Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
Monday 23 March 2026
Florida Inmate Pleads Guilty to Distribution & Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Edward G. Winn, 47, an inmate of the Florida Department of Corrections who is formerly of Sarasota, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office will continue to aggressively prosecute the disgusting offenders who seek to sexually exploit kids online, and who peddle the horrific images and videos of child sexual abuse material that has the effect of re-victimizing those innocent victims each and every time it is shared.”
Court documents reflect that since September 2, 2015, the defendant had been incarcerated in the Florida Department of Corrections after being convicted of multiple counts of possession of child pornography. While the defendant was an inmate at Madison Correctional Institution, investigators discovered he used a prison-issued tablet to receive child pornography from the Internet which he also distributed to other inmates between May 6, 2024, and July 9, 2024. A search of the defendant’s tablet revealed that it contained almost 400 child pornography images, some of which depicted children as young as infants.
Winn faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to 40 years’ imprisonment on each count, and a lifetime of supervision upon release.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2026, at 3:00 pm, at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Florida Department of Corrections-Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it 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.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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 theU.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Florida Doctor Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements in Connection with Multi-Million-Dollar Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida-based doctor has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to making false statements in connection with a multi-million-dollar health care fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary genetic testing and durable medical equipment (DME).
Simon Grinshteyn, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of making false statements relating to health care matters. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for June 24, 2026. Grinshteyn was charged in January 2026.
Between February 2020 and June 2020, Grinshteyn worked with a purported telemedicine company to sign medical documentation, including doctors’ orders, for medically unnecessary genetic testing and DME. The medical records and doctors’ orders Grinshteyn received and signed were pre-populated and made it appear that Grinshteyn was providing legitimate consultations to the Medicare beneficiaries and had conducted examinations of the beneficiaries and/or would provide further medical care to them. Grinshteyn generally did not contact the beneficiaries himself and had no provider-patient relationship with the beneficiaries. DME suppliers and laboratories ultimately submitted claims to Medicare for these signed orders. As a result of Grinshteyn’s participation in this scheme, Medicare paid more than $3.1 million in claims for DME and genetic testing that were based on false documentation.
The charge of making false statements relating to health care matters provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross pecuniary gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Robert Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Kelly Lawson, Acting Regional Director, Boston Regional Office, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Christopher Silvestro, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecuted the case.
Final Defendant in Bowling Green Methamphetamine Conspiracy Sentenced to 18 1/2 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
Bowling Green, KY – On March 17, 2026, Shantaja S. Hutchins, the final defendant in a six-person methamphetamine conspiracy centered in Bowling Green, Kentucky, was sentenced to serve 18 1/2 years in federal prison.
First Assistant United States Attorney Brian Butler of the Western District of Kentucky, Special Agent in Charge John Nokes of the ATF Louisville Field Division, and Director Tommy M. Loving of the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force made the announcement.
According to court records, Shantaja S. Hutchins, 49, invested in large quantities of methamphetamine which Leroy B. Riggsbee, 40, obtained. This conspiracy involved the transportation of 77 pounds of methamphetamine from the Atlanta, GA area to Bowling Green, KY. The 77 pounds of methamphetamine was seized following the traffic stop of a vehicle occupied by Joseph A. Raby, 43, and Brandon T. Trent, 27, on January 4, 2023. Hutchins was in a separate car following Trent and Raby back from Georgia.
Hutchins was sentenced on March 17, 2026, to serve 18 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The other members of the conspiracy were previously sentenced for their roles in connection with this drug conspiracy. Riggsbee, a lead defendant with Hutchins, was sentenced on November 17, 2025, to serve 17 1/2 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Jeffery W. Glass, 53, was sentenced on February 4, 2025, to serve 4 3/4 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for his role as a co-conspirator. Tyler P. Houchens, 31, was sentenced on November 5, 2024, to serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for his role as a co-conspirator. Houchens fled police during this conspiracy and was found to possess for resale 10 lbs. of methamphetamine. Raby was sentenced on November 7, 2023, to serve 9 years in federal prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for his role as a co-conspirator. Trent was sentenced on May 2, 2024, to serve 2 years and 1 month in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for his role as a co-conspirator. Antoine J. Bass, 43, was charged with selling methamphetamine on two occasions. On November 16, 2023, he was sentenced to serve 6 years and 7 months in federal prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for his role as a street level drug dealer.
First Assistant United States Attorney Brian Butler stated, “The Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force and ATF dismantled a significant drug trafficking conspiracy that intended to distribute at least 77 lbs. of methamphetamine in and around the Bowling Green area. Bowling Green is a model for cooperation between federal and state law enforcement and federal and state prosecutor’s offices. These convictions and sentences continue to demonstrate that Bowling Green is one of the worst places in America for drug traffickers to peddle their narcotics.”
ATF Special Agent in Charge John Nokes said, “This case is another successful example of law enforcement working together at all levels to make our community safer. ATF and the Bowling Green Warren County Drug Task Force joined forces to remove a dangerous drug trafficker and his poison from Central Kentucky. As a direct result of this partnership and aggressive prosecution by our US Attorney’s Office, Shantaja Hutchins will now spend nearly 20 years in federal prison.”
Bowling Green/Warren County AHIDTA Drug Task Force Director Tommy M. Loving stated, “This case is another example of the strong partnerships and collaboration between state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies. Through this joint effort with the ATF, investigators made what we believe to be a record seizure in a single case—77 pounds of methamphetamine that was being transported back into Warren County. Today’s final sentencing ensures that the primary individuals responsible for this operation will no longer be able to distribute their poison in South Central Kentucky. We commend the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky for its continued dedication to prosecuting major drug traffickers and helping keep our communities safe.”
There is no parole in the federal system.
The case was investigated by the ATF Bowling Green Field Office and the Bowling Green/Warren County Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) Drug Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Yurchisin II, of the U.S. Attorney’s Bowling Green Branch Office, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
###
Federal jury convicts dual Lebanese-Syrian national for his role in a narco-terrorism conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury convicted a dual Lebanese-Syrian national today on charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy and conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization after a five day trial.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Antoine Kassis, 59, is a Lebanon-based drug trafficker who used his high-level access to the Syrian government under the Assad regime to traffic cocaine and weapons. Kassis laundered the proceeds of his drug trafficking through the organization of a Colombian co-conspirator. Even after the fall of the Assad regime, Kassis had access to weapons previously provided to the Assad regime by foreign governments, including Russia and Iran.
Since April 2024, Kassis and co-conspirators, who were based in Colombia and Mexico, agreed to supply military-grade weapons diverted from the Assad regime in Syria to the National Liberation Army (ELN), in exchange for hundreds of kilograms of cocaine. The ELN is a terrorist group based in Colombia dedicated to the violent overthrow of the democratically elected Government of Colombia. The U.S. Secretary of State designated the ELN as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist Organization.
Kassis stated that he was a cousin of former Syrian President Beshar Al-Assad, and that he was working directly with General Maher Al-Assad, the brother of the former Syrian President, and other top military officials in Syria on the deal. Kassis reportedly paid the government $10,000 per kilogram of cocaine imported through the Port of Latakia. Other evidence at trial supported that the Assad regime raised revenue through charging a checkpoint tax on illicit substances passing through its territory, as well as through the manufacture and distribution of Captagon, a Schedule I controlled substance.
Kassis traveled from Lebanon to Kenya to meet a weapons inspector from the ELN, then signed a contract to import a shipping container full of fruit from Colombia to the Port of Latakia, Syria, intending that the container would contain 500 kilograms of cocaine. Kassis intended to oversee the distribution of the cocaine in the Middle East while his co-conspirators would launder the proceeds on his behalf. Evidence at trial demonstrated that his co-conspirators moved nearly $100,000,000 in less than 18 months, and did so for organizations such as the Sinaloa Cartel, Hamas, and others.
Kassis faces a mandatory minimum of 20 years and up to life in prison when sentenced on July 2. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony T. Aminoff and Kristin S. Starr are prosecuting the case.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit investigated the case with assistance from Bogota Country Office; Cartagena Resident Office; Accra Country Office; Rabat Country Office; Nairobi Country Office; Amman Country Office; Istanbul Country Office; Panama City Country Office; Mexico City Country Office; and Madrid Country Office.
The Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs worked with Kenyan authorities to secure the arrest and May 2025 extradition from Kenya of Kassis. U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Colombia’s Cuerpo Técnico de Investigación, Ghana’s Narcotics Control Commission and Ghana Police Service, Morocco’s General Directorate for National Security, and Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations also provided significant assistance.
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.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-51.
Federal Judge Sentences Suburban Chicago Man to Six and a Half Years in Prison for $3.3 Million Covid-Relief FraudRead the Press Release
CHICAGO – A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison for scheming to fraudulently obtain more than $3.3 million in small business loans and grants under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Under the leadership of United States Attorney Andrew S. Boutros and consistent with the Administration’s priorities to identify, investigate, and prosecute criminal fraud in the federal government entitlement and benefit programs, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois is taking a fresh look at Covid-19 fraud.
In 2020 and 2021, FRANCESCO DISTEFANO and a co-defendant, SARGIS URUMIEH, engaged in fraud related to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program (EIDL), two sources of relief under the CARES Act. The pair applied for and obtained loans and grants for two companies where Urumieh served as a corporate officer. Distefano also applied for and obtained loans for a technology company that he owned and controlled. The applications contained numerous false statements and misrepresentations regarding the companies’ operations, including the number of employees, gross revenues, and payroll expenses. As a result of the fraud, Distefano and Urumieh caused a loss to the federal government of more than $3.3 million.
Distefano also fraudulently collected more than $37,500 in unemployment benefits from the state of Illinois in his name and the name of a relative while simultaneously receiving the Covid-relief loan proceeds and continuing to work for his technology company. Distefano used his Covid-relief and unemployment fraud proceeds to purchase, among other things, a Lamborghini Huracan, Maserati Ghibli, Land Rover Evoque SE, and Porsche 911, all of which were seized by law enforcement and forfeited to the government.
