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Wednesday 25 March 2026
Chicago Felon Convicted of Identity Theft and Money Laundering in U.S. Treasury Check SchemeRead the Press Release
A felon who perpetrated an extensive scheme involving fraudulent U.S. Treasury checks at Eastern Iowa financial institutions in 2023 pled guilty on March 24, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Tyrone Terrell Harris, age 34, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of five counts of theft of government property, five counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of money laundering, and one count of money laundering conspiracy.
Evidence presented at Harris’s detention hearings, as well as at other hearings in related cases, showed that Harris provided fraudulent U.S. Treasury checks to co-conspirators for presentation to Eastern Iowa financial institutions. The co-conspirators had fake driver’s licenses in the names of the persons to whom the U.S. Treasury had issued the checks and possessed these victims’ social security numbers and dates of birth. The co-conspirators then opened bank accounts in the victims’ names and quickly withdrew the fraud proceeds in cash to evade detection by law enforcement.
At his plea hearing, Harris admitted his involvement with five stolen U.S. Treasury checks in August and September 2023, with a combined face value of over $300,000 and in the names of five different victims. Harris also admitted that he personally withdrew $9,000 in fraud proceeds in cash to conceal the location of the fraud proceeds. Finally, Harris admitted that, between June and September 2023, he conspired with others to launder the fraud proceeds.
Harris has prior criminal convictions in Illinois, Georgia, and Oklahoma. He has prior felony convictions for attempting to elude a police officer, driving a motor vehicle under the influence, and running a roadblock in Oklahoma.
Harris is the latest defendant to plead guilty in the Northern District of Iowa as part of the fraudulent U.S. Treasury check scheme. Other individuals convicted include:
Edgar Stacey Delgado, age 32, from East Los Angeles, California, was convicted of one count of Forged Endorsement on a U.S. Treasury Check and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft. On February 26, 2025, Delgado was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and he was also ordered to pay $201,510.69 in restitution.
Irvin Lantern, age 68, from Chicago, Illinois, was convicted of one count of Forged Endorsement on a U.S. Treasury Check and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft. On February 4, 2025, Lantern was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and he was also ordered to pay $33,000 in restitution. Lantern has an extensive criminal history in Illinois.
Dale Ford, age 60, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of Forged Endorsement on a U.S. Treasury Check and one count of Aggravated Identity Theft. On March 14, 2025, Ford was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and he was also ordered to pay $91,916 in restitution. Ford had over 30 prior criminal convictions by the time of his federal sentencing hearing.
Tim Dale Howe, age 62, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of Forged Endorsement on a U.S. Treasury Check and one count of Money Laundering Conspiracy. On July 28, 2025, Howe was sentenced to 6 months of imprisonment, 6 months of home confinement, and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $87,851.37 in restitution. Howe previously was convicted in Florida in 2005 for committing a sex offense against a child.
Cornelius Devon Hicks, age 50, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was convicted of one count of Forged Endorsement on a U.S. Treasury Check and one count of Money Laundering. On July 7, 2025, Hicks was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $47,175.65 in restitution. Hicks has an extensive criminal history in Iowa and Tennessee.
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Harris remains in the custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Harris faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 100 years’ imprisonment, a $3.5 million fine, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Cedar Rapids Police Department assisted in the investigation.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file numbers are 25-CR-97 (Harris), 23-CR-90 (Delgado), 23-CR-49 (Ford), 23-CR-2077 (Lantern), 24-CR-63 (Howe), and 24-CR-80 (Hicks).
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Central Falls Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution ChargeRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Central Falls man involved in narcotics trafficking pleaded guilty today in federal court to distribution of fentanyl, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Christian Carrion, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl. Carrion is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2026. The sentence imposed will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, up to a $10M fine, and a mandatory minimum of four years of supervised release.
According to court documents, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force conducted an investigation that identified Carrion as involved in fentanyl distribution. As part of that investigation, Carrion sold approximately 56 grams of fentanyl to another individual in May 2025. A search warrant executed at Carrion’s residence approximately two weeks later also resulted in the seizure of cocaine.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julianne Klein and Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force.
The Safe Streets Task Force consists of agents and law enforcement officers from the FBI, Rhode Island State Police, the Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, West Warwick, and Central Falls Police Departments, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.
Canadian Man Detained in Connection with “Grandparent Scam” Indictment After Removal from NicaraguaRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on March 24, 2026, Jimmy Ylimaki, 36, of Quebec, Canada, made his initial appearance in the United States District Court for the District of Vermont in connection with an indictment charging him with participating in a “grandparent scam.”
Ylimaki was apprehended in Nicaragua and was removed to the United States. Ylimaki entered a plea of not guilty to the charge before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Ylimaki be detained pending trial.
According to court records, a “grandparent scam” is a telemarketing fraud scheme involving phone calls made to elderly individuals. The initial callers typically pose as a member of the elderly victim’s family (usually a grandchild) and claim – falsely – to be in legal trouble, such as a motor vehicle accident. A second person posing as an “attorney” representing the family member then states that the elderly victim of the scam needs to provide a large sum of cash – typically thousands or tens of thousands of dollars – to bail the family member out of jail. The “attorneys” involved in this scam often identify themselves by various fictitious names, which sometimes are re-used in connection with calls to multiple elderly victims. Callers utilize a script, which has been crafted over time to refine the deception that is at the heart of the scam. The elderly victim is then instructed to provide the “bail money” to a “bail bondsman” who comes to the elderly victim’s home to collect the money later the same day.
According to court records, Ylimaki played the role of the “attorney” in the “grandparent scam.” Ylimaki was initially encountered inside a call center in Quebec when Canadian law enforcement executed a search warrant on June 4, 2024. Ylimaki is alleged to have been actively placing calls in the moments before the search warrant, and multiple “call lists” containing names, addresses, phone numbers, ages, and annual incomes of elderly Americans were found on his desk.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment contains allegations only and that Ylimaki is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Ylimaki faces up to 20 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, as well as Customs and Border Protection, and recognized the contributions of the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service in assisting with locating Ylimaki in Nicaragua.
The prosecutors are Assistant United States Attorneys Nate Burris, Michelle Arra, and Nicole Cate. Ylimaki is represented by Attorney Jessica Burke.
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 Vermont comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Diplomatic Security Service, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and state and local partner agencies, with prosecutions being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont.
Brothers from D.C. Charged with Multiple Counts in Shooting of U.S. Park Police OfficerRead the Press Release
foster_x_foster_complaint_redacted.pdfWASHINGTON – Asheile Foster, 22, and Darren Foster, 21, brothers who reside in the District of Columbia, were charged today in U.S. District Court in connection with the March 23 shooting of a U.S. Park Police Officer, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
The Foster brothers face counts of Assault on a Federal Officer, Assault With Intent to Kill While Armed, Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, Aggravated Assault While Armed, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm During a Crime of Violence. The Fosters made their first appearances today before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya who scheduled a detention hearing for tomorrow, March 26.
“Those who target law enforcement officers will be identified, apprehended, and held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Asheile Foster, 22, and Darren Foster, 21, fled the scene, but were quickly apprehended by law enforcement. This office will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law to ensure they face the consequences they deserve.”
According to court documents, multiple law enforcement agencies responded about 7:30 p.m. on March 23 to Queens Stroll Place SE and 51st Street SE for a report of a shot U.S. Park Police officer.
The USPP officer had been sitting in an unmarked Tesla Model Y, conducting surveillance on Asheile Foster, who had just departed the U.S. Park Police Anacostia Operations Facility after retrieving personal property stemming from his arrest the previous day.
As the USPP officer sat in his vehicle, two men approached. The men fired several shots in his direction. At least one of the bullets struck the officer in the shoulder. The officer radioed for help, calling out that he’d been hit.
Investigators arrived from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Department of Forensic Sciences. They scoured the scene and recovered 32 shell casings.
Officers canvassed the neighborhood and discovered a black backpack wedged in a fence. The bag contained a Diamondback DB-15 (marked "Cal. Multi") AR-style rifle with no stock. The DB-15 was loaded with 15 rounds of .300 blackout caliber ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
Police located Darren Foster, took him into custody, and interviewed him shortly after midnight the morning of March 24. Asheile Foster was taken into custody about 6:30 a.m. March 24 as he left a nearby residence. A search of the home’s attic revealed a Glock 19, 9mm pistol loaded with 17 rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Park Police, the ATF Washington Field Division, The Department of Forensic Sciences, and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Helfand.
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Bronx Man Charged with the Fatal Fentanyl Poisoning of A 12 Year Old BoyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Task Enforcement Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Farhana Islam, and the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Jessica S. Tisch, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ARISTIDES CABRERA, a/k/a “Buddha,” with drug crimes resulting in the fatal poisoning of a 12‑year-old child in the Bronx on June 28, 2022. The Indictment also charges CABRERA with having used, carried, and possessed firearms in connection with his drug trafficking crimes. Today, CABRERA was brought into federal custody from New York State custody, where he had been serving state sentences for other firearm and drug crimes. CABRERA will be presented today before U.S. Magistrate Jennifer E. Willis. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.
“As alleged, Aristides Cabrera was an armed drug dealer who pumped deadly drugs into the Bronx for years,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The havoc that his alleged drug trafficking wrought did not stop at his own doorstep; it resulted in the tragic death of a vulnerable 12-year-old boy in Cabrera’s own home. But even the boy’s death did not stop Cabrera from allegedly continuing to deal drugs, exposing others to the same life-threatening poison that claimed the life of an innocent child. Fentanyl kills. It kills children. If you deal fentanyl, you are dealing death. The women and men of the SDNY, the DEA, the NYPD and all our New York law enforcement partners will hold dealers of death accountable.”
“Weapons, drugs, and violence are too often the hallmarks of drug trafficking organizations operating in our communities,” said DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Today’s indictment of Aristides Cabera underscores that deadly reality—linking narcotics distribution, firearms, and the devastating loss of a 12-year-old child to fentanyl poisoning. No family should have to endure the pain of losing a child to this poison and the DEA New York Enforcement Division remains vigilant and unwavering in our mission to target these individuals and ensure justice is delivered.”
“Aristedes Cabrera showed a callous disregard for human life, allegedly selling fentanyl in a home where a 12-year-old boy was exposed to the drugs that killed him,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “This case is a devastating example of the danger fentanyl poses, especially when it is brought into a home where children are present. I thank the NYPD officers whose undercover work helped build this case and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their partnership.”
As alleged in the Indictment and other public filings:[1]
From at least in or about November 2017 through at least in or about January 2024, CABRERA and his co-conspirators distributed heroin, fentanyl, and para-fluorofentanyl in the Bronx. CABRERA sold large quantities of heroin and fentanyl to undercover law enforcement officers. In a covert video recording of CABRERA during one of those undercover drug sales—in which CABRERA sold an undercover officer nearly $2,000 worth of fentanyl-laced heroin—CABRERA can be heard, in substance and in part, describing how he was charging higher prices for pills because “it’s a fucking opioid epidemic out here.” At the height of his drug trafficking, CABRERA was making up to approximately $10,000 a week from dealing drugs.
On June 28, 2022, exposure to the fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl distributed by CABRERA caused the death of a twelve-year-old boy who had been residing with CABRERA and others in an apartment in the Bronx.
CABRERA kept significant quantities of his drugs in the apartment, including in a safe stored in a closet just outside of the bedroom that the twelve-year-old boy shared with at least one of his siblings. CABRERA kept two guns in the same safe. He also stored additional drugs, including pills, in the apartment’s primary bedroom, including in bags that he kept there. In the early morning of June 29, 2022, after returning from the hospital where the twelve-year-old boy had been taken and pronounced dead, CABRERA began looking for one of the bags where he stored his drug supply, texting another person he wanted “to make sure nothing is missing.”
Following the boy’s fatal overdose, CABRERA continued to sell drugs throughout New York, including from behind bars in New York state custody while detained during the pendency of the separate firearms and drug charges that resulted in his recent state court convictions.
* * *
CABRERA, 34, of the Bronx, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute narcotics resulting in death and one count of distribution of narcotics resulting in death, both of which crimes carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. CABRERA is also charged with one count of firearms use, carrying, and possession, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The statutory minimum and maximum sentences are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the NYPD in connection with this investigation, along with their federal partners at the DEA. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Bronx District Attorney’s Office.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin M. Burkett, Lisa Daniels, and Amanda C. Weingarten are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Boise Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOISE – Gary Stanley Williams, 49, of Boise, Idaho, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
According to court records, the investigation began when a citizen reported that Williams was involved in concerning online activity. The citizen provided screenshots of Williams’ online activity that showed him interacting with several online accounts that appeared to be operated by minor females. An undercover detective with the Boise Police Department (“BPD”) later contacted Williams online purporting to be a 14-year-old female. For several days, Williams engaged in sexually explicit conversation with the purported 14-year-old and discussed his interest in child sexual abuse material. Based on the communications, BPD obtained a federal search warrant to seize and search Williams’ electronic devices. During a forensic examination of Williams’ cellphone, BPD located numerous files of child sexual abuse material, including depictions of prepubescent children and toddlers.
Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Williams to serve a lifetime period of supervised release following his prison sentence and to pay $45,000 in restitution to the victims in the images that he possessed. Williams will be required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Boise Police Department, which led to the charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kassandra McGrady prosecuted the case.
These cases were 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. As part of Project Safe Childhood, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office partner to marshal federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Billings man sentenced to over 3 years in prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Billings man who was prohibited from owning firearms was sentenced today to 41 months in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Andre Lamar Alexander, 19, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He is prohibited based on a conviction for felony escape in Montana’s Thirteenth Judicial District Court in April 2025.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on August 3, 2025, law enforcement officers responded to a Billings residence after receiving a report that a male suspect had threatened to shoot a teenage female, Jane Doe. Doe said Alexander messaged her, demanding that she return some of his belongings. When Doe arrived at her house, she saw Alexander sitting in a vehicle. He got out of the car holding a pistol and threatened her, saying “You’re so lucky I don’t just shoot you up right now” and “If the cops get involved it’s going to be way worse.” Doe showed the officers messages Alexander sent to her that night, which contained repeated threats to shoot her.
