Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Monday 23 March 2026
Texas Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Sexually Abuse a Child in MexicoRead the Press Release
A Texas woman was sentenced Friday to 25 years in prison and 20 years of supervised release for conspiring with another person to sexually abuse a child outside the United States.
Anika Bywater, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, pleaded guilty on Dec. 10, 2025, to conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. According to court documents and information provided at the sentencing hearing, Bywater was living in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, when she and another person created two separate videos of themselves sexually abusing the victim. Law enforcement officers learned of the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes of the District of Maryland; and Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
The FBI’s Child Exploitation Operational Unit investigated the case. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and the Washington Field Office.
Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood of the District of Maryland 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.
Texas Woman Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Sexually Abuse a Child in MexicoRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Texas woman learned her fate in federal court for her role in conspiring with another person to sexually abuse a child outside the United States.
U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Anika Bywater, 29, formerly of Gonzalez, Texas, to 25 years in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places. In December 2025, Bywater pled guilty to these charges.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, Department of Justice Criminal Division, and Assistant Director Heith Janke, FBI – Criminal Division.
According to court documents, and information provided at the sentencing hearing, while living in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, Bywater and another person created two separate videos of themselves sexually abusing a young child. Law enforcement officers learned of the conduct when they discovered videos of the abuse circulating on the internet.
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 the United States Attorney’s 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 justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI Child Exploitation Operational Unit for its work in the investigation, and the FBI’s law enforcement attaché office in Mexico City and Washington Field Office for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Reema Sood and Acting Deputy Chief Kyle P. Reynolds, Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Texas Resident Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Alan Rodriguez Velazquez, a/k/a Alan Rodriguez, age 25, of Lancaster, Texas, entered a guilty plea to one count of Attempted Murder of a Federal Officer, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on July 17, 2025, Rodriguez Velazquez willfully, deliberately, maliciously, and with premeditation and malice aforethought, attempted to kill a United States Forest Service Law Enforcement Officer engaged in the performance of official duties.
The crime occurred in McCurtain County, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Forest Service, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Oklahoma State Park Rangers.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rodriguez Velazquez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jarrod Leaman and Lewis M. Reagan represented the United States.
Task Force arrests metro Detroit man on sex trafficking, sexual exploitation of children, and child pornography chargesRead the Press Release
DETROIT - A 30-year-old man from metro Detroit was taken into custody last week after a criminal complaint was filed in federal court charging him with sex trafficking of a minor, sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Division and Chief Eric Luke, Sumpter Township Police Department.
Charged was Bryce Silas Patterson. Patterson appeared in federal court this afternoon and was ordered detained by a magistrate judge. A preliminary examination was set for April 2.
According to the criminal complaint, agents with the Southeast Michigan Trafficking and Exploitation Crimes (SEMTEC) Task Force conducted an undercover operation to recover a minor who was believed to be the victim of sex trafficking. Information gathered by the agents revealed that Patterson posted advertisements for commercial sex, which included photos of minor girls, on a commonly used website. In addition to posting the ads, Patterson would arrange for the transportation of the minor on sex dates and collect payments from the minor victims. A search of Patterson’s cellular device revealed images and a video which contained child sexual abusive material, which Patterson had created depicting one of the minor victims he trafficked. SEMTEC Agents were assisted by Sumpter Township Police in arresting him last week.
“These alleged crimes are disgusting. SEMTEC is designed to hunt down sex traffickers who try to sell our children. And we are honored to do this good work with our federal, state, and local partners,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“The allegations in this case are as disturbing as they are unacceptable. Child exploitation is a predatory crime that targets the most vulnerable in our society, and it will not be tolerated,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “Let me be clear: those who exploit children will be found, and they will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This case reflects the strength of our partnerships—through the SEMTEC Task Force, the Sumpter Township Police Department, and our federal partners—working together to protect victims and hold offenders accountable. The FBI will remain relentless in pursuing these criminals and ensuring survivors have the support they need to rebuild their lives.”
Chief Luke stated, “The Sumpter Township Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their dedicated efforts and professionalism in successfully identifying and apprehending Patterson, a resident of Sumpter Township, for the alleged crimes stated in the complaint. The commitment to protecting vulnerable individuals and pursuing justice has a direct and meaningful impact on the safety and well-being of our residents. We remain steadfast in our shared mission to safeguard our community from those who seek to do harm.”
A criminal complaint is only a charge and contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sumpter Township Police Department. Anyone with information about this case or who may be a victim is asked to call the FBI at (313) 965-2323.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution Conspiracy & Illegal Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Garret Culpepper, 25, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and unlawful possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The term of imprisonment will be followed by eight years on federal supervised release, and Culpepper was also ordered to forfeit property and U.S. currency connected to the drug trafficking activity. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is the result of the outstanding investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and our federal law enforcement partners, which dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking scheme by the defendant. My office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions, like this one, to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi through Operation Take Back America that our communities would be liberated from the scourge of drugs and criminal violence that has plagued our streets for far too long.”
Court documents reflect that beginning in 2023, investigators identified the defendant as a significant distributor of illicit marijuana and THC products, including THC ‘vape’ cartridges. Investigators were able to detail the defendant’s involvement in the manufacture and distribution of thousands of THC cartridges, hundreds of pounds of THC products such as wax, and thousands of pounds of raw marijuana. This investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s Tallahassee residence on March 18, 2025, during which investigators recovered equipment designed to fill THC vape cartridges in bulk, just under 34 pounds of THC products, approximately 15 pounds of raw marijuana, body armor, multiple firearms, including rifles and handguns staged for easy access throughout the residence, and over $80,000 in U.S. currency.
“THC vape devices containing Schedule 1 Controlled Substances are a real concern and DEA is treating them as such,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/fln/index.html.
Stilwell Resident Sentenced for Involuntary ManslaughterRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Robert Bird, a/k/a Robert Hogshooter, age 71, of Stilwell, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for one count of Involuntary Manslaughter.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Stilwell Police Department, and the Adair County Sheriff’s Office.
On July 8, 2025, Bird pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on January 21, 2025, while under the influence of alcohol, Bird discharged a firearm, causing the victim to sustain a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
The crime occurred in Adair County, within the boundaries of the Cherokee Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Bird will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
South Lake Tahoe Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Fabian Gomez, 37, was sentenced on Monday by Senior U.S. District Judge William B. Shubb to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between August 2020 and May 2022, Gomez and others worked together to sell methamphetamine in and around South Lake Tahoe. Over those two years, Gomez also worked alone to sell both heroin and methamphetamine. While most of Gomez’s distribution happened in and around South Lake Tahoe, the investigation uncovered that some of the drug supply was coming from Sacramento. Gomez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, on Dec. 8, 2025.
Epifanio Ramirez, another defendant charged in this case, was sentenced on Jan. 12, 2026, to 24.5 years in prison for three counts of distribution of methamphetamine. Ramirez pleaded guilty in September 2025.
The charges in this case arose from Operation Bear Trap, which law enforcement agencies began in 2020 to address the growing problem of methamphetamine distribution in South Lake Tahoe. Gomez was charged along with six other defendants in 2022, who were collectively charged with methamphetamine and heroin distribution. Over the course of the operation, law enforcement agencies have interdicted methamphetamine, heroin, and numerous firearms, including “ghost” pistols and assault rifles (firearms manufactured without serial numbers, making them harder for law enforcement to trace).
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James Conolly is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily InjuryRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, woman convicted of Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury. The sentencing took place on March 16, 2026.
Ashlee Vanarsdale, 39, was sentenced to 20 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.
Vanarsdale was indicted for Distribution of a Controlled Substance Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury by a federal grand jury in July 2025. She pleaded guilty on December 17, 2025.
On the afternoon of June 5, 2025, Sioux Falls Police were dispatched to a report of a woman reportedly overdosing on fentanyl. First responders found the victim unconscious and not breathing. They were able to revive her through the administration of Narcan. The victim was transported to a local hospital, where a blood test showed the presence of fentanyl in her system. The subsequent investigation revealed the victim had purchased fentanyl powder from Vanarsdale shortly before the overdose. In an interview with law enforcement, Vanarsdale admitted selling the victim half a gram of fentanyl powder for $150.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Police Department, the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Vanarsdale was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota Man Sentenced to Six Months in Federal Prison for Defrauding a Local Credit UnionRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota man convicted of Bank Fraud. The sentencing took place on March 18, 2026.
