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29 April 2026
Alleged Illegal Alien Drug Trafficker from Mexico Indicted After Agents Seize Approximately 240,000 Fentanyl Pills Stashed Inside Wooden FurnitureRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – An illegal alien from Mexico was ordered detained by a U.S. Magistrate Judge after he was indicted by a federal grand jury last week following the seizure of approximately 240,000 fentanyl pills hidden inside furniture panels.
FBIAccording to court documents, Crisantos Javier Sotelo Valencia, 27, was residing illegally in West Valley City, Utah, and was arrested on March 3, 2026, during the execution of an arrest warrant for an earlier investigation in which the defendant was indicted in a separate federal drug case. During the execution of the arrest warrant, agents also seized several cell phones from Valencia. On those cell phones, agents found several videos of Valencia with large amounts of U.S. currency and narcotics, including fentanyl. The videos depicted composite wood in ready-to-build furniture where narcotics were concealed inside. Based on a review of body camera footage taken during Valencia’s arrest, agents suspected the furniture was at Valencia’s residence. On March 25, 2026, agents executed a search warrant at the residence where they located and seized bags filled with blue M30 pills, hidden inside wooden panels. The pills field-tested positive for fentanyl. The total weight of the fentanyl seized was 23,701.63 grams, nearly 24 kilos (approximately 240,000 fentanyl pills). Valencia was previously deported on October 30, 2025.
FBIValencia is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. A jury trial is scheduled for July 6, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. in courtroom 3.4 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Assistant United States Attorney Seth Nielsen of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Aliquippa Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 15 years of imprisonment, to be followed by 10 years of federal supervised release, on his conviction of conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine as part of a Homeland Security Task Force investigation and prosecution, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge W. Scott Hardy imposed the sentence on Romaro Lanarie Foster Sr., 47.
According to information presented to the Court, Foster was part of an interstate drug trafficking organization that federal authorities investigated between March 2022 and September 2022. The investigation revealed that a source of supply in California would mail parcels containing kilogram quantities of cocaine to a residence in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. Following law enforcement’s seizure of a parcel containing two kilograms of cocaine en route to the Aliquippa residence, the source of supply began sending the parcels to a co-defendant in West Virginia, who would then drive the parcel from West Virginia to Foster in Aliquippa.
After then also disrupting Foster’s ability to obtain cocaine through the West Virginia co-defendant, law enforcement learned that Foster would be traveling to Georgia in order to obtain cocaine for distribution. In September 2022, local law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Foster in South Carolina on his return trip to the Western District of Pennsylvania, during which officers seized approximately four kilograms of cocaine from Foster’s vehicle.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Hardy stated that Foster’s prior sentences for attempted murder and possession with intent to distribute narcotics did not deter him from engaging in the instant drug trafficking conspiracy and that a significant sentence of 15 years of imprisonment was warranted.
Assistant United States Attorney Brendan J. McKenna prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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 toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations that 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 Western District of Pennsylvania is part of the Philadelphia HSTF, which is comprised of agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), the United States Department of State – Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), and state and local law enforcement partners, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Alabama School District Employee Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor in PensacolaRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Christopher W. Glover, 47, of Simms, Alabama, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor, and one count of Traveling in Interstate Commerce to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is a reminder that parents need to be aware of the online threats facing our kids from sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize children. Our state and federal law enforcement partners are relentless in their pursuit of these sick individuals preying upon our kids, and my office will continue to follow through on those investigations and arrests with aggressive prosecutions to keep our children safe online.”
Court documents and pretrial hearings in federal court in Pensacola reveal that the defendant communicated online with who he believed to be a 14-year-old female, and offered to pay her hundreds of dollars in return for sexual acts in October 2025. The defendant then traveled from Alabama, where he worked for the Baldwin County School District, to Pensacola to meet with the minor. The purported minor, however, was an undercover law enforcement officer. When the defendant reached Pensacola to engage in sexual acts with the minor, he was taken into custody. He possessed over $200 in cash intended to pay for the illicit sexual acts.