Other responding officers located the vehicle parked nearby and ordered the occupants to exit. Alexander was sitting in the front passenger seat. As he got out, the officers observed a black backpack on the floor at his feet. When they searched Alexander’s bag, the officers seized a black, privately-made Geisler model 19X .40 caliber pistol, two standard magazines, one extended .40 caliber magazine, and Alexander’s wallet.
Alexander later admitted in phone calls from the jail he owned a second gun – a “Glock 17” – that he successfully concealed from the arresting officers. Investigators identified that firearm as a Glock model 17, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol with an extended magazine with 39 rounds of 9 mm ammunition.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Yerger prosecuted the case. The ATF and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.
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Attorney General Pamela Bondi Announces Award Recipients at the U.S. Department of Justice 73rd Annual Awards CeremonyRead the Press Release
Attorney General Pamela Bondi announced award recipients at the U.S. Department of Justice Seventy-Third Annual Awards Ceremony held at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
"It is my distinct honor working alongside so many outstanding men and women," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The commitment to justice, devotion to duty, and selfless service demonstrated each day by our colleagues deserves to be recognized and celebrated. I extend my gratitude to this year's award recipients for their remarkable service and to their families, colleagues, and partners who support them in this incredible mission."
The Department of Justice hosts the annual Attorney General’s Awards to recognize the incredible achievements of its employees and law enforcement partners. The individuals and teams being honored represent the very best of the Department—each of them selected for acts of service that are aligned with the Department of Justice's core mission: upholding the rule of law, keeping the American people safe, and protecting civil rights. The awardees include attorneys, investigators, law enforcement officers, support staff, and many others who have made extraordinary efforts.
The Attorney General Awards include recognition for:
- Excellence in Law Enforcement
- Excellence in Management
- Excellence in Technology or Privacy
- Excellence in Furthering the Interests of U.S. National Security
- Excellence in Legal Support
- Excellence in Administration Support
- K-9 Award
Additionally, the John Marshall Awards recognize outstanding professional achievements by attorneys at the U.S. Department of Justice. These awards are designed to recognize attorneys' outstanding achievements either in trial or litigation, participation in litigation or support of litigation:
- Excellence in Litigation
- Excellence in Providing Legal Advice
- Excellence in Appellate Litigation
Attorney General Awards were also presented for the following achievements:
- Award Asset Forfeiture
- Award for Fraud Prevention
- Outstanding External Contributions
- Rising Star Award
- Edward H. Levi Award for Outstanding Professionalism and Exemplary Integrity
- William French Smith Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cooperative Law Enforcement
- Commitment to Advancing Justice Award
- Outstanding Contributions by a New Employee
Finally, the Attorney General presented the following awards, considered the three highest awards at the Department of Justice.
- The Mary C. Lawton Lifetime Service Award
- Exceptional Heroism
- Distinguished Service
Below is the list of the award recipients, award citations, and summaries of achievement:
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT
This award recognizes outstanding professional achievement by a law enforcement officer of the U.S. Department of Justice.
Group Name:
Michael Pratt Investigation Team
Award Citation:
Honored for the relentless pursuit in the investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of a Complex Sex Trafficking Ring Responsible for the Victimization of Over 573 victims.
Synopsis:
This team is nominated for relentlessly pursuing justice against a complex sex trafficking enterprise led by FBI Top Ten Most Wanted Fugitive Michael James Pratt circa 2010 through 2019 operating primarily in the Southern District of California and extending across the United States (U.S.) and abroad.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MANAGEMENT
This award recognizes outstanding administrative or managerial achievements which have significantly improved the operations or productivity of the Department or have reduced costs.
Group Name:
DAAGs Alvarez and Taylor
Awards Citation:
Honored for delivering transformational, enterprise level management results that strengthened the Department’s efficiency, fiscal integrity, and mission readiness during a period of sweeping administrative change.
Christopher Alvarez
Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Controller
Justice Management Division
William N. Taylor II
Deputy Assistant Attorney General
Management and Compliance
Justice Management Division
Synopsis:
Deputy Assistant Attorneys General (DAAGs) Christopher Alvarez and William Taylor delivered transformational, enterprise level management results that strengthened the Department’s efficiency, fiscal integrity, and mission readiness during a period of sweeping administrative change.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MANAGEMENT
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional service as Acting Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Sirce E. Owen
Appellate Immigration Judge
Board of Immigration Appeals
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Synopsis:
Judge Owen is an accomplished Appellate Immigration Judge who stepped into the highest leadership role in EOIR at a pivotal time. Her dedicated service to the Department of Justice and EOIR was critical to implementing important new Administration priorities related to immigration, national security, and the rule of law. Under her leadership, EOIR’s pending caseload was reduced by 10%, or over 400,000 cases. She also restored the Agency’s mission to adjudicate cases in a fair, impartial, and expeditious manner.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY OR PRIVACY
This award recognizes outstanding contributions by U.S. Department of Justice employees in applying information technology to improve the operations or productivity of the Department, reduce or avoid costs, or solve problems, as well as recognizing outstanding achievements in privacy law, policy, and compliance.
Group Name:
Matrix Implementation Team
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional effort and diligence in the sweeping modernization of USAO-DC's Case Management System.
Jeffrey Wojcik
Department Chief, SCGCCIU
District of Columbia
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Petula Coon
Derek Meeks
Supervisor IT Specialist
District of Columbia
Executive Office for United States Attorney and
the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Kori Arsenault
Paralegal Specialist
District of Columbia
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Roopa Dasari
IT Specialist
District of Columbia
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Jessica Moffatt
Program Analyst (Chief of Staff)
District of Columbia
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Alex Reber
Information Technology Program Manager
Office of the Chief Information Officer
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Synopsis:
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia (USAO-DC) Matrix Implementation Team led a sweeping modernization of the office’s long-outdated case management system, culminating in the successful deployment of the Matrix platform in 2025.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TECHNOLOGY OR PRIVACY
Group Name:
Immigration Enforcement Efficiency Enhancement
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional innovation in developing real-time mobile and case management technologies to track immigration, TCO, and FTO enforcement data for the DOJ.
Brandon J. Leach
Branch Chief/Intelligence Research Specialist Geospatial and Intelligence Systems Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and
Explosives
Christopher Bailey
Katherine E. Brady
Richard M. Nieto
Project Officer
Spartan Program Management Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Gregory W. Dreaper
National Geospatial Program Manager
Geospatial and Intelligence Systems Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Cory J. Schleyer
Intelligence Operations Specialist Geospatial and Intelligence Systems Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
John Cook
Project Manager
Spartan Program Management Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Synopsis:
The Immigration and TCO Enforcement Data Modernization Team is nominated for the Attorney General’s Award for Excellence in Technology for their transformative work in establishing a real-time data collection ecosystem supporting high-priority DOJ and Administration initiatives. To address the urgent need for accurate intelligence on immigration enforcement operations, Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs), and Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs), the team developed a dual-front technological solution. The team conceptualized and deployed the ATF’s mobile application for operational reporting, allowing Special Agents to transmit real-time data on arrests, geolocations, and interagency support directly from the field. This innovation replaced labor-intensive manual reporting, significantly reducing administrative overhead and providing Executive Leadership with immediate operational visibility.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FURTHERING THE INTERESTS OF U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY
This award recognizes a special act or service that has greatly contributed to furthering the interests of national security by protecting citizens and infrastructure, contributing to successful high-profile investigations, or participating in prosecutions in the areas of foreign counterintelligence, terrorism, or espionage.
Group Name:
Miami Field Division Counternarcotic Cyber Investigations Task Force (CCITF)
Award Citation:
Excellence in furthering the interests of U.S. National Security by Assisting with the U.S. fentanyl epidemic and the DEA “One Pill Can Kill” Program.
Synopsis:
This team is nominated for its historic achievement in working to thwart the global fentanyl supply chain by targeting China and India-based chemical manufacturers who played a key role in the manufacturing, selling, and importing ton quantities of fentanyl precursor chemicals into the U.S.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LEGAL SUPPORT
This award recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of legal support to attorneys.
Awards Citation:
Honored in Excellence in Legal Support
Tria Yang
Legal Assistant
Baltimore Immigration Court
Executive Office for Immigration Review
Synopsis:
Since 2016, Ms. Yang has been a cornerstone of both detained and non-detained dockets at the Baltimore and York Immigration Courts. As a subject matter expert, she was the cornerstone of the Immigration Court’s electronic file pilot program, Judicial Tools, translating complex court needs into functional IT updates that now benefit the entire agency.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
This award recognizes outstanding administrative or managerial achievements (e.g., human resources, financial management, information technology, and general non-legal administrative support).
Award Citation:
Exceptional administrative support in leading the reorganization of several hundred employees to the Criminal Division.
Brandon M. Morrison
Chief Administrative Director
Office of Administration
Criminal Division
Synopsis:
Brandon Morrison was integral in planning and executing a series of complex reorganizations into and within the Criminal Division in 2025.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Award Citation:
Excellence in the administrative support of efforts to combat violent crime in New Mexico.
Amanda L. Walmsley
Investigative Analyst
Albuquerque III Field Office
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Synopsis:
Investigative Analyst (IA) Amanda Walmsley is an ideal team player – humble, hungry, and smart. Since joining ATF, IA Walmsley’s work ethic and enthusiasm have been invaluable, ensuring that the work she supports is carried out efficiently, and with the necessary resources. She embraces the duties of her position and is always the first to volunteer for assignments of all shapes and sizes, including those that many would perceive to be tedious or undesirable.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
Award Citation:
Honored for her unwavering commitment to the Federal Bureau of Prisons and her excellence in providing administrative support.
Amilene Wachter
Warden Secretary
Federal Correction Complex Allenwood
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
Synopsis:
Ms. Wachter is a dedicated government employee with over 28 years of exemplary service. As the Complex Warden’s Secretary, she manages complex-level meetings and events, executive scheduling, budget oversight, Community Relations Board coordination, Administrative Remedies, Sentence Reduction and Compassionate Release processing under the First Step Act, and ensures all documentation is accurate and ready for Warden approval.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR TOP K-9 OR K-9 TEAM
This award recognizes outstanding work done by a federal service K-9 or K-9 Team in support of the Department’s mission and every day encounters with the real world.
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional service in linking violent crime cases through K-9 ballistic evidence recovery in Houston, TX.
Jim Osburg
Special Agent Canine Handler
Houston Field Division
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
K-9 Lady
Canine
Houston Field Division
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Synopsis:
Special Agent Jim Osburg and ATF K9 Lady have established themselves as one of the most effective K9 teams supporting violent crime investigations in the Houston area. During FY 2025, they conducted 160 evidence-related searches, recovering more than 843 pieces of ballistic and firearms evidence and generating 123 NIBIN hits.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR TOP K-9 OR K-9 TEAM
Award Citation:
Honored for actions of SACH Michael McGrath, through his training, intuition, heroism and overall courage, saved countless law enforcement officer’s lives that morning.
Michael McGrath
Special Agent Canine Handler
Kansas City Field
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
K-9 Diggs
Canine
Kansas City Field
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Synopsis:
SACH McGrath and his canine partner, “Diggs,” were responsible for assisting not only ATF, but the surrounding State, Federal and local partner agencies in the search and recovery of explosives, and ballistic and firearm related evidence at the scenes of violent crimes. SACH McGrath and his actions saved the lives of several St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Officers on the morning of May 9, 2025.
THE JOHN MARSHALL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LITIGATION
This award recognizes outstanding professional achievement by attorneys only of the U.S. Department of Justice. The award is designed to recognize attorneys outstanding achievement either in trial or litigation, participation in litigation or support of litigation.
Group Name:
Curtailing Universal Injunctions Litigation Team
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional service in advancing arguments at all levels of the judicial system to curtail universal injunctions.
Curtis E. Gannon
Deputy Solicitor General
Office of the Solicitor General
Harry S. Graver
Vivek Suri
Assistant to the Solicitor General
Office of the Solicitor General
Brandley A. Hinshelwood
Assistant Director
Appellate Staff
Civil Division
Kathleen C. Jacobs
Trial Attorney
Federal Programs
Civil Division
Sharon M. Swingle
Deputy Director
Appellate Staff
Civil Division
Derek L. Weiss
Trial Attorney
Appellate Staff
Civil Division
Synopsis:
In Trump v. CASA, Inc., the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision limiting the use of universal injunctions, holding that such injunctions exceed the judicial power of courts unless necessary to provide a named plaintiff with complete relief. Before this decision, plaintiffs challenging government policies could obtain nationwide injunctive relief in a single court, effectively blocking implementation of policies across the entire country on an expedited basis. This practice allowed plaintiffs to forum-shop by filing lawsuits in jurisdictions they perceived as favorable, requiring the government to prevail in every case, while plaintiffs needed to win only once. The DOJ litigation team defended multiple simultaneous lawsuits challenging the Executive Order and strategically developed arguments addressing the constitutional merits as well as the scope of injunctive relief itself.
THE JOHN MARSHALL AWARD FOR PROVIDING LEGAL ADVICE
This award recognizes an attorney or group furnishing sound legal opinions and expertise, supported by appropriate documentation and research, in areas involving significant litigation or matters of importance to the Government.
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional service in securing the expulsion of 55 High-Value Fugitives and Cartel Leaders under Mexico’s National Security Law.
Bethany A. Allen
Jorge A. Kotelanski
Trial Attorney
Office of International Affairs
Criminal Division
Rocio Zamudio
Department of Justice Attache’
Office of International Affairs
Criminal Division
Synopsis:
OIA oversaw the first two transfers of high-priority fugitives from Mexico to the United States under Mexico's National Security law. The first transfer of 29 fugitives from Mexico occurred in February 2025, followed by a second transfer of 26 fugitives in August 2025. Transferred fugitives included Rafael Caro Quintero, who organized the torture and killing of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena-Salazar and Abdual Karim Conteh, the leader of an organization responsible for smuggling migrants from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
THE JOHN MARSHALL AWARD FOR APPELLATE LITIGATION
This award recognizes the entire spectrum of legal efforts involved in presenting the Government’s major cases in appellate courts, including the presentation of oral arguments, and supervising or participating in the preparation of written briefs.
Group Name:
Global Health Council v. USAID Litigation Team
Award Citation:
Honored for Appellate Litigation to the Global Health Council v. USAID Litigation Team.