Brandon Phillips, 32, was sentenced to six months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, restitution, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Brandon Phillips was indicted for Bank Fraud by a federal grand jury in June 2025. He pleaded guilty on December 15, 2025.
Phillips was involved in a scheme where he cashed a forged check in the amount of $2,500 at a credit union in Sioux Falls, in order to defraud the credit union out of the funds.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Phillips was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Several Members of a Baldwin County Methamphetamine-Trafficking Organization Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Several Baldwin County defendants were sentenced to prison for participating in a methamphetamine-trafficking organization.
According to court documents, Douglas McArthur Watts, Jr., 40, of Foley, Daryl Wayne Thomas, 46, of Elberta, David Joel Murphy, 52, of Summerdale, Benny Joe Ray, Jr., 48, of Foley, Danielle Lea Morris, 51, of Foley, and Jack Carnell Rowe, 34, of Foley, pleaded guilty to taking part in a massive drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”), led by Watts, that distributed kilograms of bulk methamphetamine. Between June 2022 and July 2024, agents seized large amounts of methamphetamine, firearms, cash, and other drugs from Watts and members of the DTO.
On several occasions in 2023 and 2024, narcotics agents conducted audio and video-recorded controlled purchases of various amounts of methamphetamine from Watts, Thomas, Murphy, Ray, Morris, and Rowe at several locations in Baldwin County. For example, on June 20, 2023, Rowe sold an informant 9.5 grams of methamphetamine in Foley. On July 18, 2023, Watts sold an informant 91.17 grams of methamphetamine in Foley. On September 28, 2023, agents seized 20.14 grams of methamphetamine and other evidence from a trailer belonging to Ray and Morris in Foley. On January 16, 2024, agents seized 96.4 grams of methamphetamine from Thomas during a “buy-bust” in Foley. And on February 14, 2024, Murphy sold an informant 27.3 grams of methamphetamine in Summerdale. These are non-exhaustive examples.
In July 2024, agents executed a search warrant at the apartment of one of Watts’s suppliers in Pensacola, Florida. During that search, agents seized more than three kilograms of methamphetamine, more than 221 grams of fentanyl, several loaded firearms, and $56,949 in bulk cash. Text messages and other data extracted from cell phones seized from the defendants illustrated the extent of their drug-trafficking activities, including tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of drug‑related Cash App payments and discussions of purchases and sales of pounds of methamphetamine.
For their roles in the conspiracy, U.S. District Judge Kristi K. DuBose sentenced the defendants as follows: Watts will serve 120 months in prison, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release; Thomas will serve 141 months in prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release; Murphy will serve 131 months in prison, followed by a 10-year term of supervised release; and Ray will serve 60 months in prison, followed by a five-year term of supervised release. Morris and Rowe will be sentenced at a later date. During their supervised release terms, each defendant will be subject to drug testing and treatment, and Murphy will receive mental health evaluation and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Judge DuBose ordered the defendants to pay a total of $400 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office (Florida) and the Florida Highway Patrol substantially assisted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Roller prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution was 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 Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Self-proclaimed 'terrorist' sentenced to prison for threatening calls to VA employeesRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, GA: A Hinesville man who threatened to kill employees at the Department of Veterans Affairs has been sentenced to federal prison.
Alexis Beatles, 44, of Hinesville, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for his conviction on two counts of Interstate Communications with Threats to Injure Another, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker also fined Beatles $1,500 and ordered him to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Alexis Beatles directed threats of death and violence to VA employees, U.S. citizens and even the families of police officers,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “We commend our law enforcement and investigative partners for making our community safer by holding Beatles accountable.”
As described in court, Beatles called a Department of Veterans Affairs hotline in December 2024 and made demands to the phone operator wherein he threatened to kill federal employees and others. Beatles made numerous threats, including threatening to crash his car into the Savannah VA Clinic, to “destroy” U.S. citizens, to rig his home with explosives to kill any police officers that came to his home, and to kill the children of any officers who attempted to arrest him.
The FBI, with assistance from the Savannah Police Department’s SWAT and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams, arrested Beatles on a criminal complaint in January 2025. He later was formally indicted by a federal grand jury, and in September 2025, a jury convicted Beatles in U.S. District Court after a two-day trial.
Evidence introduced during Beatles’ sentencing included social media posts in which Beatles declared himself to be a terrorist and celebrated other terrorist attacks.
“This sentence demonstrates the VA-OIG’s commitment to protecting veterans, VA employees, and federal property,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA-OIG thanks the US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this investigation.”
“Alexis Beatles’ reckless and violent threats against Department of Veterans Affairs employees and law enforcement officers were deeply disturbing and have no place in our society,” said Brad Snider, Senior Supervisory Special Agent of FBI Georgia’s Savannah office. “This conviction sends a clear message that threats of violence, especially those targeting our veterans and first responders, will not be tolerated.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted for the United States by Assistant United States Attorneys L. Alexander Hamner and Darron J. Hubbard.
SDNY Announces Recovery of Hundreds of Millions of Dollars for Victims of Iran-Sponsored TerrorismRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that the United States has entered into a settlement resolving a 17-year forfeiture litigation that will result in the payment of approximately $318 million to hundreds of victims of Iranian state-sponsored terrorism.
In 2008, the United States commenced a forfeiture action that exposed an Iranian government-owned bank’s secret interest in 650 Fifth Avenue, a 36-story commercial and office tower located in the heart of Manhattan. Following the filing of the forfeiture complaint, hundreds of victims of Iranian government-sponsored terrorism filed claims and initiated separate litigation to enforce judgments obtained against the Government of Iran. After more than 17 years of complex litigation, all remaining parties to the related actions have entered into a global settlement that will result in a multi-hundred-million-dollar payment to these long-suffering victims, including victims and family members of the 1984 bombings of U.S. military facilities in Beirut, Lebanon; of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.; and Iranian proxy terrorist organizations’ attacks against civilians, including U.S. citizens, in Israel and elsewhere.
“Iran has sponsored terrorism for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Since the inception of this litigation, the overriding goal of the Department of Justice has been to vindicate the rights of victims of the Government of Iran’s long-standing policy of supporting and promoting terror attacks across the world, including 9/11. This Office’s many years of determined litigation show our unrelenting commitment to victims’ rights, and has led to this significant recovery. For nearly two decades, we pursued hidden Iranian government assets tied to a Manhattan skyscraper to ensure those funds would ultimately compensate victims of Iran-sponsored terrorism rather than terrorists and their enablers.”
According to the Complaint, Amended Complaint, public court filings, and other public litigation records:
The building at 650 Fifth Avenue (the “Building”) was originally constructed by a charitable foundation controlled by the former Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, prior to the Islamic Revolution that led to the installation of the current regime in Iran in 1979. The new regime took over control of the charitable foundation and created a partnership with Bank Melli Iran, an Iranian government-owned bank sanctioned by the U.S. government for its role in financing Iran’s weapons of mass destruction programs. Bank Melli Iran controlled its interest in the Building through front companies known as Assa that were established in the Isle of Man and in New York. The highest levels of the Iranian regime orchestrated this deceptive structure in the 1980s, including the Iranian Central Bank and the offices of the Prime Minister and the President of Iran.
After the imposition of broad sanctions against the Government of Iran by the United States in 1995, the owners of the Building concealed Bank Melli Iran’s ownership interest and facilitated the payment of tens of millions of dollars of income from the Building’s operations to Bank Melli through Assa.
In October 2008, this Office filed a forfeiture complaint against Bank Melli Iran’s interest in the Building. In November 2009, this Office filed an amended forfeiture complaint against the entire Building and other related properties. Following the filing of the complaint and the amended complaint, numerous groups of judgment creditors holding judgments against the Government of Iran for injuries resulting from state-sponsored terrorism filed claims and independent judgment-enforcement actions against Assa, the Building, and the Building’s owner.