Glover faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment, and up to life imprisonment. Glover will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 14, 2026, at 9:30 am, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The case is being jointly investigated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, Florida Highway Patrol, and the United States Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys David L. Goldberg and Jessica S. Etherton.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Alabama Man Sentenced to 30 Months’ Imprisonment for Romance Fraud While on Federal Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
Rutland, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, Cedric Wormely, 59, of Birmingham, Alabama, was sentenced by United States District Judge Mary Kay Lanthier to a term of 30 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 3-year term of supervised release for a multi-year romance fraud that victimized women in Vermont and elsewhere. Wormely previously pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in connection with this scheme to defraud women he met via various online dating platforms to provide him with money. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier imposed restitution of $151,432.19 for the victims of the offense. Judge Mary Kay Lanthier also sentenced Wormely to a term of 14 months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, for violating his conditions of supervised release which were imposed after Wormely’s convictions in the Northern District of Alabama for drug trafficking and counterfeiting offenses.
According to court records, for years Wormely defrauded women who were seeking love. With limited exceptions, Wormely met his victims through various online dating platforms where he falsely presented himself as a man living in New England who had worked for a shipping company for decades, and who was looking to operate his own businesses in retirement. Wormely’s criminal lies caused substantial emotional and financial harm to women who were simply looking for someone with whom they could spend their lives. Wormely’s misrepresentations went beyond saying that he lived where he did not live. To legitimize himself, he detailed places he regularly visited in New England, sent photographs of himself in his work vest, and described the routes he took throughout Vermont. Wormely made false promises that the money his victims were giving to him was going to be used to support a shared future together, and when his victims questioned him, Wormely would turn the conversation around to make the victims feel that they were in the wrong. Wormely spent a portion of the fraudulently obtained funds gambling at various casinos around Robinsonville, Mississippi.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Secret Service and the assistance and coordination of the Berlin, Vermont, Police Department.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra. Wormely was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defenders Samuel Ansell and Steve Barth.
28 April 2026
Weakley County Man Indicted for Federal Child Sexual Solicitation and Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – A federal grand jury in the Western District of Tennessee recently returned a multi-count indictment charging Zachary Sean Fortner, 36, of Martin, Tennessee, with several child sexual solicitation and exploitation offenses. United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant announced the return of the indictment today.
Fortner’s alleged criminal conduct dates back to 2013. During that year, he is alleged to have persuaded and coerced a minor to take nude photographs of herself and send them to him on his cell phone. Later, in 2024, he is alleged to have distributed, received, and possessed child pornographic images and videos via Kik, a social media application.
Fortner is charged with one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receiving and attempting to receive child pornography, one count of distribution of child pornography, and one count of possession of child pornography. The production offense carries a 15-year mandatory-minimum prison sentence, and the receipt and distribution offenses each carry 5-year mandatory-minimum prison terms.
This case is pending before United States District Court Judge S. Thomas Anderson in Jackson. If Fortner is convicted of the charged offenses, Judge Anderson will determine the sentence to impose on the defendant after considering the United States Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said: "The U.S. Attorney’s office and our law enforcement partners remain proactive and vigilant in our investigations and prosecutions of cyber-crimes against vulnerable victims, including the sexual solicitation of minors, and possession and distribution of child pornography. No matter how long it takes, those who exploit minor children will be exposed and held accountable.”
This case is being investigated by members of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Martin Police Department, and the District Attorney’s Office for the 27th Judicial District of Tennessee.
Anyone with additional information on this case is asked to contact TBI Special Agent Sarah Turner at 615-744-4000 or 1-800-TBI-FIND.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations of criminal conduct, not evidence. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and convicted through due process of law.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TIMEEK HEATH, 42, of Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarah F. Russell in New Haven to 18 months of imprisonment and three years of supervised release for drug and firearm trafficking offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in August and September 2024, investigators made two controlled purchases of distribution quantities of fentanyl from Heath. Lab analysis of the fentanyl revealed that it contained dangerous additives including xylazine and tramadol. On September 5, 2024, Heath sold a loaded Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber pistol to the same purchaser of the drugs, an individual he knew was a convicted felon. A trace of the firearm revealed that it was stolen from a car at a gas station in Waterbury in 2024.
On November 10, 2025, Heath pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, fentanyl, and one count of firearms trafficking.
Heath is currently detained.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
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.
Wagoner County Resident Pleads Guilty to Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Kyler Leroy Parish, age 19, of Porter, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to an Information of one count of Abusive Sexual Contact in Indian Country, punishable by any term of years up to Life in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Information alleged that on March 18, 2024, Parish knowingly engaged in sexual contact with a child who had not attained the age of 12 years.
