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29 April 2026
Man Subject to No-Contact Order Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Kenneth Thompson, age 24, from Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced April 28, 2026, to 7 years in federal prison, after a September 19, 2024, guilty plea to Possession of a Firearm by a Drug User and One Subject to an Order of Protection.
Evidence in the case revealed on July 15, 2021, Thompson was a passenger in a vehicle subject to a traffic stop and found in possession of marijuana and a pistol, but Thompson denied the firearm was his. He was warned he could not lawfully possess firearms. On August 19, 2022, Sioux City police responded to a report of a burglary and that a Glock handgun had been stolen. On October 15, 2023, Woodbury County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence in Moville where Thompson was not allowing a female victim to leave the residence. The victim had a valid no-contact order against Thompson. Thompson was arrested for possession of marijuana and violation of a no-contact order. Once Thompson was transported away from the scene, the victim reported Thompson had a firearm in the house and had pointed a gun at her and assaulted her. Law enforcement located a Glock handgun with a loaded, extended magazine. Deputies ran the serial number and learned this firearm was reported stolen on August 19, 2022, in Sioux City. While deputies were transporting Thompson, he made threats against law enforcement.
On November 10, 2023, Sioux City Police were dispatched to a neighborhood to locate Thompson, who had an active warrant for violation of a no-contact order. While Thompson was being taken into custody, he admitted to having a firearm on him. Officers located a fully loaded pistol.
Thompson was sentenced in Sioux City by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 84 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a 3-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Thompson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was investigated by Woodbury County Sheriff’s Department, Sioux City Police Department, and the United States Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Forde Fairchild.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 24-4013.
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Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force Hosts Cryptocurrency PanelRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas Homeland Security Task Force held a panel discussion Monday on criminal charging and asset forfeiture involving cryptocurrency, as well as how digital currency continues to evolve. The panel brought together federal and local law enforcement partners to share information, discuss recent cases, and strengthen coordination in identifying and stopping criminal activity involving cryptocurrency.
Panelists discussed trends in cryptocurrency-related crimes, tools used to investigate these cases, and the legal process for seizing digital assets. The group also talked about the challenges posed by transnational criminal organizations that use cryptocurrency to move and hide illegal proceeds, and ways agencies can continue working together to address those threats and recover funds for victims.
“The Homeland Security Task Force underscores our shared commitment to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada Sigal Chattah. “Cryptocurrency is evolving, but our task force partners are using every available tool to disrupt money laundering and seize funds for victims.”
“The FBI, along with its local, state, and federal partners have seen actors, across the full spectrum of threats that we investigate, to include criminal, counterintelligence, counterterrorism, and cyber threats, leverage the encryption and anonymity that virtual currency offers,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “For these actors, virtual currency is just another layering technique, used to obfuscate who the true beneficial owners are. We are committed to any tool and partner that assists us in tracing the money, which illuminates networks and identifies opportunities for asset forfeiture.”
“Cryptocurrency can move quickly,” said Special Agent in Charge John Wester, San Francisco Field Division, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). “ATF is happy to be a part of this panel and discussion. Technology is constantly evolving, and it is important that members of law enforcement stay knowledgeable about new technology/platforms that may be involved in federal investigations.”
“Cryptocurrency is increasingly being adopted by Transnational Criminal Organizations, as it provides the capability to rapidly and safely transfer capital across borders through an encrypted blockchain,” said Brandon Lesky, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Las Vegas District Office. “We’ve seen this play out in some of our drug investigations. Mexican cartels and other global criminal networks, for example, trade bulk cash for cryptocurrency to facilitate global drug trafficking. Cryptocurrency has become a borderless financial tool. These new tools undoubtedly complicate detection. This is why we must align our efforts and pool resources. This symposium provided an opportunity for law enforcement to collaborate with federal prosecutors and improve their strategy for tracking and prosecuting financial crimes.”
“As cryptocurrency has become an integral part of the global financial system, its mainstream presence unfortunately makes it an attractive vehicle for opportunistic criminals,” said IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix Field Office Assistant Special Agent in Charge Dave Lowe. “But at their core, all financial crimes have the same bones. This is why IRS-CI remains committed to our foundational strength: following the money. By combining our deep financial expertise with cross-agency collaboration, we are uniquely positioned to deconstruct even the most complex transactions to identify stolen funds and hold bad actors accountable.”
Participants included representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation, United States Marshals Service, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Law enforcement speak at Cryptocurrency Panel held at U.S. Attorney's Office.
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Kroger Agrees to Settlement Reducing Ozone-Harming Emissions from Grocery Stores NationwideRead the Press Release
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice announced a proposed settlement with The Kroger Company resolving alleged Clean Air Act violations at grocery stores nationwide.
Under the proposed consent decree, Kroger will spend an estimated $100 million over the next three years to reduce coolant leaks from refrigerators and other equipment and improve company-wide compliance with rules protecting the Earth’s ozone layer. The company will also pay a $2.5 million civil penalty.
“Compliance with the Clean Air Act protects human health,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Fixing leaks of ozone-depleting refrigerants makes a real difference in protecting all Americans from the harmful effects of solar radiation.”
The settlement resolves Kroger’s failure to promptly repair refrigerant equipment leaks of the refrigerant R-22, a powerful ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC), between 2014 and 2023. Kroger also failed to keep adequate refrigeration service records.
Damage to the ozone layer results in dangerous increases in the amount of ultraviolet solar radiation that strikes the earth. This radiation has been linked to many harmful effects, including skin cancers and cataracts.
If entered by the court, the settlement requires Kroger to retrofit or replace 600 large commercial refrigeration systems at its stores to reduce ozone-depleting emissions. Kroger must also implement a refrigerant management system to help prevent and repair coolant leaks and keep its corporate-wide average leak rate to no more than 9.5 percent per year.
The consent decree was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and is subject to a 30-day public comment period. The complaint and proposed consent decree are available at www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
The Environmental Protection Agency investigated this matter.
Attorneys with ENRD’s Environmental Enforcement Section are handling this matter.
Kearney Man Sentenced to 6 1/2 Years for Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jonathan Wagner, 27, of Kearney, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 23, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of transportation of child pornography. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Wagner to 78 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Wagner’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Wagner was additionally ordered to pay $3,000 in restitution.
Law enforcement discovered that Wagner was uploading files containing child pornography online. A federal search warrant was received for one of Wagner’s online accounts. The results revealed 97 image files and 100 video files of child pornography. The account also revealed 269 files depicting child erotica or age difficult files. A federal search warrant was received for Wagner’s residence on March 29, 2024. During the search, Wagner’s devices were seized. A review of those devices revealed 1,424 child pornography images and 15,484 images of child erotica or age difficult files. Wagner’s browser history on his cell phone also showed him accessing child pornography.
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 United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to 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.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.
Justice Department Sues New Jersey over Attempt to Regulate Federal Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against New Jersey, Governor Mikie Sherrill, and Attorney General Jennifer Davenport challenging their unconstitutional attempt to regulate federal law enforcement officers through the so-called “Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act.”
“The Department of Justice will steadfastly protect the privacy and safety of law enforcement from unconstitutional state laws like New Jersey’s,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division.
Not only is the law an illegal attempt to regulate the federal government, but, as alleged in the complaint, the law threatens the safety of federal officers who have faced an unprecedent wave of harassment, doxing, and even violence. Threatening officers with prosecution for simply protecting their identities and their families also chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations.
Acting Attorney General Blanche has instructed the Department’s Civil Division to identify state and local laws, policies, and practices that facilitate violations of federal laws or impede lawful federal operations. Today’s lawsuit is the latest in a series of lawsuits brought by the Civil Division targeting illegal policies designed to thwart federal law enforcement across the country, including in New York, New Jersey, and California.
Justice Department Seeks to Shut Down Florida Return PreparersRead the Press Release
The Justice Department has filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida seeking to enjoin Florida-based return preparers Cedric Reid, Juan Santana, and Reid’s business, Advance Tax Group Inc. (Defendants) from preparing federal income tax returns for others. Defendants’ offices are located in Daytona Beach and Ocala, Florida, the complaint says.
The complaint alleges that Defendants prepare federal income tax returns for customers on which they claim fraudulent deductions and credits, purposely underreporting the tax their customers owe and claiming refunds their customers are not entitled to receive. Specifically, the complaint alleges that Defendants prepared returns that falsified filing status; reported false or inflated business expenses and losses; and claimed false fuel tax credits, education credits, and other credits. According to the complaint, Defendants used the false information they reported to maximize their customers’ earned income tax credit (EITC) and failed to follow the IRS’s EITC due diligence requirements.
The government alleges in the complaint that Defendants caused an estimated tax loss of more than $7 million in 2023 and 2024 alone.
Deputy Assistant Attorney General Joshua Wu of the Civil Division’s Tax Litigation Branch made the announcement. Tax Litigation Branch attorneys Meredith Hollman and Amanda Cornwell are handling the case.
Taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant against unscrupulous tax preparers. The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax return preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department’s website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Civil Division, Tax Litigation Branch with details.
Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Springfield, Missouri LandlordRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the owners of residential rental properties in and around Springfield, Missouri have agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the properties’ former owner and manager sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“A home should be a place of safety, not fear and exploitation,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vigorously holding landlords accountable when they use their power to violate the rights of vulnerable tenants.”
“No tenant should ever be forced to choose between their safety and keeping a roof over their head,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price for the Western District of Missouri. “Exploiting power for sexual coercion and retaliation is not only immoral, but it’s also illegal. The result of this case makes it clear that the Western District of Missouri will work tirelessly to hold accountable any landlord who violates a tenant’s rights.”
“The Fair Housing Act protects against sex discrimination precisely to prohibit this kind of vile and predatory behavior against vulnerable women,” said Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig Trainor at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “When landlords sexually harass their female tenants, they are not only violating the law but undermining the sense of safety, privacy, and security that the home provides. The Trump Administration will always stand with victims and hold perpetrators accountable.”
“Today’s settlement makes clear that landlords who abuse their position of power by exploiting tenants’ basic needs for housing will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will not tolerate the use of housing as a tool for coercion, harassment, or abuse, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold offenders fully responsible.”
The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri in March 2024, alleges that for over a decade, Jimmie Bell sexually harassed and retaliated against female tenants of rental homes he owned and/or managed in and around Springfield. The suit alleges that Bell’s conduct included making unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances to female tenants, exposing and touching his genitals in front of female tenants, touching and grabbing female tenants in a sexual manner without their consent, requesting sex or sex acts from female tenants in exchange for tangible housing benefits like excusing late or unpaid rent or the opportunity to rent another home, and taking adverse housing actions such as initiating evictions or refusing to make needed repairs against female tenants who refused his sexual advances.
Under the settlement agreement, Defendants must pay $250,000 to former tenants who were harmed by Jimmie Bell’s harassment. Defendants must also make good faith efforts to have all retaliatory evictions against these tenants removed from public court records and credit reports; and Defendants must cease any ongoing efforts to obtain payments from former tenants who faced retaliatory evictions. Finally, the settlement agreement mandates training to prevent future discrimination, including sexual harassment, at Defendants’ residential rental properties. The Department’s lawsuit named Jimmie Bell as a Defendant, as well as Defendants Fourth Bell LLC and the trustee of Second Bell Trust, owners of rental properties that were managed by Jimmie Bell. Jimmie Bell died in February 2025 and his son, Mark Bell, was substituted as his successor Defendant.
The case was referred to the Division after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development received a complaint, completed an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General also participated in the investigation and assisted in the litigation.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered approximately $19 million for victims of such harassment.
Justice Department Secures Settlement in Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Springfield, Missouri LandlordRead the Press Release
The Justice Department announced today that the owners of residential rental properties in and around Springfield, Missouri have agreed to pay $250,000 to resolve a lawsuit alleging that the properties’ former owner and manager sexually harassed female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
“A home should be a place of safety, not fear and exploitation,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to vigorously holding landlords accountable when they use their power to violate the rights of vulnerable tenants.”
“No tenant should ever be forced to choose between their safety and keeping a roof over their head,” said U.S. Attorney R. Matthew Price for the Western District of Missouri. “Exploiting power for sexual coercion and retaliation is not only immoral, but it’s also illegal. The result of this case makes it clear that the Western District of Missouri will work tirelessly to hold accountable any landlord who violates a tenant’s rights.”
“The Fair Housing Act protects against sex discrimination precisely to prohibit this kind of vile and predatory behavior against vulnerable women,” said Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Craig Trainor at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. “When landlords sexually harass their female tenants, they are not only violating the law but undermining the sense of safety, privacy, and security that the home provides. The Trump Administration will always stand with victims and hold perpetrators accountable.”
“Today’s settlement makes clear that landlords who abuse their position of power by exploiting tenants’ basic needs for housing will be held accountable,” said Special Agent in Charge Machelle Jindra with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will not tolerate the use of housing as a tool for coercion, harassment, or abuse, and we will continue to work with our partners to hold offenders fully responsible.”
The Department’s lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri in March 2024, alleges that for over a decade, Jimmie Bell sexually harassed and retaliated against female tenants of rental homes he owned and/or managed in and around Springfield. The suit alleges that Bell’s conduct included making unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances to female tenants, exposing and touching his genitals in front of female tenants, touching and grabbing female tenants in a sexual manner without their consent, requesting sex or sex acts from female tenants in exchange for tangible housing benefits like excusing late or unpaid rent or the opportunity to rent another home, and taking adverse housing actions such as initiating evictions or refusing to make needed repairs against female tenants who refused his sexual advances.
