Ohio Police Department, under the direction of Chief Karl Dietz.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 30, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Wolford.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing over a Kilogram of Heroin in HSTF CaseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man pled guilty in federal court, today, to drug trafficking crimes in connection with a drug investigation.
Kevin Lomax, 49, is charged with possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division, and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to his guilty plea, in January 2024, DEA agents received information that Lomax, a high-volume drug dealer, was trafficking drugs in Baltimore. Then law enforcement began investigating Lomax’s drug-trafficking activities.
On March 19, 2025, DEA agents executed a search warrant on Lomax’s Baltimore home. During the search, agents found and seized more than 1,000 grams of heroin; more than 3,000 grams of cocaine; more than 105 grams of oxycodone; more than 15 grams of MDMA; and 1,787 grams of Psilocin. Additionally, law enforcement recovered three firearms; 25 rounds of ammunition; $151,178 in cash; seven cellphones; a satellite phone; and a journal with ledger notes.
If convicted, Lomax faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and maximum of life in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin. A federal district judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baltimore is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO) for the District of Maryland; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); the United States Marshals Service (USMS); the Washington/Baltimore HIDTA (W/B HIDTA); the Maryland State Police (MSP); the Baltimore Police Department (BPD); and the Baltimore County Police Department (BCPD) with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the DEA and BPD for their work in the investigation and thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Alleged Mexico-Based Methamphetamine Trafficker Transported Back to the United States to Face Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – The government of Mexico recently deported Julio Palafox, a United States citizen, to the United States where he was arrested by the United States Marshals on a warrant to appear on charges stemming from his alleged involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Bay Area. U.S. Marshals Foreign Field Office (FFO) - Guadalajara coordinated the arrest with the Secretaría de Seguridad Pública (SSP) Jalisco and the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM). Palafox appeared in court today in Oakland before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ajay S. Krishnan.
On July 11, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Palafox, 34, of Bay Point, CA, in connection with a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy. The indictment charges Palafox with multiple counts of distribution of 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846, 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(A)(viii). According to court documents, Palafox is a Mexico-based methamphetamine trafficker that during the period of the conspiracy was responsible for hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine entering the Northern District of California.
Palafox has been living in the town of Yahualica in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Palafox was transported back to the United States on July 24, 2026. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Anna Y. Park on July 28, 2026, in the Central District of California for an initial appearance and arraignment on the indictment and was ordered detained pending trial. Palafox appeared today before Judge Krishnan for further proceedings in this district and will next appear before the Honorable Araceli Martinez-Olguin on August 17, 2026.
“Julio Palafox’s return to the United States from Mexico sends a clear message to drug traffickers everywhere that they can run, but they cannot hide. This was a complex operation, and we are grateful to the agencies whose hard work led to his capture. We remain firmly committed to protecting our communities from the scourge of illegal drugs and will pursue drug traffickers wherever they may be found,” said U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian.
“The trafficking of methamphetamine in the United States is an ever-present threat to public safety," said HSI San Francisco Special Agent in Charge Jeff Brannigan. “Homeland Security Investigations, as part of the Homeland Security Task Force, will pursue smugglers and traffickers worldwide to protect our communities in the Bay Area and across the country.”
“This investigation is a testament to great teamwork. This coordinated action was a combination of increased focus on enforcement, intelligence, and domestic and international collaboration,” said Bob P. Beris, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA San Francisco Field Division. “DEA is relentless in dismantling criminal operations responsible for trafficking poison in our communities with deadly synthetic drugs like methamphetamine. This is another example of a successful operation resulting in arrests and removal of significant amounts of meth. Every arrest we make represents lives saved and communities defended."
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum sentence of a lifetime of imprisonment, a fine of $10,000,000, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. However, any sentence following a conviction would be imposed by a court only after considerations of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Francisco comprises agents and officers from DEA and HSI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maya Karwande and Kevin Yeh are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Sara Slattery and Andy Ding. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by DEA and HSI, with assistance from the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office and the Salinas Police Department.
Adult entertainment clubs agree to pay $354,176 to resolve allegations related to pandemic loan eligibilityRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that two locations of Mustang Salley’s Spirit and Grill, 5111 Genesee Street, Inc., and 414 W Ridge Rd, Inc., have agreed to pay $354,176 to resolve allegations arising under the False Claims Act (FCA), that the clubs fraudulently obtained funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) programs, through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), for which they were not eligible. This action is part of the Trump Administration’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud.