Distefano, 29, of Addison, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal wire fraud charge. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Jeremy C. Daniel sentenced Distefano to 78 months in federal prison.
Urumieh, 58, of Glendale, Calif., also pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge. Urumieh is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Daniel on July 22, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Boutros announced Distefano’s sentence along with Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, Adam Jobes, Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago, and Brett Lehnert, Acting Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General.
“As the nation was struggling with the Covid pandemic, the defendant was scheming to defraud the PPP, EIDL, and unemployment programs,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Snell argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum in Distefano’s case. “It was not the result of a momentary lack in judgment, but a continuing series of decisions, motivated by greed.”
Anyone with information about suspected Covid-19 fraud can report it to the Department of Justice by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud at (866) 720-5721, or by submitting an online complaint here.
Farmington Woman Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Trafficking and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Farmington woman pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and using, carrying, and possessing a firearm in connection with a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, investigators with the FBI and the Region II Task Force conducted a joint investigation that included multiple controlled drug purchases from and surveillance of Tasheena Hoskie, 44, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation. On July 12, 2024, investigators attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Hoskie’s vehicle as it traveled from Arizona to New Mexico. Hoskie initially stopped but then fled at high speed, throwing packages from the vehicle. After her vehicle was disabled, Hoskie was taken into custody. Inside the vehicle, investigators recovered approximately 100 grams of methamphetamine, roughly 4,130 fentanyl pills, and two firearms. Investigators also recovered approximately 548 grams (1.2 pounds) of methamphetamine that had been thrown from the vehicle.
Hoskie pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and using, carrying and possessing a firearm during and in relation to and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. At sentencing Hoskie faces not less than ten years and up to life 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 FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated the case with assistance from the Region II Narcotics Task Force, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Farmington Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Jack E. Burkhead is prosecuting the case.
El Paso Man Charged After Stash House Discovery Linked to Smuggling OperationRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An El Paso man has been charged in connection with an alleged alien smuggling operation after federal agents uncovered a stash house containing sixteen undocumented individuals following a failed smuggling attempt.
According to court records, on February 13, 2026, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Border Patrol agents responded to a failed alien smuggling attempt involving a tractor trailer carrying nineteen undocumented individuals at the Las Cruces Border Patrol Checkpoint on Interstate 25. Through interviews and investigative findings, agents identified a suspected stash house at a residence in El Paso, Texas.
On February 26, 2026, agents executed the search warrant at the residence and encountered approximately sixteen undocumented individuals inside. All stated they were not citizens of the United States and did not possess lawful immigration documents. The individuals were transported to the El Paso Border Patrol Station for processing.
During subsequent interviews, two material witnesses identified Crescencio Pacheco Olvera, 37, as the caretaker of the stash house and as a transport driver involved in the smuggling operation. One witness stated that after illegally entering the United States through a hole cut in the international border fence near Santa Teresa, New Mexico, they were transported to the El Paso residence by Pacheco Olvera.
Pacheco Olvera is charged with conspiracy to harbor, transport, and bring in undocumented individuals and will remain in custody pending trial, which has not yet been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Pacheco Olvera faces up to 10 years in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso made the announcement today.
HSI Las Cruces investigated this case with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha V. Henson is prosecuting the case.
View the Criminal Complaint (Pacheco Olvera).pdfA criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Dorchester Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to trafficking firearms.
Joshua Morency, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of dealing in firearms without a license and one count of possessing a machinegun. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 25, 2026. Morency was arrested and charged in November 2025.
In August 2025, an investigation of Morency began for unlawfully distributing firearms in the Boston area. Over the course of the investigation, Morency sold 17 firearms in undercover controlled purchases. The majority of the firearms purchased from Morency were 3D-printed, privately made firearms (commonly known as “ghost guns”).
The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possessing a machinegun provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department and the Suffolk County and Plymouth County Sheriff’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aidan Lang of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to fraud offenses, announced United States Attorney Charles C. Calenda.
William Jose Alejandro Arias Amador, 45, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Providence, pleaded guilty to false representation of a Social Security number, health care and wire fraud. Arias Amador was indicted by a federal grand jury on December 3, 2025. He is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8, 2026. The sentence will be determined by a federal district judge after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
According to court documents, Arias Amador applied for Medicaid and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits using a United States citizen’s identity and social security number.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Dulce Donovan.
The matter was investigated by the United States Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, United State Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, United States Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, and United States Department of Homeland Security.
Detroiter Pleads Guilty to Running Decade-Long Student Aid FraudRead the Press Release
DETROIT - Michelle Denise Hill, 48, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty today to wire fraud in connection with a decade-long scheme to fraudulently obtain more than $2.5 million in federal student aid funds, announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General.
According to court records, beginning no later than July 2015 and continuing through at least July 2025, Hill devised and executed a scheme to fraudulently obtain Federal Student Aid — specifically Federal Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student Loans — from the U.S. Department of Education. Hill submitted fraudulent aid applications for more than 80 individuals who were purportedly eligible students seeking to attend Wayne County Community College (WCCC) in Detroit, Michigan. In reality, those individuals had no interest in or intent to pursue a degree. Hill obtained the necessary high school diplomas on their behalf, with many from the same Florida online "fast-track" school, and completed their WCCC online coursework for them, often simultaneously, to create the appearance of academic progress and extend their eligibility for aid across multiple semesters. Hill generally split the fraudulently obtained aid proceeds with the purported students.
As a result of the scheme, Hill caused more than $3,000,000 in federal student aid benefits to be awarded, with approximately $2,530,854 actually disbursed on the fraudulent claims. Hill has agreed to pay $2,530,854 in restitution to the Department of Education.
Hill pleaded guilty before United States District Judge Brandy R. McMillion. Sentencing is scheduled for August 3, 2026, where Hill faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
United States Attorney Gorgon stated, “Federal student aid exists to open doors for Americans who are working to better themselves and their families. Michelle Hill slammed those doors shut, turning a lifeline into a racket and stealing millions from a program that belongs to our hardworking neighbors.”
“I am proud of the work of OIG Special Agents and our law enforcement partners for their work in this case and their dedication to protecting the integrity of Federal student aid funds,” said John Woolley, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General’s Central Regional Office. "We will continue to pursue those who misappropriate Federal student aid or game the system for their own self-interests. America’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ryan A. Particka and John K. Neal.
Detroit Man Sentenced to Prison for Role in Huntington-Area Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – James Garner, also known as “Jake,” 35, of Detroit, Michigan, was sentenced today to five years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine. Garner admitted to a role in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Huntington area.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 17, 2025, Garner sold approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $350. As part of his guilty plea, Garner admitted that co-defendant Joshua Willie McCarver directed the confidential informant to a Baer Street residence in Huntington, where Garner sold the methamphetamine to the confidential informant.
Garner also admitted to the following criminal conduct: he sold approximately 51 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $350 on January 22, 2025, and approximately 336 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $2,400 on February 21, 2025. Garner admitted that he conducted both transactions at the Baer Street residence, and that McCarver arranged each transaction beforehand and directed the confidential informant to the residence in each instance. On May 31, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop in Huntington of a vehicle in which Garner was a passenger. Garner admitted that he exited the vehicle during the traffic stop and discarded a bag containing approximately 459 grams of methamphetamine near the front passenger side of the vehicle. Garner further admitted that he returned to the vehicle when instructed to by an officer, but then fled from the traffic stop on foot and was apprehended after a pursuit. Officers recovered the bag discarded by Garner and a bag containing approximately 49.8 grams of fentanyl in the front passenger floorboard of the vehicle. Garner admitted that he possessed the recovered methamphetamine and fentanyl and intended to distribute the controlled substances for money.
Garner is among 10 defendants indicted on charges alleging they participated in the DTO. Five defendants pleaded guilty, including Garner. The charges against McCarver, also known as “TJ,” 27, of Detroit, Michigan, and the other defendants remain pending. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Cabell County Sheriff's Office, the Mason County Sheriff’s Office, and the Huntington Police Department.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Joseph F. Adams and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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-154.
###
Detroit Man Sentenced for Role in Drug Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Detroit, Michigan man was sentenced today for his role in a drug trafficking operation that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl in Harrison County, West Virginia, U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey announced.
Malik Rashard Fikes, also known as “Face,” was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison. Fikes was a supplier of drugs for the conspiracy that distributed methamphetamine and fentanyl from residence in Shinnston, WV.
Fikes will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
This case was investigated by the Greater Harrison Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
Deplorable conditions and deceptive business practices lead to federal charges under the Animal Welfare Act for Hopkins County dog breederRead the Press Release
PLANO, Texas – A Hopkins County woman has been indicted and charged with federal violations related to an unlicensed breeding facility in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Kristine Michelle Hicks, 51, of Cumby, was named in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas this week charging her with acting as an animal dealer without a license and four counts of wire fraud. Hicks appeared in federal court on March 23, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Don D. Bush.
According to the indictment, in December 2025, an investigation into Hicks’ breeding facility, “Giant German Shepherds,” began after a video surfaced on social media showing Hicks tying a dog to a tree and shooting the animal three times, killing it. The investigation revealed that from June 2024 through December 2025, Hicks is alleged to have operated a dog breeding and dog sales business in Hopkins County for which she did not have a license. The indictment describes deplorable conditions the animals were kept in, with most animals requiring emergency care due to starvation, parasite-related illnesses, lack of veterinary care and immunizations, and inadequate shelter from environmental exposure.
The indictment also alleges that in addition to operating an unlicensed facility, Hicks made fraudulent claims as to the parentage, health, and training of the dogs to inflate the sales price of the animals, often by thousands of dollars. Hicks also fraudulently claimed the dogs were of a certain temperament bred specifically to be trained as service animals. One such dog was sold to a paralyzed, bed-ridden, disabled veteran. The dog was aggressive, drew blood several times, and had to be muzzled before any veterinary care. Hicks also purported her animals to be healthy, AKC (American Kennel Club) registered dogs and promised to provide paperwork as proof. Instead, Hicks sold dogs that were of mixed breeds, randomly sourced from other litters, and had diseases or were in an otherwise unhealthy state.