Under the settlement agreement, Defendants must pay $250,000 to former tenants who were harmed by Jimmie Bell’s harassment. Defendants must also make good faith efforts to have all retaliatory evictions against these tenants removed from public court records and credit reports; and Defendants must cease any ongoing efforts to obtain payments from former tenants who faced retaliatory evictions. Finally, the settlement agreement mandates training to prevent future discrimination, including sexual harassment, at Defendants’ residential rental properties. The Department’s lawsuit named Jimmie Bell as a Defendant, as well as Defendants Fourth Bell LLC and the trustee of Second Bell Trust, owners of rental properties that were managed by Jimmie Bell. Jimmie Bell died in February 2025 and his son, Mark Bell, was substituted as his successor Defendant.
The case was referred to the Division after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development received a complaint, completed an investigation, and issued a charge of discrimination. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General also participated in the investigation and assisted in the litigation.
If you are a victim of sexual harassment by another landlord or property manager or have suffered other forms of housing discrimination, call the Justice Department’s Housing Discrimination Tip Line at 1-800-896-7743 or submit a report online. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt. This settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative. The initiative, which the Department launched in October 2017, seeks to address and raise awareness about sexual harassment by landlords, property managers, maintenance workers, loan officers and other people who have control over housing. Since launching the initiative, the department has filed 52 lawsuits alleging sexual harassment in housing and recovered approximately $19 million for victims of such harassment.
Jury convicts illegal alien from Honduras for unlawfully possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A federal jury convicted a Honduran national today on charges of possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in 2016, law enforcement encountered Joel L. Ayala-Rivera, 22, near Hidalgo, Texas, after he unlawfully crossed the border as an unaccompanied juvenile. He was placed in removal proceedings and was released from custody to the care of his mother. In or about February of 2023, Ayala-Rivera was again encountered and taken into custody by Border Patrol in Texas. In May of 2023, an immigration judge adjudged him to be an alien present in the United States without being admitted or paroled. The judge released Ayala-Rivera from immigration detention on a cash bond.
On April 15, 2024, at an apartment in Richmond, the FBI conducted a controlled purchase in which Ayala-Rivera sold a handgun. As an illegal alien, Ayala-Rivera cannot lawfully possess firearms.
Ayala-Rivera faces up to 15 years in prison when sentenced on Aug. 25, and he remains subject to the prior order of removal. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI’s Richmond Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Richmond Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Angela Mastandrea and Patrick J. McGorman are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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. 3:26-cr-14.
Jefferson County felon sentenced to federal prison for firearms violationRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas –A Beaumont convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
John Edwin Redeaux, 32, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Truncale April 29, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on November 17, 2024, Redeaux was stopped in Beaumont for a traffic violation and gave permission to search his vehicle after officers observed baggies on the floorboard of the vehicle that are commonly used to store and sell illegal drugs. A search of the vehicle revealed a firearm, a box of ammunition, a bag of marijuana, a black ski mask and a digital scale. Further investigation revealed Redeaux is a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.
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.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Beaumont Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Russell James.
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Intercepted Package Containing 1.6 Pounds of Fentanyl Leads to ConvictionRead the Press Release
Intercepted Package Containing 1.6 Pounds of Fentanyl Leads to Conviction
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Jaquan Marquis Brock, 29, of Charlotte, North Carolina, pleaded guilty today to attempted possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
According to the plea agreement and statements made in court, U.S. Postal Inspectors intercepted a package mailed to an apartment in Morgantown from an address in Scottsdale, Arizona. A search warrant for the package was executed and investigators found more than 1.6 pounds of fentanyl. The Postal Inspection Service worked with the Mon Metro Drug Task Force to deliver the package. Brock retrieved the package and was arrested in the parking lot.
Brock faces 10 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine the sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Cogar is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Mon Metro Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative, investigated.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.
Indian National Pleads Guilty to Role in Illegal Gambling RingRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – An Indian national pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for his involvement in a multi-million-dollar illegal gambling conspiracy occurring at six locations in southwest Missouri.
Rahulkumar D. Patel, 41, a citizen of India residing in the state of Washington, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Patel admitted that he and his co-conspirators obtained approximately $7,696,085 in gross proceeds from their wire fraud scheme and illegal gambling businesses and then conducted various financial transactions for the purpose of laundering the proceeds.
On May 14, 2025, Patel was charged, along with eight other individuals, in a 72-count superseding indictment by a federal grand jury in Springfield. The federal indictment charges all nine defendants with one count each of participating in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to operate an illegal gambling business, and operating illegal gambling businesses from July 1, 2022, to May 13, 2025. In addition to the conspiracy counts, all nine defendants were charged with at least one count of wire fraud, and eight defendants were charged with money laundering.
Through Patel’s guilty plea, he admitted that he and his co-conspirators ran illegal gambling businesses under the guise of internet amusement arcade games, skill game arcades, and adult arcades. Patel and his co-conspirators hired local employees to work in their businesses, which operated contests of chance, gambling devices, and slot machines in violation of Missouri and Federal law. There were four locations that operated in Springfield: Big Win Arcade #1 at 1928 S. Glenstone Ave., Big Win Arcade #2 at 1135 E. Commercial St., Spin Hitters at 838-840 S. Glenstone Ave., and Vegas Arcade at 615 S. Scenic. They also opened Spin Zone at 2331 E. 7th St. in Joplin, Mo., and Vegas City Arcade at 16585 Missouri Highway 13, Branson West.
Under federal statutes, Patel is subject to a sentence of up to 20, five, and 20 years in federal prison without parole, respectively, for each count to which he pleaded guilty. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Springfield, Mo., Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS-Criminal Investigations, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the Joplin, Mo., Police Department, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department, the Missouri National Guard Counter Drug Unit, the Mid-States Organized Crime Information Center, the Greene County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney, the Jasper County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney, and the Johnson County, Mo., Prosecuting Attorney.
Homeland Security Task Force
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Illegal Alien from Romania Sentenced for Role in SNAP Benefits Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – An illegal alien, who is a citizen of Romania, will serve more than two years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Maria Roza Tomescu, 22, to 28 months in prison for her role in a Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits fraud conspiracy.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charmeka Parker, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG) Northeast Region; Chief Marc R. Yamada, Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD); and Chief Gregory Der, Howard County Police Department (HCPD).
SNAP, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, was a federally funded, national program established by the United States to alleviate hunger and malnutrition among lower income families. Each SNAP recipient receives an EBT authorization card that acts as a debit card and which electronically stores personal identifying information and other data concerning the applicant.
According to her plea agreement, Tomescu participated in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and multiple recipients of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits. In 2022, Tomescu and her co-conspirators obtained EBT information from victims throughout the U.S., including in Maryland, California, Kentucky, Tennessee, New York, and other states. They used skimming devices and other means to carry out the conspiracy.
The co-conspirators played various roles in skimming operations, including acquiring skimming equipment, shipping equipment to co-conspirators, and installing or removing the equipment at the point of sale (POS) terminals at various commercial establishments. They also monitored the activity at POSs where skimming equipment was installed and duplicated victims’ EBT cards using the information collected from the skimming devices. Co-conspirators then fraudulently purchased large bulk items using cloned EBT cards containing numerous victims’ personal identifying information.
On August 5, 2022, Tomescu and two co-conspirators entered two stores — a Columbia Wal-Mart and a Laurel 7-Eleven — and placed skimming device on the point-of-sale terminals at the front of the stores. At both stores, Tomescu served as the diversion as a co-conspirator installed the device. Then on August 27, Tomescu used a stolen Maryland EBT number and PIN to spend more than $900 of a victim’s benefits on Red Bull at a Severn, Maryland, Sam’s Club.
In 2025, Baltimore County Police Department officers stopped a vehicle Tomescu was driving. She then presented officers with a false Italian driver’s license. After law enforcement discovered Tomescu’s identity, officers arrested her. Then through further investigation, law enforcement discovered Tomescu opened two bank accounts using the false identity. Tomescu used the bank accounts to deposit checks that parishioners issued to churches. Through her criminal activities, Tomescu obtained $7,457.50 in fraudulent funds.
Due to the loss of their SNAP benefits, at least 15 victims were unable to obtain food items until after the replenishment of their funds the following month. The total loss attributed to the conspiracy in Maryland is approximately $343,756.
Judge Rubin previously sentenced co-conspirator Fabritio Sardaru, 22, an illegal alien who is a citizen of Romania and Ireland, to two years in prison for his role in the conspiracy.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USDA-OIG, MCPD, and HCPD for their work in the investigation, along with the Maryland Department of Human Services, Office of Inspector General, for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elliot Higgins who prosecuted the case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Illegal Alien Who Led Massive International Drug and Firearms Trafficking Ring from Behind Bars Sentenced to Federal Prison with 14 OthersRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Servando Corona Penaloza, who is a Mexican illegal alien and Georgia state prison inmate, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for orchestrating the sale of more than 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine and fentanyl and the purchase of over 200 military-style firearms that were transported to Mexico for use by Mexican cartels. Fourteen other members of Corona Penaloza’s organization have been convicted and sentenced, with two defendants awaiting sentencing in the coming months.
“These defendants flooded our community with deadly drugs and used the proceeds of their drug deals to arm narco-terrorist Mexican cartels with high-powered weapons of war,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “As a result of the exceptional and dedicated work by our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners under the auspices of Atlanta’s Homeland Security Task Force, there are no more drugs coming in—or firearms going out—at Corona Penaloza’s direction.”
“This investigation reflects strong coordination among agencies at every level. Through that collaboration, we disrupted a dangerous operation and enhanced the safety of our communities,” said ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Ryan Todd.
“This operation not only prevented a massive quantity of methamphetamine from reaching our streets but also took firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a serious threat to public safety,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Every kilogram seized, and every weapon recovered, is a step toward safer communities.”
“This case demonstrates Homeland Security Investigations’ determination to root out violent gangs and criminal cartels from our communities,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “By working side-by-side with our federal, state, and local partners, we have stopped the flow of deadly drugs and weapons and delivered a clear message: We will relentlessly pursue those who threaten the safety of American families.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: In March 2024, federal agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) identified numerous cash purchases of M249S firearms from federally licensed firearms dealers in the Atlanta area. M249S firearms are belt-fed, single shot, civilian versions of the U.S. Army’s Squad Automatic Weapon, with a retail cost of $10,000 to $12,000 per unit. Throughout its investigation, the ATF determined that numerous individuals were purchasing, or coordinating the purchase of, M249S firearms and other military-style weapons in the Atlanta area on behalf of Corona Penaloza, who organized the smuggling of those firearms to Mexico for use by Mexican narcoterrorists.
In March 2024, while ATF investigated Corona Penaloza for firearms trafficking, the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”) began investigating him for large-scale drug trafficking. During its investigation, the DEA learned that Corona Penaloza had brokered several large-scale cocaine and methamphetamine transactions and coordinated the importation and distribution of hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and thousands of kilograms of methamphetamine on behalf of a large Mexican drug cartel. For instance, on October 23, 2024, the DEA identified and seized a shipment of over 1,000 kilograms of methamphetamine delivered to an auto mechanic shop in DeKalb County, Georgia.
The investigation revealed that Corona Penaloza coordinated the drug and firearm sales by using a contraband cell phone while serving a 30-year state prison sentence. To source firearms, he worked with certain individuals who acted as firearms purchase coordinators. Those coordinators then instructed numerous other individuals to buy the firearms at various FFLs in the Atlanta area and deliver them to the coordinators. Some of the purchasers facilitated smuggling the firearms to Mexico by wrapping them in plastic bags and hiding them in trap compartments in vehicles, including in the gas tanks of a recreational vehicle.
During the investigation, the ATF determined that Corona Penaloza and his conspirators organized the purchase and trafficking of at least 223 firearms to Mexico. The value of these firearms was over $700,000, and the vast majority of the firearms were purchased with cash obtained through the sale of narcotics. In the United States, agents seized 105 firearms purchased by members of the conspiracy. Mexican authorities recovered an additional 20 firearms in Mexico that were connected to this investigation. An M2 belt-fed .50 caliber rifle, a M240 7.62mm belt-fed rifle, eleven M249S belt-fed rifles, and a Barrett .50 caliber rifle were among the firearms recovered in the United States. An additional Barrett .50 caliber rifle and seven more M249S belt-fed rifles were recovered by Mexican authorities.
Two illegal aliens, Teresa Gonzalez Hoopo and Berenice Macias Montes, laundered Corona Penaloza’s drug proceeds for him, exchanging money through CashApp and other applications, so they could provide funds to the firearms purchase coordinators and straw purchasers.
Today, U.S. District Judge Mark H. Cohen sentenced Servando Corona Penaloza, a/k/a Armani, 38, of Mexico, to 25 years in prison—at least 15 years of which will be served consecutively to his state sentence—to be followed by ten years of supervised release. On November 13, 2025, Corona Penaloza pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and conspiracy to engage in concealment money laundering.