Under SBA rules, “Businesses which: (1) Present live performances of a prurient sexual nature; or (2) Derive directly or indirectly more than de minimis gross revenue through the sale of products or services, or the presentation of any depictions or displays, of a prurient sexual nature,” are not eligible to receive funding through the EIDL program or PPP.” Although the clubs were adult-entertainment businesses that presented nude and semi-nude erotic dancing, they certified in their PPP and EIDL applications that they were eligible to receive funding, and as a result received $177,088 in 2020 and 2021. The United States alleged, that the clubs violated the FCA by falsely certifying their eligibility for funding.
The civil settlement also resolves pending civil forfeiture litigation in the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, captioned United States v. One 2017 Bentley Mulsanne, 23-cv-941-JLS. In that action, the United States was seeking the forfeiture of a vehicle that it contends was proceeds of and traceable to the clubs’ PPP and/or EIDL proceeds.
“PPP and EIDL funds were meant for eligible businesses to help them through the depths of the Covid pandemic,” stated U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo. “This settlement demonstrates my office’s commitment to ensuring that taxpayer funds are used for the purposes they were intended and by the businesses for which they were intended.”
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The case was investigated by the United States Secret Service, Buffalo Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charles T. Perras, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr., and the United States Attorney’s Office.
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Activity in the U.S. Attorney's Office Recent SentencingsRead the Press Release
Child Sexual Assault Material
Tynan LeShawn Addison, 19, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to 81 months’ imprisonment, with five years of supervised release to follow, for sexual abuse. Addison was ordered to pay $2,105.75 in restitution to the victim. According to court documents, in September of 2025, a victim reported being sexually assaulted by Addison. The mother of the victim took her to a clinic to be examined where examiners determined the victim had injuries associated with a sexual assault. The FBI investigated the crime and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kerry Jacobson prosecuted the case. Addison was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on May 8. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on July 29 in Cheyenne. Case No. 25-CR-00162
Assault
Dakota Fletcher, 22, of Ethete, Wyoming, was sentenced to time served and two years of supervised release for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. According to court documents, on Oct. 5, 2025, BIA officers were dispatched to a residence where Fletcher was intoxicated, and reportedly suicidal. Fletcher had left the scene by the time officers arrived. Officers later responded back to the residence where they located Fletcher fighting and struggling with several people. While trying to break up the disturbance and gain control of Fletcher, Fletcher kicked at and punched one of the officers. The BIA and FBI investigated the crime. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy W. Gist prosecuted the case. Fletcher was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025 and pleaded guilty on May 20, 2026. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on Aug. 6, 2026.
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers.
The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is 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. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.
To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
Wednesday 12 August 2026
West Haven Woman Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Enticing Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ELIZABETH JORDAN, 43, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 144 months of imprisonment and five years of supervised release for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 12, 2024, Jordan, after sustained pressure from Joshua Bailey, engaged in sexual activity with a minor who was 17 and livestreamed the activity to Bailey using Facebook messenger. A subsequent search of Bailey’s phone revealed a series of screenshots of Jordan and the minor engaged in sexual activity.
Jordan and Bailey have been detained since August 2024 when they were arrested for related state offenses. On November 3, 2025, they each pleaded guilty in federal court to enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.
Judge Nagala also ordered Jordan to pay $10,000 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
On March 27, 2026, Judge Nagala sentenced Bailey to 144 months of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $5,000 pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, and $10,000 pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the West Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward Chang with the assistance of Law Student Intern Reva Kale.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan thanked the State’s Attorney for the Judicial District of Ansonia/Milford for its cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Waterloo Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Escaping from CustodyRead the Press Release
A man who escaped from custody was sentenced today to more than a year in federal prison. Nicholas Robert Campbell-Scott, age 29, from Waterloo, Iowa, received the prison term after a March 4, 2026, guilty plea to escape from custody.
Information at sentencing showed that, in January 2026, Campbell-Scott cut his ankle monitor and fled from the Gerald R. Hinzman Center, a residential re‑entry center in Cedar Rapids. Law enforcement officers arrested Campbell‑Scott six days later in Coralville, Iowa. At the time of his escape, Campbell-Scott was serving a federal prison sentence for possession of a firearm by a felon. He has past convictions for escape and absence from custody.
Campbell-Scott was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Campbell-Scott was sentenced to 18 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.