In April 2014 and July 2017, the Office entered into settlements with these victims’ groups providing that any recovery the Government obtained through forfeiture would be distributed to the victims. In July 2017 and May 2021, the Office and the victims’ groups all obtained judgments against Assa’s interests in the Building and in related partnership distributions from the Building’s income.
In January 2025, this Office, the victims’ groups, and the Building’s owner entered into a further, final settlement providing for the dismissal of all remaining claims in exchange for a payment of $318 million to the victims’ groups, consisting of an initial payment of $129 million and a deferred payment of $189 million to be paid in three years, plus interest. The initial $129 million payment was completed Friday, March 20, 2026.
In addition to providing for recovery for terrorism victims, in connection with the settlement the partnership that owned the Building and the majority partner are being dissolved and the Building is being transferred to a new successor entity. The transfer of the Building and the transactions to consummate the global settlement agreement received approvals from the Office of the New York Attorney General’s Charities Bureau and the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control.
* * *
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and its New York Field Office Counterintelligence/Cyber Division; the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force; the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division; and the New York City Police Department. Mr. Clayton also thanked the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice National Security Division for their assistance in this case.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Illicit Finance and Money Laundering Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Lockard is in charge of the civil forfeiture action.
Russian Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Hacking into U.S. Companies and Enabling Major Cybercrime Groups to Extort Tens of Millions of DollarsRead the Press Release
A court in the Southern District of Indiana today sentenced a Russian citizen, Aleksei Volkov, to 81 months in prison for assisting major cybercrime groups, including the Yanluowang ransomware group, in carrying 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, then arrested Volkov, and he was extradited to the United States. He pleaded guilty to charges from both indictments.
According to court documents, Volkov, 26, of St. Petersburg, Russia, 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 found vulnerabilities in computer networks and systems, identified ways to access those networks and systems without authorization, and sold that illicit access to conspirators who were also cybercriminals.
Volkov’s co-conspirators then used the access Volkov provided to infect the affected computer networks and systems 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.
On Nov. 25, 2025, Volkov pleaded guilty to four counts from the Southern District of Indiana indictment, namely, 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. 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.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Wheeler II for the Southern District of Indiana, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
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), Assistant U.S. Attorneys MaryAnn T. Mindrum and Matthew B. Miller for the Southern District of Indiana, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wolfe for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with the Government of Italy to secure the arrest and extradition from Italy of Volkov.
Puerto Rico Woman Who Flew to Philadelphia with Nearly 15 Pounds of Cocaine in Checked Bag Sentenced to Almost Three Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Karelys Colon Sevilla, 29, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, was sentenced today to 34 months’ imprisonment and five years of supervised release by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for transporting nearly 15 pounds of cocaine to Philadelphia in a checked bag on a commercial flight.
The defendant was charged by indictment in May 2024 with one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine and pleaded guilty in October of last year.
As detailed in court filings, on February 13, 2024, Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) received information that Colon was flying from Puerto Rico, via Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, to the Philadelphia International Airport (“PHL”) and possibly concealing narcotics in her checked luggage.
After HSI confirmed that Colon was indeed a ticketed passenger set to arrive at PHL, investigators sought and received from the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas an anticipatory search warrant for the defendant’s luggage, contingent on an alert from a Police K-9 on the luggage.
Following the arrival of Colon’s plane to PHL, Pennsylvania State Police K-9 Ivan was instructed by his handler to examine every piece of checked luggage from that flight. K-9 Ivan only alerted to the presence of narcotics on one piece of luggage, a blue-gray soft-sided bag bearing a tag with the defendant’s name and flight information.
Pursuant to the search warrant and the K-9’s alert, investigators then opened the bag and recovered approximately 6.8 kilograms of a white substance, which testing later showed was cocaine.
This case was investigated by HSI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Philadelphia Police Department, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, and Pennsylvania State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eileen Castilla Geiger.
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Firearms OffenseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Silver City man has pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing firearms and ammunition after previously being convicted of a felony.
According to court documents, on December 10, 2024, officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle driven by Max Flores, 54, a previously convicted felon with an active arrest warrant who was on federal probation after serving 168 months in federal prison and located a firearm in the vehicle. On April 26, 2025, following an unrelated incident, officers executed a search warrant at Flores’ residence and recovered several firearms and ammunition.
Flores pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. At sentencing he faces up to 15 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Silver City Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Randy M. Castellano prosecuted the case.
Pawtucket Man Sentenced for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Pawtucket man who pleaded guilty to possession and distribution of child pornography was sentenced today in federal court, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
Gary Ethier, 60, was sentenced by U.S District Court Judge Melissa R. DuBose to 15 years of imprisonment to be followed by 10 years of supervised release. Ethier previously pleaded guilty on December 1, 2025.
“Individuals who distribute child sexual abuse material play a direct role in the ongoing abuse and exploitation of children,” said United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “This 15-year sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes and sends a clear message that these offenses will be aggressively investigated and prosecuted.”
According to court documents, in November 2024, members of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Cyber Crimes Center received information that Ethier was discussing the sexual exploitation of minor children with another individual online. Ethier also sent the individual multiple images of child pornography.
On December 2, 2024, Ethier’s home was searched by members of HSI and the Rhode Island Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. As a result of the search, law enforcement located more than 600 images depicting child pornography on Ethier’s electronic devices.
“This case emerged as a cyber lead from the depths of the internet and uncovered a dangerous and depraved individual living right here in Rhode Island. After a meticulous investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and our partners at the Rhode Island State Police, Gary Ethier is now facing a lengthy federal sentence,” said Homeland Security Investigations New England Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol. “We remain committed to protecting children and holding predators like Ethier accountable for their crimes.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Peter I. Roklan.
The matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Rhode Island ICAC Task Force.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Owner of Now-Closed Milwaukee Prenatal Care Coordination Company Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Healthcare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on March 19, 2026, Lakia Jackson (age 36) was sentenced to 60 months’ incarceration for committing a healthcare fraud scheme through which she stole $2,655,463.63 from a Medicaid benefit meant to help at-risk pregnant women and women with young children.
On December 2, 2025, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of healthcare fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The guilty plea followed a 20-count indictment that was issued on October 16, 2024. When Jackson pleaded guilty, she acknowledged that she engaged in a scheme to defraud Wisconsin Medicaid by, among other things, offering women kickbacks in exchange for their Medicaid numbers and falsely billing Wisconsin Medicaid as though she provided reimbursable services—almost always the maximum permitted per month under the program—when, in fact, she and her employees provided few to no covered services.
As part of her plea agreement, Jackson acknowledged that “by committing this fraudulent scheme, she enriched herself at the expense of the community she was supposed to be helping, and that she thereby reduced the resources available to mothers and babies at risk for negative birth outcomes, including infant death.”
Jackson’s sentencing followed Chief Judge Pamela Pepper’s sentencing of two other women this year who engaged in similar fraudulent schemes related to the prenatal care coordination benefit. Those women, Precious Cruse and Markita Barnes, were sentenced by Chief Judge Pepper to 111 months’ imprisonment and 121 months’ imprisonment, respectively.
In announcing the sentence, Chief Judge Pepper discussed the substantial negative impact Jackson’s fraud scheme, and others like it in the Milwaukee area, have had not only on public trust in government benefit programs, but also on the availability of the benefit program she defrauded. Chief Judge Pepper noted that, unlike Barnes and Cruse, Jackson fully accepted responsibility for her conduct and expressed significant remorse for her crimes.
In addition to the 60-month period of incarceration, Chief Judge Pepper issued a money judgment of forfeiture in the amount of $2,361,799.17 and ordered Ms. Jackson to pay restitution to Medicaid in the same amount.
“Judge Pepper summarized the seriousness of this very well when she observed that the defendant took a huge amount of money designed to help people in great need and that, due to this massive fraud, not only are millions of dollars in public benefits gone, but decision-makers in government are reluctant to fund programs like this in the future. Many at-risk pregnant women and new moms will not get the help they need,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Schimel. “We must learn a lesson from these cases: public benefit programs must have barriers in place to prevent fraud. Unfortunately, the lack of safeguards made these massive thefts far too easy.”