If convicted, Hicks faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
This case is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General and the FBI. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Morris.
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.
###
Delaware County Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Staci Lyn Anderson, a/k/a Staci Lyn Jordan, age 34, of Colcord, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.
The Indictment alleged that on March 12, 2023, Anderson knowingly and intentionally possessed 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual), a Schedule II controlled substance, intending to distribute it.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
The Honorable Jason A. Robertson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Anderson was remanded into the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Howanitz represented the United States.
Chicago Man Charged with Threatening to “Shoot up” a Jewish SynagogueRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago has charged a man with making a threat to shoot up a Jewish synagogue.
On March 3, 2026, TIMOTHY HOLMES publicly posted on X, “I’m going to shoot up a synagogue,” according to a criminal complaint filed in the Northern District of Illinois. Holmes’s post was made in reply to a post from @Israel, the Israeli government’s official X account, concerning the death of Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei in Iran, the complaint states.
The FBI National Threat Operation Section received information regarding the threat, which Holmes made using @MapleStCapital, his X account, the complaint states. Further investigation revealed additional threatening communications from Holmes’s account this month, including a series of derisive posts concerning Jewish people, the complaint states. Holmes also posted the purported address in the United States of relatives of an Israeli government official, the complaint states.
The complaint charges Holmes, 31, of Chicago, with making a threat in interstate commerce to injure a person. Holmes was arrested on Wednesday morning in Florida and appeared that afternoon in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Over the government’s objection, he was ordered released on a $100,000 bond subject to various conditions, including not possessing a firearm or dangerous weapon, not contacting victims or witnesses in the case, not accessing social media or chat-based platforms, allowing the U.S. District Court to install GPS monitoring and access his electronic devices to confirm compliance with the conditions, and limiting his travel to the Northern District of Illinois and the Middle District of Florida. Holmes will appear in federal court in Chicago on a date to be scheduled.
The complaint was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the FBI Chicago Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Peabody.
“Anti-Semitism has no place in our society,” said U.S. Attorney Boutros. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Chicago is using all available legal tools to combat criminal conduct that rears its head in hateful anti-Semitism. This Administration has made clear that threats and violence against the Jewish community will not be tolerated. Working closely with our law enforcement partners, we will find, prosecute, and hold accountable the perpetrators of unlawful anti-Semitic threats and violence.”
“The FBI works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year to swiftly detect and disrupt threats of violence across the country,” said FBI SAC DePodesta. “Anti-Semitic speech and threats against the Jewish community are reprehensible, and our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners remain committed to holding accountable those seeking to intimidate or harm. Public tips are key in our shared effort of keeping Chicago safe. The public is encouraged to report any suspicious or threatening behavior immediately by calling 9-1-1, the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), or online at tips.fbi.gov.”
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the complaint is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
holmes_complaint.pdfBuffalo man pleads guilty to attacking postal carrierRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a Jacob D. Ortiz, 34, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy to assaulting a federal employee resulting in bodily injury, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen M. McCarthy, who is handling the case, stated that on September 9, 2025, a United States Postal Service (USPS) Letter Carrier approached the mailbox of a residence on Columbus Avenue in South Buffalo and observed Ortiz on the front porch of the house. Without any warning or provocation, Ortiz descended the front steps and lunged toward and tackled the letter carrier (victim) to the ground. Ortiz then began punching the victim repeatedly with his fists, forcing the victim to use their hands to protect their face as Ortiz delivered punches to the victim’s face, head, and midsection. Ortiz temporarily stopped, but then charged a second time, forcing the victim to flee the scene for their own safety. Ortiz gave chase but was unable to catch up, allowing the victim to get to safety. As a result, the victim sustained bodily injury, including a bump on the back of the head, several contusions to other parts of the head and face, and bruises and scrapes to their elbows and knees.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Boston Division, under the direction of Acting Inspector-in-Charge Nicholas J. Bucciarelli.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
# # # #
Brockton Man Pleads Guilty to Two Separate Cases Involving the Distribution of Large Quantities of Fentanyl and CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to two separately charged cases involving the distribution of kilograms of fentanyl and, in one case, cocaine.
Elijah Melton, 28, pleaded guilty on March 20, 2026 in United States v. Elijah Melton et al., Cr. No. 22-10356-LTS, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl), and to one count of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Melton also pleaded guilty in United States v. Theodore Richards et al., Cr. No. 25-10288-LTS, to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 5 kilograms or more of cocaine). U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for July 15, 2026.
On Dec. 7, 2022, in recorded calls, Melton agreed to deliver four kilograms of fentanyl to an individual working with law enforcement. Among other things, the defendant stated, “I told you four, I got you the four.” That evening, the defendant sent an associate to deliver the kilograms to a residential area in Attleboro, Mass. The associate arrived in a car, which law enforcement stopped. From the trunk of the car, a bag containing approximately 3.5 kilograms of fentanyl was seized.
Melton’s associate, Samuel Fonseca, 32, of Brockton, previously pleaded guilty in 22-10356-LTS. His sentencing is scheduled for June 16, 2026.
Melton was arrested on Dec.12, 2023 (22-10356-LTS). Following his arrest, a search was conducted and a mobile phone was seized from Melton. The phone contained communications relevant to the second charged case against Melton (25-10288-LTS). Specifically, investigators discovered communications on an encrypted application between Melton and a user identified as “James Jackson,” which is alleged to be co-defendant Theodore Richards. In those communications, from 2023, “James Jackson,” located in California, agreed to deliver to Melton, in Massachusetts, kilograms of fentanyl (referred to as “boy”) and cocaine (referred to as “girl”). “James Jackson” ultimately agreed to send Melton 4 kilograms of fentanyl, 32 kilograms of cocaine and approximately 300 pounds of marijuana. “James Jackson” sent Melton photographs of the drugs he would be sending.
On or about Oct. 29, 2023, “James Jackson” sent an associate to Massachusetts to deliver the drugs to Melton. Melton confirmed receipt and described to “James Jackson” his efforts to sell the drugs in Massachusetts.
Theodore Richards has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances (involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and five kilograms or more of cocaine), and distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl, provide for a sentence of at least 10 years in prison and up to life, at least five years of supervised release and up to life and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Rhode Island State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations 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 and Project Safe Neighborhood.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Bridgeport Man Pleads Guilty to Drug-Related Firearm Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ORONDE JEFFERSON, 42, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 20, 2024, the FBI’s Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department observed Jefferson outside a known drug location on Maple Street interacting with individuals engaging in suspected drug sales. Jefferson was arrested on state charges after he was searched and officers found him in possession of 32 individual glassine folds of fentanyl, a ziplock bag containing 71 capsules of crack cocaine, and a loaded Glock 9mm handgun equipped with a loaded high-capacity magazine.
Jefferson was arrested on related federal charges on May 9, 2025.
Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for June 11, at which time Jefferson faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Jefferson is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the FBI Bridgeport Safe Streets Task Force, the Bridgeport Police Department, and the Stratford Police Department. The Task Force is composed of personnel from the FBI, Connecticut State Police, and the Bridgeport, Norwalk, and Trumbull Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary G. Vitale.
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.
Boston Woman Pleads Guilty to Role in Bank Fraud RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with a scheme to defraud a bank in Massachusetts.
Trinity Antonetty, 24, of Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. U.S. District Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Aug. 18, 2026.
Between July and October 2024, Antonetty opened a business bank account and allowed Phalentz Vernot to deposit fraudulently obtained cashier’s checks into the account. Antonetty used funds from one of the checks Vernot deposited into her account to purchase a cashier’s check payable to a shell company Vernot controlled. When the bank froze another of the checks Vernot deposited into Antonetty’s account for suspected fraud, Antonetty called the bank and falsely claimed that she operated a high-end car dealer and that the funds were related to a luxury car.
In July 2025, Vernot and five other men were charged as part of a related investigation into a multi-million-dollar scheme to defraud banks in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. Vernot pled guilty on Dec. 17, 2025. Earlier this month, two additional people were charged for their roles in the scheme.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Haven Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Connecticut State Police, the Glocester (RI) Police Department, the Sutton Police Department, the Concord (MA) Police Department, the Dracut Police Department, the Westwood Police Department and the Abington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.Atoka Resident Sentenced to Five Years' Probation for Failure to Pay Federal Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Hanna Jera Davidson, age 42, of Atoka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to five years’ probation for one count of Failure to Collect or Pay Over Tax. Davidson was also ordered to pay $231,192.82 in restitution.
The charge arose from an investigation by IRS-Criminal Investigations.
On May 27, 2025, Davidson pleaded guilty to the charge in federal district court.
According to investigators, Davidson was the business manager of Fomby & Sons Towing and Recovery in Atoka, Oklahoma. One of her duties was to collect, truthfully account for, and pay over to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) quarterly employment taxes. From 2015 to 2020, despite receiving multiple warning letters from the IRS, Davidson willfully and intentionally failed to pay over to the IRS $152,257 which the company withheld from its employee’s wages and $72,665.82 for the company’s portion of the employment taxes.
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.
Aliens with Felony Records Sentenced to More than a Year in Prison as Part of Operation Take Back AmericaRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – on March 20, 2026, Jose Abisai Padilla-Galeano, 26, of Honduras, was sentenced in federal court to 15 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported. In a separate case, Pedro Guerrero-Rocha, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the same charge. These cases were prosecuted as 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.
According to court documents, on October 11, 2025, Padilla was arrested for possession of cocaine, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, and DUI by the Foley Police Department. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) responded to the jail and took custody of Padilla upon his release from jail on bond. Padilla had been previously deported from the United States four times. Padilla had been previously convicted of illegal reentry twice. Following Padilla-Galeano’s 15-month sentence in federal prison for his third illegal reentry offense, he was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.