In addition to Corona Penaloza, the following defendants were previously sentenced in this case:
- Ulises Hernandez-Pineda, 38, of Suffolk, Virginia, was sentenced to 10 years, and one month in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, and conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
- Jared Thompson, 41, of Snellville, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
- Carlos Sambrano, 29, of Rex, Georgia, was sentenced to nine years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
- Kevin Delrio-Oliva, 23, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced to seven years, and three months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms and money laundering.
- Marlon Geovanie Chen, 33, of Belize, was sentenced to five years, and three months in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
- Jairo Najera, 26, of Conyers, Georgia, was sentenced to four years, and nine months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms.
- Teresa Gonzalez-Hoopo, 57, of Mexico, was sentenced to three years, and ten months in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in concealment money laundering and possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
- Berenice Macias Montes, 32, of Mexico, was sentenced to three years, and ten months in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to engage in concealment money laundering and making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
- Torres Simmons, 28, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years, and ten months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
- Timothy Dennis, 30, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to three years, and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
- Cameron Vick, 23, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was sentenced to three years, and five months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
- Adalberto Alexander Avila Antuuez, 23, of Honduras, was sentenced to two years in prison, to be followed by deportation proceedings, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
- Jason Castillo, 22, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, was sentenced to one year, and six months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
- Jessica Smith, 41, of Atlanta, Georgia, was sentenced to one year, and one day in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, after pleading guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer.
Additionally, two defendants are awaiting sentencing:
- Victor Mendoza-Ortiz, 25, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to making false statements to a licensed firearms dealer, and will be sentenced on May 19, 2026.
- Salvio Garcia, 25, of Lawrenceville, Georgia, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to traffic firearms, and money laundering, and will be sentenced on June 11, 2026.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations. Valuable assistance was provided by the Georgia Department of Corrections, DeKalb County Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, Atlanta Police Department, South Fulton Police Department, Lilburn Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County Police Department, Lake Charles (LA) Police Department, and the Refugio County (TX) Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Calvin A. Leipold III, Dwayne A. Brown Jr., and Bethany L. Rupert prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Evert substantially assisted with the judicial forfeiture of the seized firearms and drug proceeds.
These prosecutions are part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Raciel Osorio Lopez, a/k/a Raciel Osoriolopez, a/k/a Raciel Osorio-Lopez, age 33, a Mexican national unlawfully present in Atoka, Oklahoma, pleaded guilty to one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien, punishable by a term of imprisonment of not more than two years, and a fine of not more than $250,000.00.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Stringtown Police Department.
The Indictment alleged that on March 27, 2026, Osario Lopez, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on April 28, 2015, August 19, 2015, and March 9, 2017.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Osorio Lopez will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Olivia Staubus represented the United States.
Hyde Park Man Arrested and Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyde Park man has been arrested and charged for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse materials (CSAM).
Nicholas J. McDonagh, 25, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of possession of child pornography. McDonagh was arrested on April 23, 2026 and remains in federal custody pending further order by the court.
According to the charging documents, in June 2025, investigators with the Delaware State Police identified McDonagh as the potential suspect behind sexually explicit messages, photos and videos that had been sent to a 12-year-old Delaware girl via Snapchat earlier that year. It is alleged that McDonagh had been communicating with this girl over Snapchat from approximately January to March 2025, and that the two had engaged in “nude video chats.”
During subsequent searches of McDonagh’s residence and person on Aug. 6, 2025, several cellphones were seized. It is alleged that the devices were found to contain approximately 24 video files depicting CSAM, including several videos depicting girls who appear to be younger than 12 years old. It is further alleged that one of the devices contained several Snapchat messages with the minor victim from Delaware. The defendant was arrested and charged by state authorities that same day, on Aug. 6, 2025, and later released on bail with pretrial conditions, including GPS monitoring, internet restrictions and refraining from any unsupervised contact with minors.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected].
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael A. Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Delaware State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Potapchuk of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s 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.
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.
Houston men sentenced to lengthy federal prison terms as part of Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – Five members of a Houston drug trafficking organization have been sentenced to lengthy terms in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Salvador Abraham Gomez, also known as Chop and Chief, 45, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl and was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 16, 2026.
Da Neang, 46, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and was sentenced to 151 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on April 7, 2026.
Fernando Adalberto Vazquez-Pardo, 33, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on March 4, 2026.
Guillermo Alfredo Sisnados, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and 400 grams or more of fentanyl and was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on April 16, 2026.
Ebony Barber, 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a substance containing fentanyl and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on March 4, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in 2021 federal agents began investigating a drug trafficking scheme in Louisiana and the Eastern District of Texas. The investigation led authorities to Gomez as the source of supply and his associates, Neang, Vazquez-Pardo, Sisnados, and Barber. Further investigation revealed a significant drug distribution network that spanned multiple states. Ultimately, Gomez was found to be responsible for coordinating the distribution of at least 7,805 grams of methamphetamine and 4,907 grams of a substance containing fentanyl.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Houston comprises agents and officers from the FBI; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Houston (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI); and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Houston Division Office Texas Anti-Gang Enforcement Group 22; DEA New Orleans; Houston Police Department; Beaumont Police Department; Baytown Police Department; Harris County Precinct 5 Constable; Harris County Constable’s Office Precinct 3; Harris County Sheriff’s Office; and Waller County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee.
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Homeland Security Task Force Investigation Dubbed Operation Crystal Express Results in Convictions for Three Drug TraffickersRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Cyril Kobey, 57, and Israel Montano, 46, both of San Diego, California, and Daniel Beckerman, 59, of Ballston Spa, New York, have pled guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to traffic kilograms of methamphetamine from San Diego, California into the Capital Region. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
Kobey and Montano conspired with Beckerman and others to distribute over 3 kilograms of pure crystal methamphetamine to the Northern District of New York between March 2019 and July 2020. The investigation into Beckerman, Kobey, and Montano, dubbed Operation Crystal Express by law enforcement, began in 2019. Law enforcement was able to dismantle the trafficking operation in a matter of months through the use Title III wiretaps and undercover operations.
Beckerman, Kobey, and Montano pled guilty for their roles as follows:
- Beckerman and Kobey pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine. At sentencing on June 11, 2026, they each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, a term of supervised release between 5 years and life, and forfeiture of ill-gotten gains.
- Montano pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 5 or more grams of methamphetamine. If United States District Judge Mae A. D’Agostino accepts the parties’ agreed-upon disposition at sentencing on August 27, 2026, Montano will be sentenced to at least 72 months and up to 87 months in prison, a fine of up to $5 million, a term of supervised release between 4 years and life, and forfeiture of ill-gotten gains.
“The defendants’ pipeline of filth from California to Saratoga is officially closed,” FAUSA Sarcone said. “I commend the FBI and my prosecutors for swiftly and completely dismantling this operation and bringing these defendants to justice. As this case shows, our reach does not stop at the borders of our District. If you introduce poison into our communities, we will find you and bring you to justice.”
SAC Tremaroli stated: “These guilty pleas ensure these criminals will spend time in federal prison for trafficking dangerous drugs into our communities. The success of Operation Crystal Express clearly illustrates the strong law enforcement partnerships on our Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The FBI, together with these partners, will continue to aggressively investigate and dismantle these dangerous criminal enterprises looking to poison our communities through the sale of illegal narcotics.”
The FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin S. Clark is prosecuting the case, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Paulbeck also prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the HSTF initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Albany comprises agents and officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – Homeland Security Investigations; FBI; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Internal Revenue Service; ICE – Enforcement and Removal Operations; Customs and Border Protection (CBP) – Office of Border Patrol; CBP – Office of Field Operations; Drug Enforcement Administration; Coast Guard Investigative Service; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Secret Service; and the Department of State / Diplomatic Security Service. The prosecution is being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.
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- Beckerman and Kobey pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 or more grams of methamphetamine. At sentencing on June 11, 2026, they each face a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison, a fine of up to $10,000,000, a term of supervised release between 5 years and life, and forfeiture of ill-gotten gains.
HSI Arrests Two Men on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico –Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested two men on criminal charges related to child exploitation conduct.
A federal grand jury indicted Alen Meléndez-Santiago on April 9, 2026, with three counts of sexual exploitation of children. According to court documents, from November 2025 to January 2026, defendant Meléndez-Santiago, 25, from Toa Baja, induced, enticed and coerced a 14-year-old female minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. The defendant is charged with one count of production of child pornography, one count of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of receipt of child pornography.
If convicted, the defendant faces the following penalties: a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 15 years up to 30 years in prison for production of child exploitation material; a maximum sentence of life in prison for the coercion and enticement of a minor; and a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years in prison for receipt and distribution of child exploitation material. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daynelle Álvarez-Lora of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.
In a separate case, Edwin Méndez-Pérez, a 50-year-old man from Caguas, was arrested by HSI agents for child exploitation. On April 22, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Méndez-Pérez with three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor, sexual exploitation of children, and receipt of child exploitation material.
According to the indictment, from August 2010 through May 2025, Méndez-Pérez knowingly used electronic devices as well as internet instant messaging services to induce, entice and coerce a female minor when she was between 11 and 15 years of age to engage in sexual activity. The defendant produced and received the child exploitation material.
If convicted, Méndez-Pérez faces the following sentences: 10 years up to life in prison for the coercion and enticement of a minor; 15 to 30 years in prison for the sexual exploitation of children; and a minimum of five up to 20 years in prison for the receipt of child exploitation material. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. AUSA Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting the case.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of those who sexually exploit children,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “I am grateful for the efforts of the investigators and prosecutors who continue to work tirelessly to investigate and prosecute those who harm children.”
“Child predators often disguise abuse as a “fun game” to lower a child’s guard - but there is nothing harmless about it. This is deliberate, calculated, predatory behavior. They exploit trust, manipulate innocence, and use every tactic available to target their victims - going so far as to pay to obtain what they want. Not on our watch. HSI remains vigilant, unwavering, and fully committed to protecting our children,” said HSI San Juan Acting Special Agent in Charge Yariel Ramos.
Homeland Security Investigations is investigating the cases.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska - April 2026Read the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced the federal Grand Jury for the District of Nebraska has returned 19 unsealed Indictments charging 21 defendants. Indictments are charging documents that contain one or more individual counts that are merely accusations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Manjot Singh, age 25, of Sacramento, California, is charged with possession of 5 kilograms or more of cocaine with intent to distribute on or about January 14, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to life imprisonment, a $10,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Rolando Jaimes, age 21, of Niobrara, Nebraska, is charged with sexual abuse of a minor in Indian Country on or about September 21, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Brian Alexis Baldonado-Belmontes, age 25, of Bellevue, Nebraska, is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and ammunition on or about March 22, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Harol Edwin Cruz Suarez, age 39, of Bellevue, Nebraska, is charged with possession of child pornography between on or about May 19, 2025, and on or about March 26, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Harol Edwin Cruz Suarez, age 39, of Bellevue, Nebraska, is also charged in a separate indictment with possession of ammunition by a prohibited person on or about March 26, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not more than 3 years, and a $100 special assessment.
Gabriel Antonio Cordero-Reinoso, age 22, Yoskarlys Estefania Lopez-Guevara, age 22, Carlos Sabino-Parra, age 34, and Alfredo Jose Maita-Acienso, age 22, all of Omaha, Nebraska, have been charged in a two-count indictment. Count I charges Cordero-Reinoso, Lopez-Guevara, Sabino-Parra, and Maita-Acienso with conspiracy to commit bank fraud from at least in or around January 2024 through at least in or around February 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 30 years’ imprisonment, $1,000,000 fine, a 5-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment. Count II charges Cordero-Reinoso, Lopez-Guevara, Sabino-Parra, and Maita-Acienso with conspiracy to commit bank burglary and damage to a protected computer from at least in or around January 2024 through at least in or around February 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and $100 special assessment.
Justin A. Dueling, age 41, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Dueling with production of child pornography between on or about December 1, 2023, and on or about November 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less 15 years’ and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Dueling with receipt and distribution of child pornography between on or about November 8, 2024, and on or about November 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 5 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Dueling with possession of child pornography between on or about November 8, 2024, and on or about March 17, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Edward Wayne Webster, age 71, of Winnebago, Nebraska, is charged with failure to register as a sex offender between on or about April 1, 2025, and continuing to on or about April 9, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Rontea Gunn, age 48, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Counts I and II charge Gunn with being a felon in possession of firearms on or about April 7, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Gunn with trafficking firearms on or about April 7, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Howard Bassette, III, age 45, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Bassette with sexual assault by force or threat on or about April 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Bassette with sexual abuse by threat on or about April 6, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to life imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Andrew L. Foster, age 41, is charged in a two-count Indictment. Count I charges Foster with receipt of child pornography beginning on or about July 30, 2025, and continuing until on or about September 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 15 years’ and up to 40 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Foster with possession of child pornography beginning on or about July 30, 2025, and continuing until on or about September 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is not less than 10 years’ and up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a term of supervised release of not less than 5 years and up to life, and a $100 special assessment.