Zoe Jacoby
Assistant to the Solicitor General
Office of the Solicitor General
Christopher Edelman
Sean Janda
Joshua Schopf
Brian Springer
Indraneel Sur
Trial Attorney
Civil Division
Daniel Tenny
Senior Level Appellate Counsel
Civil Division
Synopsis:
The team is nominated for its extraordinary work on Global Health Council v. USAID. This litigation arose out of the President’s determination that certain previous foreign-aid spending does not reflect American values and interests and his direction to relevant agencies to ensure that, moving forward, those funds are disbursed to support programs that align with the President’s policy priorities.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR ASSET FORFEITURE
This award recognizes outstanding legal efforts or other actions by employees from any Component of the Department in support of the Government’s asset forfeiture programs.
Group Name:
The Venezuela Tanker Seizure Team
Award Citation:
Honored for investigating and seizing three oil tankers that were used by Venezuela, Iran, and others to Generate Revenue for Terrorist Organizations.
Margaret Moeser
Chief
Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section
Criminal Division
Michael DiLorenzo
Deputy Chief
District of Columbia
Executive Office for United States Attorney
and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Sean Heiden
Acting Deputy Chief
Counterintelligence and Export Control Section National Security Division
Gene Patton
Deputy Chief
Money Laundering, Narcotics, and Forfeiture Section
Program Operations Unit
Criminal Division
Rajbir Datta
Assistant United States Attorney
District of Columbia
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Cindy R. Burnham
Special Agent
Minneapolis Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Synopsis:
The Venezuela Tanker Seizure Team is nominated for the Attorney General’s Award for Asset Forfeiture for its extraordinarily successful investigations and seizures of three very large crude carrier (VLCC) oil tankers that were used by Venezuela, Iran, and others to generate revenue in support of rogue regimes and terrorist organizations. The team demonstrated exceptional creativity, perseverance, determination, and dedication to the pursuit of justice and in helping enforce the President’s oil quarantine imposed against the illegitimate Maduro regime in Venezuela.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR FRAUD PREVENTION
This award recognizes those who have been involved with the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud and other white-collar crimes.
Group Name:
Operation Gold Rush
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional service in the investigation and prosecution of over $10 Billion Health Care Fraud Scheme by a Transnational Criminal Organization.
Andres Q. Almendarez
Sara E. Porter
Leonid Sandlar
Trial Attorney
Fraud Section
Criminal Division
Patrick Gifford
Data Analyst
Fraud Section
Criminal Division
Kevin P. Lowell
Shankar Ramamurthy
Assistant Deputy Chief
Fraud Section
Criminal Division
David C. Nelson
Assistant U.S. Attorney
District of Connecticut
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Sarah Calgreen
Deputy U.S. Marshal
District of Connecticut
United States Marshals Service
Synopsis:
A nationwide investigation known as Operation Gold Rush resulted in the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department. These charges were announced in the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey, and included charges brought against defendants who were apprehended in Estonia as a result of international cooperation with Estonian law enforcement and defendants who were arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico, cutting off their intended escape routes as they attempted to avoid capture.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING EXTERNAL CONTRIBUTIONS
This award recognizes individuals or teams who have demonstrated exceptional dedication and skill in fostering collaboration between government agencies and community stakeholders to enhance public safety or have rendered exceptionally helpful assistance to the Department in high-visibility litigation.
Award Citation:
Honored for outstanding external contributions in support of animal welfare.
Lauree Simmons
President and Founder
Big Dog Ranch Rescue
Synopsis:
Right before January 1, 2026, Lauree Simmons, the founder of Big Dog Ranch Rescue, received horrific information about animal abuse happening at a Texas breeding ranch with more than 100 dogs living in squalor. Within hours, Ms. Simmons and her team brought the matter to the attention of the Department of Justice. The FBI and USDA then executed a search warrant, deeming the dogs unsafe to remain on the property. Ms. Simmons and her organization ultimately saved more than 50 German Shepherds, placing many in loving homes and housing the rest.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S RISING STAR AWARD
The Attorney General’s Rising Star Award is designed to recognize individual attorneys who have five years or less post law school and significant professional achievements and contributions to the federal government and the Department of Justice mission.
Award Citation:
Honored for leading the office in indictments, sentencings, and jury trials, indicting 60 cases, 86 defendants, and reviewing hundreds of warrants.
Mac Caille L. Petursson
Assistant United States Attorney
District of Alaska
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Synopsis:
In her first year as an AUSA, 2024, Ms. Petursson indicted 34 cases against 37 defendants, reviewed 131 postal drug interdiction warrants, conducted one jury trial. In her spare time, she authored an article on courtroom psychology for the October 2024 issue of the DOJ Journal of Federal Law and Practice. In 2025, she indicted 26 cases against a total of 49 defendants, including two complex white collar fraud cases, a seven-defendant OCDETF/HSTF fentanyl conspiracy, a five defendant Lacey Act conspiracy, two cartel-related drug conspiracies, and five child sexual exploitation cases. She reviewed an additional 164 postal parcel warrants, more than double the number handled by the rest of the office combined. She received a regional award from the Postal Inspection Service for her exemplary work. In 2025, she led the office in case openings, pending cases as lead counsel, and was in the top three in sentencings. She authored a second DOJ Journal article, this time on international cooperation in cybercrime prosecutions in the March 2025 issue.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S RISING STAR AWARD
Award Citation:
Honored for the Attorney General’s Award for a rising star for the Civil Division’s Appellate Staff.
Derek L. Weiss
Trial Attorney
Appellate Staff
Civil Division
Synopsis:
Derek Weiss, an attorney on the Civil Division’s Appellate Staff, is widely recognized as a rising star at the DOJ. Mr. Weiss, who attended Yale Law School after a decade-long career in private equity, joined the Department in October 2024 following clerkships with Hon. Kevin Newsom on the Eleventh Circuit and Hon. Neomi Rao on the D.C. Circuit. He immediately became an essential part of the litigation team defending some of the Department’s most significant matters to date.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S RISING STAR AWARD
Award Citation:
Honored for outsized role to protect houses of worship utilizing and pursuing the criminal investigation of a nationally significant assassination.
Orlando Sonza
Counsel
Office of the Assistant Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
Synopsis:
Counsel Orlando Sonza has rapidly distinguished himself taking on an outsized role pursuing three critical, priority matters. First, Mr. Sonza played a pivotal role in United States v. Party for Socialism and Liberation, et al., the first civil FACE Act case ever brought by DOJ to protect a house of worship, arising from an attack against a synagogue in West Orange, New Jersey. Second, Mr. Sonza continues to help lead the ongoing federal investigation into the assassination of Charlie Kirk, one of the most sensitive and consequential matters currently handled by the Civil Rights Division. Lastly and most recently, Mr. Sonza was instrumental in helping lead the investigation and indictment of Don Lemon et al. in the case involving an attack on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.
THE EDWARD H. LEVI AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONALISM AND EXEMPLARY INTEGRITY
This award honors the memory and achievements of former Attorney General Edward H. Levi, whose career as an attorney, law professor and dean, and public servant exemplified these qualities in the best traditions of the Department.
Award Citation:
Recognized for exceptional service in responding to violent protest in Los Angeles.
Frances S. Lewis
Chief, General Crimes
Central District of California
Executive Office for United States Attorney
and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Synopsis:
General Crimes Section Chief AUSA Frances Lewis exemplifies the best traditions of the Department of Justice in showing dedication, leadership, and courage in mobilizing the response of the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California to the civil unrest in Los Angeles arising out of federal immigration enforcement actions. Since June 2025, Chief Lewis and the General Crimes Section have filed criminal complaints against over 100 individuals who have committed violence at protests or otherwise tried to interfere with federal immigration enforcement, including by assaulting federal officers.
THE EDWARD H. LEVI AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PROFESSIONALISM AND EXEMPLARY INTEGRITY
Award Citation:
Recognized for outstanding professionalism and exemplary integrity in the performance of duties.
Michael Moran
ReEntry Affairs Coordinator
FMC Devens
Bureau of Prisons/Federal Prison System
Synopsis:
In September 2024, Reentry Affairs Coordinator Michael Moran demonstrated exceptional professionalism, integrity, and leadership by conceptualizing and leading the development of a virtual Pre/Reentry presentation designed to educate newly sentenced individuals and their families about the federal incarceration and reentry process.
WILLIAM FRENCH SMITH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO COOPERATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT
This award honors the memory and achievements of former Attorney General William French Smith for his establishment of Law Enforcement Coordinating Committees and his outstanding efforts in promoting law enforcement cooperation and coordination throughout the Nation. The William French Smith award recognizes state and local law enforcement officials who, through their participation in cooperative interagency efforts, have made significant contributions to law enforcement endeavors and objectives.
Group Name:
D.C. Metropolitan Police Department D.C. Crime Emergency Leadership
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional law enforcement cooperation by providing instrumental efforts in developing an interagency infrastructure and execution framework.
Jeffrey W. Carroll
Chief of Police
D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
Jason Bagshaw
Commander
Special Operation Division
D.C. Metropolitan Police Department
Synopsis:
The United States Marshals Service (USMS) nominated the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department D.C. Crime Emergency Leadership Team consisting of Chief of Police Jeffrey Carroll and Commander Jason Bagshaw of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for the William French Smith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative Law Enforcement for their exceptional leadership and instrumental efforts developing the interagency operational concept, infrastructure, and execution framework.
WILLIAM FRENCH SMITH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS TO COOPERATIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT
Award Citation:
Recognized for excellence in cooperative law enforcement for Spearheading Federal Surge Efforts and Securing $727M in Department of Homeland Security Funding to Support Agents and Title 8 Enforcement.
Colin M. McDonald
Assistant United States Attorney
California Southern District
Executive Office for United States
Attorney and the Office of the United States Attorneys
Synopsis:
Colin is recommended for the William French Smith Award for Outstanding Contributions to Cooperative Law Enforcement. Over the past year, Colin has made significant contributions to cooperative law enforcement endeavors by spearheading the Department's surge efforts, overseeing a portfolio of law enforcement components, participating in the DC Safe & Beautiful Law Enforcement Hiring efforts, establishing and securing $15 million in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) One Big Beautiful Bill funding for Special Act Awards process for Law Enforcement staff supporting Title 8 Immigration Enforcement, and securing $712 million in funding from DHS Homeland Security Task Forces One Big Beautiful Bill funding to support agents in the Department’s law enforcement components.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING JUSTICE AWARD
This award recognizes individuals or teams who have made exceptional contributions to the investigation and resolution of long-standing cold cases. It honors the dedication, persistence, and investigative excellence required to revisit unresolved cases and pursue justice years—sometimes decades—after the original investigation.
Group Name:
US v. James Williams (Murder-for-hire)
Award Citation:
This award recognizes exceptional service in the investigation and prosecution of conspiracies to commit murder for hire in Michigan.
Mark S. Bilkovic
Tare Wigod
Assistant United States Attorneys
Criminal
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the United States Attorneys
Synopsis:
In 2013, Clifton Page was bound with duct tape and executed in his home in Detroit, Michigan. Three years later, Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Bilkovic and A. Tare Wigod began their investigation of this murder. Through a multi-year investigation—and an immense amount of hard work— the AUSAs solved the murder of Page, five other cold-case murders, and three attempted murders.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING JUSTICE AWARD
Group Name:
Bowling Green, Kentucky Cold Case
Award Citation:
This award recognizes excellence in cold case resolution for using advanced forensic DNA to solve the 1996 abduction of Morgan Violi and secure justice after thirty years.
Kyle G. Bumgarner
Assistant United States Attorney
District of Western Kentucky
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the United States Attorneys
Brian P. Butler
First Assistant United States Attorney
District of Western Kentucky
Executive Office for United States
Attorney and the Office of the United
States Attorneys
Renee S. Chouinard
Special Agent
Louisville Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
David Grimsley
Detective
Bowling Green Police Department Criminal
Investigations Division
William B. Kurtz
Supervisory Special Agent
Louisville Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Eric L. Stroud
Special Agent
Louisville Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Laura M. Stump
Intelligence Analyst
Louisville Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Synopsis:
On July 24, 1996, seven-year-old Morgan Violi was abducted while playing outside her apartment complex in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Despite an immediate and extensive search, the case remained unsolved for decades, leaving a family and community without answers. Years later, investigators revisited the evidence (one which was fiber recovered from Morgan’s hair) using advanced forensic DNA technology, uncovering new leads that ultimately identified a suspect, Robert S. Froberg.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR COMMITMENT TO ADVANCING JUSTICE AWARD
Group Name:
Operation Sombra De La Bestia (Shadow of the Beast)
Award Citation:
This award recognizes excellence in the use of multiple investigative techniques and multi-agency collaboration for the investigation of four gang cold-case murders during Operation Sombra De La Bestia (Shadow of the Beast).
Brian N. Dobbins
Chief, Special Prosecutions
Southern District of Florida
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the United States Attorneys
Elena Smukler-Dominguez
Assistant United States Attorney
Southern District of Florida
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Manolo Reboso Jr.
Executive Assistant United States Attorney
Southern District of Florida
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the United States Attorneys
Hayden P. O’Byrne
Special Counsel to the
United States Attorney
Southern District of Florida
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Nathan K. Ferguson
Supervisory Special Agent
Miami Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Robert Drake
Detective
Palm Beach Sheriff’s Office
Andrew Gianino
Detective
Broward County Sheriff’s Office
Davis Hernandez
Juan Miranda
Border Patrol Agent
Kentucky Western District
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Ashley L. Law
Paralegal
Southern District of Florida
Executive Office for United States Attorney and the Office of the U.S. Attorneys
Synopsis:
Awarded for their efforts in a multi-jurisdictional investigation focused on a series of four unsolved gang related murders committed by MS-13 members between November 2014 to October 2015.
THE MARY C. LAWTON LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD
This award recognizes employees who have served at least 20 years in the Department and who have demonstrated high standards of excellence and dedication throughout their careers.
Award Citation:
Honored for demonstrating exceptional creativity and legal analysis to make the best use of electronic evidence in the Department's most important cases.