On October 20, 2025, Guerrero was stopped by the Saraland Police Department for a traffic violation. Saraland Police Department requested assistance from the United States Border Patrol (USBP) of the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP). USBP responded and determined that Guerrero had been deported from the United States on six prior occasions and arrested him for his illegal presence in the United States. Guerrero had also been previously convicted of Driving while Intoxicated with a Child under 15 years old in violation of Texas state law in 2019 and illegal reentry in 2023. Following his 15-month sentence in federal prison for his second illegal reentry offense, he was ordered to be transferred to immigration authorities for deportation proceedings.
Additional defendants were recently prosecuted and charged with illegally reentering the United States after previously having been deported as part of Operation Take Back America’s ongoing collaboration between federal agencies with the assistance of state and local law enforcement and sentenced in federal court.
On October 11, 2025, a Gulf Shores Police Department officer responded to the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving Luis Antonio Aguilar-Bedolla, 38, of Mexico. Aguilar was arrested for an outstanding state arrest warrant. ICE/ERO obtained the record of the arrest and determined that Aguilar was a previously deported alien and took custody of him. Aguilar, who had been previously convicted of DUI twice, was convicted in federal court for illegal reentry in federal court and sentenced to time-served. The court ordered that he be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
On October 16, 2025, a Mobile County Sheriff’s Office Deputy encountered Nehemias Pelico-Cutz, 39, of Guatemala during a traffic stop. ICE/ERO assisted with the stop and determined that Pelico was a previously deported alien unlawfully in the United States. Pelico had been deported on five occasions. ICE/ERO arrested Pelico, and he was convicted of illegal reentry in federal court. He was sentenced to time-served and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
On October 27, 2024, Javier Hernandez-Juarez, 45, of Mexico, was encountered by the Foley Police Department and arrested for DUI, but used an alias. ICE/ERO obtained fingerprint records from the arrest, determined Hernandez’s identity as a previously deported alien, and arrested him for illegal reentry in December 2025. Hernandez was convicted, sentenced to time-served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
On December 28, 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received an anonymous tip from the HSI Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE referenced Tulio Miguel Mendez-Aguriano, 33, of Honduras. Upon receiving the tip, ICE/ERO officials vetted the information and determined that Mendez was illegally in the United States after previously being deported. On December 29, 2025, ICE/ERO arrested Mendez. Mendez was convicted of illegal reentry, sentenced to time-served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
On December 18, 2025, Jose Jorge Xocua Sandoval, 37, of Mexico, was encountered by an Alabama Law Enforcement Agency State Trooper during a traffic stop. USBP assisted with the stop and determined that Sandoval had been previously deported from the United States following an arrest for aggravated assault in Florida. Sandoval was convicted of illegal reentry, sentenced to time-served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
On January 9, 2026, the Silverhill Police Department encountered Jesus Villanueva-Gallegos, 45, of Mexico, during a traffic stop. ICE/ERO assisted with the stop and determined that Villanueva was a previously deported alien following a conviction for attempted aggravated sexual battery in violation of Kansas state law in 2001. Villanueva was convicted of illegal reentry, sentenced to time-served, and ordered to be transferred to immigration officials for deportation proceedings.
These defendants had been in custody since their respective arrests on federal charges. All defendants were ordered to pay $100.00 each in special assessments.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Border Patrol (USBP), and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), investigated these cases with the assistance of state and local law enforcement partners, including the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Foley Police Department, Gulf Shores Police Department, Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, Saraland Police Department, and Silverhill Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin D. Kopf prosecuted the cases on behalf of the United States.
In addition to repelling the invasion of illegal immigration, Operation Take Back America aim includes the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protecting our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Alabama Doctor Sentenced to over One Year in Prison for $2.7 Million Telemedicine Health Care Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Alabama-based doctor has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for a $2.7 million telemedicine fraud scheme involving medically unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME) and genetic testing primarily used to detect mutations in genes that could indicate a higher risk of developing certain types of cancers.
Tommie Robinson, 44, was sentenced on March 20, 2026 by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 16 months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Robinson was also ordered to pay $2,784,733.49 in restitution. In October 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud. Robinson was charged in August 2025.
Between December 2018 and March 2021, Robinson worked with telemedicine companies to sign medical documentation, including doctors’ orders, for medically unnecessary durable medical equipment and genetic testing. The orders Robinson signed were pre-populated based on telemarketing calls made to Medicare beneficiaries. Robinson generally did not contact the beneficiaries himself and had no provider-patient relationship with the beneficiaries. DME suppliers and laboratories ultimately submitted claims to Medicare for these signed orders. As a result of Robinson’s participation in this scheme, the suppliers and laboratories submitted over $2.7 million in claims to Medicare for DME and genetic testing that were medically unnecessary and based on false documentation.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Robert Coviello, Special Agent in Charge, Health and Human Services-Office of Inspector General; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Jason Buckley, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Kelly Lawson, Acting Regional Director, Boston Regional Office, Employee Benefits Security Administration, U.S. Department of Labor; and Christopher Silvestro, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alexandra Brazier and Lindsey Ross of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit prosecuted the case.
Activity in the U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Illegal Re-Entry of a Previously Deported Alien
Victor Juan Escobar-Figueroa, 38, of Mexico, was sentenced to time served plus up to 10 days to allow for deportation for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. According to court documents, on Dec. 4, 2025, the Wyoming Highway Patrol conducted a traffic stop of Escobar-Figueroa’s vehicle on I-80 near Burns. Over the course of the investigation, troopers believed Escobar-Figueroa was in the U.S. illegally. They contacted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for assistance. According to their database, Escobar-Figueroa was a citizen of Mexico and had not applied for permission to reenter after being formally removed in May 2012. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jesse Naiman prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 16 in Cheyenne. Case No. 26-CR-00012Isaias Hernandez-Zamora, 42, of Tlaxcala, Mexico, was sentenced to time served for illegal re-entry of a previously deported alien. He was taken into ICE custody for deportation after the sentencing hearing. He was also placed on one year of supervised release with the special condition that he not illegally return to the United States. According to court documents, on Nov. 18, 2022, Hernandez-Zamora was arrested by the Teton County Sheriff’s Office for driving while under the influence. He was released at the time, but ICE determined he was in the country illegally after being formally removed in November 2007. Hernandez-Zamora was at large until a complaint was filed in June 2024, and he was subsequently arrested. ICE investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron J. Cook prosecuted the case. U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 17 in Cheyenne. Case No. 26-CR-00175
About the United States Attorney’s Office
The United States Attorney’s Office is responsible for representing the federal government in virtually all litigation involving the United States in the District of Wyoming, including all criminal prosecutions for violations of federal law, civil lawsuits brought by or against the government, and actions to collect judgments and restitution on behalf of victims and taxpayers. The Office is involved in several programs designed to make our communities safer. They include:
Project Safe Childhood
Project Safe Childhood (PSC) is a DOJ initiative that combats the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. The threat of sexual predators soliciting children for sexual contact is well-known and serious.
Operation Take Back America
Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. It also streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).Victim Witness Program
The Victim Witness Coordinator for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Wyoming is dedicated to ensuring victims of federal crimes and their family members are treated with compassion, fairness, and respect.To report a federal crime, go to: https://www.justice.gov/actioncenter/report-crime
Friday 20 March 2026
Whitehall Borough Resident Pleads Guilty to 11 Counts of Cyberstalking, Interstate Stalking and ThreatsRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - A resident of Whitehall Borough, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty in federal court on March 19, 2026, to charges of cyberstalking, interstate stalking, and interstate threats, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Brett Michael Dadig, 31, pleaded guilty to 11 counts before United States District Judge Marilyn J. Horan.
In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from May through November 2025, the defendant traveled in interstate commerce to multiple states and used facilities of interstate commerce (such as his phone and the internet) with the intent to harass and intimidate numerous female victims, in many of whom the defendant had a romantic interest. Several of the victims were employees of fitness establishments across multiple states.
As explained to the Court and detailed in the Indictment against him, Dadig harassed, threatened, and intimidated 11 female victims—including from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, and New York—in person and through posts on social media, his podcast, text messages, and phone calls. Dadig’s harassment of his victims included showing up to their homes and places of business unannounced and uninvited, following victims from their places of business, taking and posting pictures of them online without their consent, and revealing private details (including their names and locations) online. Dadig’s comments included references to breaking victims’ jaws and fingers, dead bodies, burning down gyms, and his victims suffering “judgment day.” Two of Dadig’s Pittsburgh victims obtained Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders against him, which Dadig violated both online and in person. When Dadig was banned from gyms and businesses and was reported to the police in one city, he would move on to another city to continue his stalking course of conduct. The Indictment also detailed how Dadig relied on advice from an artificial intelligence chatbot while he was stalking his victims.
Judge Horan scheduled sentencing for July 9, 2026. The law provides for a total sentence of not less than 12 months of prison for each charge involving a PFA violation and up to 55 years in prison, a fine of up to $2.75 million, 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. Pending sentencing, Dadig will remain in federal custody.
Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Vasquez Schmitt and Hillary M. Weaver are prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Dadig, with the assistance of multiple local police departments in Pittsburgh and across the country.
Vallejo Man Sentenced to 24 Years, 4 Months in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — John Robert Remlinger, 43, of Vallejo, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena Coggins to 24 years and four months in prison for sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in the summer of 2021, Remlinger contacted the minor identified as Minor Victim 1 using a smartphone application named Wink. Wink was advertised as a service for minors to meet and befriend other minors. Remlinger told the victim that he was 17 years old even though he was actually 39 years old. The victim responded, accurately, that she was 13. They soon moved their conversations from Wink to another smartphone application, Snapchat.
Using Snapchat, Remlinger repeatedly demanded that the victim provide sexually explicit videos and images, directing her how to pose. She complied and sent him videos and images of herself. Remlinger also recorded a live video call over Snapchat during which the minor victim posed in a sexually suggestive manner. Remlinger pleaded guilty on June 6, 2025.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas M. Fogg prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
United States Attorney’s Office collects more than $68,000,000 in 2025 based on fraud, waste and abuseRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. – U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that the Affirmative Civil Enforcement (ACE) Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York recovered more than $68,000,000 in 2025 through settlement agreements and enforcement actions.