Francisco Lopez-Perez, age 39, is charged in a three-count Indictment. Count I charges Lopez-Perez with false representation of a social security number on or about July 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count II charges Lopez-Perez with false claim to United States citizenship on or about July 10, 2025. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Count III charges Lopez-Perez with illegal reentry of a removed alien on or about April 8, 2026. The maximum possible penalty if convicted is up to 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 1-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individuals were charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States and were found in the United States, without the Acting Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Gustavo Figueroa Arista, age 39
Sebastian Calel-Conoz, age 54
Artemio Avila-Galicia, age 39
Hexbin Carlos Bernal-Sabino, 41
Hugo Lepe-Mora, 39
Gustavo Cruz-Bejines, 40
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 2 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a one-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
The following individual was charged with being an alien, who previously had been excluded, deported and removed from the United States following a felony conviction and was found in the United States, without the Acting Attorney General of the United States or his designated successor having expressly consented to the defendant’s reapplication for admission into the United States:
Israel Gaytan-Cruz, age 45
The maximum possible penalty if convicted is 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, a 3-year term of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
Governor of Sinaloa and Nine Other Current and Former Mexican Officials Charged with Drug Trafficking and Weapons OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Terrance C. Cole, announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging RUBEN ROCHA MOYA, ENRIQUE INZUNZA CAZAREZ, ENRIQUE DIAZ VEGA, DAMASO CASTRO ZAAVEDRA, MARCO ANTONIO ALMANZA AVILES, ALBERTO JORGE CONTRERAS NUNEZ, a/k/a “Cholo,” GERARDO MERIDA SANCHEZ, JOSE ANTONIO DIONISIO HIPOLITO, a/k/a “Tornado,” JUAN DE DIOS GAMEZ MENDIVIL, and JUAN VALENZUELA MILLAN, a/k/a “Juanito,” with drug trafficking and related weapons offenses. MILLAN is additionally charged with offenses related to his participation in kidnappings of a DEA source and the source’s relative that resulted in their deaths. The defendants are all current or former high-ranking government and law enforcement officials in the Mexican State of Sinaloa (“Sinaloa”), including the current Governor of Sinaloa, RUBEN ROCHA MOYA, and are alleged to have partnered with the Sinaloa Cartel to distribute massive quantities of narcotics to the United States. The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla.
“The Sinaloa Cartel is a ruthless criminal organization that has flooded this community with dangerous drugs for decades,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As the indictment lays bare, the Sinaloa Cartel, and other drug trafficking organizations like it, would not operate as freely or successfully without corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials on their payroll. The support of corrupt foreign officials for deadly trafficking of drugs must end. Let these charges send a clear message to all officials around the globe who work with narco-traffickers: no matter your title or position, we are committed to bringing you to justice.”
“The Sinaloa Cartel is not just trafficking deadly drugs, it is a designated terrorist organization that relies on corruption and bribery to drive violence and profit,” said DEA Administrator Terrance Cole. “This indictment exposes a deliberate effort to undermine public institutions and put American lives at risk. The defendants allegedly used positions of trust to protect cartel operations, enabling a pipeline of deadly drugs into our country. No one is above the law. We are grateful for our U.S. and Mexican partners who choose integrity every day and stand with us to safeguard our communities. Together, we will continue to apply sustained pressure against the Sinaloa Cartel and the networks that support it to protect the American people and save lives.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:[1]
The Sinaloa Cartel (the “Cartel”) is one of the most violent criminal organizations in the world and has transformed the Mexican State of Sinaloa into the geographic epicenter of the global narcotics trade. From its home base in Sinaloa, the Cartel has worked with criminal elements around the world—cocaine producers and distributors in Colombia and Venezuela, drug traffickers and corrupt politicians throughout Central and South America, and precursor chemical manufacturers in China and elsewhere—to distribute massive quantities of narcotics into the United States and inflict severe damage on communities throughout this country. The Cartel has also carried out rampant violence, including thousands of murders, throughout Mexico and elsewhere around the world, including in the United States.
To protect and grow this drug trafficking empire, the Cartel has allegedly partnered with corrupt politicians and law enforcement officials, including the defendants, who have abused their authority in support of the Cartel, exposed and subjected victims to threats and violence, and sold out their offices in exchange for massive bribes. Indeed, certain police officials in Mexico, including, as alleged, certain of the defendants, have directly participated in the Cartel’s violence and retribution, including by murdering enemies of the Cartel and kidnapping individuals in Mexico suspected of cooperating with U.S. law enforcement in this investigation.
The defendants charged in this Indictment are current and former government or law enforcement officials in Sinaloa. As alleged, each of the defendants has participated in a corrupt and violent drug trafficking conspiracy with the Cartel to import massive amounts of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine from Mexico into the United States. The defendants have played a variety of essential roles for the Cartel: among other things, the defendants have allegedly shielded Cartel leaders from investigation, arrest, and prosecution; caused sensitive law enforcement and military information to be provided to members of the Cartel and allied drug traffickers to assist the Cartel’s criminal activities; directed members of state and local law enforcement agencies, such as the Sinaloa State Police, the Investigative Police for the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office, and the Culiacan Municipal Police, to protect drug loads stored in and transiting through Mexico to the United States; and allowed brutal drug-related violence to be committed by members of the Cartel without consequence. In exchange, the defendants have collectively received millions of dollars in drug money from the Cartel.
As alleged, the defendants have been most closely aligned with the faction of the Cartel run by the sons of Joaquin Archivaldo Guzman Loera, a/k/a “El Chapo,” the Cartel’s notorious former leader, who are themselves known collectively as the “Chapitos.” The defendants have operated at all levels of government and law enforcement in Sinaloa and each abused their positions of trust and authority to help facilitate the Chapitos’ operations. For example, ROCHA MOYA was elected Governor of Sinaloa, a position he has held since on or about November 1, 2021, after the Chapitos allegedly helped him get elected by, among other things, kidnapping and intimidating his rivals. In exchange, both before and after he became Governor, ROCHA MOYA allegedly attended meetings with the Chapitos, at which he promised to protect the Chapitos as they distributed massive quantities of drugs to the United States and, as Governor, ROCHA MOYA has allowed the Chapitos to operate with impunity in Sinaloa. Similarly, the other defendants have directly and repeatedly helped the Chapitos in exchange for massive drug-fueled bribes. For example, ZAAVEDRA, who is the Deputy Attorney General for the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office, has received approximately $11,000 U.S. dollars each month from the Chapitos and, in exchange, has protected Chapitos members from arrest and informed the Chapitos of planned U.S.-backed law enforcement operations.
Certain of the defendants are also alleged to have themselves directly participated in the Cartel’s campaign of violence and retribution. For example, MILLAN, a high-level commander in the Culiacan Municipal Police, allegedly received more than approximately $1,600 U.S. dollars each month from the Chapitos. In exchange, MILLAN gave the Chapitos unfettered access to the Culiacan Municipal Police and used officers from the police force to help the Chapitos maintain their control over Culiacan, including through arrests, kidnappings, and murder. In or about October 2023, MILLAN allegedly helped the Chapitos kidnap a DEA confidential source and the source’s relative, who the Chapitos then had tortured and killed, because the source was suspected of providing information to the Government in connection with this investigation.
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This Indictment is the latest in a series of indictments issued in this District since 2023, charging more than 30 members and associates of the Cartel, including members of the leadership of the Cartel, for their involvement in distributing massive quantities of narcotics into the United States and related crimes, which has resulted in a meaningful disruptive impact on the Cartel’s drug trafficking operations.
A chart containing the charges and minimum and maximum penalties each defendant faces is below. All of the defendants are believed to currently reside in Mexico.
The statutory minimum and maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, Bilateral Investigations Unit and the DEA offices in Mexico and Phoenix, as well as the assistance of the Office of International Affairs of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and the Government of Mexico. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Northern District of Illinois and Southern District of California, and the Justice Department’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section.
Mr. Clayton also thanked the Homeland Security Task Force, a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jane Y. Chong, Sarah L. Kushner, and David J. Robles are in charge of the prosecution.
The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force ("HSTF") initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
Defendant
Title
Age
Charges
Minimum and Maximum Penalties
RUBEN ROCHA MOYAGovernor of Sinaloa76Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonENRIQUE INZUNZA CAZAREZMexican Senator; former Secretary General for Sinaloa53Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonENRIQUE DIAZ VEGAFormer Secretary of Administration and Finance for Sinaloa50Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonDAMASO CASTRO ZAAVEDRADeputy Attorney General for the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office54Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonMARCO ANTONIO ALMANZA AVILESFormer head of the Investigative Police for the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office54Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonALBERTO JORGE CONTRERAS NUNEZ, a/k/a “Cholo”Former head of the Investigative Police for the Sinaloa State Attorney General’s Office45Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonGERARDO MERIDA SANCHEZFormer Secretary of Public Security for Sinaloa66Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonJOSE ANTONIO DIONISIO HIPOLITO, a/k/a “Tornado”Former Deputy Director of the Sinaloa State Police55Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonJUAN DE DIOS GAMEZ MENDIVILMayor of Culiacan41Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices
Life in prison; mandatory minimum of 40 years in prisonJUAN VALENZUELA MILLAN, a/k/a “Juanito”Former high-level commander in the Culiacan Municipal Police35Narcotics importation conspiracy;
Possession of machineguns and destructive devices;
Conspiracy to possess machineguns and destructive devices;
Kidnapping resulting in death;
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death
Mandatory sentence of life in prison
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Former Wendy’s Employee Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft ChargesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida - Marcus Bernard Clark, 31, of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to fraudulent use of fifteen or more access devices and aggravated identity theft. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This fraudster exploited his access to customers’ credit and debit card information to try to enrich himself at their expense. Thanks to the excellent investigative work by our state law enforcement partners and this successful prosecution by my office, federal prison awaits him.”
Court documents reflect that in September and October 2022, the defendant worked at a Wendy’s fast food restaurant in Destin, Florida. During a judicially authorized extraction of the defendant’s cell phone related to another criminal case, law enforcement discovered over 200 photographs and some short videos of different individuals’ credit and debit cards. Investigators determined the photographs were taken at Wendy’s while the defendant was working. None of the victims gave permission to the defendant to photograph their bank cards containing their names and card numbers.
As to the fraudulent use of access devices count, Clark faces a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment. For the aggravated identity theft count, he also faces an additional two years of imprisonment, which must run consecutively to any sentence imposed on the first count.
The case involved an investigation by the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Clark’s sentencing is scheduled for July 16, 2026, at 9:00 am, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former Marshalltown Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A man who distributed, received, and possessed child pornography was sentenced today to more than 10 years in federal prison. Jordan Michael Million, age 26, formerly from Marshalltown, Iowa, received the prison term after a November 14, 2025, guilty plea to one count of receipt of child pornography.
Evidence at sentencing showed that in 2024, Million was working in Independence and Manchester, Iowa, as a traveling nursing assistant. In December 2024, law enforcement officers searched his home in Independence and took electronic devices. In total, between April 2024 and December 2024, Million received and possessed over 800 images and videos of child pornography, including of sadistic and masochistic conduct. A search of Million’s Kik account also showed that in 2021, when he lived in Marshalltown, he distributed child pornography to another person.
Million was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Million was sentenced to 121 months’ imprisonment and was ordered to make $6,000 in restitution to victims. He must also serve a five-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Million is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Devra T. Hake and investigated by the Marshalltown Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Independence Police Department, and the Buchanan County Sheriff’s Office.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-2048.
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Former Executive Director of East Carroll Parish Housing Authority Indicted for Federal Program Theft and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE– On April 15, 2026, a federal grand jury in Lafayette returned a four-count indictment charging Kelsi J. McDaniel, a 29-year-old Lake Providence resident, with one count of embezzling from the East Carroll Parish Housing Authority (“ECPHA”) and three counts of concealment money laundering relating to that embezzlement. McDaniel faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the federal program theft charge, up to 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering charges, and three years of supervised release for each count.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
“Agencies like ECPHA serve some of the most vulnerable members of our Louisiana communities, and frauds like the one allegedly perpetrated by Ms. McDaniel strike at the heart of those agencies’ ability to do their work,” said United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller. “Our Office and federal partners look forward to seeing justice done in this case.”
“Kelsi McDaniel’s alleged actions exploited her position and violated the public trust by stealing federal funds that were intended to help provide housing for the most vulnerable people in our community,” said Special Agent in Charge Jerome Winkle with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “HUD OIG will continue to work with its law enforcement partners to diligently pursue and hold accountable individuals who take advantage of their positions of trust to defraud HUD programs.”
According to court documents, McDaniel served as the Executive Director of ECPHA, a Louisiana state agency that received funding from HUD. In that role, McDaniel was the authorized signatory for ECPHA’s Bank 1 account, with that account receiving HUD funds to promote HUD’s housing support mission. To execute her scheme, McDaniel would transfer ECPHA funds from its Bank 1 account into her personal Bank 1 account and then transfer the funds from that account to CashApps belonging to others, who would then transfer the money back to her.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cheyenne Wilson with assistance from Legal Assistant Amanda Morgan.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 26-CR-00148.
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United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
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Former Delaware Physician to Pay $180,000 to Resolve Allegations of Genetic Testing FraudRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Dr. Shayasta S. Mufti, a physician and former resident of Newark, Delaware, has agreed to pay $180,000 to resolve allegations that she violated the False Claims Act by fraudulently ordering medically unnecessary genetic testing for over 100 Medicare beneficiaries.