“Lakia Jackson defrauded the American people and stole from programs meant to help at-risk mothers and young children by offering kickbacks and falsely billing Medicaid. The FBI will aggressively pursue individuals who cheat our healthcare programs,” said FBI Milwaukee Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr. “The FBI, along with our partners, will work diligently to identify, investigate, and bring justice to those who commit fraud and steal from the American taxpayer.”
“Public benefits can provide critical resources to those in need of them,” said Attorney General Kaul. “We are committed to holding individuals who defraud Medicaid accountable.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, along with the Wisconsin Department of Justice Medicaid Fraud Control and Elder Abuse Unit, investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Julie F. Stewart and Kate M. Biebel prosecuted the case.
# # #
For further information contact:
Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on X
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to His Role in Years-Long Off-the-Books Payroll SchemeRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL — A Honduran national pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others as part of a years-long off-the-books payroll scheme that caused more than $38 million in losses to the U.S. government.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mario Lisandro Flores Moradel operated an illegal, off-the-books cash payroll system for construction workers to avoid paying employment taxes to the IRS and to defraud workers’ compensation insurance companies. Through the scheme, Flores and his co-conspirators also facilitated the employment of illegal aliens impermissibly working in the United States.
From 2015 to 2022, Flores and his co-conspirators used a series of shell companies to run an unlicensed check cashing and cash courier service business. These businesses cashed approximately $89 million in checks from subcontractors in the construction industry, charging them a percentage of the dollar amount of the checks they cashed as a fee for this service. The scheme allowed construction contractors and subcontractors to pay their workers in cash without making required payroll taxes and without regard to whether the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States. Flores and others also caused the filing of false tax documents with the IRS to conceal the scheme. Of the total loss amount, Flores admitted to causing a tax loss to the United States of more than $9.4 million.
Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting businesses. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Several of Flores’ co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. Michael Mayorga and Francisco Alvarez pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025. Iris Villafranca and Osman Zapata pleaded guilty on Oct. 9, 2025.
U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida and Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. ICE ERO Miami (Orlando sub-office), Florida Highway Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, State Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have assisted in arrest operations.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu of the Middle District of Florida, Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty, and Trial Attorney Kavitha Bondada of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
Orlando Man Pleads Guilty to His Role in Years-Long Off-the-Books Payroll SchemeRead the Press Release
A Honduran national pleaded guilty today to conspiring with others as part of a years-long off-the-books payroll scheme that caused more than $38 million in losses to the U.S. government.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Mario Lisandro Flores Moradel operated an illegal, off-the-books cash payroll system for construction workers to avoid paying employment taxes to the IRS and to defraud workers’ compensation insurance companies. Through the scheme, Flores and his co-conspirators also facilitated the employment of illegal aliens impermissibly working in the United States.
From 2015 to 2022, Flores and his co-conspirators used a series of shell companies to run an unlicensed check cashing and cash courier service business. These businesses cashed approximately $89 million in checks from subcontractors in the construction industry, charging them a percentage of the dollar amount of the checks they cashed as a fee for this service. The scheme allowed construction contractors and subcontractors to pay their workers in cash without making required payroll taxes and without regard to whether the workers were legally authorized to work in the United States. Flores and others also caused the filing of false tax documents with the IRS to conceal the scheme. Of the total loss amount, Flores admitted to causing a tax loss to the United States of more than $9.4 million.
Flores pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and one count of conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting businesses. He is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for each count of conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Several of Flores’ co-conspirators previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme. Michael Mayorga and Francisco Alvarez pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025. Iris Villafranca and Osman Zapata pleaded guilty on Oct. 9, 2025.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida made the announcement.
IRS Criminal Investigation is investigating the case with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. ICE ERO Miami (Orlando sub-office), Florida Highway Patrol, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, State Department and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement have assisted in arrest operations.
Senior Litigation Counsel Sean Beaty and Trial Attorney Kavitha Bondada of the Criminal Division’s Tax Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Hu of the Middle District of Florida are prosecuting the case.
One Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun Crime, Another Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Today, Dylan James Pettyjohn, 21, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to selling a firearm to a convicted felon and Joe Sidney Cross, 43, of Huntington, pleaded guilty to distribution of fentanyl. Pettyjohn and Cross were each indicted as the result of an investigation targeting the distribution of controlled substances in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 23, 2025, Pettyjohn sold a Calwest model J-22 .22-calier pistol to a confidential informant for $150. As part of his guilty plea, Pettyjohn admitted that he conducted the transaction after arranging it beforehand, that the confidential informant told him he was a convicted felon during the transaction, and that the transaction occurred at the Huntington residence of Erin Leigh Keeney.
Pettyjohn further admitted to selling a Glock model 34 9mm pistol for $600 on May 13, 2025, and a Just Right Carbines model JR Carbine 9mm rifle for $650 on May 22, 2025, each time to the confidential informant in Huntington.
On May 13, 2025, Cross sold approximately 3.5 grams of fentanyl to a confidential informant for $220 in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Cross admitted that he arranged the transaction beforehand and conducted the drug deal in the confidential informant’s vehicle.
Cross also admitted to conspiring with another individual to conduct additional transactions on March 20 and March 24, 2025. During each transaction, Cross sold a firearm and Keeney sold approximately 1 gram of carfentanil to a confidential informant. Cross further admitted to selling 8.45 grams of fentanyl on May 22, 2025, and approximately 11.44 grams of fentanyl on June 12, 2025, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington.
On September 11, 2025, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a Huntington residence while Cross was present and seized approximately 12.35 grams of suspected cocaine base, also known as “crack.” Cross admitted that he intended to sell the seized crack.
Pettyjohn and Cross are scheduled to be sentenced on July 6, 2026. Pettyjohn faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Cross faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million.
Cross and Keeney are among four individuals who pleaded guilty after a federal grand jury indicted them on charges alleging they conspired to distribute fentanyl, crack, and methamphetamine in the Huntington area from at least in and around March 2025 to in and around August 2025. Keeney, 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty on December 15, 2025, to distribution of carfentanil and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 28, 2026. Pettyjohn and another individual pleaded guilty after they were indicted separately as a result of the same investigation.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Huntington Police Department, and the Huntington Violent Crime and Drug Task Force.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearings. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the cases.
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 Nos. 3:25-cr-161 (Cross) and 3:25-cr-158 (Pettyjohn).
###
Okmulgee County Resident Sentenced to 18 Months for Leaving the Scene of an Injury AccidentRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Lee Calhoun Phillips, age 46, of Morris, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for one count of Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Nonfatal Injury in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
On July 7, 2025, Phillips pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court. According to investigators, on September 28, 2023, Phillips struck a bicyclist while driving a Peterbilt truck westbound on Highway 16 south of Haskell, Oklahoma. Instead of stopping to check on the victim or rendering aid, Phillips left the scene of the collision. Two passing Oklahoma Department of Transportation workers performing landscape maintenance found the victim on the roadside, called emergency services, and stayed on the scene with the victim until law enforcement could arrive.
The crime occurred in Muskogee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach, Chief Judge in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, sitting by assignment, presided over the hearing. Phillips was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan W. Howanitz represented the United States at the sentencing hearing.
Nigerian National Sentenced for His Role in Multi-Million Dollar Business Email Compromise SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Nigerian national received a federal prison term for his role in a multi-million-dollar wire fraud and money laundering scheme.
U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced James Junior Aliyu, 31, who resided in South Africa at the time of his criminal conduct, to 90 months in federal prison in connection with the conspiracy. Judge Boardman also ordered Aliyu, who was extradited from South Africa to the United States to face these criminal charges, to repay $2,389,130 to the victims.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland, and Special Agent in Charge Brian McDonough, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) – Washington Field Office.
In August 2025, Aliyu pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. Aliyu acknowledged that he conspired with others, including Kosi Goodness Simon-Ebo, 31, and Henry Onyedikachi Echefu, 34, to deceive and defraud multiple American victims. All three are Nigerian citizens who resided in South Africa at the time of the crimes.