In 2025, the ACE Unit settled False Claims Act (FCA) cases, including cases that arose under the FCA’s qui tam or whistleblower provision. Among the settlements:
- Pfizer, on behalf of Pfizer’s subsidiary Biohaven, paid more than $50,000,000 to settle allegations that Biohaven paid kickbacks to providers in return for the providers prescribing Biohaven’s drug Nurtec.
- Five cases involving Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud, which will result in the recovery of more than $10,000,000.
The ACE Unit also settled non-False Claims Act related matters, including self-disclosed overpayments to federal health care programs and several claims involving the federally funded Railroad Retirement Board pension program.
U.S. Attorney DiGiacomo praised the work of the ACE Unit stating, “The settlements and recoveries achieved by the ACE Unit in 2025 demonstrate this Office’s commitment to protecting taxpayer money. My office will continue to aggressively root out fraud, waste, and abuse involving government programs and hold those responsible accountable”
The ACE Unit is the civil arm of the United States Attorney’s Office that investigates and pursues civil claims to recover money lost to fraud and other misconduct under the Federal False Claims Act. The False Claims Act allows the government to recover both the underlying loss amount and adds to the amount a damage multiplier. Many of these cases result from individuals or entities with inside information about fraudulent conduct.
Individuals with information about allegations of fraud are encouraged to report information to federal authorities. Information about fraud involving federal health care programs can be reported to HHS Office of Inspector General (1-800-HHS-TIPS) or the FBI (1-800-CALL-FBI). Information about COVID-19 fraud can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
# # # #
U.S. Postal Service Employee Charged with Bank Fraud and Theft of MailRead the Press Release
SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Nicholas Pecko, age 33, of Vandling, Pennsylvania, was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of bank fraud and theft of mail.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that Pecko, an employee of the U.S. Postal Service, stole two checks totaling $6,581.59 that were sent through the mail, intended to be delivered by the United States Postal Office. The indictment further alleges that Pecko executed a bank fraud scheme, whereby he presented the checks for deposit after they had been altered to falsely identify him as the intended payee.
The United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Lloyd is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for these offenses is 35 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
# # #
U.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Drug Overdose While in Police CustodyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against four officers with the Metro Transit Police Department arising out of the death of a 43-year-old District resident from a drug overdose that occurred on November 16, 2025.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement and civilian accounts, security camera footage, body-worn-camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, autopsy and toxicology reports, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department. The MPD’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
According to the evidence, on Nov. 16, 2025, police officers detained Demetrius Alston for fare evasion at the Anacostia Metro Station. As the officers prepared a ticket, the officers contacted their dispatcher and were advised of an outstanding arrest warrant for Mr. Alston.
Mr. Alston fled from the police and ran out of the station. Metro Transit police officers caught Mr. Alston a few minutes later. As they took Mr. Alson into custody and placed him in a police vehicle, Mr. Alston began having trouble breathing. He eventually lost consciousness, and the officers summoned an ambulance. Mr. Alston’s condition continued to deteriorate, and he died at the scene. An autopsy revealed that Mr. Alston had died from a drug overdose.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
Investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.
##
Two Richmond men sentenced to prison for armed robberies of vape shopsRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – Two Richmond men were sentenced to prison for the armed robberies of two Richmond vape shops.
According to court documents, on March 2, 2025, Koriyon Demantra Weaver, 19, and Calvin Shawn Johnson, 43, and a juvenile, entered a vape shop on Semmes Avenue, all armed and wearing masks and gloves. Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile robbed the store of cash and store merchandise. The robbers struck two victims inside the store over the head with firearms. Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile then fled from the store in a large SUV.
On March 9, 2025, Weaver, Johnson, and the juvenile robbed a vape shop on Hull Street Road. They zip tied three employees, held them at gunpoint on the ground, and took cash and cellphones. Weaver struck one of the victims on the head with a firearm. After robbing the victims, the robbers removed a cash register and fled. Richmond Police (RPD) conducted a traffic stop of their vehicle and took all three robbers into custody without incident.
A subsequent investigation revealed that Weaver also participated in a previous armed robbery of the Semmes Avenue vape shop on Feb. 12, 2025.
Weaver pled guilty on Aug. 20, 2025, to two counts of using a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on March 19 to 18 years in prison
Johnson pled guilty on Dec. 10, 2025, to Hobbs Act robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence. He was sentenced on March 12 to 19 years in prison.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office and RPD investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Anthony and Katherine E. Groover prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, 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 Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-96.
Two Members of 18th Street Gang Convicted of Murder in-Aid-Of Racketeering and Other Gang Related CrimesRead the Press Release
Today a federal jury in Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict against Herberth Rodríguez, also known as “Kepa,” and Elias Martínez Villanueva, also known as “Rebelde,” both members of the transnational street gang 18th Street, on all counts of a fourth superseding indictment charging them with murder in-aid-of racketeering and related firearms offenses for their participation in the November 1, 2020 murder of Diego Vanegas Vásquez. Rodriguez was additionally convicted of racketeering and the attempted murder of Juan Valdéz in-aid-of racketeering, as well as narcotics trafficking and unlawful possession of ammunition. Martinez Villanueva was additionally convicted of illegally re-entering the United States. The verdict followed a three-week trial before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz II. When sentenced, both defendants face a mandatory term of life imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department, announced the verdict.
“In committing the murder of Diego Vanegas Vásquez and other acts of brazen gang violence, the defendants terrorized a community in and around Roosevelt Avenue in Queens that they claimed was their territory,” stated U.S. Attorney Nocella. “Today’s verdict proves how wrong and misguided they are. It is the rule of law that controls and protects our communities. Our Office, together with our law enforcement partners, remains focused on dismantling violent gangs like 18th Street. I can state with confidence that the neighborhoods of Jackson Heights and Corona are safer with these defendants effectively removed from society and no longer free to perpetrate crimes.”
Mr. Nocella also thanked United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General for their assistance.
“Herberth Rodriguez and Elias Villanueva – members of a notorious foreign terrorist organization (FTO), the 18th Street gang – committed a senseless murder out of retaliation and terrorized the community with brazen public gun fights,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle. “Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI continues to eradicate the violence plaguing our streets and threatening the lives of innocent bystanders by attacking these FTOs head-on.”
“These convictions send a clear message: The NYPD will stop at nothing to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable street gangs that terrorize our communities with senseless gun violence,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch. “For too long, the 18th Street crew turned neighborhoods in Queens into their own deadly battleground against rivals, placing innocent New Yorkers at risk. But thanks to a thorough investigation led by NYPD detectives and a strong prosecution, our streets are now safer. I thank our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their support in taking down this ruthless organization and bringing its members to justice.”
As proved at trial, the defendants were members of 18th Street, a violent gang that engaged in murder, robbery, extortion, production of fraudulent identification documents, and narcotics trafficking. As a member of 18th Street, Rodriguez sold large quantities of cocaine, the proceeds of which the gang used to purchase firearms and support incarcerated gang members. The evidence also showed that 18th Street sold cocaine and marijuana, peddled fake IDs, such as fake Social Security cards and fake green cards, and extorted brothel owners by requiring them to pay money to the gang for the gang's permission to run their brothels.
Murder of Diego Vanegas Vásquez
In the early morning hours of November 1, 2020, the defendants shot and killed Vanegas Vásquez who they believed was a member of the rival MS-13 gang, in Jackson Heights, Queens. On the night of the murder, Vanegas Vásquez was a passenger in the back of a taxi. The defendants, riding on a motorbike, pulled alongside the taxi at a red light. Rodríguez fired approximately six shots at Vásquez, killing him. After the murder, Rodríguez bragged about killing Vásquez to other members of 18th Street in text messages.
Attempted Murder of Juan Valdéz
On October 10, 2020, Rodríguez set out to kill Juan Valdéz, who he believed had disrespected 18th Street. Earlier that day, Valdéz had a physical altercation with an 18th Street member in the vicinity of Roosevelt Avenue and 83rd Street. After the fight, Valdéz got into his car and attempted to leave the area. An 18th Street associate who saw the fight then signaled to members of the gang in the area to respond. After hearing the signal, Rodríguez grabbed a gun that the gang kept hidden beneath a flower stand outside of a bodega on 83rd Street and ran towards the vicinity of the fight. Rodríguez opened fire on Valdéz’s vehicle, but missed Valdéz as he drove away.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Palacio, Megan Larkin, Lauren Bowman, and Brachah Goykadosh are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Wesley Roberts.
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 Defendants:
HERBERTH RODRIGUEZ (also known as “Kepa”)
Age: 33
Queens, New YorkELIAS MARTINEZ VILLANEUVA (also known as “Rebelde”)
Age: 40
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 20-CR-548 (WFK)
Togo Illegal Alien Sentenced for Role in Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal judge sentenced an illegal alien from Togo, today, for his role in a money laundering scheme totaling nearly $3 million in losses.
U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Maddox sentenced Gedeon “Papa Kwam” Agbeyome, 31, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to six years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit money laundering and aggravated identity theft. Judge Maddox also ordered him to pay $2,938,424.65 in restitution and issued a $2.8 million preliminary order of forfeiture.
As part of the scheme, Agbeyome received at least $2.8 million in proceeds from a business email compromise fraud scheme. Agbeyome used bank accounts that he opened and controlled through shell entities and the identities of other real people. He then pocketed a portion of the fraud proceeds in exchange for engaging in the financial crime.
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; Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) – Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge George Golliday, Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Inspector General (EPA-OIG).
According to court documents, from June 2021 through May 2023, Agbeyome participated in a significant money laundering conspiracy that led to the prosecution of at least 14 individuals. As part of the conspiracy, the co-conspirators created shell entities that did not have significant physical operations, business premises, legitimate business activities, gross revenues, cost of goods sold, nor reported wages for employees. The co-conspirators used the shell entities to open and control bank accounts that they then used to receive fraud proceeds.