Nathan Judish
Trial Attorney
Computer Crime & Intellectual Property Section
Criminal Division
Synopsis:
Over the last 25 plus years, nothing has transformed the law or life more than computers. During that time, Nathan Judish has been the United States’ leading expert on the law of electronic evidence. Nathan has argued numerous cases of first impression before Magistrate Judges, District Judges, and a majority of the Courts of Appeals (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Circuits, including end banc arguments), in addition to preparing the Office of Solicitor General in a number of cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL HEROISM
This award recognizes exceptional heroism designed to recognize an extraordinary act of courage or voluntary risk of life during the performance of duty.
Award Citation:
Honored for bravery and selfless extraordinary act of courage or voluntary risk of life during the performance of duty.
John Thompson
Special Agent
Cleveland Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Synopsis:
On July 23, 2025, FBI SA John Thompson responded with two Lorain detectives to the scene of what was later determined to be an ambush of police by a bad actor. The shooter pulled his car into a cul-de-sac in a position perpendicular to the police cruisers, exited his vehicle and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle, mortally wounding Officer Phillip Wagner and then retreated to his car and pulled out a cache of semi-automatic rifles in various firing positions around his vehicles. SA Thompson arrived at the scene and was met with rifle shots fired in his direction. SA Thompson observed Officer Brent Payne running toward him and away from the shooter, who was still firing at Officer Payne. SA Thompson observed Officer Payne struck by bullets and go down. SA Thompson bravely and courageously ran in the direction of the gunfire to reach the downed officer and remove him from the barrage of oncoming fire. SA Thompson applied lifesaving first aid in the form of a tourniquet to Officer Payne’s arms, and injured leg and then removed the officer to the hospital. The Captain who oversaw the investigation told the FBI Cleveland Executive Management that SA Thompson’s actions undoubtedly saved Officer Payne’s life.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
This is the second highest award granted by the Attorney General and recognizes outstanding service and commitment to the Department.
Group Name:
Southwest Border Group 1
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional service in dismantling major cartel-linked Operating in U.S. and abroad.
Synopsis:
Southwest Border Group 1 (SWB1) of the Los Angeles Field Division (LAFD) displayed exceptional service in furtherance of the DEA’s mission by its investigations into multiple Narco Terrorist Groups operating in locations such as Mexico, Colombia, Spain, South America, France, Belgium, Canada, and the United States.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Group Name:
Joint Task Force Vulcan (JTFV)
Award Citation:
Honored for distinguished service in the investigation and prosecution of Foreign Terrorist Organizations MS-13 and Teren de Aragua (TdA).
Christopher A. Easton
Jacob E. Warren
Co-Director
Joint Task Force Vulcan
Office of the Deputy Attorney General
Jeremy I. Franker
David C. Smith
Deputy Director
Joint Task Force Vulcan
Office of the Deputy Attorney General
Angel L. Martinez
Chief of Intelligence
Joint Task Force Vulcan
Office of the Deputy Attorney General
Andrew K. Chan
Julie A. Childress
Katelan M. Doyle
Gilberto Guerrero Jr.
Jason M. Harley
James Keller
Kelly J. McGann
Jacob H. Operskalski
Josephine W. Thomas
Jun Xiang
Trial Attorney
Joint Task Force Vulcan
Office of the Deputy Attorney General
Synopsis:
Collectively, the nominees enabled a coordinated national takedown in December 2025 spanning the Districts of Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, the Southern District of New York, and the Southern District of Texas, charging more than 70 TdA leaders and members in a unified enforcement action.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S AWARD FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE
Award Citation:
Honored for exceptional service during the DCA Midair Collision involving a commercial aircraft and a U.S. Army UH-60-L helicopter, resulting in 67 fatalities.
Timothy J. Dietz
Laura M. Janowski
Supervisory Special Agent
Laboratory Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
John Longmire
Supervisory Special Agent
Cyber Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Bryan T. Johnson
Physical Scientist
Laboratory Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Melissa Lawrence
Joseph G. Marx
Special Agent
Washington Field Office
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Stephen T. Melson
Supervisory Forensic Operations Specialist Laboratory Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Gerald L. Roberts
Forensic Operations Specialist
Laboratory Division
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Synopsis:
FBI Laboratory Division’s Evidence Response Team Unit (ERTU), Technical Hazardous Response Unit (THRU), Disaster Victim Identification Squad (DVIS) as part of the Latent Print Operations Unit (LPOU), and Washington Field Office Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team (USERT), Evidence Response Team (ERT), and Hazardous Evidence Response Team (HERT) are being nominated for their demonstration of extraordinary courage, competence, and professionalism during the response to the DCA Midair Collision involving a commercial aircraft and a U.S. Army UH-60-L helicopter, which resulted in the loss of 67 lives and both aircrafts entering the Potomac River.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S DAVID MARGOLIS AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
This is the highest award granted by the Attorney General within the U.S. Department of Justice. It is named in honor of former Associate Deputy Attorney General, David Margolis, one of the senior-most career employees at the Department of Justice, who served over 50 years in many key roles.
Group Name:
Washington D.C. Safe & Beautiful Task Force - U.S. Marshals Service Leadership Team
Award Citation:
Honored for a successful operation under pressure, delivering record-setting results while leading a prominent federal violent-crime reduction operation.
Gadyaces S. Serralta
Director
United States Marshals Service
Michelle C. Hamilton
Donald Snider
Chief
Investigative Operations Division
United States Marshals Service
David R. Smith
Oscar Torres
Chief
Tactical Operations Division
United States Marshals Service
Tristan Martin
Senior Inspector
Investigative Operations Division
United States Marshals Service
Saturnina Reyes
Assistant Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal
District of Columbia Superior Court
United States Marshals Service
Synopsis:
On August 9, 2025, President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pamela Bondi appointed the U.S. Marshals Service, under the leadership of Director Gadyaces Serralta, to command the Washington D.C. Safe & Beautiful Task Force. Director Serralta established an integrated command team to lead incident, operational, and intelligence functions for this unprecedented federal public safety surge
The Attorney General expresses her appreciation to the following Department officials for their assistance in evaluating the awards nominations. The 2025 award recipients were recommended and selected from a group of highly qualified nominees.
Chairperson
- Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General, Chair or Designee
Members
- Stanley Woodward, Associate Attorney General Office of the Associate Attorney General
- Jolene Ann Lauria, Assistant Attorney General for Administration, Justice Management Division
- Catharine Cypher, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Attorney General
- Hayley Conklin, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the Attorney General
- Francey Hakes, Director, Executive Office for Unites States Attorneys
- Dana Lindblad, Deputy Chief of Staff Office of the Director, United States Marshals Service
Ex Officio Member
- James McHenry, Jr., Acting Principal Associate Deputy Associate Attorney General, Office of the Deputy Attorney General
Executive Secretary
- Jacqueline D. Jones, Executive Officer, Justice Management Division
Armenian Man Extradited to U.S. Faces Charges for Role in Infostealing Malware SchemeRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – An Armenian man made his initial appearance in an Austin federal court Tuesday after being extradited to the U.S. on criminal charges related to his alleged role in an infostealer scheme, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Hambardzum Minasyan allegedly conspired with others to enrich himself by developing and administering RedLine, one of the most prevalent infostealing malware variants in the world, which has previously been used to conduct intrusions against major corporations. When executed, RedLine would steal data, including access devices, from victims’ computers.
A three-count indictment alleges the conspirators maintained digital infrastructure, including C2 servers and administrative panels to enable the deployment of the malware by affiliates, and collected payments from RedLine affiliates, allowing the affiliates to use the infostealer against victims. Additionally, they allegedly responded to questions and requests from actual and potential RedLine affiliates, conspired with each other and affiliates to steal and possess the financial information, including access devices, of victims, and laundered the proceeds of cybercrime through cryptocurrency exchanges and other means.
The indictment alleges that Minasyan registered two virtual private servers to host portions of RedLine’s infrastructure as well as two internet domains in support of the RedLine scheme. He also allegedly created repositories on an online file sharing site that were used to distribute RedLine to affiliates. In November 2021, he allegedly registered a cryptocurrency account that was used to receive payments from RedLine affiliates.
In October 2024, the Department of Justice joined the Netherlands, Belgium, Eurojust and other partners in announcing an international disruption effort against the current version of RedLine Infostealer. International authorities have created a website at www.operation-magnus.com with additional resources for the public and potential victims. At the same time, the Justice Department unsealed charges against alleged co-conspirator Maxim Rudometov, one of the developers and administrators of RedLine Infostealer.
Minasyan is charged with conspiracy to commit access device fraud, conspiracy to violate the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for access device fraud and up to 20 years in prison for the other two counts. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This is a joint investigation by the FBI Austin Cyber Task Force, which consists of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, the DoD Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and Army Criminal Investigation Division, among other agencies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kirk Mangels is prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs secured the arrest and March 23 extradition of Minasyan and provided significant assistance throughout the investigation. The Criminal Division’s International Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property (ICHIP) attorney advisor, who is based at Eurojust in The Hague, also provided assistance.
The Justice Department provides cybercrime technical assistance to foreign law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial partners in other countries through the ICHIP program. Learn more about the Criminal Division’s ICHIP Program, jointly administered by the Criminal Division’s Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section through a partnership between the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, here.
An indictment/criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Tuesday 24 March 2026
Zuni Man Charged with Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was indicted on federal sexual abuse charges related to an alleged assault.
According to court records, on June 11, 2024, Karl Devain Escobar, 33, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, engaged in a sex act with Jane Doe using force and without her consent.
Escobar is charged with sexual abuse and aggravated sexual abuse. He will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Escobar faces up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Mondragon is prosecuting the case.
An indictment or criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Wichita man recently released from state prison sentenced to federal prisonRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Wichita man was sentenced to 120 months in prison for selling methamphetamine to an undercover police officer.
According to court documents, Wayne F. Fleming, 41, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a controlled substance.
In May 2021, Fleming sold drugs multiple times to an undercover officer with the Wichita Police Department. Testing by the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center showed the total amount Fleming sold to the officer to be more than 200 grams of pure methamphetamine.
“Mr. Fleming was federally indicted in 2021, but before a plea agreement was reached, Mr. Fleming went to state prison to serve time for offenses unrelated to the federal case,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “The Department of Justice doesn’t forget. Not long after his release from a state prison, Mr. Fleming is now an inmate in a federal prison.”
The Wichita Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.
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Uruguayan Man Pleads Guilty to Agreeing to Move Money into the U.S. to Circumvent U.S. Sanctions Relating to Venezuelan OfficialsRead the Press Release
A Uruguayan man pleaded guilty today to agreeing to use an unlicensed money services business to circumvent U.S. sanctions relating to Venezuela by transferring nearly $100,000 from the Dominican Republic into a U.S. bank account.
According to court documents, Irazmar Carbajal De Jesus, 60, agreed to transfer approximately $99,500 delivered in cash in the Dominican Republic to a specified bank account in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The agents told the defendant’s partner that the funds were from a sanctioned person from the Venezuela government who needed help moving them to the United States.
Carbajal and his partner advised that the fee would be 20 percent for this service, which included creating fake invoices to justify the transactions to the banks and the use of several accounts to transmit the funds. Carbajal referred to the funds in coded language, identifying them as a “boy who needs to be taken to school.”
Carbajal pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 12 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida, and Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Division made the announcement.
The FBI International Corruption Unit in Miami investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Barbara Levy of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
The Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section’s (MNF) mission is to take the profit out of crime, eliminate drug cartels, and protect the U.S. financial system. MNF pursues criminal prosecutions and criminal and civil asset recovery actions involving: financial facilitators who launder profits for criminals; financial institutions and their officers and employees whose actions threaten the U.S. financial system and financial institutions; international money launderers who support transnational organized crime; and the top command and control of international drug trafficking organizations.
MNF’s International Unit investigates and prosecutes cross-border money laundering schemes involving transnational criminal organizations, cartels, foreign official corruption and related money laundering affecting the U.S. financial system and prosecutes criminal cases and civil forfeiture matters to recover the proceeds of those crimes.
United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda Announces Leadership TeamRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda today announced the appointment of Dulce Donovan to First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island. A veteran federal prosecutor, Ms. Donovan will serve as the office’s second-in-command and oversee day-to-day operations, including criminal prosecutions, civil litigation, and administrative functions across the district.
Ms. Donovan succeeds Assistant United States Attorney Sara Miron Bloom, who served as First Assistant United States Attorney and Acting United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island from February 2025 to March 2026.
“I would like to thank Sara Bloom for her outstanding service to this office and the people of Rhode Island,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “Her leadership, professionalism, and commitment to justice have had a lasting impact, and we are grateful for her many contributions.”
Ms. Donovan has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of Rhode Island since 2001 and brings more than two decades of experience prosecuting complex criminal matters, including fraud and other white-collar offenses. She currently serves in the Criminal Division and has led significant investigations and prosecutions involving financial crimes, health care fraud, and public corruption. From 2023 to 2025, she served as Assistant General Counsel in the Executive Office for United States Attorneys in Washington, D.C., advising United States Attorneys offices nationwide on employment, ethics, and compliance matters.
Leadership Team
Stacey A. Erickson will continue in her role as Criminal Chief. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in August 2019 and has prosecuted violent crime, human trafficking, complex fraud, and narcotics trafficking cases. She has also served as the office’s Homeland Security Lead Task Force Attorney, the former Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Coordinator and Human Trafficking Coordinator. She was named Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division in 2022. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Erickson served as a state prosecutor in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office for 25 years.
John P. McAdams has been appointed as Deputy Criminal Chief. He has served as a federal prosecutor since 2002 and most recently served as the Senior Litigation Counsel (SLC) for the District of Rhode Island. He has previously served in senior roles with the Department of Justice’s Tax Division. Mr. McAdams also served as a Trial Attorney and as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Former Criminal Division Chief Lee Vilker will assume the role of Senior Litigation Counsel, where he will assist prosecutors with complex investigations and cases, and provide training and mentorship to attorneys within the Criminal Division. A federal prosecutor for more than two decades, Mr. Vilker has handled complex white-collar cases and prosecuted a wide range of criminal conduct. He was recognized with the Attorney General’s Director Award for his work on a high-profile multimillion dollar fraud prosecution.
Kevin M. Bolan will continue to serve in his role as Civil Division Chief, overseeing the United States’ civil litigation, including defensive matters and affirmative civil cases. Prior to joining the office in 2023, Mr. Bolan was a partner at White & Case, LLP, where he handled complex civil and criminal matters.