According to his plea agreement, from February 2017 until at least July 2017, Aliyu conspired with others to perpetrate a business email compromise scheme. Aliyu and his co-conspirators, including accomplices residing in Maryland, gained unauthorized access to email accounts associated with individuals and businesses they targeted. As part of the scheme, co-conspirators sent false wiring instructions to the victims’ email accounts from “spoofed” emails, which are messages from forged sender addresses. Co-conspirators then sent messages to deceive the victims into sending money to bank accounts the perpetrators controlled called “drop accounts.”
During the same time frame, Aliyu and his accomplices conspired to commit money laundering by disbursing the fraudulently obtained funds in the drop accounts to other accounts. Co-conspirators moved the stolen money by initiating account transfers, withdrawing cash, and obtaining cashier’s checks. They also wrote checks to other individuals and entities to hide the true ownership and source of these assets. In total, Aliyu and his co-conspirators attempted to defraud victims of at least $10.4 million, and the victims suffered an actual loss of at least $2,389,130.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended HSI’s Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force and USSS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked the South African Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa, and South African Police Service. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) provided significant assistance in securing Aliyu’s extradition from South Africa. OIA and the Department of Justice Canada’s International Assistance Group provided substantial assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of both Echefu and Simon-Ebo. Ms. Hayes also recognized Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan S. McKoy who prosecuted the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
# # #
New Jersey Man Sentenced to Prison for Sexually Assaulting Woman Seated Next to Him on Philadelphia-Bound FlightRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Vernon Baker, 41, of Linden, New Jersey, was sentenced today to 25 months’ imprisonment and one year of supervised release by United States District Judge Anita B. Brody for sexually assaulting the woman seated next to him on a flight into Philadelphia.
The defendant was charged by indictment in January of last year with one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft and pleaded guilty in December.
As detailed in court filings, on October 30, 2024, aboard a commercial flight from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, Baker made sexual advances toward the female passenger sitting next to him.
After the victim refused his advances, Baker took out his penis and forcibly tried to get the victim to touch him. He then grabbed her breast over her clothing and untied her pants. Traumatized and shaken, the victim rushed to the back of the cabin where she reported this assault to flight attendants.
This case was investigated by the FBI, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Philadelphia Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Josh Davison and Special Assistant United States Attorney Meagan Gordon.
Muskogee Resident Pleads Guilty to Making Threats Against Federal OfficialRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Jacob Wray Hudson, 37, of Muskogee, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to two counts of Interstate Communications with a Threat to Injure the Person of Another, each punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that beginning on October 29, 2025, and continuing until November 20, 2025, Hudson knowingly and willfully transmitted threats to injure an official of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and another person through interstate commerce.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Muskogee Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Hudson will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys T. Cameron McEwen and Erin Cornell represented the United States.
Motorcycle Gang Associate Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Role in Methamphetamine Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Byfield man was sentenced on Friday in federal court in Boston for his role in a conspiracy to distribute crystal methamphetamine.
James Adams, a/k/a “Jimmy,” 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor, IV to 151 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In December 2025, Adams pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams and more of methamphetamine.
Adams was one of four individuals charged in connection with a large-scale methamphetamine trafficking ring operating in Eastern Massachusetts by members and associates of the Unknown Bikers Motorcycle Club.
In approximately October 2023, law enforcement received information about drug trafficking activities of a large-scale methamphetamine supplier in the Eastern Massachusetts area. Over the next several months, Adams was identified as a drug trafficker who distributed methamphetamine to customers throughout Eastern Massachusetts. Controlled purchases of methamphetamine we conducted with Adams, as well as from his co-conspirators James Snow of Tewksbury, Danielle Steenbruggen of Peabody and Daniel Loughman of Wakefield. Approximately 10 pounds of methamphetamine and four firearms were seized throughout the investigation from controlled purchases, motor vehicle stops and search warrants.
Adams is the second defendant to be sentenced in the case. Steenbruggen pleaded guilty in August 2025 and, in November 2025, was sentenced to 93 months in prison. Snow pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 23, 2026. Loughman pleaded guilty on Dec. 2, 2025 and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 1, 2026.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Boston Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England; Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief Steven A. Skory of the Wakefield Police Department made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Newbury, Newburyport, Haverhill and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Moore Resident Pleads Guilty to Burglary in Indian CountryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Nariah Demournay Jones, age 23, of Moore, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Burglary in the Second Degree in Indian Country, punishable by up to 7 years in prison.
The Indictment alleged that on April 2, 2024, Jones broke into and entered a building in which property was kept, intending to commit a felony therein.
The crime occurred in Seminole County, within the boundaries of the Seminole Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Seminole Nation Lighthorse Police, and the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable D. Edward Snow, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Jones will remain on bond with conditions of release pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Mobile Man Sentenced to 200 Months for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL –Austin Dickens was sentenced on March 13, 2026, to 200 months in prison for Distribution of Child Pornography.
According to court documents, in May of 2024, Austin Dickens, 29, used his social media profile to contact other users, offering to sell them up to 6,000 images of child pornography. Prices ranged from $10 to $50. To entice buyers, Dickens sent videos and images to users through the social media platform’s messaging application. The material contained children as young as four years old engaged in sexually explicit conduct. He received payment for the images and videos through a banking application he established using his personal information.
Following his term of incarceration, Dickens will be placed on supervised release with the United States’ Probation Office for fifteen years. He was ordered to complete mental health and substance abuse treatment. Lifetime registration under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act is required. Dickens was ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution to the identified victims.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tandice H. Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Mobile Man Sentenced to 14 Years for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – Jason Todd Topping, age 53, was sentenced on March 20, 2026, to 168 months in prison for convictions related to receipt of child pornography. Topping entered his guilty plea on December 19, 2025.
According to court documents, Mobile Police Department (“MPD”) received a walk-in complaint at Mobile Police Department Headquarters. A concerned citizen came to report that she believed that Topping was engaging in sexual activity with a minor. MPD began an investigation and seized Topping’s cell phone. An examination of his cell phone revealed videos which depicted Topping engaging in sexual activity with a minor. The minor was confirmed to be 16 and 17 years old at the time the videos were made. The videos were made on the minor’s phone and then, at Topping’s request, the minor would send the videos to Topping.
At sentencing, United States District Judge Kristi DuBose imposed a 168-month term of incarceration and a 15-year term of supervised release upon Topping’s future release. Topping will be subject to sex offender treatment and mental health treatment while imprisoned. Topping will be required to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors. Topping was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Mobile Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kacey Chappelear prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
Millvale Resident Charged with Transporting and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Millvale, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of violating federal law regarding the sexual exploitation of a minor, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
The two-count Indictment named Robert William Bauer, 65, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, on or about February 23, 2024, Bauer knowingly transported child sexual abuse material via interstate commerce. The Indictment further alleges that, on or about November 13, 2025, Bauer knowingly possessed material depicting child sexual abuse.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Kelly M. Locher is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment.
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.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mexican illegal alien charged again for unlawfully re-entering America—six weeks after being removed when a judge released him during his first prosecutionRead the Press Release
DETROIT – The United States has charged a Mexican illegal alien, Gerardo Flores-Banda, 48, for illegally re-entering America less than two months after having been removed from the country for the same crime, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Acting Chief Patrol Agent Javier Geronimo, Jr., U.S. Border Patrol, Detroit Sector.
According to court records, in July 2025, Gerardo Flores-Banda was found in the United States after being removed from the country in 2012. On July 30, 2025, the government charged Flores-Banda with unlawfully re-entering the United States. The next month, the government sought Flores-Banda’s detention before a United States Magistrate Judge in Detroit. But that magistrate judge gave him bond and a district court judge affirmed his release. The government then indicted Flores-Banda.
Because Flores-Banda had been released to the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he was removed from the United States in September before his federal case could be concluded. Given Flores-Banda’s history of illegal re-entry, the government sought to hold his case in abeyance. But the district court denied the government’s motion and dismissed Flores-Bandes’s case without prejudice.