According to the United States, between April 2019 and November 2019, Dr. Mufti ordered medically unnecessary genetic tests for more than 100 Medicare patients. The United States alleges that Dr. Mufti had no established physician‑patient relationship with these patients, did not examine them, did not review or discuss the test results, and did not use the results to inform any course of treatment for any of the patients. In many instances, the orders were based solely on brief telemedicine consultations—and sometimes no consultation at all. The genetic tests Dr. Mufti ordered frequently cost Medicare thousands of dollars per patient.
“Physicians who order unnecessary and expensive services, including genetic tests, drain critical resources from Medicare and other federal health care programs,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “These schemes not only waste taxpayer dollars, they undermine the integrity of programs that millions of Americans rely on. Our office will continue to use data analytics and work closely with our law enforcement partners to identify providers who misuse federal funds and to hold them accountable.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Laksin and Auditor David Cheung handled the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. The settlement agreement is attached to this press release. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. No. 25-771-MN.
The claims resolved by the settlement are merely allegations. There has been no determination of liability.
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cleaned-mufti-fully_executed_settlement_agreement_4.16.26_v.1.pdfFlorida Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Transporting Child Pornography and Traveling to Engage in Unlawful SexRead the Press Release
ALBANY, NEW YORK – Michael Fegley, Jr., age 32, was sentenced on April 27, 2026 to 108 months’ imprisonment and 15 years’ supervised release for transporting child pornography and traveling with intent to engage in unlawful sexual activity with what he thought was a 13-year-old child. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of the Buffalo Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), made the announcement.
When he pled guilty, Fegley admitted that he traveled from Florida to the Northern District of New York intending to engage in unlawful sexual conduct with a purported 13-year-old child. He also admitted that he brought with him about 1,000 images and videos depicting child pornography that he had obtained on the internet.
In addition to the imprisonment and supervised release terms, Chief United States District Judge Brenda K. Sannes also ordered Fegley to pay $25,000 in restitution and various special assessments. Fegley also will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sarcone said: “The sentence of nearly a decade in prison and another decade and a half of post-release supervision will help protect the public from further crimes by this dangerous offender. He not only traveled hundreds of miles to meet who he thought was as child for sex, but he also brought with him approximately 1,000 child pornography files. My Office is committed to working with our agency partners to successfully prosecute anyone who comes into the Northern District of New York intending to harm a child.”
“The sentencing of this predator sends a clear message: those who cross state lines to target and exploit children will face the full force of justice,” said Erin Keegan, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Buffalo. “HSI will pursue offenders wherever they go and ensure they are held accountable for their actions. The unwavering determination of HSI Albany and our partners ensures that those who threaten the safety of children are stopped and brought to justice.”
HSI and the New York State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Gadarian prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Felon Sentenced to 40 Months for Illegal Possession of Two FirearmsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Kiyel Kearney, 23, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court to 40 months in prison for illegally possessing a loaded revolver in May 2025 when his status as a felon prohibited him from having any firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Kearney pleaded guilty Jan. 16, 2026, before Chief Judge James E. Boasberg to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 40-month prison term, Chief Judge Boasberg ordered Kearney to serve two years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 10, 2025, about 11:45 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department, assigned to the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force, received a ShotSpotter notification of gunfire in the 1200 block of Harvard Street, NW. Following the gunshots, MPD officers observed a gray Acura sedan occupied by four individuals speeding and disregarding a red light at the intersection of Sherman Ave NW, and Harvard Street NW. Officers saw the vehicle entering the opposing lanes of traffic in the 100 block of Michigan Ave NW. Officers lost sight of the vehicle before it appeared again in the 200 block of Michigan Ave NW. Officers observed the vehicle lose control and crash. The four occupants, including Kearney, exited the car and fled on foot.
MPD officers pursued Kearney as he was observed running with one free hand, with his other hand appearing to be holding his waist area, consistent with preventing a firearm from falling from his body. Following a foot pursuit through the active lanes of traffic on North Capitol Street NW, Kearney slipped, fell to the ground, and surrendered to the officers. An officer searched Kearney and felt a hard metal object and recovered a semiautomatic Glock 33 .357 caliber pistol, with 14 rounds of ammunition in a 15-round capacity magazine.
Police recovered a semiautomatic Glock 33 .357 caliber pistol, with 14 rounds of ammunition in a 15-round capacity magazine.
Firearm and magazine recovered from the defendant.
Additionally, Kearney can be seen in surveillance video interacting with other individuals and appears agitated. Kearney is seen removing a backpack from his body and then retrieving a long gun. Surveillance video shows an unknown individual discharge a firearm with an MPD SUV present. As the defendant is fleeing on foot, at about 1:06 a.m., he shoots the long gun numerous times in the direction of the alley. At least three other individuals are seen discharging firearms as a result of the defendant’s shooting. A bystander was struck in the chin and head by a stray bullet and was taken to the hospital; it is unclear which firearm caused the injury.
MPD crime scene investigators recovered multiple 5.56 shell casing from the area where the defendant was seen firing the long gun.
At the time of this offense, Kearney had a pending case in D.C. Superior Court for a May 12, 2023, felony offense for illegally possessing a firearm in the 3000 block of 14th Street, NW. In that case, Kearney was apprehended by officers while in possession of a Glock 43x 9mm firearm, with one round of ammunition with eight rounds in the magazine.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
It was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives – Washington Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel Seidel and Anthony Scarpelli.
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Federal jury convicts ISIS-K terrorist for role in the Abbey Gate bombing and other ISIS-K attacksRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A federal jury today convicted Afghan national Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), of participating in a nine-year conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting a non-combatant evacuation operation at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation.
On Aug. 26, 2021, ISIS-K leadership tasked Sharifullah with surveilling a road to the Hamid Karzai International Airport to ensure it was clear of Taliban checkpoints. At about 2:00 pm, Sharifullah travelled his assigned route and communicated to ISIS-K leadership that the route was clear. At approximately 5:36 p.m., ISIS-K operative Abdul Rahman al-Logari, whom Sharifullah knew previously from their time together in an Afghan prison, detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.
Additionally, on June 20, 2016, a suicide bomber acting for ISIS-K detonated a bomb targeting Nepali security guards protecting the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Prior to the attack, Sharifullah conducted surveillance to prepare the suicide bomber and later transported the suicide bomber toward the attack site.
Additionally, on March 22, 2024, a group of ISIS-K gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall near Moscow. On behalf of ISIS-K, Sharifullah shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons with attackers. The ISIS-K attackers used AK-style rifles to kill civilians in the attack.
In all, Sharifullah participated in over a dozen additional ISIS-K attacks from 2016 through his eventual apprehension in 2025. Throughout these attacks, Sharifullah was involved in various aspects of ISIS-K operations, including providing surveillance for attacks, transporting suicide bombers, transporting and cleaning armaments, communicating messages among ISIS-K personnel, and video recording explosions for ISIS-K propaganda purposes.
Sharifullah faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs, Avi Panth, and Reed Sawyers for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White for the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
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-143.
Federal inmate gets additional time behind bars for exposing himself to female prison staffRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, Georgia: A federal inmate due for release from custody in July will instead spend two more years in prison for lewdly exposing himself to prison staff.
Stephen M. Patterson, 37, an inmate at Federal Correctional Institution Jesup, was sentenced to 24 months in prison after being found guilty on three counts of Public Indecency in a bench trial before U.S. Magistrate Judge Benjamin W. Cheesbro, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Staff members at our federal institutions are there to safeguard inmates and the public and unfortunately are too often subjected to assault and abuse,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “This sentence demonstrates that we will not tolerate such loathsome behavior.”
As described in court, Patterson was being held at FCI Jesup after a conviction in Kentucky on a federal charge of Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. His criminal record, including the felonies which precluded him from legally possessing a firearm, consists of multiple convictions for assaults, drug distribution and domestic violence.
While at FCI Jesup in December 2023, April 2024, and May 2024, Patterson “unlawfully performed a lewd act by exposing his sexual organ and appearing in a state of partial nudity in a public place,” exposing himself to three separate female prison staff members.
Magistrate Judge Cheesbro ordered Patterson’s sentence to be served consecutively to his current sentence, which was set to end on July 3. Patterson also must serve three years of supervised release after completion of his sentence.
“This investigation emphasizes the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ commitment to maintaining the safety and security of our facilities and holding individuals accountable for criminal activity, especially while housed at our BOP facility,” said William K. Marshall III, Director for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. “BOP will continue to work closely with law enforcement partners to ensure that our federal prisons remain a safe and secure environment for both staff and inmates.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Prisons and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelsey L. Scanlon and L. Alexander Hamner.
Federal grand jury indicts Little Valley man who fled from police following high speed chase on drug chargesRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Ronald D. Mitchell, 44, of Little Valley, NY, with possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carry a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
According to the indictment and a previously filed complaint, in September of 2025, law enforcement began investigating the drug trafficking activities of Mitchell, who was identified as a distributor of methamphetamine and cocaine in Cattaraugus County. Just after midnight on September 17, 2025, investigators, while surveilling Mitchell in the Village of Little Valley, observed him selling drugs inside his vehicle. A Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s deputy subsequently conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle, during which Mitchell appeared very nervous and started to sweat profusely. Mitchell was asked to exit the vehicle, but instead he fled from the scene, leading deputies on a chase, which exceeded 90 MPH. Mitchell eventually crashed his vehicle into a tree in Ellicottville, and fled. Investigators seized 52 grams of cocaine and a large amount of cash from the vehicle. A bag containing a large quantity of suspected narcotics, believed to have been discarded by Mitchell when he fled from the crash, was discovered on Route 242. The bag contained drug paraphernalia, 196 grams of cocaine and 472 grams of crystal methamphetamine.
Mitchell was arraigned this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge H. Kenneth Schroeder, Jr. and was detained.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Cattaraugus County Sheriff Eric Butler and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Federal Jury Convicts ISIS-K Terrorist for Role in the Abbey Gate Bombing and Other ISIS-K AttacksRead the Press Release
A federal jury today convicted Afghan national Mohammad Sharifullah, a member of the terrorist organization the Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham-Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), of participating in a nine-year conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Aug. 26, 2021, American and other Coalition military forces were conducting a non-combatant evacuation operation at the Abbey Gate of the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan. Thousands of civilians were at Abbey Gate for evacuation.
On Aug. 26, 2021, ISIS-K leadership tasked Sharifullah with surveilling a road to the Hamid Karzai International Airport to ensure it was clear of Taliban checkpoints. At about 2:00 pm, Sharifullah travelled his assigned route and communicated to ISIS-K leadership that the route was clear. At approximately 5:36 p.m., ISIS-K operative Abdul Rahman al-Logari, whom Sharifullah knew previously from their time together in an Afghan prison, detonated a body-worn suicide bomb at Abbey Gate, killing 13 U.S. military service members and approximately 160 civilians.
Additionally, on June 20, 2016, a suicide bomber acting for ISIS-K detonated a bomb targeting Nepali security guards protecting the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Prior to the attack, Sharifullah conducted surveillance to prepare the suicide bomber and later transported the suicide bomber toward the attack site.
Additionally, on March 22, 2024, a group of ISIS-K gunmen attacked Crocus City Hall near Moscow. On behalf of ISIS-K, Sharifullah shared instructions on how to use AK-style rifles and other weapons with attackers. The ISIS-K attackers used AK-style rifles to kill civilians in the attack.
In all, Sharifullah participated in over a dozen additional ISIS-K attacks from 2016 through his eventual apprehension in 2025. Throughout these attacks, Sharifullah was involved in various aspects of ISIS-K operations, including providing surveillance for attacks, transporting suicide bombers, transporting and cleaning armaments, communicating messages among ISIS-K personnel, and video recording explosions for ISIS-K propaganda purposes.
Sharifullah faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Gibbs, Avi Panth, and Reed Sawyers for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Ryan D. White for the Department of Justice’s National Security Division are prosecuting the case.
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-00143.
Eleven Sentenced for Refund Fraud Scheme Causing Millions of Dollars in Losses to Online RetailersRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Eleven co-conspirators have been sentenced for conspiring with others to commit wire fraud. This refund fraud scheme targeted numerous online retailers and resulted in millions of dollars in losses to companies such as Amazon, Walmart, Target, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Kate Spade, Dick’s Sporting Goods, HP Inc., and Adidas, among others.
From April 2019 through October 19, 2023, the self-styled Artemis Refund Group (“ARG”) engaged in numerous refund-fraud schemes to steal goods from online retailers for its own benefit and that of others. ARG advertised their refund fraud services heavily on online messaging forums, resulting in hundreds of customers being defrauded and placing thousands of refund fraud orders. Some of these fraudulently refunded orders were shipped to the Northern District of Oklahoma, giving rise to venue in this district.
As part of the refund fraud conspiracy, ARG would instruct fraud customers to purchase a product of their choice from one of the many retailers they targeted, collect information about the order, and then contact the retailer to initiate a fraudulent refund using a variety of methods tailored to that retailer. After ARG successfully deceived the retailer into processing a fraudulent refund, the fraudulent customers would retain possession of the item but still received a full refund of the purchase price. ARG typically charged customers between 15% and 25% of the refunded item's total price. Members of ARG also engaged in the scheme to obtain stolen goods for themselves and resell them on online marketplaces for profit.
Eleven defendants have pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and were sentenced:
- Wyatt Douglas Miller, 24, of San Marcos, CA, was ordered to serve 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release.