Additionally, Agbeyome admitted he participated in an underlying wire-fraud conspiracy. This scheme involved defrauding a victim trust that was established to remediate environmental contamination at a California manufacturing facility. Agbeyome also admitted that he used three real people’s personal identifying information in connection with the wire fraud conspiracy. Agbeyome used the stolen identities to open multiple bank accounts and to conceal his connection to a CashApp account. Agbeyome and his co-conspirators then used these financial accounts to launder money.
As part of the conspiracy, co-conspirators used a business email compromise scheme to deceive the victim entities. Co-conspirators tricked the victims into sending money to the shell entity bank accounts Agbeyome controlled, and others, through look-a-like email addresses. The victims typically thought they were sending money to contractors or vendors.
After gaining access to the fraudulently obtained funds, Agbeyome engaged in multiple financial transactions in quick succession. He did this to conceal the nature, location, source, and ownership of the funds, and to control the wire-fraud proceeds. These illegal acts helped promote the underlying business email compromises and other fraud schemes.
Agbeyome and his co-conspirators met in person, and used phone calls, Telegram, WhatsApp, and text messages to communicate.
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.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the HSI-led Document and Benefit Fraud/Mid-Atlantic El Dorado Task Force, and thanked IRS-CI and EPA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry Gruber, Bijon A. Mostoufi, Jared M. Beim, and recognized Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber, for her valuable assistance.
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.
Tift County Meth Trafficking Ringleader Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ALBANY, Ga. – The last member of a Tift County, Georgia, drug trafficking ring, who helped orchestrate the operation from behind prison bars which authorities estimate distributed hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and cocaine, has been sentenced to serve more than 13 years in federal prison.
Juan Carlos Popoca, 38, of Tifton, was sentenced to serve 165 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release by Senior U.S. District Judge W. Louis Sands on March 19. Popoca pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine on Dec. 17, 2025.
“Those who traffic deadly and addictive drugs in the Middle District of Georgia, especially from behind bars, will face swift and severe federal consequences,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “We are partnering with law enforcement at every level to pursue, prosecute and remove the most dangerous offenders from our communities.”
“Even from behind bars, criminal activity will not go unchecked,” said GBI Director Chris Hosey. “This investigation reflects the strength of collaboration between our agents and local partners to identify, disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking operations. The GBI remains committed to protecting Georgia communities by holding offenders accountable at every level.”
Popoca’s co-conspirators, all of Tifton, pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison:
Haley Maria Sumner, 34, was sentenced to serve 78 months in prison on Jan. 29, 2026, after she pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine;
Jerri Jo Austin, 54, was sentenced to serve 36 months in prison on July 31, 2025, after she pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine; and Susan Nichole Lopez, 31, was sentenced to serve 30 months in prison on Dec. 14, 2025, after she pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of methamphetamine.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements referenced in court, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office agents received information from a confidential source in 2021 that Austin was distributing methamphetamine in Tift County, Georgia. During the investigation, agents learned that Popoca, Sumner and Lopez were working with Austin to distribute methamphetamine, and that Popoca was an inmate at a Georgia prison.
Working undercover, a GBI agent contacted Popoca in April 2022 to purchase methamphetamine. Popoca directed the agent to Austin, who he referred to as his “aunt.” As a result, the agent purchased methamphetamine from Austin on April 11, 2022. During this interaction, Austin asked the undercover agent if he could fly a drone to drop drugs into the prison where Popoca was incarcerated. Several additional controlled purchases were made at Popoca's direction, sometimes involving the other co-conspirators, at various locations in Tift County. Popoca shifted his communications to Telegram, an encrypted instant messaging app. Agents organized the final controlled purchase of heroin on June 24, 2022, taking Lopez into custody at a gas station in Tift County. Agents estimate the organization is responsible for distributing 180 kilograms of methamphetamine, 60 kilograms of cocaine and 1,300 pounds of marijuana in Tift County.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The GBI Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office investigated the case with valuable assistance from the Tift County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sonja Profit prosecuted the case for the Government.
Three sentenced for facilitating computer access in North Korean sanctions evasion schemeRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Georgia: Three men have been sentenced in federal court after pleading guilty to their roles in a nationwide scheme that enabled North Korean workers to access U.S.-based computer networks.
Each defendant pleaded guilty to a criminal Information charging them with one count of Wire Fraud Conspiracy, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
The defendants were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge J. Randal Hall. Alexander Paul Travis, 35, of Augusta, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $193,265. Jason Salazar, 30, of Clovis, California, and Audricus Phagnasay, 25, of Fresno, California, were sentenced and ordered to forfeit $409,876 and $681,926, respectively.
“These men practically gave the keys to the online kingdom to likely North Korean overseas technology workers seeking to raise illicit revenue for the North Korean government – all in return for what to them seemed like easy money,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “These schemes present a significant challenge to our national security, and we applaud our investigative partners working to secure our digital borders.”
Since 2003, United States and United Nations sanctions cut off North Korea “from the U.S. marketplace and financial systems and restricted the ability of U.S. persons and companies from doing business” with North Korean institutions.
North Korea responded with “a variety of schemes” to evade those sanctions, including “the use of highly skilled information technology (IT) workers to obtain remote, pseudonymous employment with companies around the world, including the United States, using false or stolen identities.” The revenues from those schemes contribute to North Korea’s weapons programs in violation of U.S. and U.N. sanctions.
Each defendants’ guilty pleas describe how they were contacted by overseas IT workers, and each defendant allowed those workers to create resumes in the defendants’ names with false information about their experience; to use those false representations and identities to obtain remote employment with U.S. companies; to pass employer vetting procedures, including video interviews, drug testing, and fingerprinting; and, to open bank accounts in the defendants’ names to receive payment from the U.S. companies.
In each case, the defendant would receive a laptop computer from the company that hired the fictitious worker, and then would install unauthorized software to enable the overseas IT worker to access the computers remotely while appearing to work from the defendant’s address in the United States.
Travis, who was an active-duty member of the United States Army stationed at Fort Gordon at the time, received at least $51,397 for his participation in the scheme. Phagnasay and Salazar earned at least $3,450 and $4,500, respectively. The fraudulent scheme earned approximately $1.28 million in salary payments from the victim U.S. companies, the vast majority of which were sent to the IT workers overseas.
“These defendants facilitated a scheme to deceive U.S. companies into hiring foreign remote IT workers,” said FBI Georgia Acting Special Agent in Charge Peter Ellis. “The FBI will continue to work with our partners to expose and mitigate these fraudulent IT schemes and provide support to victims of North Korean cyber actors.”
The FBI Augusta (Georgia) Resident Agency is investigating the cases, along with the National Security Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, Assistant U.S. Attorney L. Alexander Hamner for the Southern District of Georgia and Trial Attorney Jacques Singer-Emery of the NSD National Security Cyber Section are prosecuting the cases.
The fifth defendant in Teton County cocaine trafficking ring sentencedRead the Press Release
A three-year investigation into cocaine trafficking in Teton and surrounding counties concluded with the final defendant being sentenced. Jose Junior Ramos, 32, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, was sentenced to 95 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release to follow for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of distributing cocaine. Ramos was indicted on May 21, 2025, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30, 2025, and U.S. District Court Judge Alan B. Johnson imposed the sentence on March 6 in Cheyenne.
According to court documents, in November 2023, Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Southwest Enforcement Team began an investigation into a cocaine drug trafficking organization that was operating in and around Jackson, Wyoming. Through the investigation, agents learned that Ramos and other people were responsible for trafficking multiple pounds of cocaine from Phoenix, Arizona to Lincoln and Teton Counties in Wyoming and Bonneville and Teton Counties in Idaho.
In April 2025, investigators stopped Ramos’s vehicle as it was driving back from Phoenix, Arizona and located three kilograms of cocaine in the vehicle. In the Defendant’s residence, investigators discovered over a dozen firearms and bulk cash.
In total, the conspiracy was found culpable for trafficking just under ten kilograms, or 22 pounds, of cocaine. DCI, DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Teton County Sheriff’s Office (Idaho), and the Idaho State Police investigated the crime, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Z. Seth Griswold prosecuted the case. Case No. 25-CR-00082
“This was part of a multi-agency collaboration dedicated to dismantling transnational criminal organizations responsible for drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “Through sustained cooperation, we are reducing the number of drugs coming into Wyoming.”
Ramos is the fifth defendant in this conspiracy convicted in federal court. The others include:
- Saul Andrew Garcia, 26, of Irwin, Idaho, was sentenced to120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of distribution of cocaine. He was sentenced on Jan. 15, 2026. Case No. 25-CR-00082
- Cesar Antancio Torres-Cazares, 36, of La Piedad, Michoacan, Mexico, was sentenced to 24 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and time served for illegal reentry into the United States. He will be deported following his imprisonment. He was sentenced on March 26, 2025. Case Nos. 25-CR-00055 and 25-CR-00056.
- Marlon Forrest, 29, of Port Maria, Jamaica, was sentenced to 80 months in federal prison with three years of supervised release, for aiding and abetting the distribution of cocaine. He was sentenced on Jan. 9, 2025. Case No. 24-CR-00038
- Oneil Anthony Findley, of Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica, was sentenced to 68 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for attempted possession with intent to distribute cocaine, use of a communication facility to facilitate a felony drug offense and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced on April 11, 2025. Case no. 24-CR-00131
“If you are a bad actor poisoning our kids and weakening our communities-don’t even get on our roads-because we are coming for you and we are going to lock you up,” said Smith.
This operation is part of Operation Take Back America (TBA), 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).
- Saul Andrew Garcia, 26, of Irwin, Idaho, was sentenced to120 months’ imprisonment with five years of supervised release for conspiracy to distribute cocaine and three counts of distribution of cocaine. He was sentenced on Jan. 15, 2026. Case No. 25-CR-00082
Tallahassee Violent Felon Charged with Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Etavious J. Milton, 26, of Tallahassee, was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charge today.