Only six weeks after he was removed, law enforcement found Flores-Banda back in the United States near Naivan Vaya, Arizona. The government then indicted him in Arizona and he pleaded guilty to being in the country illegally. He awaits sentencing. The government now seeks to reinstate it’s previously dismissed illegal re-entry case based on Flores-Banda’s 2025 arrest in Michigan.
“Serial criminals like the defendant must be deterred from breaking into our country. They do not respect the law of the land. When Americans break the law, they don’t get a free ride out of the country. And this defendant should not be treated better than our citizens. He should have to face the consequences for his alleged crime,” said U.S. Attorney Gorgon.
“This case is a clear reminder that our border is closed to criminals who repeatedly violate our nation’s laws, demonstrating a blatant disregard for our legal system. We are proud to work with the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure that our country’s immigration laws are enforced and justice is served. The men and women of Border Patrol’s Detroit Sector remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting our communities and upholding the integrity of our border,” Geronimo said.
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.
Methamphetamine and Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A Chicago man who distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl was sentenced on March 20, 2026, to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Devon Frazier, age 26, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a December 20, 2024, guilty plea to one count of distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Information disclosed at the sentencing hearing showed that, on February 8, 2023, Frazier distributed over 111 grams of ice methamphetamine to another individual. On February 13, 2023, Frazier distributed 282 grams of purported methamphetamine to another individual. Laboratory testing confirmed that the purported methamphetamine was in fact sea salt. Following the transaction, officers stopped a car occupied by Frazier and arrested him. While officers transported Frazier to the Linn County Correctional Center, Frazier dropped a baggie of 362 pills containing fentanyl onto the floorboard of the patrol car. Officers later recovered the baggie.
Evidence at the sentencing hearing also showed that, on March 3, 2023, Frazier distributed a purported Xanax pill to a 19‑year‑old female. The purported Xanax pill, however, contained fentanyl. The female ingested the pill in the early morning hours of March 4, 2023, and suffered a fentanyl‑related overdose and died. Following the overdose, Frazier threatened to kill individuals that he believed were cooperating with law enforcement.
Frazier was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Frazier was sentenced to 190 months’ imprisonment, and he must also serve a five‑year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Frazier is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dillan Edwards and investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Johnson County Drug Enforcement Task Force.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 23‑CR‑00080‑CJW.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Methamphetamine Dealer Sentenced to 168 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile man was sentenced on March 2, 2026, by Chief United States District Court Judge Jeffrey Beaverstock to 168 months in prison for trafficking nearly six kilograms of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, on July 10, 2025, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint interdiction operation at the Greyhound bus station located on Government Boulevard, in Mobile, Alabama.
During surveillance deputies observed a man, later identified as Lawson, exit the Greyhound bus terminal carrying a duffle bag. When Lawson observed the presence of law enforcement officers, he went back inside the bus station. Deputies continued surveillance of the Lawson and he soon exited the front doors of the bus station again.
Deputies next observed Lawson walking down Government Boulevard. As a deputy drove towards Lawson, Lawson ran across two lanes of traffic onto the median. Deputies followed Lawson to the median to speak with him. During the conversation Lawson placed the duffle bag and the jacket he was wearing on the ground. One of the deputies next asked Lawson about the smell of marijuana coming from his bags. Lawson stepped toward the duffle bag, as if he was going to grab it, but then took off running instead. After a brief foot pursuit, Lawson was detained.
When deputies opened the duffle bag, they observed six large cellophane wrapped bundles of what appeared to be methamphetamine. A deputy read Lawson Miranda warnings and Lawson agreed to speak with deputies. Lawson stated he was coming from Houston, Texas and that he did not purchase the narcotics for someone else but rather purchased it for himself and paid $21,000 in US currency for it. The six bundles were sent to the DEA Laboratory in Miami, Florida and were found to contain 5,973 grams of 97% pure methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the Gulf of America Homeland Security Task Force which in this case included law enforcement officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney George F. May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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 Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
In making the announcement, United States Attorney Sean P. Costello stated that the Homeland Security Task Forces represent a new gold standard model in law enforcement which combines the expertise of numerous agencies under one roof to maximize the impact on crime and the safety to the community.
Manufacturing Company Agrees to Pay $887,234 to Resolve Improper Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, Ky. – A Cold Spring-based manufacturer of custom screw machine parts, Segepo-FSM, Inc., agreed to pay $887,234 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act, a federal law that prohibits the submission of false or fraudulent claims.
Congress created the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to provide emergency financial assistance to small American businesses struggling to pay employees and other expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the PPP, eligible small businesses could receive forgivable loans guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Borrowers were required to certify in their applications that they were eligible for the requested loans and that the information they provided was true and accurate. Regulations provided various eligibility requirements for the PPP, including limitations on the number of employees.
The settlement resolves allegations that Segepo-FSM, Inc. falsely certified it was eligible to apply for and receive forgiveness of its $503,900 second-draw PPP loan. Segepo-FSM, Inc. stated that it had fewer than 300 employees in its application. At the time of its loan and forgiveness applications, Segepo-FSM, Inc. was a subsidiary of Dentressangle. The Government contends that, together with its foreign affiliates, Segepo-FSM, Inc. had more than 300 employees and was therefore ineligible for that loan. Based on this false certification, SBA awarded and ultimately forgave Segepo-FSM, Inc.’s second-draw loan.
The settlement resolves a lawsuit brought by a private citizen under the qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file a civil action on behalf of the United States, thereby bringing allegations of fraud to the Government’s attention, and share in any financial recovery. As part of this resolution, the individual who filed the qui tam complaint is eligible to receive a portion of the settlement proceeds. The civil case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Segepo-FSM, Inc., Case No. 2:24-cv-105-DLB-CJS.
This matter was handled by the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the SBA’s Office of General Counsel. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.
– END –
Los Angeles, California Man Sentenced to More Than 2 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Los Angeles, California, man convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance. The sentencing took place on March 16, 2026.
Isaiah Croom, 23, was sentenced to two years and six 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.
Croom was indicted for Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on December 15, 2025.
In late 2024, Croom operated as a member of a California-based drug trafficking organization that brought large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl from California to South Dakota and used short-term rental properties as bases of operation to distribute the drugs in and around Sioux Falls. Croom participated in the conspiracy by delivering drugs to customers and collecting cash.
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 Minneapolis comprises agents and officers from FBI, HSI, DEA, ATF, USMS, USPIS, SD DCI, SFPD, MCSO, and SDHP with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of South Dakota.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the USPIS, the IRS, and the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Croom was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Las Cruces Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Felon in Possession of FirearmsRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man pleaded guilty to federal drug and firearm offenses after agents recovered methamphetamine, fentanyl, and firearms during a search of his residence.
According to court documents, on April 3, 2024, FBI and Metro Narcotics Task Force agents executed a search warrant at the residence of Enrique Alan Ramirez, 46, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. During the search, agents recovered four firearms and over 68 grams of methamphetamine and over 55 grams of fentanyl. Ramirez, who has a prior felony conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Ramirez pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and being a felon in possession of a firearm. At sentencing he faces no less than 15 years and up to life years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Las Cruces/ Doña Ana County Meto Narcotics. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.
Las Cruces Felon Charged Federally with Fentanyl Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Las Cruces man with prior felony convictions has been charged in federal court with fentanyl trafficking and multiple firearm offenses after allegedly threatening victims with a handgun and later possessing more than 40 grams of fentanyl while armed.
According to court records, on July 5, 2025, Kenneth Manuel Aguirre, 43, allegedly pointed a handgun at three victims during an incident outside his residence in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office deputies took Aguirre into custody and recovered a handgun and suspected fentanyl pills from his vehicle, as well as a rifle, ammunition, and other firearm accessories from his residence.
Subsequently, on August 13, Aguirre allegedly possessed with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and carried a firearm in furtherance of that drug trafficking crime.
Aguirre is a previously convicted felon and is prohibited from possessing firearms.