- Tyler Dewayne Rogers, 24, of Goleta, CA, was ordered to serve 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Kevin Ramses Rocha, 24, of Littlerock, CA, was ordered to serve 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Jonah Maxwell Fesman, 23, of Altadena, CA, was ordered to six months of home detention, followed by two years of supervised release.
- Antonio Ernesto Munoz, 24, of Palmdale, CA, was ordered to serve 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Juan Manuel Camacho-Zarate, 25, of Santa Maria, CA, was ordered to serve three years of probation and to pay
a $4,000 fine. - Cameron David Martin, 23, of Winter Garden, FL, was ordered to serve three years of probation.
- Ilyess Hadri Talbi, 20, of Columbus, OH, was ordered to serve three years of probation.
- Steven Lin, 27, of Philadelphia, PA, was ordered to serve three years of probation and ordered to pay a $1,500 fine.
- Gilbert Immanuel, 25, of Lutz, FL, was ordered to eight months of home detention, followed by two years of
supervised release. - Prit Patel, 24, from Canada, was ordered to serve 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.
Seven defendants from the Republic of Singapore and one from the United Kingdom still have arrest warrants pending.
The cyber squads of the FBI Oklahoma City and Birmingham Field Offices, as well as agents from the FBI Seattle Field Office, investigated the case. Substantial assistance and cooperation were provided by Target, Amazon’s Customer Protection and Enforcement Team, Walmart, Wayfair, Dell Technologies, Dick’s Sporting Goods, HP Inc., Adidas, Google’s CyberCrime Investigation Group, and eBay’s Criminal & Regulatory Investigations Team.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ashley Robert, Christopher J. Nassar, and Matthew P. Cyran are prosecuting the case.
El Paso Stash House Bust Results in a Dozen Arrests, 3 Juveniles LocatedRead the Press Release
EL PASO – A U.S. citizen and an illegal alien from Venezuela were charged in a federal court in El Paso this week for their alleged involvement in a human smuggling operation, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
U.S. v Dominguez et al, 3:26mj1643According to court documents, U.S. Border Patrol agents served a federal search warrant at an El Paso residence on April 20. Prior to serving the warrant, agents conducting surveillance followed two individuals who left the residence and detained them for additional investigation. One of the individuals, Edith Marie Dominguez, was found to be a U.S. citizen, while the other, Gregory Jose Daniel Martinez-Tovar, was an illegal alien from Venezuela. USBP agents, along with partner agencies, then returned to the residence on Bon Aire Drive to serve the warrant.
During the search of the residence, agents allegedly encountered deplorable living conditions, including scattered trash and covered windows, consistent with operations of a stash house. 10 adults and three juveniles were allegedly found in various rooms of the residence. All of the adults and one of the unaccompanied juveniles were confirmed to be illegally present.
Additionally, according to court documents and testimony during Monday’s detention hearing, agents located other evidence of smuggling during the search, including ledgers, cell phones, U.S. currency, and multiple firearms.
Dominguez and Martinez-Tovar, who had only been detained before the search, were then arrested and charged with one count of alien smuggling. A criminal complaint alleges that Dominguez had been involved in the smuggling operation for approximately one year. She also allegedly admitted to working with a smuggler to transport aliens within the El Paso area and to Albuquerque, New Mexico, assisting others to avoid detection while smuggling aliens through USBP checkpoints in New Mexico. Both Dominguez and Martinez-Tovar allegedly admitted to acting as caretakers of the stash house.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Van Pelt is prosecuting the case.
U.S. v Dominguez et al, 3:26mj1643This case is being investigated and prosecuted by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
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Eight Arrested, Accused of Drug, Gun Conspiracy and Illegal Re-Entry Charges in Homeland Security Task Force InvestigationRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – Eight people, including six who entered the country illegally, were arrested Wednesday on charges including trafficking in firearms and cocaine.
The eight are:
• Ivan Said Henriquez-Corea, 34, of St. Louis.
• Jose Edwardo Maldonado-Vargas, 21, a.k.a. Oscar Rodriguez-Lopez, of St. Louis County.
• Manuel DeJesus Hernandez-Maldonado, 47, of St. Louis.
• Heber Marcelino Figueroa-Bardales, 27, of St. Louis.
• Edgar Cruz-Ramirez, 36, of St. Louis County.
• Thomas Allen Hull, 37, of Eureka.
• Maria Amabil Hernandez, 49, of St. Louis.
• Joan Hurtado-Jimenez, 31, of Maryland Heights.Henriquez-Corea, Maldonado-Vargas, Hernandez-Maldonado and Hernandez face charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute at least 500 grams of cocaine and multiple counts of distributing cocaine. Henriquez-Corea, Cruz-Ramirez, Figueroa-Bardales and Hull are accused in the indictment of one count of conspiracy to illegally traffic in firearms and one count of conspiracy to purchase firearms for illegal aliens. Henriquez-Corea and Figueroa-Bardales face charges of possessing a firearm as an illegal alien and Maldonado-Vargas has been charged with possession of a short-barreled rifle. Figueroa-Bardales and Hurtado-Jimenez each face one count of illegal re-entry to the United States.
The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of seven pistols and five AR-style firearms that were seized during the investigation.
Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.
A motion seeking to have Henriquez-Corea held in jail until trial says that the sale of cocaine and at least six firearms transactions between late 2025 and March were monitored and/or recorded by the FBI. Some of the gun sales involved AR-style pistols with high-capacity magazines. Cruz-Ramirez obtained guns from a straw purchaser and sold them to a co-conspirator who is in the country illegally, who sold them to others, his detention motion says. Henriquez-Corea, Hernandez-Maldonado, Hernandez, Figueroa-Bardales and Cruz-Ramirez are originally from Honduras and entered the country illegally, detention motions say. Maldonado-Vargas is also from Honduras but is a lawful permanent resident. Jimenez is from Mexico and is in the country illegally.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF St. Louis comprises agents and officers from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE); Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); Untied States Marshal Service (USMS); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Internal Revenue Service (IRS); and United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri.
Daphne Man Sentenced to over 24 Years for Child Sex CrimeRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Daphne man was sentenced on April 28, 2026, to 292 months in prison for Transportation of a Minor Across State Lines for Criminal Sexual Activity.
According to court documents, Forrest Sanford, 25, was the subject of an anonymous tip made to law enforcement in December of 2023. The tipster reported Sanford was boasting about obtaining sexual images from a minor over the internet. The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office began investigating the tip and obtained a search warrant for Sanford’s residence.
While at the residence, Sanford was interviewed. Sanford admitted he would pose as a minor to obtain nude images of minors online. He additionally admitted to being in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old female in 2021. He was an adult at the time. Sanford elaborated that he would drive to her home in Mississippi and have sexual intercourse with her. He also admitted he would drive to Mississippi and pick her up and transport her to Alabama to engage in sexual intercourse. The minor victim was identified and confirmed Sanford’s admissions. Several images of the minor were obtained from Sanford’s cell phone, including sexually explicit images.
Search warrants of Sanford’s social media accounts revealed him misrepresenting his identity to obtain nude images. He would engage in conversation with other users who represented they were teenaged females and ask to trade nude images with them. Sanford also used social media to transmit obscene images of himself to users representing they were minors.
Sanford’s term of incarceration will be followed by 15 years of supervised release. He was also required to pay $100 in special assessments. Upon his release from prison, Sanford will have to register as a sex offender and is to have no contact with minors.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
The Department of Homeland Security and the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kacey Chappelear and Tandice H. Blackwood prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc/publications-resources
DOJ and ATF Announce Regulatory Reforms to Reduce Burdens on Law-Abiding Gun Owners and BusinessesRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is releasing this week 34 notices of final and proposed rulemaking following a comprehensive review of existing regulations conducted in accordance with Executive Order 14206, Protecting Second Amendment Rights. Consistent with ATF's commitment in 2025 to rebuild trust with Federal Firearms and Explosives Licensees (FFLs/FELs) and industry stakeholders, this review included a consideration of industry and expert feedback and concerns. This landmark release is the first in a series of regulatory updates ATF plans to issue.
The resulting rules are an effort to reduce unnecessary burdens on law-abiding citizens and businesses while modernizing regulatory frameworks that no longer reflect current law, agency practice, or court precedent. The aim is simpler, clearer regulations that do not compromise ATF's ability to perform its critical missions to protect American communities from violent crime.
“The Second Amendment is not a second-class right,” said U.S. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This Department of Justice is ending the weaponization of federal authority against law-abiding gun owners. We will continue to vigorously defend their rights as the Constitution demands.”
Robert Cekada, who was recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate as ATF Director, also emphasized the need to protect the rights of law-abiding citizens and businesses. “ATF's mission is to protect public safety and enforce the law – and these reforms reflect our commitment to doing that through regulations that are clear, legally sound, and narrowly tailored to that purpose.” He added, “Our enforcement focus from here on out is on willful violators and criminal actors, not inadvertent compliance issues by responsible owners and licensees.”
Summaries of the rules will be uploaded at atf.gov. ATF encourages broad public participation in its regulatory process and invites input on the proposed changes. The agency is committed to reviewing input in a timely manner and ensuring consideration of significant feedback into the final rules.
Clear instructions for submitting comments may be found via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at Regulations.gov and in each NPRM. The comment periods will generally be open for 90 days from the date of publication, but may vary. Please pay attention to the “DATES” section in each proposal for details.
Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests; Alleged Managers and Recruiters Charged in San DiegoRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Unprecedented cooperation between the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security has resulted in the arrest of at least 276 individuals and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers used for cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. These centers targeted Americans who have suffered millions of dollars in losses from such schemes.
This international crackdown last week was spearheaded by the Dubai Police, under the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior. Among the 275 arrested by Dubai authorities were three defendants charged in the Southern District of California with federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. An additional person was arrested by the Royal Thai Police.
Thet Min Nyi (27, a Burmese national), Wiliang Awang (23, an Indonesian national), Andreas Chandra (29, an Indonesia national), Lisa Mariam (29, an Indonesian national), and two fugitive co-conspirators have been charged with federal fraud and money laundering charges unsealed in San Diego today. Dubai Police apprehended Thet Min Nyi, Chandra, and Mariam, while the Royal Thai Police apprehended Awang.
“These scammers thought they were safe half a world away. But their world has changed. Global crime now faces global justice,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California.
“Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The charges and arrests announced today reflect an international consensus that scam centers are unwelcome everywhere and must be rooted out. Scam center organizers and fraudsters who defraud Americans and others will face justice in American courts and in courts around the world. In contemporary society, fraud is borderless, and law enforcement activity to combat it and eliminate it is as well.”
“This operation demonstrates the FBI's steadfast commitment to preventing scammers from further defrauding the American people,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We can't do this work alone, and we are proud to coordinate and collaborate with our partners to hold accountable those who work to enable and facilitate these scams.”
“Today’s indictment demonstrates the FBI’s determination to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these global scam centers defrauding Americans no matter where they set up shop,” said Mark Remily, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners to protect victims from cryptocurrency fraud, stop losses before they happen, and recover victim funds where we can.”
In 2025, FBI San Diego agents opened a Homeland Security Task Force investigation after identifying multiple companies and individuals managing scam compounds conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. According to the indictment, two criminal complaints, and other court records, the defendants charged in San Diego managed, worked for, and recruited others to work at three different “companies” that operated several alleged scam centers: “Ko Thet Company,” “Sanduo Group,” and “Giant Company.” All six defendants allegedly engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes through “pig-butchering,” which is a type of fraud where scammers gain a victim’s trust over time – through friendship or romance – before persuading them to send money to fake investments which the scammers then take. Scammers entice victims with phony friendship or romance before financially exploiting them.
The defendants targeted citizens of the United States and other countries by cultivating trust and affection with the victims, based on the charging documents and court filings. After that, the scammers promoted investments in cryptocurrencies and assisted victims in setting up accounts and transferring cryptocurrency to investment platforms that, unbeknownst to the victims, were false. The alleged scammers touted their own successes and returns in cryptocurrency investments and encouraged their victims to invest more. They also encouraged their victims to borrow money from friends and family and take out loans, to be able to “invest” more. Unbeknownst to the victims, once they made transfers to the platforms the alleged scammers suggested, they lost control of their cryptocurrency. Fake platforms put the victims’ funds in the hands of the scammers, who then laundered the victims’ funds to other cryptocurrency accounts, including their own.
FBI agents have identified numerous victims around the United States through complaints filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Agents interviewed victims and analyzed financial and cryptocurrency records. So far, investigators have identified millions of dollars in losses caused by these cryptocurrency investment schemes operating across jurisdictions.
Thet Min Nyi, an alleged manager and recruiter for the Ko Thet Company, also called “Pixy,” managed scam compounds. In March 2026, a grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment against Thet Min Nyi and a fugitive co-defendant charging them with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, along with criminal forfeiture allegations.
Further, in April 2026, two criminal complaints in the Southern District of California charged Awang, Chandra, their fugitive co-defendant, and Mariam with wire fraud conspiracy. These charges were based on cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes from two other alleged scam organizations, Sanduo Group and Giant Company.
The Dubai Police Department, under the UAE Ministry of Interior, significantly disrupted the scam operations through their parallel investigation. The Dubai Police continue to collaborate closely with international law enforcement agencies to identify and dismantle transnational criminal networks, as part of Dubai’s commitment to combating financial crime and protecting victims worldwide.