Campbell-Scott 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 United States Marshals Service and the Iowa Department of Corrections.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 26-CR-2. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Violent Drug Dealer Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Kilograms of Fentanyl Hidden in Car Batteries, Fentanyl Pills, and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
ATLANTA - Gabriel Ojeda Murguia, a violent criminal with a history of hurting other people, was sentenced to nine years in prison after his conviction for trafficking over 25 kilograms of fentanyl and other drugs in the Atlanta area.
“The obscene amount of fentanyl Murguia possessed posed a significant threat to public health and public safety. If law enforcement had not stopped it from hitting the street, this poison could have ended tens of thousands of lives,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “The success of this operation came from the coordinated teamwork of multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement partners in our Homeland Security Task Force.”
“Murguia was moving an extraordinary amount of fentanyl into our communities, putting countless lives at risk for profit,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “This investigation and sentencing demonstrate the impact we can have when federal, state, and local law enforcement work together to stop dangerous drugs before they reach the streets.”
“This sentence demonstrates what can be accomplished when law enforcement agencies work together with a common goal, which is protecting our communities from the deadly threat of fentanyl,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Our joint law enforcement efforts with the Homeland Security Task Force will continue to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those responsible for trafficking these dangerous drugs. Together, we are working toward safer communities and a Fentanyl-Free America.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Between April 2024 and April 2025, Gabriel Ojeda Murguia, a/k/a “Taliban,” sold fentanyl and methamphetamine on several occasions in Gwinnett County. Over two transactions, Murguia sold more than 100 grams of fentanyl powder. In another, he sold over 2,000 fentanyl pills. He had previously sold a kilogram of methamphetamine for $2,700 and offered to sell cocaine for $18,000 per kilogram.
On April 17, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on a Lilburn, Georgia residence after observing Murguia enter the home. During the search, agents found approximately 25 kilograms of fentanyl and cocaine, including at least 15 kilograms of fentanyl hidden inside vehicle batteries. Murguia and another man were both arrested that same day. Murguia was previously convicted of battery and family violence battery.
On August 12, 2026, United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. sentenced Gabriel Ojeda Murguia, a/k/a Taliban, 46, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, to nine years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Murguia was convicted on May 4, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to possessing fentanyl with the intent to distribute, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, and conspiring to possess fentanyl with the intent to distribute.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with substantial assistance from the Gwinnett County Police Department and the Georgia State Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorneys Thomas M. Forsyth III and Sara Lim prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Atlanta comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Utah Man Indicted on Hate Crime Charge for Stabbing at West Valley MallRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Peter Larsen, 48, of Orem, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the federal hate crime of willfully causing bodily injury to a victim because of his actual or perceived religion, in relation to a July 13, stabbing at the West Valley Mall in West Valley City, Utah. The defendant has been detained in state custody since his arrest on July 13.
According to court documents, on July 13, police responded to the West Valley Mall for reports of a stabbing. The victim was located inside the mall suffering from multiple stab wounds, including to his neck. An investigation determined that the defendant harbored anti-Muslim views and went to the West Valley Mall specifically for the purpose of attacking Muslims. The defendant purchased a knife from a store inside the mall and went around asking mall employees if they were Muslim. When the victim responded that he was, the defendant began stabbing him. The attack was only stopped through the intervention of bystanders, who detained the defendant until police arrived.
“This administration prioritizes protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will not tolerate violence motivated by religious hatred,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank our law-enforcement partners and those who heroically intervened to stop this attack, and we especially pledge our support to the victim in his recovery.”
“Our thoughts are with the victim and the victim’s family, and we wish him a full and speedy recovery,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “This administration, my office, and our law enforcement partners have zero tolerance for hate fueled violence, particularly this heinous attempted murder. Anti Muslim violence is a crime, and it will be met with the full force of federal law to ensure justice for the victim and the broader Muslim community.”
“We are deeply mindful of the impact this attack has had on the victim and their family. No one should be targeted with violence because of their religion or faith,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “Hate-fueled violence harms more than one individual; it sends fear throughout an entire community. The FBI will work closely with our partners to support the victim and ensure this case is thoroughly investigated and ensure accountability.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Larsen’s initial appearance on the indictment is scheduled for August 13, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. in courtroom 8.4 before a U.S. Magistrate Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
This case was investigated by the West Valley Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos A. Esqueda and Trial Attorney Milos Jovanovic of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Attachments:
peter_michael_larsen.indictment.pdf peter_michael_larsen.position_regarding_detention.pdfUtah Man Indicted on Hate Crime Charge for Stabbing at West Valley MallRead the Press Release
Peter Larsen, 48, of Orem, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury today for the federal hate crime of willfully causing bodily injury to a victim because of his actual or perceived religion, in relation to a July 13, stabbing at the West Valley Mall in West Valley City, Utah. The defendant has been detained in state custody since his arrest on July 13.