Aguirre is charged federally with three counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition and one count each of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. He will remain in custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted, Aguirre faces a minimum of 10 years and up to 40 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Las Cruces Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Office, the Las Cruces/Dona Ana Metro Narcotics and the Las Cruces Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devon Aragon Martinez is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Aguirre).pdf View the Indictment (Aguirre).pdfAn 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.
Justice Department Clears Path for Resolution Copper Project in Arizona, Strengthening U.S. Resource SecurityRead the Press Release
The Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD) has delivered a major win for mineral development and national security. On March 13, the Division’s Appellate Section secured a decision from the Ninth Circuit affirming the district court’s denial of a preliminary injunction seeking to block the Resolution Copper project in Arizona. The decision allows the federal government to proceed with a congressionally mandated land exchange crucial to advancing development of one of the largest known copper deposits in the world.
Copper is essential for energy infrastructure, defense systems, and advanced manufacturing. The Resolution Copper project will play an important role in developing a stable, domestic copper supply. By reducing reliance on foreign sources, the project will support broader national security objectives and strengthen the U.S. economy. The land exchange will also result in federal ownership of over 5,400 acres of ecologically and culturally significant land in Arizona.
The Ninth Circuit and Supreme Court’s rulings are significant steps forward in ensuring the United States can meet growing demand for critical minerals.
Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of ENRD made the announcement.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Robert Stander of ENRD argued the appeal. ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled this matter in the District Court.
Jamaican National Sentenced to Federal Prison for Role in Lottery Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Jamaican national is heading to federal prison for more than three years in connection with a lottery fraud scheme.
U.S. District Judge Brendan A. Hurson sentenced Tavoy Farquharson, 34, to 40 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, today, for conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Judge Hurson also ordered him to pay $3,962,826 in restitution.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Javan S. Wilson, U.S. Treasury, Office of Inspector General (Treasury OIG); and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to public filings, beginning in October 2020, and continuing through at least January 2024, Farquharson conspired with others to use the mail to obtain money from victims across the United States. Many victims impacted by the scheme were elderly.
Perpetrators use a lottery fraud scheme to lead victims to believe they won a large cash prize through a lottery or sweepstakes. When it’s time to collect the purported winnings, the victim is falsely led to believe that they must pay taxes or other fees in advance. The victim never receives their winnings, but instead, loses their advanced fees or payments.
In this case, Farquharson and his co-conspirators solicited victims and led them to believe that they won a lottery or sweepstakes. Then they misled the victims to think that they were required to pay taxes and other fees in advance to the attention of Farquharson’s co-conspirators. Some victims of the scheme lost most of their life savings. In total, the court found that the victims lost more than $3.5 million, with Farquharson receiving more than $700,000 of the victims’ funds.
Brothers Dwayne Henry, 34, and Wayne Henry, 36, both of Landover Hills, Maryland, along with Nickoy Campbell, 30, a Jamaican national, also participated in the scheme. They all previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Campbell and Dwayne Henry pled guilty to the charges, and earlier this month, they received their prison sentences.
Wayne Henry faces a maximum sentence of 22 years in federal prison, including a mandatory sentence of two years consecutive to any other imposed sentence for aggravated identity theft. Sentencing for Wayne Henry is slated for Wednesday, September 2.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which seeks to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a collaborative and comprehensive response to the growing threat to public safety and national security. The HSTF integrates personnel, including law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, from federal agencies to combat crime in our communities.
Reporting from consumers about fraud and fraud attempts is critical to law enforcement’s efforts to investigate and prosecute schemes targeting older adults. If you or someone you know is age 60 or older, and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available. Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice Hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers through assessing the needs of the victim and identifying next steps, including identifying appropriate reporting agencies, providing information to callers to assist them in reporting or connecting them with agencies, and providing resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis. The hotline is staffed from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday. English, Spanish, and other languages are available. Learn more about the Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at www.elderjustice.gov. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPIS, HSI, Treasury OIG, and PGPD for their investigative efforts. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip Motsay who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
# # #
Illegal Immigrant Sentenced to 10 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Honduran national was sentenced on March 20, 2026, to 10 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to court documents, Mario Ramon Mendoza-Martinez, 26, was arrested by Saraland Police Department on September 23, 2025. Saraland Police had pulled Mendoza-Martinez over for a traffic violation. Mendoza-Martinez was only able to produce a Honduran identification card. Saraland Police requested assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who confirmed that Mendoza-Martinez was not lawfully present in the United States. The Saraland officer then searched Mendoza-Martinez’s vehicle and located a Winchester model 190 .22 caliber rifle and 41 rounds of ammunition. Mendoza-Martinez has a prior conviction out of the Western District of Texas for Illegal Entry.
At sentencing, Judge DuBose imposed the 10-month sentence of incarceration and a one year term of supervised release upon his future release. Upon his release from prison, Mendoza-Martinez is to be referred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings. Mendoza-Martinez was ordered to pay $100 in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
Saraland Police Department, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Beth Stepan prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
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.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Longino Ramirez Ramos, age 51, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Adair County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On January 15, 2026, Ramirez Ramos pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on December 3, 2025, Ramirez Ramos, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on May 5, 2010, on February 14, 2011, on October 17, 2019, and on February 7, 2020.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Eliseo Mancia-Santana, a/k/a Eliseo Mancia, a/k/a Eliseo Mancias, a/k/a Eliseo Mancia Santana, age 42, a Salvadoran national unlawfully present in Bryan County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.
On December 23, 2025, Mancia-Santana pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on November 17, 2025, Mancia-Santana, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on January 25, 2018, and June 24, 2011.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Edith A. Singer represented the United States.
Illegal Alien from Guatemala Receives Sentence for Illegal Re-EntryRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Guatemalan illegal alien was sentenced in federal court today to 18 months in prison, for illegally re-entering the United States.
Edgar David Vasquez-Garcia, 34, pled guilty to the charge after he was previously deported from the U.S. in July 2014. He never sought nor obtained the consent of the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for re-admission.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Acting Field Office Director Vernon Liggins, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE-ERO) – Baltimore Field Office.
In October 2023, Vasquez-Garcia law enforcement arrested Vasquez-Garcia in Edgewood, Maryland, on second-degree assault charges. Then in May 2024, a jury convicted Vasquez-Garcia of second-degree assault, resulting in a 10-year prison sentence, with five years suspended.
Vasquez-Garcia first illegally entered the United States through Mexico in July 2014. Law enforcement then detained Vasquez-Garcia, and he admitted he was in the U.S. illegally. Authorities expedited removal proceedings and deported Vasquez-Garcia from Brownsville, Texas. At some point thereafter, Vasquez-Garcia re-entered the U.S. and then traveled to Maryland.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended ICE-ERO for its work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Mills who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Huntington Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marcus Allen Johnson, also known as “Mook,” 41, of Huntington, pleaded guilty today to distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 28, 2025, Johnson sold approximately 56.68 grams of a mixture containing fentanyl to a confidential informant in Huntington for $2,500. As part of his guilty plea, Johnson admitted to conducting the transaction and to arranging it beforehand.
Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $5 million.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff's Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph F. Adams is prosecuting the case.
This case was prosecuted as part of Operation Synthetic Opioid Surge (SOS), an enforcement surge that has sought to reduce the supply of deadly synthetic opioids in high impact areas.
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. 3:25-cr-187.
###
Houston residents get over 13 years following discovery of over 130 kilos of crystal methRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two local men have been ordered to federal prison for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute meth, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding Edgar Prudencio Ruiz, 24, and Damian Lee Gutierrez, 24, guilty Nov. 18, 2025, following a two-day trial.
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has now imposed a 162-month term of imprisonment for both men. They must also serve five years of supervised release following their sentences. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence the meth was imported from Mexico and that the two men had been in contact with others regarding price and delivery. The court also considered information about their involvement in prior shootings and carrying loaded firearms during the drug transactions. In handing down the prison terms, Judge Hanen noted the extremely large amount of pure meth involved in the case.