Lauren S. Zurier continues to serve as Chief of Appeals, a position she has held since December 2019. Ms. Zurier litigates the district’s criminal cases in the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She previously served as an appellate prosecutor for over two decades in the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office.
“This leadership team is defined by experience, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to justice,” said United States Attorney Calenda. “I am confident they will continue to lead this office with strength and purpose as we confront complex criminal activity, protect our communities, and carry out our mission on behalf of the people of Rhode Island.”
Two Brothers Charged with Firearm Offenses After Federal Agents Seize Cache of 40+ Firearms, Including Uzi Submachine Gun, Fully-Automatic Pistol, Short-Barreled Rifles, and Silenced AR-15 Style Pistol from Kalihi ResidenceRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that brothers Skyler Supapo, 24, and Sebastian Supapo, 20, of Kalihi, Hawaii, were arrested and charged last Friday for illegally possessing firearms.
According to the criminal complaint, following an investigation into online social media accounts and suspicious parcel shipments, federal agents obtained a search warrant for a residence in Kalihi. During the execution of that search warrant, federal agents recovered a total of 44 firearms.
Among the 44 firearms, were an Uzi Submachine gun, a pistol with an installed machinegun conversion device, at least two firearms with obliterated serial numbers, two short-barreled rifles, an AR-style pistol with an installed suppressor/silencer, and one firearm suppressor/silencer. Photographs of some of the firearms are included below:
The Supapo brothers are charged with possession of a machinegun; possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number; and possession of an unregistered National Firearms Act firearm. If convicted of the charged offenses, the defendants face up to 5 years in prison for possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and up to 10 years in prison for the other two charges, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
The charges in the criminal complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. In the case of conviction, any sentence would be imposed by a United States District Judge based on the statutory sentencing factors and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The FBI and the United States Postal Service Office of the Inspector General are investigating the case, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Honolulu Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barbara Eucker and Michael Albanese are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Trinitarios Gang Member Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Gunpoint Robberies, Including A Robbery That Resulted in A MurderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that GIBRAN GUERRERO, a/k/a “Cojito,” was sentenced yesterday to 27 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield for participating in several gunpoint robberies as part of his membership in the violent gang known as the Trinitarios, including a robbery that resulted in the murder of Johnny Gaston. GUERRERO previously pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy and two counts of use of a firearm during and in relation to the robberies.
“For too long, the Trinitarios have used intimidation, robbery, and deadly force to terrorize communities,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The defendant and his fellow gang members carried out a series of brazen, gunpoint robberies and, in December 2022, lured victims into an ambush that left one man dead, and another seriously wounded. He is now where New Yorkers want him—in prison for 27 years. Today’s 27-year sentence sends a clear message that gang violence will be met with significant consequences.”
As alleged in statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
From at least in or about 2021 up to and including 2023, GUERRERO was a member of the Trinitarios gang. In order to fund the gang, protect its territory, and promote its standing, members of the Trinitarios, including GUERRERO, engaged in, among other things, robberies, frauds, narcotics trafficking, and other acts of violence, including murder.
On December 15, 2022, GUERRERO and other Trinitarios members lured two victims to a location in the Bronx and robbed them. During the robbery, one of the victims, Johnny Gaston, was shot and killed. The other victim was shot but survived.
In addition, on or about July 30, 2022, and September 26, 2022, GUERRERO and other Trinitarios members participated in gunpoint robberies of several victims located in the Bronx.
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In addition to the prison term, GUERRERO, 22, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and the New York City Police Department.
The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Ly, with assistance from former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mathew Andrews and Rushmi Bhaskaran, is in charge of the prosecution.
Three Indicted for Involvement in Stolen Identity and Bank Fraud RingRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Donny Bernard Ross, 49, Elizabeth Ann Rogers, 39, and Vontavius Jamaal Bradley, 23, all of Pensacola, Florida, were indicted by a federal grand jury charging them with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, use of a false passport, and aggravated identity theft. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
All three defendants appeared for their arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Zachary C. Bolitho on March 18, 2026, in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 4, 2026, before United States District Court Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
If convicted, each defendant faces up to 30 years’ imprisonment on the conspiracy to commit bank fraud count; up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the use of a false passport count; and a mandatory two years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence on the aggravated identity theft count.
The case was a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Alicia H. Forbes is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Texas Tax Preparer Pleads Guilty to Tax Crime as Part of False Return SchemeRead the Press Release
AUSTIN, Texas – A Texas return preparer pleaded guilty today to filing false federal tax returns on behalf of clients.
The following is according to court documents and statements made in court: From approximately January 2019 to October 2022, Subhala Suresh worked at a tax preparation firm where she prepared false federal tax returns for clients that included false expenses designed to reduce the taxes her clients owed to the IRS. As a result of these false expenses, Suresh’s clients received refunds to which they were not entitled. Based on the false tax returns she filed, Suresh admitted to causing a tax loss to the United States between $250,000 and $550,000.
This plea follows recent guilty pleas of three other Texas return preparers. Mathews Chacko, Anish Pillai and Mou Kundu all prepared false federal tax returns as part of the same scheme. Chacko previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and admitted that the conspiracy caused a total tax loss exceeding $3.5 million but less than $9.5 million. Pillai previously pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return and admitted that he caused between $1.5 million and $3.5 million in losses to the United States. Kundu also previously pleaded guilty to filing a false tax return and admitted that she caused between $250,000 and $550,000 in losses to the United States. All four individuals will be sentenced at a later date.
Suresh pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison as well as a period of supervised release, restitution and monetary penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Marissa R. Brodney and Michael L. Jones of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, Tax Section, are prosecuting the case.
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Texas Man Sentenced for Damaging Bluefield Federal BuildingRead the Press Release
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Will Adrian Samuels, 48, of Jefferson, Texas, was sentenced today to time served and ordered to pay $1,990.84 in restitution for destruction of government property.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 19, 2023, Samuels repeatedly threw objects at two glass exterior doors located at the front of the Elizabeth Kee Federal Building in Bluefield, West Virginia, causing more than $1,000 in damage.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the United States Marshals Service (USMS) and the assistance provided by the Mercer County Sheriff's Office and the Wytheville, Virginia, Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph 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. 1:24-cr-195.
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Sutter Facilities Agree to Pay $3.2 Million to Resolve Alleged Controlled Substances Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sutter Medical Center, Sacramento, and Sutter Fairfield Surgery Center have agreed to pay $3.2 million to resolve allegations that they failed to effectively guard against theft and diversion of controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. This settlement relates to allegations of the entities’ collective commission of at least 628 violations of recordkeeping and security requirements under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
The United States contends that these two Sutter-affiliated entities violated the CSA by, among other violations, failing to: notify the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of theft or loss, keep accurate records of controlled substances, complete biennial inventories, maintain complete controlled substance order records, and provide effective controls against diversion. The investigation was initiated following the death of a pediatric anesthesiologist.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to hold health care providers accountable for failing to effectively guard against the diversion of potentially dangerous controlled substances,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “Our community deserves the right to place its trust in health care providers that dispense controlled substances and to know that they adhere to and apply the right safeguards to ensure safety around those products.”
“DEA registrants play a critical role in protecting the public and that responsibility starts with strict compliance to the Code of Federal Regulations,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge, Bob P. Beris of the San Francisco Field Division. “If a company chooses to ignore these obligations, it puts communities at risk and undermines the safeguards designed to keep the public safe. DEA holds registrants accountable and in turn, expects them to keep the public safe.”
The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Thiess assisted in completing the resolution on behalf of the United States.
A copy of the settlement agreement is available here:
smcs_and_sfsc_settlement_agreement_executed.pdfThe claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Stamford Man Charged with Distributing Crack While Released on Bond in Another Federal CaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DANNY TURKVAN, also known as “Smooth” 54, of Stamford, has been charged with distributing crack cocaine after he had been sentenced in another federal case and prior to reporting to prison.
On August 13, 2025, Turkvan was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 46 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for his participation in a southwestern Connecticut narcotics trafficking conspiracy. Turkvan, who was released on a $150,000 bond, was ordered to report to prison on October 16, 2025.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, an investigation revealed that Turkvan continued to distribute narcotics after his August 2025 sentencing. Stamford Police arrested Turkvan on state charges on October 11, 2025, and seized crack cocaine that he intended to distribute.
On March 3, 2026, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Turkvan with possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and for committing the offense while on pre-trial release, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of up to 10 years.
Turkvan has been detained since his arrest. He appeared yesterday in Bridgeport federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges.
This investigation is being conducted by the Stamford Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
St. Clair County tax preparer accused of submitting false returnsRead the Press Release
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. – A tax return preparer who worked in St. Clair County is facing several federal charges for allegedly making intentional false statements on tax return forms to defraud the Government.
A federal grand jury returned a nine-count superseding indictment charging Dormeshia A. Haire, 38, of St. Charles, Missouri, with three counts of fraud and false statements on tax returns, three counts of wire fraud and three counts of aiding and abetting in submitting false and fraudulent return.
“The American tax system depends on everyone doing their part to follow the law. Cheating the tax system is no victimless crime because honest taxpayers are left to pay the price alone," said U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft. “Our office will make sure everyone lives up to their obligations, so the system works as intended.”
Charged originally in April 2024, Haire was accused of underreporting her personal employment income in her tax returns for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The superseding indictment alleges Haire also committed wire fraud and submitted false information to the Government by reporting fraudulent business expenses on behalf of her tax clients.
IRS-Criminal Investigation Assistant Special Agent in Charge Melissa McFadden said, “The majority of return preparers provide great service to their clients and prepare honest, accurate returns. But there are dishonest tax preparers who file fraud-filled and false returns to steal from the government and defraud their own clients. Avoid shady tax preparers at all costs because when they get caught, you could be on the hook for the damage they cause.”
An indictment is merely a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Haire faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.
IRS Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Howard is prosecuting the case.
Southwest Ohio man sentenced to 30 years in prison for child pornography crimes including secretly recording young girls, filming sex with teenagerRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – A Hamilton, Ohio, man who secretly recorded young girls nude and committed hands-on offenses of a teenager was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 360 months in prison.
Johnathan Brown, 34, hid outside bedroom windows and placed cameras inside a laundry basket to record minors after they exited from showers. He told victims he needed to see their bodies for “medical reasons.”
According to court documents, Brown also groomed a teenager, starting when she was 15 years old, eventually soliciting pictures and sexual behaviors from the victim. The defendant used emotional ploys of suicide or self-harm to manipulate the teenager. He also filmed himself having sex with the victim.
In August 2024, when he was discovered at a Dayton hotel with the teenaged victim, Brown led law enforcement on a prolonged, multi-jurisdiction, high-speed chase that required the deployment of stop sticks, the Ohio State Patrol Aviation team and SWAT. Brown drove his truck into a moving train and, even then, did not surrender to authorities but engaged in an hours’ long standoff with law enforcement until he was forced to exit his vehicle due to the deployment of tear gas and a K9 officer.
Brown pleaded guilty in October 2025 to producing and attempting to produce child pornography.
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.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, and Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit, announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas R. Cole. Assistant United States Attorneys Kyle J. Healey and Danielle E. Margeaux are representing the United States in this case.
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South Charleston Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Kanawha County Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Andre Marvin Marneal Jenkins, also known as “Meech,” 28, of South Charleston, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jenkins admitted to his role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) responsible for distributing quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Jenkins arranged to distribute fentanyl pills to a co-conspirator who intended to redistribute those pills to a customer. Jenkins also assisted a co-conspirator in the distribution of fentanyl powder to a customer. On April 10, 2025, law enforcement officers encountered Jenkins when they executed a search warrant at a Charleston apartment and seized a quantity of fentanyl and a loaded Glock 17 9mm pistol from Jenkins’ possession. Jenkins also possessed a key to a storage unit in Dunbar. Officers executed a search warrant on that storage unit and recovered over 5,300 pills containing fentanyl and other substances, along with three additional firearms.
Jenkins is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to life in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $2,250,000.00
Jenkins is among 16 individuals indicted as the result of a federal investigation on charges alleging they participated in the distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine in the Charleston area between June 2024 and May 2025. Seven defendants in the main indictment pleaded guilty including Jenkins. Four additional defendants pleaded guilty in separate cases that resulted from the investigation. The indictment against the remaining defendants is pending. 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 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), 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 Joseph R. Goodwin presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy B. Wolfe is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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-78.
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Sinaloa Cartel Member Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A Mexican national and member of the Sinaloa Cartel, who was involved in a major methamphetamine and cocaine distribution organization out of Monroe, Georgia, and discussed his frustration with no longer receiving “busloads” of illegal drugs and preparing for a visit by the son of Sinaloa’s leader was sentenced to serve more than 15 years in prison for his crime resulting from an Operation Take Back America investigation led by the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations.
Jose Guadalupe Favela, 68, a citizen of Mexico and legally in the United States as a resident of Riverdale, Georgia, and formerly of Monroe, Georgia, was sentenced to 188 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Tilman E. “Tripp” Self, III on March 9. Favela pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine on Sept. 22, 2025.
"Jose Favela was a significant operative in the Sinaloa Cartel, responsible for facilitating the distribution of massive quantities of deadly drugs into Georgia," said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. "Thanks to the relentless efforts of the FBI and HSI, we dismantled this cartel pipeline and brought these criminals to justice."
"Jose Favela was a key member of the Sinaloa Cartel's drug trafficking operation, responsible for bringing deadly methamphetamine and cocaine into Georgia. His actions fueled a dangerous pipeline, impacting communities across the state," said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent of FBI Georgia’s Macon office. "Thanks to the tireless efforts of the FBI and HSI, this criminal enterprise has been dismantled, and those responsible for flooding our streets with illegal drugs will face justice."
“This sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Investigations and our partners to protect Georgia from the dangers posed by cartels and their drug trafficking operations,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Working alongside the FBI and local law enforcement, HSI agents dismantled a major criminal network, preventing massive quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from reaching our communities. We remain dedicated to safeguarding Georgia’s families and neighborhoods from violent crime and illegal drugs.”