According to court documents, on July 13, police responded to the West Valley Mall for reports of a stabbing. The victim was located inside the mall suffering from multiple stab wounds, including to his neck. An investigation determined that the defendant harbored anti-Muslim views and went to the West Valley Mall specifically for the purpose of attacking Muslims. The defendant purchased a knife from a store inside the mall and went around asking mall employees if they were Muslim. When the victim responded that he was, the defendant began stabbing him. The attack was only stopped through the intervention of bystanders, who detained the defendant until police arrived.
“This administration prioritizes protecting the civil rights of all Americans, and we will not tolerate violence motivated by religious hatred,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank our law-enforcement partners and those who heroically intervened to stop this attack, and we especially pledge our support to the victim in his recovery.”
“Our thoughts are with the victim and the victim’s family, and we wish him a full and speedy recovery,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “This administration, my office, and our law enforcement partners have zero tolerance for hate‑fueled violence, particularly this heinous attempted murder. Anti‑Muslim violence is a crime, and it will be met with the full force of federal law to ensure justice for the victim and the broader Muslim community.”
“We are deeply mindful of the impact this attack has had on the victim and their family. No one should be targeted with violence because of their religion or faith,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “Hate-fueled violence harms more than one individual; it sends fear throughout an entire community. The FBI will work closely with our partners to support the victim and ensure this case is thoroughly investigated and ensure accountability.”
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case was investigated by the West Valley Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carlos Esqueda for the District of Utah and Trial Attorney Milos Jovanovic of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Georgia Men and a Chinese National Indicted for Forced Labor and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Georgia returned an indictment today charging Zhu Chen, 60, and Jiayi Chen, 31, both U.S. Citizens, and Jianjun Lu, 55, a Chinese national, all residing in Cartersville, Georgia, with forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and alien harboring.
According to court documents, Zhu Chen, together with Jiayi Chen and Jianjun Lu, recruited Chinese nationals through false pretenses to enter the United States on B-1 and L-1 visas to work at Wellmade Industries, a flooring manufacturer in Georgia. Upon the victims’ arrivals into the United States, the defendants kept their immigration documents and had them work 12-hour shifts, six days a week at the Wellmade Industries factory in Cartersville, Georgia. The defendants paid the victims less than promised and did not provide overtime or health benefits. They also threatened the victims with deportation and the imposition of sizeable debts and subjected them to verbal, psychological, and physical abuse. The defendants housed the victims in residences owned by Wellmade even though the victims did not have legal status under their visas.
All three defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit forced labor and forced labor. Zhu Chen is also charged with alien harboring. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia, and Special Agent in Charge Steven N. Schrank of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Atlanta made the announcement.
HSI Dalton, Georgia; Bartow County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations; and Georgia Bureau of Investigations are investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leanne Marek for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Two Detained Pending Trial for Conspiracy to Defraud Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that two individuals, Ceyon Calvert, 43, and Christal Calvert, 38, of Pembroke Pines, Florida, were arrested on June 28, 2026, by federal agents in Florida for conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, their arrests follow an indictment which alleges that beginning on an unknown date and continuing until April 2026, the defendants orchestrated a wide-scale Publishers Clearing House scam targeting elderly victims. The indictment states that scam participants would falsely tell victims that they won multi-million-dollar prizes and instructed the fraud victims to provide tens of thousands of dollars to other scheme participants as upfront taxes and fees in order to collect those prizes. Today, the defendants were arraigned in Federal Court and pleaded not guilty. United States Magistrate Judge Sean A. Camoni ordered them detained pending trial.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 20 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud Division”). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alisan V. Martin is prosecuting the case.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Two Defendants Sentenced in Atlanta to Milledgeville Meth Trafficking CaseRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – Two more defendants involved in a drug trafficking ring sourcing methamphetamine from Atlanta for distribution in Milledgeville, Georgia, have been brought to justice resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
“Our office is committed to working alongside law enforcement to make our communities safer by dismantling armed drug trafficking organizations and holding those who threaten public safety fully accountable,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are grateful to our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts and dedication to protecting our neighborhoods.”