At trial, the jury heard that Guiterrez and Ruiz had delivered five kilograms of meth to an undercover officer June 17, 2025. Authorities subsequently followed the men as they entered an apartment. Both men later exited the residence with Ruiz carrying a box which he placed in the backseat of a Toyota Tacoma. Guiterrez and Ruiz left in the vehicle, after which law enforcement conducted a traffic stop, and a K-9 alerted to the left passenger door.
Authorities discovered the box in the truck contained 10 gallon-sized bags filled with crystal meth. They also found two loaded 9mm pistols. One was near the ignition, while the other - with an extended magazine - was under the front passenger seat.
Testimony further revealed Gutierrez believed the bags contained meth and admitted he had additional quantities at his residence.
Authorities executed a search warrant and seized approximately 122 more gallon-sized bags of crystal meth from the residence, each weighing approximately one kilogram.
In total, they discovered approximately 137 bags totaling nearly 133 kilograms of actual meth with an estimated street value of over $200,000.
The defense cited lack of fingerprint evidence and attempted to convince the jury the men did not actually possess the drugs. They did not believe the claims and found Gutierrez and Ruiz guilty as charged.
Both will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation with the assistance of Harris County Precinct 3 Constable’s Office, police departments in Houston, Pasadena, Stafford and La Porte as well as Harris County Sherrif’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer B. Lowery and Eric Smith prosecuted the case.
Honduran national extradited from Guatemala to the Eastern District of Texas to face international drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Honduran national has been extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Baldemar Roque Negrete, also known as Chele Peña, 52, a Honduran national, was extradited from Guatemala to the United States on March 20, 2026, to face international drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas.
Roque Negrete was charged by indictment on August 14, 2019, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine knowing it would be imported to the United States for distribution.
Roque Negrete is set for an initial appearance in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas on March 24, 2026.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division, FBI, and DEA Guatemala City Country Office.
The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the Government of Guatemala for making the extradition possible. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Guatemala.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###
Honduran Illegal Alien Guilty of Illegal Re-Entry of Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – CARLOS ALBERTO ESCOBAR-LOZA (“ESCOBAR-LOZA”), age 47, a native of Honduras, pleaded guilty on March 18, 2026, to illegal re-entry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8 United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. The sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Guidry on April 22, 2026.
According to court records, the defendant was found in the United States on December 26, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the Attorney General of the United States, after being previously deported on July 2, 2012. ESCOBAR-LOZA was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana after being arrested by local law enforcement. Immigration officials subsequently confirmed his identity through biometric data and records checks and determined that he had again unlawfully reentered the United States after having previously been removed.
On multiple occasions beginning in or about 2002, ESCOBAR-LOZA was encountered by U.S. immigration authorities after entering the United States without being admitted or paroled. He was placed in removal proceedings and, on or about October 27, 2003, an immigration judge ordered him removed from the United States after he failed to appear for his scheduled hearing.
On multiple occasions between approximately 2005 and 2012, ESCOBAR-LOZA was again encountered by immigration authorities following arrests by local law enforcement. Immigration records reflect that his prior removal order was reinstated, and he was removed from the United States to Honduras on at least three occasions.
ESCOBAR-LOZA faces up to two years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00 for re-entry of a removed alien.
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).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Homeland Security Investigations in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice, Jr. of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Henryetta Resident Pleads Guilty to ArsonRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Ace Hailey Buckner, age 37, of Henryetta, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to a Felony Information of one count of Arson in Indian Country, punishable by up to 25 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Information alleged that on June 5, 2025, Buckner willfully and maliciously set fire to and burned a motor vehicle.
The crime occurred in Okmulgee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Buckner will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Fresno Man Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Paycheck Protection Program Loan FraudRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Gurjeet Bath, 37, of Fresno, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston to 14 months in prison for theft of government property, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. Bath was also ordered to pay a $100,000 criminal fine.
“During a time when legitimate businesses were struggling to survive, this defendant chose to exploit a program designed to keep workers employed,” said U.S. Attorney Grant. “He has since pleaded guilty and repaid the stolen funds, but that does not erase the harm caused. Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of that fraud and our commitment to holding accountable those who abuse programs meant to help our communities in times of crisis.”
“Mr. Gurjeet Bath fabricated employee records and inflated wages to steal more than $825,000 in federal funds meant to keep businesses afloat during a national crisis. Instead, he used that money to buy land in Fresno County. The FBI and our partners at the SBA Office of Inspector General will continue pursuing everyone who treated pandemic relief as a personal slush fund,” said FBI Sacramento Special Agent in Charge Sid Patel.
According to court documents, Bath and other family members operated two trucking businesses: G.S. Bath Inc. and Complete Transportation Solutions (CTS), operating in Fresno County. In 2020 and 2021, Bath applied for and received three PPP loans totaling more than $1 million. To obtain the loans, Bath knowingly falsified records to inflate his businesses’ employees and their wages. Bath then used those funds to purchase two parcels of agricultural land in Fresno County. Bath pleaded guilty on May 27, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation with assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Barton prosecuted the case.
Fort Dodge Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Meth ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Marcus Hill, 53, from Fort Dodge, Iowa, was sentenced in federal court in Sioux City on March 20, 2026, to 144 months’ imprisonment. Hill pled guilty November 7, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine near a protected location.
At the plea hearing in November, Hill admitted that between 2018 and March 2025, he conspired to distribute methamphetamine in the Fort Dodge, Iowa area. Hill distributed over 300 grams of pure methamphetamine to an individual cooperating with law enforcement on three separate occasions in March of 2025. One of those distributions occurred within 1,000 feet of a protected location, namely Deercreek Apartments, a public housing authority in Fort Dodge.
United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand sentenced Hill to 144 months’ imprisonment, and a term of 10 years supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. Hill remains in custody of the United States Marshal until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Shawn S. Wehde and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, Webster County Sheriff’s Office, Fort Dodge Police Department, Iowa State Patrol, and Iowa DCI Laboratory.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-3034. Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Former Costa Rican government official and fellow drug trafficker extradited to the Eastern District of Texas to face international drug trafficking chargesRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – Two Costa Rican national, including a former government official, have been extradited to the United States to face drug trafficking charges in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Celso Manuel Gamboa Sanchez, 49, and Edwin Danney Lopez-Vega, also 49, were extradited from Costa Rica to the United States on March 20, 2026, after being charged in separate indictments in the Eastern District of Texas with drug trafficking violations. Gamboa Sanchez and Lopez-Vega are the first Costa Rican nationals extradited to the United States since Costa Rica reformed its constitution in May 2025 to allow for the extradition of Costa Rican nationals for drug trafficking offenses.
On June 23, 2025, Costa Rican police arrested Gamboa Sanchez, a former Costa Rican government official and judge, and Lopez-Vega on drug trafficking charges filed in the United States. Prior to his arrest, Gamboa Sanchez was a major drug trafficker in Costa Rica and had facilitated the shipment of tens of millions of dollars’ worth of cocaine from Colombia through Costa Rica to the United States and Europe. Gamboa Sanchez was indicted on July 9, 2025, and charged with conspiring with other international drug traffickers to manufacture, distribute, and transport significant quantities of cocaine, much of which was trafficked through Costa Rica and ultimately into the United States for further distribution. Gamboa Sanchez has held several governmental positions in Costa Rica, including Minister of Public Security in 2014, a position charged with overseeing crime prevention in the country, and judge from 2016 to 2018.
In a separate indictment, Lopez-Vega was charged on June 11, 2025, with conspiracy to manufacture and distribute cocaine knowing it would be imported into the United States. The two-count indictment alleges that beginning in 2008, Lopez-Vega was involved in a conspiracy to traffic cocaine not only to the United States, but to countries throughout South, Central, and North America, including Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico.
The defendants are set for initial appearances in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas on March 24, 2026.
These cases are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating 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.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison.
These cases are being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division, FBI, and DEA San Jose Country Office. These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wes Wynne.
The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the Governments of Costa Rica, the Office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Costa Rica’s Office of Technical Assistance and International Relations, and its prosecutorial and law enforcement authorities for making the extradition possible. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica provided significant assistance in securing the defendants’ arrest and extraditions from Costa Rica.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###