Milton appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for April 13, 2026, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Milton faces up to fifteen years’ imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tallahassee Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
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 available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Suspected Bloods members arrested on drug and gun chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Ronnie Powell, 40, and Daniqua S. Dixon, 34, both of Buffalo, NY, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, and methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking activity. The charges carry a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum of life.
Assistant U.S. Attorney P. Richard Antoine, who is handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, the Buffalo Police Department and the Buffalo Police Gang Intelligence Unit have been investigating the criminal activities of the Bloods, a violent street gang operating in and around the City of Buffalo. Numerous members of the Bloods have been identified as well as gang territory located on the east side of Buffalo. Members have been arrested by several police departments for violent criminal acts, including drug and firearm trafficking. Bloods gang members are known to commit violent criminal acts in furtherance of the gang to protect gang-controlled territory and houses associated with the gang.
Powell and Dixon are suspected Bloods gang members, in part because of various gang-related tattoos indicating gang membership and their associations with other Bloods gang members. The investigation determined that Powell and Dixon are narcotics traffickers who supply various individuals. On March 18, 2026, a search warrant was executed at a South Domedian residence utilized by Powell and Dixon, during which investigators seized two loaded firearms, a brick of suspected cocaine, quantities of suspected methamphetamine, fentanyl, and crack cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and approximately $10,333.00 in cash. Also on March 18, 2026, investigators conducted a traffic stop and placed Powell under arrest.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Acting Commissioner Craig Macy, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Philip Tejera, and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
# # # #
Southern District indictments charge robbery, firearms and immigration violationsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Multiple defendants face felony charges in indictments filed in the Southern District of Georgia during the March term of the Grand Jury.
Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced the indictments. Those facing federal charges include:
- Corey Corley, 34, of Savannah, charged with Interference with Commerce by Robbery, for an Oct. 14, 2025 incident at Mary Jane’s CBD Dispensary in Savannah;
- Kyle Ashley Edmunds, 43, of Augusta, charged with Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl, Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon, and Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime;
- Calvin King, 20, of Savannah, charged with Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun, referring to a pistol equipped with a “Glock switch” conversion device; and,
- Josiah Tate, 22, of Savannah, charged with Illegal Possession of a Machine Gun, referring to a pistol equipped with a “Glock switch” conversion device.
In addition, four men are charged with Re-entry After Removal or Deportation, a charge applied to an illegal alien present in the United States after at least one prior removal:
- Randy Reinery Almendarez-Romero, 47, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States, arrested in Chatham County;
- Francisco Guzman-Encinos, 40, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States, arrested in Chatham County;
- Jose Hernandez-Hernandez, 33, a citizen of Mexico illegally present in the United States, arrested in Glynn County; and,
- Oscar Rabadan, 36, a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States, arrested in Richmond County.
Criminal indictments contain only charges; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The cases are being prosecuted on behalf of the United States of America by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia.
Shiprock Woman Sentenced for AssaultRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman was sentenced to two years in prison for assaulting and stabbing another woman.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on November 21, 2024, Angelia Garcia, 35, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, repeatedly stabbed Jane Doe in an unprovoked attack. As a result of the attack, the victim sustained serious wounds, including a wound to the back of her neck. During a subsequent interview with agents, Garcia admitted to stabbing the victim.
Garcia subsequently pled guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon. Upon her release from prison, Garcia will be subject to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Investigation and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Pahl is prosecuting the case.
Sentence Handed Down to Man Who Strangled Girlfriend over Argument About Cell PhoneRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Marcus Hazel, 32, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 months for strangling his romantic partner, in November 2025, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Hazel pleaded guilty to strangulation in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on Jan. 16, 2026. Superior Court Judge Judith Pipe ordered Hazel to serve 10 months in prison for this offense.
According to the government’s evidence, at approximately 9:00 a.m. on Nov. 28, 2025, Hazel and the victim were at the Gateway Hotel in the 2700 block of New York Avenue, NE. While there, Hazel became angry about losing his cell phone. The victim offered to let him use her cell phone until his phone was found or he bought a new one. Hazel became upset, told the victim he did not want to use her phone, and that he wanted her to buy him a new cell phone. Hazel began cursing at the victim and arguing with her when she asked the defendant several times to leave the hotel. The defendant placed both his hands around the victim’s neck applying pressure until she could not breathe. He then slammed the victim to the floor and continued strangling her until she nearly lost consciousness.
Joining in the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery W. Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged Assistant U.S. Attorney Elias Feldman of the Sex Offense and Domestic Violence Section, who prosecuted the case.
2025 CF3 016192
Sapulpa Man Sentenced for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Sapulpa man was sentenced today for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge John D. Russell sentenced Damon Terrell Lewis, 48, to 151 months imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
In June 2025, Tulsa Police officers were dispatched to a domestic disturbance at a local hotel. Upon arrival, officers spoke with Lewis’ girlfriend, who said that Lewis threatened her with a firearm during a domestic dispute. Officers secured the firearm. Lewis admitted they got into an argument and told officers he had several outstanding warrants. Prior to arresting Lewis, officers searched him and found more than 68 grams of methamphetamine and $5,434 in cash. Officers then obtained a search warrant for the hotel room and found digital scales and other items consistent with drug distribution.
Lewis will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Tulsa Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Flynn prosecuted the case.
Prior Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Scott Oranje, 52, of Mary Esther, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fentanyl has had an absolutely devastating impact on our communities for several years, which is why President Donald J. Trump recently designated the exceptionally deadly drug a Weapon of Mass Destruction. Identifying, targeting, and incapacitating the peddlers of this poison on our streets remains a top priority for my office. We will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this one to fulfill the promise made by President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi when they launched Operation Take Back America to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward dismantling the drug trafficking operations that have plagued our communities for far too long.”
Court documents reflect that on November 10, 2025, law enforcement officers intercepted a package addressed to Oranje’s residence. The package contained over 300 grams of fentanyl. Law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery at Oranje’s residence. Oranje took possession of the package and entered his condominium. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence. Oranje did not answer the door requiring officers to breach the door. Following the breach of the front door, Oranje fled through the back patio, in possession of the fentanyl. Oranje was taken into custody. Law enforcement searched the residence and located a digital scale, various narcotics paraphernalia, owe sheets, and multiple firearms. Oranje had previously been convicted of First-Degree Residential Robbery and sentenced to state prison in California on or about July 30, 2018.
Oranje faces consecutive minimum mandatory sentences of five years’ imprisonment on Counts 1 and 2, for a total minimum mandatory sentence of ten years, and up to a maximum of life imprisonment. A term of imprisonment could be followed by up to a five-year term of supervised release. Thus, if Oranje were to violate any conditions of his release, he could potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson is prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge M. Casey Rodgers.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Previously Convicted Offender Indicted for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material AgainRead the Press Release
Previously Convicted Offender Indicted for Possessing Child Sexual Abuse Material Again
CONCORD – A former resident of Newbury has been indicted this week for possessing child sexual abuse material, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Marc Jacques, 52, was charged with the possession of child sexual abuse material. According to the charging and other public documents, on March 18, 2024, Jacques pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child sexual abuse material. On September 9, 2024, the Court sentenced Jacques to 60 months in federal prison and ordered him to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on or before December 2, 2024. While Jacques was still on release, a U.S. Probation Officer observed Jacques had engaged in unauthorized activity on electronic devices that were subject to monitoring software. The Probation Officer then recovered an unauthorized thumb drive that Jacques maintained at his Newbury residence. A subsequent federal search warrant executed on the drive led to the recovery of videos depicting child sexual abuse. The defendant was arrested on a bail violation resulting from the new conduct on October 18, 2024, and began service of his original 60 month sentence.
Because of Jacques’ 2024 conviction, if convicted on the new charge he faces a sentence of not less than 10 years and not more than 20 years in prison, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation. The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) of the U.S. Department of Justice.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Philadelphia Man Convicted at Trial of Robbing Kensington Pharmacy at GunpointRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Michael Nixon, 31, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was convicted at trial of robbery which interferes with interstate commerce (Hobbs Act robbery), using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, arising from his gunpoint robbery of a pharmacy located on the 2900 block of North 5th Street in Philadelphia’s Kensington section.
As proven at trial, on December 22, 2021, at approximately 5:44 p.m., Nixon forced Victim #1, a pharmacy employee, back into the store, as Victim #1 was attempting to get to their car. Once inside the pharmacy, Nixon demanded access to the store’s controlled substances safe and told Victim #1 to put the narcotics from the safe into plastic bags. As Victim #1 did so, Nixon pointed a black firearm at them and urged them to hurry up. Once the defendant had the bottles of drugs, he exited the store, ran to a waiting blue Dodge Charger, and got into a passenger seat.
Nearby Philadelphia Police Department (“PPD”) Narcotics Strike Force (“NSF”) officers observed Nixon flee the store and enter the vehicle. At that time, the NSF officers attempted to stop the Charger, but the vehicle sped off and led police on a high-speed pursuit through the city. During the vehicle pursuit, PPD officers observed what appeared to be medicine bottles being thrown from the vehicle.
Following a minor vehicle accident at the 3100 block of Janney Street in Philadelphia, both Nixon and the driver of the vehicle were taken into police custody.
PPD officers went back to the route of travel and recovered multiple bottles of controlled substances, specifically alprazolam tablets and one partially broken bottle containing methylphenidate hydrochloride tablets, which matched the substances stolen from the pharmacy.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 8 and faces a maximum possible term of life in prison.
This case was investigated by the Philadelphia Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stram and Justin Oshana.
Operation Spring CleaningRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Over the past week, more than 100 federal, state, and local law enforcement officers worked together with prosecutors to arrest and charge 101 individuals in federal investigations for violent crimes.
Today, the Justice Department announced the results of “Operation Spring Cleaning”, a multi-agency law enforcement operation conducted March 17th – 19th that identified, apprehended, and initiated prosecution against some of the most violent offenders in the Springfield and Joplin metropolitan areas, including Greene, Jasper, and Christian Counties. Its mission was straightforward: use existing Missouri and Midwest-based law enforcement resources in a coordinated way to serve warrants across partner agencies, arrest individuals wanted for serious crimes and identify additional evidence that supports successful prosecution.