Favela’s co-conspirators have all pleaded guilty and been sentenced to prison for their crimes:
Diego Garcia, 28, of Mexico and an illegal alien, was sentenced to 188 months in prison on Jan. 17, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 7, 2023;
Luis Mejina Pina, aka “La Perra,” 32, of Richmond, California, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on Dec. 3, 2025, after he pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Sept. 18, 2025; and
Juan Pablo Torres, 32, of Mexico and an illegal alien, was sentenced to 48 months in prison on July 2, 2024, after he pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to facilitate possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine on March 15, 2024.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, FBI and HSI agents used a confidential informant to engage in consensual monitoring of conversations with Favela at Bold Springs Road in Monroe on Dec. 6, 2021, targeting Favela, who lived at the ranch. Favela was under investigation for distributing large quantities of illegal drugs through his connections with the Durango cartel, an operational arm of the larger Sinaloa cartel, a violent Mexico-based organized crime group.
During the recorded conversation, Favela claimed he had stored up to 800 kilograms of marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine between the Monroe Ranch and another location known as the Grayson Ranch, located in the Northern District of Georgia. During multiple recorded conversations, Favela discussed his many years of importing controlled substances from Mexico and shared that he was disappointed that he was no longer receiving “busloads” of illegal drugs. Agents understood that this past activity had occurred at a location in Lamar County, Georgia.
At one point in late 2021, Favela was recorded saying that he and other cartel members were not actively importing and distributing illegal drugs in his area for a few weeks because they were preparing for the arrival of Ovidio Guzman Lopez, aka “El Raton,” a prominent member of the Sinaloa Cartel and son of Juaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, who was then a fugitive. Favela suggested that he and others did not want to draw law enforcement attention that might lead to El Raton’s capture while he was visiting them in Georgia. Ultimately, Favela reported that El Raton changed his plans due to a snowstorm in Georgia.
At the request of a confidential informant working with federal agents, Favela contacted co-conspirator Pina to order kilograms of “frio,” which is slang for methamphetamine. Favela wanted $1,000 for brokering the deal and future deals between the CI and Pina. As a result, the FBI and HSI conducted three controlled purchases facilitated by Favela for methamphetamine and cocaine on Dec. 19, 2021, Sept. 29, 2022, and Oct. 6, 2022.
During the transactions involving Favela and Pina, the other co-conspirators were involved at different times, including Pina instructing the CI to meet with Garcia in January 2022 to purchase a kilogram of methamphetamine at the Grayson Ranch. During that transaction, Garcia agreed to sell the CI up to ten kilograms of methamphetamine and a kilogram of cocaine. Garcia communicated with Torres approximately 158 times between May and September 2022; Torres was taken into custody with Garcia on Oct. 26, 2022, during the controlled purchase of more than four kilograms of methamphetamine at a gas station in Flowery Branch, Georgia. At their arrest, Garcia and Torres admitted they were in the United States illegally, and that they were living and working at the Grayson Ranch. Garcia acknowledged he had a criminal record in California and Torres admitted he was deported approximately three months prior to the arrest.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The FBI and HSI investigated the case.
Criminal Chief Leah McEwen prosecuted the case for the Government.
Seattle Man Sentenced for Mailing Fentanyl Pills to OmahaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Alvin Mitchell, 38, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced on March 20, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. Chief United States District Court Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Mitchell to 15 years in prison. There is no parole in the federal system. After Mitchell’s release from prison, he will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
In November 2024, an FBI task force began investigating co-defendant Duane Walker Jr. as a fentanyl pill dealer in Omaha. On February 3, 2025, investigators seized a USPS package destined for an address in Omaha, which was later determined to belong to Walker’s grandmother. Investigators searched the package pursuant to a warrant and found almost 5,000 fentanyl pills inside.
A postal inspector determined the package was mailed from Seattle by Mitchell. Postal records uncovered seven earlier packages that were mailed from Seattle to the same address in Omaha dating back to October 2024. Cell phone evidence secured pursuant to search warrants uncovered text message conversations between Walker and Mitchell about the packages. At sentencing, Mitchell was held responsible for a drug weight equivalent to approximately 29,000 fentanyl pills based off the weights of the earlier packages. The cell phone evidence also showed Mitchell had mailed packages of similar weights to Utah and Missouri.
Mitchell faced a mandatory minimum sentence enhancement because of a prior federal drug trafficking conviction from 2013 involving thousands of Percocet pills.
Walker, 29, of Omaha, was sentenced on March 12, 2026, to 235 months’ imprisonment. Almost $50,000 cash seized from Walker will be forfeited to the United States as proceeds of drug trafficking.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Omaha Police Department, and the United States Postal Inspection Service.
San Diego Man Sentenced to Three Months for Smuggling 17 Protected Parrots and ParakeetsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Ricardo Alonzo of San Diego was sentenced in federal court to three months in prison for smuggling protected parrots and parakeets into the United States without the required quarantines designed to prevent the spread of diseases.
At a hearing yesterday, Alonzo was also ordered to pay $3,262 in restitution to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the care and quarantine of the parakeets. Three of the 17 smuggled birds died.
“This defendant used illegal smuggling practices that disregarded the laws of the United States, the lives of the birds he was smuggling, and wildlife within the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon. “Our office is committed to holding accountable anyone who endangers wildlife and the public.”
“This investigation highlights the critical work our law enforcement officers undertake to protect wildlife and natural resources from exploitation,” said Assistant Director Doug Ault of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement. “Alonzo undermined the vital conservation of vulnerable populations of Burrowing Parakeets, Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots, and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots by illegally removing them from their habitat and smuggling them into the U.S., circumventing controls meant to prevent the entry of zoonotic diseases and other pathogens into the U.S. This investigation demonstrates the strong collaboration between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of Justice in bringing wildlife traffickers to justice.
U.S. Department of JusticeAccording to court records and evidence presented in court, Alonzo crossed the border on May 4, 2025, at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. During inspection, the defendant lied and twice stated that he had nothing to declare. The defendant’s lies were uncovered in secondary inspection, when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer noticed some lunch box-sized bags hidden under the rear seat of the car. The bags contained three chickens and 17 juvenile birds—the birds were later identified by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service inspector as 10 Burrowing Parakeets (Cyanoliseus patagonus), five Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots (Amazona ochrocephala), and two Red-Lored Amazon Parrots (Amazona autumnalis). The parakeets and parrots were juvenile birds of differing ages, likely between one week and a few months old, some of them appearing young enough that they could not yet fully walk.
Burrowing Parakeets (Cyanoliseus patagonus) are local to Chile and Argentina, whereas Yellow-Crowned Amazon Parrots (Amazona ochrocephala) and Red-Lored Amazon Parrots (Amazona autumnalis) are native to Mexico, the West Indies, and northern South America. All three species are protected and listed under Appendix II to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The lawful importation of these parrots and parakeets requires the importer to follow a process, and the birds must be subject to quarantine before they can be introduced into the United States. Many animals have diseases that can be transferred to humans (zoonotic diseases) or other animals, which can have disastrous health effects. For example, birds can carry and spread avian influenza (bird flu), psittacosis, and histoplasmos. Bird flu is highly contagious and can cause flu like symptoms, respiratory illness, pneumonia and death in humans and other birds including the United States poultry farms. There are many other diseases that can be transmitted from different animals and have disastrous effects, which is why it is necessary to quarantine animals entering the United States to limit and safeguard against this potential disease transmission.
One of the juvenile birds the defendant hid in his car and illegally imported
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabet F. Brown.
DEFENDANT Case Number 25CR2234-AJB
Ricardo Alonzo Age: 27 San Diego, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Unlawful Importation of Wildlife – 16 U.S.C. §§ 3372(a)(2)(A) and 3373(d)(1)(A)
Maximum penalty: Five years in custody, $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Office of Law Enforcement
Homeland Security Investigations
Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Salvadoran national has pleaded guilty in federal court today to illegally reentering the United States after having been previously removed following his 2022 conviction for Aggravated Sexual Battery with a Child Under 13.
Jose Antonio Del Cid, 54, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to one count of unlawfully returning to the United States after removal subsequent to being convicted of an aggravated felony. Del Cid was previously convicted of Aggravated Sexual Battery with a Child Under 13 in Fairfax, Va., in 2022. He was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of two years and he was deported to El Salvador in 2023 upon completion of his sentence.
On Oct. 11, 2025, Del Cid was arrested in Grandview, Mo., by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations following an arrest for trespassing.
Under federal statutes, Del Cid is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole and a maximum fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
Del Cid has been and will remain in custody pending his sentencing hearing.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Enforcement & Removal Operations.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Francisco Castro Jr., 27, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between March 2022 and June 2022, Castro distributed 3 pounds of methamphetamine.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is conducting the investigation with assistance from the California Highway Patrol and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Haddy Abouzeid is prosecuting the case.
Castro is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. Castro faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $10 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Russian cybercriminal sentenced to prison for using a “botnet” to steal millions from American businessesRead the Press Release
DETROIT – A Russian national was sentenced yesterday to twenty-four months in prison after having pleaded guilty to managing the operation of a botnet (a network of computers infected by malware and controlled remotely by cybercriminals) that was used to launch ransomware attacks on the networks of dozens of U.S. corporations, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. and Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Division.
Ilya Angelov, 40, of Tolyatti, Russia was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Edmunds, who also fined Angelov $100,000 and entered a money judgment against him in the amount of $1.6 million dollars.
According to court records, between 2017 and 2021, Angelov — who used online monikers including “milan” and “okart” — co-managed the Russia-based cybercriminal group designated by the FBI as Mario Kart. Private security researchers have used other designations for this group, including TA-551, Shathak, GOLD CABIN, Monster Libra, ATK236, and G0127.
Angelov’s group built a network of compromised computers (a “botnet”) through distribution of malware-infected files attached to spam emails. Angelov and his co-manager then monetized this botnet by selling access to individual compromised computers (“bots”). This access was sold to other criminal groups, who typically engaged in ransomware extortion schemes: locking victims out of their computer networks and demanding extortion payments — commonly in cryptocurrency — to restore access.
The FBI has identified over 70 U.S. corporations that were infected with ransomware by one organization linked to Angelov’s group, resulting in over $14 million in extortion payments. Another group that distributed ransomware paid Angelov’s group over a million dollars for access to the Mario Kart botnet.
“Foreigner cybercriminals like this defendant target American citizens and corporations. Their methods grow in sophistication. But their motive remains the same — to rip-off and harm us. We are grateful to the FBI and our other partners for their continued vigilance,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“May this sentencing serve as a strong message to cyber criminals who believe they can hide behind screens and false identities: you cannot escape the FBI’s reach. You will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “This successful investigation reflects the FBI’s ongoing commitment to identifying, tracking, and dismantling the criminal networks that financially exploit individuals and U.S. corporations. I would like to thank the FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force for their exceptional work in this investigation and to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for ensuring justice was achieved.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Detroit Cyber Task Force with the assistance of the Dutch and German authorities whose collaborative efforts resulted in the successful prosecution of this case. The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided critical assistance in this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Wyse.
Russian Citizen Sentenced to Federal Prison for Hacking into U.S. Companies and Enabling Major Cybercrime Groups to Extort Tens of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA- Aleksei Volkov, 26, of St. Petersburg, Russia, has been sentenced to 81 months in federal prison for assisting major cybercrime groups, including the Yanluowang ransomware group, carry out numerous attacks against U.S. companies and other organizations. Volkov facilitated dozens of ransomware attacks throughout the United States, causing over $9 million in actual losses and over $24 million in intended losses.
Volkov was indicted for this activity in both the Southern District of Indiana and Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Police in Rome, Italy arrested Volkov and he was extradited to the United States, where he pleaded guilty to unlawful transfer of a means of identification, trafficking in access information, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft; as well as two counts from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indictment, namely, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after the two cases were consolidated in the Southern District of Indiana.
According to court documents, Volkov was an “initial access broker,” that is, a person who specializes in gaining unauthorized access to computer networks and systems of corporations and organizations and selling that access to other cyber threat actors such as ransomware groups. Volkov scoured computer networks and systems for vulnerabilities, identified ways to access those networks and systems without authorization, and sold that illicit access to conspirators who were also cybercriminals.
Volkov’s conspirators then infected computer networks and systems to which Volkov had given them access with malware. This malware encrypted the victims’ data and prevented the victims from accessing it, damaging their business operations. The conspirators then demanded that the victims pay them a ransom in cryptocurrency—sometimes in the tens of millions of dollars—in exchange for restoring the victims’ access to the data and promising not to publicly disclose the hack or release victims’ stolen data on a “leak” website. In some cases, the victims paid the ransom and in others the conspirators posted the victims’ confidential data on the leak site. If the victims paid the ransom, Volkov received a share of the money.
As part of his plea, Volkov admitted that he and his co-conspirators hacked into numerous victims’ computer networks, stole their data, deployed ransomware, demanded payment in cryptocurrency to exchange for restoring access to the data, and divided the ransom payments among themselves. In fact, they demanded tens of millions of dollars in ransom and received millions. Volkov agreed to pay full restitution to victims including at least $9,167,198.19 to known victims to compensate them for their actual losses as well as to forfeit equipment he used for his crimes.
“This case shows the strength and determination of our federal prosecutors and partners to protect American companies from global cybercriminals. If you assist ransomware groups in targeting our businesses, we will use the vast resources of the federal government to ensure you face the full force of the United States justice system,” Tom Wheeler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.
“This conviction sends a strong message: the FBI will relentlessly pursue cybercriminals who target U.S. companies and consumers,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’Malley. “We are taking these criminals off the streets, disrupting global extortion networks, and defending American businesses and citizens from cyber threats.”
“The defendant in this case helped set in motion cybercrime attacks targeting dozens of U.S. companies and organizations, including ones by the notorious Yanluowang ransomware group,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant thought he could hide behind a keyboard and evade justice, working with others to extort tens of millions of dollars in ransom payments. The Department of Justice will continue to pursue cybercriminals like Mr. Volkov wherever they operate and ensure that they face consequences for their actions.”