Thailand’s Royal Thai Police’s (RTP) Immigration Bureau, Foreign Affairs, and Anti Cyber Scam Center provided significant assistance. Through RTP’s efforts, a key subject and defendant in this investigation, Awang, was apprehended in Thailand.
Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, provided critical information for this investigation. U.S. authorities appreciate Meta’s assistance in this matter.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Horn for the Southern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stefanie Schwartz and William Gullotta of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
FBI San Diego has investigated a number of other sophisticated cryptocurrency investment frauds. For example, Operation Level Up—which began in 2024 as a San Diego and Phoenix joint initiative—has proactively identified and notified victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. As of April 2026, the FBI notified almost 9,000 victims and saved victims an estimated $562 million. FBI-San Diego is also investigating the Tai Chang Scam Enterprise, a series of scam compounds located in Burma’s Karen State also conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes against Americans.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by this type of scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 26CR762-RSH
Thet Min Nyi
aka “Ko Thet,” aka “Ko” Age: 27 Burma
*Fugitive Age: 27 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2335-AHG
Wiliang Awang Age: 23 Indonesia
aka “Wiliang Ng,” aka “Wiliang Huang,” aka “Huang Wiliang,”
aka “Lincon,” aka “Lincoln”
Andreas Chandra Age: 29 Indonesia
aka “Andreas Chandra Kho,” aka “Jay”
*Fugitive Age: 22 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2437-AHG
Lisa Mariam Age: 29 Indonesia
aka “Melissa Chloe,” aka “Cipul,” aka “Naomi May Lingston,”
aka “Vanessa,” aka “Bella Theresia”
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire fraud conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 1343)
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
Money laundering conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(h), 1956(a)(2)(A), 1956(a)(2)(B)(i))
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison; fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
U.S. AGENCIES
Federal Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Secret Service
Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On March 6, 2026, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is directing every available tool be used to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud.
Coordinated Takedown of Scam Centers Leads to at Least 276 Arrests; Alleged Managers and Recruiters Charged in San DiegoRead the Press Release
Unprecedented cooperation between the FBI, Dubai Police Department, and Chinese Ministry of Public Security has resulted in the arrest of at least 276 individuals and the dismantlement of at least nine scam centers used for cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. These centers targeted Americans who have suffered millions of dollars in losses from such schemes.
This international crackdown last week was spearheaded by the Dubai Police, under the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Interior. Among the 275 arrested by Dubai authorities were three defendants charged in the Southern District of California with federal wire fraud and money laundering charges. An additional person was arrested by the Royal Thai Police.
Thet Min Nyi (27, a Burmese national), Wiliang Awang (23, an Indonesian national), Andreas Chandra (29, an Indonesia national), Lisa Mariam (29, an Indonesian national), and two fugitive co-conspirators have been charged with federal fraud and money laundering charges unsealed in San Diego today. Dubai Police apprehended Thet Min Nyi, Chandra, and Mariam, while the Royal Thai Police apprehended Awang.
“Fraudsters who target Americans from overseas cannot operate with impunity, no matter where in the world they reside,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The charges and arrests announced today reflect an international consensus that scam centers are unwelcome everywhere and must be rooted out. Scam center organizers and fraudsters who defraud Americans and others will face justice in American courts and in courts around the world. In contemporary society, fraud is borderless, and law enforcement activity to combat it and eliminate it is as well.”
“These scammers thought they were safe half a world away,” said U.S. Attorney Adam Gordon for the Southern District of California. “But their world has changed. Global crime now faces global justice.”
“This operation demonstrates the FBI's steadfast commitment to preventing scammers from further defrauding the American people,” said Assistant Director Heith Janke of the FBI’s Criminal Division. “We can't do this work alone, and we are proud to coordinate and collaborate with our partners to hold accountable those who work to enable and facilitate these scams.”
“Today’s indictment demonstrates the FBI’s determination to identify, disrupt, and dismantle these global scam centers defrauding Americans no matter where they set up shop,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily of the FBI San Diego Field Office. “FBI San Diego will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement, private sector, and international partners to protect victims from cryptocurrency fraud, stop losses before they happen, and recover victim funds where we can.”
In 2025, FBI San Diego agents opened a Homeland Security Task Force investigation after identifying multiple companies and individuals managing scam compounds conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. According to the indictment, two criminal complaints, and other court records, the defendants charged in San Diego managed, worked for, and recruited others to work at three different “companies” that operated several alleged scam centers: “Ko Thet Company,” “Sanduo Group,” and “Giant Company.” All six defendants allegedly engaged in cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes through “pig-butchering,” which is a type of fraud where scammers gain a victim’s trust over time — through friendship or romance — before persuading them to send money to fake investments which the scammers then take. Scammers entice victims with phony friendship or romance before financially exploiting them.
The defendants targeted citizens of the United States and other countries by cultivating trust and affection with the victims, based on the charging documents and court filings. After that, the scammers promoted investments in cryptocurrencies and assisted victims in setting up accounts and transferring cryptocurrency to investment platforms that, unbeknownst to the victims, were false. The alleged scammers touted their own successes and returns in cryptocurrency investments and encouraged their victims to invest more. They also encouraged their victims to borrow money from friends and family and take out loans, to be able to “invest” more. Unbeknownst to the victims, once they made transfers to the platforms the alleged scammers suggested, they lost control of their cryptocurrency. Fake platforms put the victims’ funds in the hands of the scammers, who then laundered the victims’ funds to other cryptocurrency accounts, including their own.
FBI agents have identified numerous victims around the United States through complaints filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Agents interviewed victims and analyzed financial and cryptocurrency records. So far, investigators have identified millions of dollars in losses caused by these cryptocurrency investment schemes operating across jurisdictions.
Thet Min Nyi, an alleged manager and recruiter for the Ko Thet Company, also called “Pixy,” managed scam compounds. In March 2026, a grand jury in the Southern District of California returned an indictment against Thet Min Nyi and a fugitive co-defendant charging them with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy, along with criminal forfeiture allegations.
Further, in April 2026, two criminal complaints in the Southern District of California charged Awang, Chandra, their fugitive co-defendant, and Mariam with wire fraud conspiracy. These charges were based on cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes from two other alleged scam organizations, Sanduo Group and Giant Company.
The Dubai Police Department, under the UAE Ministry of Interior, significantly disrupted the scam operations through their parallel investigation. The Dubai Police continue to collaborate closely with international law enforcement agencies to identify and dismantle transnational criminal networks, as part of Dubai’s commitment to combating financial crime and protecting victims worldwide.
Thailand’s Royal Thai Police’s (RTP) Immigration Bureau, Foreign Affairs, and Anti Cyber Scam Center provided significant assistance. Through RTP’s efforts, a key subject and defendant in this investigation, Awang, was apprehended in Thailand.
Meta Platforms, Inc., the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, provided critical information for this investigation. U.S. authorities appreciate Meta’s assistance in this matter.
These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Horn for the Southern District of California and Trial Attorneys Stefanie Schwartz and William Gullotta of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
FBI San Diego has investigated a number of other sophisticated cryptocurrency investment frauds. For example, Operation Level Up —which began in 2024 as a San Diego and Phoenix joint initiative — has proactively identified and notified victims of cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes. As of April 2026, the FBI notified almost 9,000 victims and saved victims an estimated $562 million. FBI-San Diego is also investigating the Tai Chang Scam Enterprise, a series of scam compounds located in Burma’s Karen State also conducting cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes against Americans.
If you have been defrauded out of your money by this type of scheme, please contact the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
DEFENDANTS
Case Number 26CR762-RSH
Thet Min Nyi
also known as Ko Thet, also known as Ko Age: 27 Burma
*Fugitive Age: 27 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2335-AHG
Wiliang Awang Age: 23 Indonesia
also known as Wiliang Ng, also known as Wiliang Huang, also known as Huang Wiliang,
also known as Lincon, also known as Lincoln
Andreas Chandra Age: 29 Indonesia
also known as Andreas Chandra Kho, also known as Jay
*Fugitive Age: 22 Indonesia
Case Number 26MJ2437-AHG
Lisa Mariam Age: 29 Indonesia
also known as Melissa Chloe, also known as Cipul, also known as Naomi May Lingston,
also known as Vanessa, also known as Bella Theresia
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Wire fraud conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1349 and 1343)
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison; fine of $250,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
Money laundering conspiracy (Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1956(h), 1956(a)(2)(A), 1956(a)(2)(B)(i))
Maximum penalty: 20 years in prison; fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the gain or loss
U.S. AGENCIES
FBI
U.S. Secret Service
IRS Criminal Investigation
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
On March 6, President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Administration to prioritize cybercrime, fraud, and predatory schemes draining American families of their life savings. Through the Executive Order, President Trump is directing every available tool be used to stop foreign-backed criminal networks that exploit vulnerable Americans through cyber-enabled fraud.
Convicted felons sentenced to federal prison for carrying gunsRead the Press Release
SAVANNAH, Georgia: Two Chatham County men have been sentenced to federal prison in separate cases after pleading guilty to firearms possession.
The sentencings before U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker were announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. They include:
- Javell D. Wright, 35, of Savannah, sentenced to 63 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police officers responded in February 2025 to reports of a domestic dispute with shots fired, and later arrested Wright during a traffic stop and found a pistol in his vehicle. Wright’s criminal history includes multiple state convictions for illegal gun possession.
- Amir Rashad Shaheed-Ali, 29, of Savannah, sentenced to 55 months in prison after pleading guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. Savannah police found Shaheed-Ali in possession of a pistol during a December 2024 traffic stop.
Judge Baker also ordered each of the men to serve three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison terms. There is no parole in the federal system.
“We commend the officers of the Savannah Police Department for their continued vigilance in removing violent criminals from the streets,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “The message to convicted felons is clear: If you carry a gun, you’re going to prison.”
The cases were investigated by the Savannah Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Makeia R. Jonese and Ryan E. Bondura.
Convicted Sex Offender Indicted for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Stanton Hunter Maynes, 24, of Greenville, Florida, has been indicted in federal court on one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Mayes appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 26, 2026, before District Court Judge Mark E. Walker.
If convicted, Maynes faces a minimum of 15 years’ imprisonment, and up to 40 years’ imprisonment on the distribution count. Maynes also faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to 20 years’ imprisonment on the possession count.
The case is being jointly investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen.
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 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 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.
Cincinnati man pleads guilty to stealing more than 700 pieces of mail intended for bankRead the Press Release
CINCINNATI – Isaac Jackson, 32, of Cincinnati, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to stealing more than 700 parcels of mail intended for a national bank.
Jackson admitted that, on Oct. 5, 2025, he used an employee’s badge to enter the U.S. Postal Service Network Distribution Center (NDC) in Sharonville, where he then stole mail parcels intended for the financial institution, packed them into two duffel bags, and left. Jackson did the same on Oct. 12 and 13.
On Oct. 26, 2025, Jackson attempted another theft at the NDC but was stopped by an employee. Jackson dropped the duffel bags and fled. He had 160 parcels of mail he was attempting to steal in the bags at the time.
The bank identified 769 mail parcels that were stolen from Jackson’s prior thefts.
As part of his conviction, Jackson will pay at least $235,000 in restitution.
Mail theft is a federal crime punishable by up to 10 years in prison. Sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, David Cunningham, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), announced the guilty plea entered today before Senior U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Timothy S. Mangan is representing the United States in this case.
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California Man Sentenced in Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Jason Arias, 42, of Canyon Country, California, was sentenced on April 16, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine. United States District Judge Susan Bazis sentenced Arias to 63 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Arias’s release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release.
Investigators with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force learned that Arias was helping mail packages of methamphetamine to at least two people in Nebraska. Investigators intercepted a package that was delivered to the post office in Ulysses, Nebraska, on May 13, 2022. Through their investigation, the Task Force investigators learned that the package contained methamphetamine and that it had been shipped by Trevor Sands, Arias’s co-conspirator in California. Investigators opened the package and found a half pound of methamphetamine. Investigators found a fingerprint on the package belonging to Arias. The investigation showed that Arias and Sands worked together to ship packages of methamphetamine from California to Nebraska.
Between May and September 2022, investigators intercepted three additional packages of methamphetamine mailed from California. Post office surveillance video captured Sands and Arias mailing packages from California. The Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed the presence of methamphetamine in each of the packages, which weighed between one-quarter pound to one pound.
On February 8, 2023, investigators executed a search warrant at Sands’s residence in Culver City, California. Investigators located methamphetamine in the residence. Sands admitted to distributing methamphetamine and working with others to mail packages of methamphetamine to Nebraska. Arias was also interviewed, and he admitted to helping mail packages of methamphetamine, some of which were sent to Nebraska.
Sands was sentenced on May 1, 2025 to 57 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Los Angeles Police Department.
California Man Convicted of Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
COVINGTON, Ky.- A Carson, California, man, Genghis Stevenson, 48, was convicted on Wednesday by a federal jury in Covington of possession with intent to distribute an aggravated quantity of fentanyl. Stevenson was convicted following a 2-day trial.
Law enforcement learned that Stevenson was a passenger on a flight from the Greater Cincinnati Airport to Los Angeles on March 28, 2024, and encountered Stevenson as he was about to board the plane. Over $15,000 in cash was seized from his carry-on bag along with 251 grams of fentanyl from his checked bag.