This effort resulted in 85 federal indictments charging 101 defendants with a variety of offenses including firearms, narcotics, and sex offenses. During the investigations into these matters, law enforcement seized a total of 141 firearms, 11.21 pounds of cocaine, 1.5 pounds of fentanyl, 204.89 pounds of marijuana, 88.14 pounds of methamphetamine, and 2.06 pounds of psilocyn. Additionally, 10 arrests on state warrants were executed including an arrest for a suspect charged with murder in the first degree and a CODIS hit for an unsolved rape investigation.
“Operation Spring Cleaning is an example of the extraordinary impact that law enforcement, at all levels of government, can have when we combine our resources and focus collectively on aggressively combatting violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price.
U.S. Attorney Price thanked the partner agencies in this coordinated effort including:
- Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
- Carthage Police Department
- Christian County Sheriff’s Office
- Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- Greene County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
- Greene County Sheriff’s Office
- Homeland Security Investigations (HSI)
- Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office
- Jasper County Sheriff’s Office
- Joplin Police Department
- Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP)
- Newton County Sheriff’s Office
- Nixa Police Department
- Ozark Police Department
- Springfield Police Department
- United States Marshals Service (USMS)
Price continued, “Operation Spring Cleaning serves as a double-down on our ongoing collaboration in Southwest Missouri and a reminder that law enforcement officers, not violent criminals, control the streets of Springfield, Joplin, and all surrounding areas. We are playing offense now, and will remain on offense to confront crime and engage violent criminals at the time and place of our choosing.”
Operation Spring Cleaning was conducted by the Violent Crime Abatement Team (VCAT), a coalition of Missouri-based federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to respond to violence and gun crimes. The goal of this team is to bring significant, coordinated resources to address violent crime in the Southwest Missouri area, including federal prosecution.
Please note that a video of the press conference, B-roll of the operation, and photos will be available after the event on DVIDS, which is free to join but requires an account. If interested, please use the link to register an account. https://www.dvidshub.net/member/ registration.
Attached is a breakdown of the operation.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The charges contained in any charging document are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Total agencies involved18Federal indictments85Defendants charged federally101Total firearms seized during investigations/arrests141Federal firearms cases charged49Federal narcotic cases charged23Combined firearm and narcotic cases charged19Federal sex offense cases charged9Cocaine seized during investigations11.21 lbs.Fentanyl seized during investigations1.51 lbs.Marijuana seized during investigations204.89 lbs.Methamphetamine seized during investigations88.14 lbs.Psilocyn seized during investigations2.06 lbs.Norwich Man on Federal Supervised Release Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JAVON MORSE, 30, of Norwich, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to cocaine distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 13, 2017, Morse was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to 60 months of imprisonment and four years of supervised release for trafficking cocaine. He was released from prison in January 2021.
On October 14, 2024, while on federal supervised release, Morse fled from Norwich Police during a traffic stop. After he fled, Morse went to a storage facility where he maintained a storage unit. As Norwich Police again attempted to stop Morse’s vehicle, Morse threw a backpack from the vehicle and sped away. Morse’s vehicle became disabled a short distance away and he was taken into custody. Morse possessed $2,356 in cash at the time of his arrest.
A search of the backpack Morse discarded revealed nearly a kilogram of cocaine, numerous narcotic pills, items used to process and package narcotics, and other items. A search of Morse’s storage unit revealed four handguns, including two “ghost guns;” loaded gun magazines, including high-capacity magazines; ammunition; and other items. A subsequent search of Morse’s vehicle revealed approximately 10 pounds of marijuana, narcotic pills, quantities of methamphetamine and crack cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics, and $4,449 in cash.
Morse, who has been detained in federal custody since December 12, 2024, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, an offense that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 15 years. He faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 30.
This investigation has been conducted by the Norwich Police Department, the Connecticut State Police, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
Norfolk cocaine dealer sentenced for drug trafficking and firearm chargesRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced today to seven years in prison for distribution of cocaine and using a firearm in a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents, from Jan. 28, 2025, to Feb. 13, 2025, Dyron Eugene Holloway, 36, sold cocaine during three transactions in Virginia Beach and another transaction in Norfolk. During the Norfolk transaction, Holloway also sold a handgun in addition to over 27 grams of cocaine.
During a search of Holloways vehicle, investigators recovered additional cocaine, marijuana, and a digital scale. Investigators also searched Holloway’s hotel room and recovered additional cocaine, another firearm, a firearm scope, and a magazine with 29 rounds of ammunition.
Among other previous convictions, Holloway was convicted in 2012 for assault and battery on law enforcement and in 2024 for possession of a firearm with a schedule I or II drug. As a convicted felon, Holloway cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Virginia Beach Police Department investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke Bresnahan prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, 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 Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:25-cr-76.
Mexican man sentenced for illegal reentryRead the Press Release
MISSOULA – A Mexican man who reentered the United States illegally was sentenced today to 18 months incarceration and 3 years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Tim Racicot said.
Baldemar Duarte-Nieto, 47, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.
U.S. District Judge Donald W. Molloy presided.
The government alleged in court documents that on July 26, 2025, Duarte-Nieto was found by law enforcement in Kalispell after a short vehicle and foot pursuit. The pursuit reached 80 mph in a residential neighborhood and Duarte-Nieto struck a Toyota Camry filled with four people. A K-9 was deployed to apprehend him. Duarte-Nieto had an arrest warrant from Washington for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance – heroin.
Duarte-Nieto was first removed from the United States in 1996 or 1997, in 2000, and then a week later with a 20-year bar. He was last removed from the United States in November 2021 after an extensive hearing with an Immigration Judge because he used an assumed identity for approximately 20 years.
Duarte-Nieto’s prior convictions include:
- 1996 assault with a weapon in Pacific County, Washington;
- 2002 carjacking in Claremont, California;
- 2006 conspiracy/bringing a controlled dangerous substance into a prison in Susanville, California; and
- 2012 false statements in the Western District of Washington.
There are no records within the Department of Homeland Security that Duarte-Nieto ever applied for readmission into the United States.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. Homeland Security Investigations, Northwest Montana Drug Task Force, and Flathead County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.
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.
XXX
Merced County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Receiving and Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
FRESNO, Calif. — Joel Damian Ortega, 36, of Merced, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff to 20 years in prison for receipt and distribution of material depicting the sexual exploitation of children, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between Jan. 26, 2024, and July 7, 2024, Ortega used a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to receive and distribute at least one visual depiction of a child engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Ortega also used an iPhone to receive at least one visual depiction of a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct on April 2, 2024. Ortega pleaded guilty on June 23, 2025.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittany M. Gunter prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Massachusetts Men Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in New HampshireRead the Press Release
Massachusetts Men Indicted for Conspiring to Distribute Methamphetamine and Fentanyl in New Hampshire
CONCORD – Two Massachusetts men were indicted for drug offenses, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Francis Miguel Rodriguez, 27, and Roberto Ramon-Avalo, 26, were charged by indictment on March 18, 2026. Rodriguez was charged with one count of possessing methamphetamine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute it and both men are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl. Both men were previously charged by criminal complaint and arrested on December 2, 2025.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, beginning in early 2024, the DEA began an investigation into an unknown individual who was selling multiple-ounce quantities of methamphetamine in the Rochester, New Hampshire area. During the investigation, in June 2024, during a traffic stop, a narcotics-detecting K-9 alerted to the presence of controlled substances in Rodriguez’s vehicle. Law enforcement later found substantial quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl hidden in two black magnetic boxes secreted in the front passenger side wheel well. Thereafter, two DEA cooperating sources (or “CS”) communicated with Rodriguez to purchase methamphetamine and fentanyl. Each time, Avalo traveled to New Hampshire to deliver the drugs at the agreed upon price. In December 2025, DEA obtained arrest warrants for Rodriguez and Avalo and a search warrant for a suspected drug house in Boston that they were using to conduct their drug trafficking activity. In the residence, DEA found items used to package and mix narcotics and approximately 5 pounds of methamphetamine and other controlled substances. After Avalo’s arrest, DEA found more controlled substances in a drug hide built into the dash of his car, including more than 200 grams of methamphetamine and more than 700 grams of fentanyl.
The charges of possession with intent to distribute and conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance each carry a sentence of up to 20 years’ incarceration, not less than 3 years of supervised release, and a fine up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Man Indicted and Arrested for Kidnapping and Carjacking of a U.S. Postal Service Letter CarrierRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 19, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned a four-count indictment charging a Guaynabo man with kidnapping and carjacking a United States Postal Service letter carrier.
According to court documents, on or about November 25, 2025, Ariel Ayala Meléndez, 59, willfully seized, confined, kidnapped, abducted and carried away K.L.V.G., a United States Postal Service letter carrier while he was performing his official duties. The defendant compelled the victim, at knifepoint and against his will, to drive the postal vehicle from San Juan to the vicinity of Camino Paco Galán in Guaynabo, thereby restraining and holding the victim against his will, until K.L.V.G. crashed said vehicle to escape.
“Violent attacks on federal employees will not be tolerated,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “This indictment demonstrates that, along with our law enforcement partners, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to holding accountable those responsible for acts of violence that terrorize local communities and those who serve those communities.”
“The most important job of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the safety of our employees,” said Bladismir Rojo, Inspector in Charge of the Miami Division. He added, “This arrest is a result of the determined efforts exhibited by our postal inspectors, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners.”
Ayala Meléndez is charged with the following counts: (1) kidnapping or impeding certain officers or employees; (2) assault on a federal employee with a dangerous weapon; (3) robbery of a mail custodian; and (4) carjacking. The defendant made his initial court appearance today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Giselle López Soler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison for count one; up to 20 years in prison for counts two and three; and up to 15 years in prison for count four. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the lead agency of the investigation with the collaboration of the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Edwin Cabán Jr. from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###