The FBI investigated this case with valuable assistance provided by The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and law enforcement authorities in Italy. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge James R. Sweeney II.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and Matthew B. Miller, as well as Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut Edward Chang (on detail to CCIPS), and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wolfe for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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Ringleader of Fentanyl Trafficking Network Sentenced in Orchestrating Drug Imports from Federal Prison CellRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Samuel Braxton, 57, aka “Fats,” of Temple Hills, Maryland, was sentenced today to 162 months in federal prison for leading a drug trafficking organization that imported and distributed massive quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and heroin in the Washington metropolitan area — all while he was incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Braxton pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and 100 grams or more of heroin. In addition to the prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Braxton to serve five years of supervised release.
“Braxton’s criminal history spans 36 years and includes four drug trafficking convictions. In his latest offense, he orchestrated an international narcotics pipeline—all while inside a federal prison cell,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Now, Braxton will spend more than 13 additional years behind bars. Together with the DEA and our law enforcement partners, we will hold traffickers at every level of the production and distribution chain accountable.”
According to court documents, Braxton was the top and unifying member of a drug trafficking conspiracy involving at least eight individuals that operated from at least July 2021 until November 2023.
Using a contraband cell phone from his housing unit at Fort Dix where he was serving a sentence for a prior federal drug conviction, Braxton brokered connections between foreign nationals who supplied kilogram quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, and heroin, and co-conspirators Wayne Glymph and Ronnie Rogers, who received, cut, repackaged, and redistributed the drugs throughout the Washington area. Court-authorized wiretaps were placed on Braxton's contraband phone, and the phone was ultimately seized from his housing unit by law enforcement during the investigation.
Braxton introduced Glymph to foreign drug suppliers and introduced Glymph to Rogers — a former prison acquaintance — for the purpose of acquiring and redistributing the imported narcotics. Braxton coordinated shipment tracking, communicated with suppliers about drug payments, and arranged for his share of the proceeds to be paid to his daughter. Wiretap recordings captured Braxton complaining to Rogers that Glymph was interfering with his cut of the drug proceeds, asking, "when's my allowance going to get like it's supposed to be?"
Over the course of the conspiracy, law enforcement intercepted communications between Braxton, Glymph, and Rogers coordinating the shipment of kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin to addresses in the Washington metropolitan area. Authorities seized or recovered more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl nearly two kilograms of a fentanyl analogue known as p-Fluorofentanyl, and more than 236 grams of heroin.
Individual seizures included parcels of about one kilo of fentanyl intercepted at a UPS facility in Landover, Maryland, after investigators tracked the shipments through wiretap intercepts. The drugs traveled from foreign sources through domestic shipping hubs in California, Texas, and Florida before reaching their destinations in the Washington area.
In November 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at residences associated with Rogers and Glymph in the District, Charles County, Maryland, and District Heights, Maryland, seizing additional kilogram quantities of fentanyl and heroin.
Braxton's criminal history spans 36 years and includes four drug trafficking convictions, two of them federal. He and Glymph previously were convicted together in the District of Maryland of conspiracy to distribute heroin, cocaine base, and PCP, for which Braxton received a 24-year sentence. It was while serving that sentence that Braxton organized and directed the instant conspiracy.
Co-conspirators Wayne Glymph, 59, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, was sentenced Jan. 14, 2026, to 13½ years in federal prison. Michael Stewart, 61, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced Dec. 22, 2025, to 71 months in prison. Kevin Quattlebaum, 59, was sentenced Oct. 21, 2025, to 142 months in prison.
Ronnie Rogers, 71, who is scheduled for sentencing on March 31, faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life. Michael Owens, 38, of St. Charles, Maryland, pleaded guilty Dec. 8, 2025; sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2026.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, Chief Tarrick McGuire of the Alexandria Police Department, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the DEA Washington Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George's County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff's Office, Arlington County Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey.
23cr394
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced for Receipt of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
RENO – A Reno man who is a registered sex offender was sentenced on Monday by United States District Judge Anne R. Traum to 60 months in prison to be followed by 15 years of supervised release for receiving child sexual abuse material images and videos after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) forwarded a CyberTip to law enforcement. The United States Sentencing Guidelines range for this offense was 151 to 188 months. The government had recommended a 151-month sentence to be followed by Lifetime supervised release.
According to court documents, beginning about June 6, 2024, William Alan Barragan Diaz downloaded and possessed images and videos of child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at his residence and found child sexual abuse material files on his cell phones. Some of the images and videos analyzed were of children under 12 years of age engaged in sexually explicit conduct and intercourse with adults. In total, over 6,200 images and over 400 videos of child sexual abuse material were recovered from the two electronic devices seized from Diaz.
“A registered sex offender who received thousands of child sexual abuse images and videos was sentenced to the mandatory minimum penalty,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada. “As part of the Justice Department’s Project Safe Childhood initiative to combat child sexual exploitation, we remain committed to working with the Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force to protect young children and bring child predators to justice.”
“Mr. Diaz was a serious threat to children due to his repeated exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office. “This sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the FBI and our partners to justice for vulnerable victims. Few situations are more urgent than when a child is at risk. Those who exploit children cause lasting harm, and possessing and trading child sexual abuse material only continues the abuse.”
In addition to imprisonment, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Diaz will be required to register as a sex offender and keep the registration current.
This case was investigated by the Northern Nevada Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force comprised of the FBI, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, the Sparks Police Department, and the Washoe County Sheriff's Office. Assistant United States Attorney Randolph J. St. Clair prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report an online child sexual exploitation offense, call 911 or go NCMEC’s CyberTipline at report.cybertip.org.
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Rapid City Woman Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, woman convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 23, 2026.
Alice High Rock, 33, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
High Rock was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May 2025. She pleaded guilty on December 8, 2025.
On April 9, 2025, Rapid City Police Department received reports that High Rock was driving a vehicle while intoxicated and discharging a firearm. Law enforcement tracked the vehicle to a residence where High Rock was located and found her in possession of a stolen pistol. High Rock was previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in custody. It is a federal crime to possess a firearm after such a conviction.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
High Rock was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 15 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 23, 2026.
Zachariah Highelk, 35, was sentenced to 15 years and eight months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Highelk was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in February 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 3, 2025.
Between 2019 and 2024, Highelk took trips to Colorado and Washington to meet with his sources of supply to purchase bulk amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl. He would then return to Rapid City, SD, and begin distributing the drugs to others in the community.
Highelk was responsible for multiple pounds of methamphetamine and thousands of fentanyl pills being distributed throughout the Rapid City community, spreading on to Indian reservations in the State.
“This was an incredible takedown by South Dakota and federal law enforcement that we believe put a substantial dent in the drug trade,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “For any methamphetamine or fentanyl ingested in western South Dakota over the past several years, there is a decent chance it passed through this drug dealer’s hands at some point. He will spend the next fifteen years reflecting on that from a federal prison cell. On to the next.”
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Unified Narcotics Enforcement Team (UNET), the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. UNET is comprised of law enforcement from the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office, the Rapid City Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the South Dakota National Guard. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige Petersen prosecuted the case.
Highelk was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Pryor Man Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
A Pryor man was sentenced today for Involuntary Manslaughter in Indian Country, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Aaron Douglas Brixey, 27, to 72 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
In February 2025, Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers responded to a multi-car crash. Two motorists rear-ended by a silver car called 911 to report the accident and said the driver who caused the wreck drove from the scene. Moments later, the same silver vehicle rear-ended a third car, causing it to roll, ejecting and killing Matthew Gatewood.
Troopers located the silver car emitting smoke and assisted Brixey from the driver's seat. Court documents show that Brixey smelled of alcohol, was unsteady on his feet, and beer cans were visible in the vehicle. When medical personnel attempted to treat Brixey, he became combative. He was detained by troopers and placed in a patrol unit, where Brixey yelled and banged his head against the window.
A warrant for Brixey’s blood was obtained. His blood alcohol concentration was 0.171, more than twice the legal limit. Toxicology further revealed that THC was also detected in his blood.
Forty-five days prior to causing the death of Matthew Gatewood, Brixey was accused of driving while intoxicated, causing another accident that hurt two people. The charges related to that incident are pending in the Cherokee Nation District Court.
Brixey is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and he will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn prosecuted the case.
Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced to over 4 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited PersonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Pine Ridge, woman convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on March 9, 2026.
Bessie Rose Brewer, 33, was sentenced to four years and three months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for the Conspiracy charge, to run concurrent to three years in federal prison for the Firearms Possession charge.
Brewer was indicted for Possession of Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in May 2025. Brewer was subsequently charged by Superseding Information for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine & Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person in November 2025. She pleaded guilty to both charges on November 17, 2025.
In January 2025, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop finding Brewer in the vehicle. During the stop, law enforcement located and seized a pistol from Brewer’s jacket pocket and located a small amount of cocaine in the vehicle. Through further investigation, law enforcement learned Brewer had been receiving cocaine from others and selling that cocaine in the Pine Ridge Reservation.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
This case was investigated by the Badlands Safe Trails Task Force, which is comprised of members from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Edward C. Tarbay prosecuted the case.
Brewer was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Philadelphia-to-Butler Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison on Fentanyl, Heroin, and Cocaine ConvictionsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Butler, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, on his conviction of fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine trafficking, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge Robert J. Colville imposed the sentence on Qureem Overton, 43. Overton was convicted by a federal jury in October 2024 of conspiring to distribute at least 40 grams of fentanyl and quantities of heroin and cocaine, and of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute those substances between January 2017 and June 2020.
According to information presented to the Court, Overton was the leader of a multi-year Philadelphia-to-Butler pipeline for fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine. Overton moved to Butler following his release from state prison sentences for aggravated assault, robbery, and drug trafficking. He then recruited drug dealers, many from the Philadelphia area, to work for him in Butler, and attempted to hide behind those dealers by having them complete drug deals he repeatedly orchestrated.
Assistant United States Attorneys Craig W. Haller and Jacqueline C. Brown prosecuted this case on behalf of the United States.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Pennsylvania State Police, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Butler County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Overton.
Philadelphia Man Who Murdered Gas Station Attendant During Armed Robbery Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Chihean Jones, aka “Cha,” 41, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for two commercial robberies in the city and the murder of a gas station attendant during one of those robberies. Judge Hodge sentenced Jones to life in prison for the murder and 20 years each for the robberies, to be served concurrently.
Jones was charged by second superseding indictment in January 2024 with two counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), murder in the course of using and carrying a firearm, and using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In November of last year, a federal jury found him guilty on all counts.
As detailed in court filings and proven at trial, on August 22, 2022, the defendant drove two other men to a cell phone store on the 100 block of East Olney Avenue. While Jones waited in his Chevrolet Suburban, the two others went inside the store, forced their way into a back room, and stole multiple cell phones. The three men then fled the scene in the defendant’s Suburban.
Then, on January 17, 2023, Jones, accompanied by his girlfriend and two other men, drove the Suburban to a gas station on the 7100 block of Torresdale Avenue, which the group intended to rob. They planned to wait for the gas station attendant to leave the store to smoke a cigarette, at which point the defendant would approach with his .45-caliber pistol. The two men accompanying Jones would zip-tie the attendant and force him back into the station to open the safe.
When the attendant failed to exit, however, the group sent the defendant’s girlfriend into the store to see what was happening and to determine if the men could kick in the door to the register area. After she reported back, the three men entered the store. Immediately upon entering, Jones pushed his pistol under the protective glass and shot the attendant in the back as the attendant tried to run away. Jones and the two men ransacked the store and stole the attendant’s wallet, as he lay dying on the floor.
“The defendant shot an unarmed man in the back because it was easier than chasing after him,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He and his crew then pawed through the victim’s pockets, as he lay dying. In the face of such senseless violence and casual cruelty, this life sentence is richly deserved. We are all safer with Chihean Jones behind bars.”
“Chihean Jones committed a horrific and cowardly act when he shot and killed an innocent victim simply trying to make a living,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “In partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the ATF Philadelphia Field Division will continue to work tirelessly to ensure justice for the victims and to make our communities safer from dangerous criminals like Jones.”
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher Parisi and Amanda McCool.
Philadelphia Man Sentenced for Work in Drug Trafficking OperationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania man was sentenced for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine in the Northern District of West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Ryan Rasheed Shaw, 29, was sentenced to 240 months in prison. Shaw was the point of contact in West Virginia for the operation led by Rodney Johnson in Philadelphia. Shaw was managing the drug business in Morgantown, supplying significant quantities of illicit drugs to local dealers. Shaw was responsible for nearly 3.2 kilograms of methamphetamine and 379 grams of fentanyl.
Johnson, the leader of the drug operation, received an 188-month prison sentence in March of 2025. To date all 24 defendants in the case have been convicted and 18 defendants, including Shaw, have been sentenced thus far.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zelda Wesley prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative. The task force consists of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia State Police; the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office; the Monongalia County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office; the Morgantown Police Department; the WVU Police Department; the Granville Police Department; and the Star City Police Department.
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.
Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to 20 years in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Louisville, KY – A Pennsylvania man was sentenced on March 18, 2026, for transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and online enticement of a minor.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Acting Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office made the announcement.
Bailey Michael Stouter, 23, was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity and online enticement of a minor. The Court ordered Stouter to pay $3,000 in restitution to the victim.
Stouter used a social media application to meet a 14-year-old girl. He arranged to pick the girl up from her home in Bullitt County, Kentucky, to drive her to Pennsylvania for a sexual encounter. A missing person report was issued for the child. A few days later, Stouter was located with the young girl in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner stated, “Online predators are a plague. They manipulate, exploit and abuse our children. Law enforcement will leave no stone unturned in searching for these predators. The United States Attorney’s Office will aggressively prosecute these deviants! Stouter’s deviance cost him 20 years in federal prison and his entire life on supervised release after he completes his 20-year sentence.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was investigated by the FBI with assistance from the Bullitt County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle M. Yannelli prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
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Pakistani National Residing in Southern California Charged with Fraudulently Billing Medicare PlansRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.— The owner of Oregon Clinical Laboratory in Klamath Falls, Oregon, has been charged by criminal complaint with healthcare fraud after allegedly participating in a scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare Advantage insurance plans for laboratory testing services never performed.
Jahangeer Ali, 34, a citizen of Pakistan, made his first appearance on February 27, 2026, in the Central District of California. A detention hearing was held on March 4, 2026, in the Central District of California and Ali was ordered detained pending further court proceedings.