“Drug trafficking organizations don’t just deal drugs—they bring guns, violence, and instability into our neighborhoods,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “The significant prison sentences and guilty pleas reflect the danger these defendants posed, and the harm caused by flooding our communities with methamphetamine and other illicit drugs.”
Desmond Glenn, 35, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 260 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on Aug. 12, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Feb. 17.
Katherine Short-Barcenas, 36, of Milledgeville, was sentenced to serve 48 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release on Aug. 12, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Dec. 17, 2025.
The following codefendants previously pleaded guilty, and some have been sentenced:
Cory Wilson, 41, of Milledgeville, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on July 20, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a maximum $10 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 14.
Rodney May, 38, of Milledgeville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 17, 2025, and faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum of life in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release and a maximum $20 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12, 2027.
Ruby Fogg, 39, of Austell, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 324 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on June 10, after she previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Robert Matthew Wood, 43, of Marietta, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 262 months in prison to be followed by 10 years of supervised release on June 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Tony Baker, 39, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 92 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release on June 10, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
U.S. District Judge Marc T. Treadwell is presiding over the case. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, federal agents began investigating a group of individuals distributing methamphetamine in the Baldwin County, Georgia, area beginning in early 2023. Between April 25, 2023, and July 31, 2023, agents conducted four separate controlled purchases from Glenn totaling approximately 162 grams of methamphetamine. Under surveillance, Glenn was recorded selling methamphetamine and other controlled substances to people in Baldwin County as well as obtaining large amounts of methamphetamine from several sources of supply, including Fogg, who was the leader of the criminal network. Short-Barcenas and Wilson, members of this drug trafficking ring, sold methamphetamine twice to a confidential source in early March 2023, as part of this investigation.
Fogg was working closely with Wood to obtain and distribute large amounts of methamphetamine. Fogg and Wood often rented hotel rooms in Atlanta where they stored and sold narcotics. On Nov. 14, 2023, Fogg directed Glenn to pick up methamphetamine from Wood at an Atlanta area hotel, at a time she was making a trip to deliver drug proceeds to Jackson, Georgia. May and Baker traveled with Glenn to the Atlanta hotel; on the return trip, their vehicle was stopped by law enforcement, and nearly one kilo of methamphetamine was found in a bag, along with a smaller amount in the floorboard. Officers also found a firearm tucked between Glenn’s seat and the center console, and another firearm in the backseat. A search warrant was executed at Glenn’s Milledgeville home, where officers found an additional 64.68 grams of methamphetamine and five firearms in his bedroom. Glenn was previously convicted of robbery by force in Baldwin County, Georgia. It is illegal for a convicted felon to possess a firearm.
Two days later, on Nov. 16, 2023, Fogg and Wood were arrested; the hotel they were renting was searched, and an additional 154.97 grams of methamphetamine was located, plus drug paraphernalia. Fogg has three prior criminal felony methamphetamine distribution convictions in Douglas County, Georgia, Superior Court.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. The DEA and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Howard is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Two Cartersville Men and a Chinese National Indicted for Forced Labor and Related OffensesRead the Press Release
ROME, Ga. - Zhu Chen, the owner of Cartersville-based flooring manufacturer Wellmade Industries; his nephew, Jiayi Chen; and Jianjun Lu, a Chinese national, face federal charges of forced labor, conspiracy to commit forced labor, and alien harboring arising from alleged illegal operations at Wellmade Industries.
“The defendants allegedly threatened foreign workers with physical violence, deportation, and crippling debt; forced them to work lengthy shifts; and housed them in overcrowded and dirty residences,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “My office will ensure that predators who traffic at-risk laborers and violate our immigration laws to enrich themselves are investigated, apprehended, and prosecuted.”
“The federal indictment of Zhu Chen, Jiayi Chen, and Jianjun Lu marks an important step forward in our pursuit of justice for the victims in this alleged forced labor scheme,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “HSI and our law enforcement partners remain focused on uncovering labor trafficking networks, protecting victims, and holding accountable those who use coercion, threats, and exploitation to profit from vulnerable individuals.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg and the charges: Zhu Chen, together with Jiayi Chen and Jianjun Lu, recruited Chinese nationals through false pretenses to enter the United States on B-1 and L-1 visas to work at Wellmade Industries, a flooring manufacturer in Cartersville, Georgia. Upon the victims’ arrivals into the United States, the defendants allegedly made them work twelve-hour shifts for six days a week in unsafe factory conditions, paid them less than promised, and threatened deportation and the imposition of sizeable debts if they stopped working at the factory. The defendants allegedly also housed aliens in residences owned by Wellmade, knowing those aliens did not have legal status in the United States.