Stevenson has a violent history, including felony convictions for second degree robbery and taking of a motor vehicle from possession of another by a means of force and fear (carjacking).
“On National Fentanyl Awareness Day, we acknowledge the widespread presence of fentanyl infiltrating our communities, but this conviction makes it clear that those responsible for trafficking it will be held accountable. Trafficking this poison is not a victimless crime—it fuels addiction, devastates families, and puts lives at risk every single day,” said Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “Our Office, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in identifying, disrupting, and prosecuting those who choose to profit from this crisis. We will continue to hold offenders accountable and protect the public from the dangers of fentanyl.”
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Jim Scott, Special Agent in Charge, DEA, Louisville Field Division; and Chief Scott Schwartz, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, jointly announced the conviction.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The U.S. Attorney’s Office was represented in the case by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Bracke.
Stevenson will appear for sentencing on August 21, 2026. He faces a mandatory minimum 10-year term of imprisonment and could face up to life in prison.
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Bulk Cocaine Dealer Caught During a Homeland Security Task Force Wiretap Investigation Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MOBILE, AL – A Mobile woman was sentenced to time served for her role in distributing multiple kilograms of bulk cocaine as a member of a major drug-trafficking organization.
According to court documents, Erina Sasha Parker, 39, pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute bulk cocaine. Specifically, Parker admitted that in April and May 2024, she worked as a bulk cocaine courier for a massive drug-trafficking organization (“DTO”) in Mobile led by Glennie Antonio McGee (“McGee”). As established at a three-week jury trial in January 2026, McGee’s DTO distributed hundreds of pounds of cocaine and fentanyl pills in the Southern District of Alabama and utilized children as drug couriers.
Parker’s involvement in the McGee DTO was captured on a court-authorized wiretap. During several recorded phone calls, Parker and McGee discussed and coordinated the delivery of multiple kilograms of cocaine. Parker admitted to agents that McGee paid her $500 per assignment, which included receiving bulk cocaine shipments, breaking down and repackaging bulk cocaine into distribution amounts, and delivering cocaine to McGee and other distributors in his DTO. Parker further admitted that she delivered bulk cocaine to DTO members when McGee was out of town or otherwise unavailable, and that she received a shipment of six to seven kilograms of cocaine from one of McGee’s Texas-based suppliers at a hotel in Mobile. In total, over the course of approximately one month, Parker distributed more than 20 kilograms of cocaine—a distribution amount worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
At sentencing, the United States advocated for a prison sentence of 70 months, which was at the low end of Parker’s advisory sentencing guidelines range. Ultimately, Chief United States District Judge Jeffrey U. Beaverstock imposed a sentence of time served followed by a five-year term of supervised release. During Parker’s supervised release term, she will receive mental health evaluation and treatment. The court did not impose a fine, but Chief Judge Beaverstock ordered Parker to pay a $100 special assessment.
U.S. Attorney Sean P. Costello of the Southern District of Alabama made the announcement.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Mobile County Sheriff’s Office, the Mobile Police Department, the Prichard Police Department, and the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency investigated the case. The United States Marshals Service and several local agencies in Houston, Texas assisted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Roller and George May prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Mobile comprises agents and officers from, among others, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Alabama.
Buffalo, New York Man Sentenced to 120 Months for Traveling to Vermont to Sexually Abuse a 12-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 27, 2026, Ian Blochwitz, 34, of Buffalo, New York, was sentenced by United States District Judge William K. Sessions III to a term of 120 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 6-year term of supervised release. Judge William K. Sessions III also imposed $6,166.80 in restitution for the victims of Blochwitz’ criminal conduct. Blochwitz previously pleaded guilty to transporting a child in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
According to court records, Blochwitz met the victim on an anonymous text/video platform. The victim told Blochwitz that she was 12. Blochwitz continued to communicate with the child and ultimately made arrangements to meet the child in person.
On February 20, 2023, Blochwitz rented a car near his home in Buffalo, NY and traveled to Vermont. He picked up the 12-year-old child during morning hours, near her Vermont home and drove her to a short-term rental in Whitehall, New York. The child disclosed that while in NY she was sexually abused by Blochwitz. Additionally, the child described being intimidated to wear degrading items to fullfill Blochwitz’s sexual fantasies. Prior to returning the child to her residence in Vermont, Blochwitz attempted to delete all previous correspondence with the child from her phone. Despite Blochwitz’s attempts to dominate and control the child, she came forward and reported the abuse she experienced.
On September 14, 2023, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Blochwitz’s apartment in Buffalo. Law enforcement recovered Blochwitz’s cell phone, which was later found to contain visual depictions of child sex abuse involving a second child.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of Homeland Security Investigations and thanked the Vermont Department for Children and Families for their coordination and assistance. “Blochwitz intentionally targeted a child for abuse, drove over 300 miles to pick her up in Vermont, transported her to New York, and abused her for his own sexual gratification. His actions are the fodder for the nightmares of Vermont parents. I am extremely grateful for the dedication of the investigating HSI Special Agents, and want to recognize the resilience the victim has demonstrated throughout this process.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua L. Banker prosecuted the case. Blochwitz was represented by Robert C. Singer, Esq., of Williamsville, New York.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Boyce Resident Indicted for Mail and Tax Fraud, Corrupt Interference, and Money Laundering After Falsely Claiming over $9.75 Million in Tax Refunds OwedRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE– On April 15, 2026, a federal grand jury in Lafayette returned a four-count indictment charging Jane Frances Pierce, a 63-year-old Boyce resident, with mail fraud, filing false tax returns, corruptly interfering with an Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) investigation, and money laundering. Pierce faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for the mail fraud charge, up to 10 years in federal prison for the money laundering charge, three years in federal prison for the tax fraud and corrupt interference charges, and three years of supervised release for the mail fraud and money laundering counts.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
According to court documents, Pierce filed false tax returns on behalf of a trust she controlled, claiming a total of almost $10 million in refunds. Pierce obtained more than $1 million from the IRS and used the funds for personal expenses, including purchasing a house and vehicle for herself, repaying a personal loan, and paying her relatives’ mortgages. When the IRS attempted to recover the refunds Pierce fraudulently obtained, she obstructed the agency’s efforts by filing a false amended tax return, mailing the IRS a fake check, and filing a false court document.
The IRS – Criminal Investigations investigated this case. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Johnson of the Western District of Louisiana and Isaiah Boyd of the Criminal Division Tax Section with assistance from Legal Assistant Tanya Broussard.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller for the Western District of Louisiana made the announcement.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
You may find a copy of this press release (and any updates) on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana at www.justice.gov/usao-wdla.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Western District of Louisiana at www.lawd.uscourts.gov or at https://www.lawd.uscourts.gov/cmecf-pacer, under Case Number 26-CR-00147.
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Public Affairs
United States Attorney’s Office
Western District of Louisiana
www.justice.gov/usao-wdla
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Baltimore Recidivist Sex Offender Indicted on Child Sexual Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore convicted sex offender is facing indictment stemming from child sexual exploitation charges.
Tarif Jahmil Alston, 43, is charged with five counts of receipt of child sexual abuse material, two counts of distribution of child sexual abuse material, and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland (USMS); Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City; and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to the federal indictment, Alston used a BitComet program on his cellphone to distribute and receive child sexual abuse material. Law enforcement found Alston, a convicted sex offender, in possession of more than 1,700 visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. At the time of his arrest, Alston failed to comply with registering as a sex offender. Alston has more than five prior convictions for failing to register as a sex offender in Baltimore.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Alston faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years in federal prison for each count of receipt of child sexual abuse material, a minimum of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 40 years for distribution of child sexual abuse material, and a minimum sentence of 10 years and maximum sentence of 20 years for possession of child sexual abuse material.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, USMS, and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn and Elliot Higgins who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Atlanta Hawks' Former Senior Vice President of Finance Sentenced to Federal Prison for EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – A former Atlanta Hawks accounting executive, Lester T. Jones, Jr., has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison for embezzling approximately $3.7 million from the NBA team through fraudulent expense reimbursement requests and misuse of corporate credit cards.
“Jones turned his dream job as a high-ranking executive for the Atlanta Hawks into an opportunity to steal the team’s funds, purchasing luxury apparel, jewelry, watches, and trips for himself,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “But, for Jones and others who abuse their employers’ trust to embezzle substantial funds, the gravy train’s final destination is federal prison.”
“This case underscores the significant damage that can be caused by insider threats within an organization,” said Marlo Graham, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta. “Jones abused his authority and access to embezzle millions, but schemes like this are not immune from detection. The FBI remains committed to investigating and disrupting financial crimes at every level.”
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Jones joined the Accounting and Finance Department of ATL Hawks, LLC (“the Hawks”) in 2016. Following his promotion to Senior Vice President of Finance in August 2021, Jones became the most senior accounting executive for the Hawks after the Chief Financial Officer.
Beginning in early 2021, Jones became the sole administrator of the Hawks’ corporate credit card account with American Express. In this role, Jones supervised the Hawks’ corporate American Express credit card program; served as American Express’s sole contact with the Hawks in the event of payment issues, delays, and card suspensions; and determined when and to which employees corporate credit cards should be issued. Jones was the only Hawks employee with full visibility into the number of corporate credit cards, the identities of the cardholders, account balances, and other program details. Jones also began serving as administrator of the Hawks’ electronic reimbursement platform, supervising employees who handled expense reimbursements.
From a date unknown and continuing through in or about June 2025, Jones used his position to defraud the Hawks out of approximately $3.7 million dollars. Jones accomplished his scheme in two ways: (1) by submitting or directing the submission of dozens of fraudulent expense reimbursement requests to cause the Hawks to reimburse him for fictitious business expenses; and (2) by charging personal expenses to corporate credit cards and covering it up through false representations to other Hawks employees, including to his subordinates in the Accounting and Finance Department. Those personal expenses included approximately $80,000 in overseas travel to the Bahamas and Thailand, $99,800 in apparel at Saks Fifth Avenue, a $115,795.01 diamond ring, $21,888.90 in Omega watches, and over $160,000 in tickets to concerts and other events.
Lester Jones, Jr., 46, of Atlanta, Georgia, has been sentenced to three years, five months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $3,898,486.99. Jones pleaded guilty to wire fraud on December 16, 2025.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bernita Malloy prosecuted the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Arizona Woman Sentenced for Endangering Children in Drunken High-Speed CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Arizona woman was sentenced to five years of probation for driving drunk with her three young children.
According to court documents, on May 4, 2024, the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to multiple reports of a vehicle driven by Avedale Johnson, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, traveling erratically at a high rate of speed on U.S. Highway 491. Officers recorded the vehicle traveling 98 miles per hour. Because of the extreme speed and dangerous driving behavior, officers discontinued the pursuit and continued monitoring the vehicle.
Officers were later dispatched to a vehicle crash in Farmington involving the same vehicle. The vehicle was on fire, and witnesses reported that Johnson and her children had fled the scene. No injuries were reported after evaluation by hospital personnel, except for a minor bump on the head. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Johnson admitted to drinking while driving and said her children were unrestrained in the vehicle. Law enforcement also recovered drug paraphernalia and empty alcohol bottles from the vehicle.
Johnson pleaded guilty to abandonment or abuse of a child and Johnson will be subject to 5 years of probation.
Acting 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 Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Caitlin L. Dillon is prosecuting the case.
Anderson Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Making, Distributing Child Sex Abuse VideoRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — David Lynn Wells, 32, of Anderson, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for making and distributing child sexual abuse material.*
According to court documents and statements made in court, this case originated from an investigation in the United Kingdom. British authorities arrested a man suspected of possessing child sexual abuse material and reviewed his electronic devices. They located a recording of a 2020 video call in which an adult male was sexually abusing a baby boy. The name “David Wells” was visible on the screen. Investigators identified Wells after locating a prior mugshot for Wells in Anderson County, South Carolina. British authorities contacted Homeland Security Investigations.
HSI investigators were able to locate the victim’s mother and established that she knew Wells, that they lived in the same apartment complex at one time, and that Wells did watch her minor child from time to time when she ran errands. Agents showed the mother sanitized images of the video, and she identified Wells, the child, and Wells’ apartment.“The depraved conduct in this case is truly unfathomable,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “My office will remain dedicated to prosecuting and punishing those who harm children and create vile material to be distributed across the internet.”
“This action sends a powerful message: those who exploit children will face the full force of the law,” said Mark M. Zito Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in North Carolina and South Carolina. “Homeland Security Investigations is unwavering in our commitment to protect children from predators. We will relentlessly pursue offenders wherever they operate and ensure they are brought to justice. Our partnerships with local, national, and international agencies are vital in this fight, and together we will hold those responsible for these horrific crimes fully accountable.”
United States District Judge Jacquelyn D. Austin sentenced Wells to 360 months imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Wells is currently serving an eight-year sentence in the South Carolina Department of Corrections for sexual battery involving two other children.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Watkins prosecuted the case.
###* The term “child pornography” is currently used in federal statutes and is defined as any visual depiction of sexually explicit conduct involving a person less than 18 years old. While this phrase still appears in federal law, “child sexual abuse material” is preferred, as it better reflects the abuse that is depicted in the images and videos and the resulting trauma to the child.