According to court documents, from June 2025 through January 2026, Oregon Clinical Laboratory submitted more than $46 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare Advantage plans. However, no providers actually ordered testing services and none of the Medicare Advantage beneficiaries on the claims actually received testing services from the company. As a result of the fraud, Medicare Advantage plans paid out over $28 million on the fraudulent claims.
On February 26, 2026, Ali was arrested at the Los Angeles International Airport prior to boarding a flight to Turkey with an ultimate destination of Pakistan.
A detention hearing was held today in the District of Oregon and Ali was ordered to remain in custody pending further court proceedings.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General and Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew T. Ho is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Omaha Man Sentenced for Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Officer Involving the Intent to Commit Another FelonyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Osmar Lorenzo-Genchi, 20, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for assaulting, resisting, or impeding officer involving the intent to commit another felony. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lorenzo-Genchi to 22 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lorenzo-Genchi is released from prison, he will begin a 3-year term of supervised release. Lorenzo-Genchi was also ordered to pay $2,284.40 in restitution.
On June 10, 2025, law enforcement encountered Osmar Lorenzo-Genchi at Glenn Valley Foods in Omaha, while executing a civil search warrant. After accounting for all employees, Homeland Security Investigations special agents interviewed them and collected biometrics to verify their legal work status in the United States. Lorenzo-Genchi was identified as a U.S. citizen, his name logged, photograph taken, and he was escorted off the property and released.
Once all identifications were completed, a Deputy United States Marshal driving a law enforcement vehicle, accompanied by two others, attempted to leave the area eastbound on J Street in Omaha. Several members of the public, including Lorenzo-Genchi, obstructed the vehicle’s path by standing in the street and moving in front of the vehicle as it tried to maneuver around them.
The Deputy Marshals stopped their vehicle and got out to clear pedestrians from the roadway. One Deputy Marshal pushed Lorenzo-Genchi to the edge, but he quickly returned to the road and struck the driver’s side mirror of the law enforcement vehicle with his fist, damaging it. When the vehicle tried to leave, Lorenzo-Genchi grabbed the rear windshield wiper and bent it, rendering it unusable. A Deputy Marshal then pushed him away. In response, Lorenzo-Genchi turned and spat on the Deputy Marshal.
Lorenzo-Genchi walked west away from the Deputy Marshal and toward departing federal law enforcement. He started throwing rocks and debris at law enforcement vehicles, hitting at least seven in total. One rock shattered the rear passenger side window of an occupied vehicle. Officers exited their vehicles to apprehend him, but the increasing crowd of individuals made it unsafe to do so. Lorenzo-Genchi was later arrested on the federal warrant.
At the time of the assault, the federal law enforcement officers were doing what they were employed by the federal government to do.
U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods said, “Any assault on federal law enforcement officers who are simply carrying out their official duties and following orders to keep our communities safe will result in federal charges. Deputies who serve in the United States Marshals Service like those who were targeted here are an invaluable part of the federal law enforcement community. They apprehend some of the nation’s most dangerous fugitives, and they enforce the federal sex offender registry. These assaults on their deputies cannot be tolerated because it jeopardizes their ability to carry out these critical public safety missions. Justice was done with this conviction and sentence.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Nigerian citizen sentenced for his role in a multimillion-dollar wire fraud schemeRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A 26-year-old man who was in the United States on a Green Card has been sentenced for laundering fraud proceeds through an unlicensed money transmitting business, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Ayobami Omoniyi pleaded guilty Aug. 19, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now ordered Omoniyi to serve 32 months in federal prison and pay $202,273.80 in restitution. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to be removed from the country following his imprisonment. At the hearing, the court heard additional information that Omoniyi had been committing crimes since arriving in the United States and that he had been a recruiter for the scheme.
In 2021, Omoniyi and others operated an unlicensed money transmitting business that received and transferred funds from business email compromise victims, including a fishing company in Australia. Victims received spoofed emails that appeared to come from legitimate businesses and were tricked into sending payments to accounts conspirators controlled.
As part of his plea, Omoniyi admitted he moved money through multiple bank accounts. The funds originated from fraudsters involved in a business email compromise wire fraud scheme.
Omoniyi also acknowledged receiving victims’ funds and, for a fee, transmitting the fraud proceeds to others.
He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the hear future.
FBI-Bryan Resident Agency and Houston Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Australian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Belinda Beek prosecuted the case.
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Operating an Unlicensed Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Jersey man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with his operation of an unlicensed money transmitting business, despite his reason to believe that the funds he received were derived from criminal offenses and were intended to be used to promote and support unlawful activity.
Shadrach Anapalum, 36, of Newark, pleaded guilty to one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business before Senior U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, who scheduled sentencing for June 10, 2026.
Between May and December 2022, Anapalum received approximately $375,000 from at least four victims of online scams. Anapalum generally kept approximately 10 percent of the funds for himself, before transmitting the money elsewhere, including to bank accounts in China and Turkey. In a consensually recorded call with a cooperating witness, Anapalum said he lied to a bank about the nature of the checks he was depositing and agreed that what he was doing was not legitimate.
The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business provides a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks Special Agent in Charge of Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Nebraska Man Sentenced for Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Carlos Lopez Montoya, 32, of Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Lopez Montoya to 240 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Lopez Montoya is released from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
On March 5, 2024, the victim was found unresponsive in an Omaha residence. The Drug Enforcement Administration’s overdose task force investigated the case and was able to track how the fentanyl pills came into the possession of the victim as follows: a co-defendant located in California, sold the pills to Lopez Montoya in Grand Island; who then sold them to co-defendant, Ventura Montoya Gonsalez; who sold them to co-defendant, Asia Blackburn, in Omaha; who sold them to Deyon Downing; who finally sold the pills to the victim before the victim died. The victim’s cause of death was acute acetyl fentanyl, fentanyl fluorofentanyl, paroxetine, and quetiapine intoxication. All the parties were in agreement to distribute fentanyl.
Asia Blackburn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 320 months’ imprisonment. Ventura Montoya Gonsalez and Deyon Downing were each sentenced to 240 months’ imprisonment. An arrest warrant for one co-defendant remains active.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Overdose Task Force.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Fraudulently Obtain Visas for Alien ‘Victims’ of Staged CrimesRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Mexican national has pleaded guilty in federal court before U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips for role in a conspiracy to stage numerous armed robberies so that the purported victims of these crimes, who were illegal aliens in the United States, could use their status as crime victims to fraudulently obtain visas.
Jose Luis Morales Salgado, 37, residing in Kansas City, Mo., a citizen of Mexico, was charged in a criminal complaint filed under seal in the U.S. District Court on Jan. 30, 2025. The criminal complaint, which was unsealed and made public following Salgado’s arrest and initial court appearance, charged Salgado with participating in a conspiracy to fraudulently obtain immigration visas. On Feb. 6, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Salgado and co-defendant Oscar Gutierrez on the same charges.
On March 24, 2026, Salgado pleaded guilty to conspiring to fraudulently obtain immigration visas for aliens. Salgado admitted that immigrants contacted Salgado to arrange for themselves to become “victims” of staged robberies so they could submit applications for U-Visas, which are granted to crime victims. These immigrants, who were either illegally present in the United States or in the United States legally through work visas, paid Salgado thousands of dollars to participate. In exchange, Salgado directed them to the location of a planned staged robbery. Salgado also admitted that he recruited individuals to pose as robbers during the staged robberies and provided directions to those individuals.
Salgado admitted that each robbery involved aliens who later told police they had car trouble, pulled over and got out of their vehicle to diagnose the car trouble. Soon after stopping, another vehicle would arrive and park next to, or in front of, the purported victim’s vehicle. The “robber”, wearing a medical mask over his face and brandishing a firearm, would strike the purported victims in the head or face, take their cash and typically fire two rounds into the purported victim’s vehicle.
Investigators with the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department initially identified 11 incidents in which the reported robberies followed this pattern. These cases were linked to each other, based in part, on leads generated from the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN utilized ballistic imaging technology to compare cartridge case markings on the expended cartridges from each crime scene. Detectives determined there was likely one firearm used in the commission of all the robberies. Detectives gathered information from city cameras and license plate readers to identify the vehicles used in the robberies, the affidavit says, which led them to Gutierrez.
Salgado instructed the aliens to falsely report to law enforcement officials how the robberies occurred and advised them how to make these false reports to bolster their applications for U-Visas.
The Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act was designed to strengthen the ability of law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute certain crimes while also protecting victims of crimes who are willing to help law enforcement authorities in the investigation or prosecution of the criminal activity. A foreign national is eligible to receive a U-Visa if they were the victim of qualifying criminal activity, suffered substantial physical or mental abuse because of having been a victim of the criminal activity, possessed information about the criminal activity, and was likely to be helpful to law enforcement in the investigation or prosecution of the crime.
According to court documents, a source told investigators the number of purported victims involved in the scheme was well over 100. Court documents also indicate that investigators identified 11 robberies involving 33 purported victims that occurred as part of the conspiracy between Dec. 29, 2021, and July 13, 2024. Of those 33 immigrants, 18 submitted U-Visa applications falsely claiming to be victims of violent crimes.
An undercover federal agent and a law enforcement source met with Salgado on Jan. 22, 2025, and recorded their meeting. The undercover agent planned to pay Salgado $4,000 for a robbery to be staged to fraudulently obtain a U-Visa. Salgado told the undercover agent he would “put on a grand show.” Once the plans were agreed upon, the undercover agent paid Salgado $500 with a promise to pay the balance later. The undercover agent met with Salgado again on Jan. 30, 2025, and Salgado was arrested.
Under federal statutes, Salgado is subject to a sentence of up to 5 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trey Alford. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Operation Take Back America
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.
Massachusetts Man Arrested at Charlotte Airport Sentenced to 15 Years for Transportation of Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A Massachusetts man arrested at Charlotte Douglas International Airport was sentenced to 15 years in prison today for transporting child sexual abuse material (CSAM), announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Mark M. Zito, Special Agent in Charge of HSI in North Carolina and South Carolina, joins U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Jossue Ovidio Tejada, 31, of Nantucket, was ordered to serve 15 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Tejada was also ordered to register as a sex offender after he is released from prison and to pay $79,300 in restitution.
“If you possess child sexual abuse material, you will be caught,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “My office is dedicated to protecting children, and we seek long sentences for those who harm and exploit them.”
According to court records, on March 1, 2024, Tejada flew into Charlotte on an international flight from the Dominican Republic. During an inspection at Passport Control, a Customs and Border Patrol Officer conducted a border search of Tejada’s phone. Upon opening one of the messaging apps on the phone, the officer discovered message threads related to CSAM. Court records show that Tejada’s phone was submitted for a forensic examination. The analysis of the phone revealed it contained 4,162 files of CSAM, 7,500 identified as child erotica, 52 files depicting S&M of minors, 418 files depicting sexual abuse of infants or toddlers, 24 files depicting bestiality with minors, and 1,550 files depicting CSAM of children under the age of 12. In addition, court records indicate that Tejada actively chatted with others to solicit, pay for, and distribute CSAM.
In sentencing Tejada, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell said, “This is about as serious an offense as it gets. . . . What is depicted in those videos actually happened.”
Tejada remains in custody pending placement at a federal facility by the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked HSI for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Cervantes of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte handled the prosecution.
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.
Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
A man who sexually exploited children and received child pornography pled guilty on March 23, 2026, in federal court in Cedar Rapids. Steven William Acklin, age 28, formerly from Waterloo, Iowa, was convicted of sexual exploitation of children and receipt of child pornography.
At the plea hearing, Acklin admitted that between January 2024 and September 2024, Acklin persuaded, induced, and enticed multiple minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing visual depictions of that conduct. Between October 2023 and November 2024, he received child pornography.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Acklin remains in custody of the United States Marshal pending sentencing. Acklin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 50 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 25-CR-2058. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Louisiana Woman Charged and Agrees to Plead Guilty in Pandemic Relief SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Louisiana woman has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to her alleged involvement in a multi-state scheme to obtain millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for herself and others by submitting fraudulent applications to PPP lenders.
Lisa Lemoine, 38, of Bossier City, La., was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging document, Lemoine allegedly conspired with Sniders Jean-Jacques, Lorne Johnson, Tanya Pierre, Ashley Spike and others to submit fraudulent PPP applications on behalf of borrowers and to collect up to 30 percent of the loan proceeds as a fee for securing the loans. Beginning in March 2021, Lemoine and others allegedly recruited borrowers who were ineligible for PPP loans, claimed the borrowers operated businesses that qualified them for loans and created fake tax forms to backstop the borrowers’ fraudulent applications. As a result, Lemoine and others allegedly obtained PPP funds to which she and the borrowers were not entitled. The indictment also alleged that the borrowers who received PPP funds based on these fraudulent applications paid kickbacks to Lemoine and others, commonly in an amount equal to 30 percent of the loan proceeds.
Jean-Jacques, Johnson, Pierre and Spike were charged in a separate indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to this scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Special Agent in Charge of the Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region; and Randy Maloney, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, among other methods, augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the Department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Lincoln Man Sentenced on Methamphetamine and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Michael Lee Gragg, 52, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 19, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and use, carry, and possession of a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Gragg to 120 months’ imprisonment on the conspiracy charge to be followed by 60 months’ imprisonment on the firearm charge. There is no parole in the federal system. After Gragg’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Information provided to law enforcement indicated that between November of 2024 and January of 2025, Gragg was involved in the distribution of methamphetamine with other persons in the Lincoln area. In November of 2024, the Lincoln Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force facilitated the purchase of one-ounce quantities of methamphetamine on two occasions from Gragg. In December of 2024, two purchases were made of methamphetamine, totaling approximately ¾ ounce, from Gragg in one day. During the second purchase, Gragg also sold a 9mm pistol. On January 7, 2025, investigators followed Gragg to Omaha where Gragg met with his suspected source and drove to a house where they met with a third person. Gragg and his source then drove back to Lincoln in their respective vehicles. Gragg was contacted after he returned to Lincoln. During a search of his pickup, investigators found just under one pound of methamphetamine. Gragg admitted he and his source had just obtained that methamphetamine in Omaha. Gragg had agreed to drive it back to Lincoln where he and his source planned to divide it up.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force.