Yesterday, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Zhu Chen, 60, and Jiayi Chen, 31, both of Cartersville, Georgia, and Jianjun Lu, 55, of China, with conspiracy to commit forced labor and forced labor. Zhu Chen is also charged with alien harboring. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendants’ guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Bartow County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leanne Marek and Jennifer Keen, and Trial Attorney Elizabeth Hutson of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6185. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Tulsa Man Sentenced for Strangling GirlfriendRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa man was sentenced for strangling his girlfriend, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge William P. Johnson sentenced Robert Alan Wickham, 39, of Tulsa, for Assault of an Intimate/Dating Partner by Strangling and Attempting to Strangle in Indian Country. Wickman was ordered to serve 46 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Wickman physically abused his girlfriend for years, as evidenced by a lengthy criminal history for domestic abuse. In June 2025, his girlfriend was subpoenaed to testify in a court proceeding about the abuse. Wickman’s girlfriend told him that she had been subpoenaed. A few days later, Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police officers were dispatched to their home because Wickman struck and strangled his girlfriend again. This also violated a no-contact order that had been issued in a pending domestic violence case against Wickman in tribal court.
Court documents show that Wickman’s criminal history spans nearly 20 years and includes four prior domestic violence convictions.
Wickman is a citizen of the Navajo Tribe and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The FBI and Muscogee Creek Nation Lighthorse Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacey Todd prosecuted the case.
If you think that you or a loved one may be in an abusive relationship, Domestic Violence Intervention Services offers services for all survivors. You can call the 24-hour information and crisis line at (918) 743-5763 or (918) 7-HELP-ME for more information. You can also get more information by texting our 8 PM to 1 AM Text Line: Text SAFE to 207-777
South Bend Man Sentenced to 135 Months in Prison for Controlled Substance OffenseRead the Press Release
SOUTH BEND – De’Angelo Alexander, 28 years old, of South Bend, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Damon R. Leichty after pleading guilty to distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Alexander was sentenced to 135 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release.
“The Defendant acted as a drug wholesaler of the most dangerous drugs and guns on the streets of our Indiana communities. The amount of dangerous drugs he distributed endangered hundreds of Hoosiers and made our neighborhoods less safe. Alexander sold 77 grams of pure methamphetamine to another person. On other occasions he sold 416 grams and 445 grams of pure methamphetamine to different people. Investigators then obtained a federal search warrant for Alexander’s home and recovered an additional 119 grams of methamphetamine. Spending over eleven years in federal prison will remove this continual threat from our streets and give him much needed time to reprioritize his life decisions. Thanks to the strong partnerships and efforts of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the South Bend Police Department, and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office, our streets are safer, and our communities are stronger,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Mildred.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Local law enforcement partnerships with the South Bend Police Department and the Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office were instrumental in the success of this case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Joel Gabrielse.
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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Snapchat User Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Charlotte man was sentenced to serve 15 years in prison today for distributing and possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including material depicting prepubescent children under 12 years of age, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
U.S. District Judge Susan C. Rodriguez sentenced Terrell Shawn Anderson, 31, of Charlotte, to 15 years in prison followed by 30 years of supervised release. Judge Rodriguez also ordered Anderson to pay $3,000 in restitution, $5,000 in special assessments pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, and $15,000 in special assessments pursuant to the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018.
“Social media helps people stay connected, but it can also become a place where children are victimized,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “We will remain vigilant in prosecuting these cases, but we also hope this case serves as a cautionary tale for parents to monitor their children’s social media use.”
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, law enforcement received multiple cybertips that an individual, later identified as Anderson, was using at least 13 Snapchat accounts and other social media platforms to distribute videos and images depicting the sexual abuse of minors, including children under 12 years old. In October 2022, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Anderson’s residence, seizing two cellphones and other evidence. During an interview with law enforcement, Anderson admitted that he possessed CSAM. He further admitted that the multiple Snapchat accounts belonged to him and that he was using them to obtain and distribute CSAM with others, including individuals he believed to be minors and adults. According to Anderson, he estimated talking with 45 minor females and getting some of them to create nude images of themselves. A forensic review of the seized cellphones revealed that Anderson had at least 697 videos and 2,183 images of CSAM, including 29 videos and 7 images depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct depicting children.
In sentencing Anderson, Judge Rodriguez said, this is a “very serious crime,” it is “not a victimless crime,” and deterrence of others is an important factor in issuing this sentence.
Anderson pleaded guilty to distribution of CSAM and possession and access with intent to view CSAM that involved a prepubescent minor and a minor who had not yet attained 12 years of age. He is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the FBI, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their work on this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and 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.
Shiprock Man Charged with Assault and Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man is facing federal charges after he allegedly strangled a victim during two separate incidents, then threatened and injured officers following his arrest.
According to court documents, on July 18, 2026, Lonnie Begaye, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted Jane Doe at a residence in Shiprock, New Mexico. During an argument, Begaye allegedly strangled the victim, making it difficult for her to breathe. The victim's mother, who uses a wheelchair, reportedly attempted to intervene before police arrived and took Begaye into custody.
The investigation further revealed that this was not an isolated incident. During interviews with investigators, the victim reported that on or about May 19, 2026, Begaye allegedly attacked her near an irrigation canal in Shiprock. She stated that Begaye strangled her with both hands, causing her to nearly lose consciousness. The victim reported suffering dizziness, soreness, and other effects after the assault and believed Begaye intended to kill her.
After his arrest on July 18, Begaye allegedly resisted officers, threatened one officer's family, spit blood onto an officer's face, and injured a second officer during a struggle. Both officers sought medical treatment for their injuries.
During a post-arrest interview with investigators, Begaye allegedly stated that he blacked out from alcohol and could not remember the July 18 incident. However, he admitted to previously strangling the victim.
Begaye is charged with two counts of assault by strangulation and assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Begaye faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Second Superseding Indictment Adds Defendant and Charges in Southern Poverty Law Center CaseRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — On August 11, 2026, a federal grand jury in Montgomery returned a second superseding indictment adding a defendant and additional charges in the case involving the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).
The second superseding indictment, which was unsealed today, charges Heidi L. Beirich, 59, of Palm Springs, California, along with the SPLC, with new charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank. The new indictment also adds Beirich as a defendant to the previously charged count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering and charges the SPLC with an additional count of concealment money laundering. Beirich was served with an arrest warrant this morning in the Central District of California and is expected to make her initial appearance in federal court there this afternoon.
The charges arise from an alleged scheme involving the use of donated funds and financial accounts associated with fictitious entities. As previously alleged, the scheme involved efforts to conceal the source, ownership, and control of funds and to make false representations concerning the use of donated money and the operation of financial accounts.
The second superseding indictment expands the case to include the alleged participation of Beirich and additional conduct involving the movement and concealment of proceeds.
The Southern Poverty Law Center was previously charged in an 11-count indictment returned in April 2026 with wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. The second superseding indictment alleges that, between 2007 and 2023, more than $4 million in donated funds were secretly funneled to individuals associated with various violent extremist groups.
“The indictment unsealed today reflects the continued work of federal investigators and prosecutors in examining this alleged scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Thomas Govan. “We look forward to presenting the evidence in court and allowing the judicial process to determine the facts and the defendants’ responsibility for the alleged crimes.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Kevin P. Davidson is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Scammer pharmacist guilty in $20 million healthcare kickback schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 54-year-old Spring resident has been convicted of conspiracy to pay health care kickbacks.
The jury deliberated for more than a day before returning the guilty verdict against Tronown Thomas following a five-day trial July 11.
Thomas, a licensed pharmacist, owned and operated Rayford ACP Pharmacy in Spring.
At trial, the jury heard Thomas paid over $2 million in kickbacks to the owner of a Houston clinic in exchange for referrals of patients insured through the Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (DOL-OWCP) who had been prescribed high-reimbursement compounded medications.
Thomas subsequently billed the DOL-OWCP for those compounded medications, which were prescribed as part of the illegal kickbacks scheme.
From November 2015 through September 2017, Thomas and Rayford ACP Pharmacy received more than $20 million in reimbursements from DOL-OWCP.
The defense attempted to convince the jury that Thomas was paying for legitimate marketing services. The jury rejected these arguments and found Thomas guilty.
U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 12. At that time, Thomas faces up to five years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Thomas was permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.
The Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Department of War Defense Criminal Investigative Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Olson and Alexander Alum prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division, which is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.