The crime occurred in Wagoner County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Lighthorse Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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.
Parish will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Paladino represented the United States.
United States Seizes More Than $2 Million from Pasadena-Based Advanced Wound Care Clinic Accused of Medicare FraudRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – A federal court has granted a request from the United States to seize more than $2 million from a Pasadena-based advanced wound care clinic accused of defrauding Medicare for reimbursements for skin graft substitutes and skin grafts that never were performed on patients, the Justice Department announced today.
United States Magistrate Judge Alicia G. Rosenberg late Monday authorized the government’s request to seize up to approximately $2,039,792 from a bank account linked to Expert Wound Care PC.
According to an affidavit filed with a federal seizure warrant, from September 2025 to April 2026, Expert Wound Care submitted more than $46.6 million in claims to Medicare for skin substitute products and wound care services purportedly provided to 78 beneficiaries.
Medicare approved payments of approximately $34,031,382 on these claims, which included skin substitutes and skin grafts as well as skin application procedures.
From January 2025 to June 2025, the national average for a billing provider’s allowed amount per claim for skin substitute grafts was $16,837. From July 2025 to March 2026, Expert Wound Care averaged approximately $37,449 in allowed amount per claim for substitute skin grafts, more than double the national average.
The clinic increased its Medicare billing from $4,975 in July 2025 to approximately $33 million in December 2025, according to the affidavit. One beneficiary had a total payment amount to Medicare of approximately $6,232,645, and the average paid amount per beneficiary was approximately $299,639.
From October 2025 to February 2026, Expert Wound Care billed Medicare for approximately $2,611,105 and was paid approximately $2,039,792 for skin substitute grafts and 52 skin graft application services purportedly provided to one beneficiary. Law enforcement determined that the beneficiary did not receive any skin grafts as part of his treatment and did not receive any type of home service in December 2025 despite the fact Expert Wound Care filed 27 claims for services on this beneficiary’s behalf for that month.
Expert Wound Care’s percentage of total beneficiaries receiving substitute skin grafts of 38.5%, more than six times the national average of 6%. Its percentage of total claims for substitute skin grafts was 63%, approximately nine times the national average. Finally, Expert Wound Care’s percentage of total allowed amount for substitute skin grafts was 99.9%, more than double the national average.
Homeland Security Investigations and the United States Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan S. Galatzan of the Asset Forfeiture and Recovery Section is handling this case.
The Department of Justice has created 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 chair by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within federal benefit programs.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Recognizes Employees for Outstanding Work in 2025Read the Press Release
CLEVELAND – The United States Attorney's Office (USAO) for the Northern District of Ohio recently honored employees for outstanding work in support of the office’s mission during the 2025 calendar year. Award recipients were recognized at the office’s annual USAO Awards during an in-house ceremony April 17.
“Each year, we recognize a special group of employees for their exceptional achievements. The contributions of these men and women—whether behind the scenes or in the courtroom—are critical in executing our mission to protect the public by aggressively enforcing the law,” said United States Attorney David M. Toepfer. “These recognitions signify our deep appreciation for their hard work and dedication to serving our office, and to the people of Northern Ohio.”
USAO employees were recognized across administrative, criminal and civil divisions and are as follows:
Career Achievement Award
Awarded to an attorney with more than 15 years of experience and demonstrated superior professionalism in the execution of duties, excellence in leadership and mentorship throughout their USAO career.
- Assistant United States Attorney Robert Corts, Criminal Division Chief
Attorney of the Year
Awarded for outstanding overall performance and demonstrated a superior commitment to the interests of justice and the USAO mission.
- Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Czerwien, Financial Litigation Unit
Supervisor of the Year
Awarded for superior management skills and excellence in leadership.
- Assistant United States Attorney Elliot Morrison, White Collar Crimes Unit Chief
Support Staff Career Achievement Award
Awarded to a staff member with more than 15 years of experience who demonstrated superior professionalism in the execution of duties, excellence in leadership and mentorship throughout their USAO career.
- Karen Vesely, Paralegal Specialist
Support Excellence
Awarded for outstanding performance for a particular project/case/duty or series of projects/cases/duties in a respective office division:
- Excellence in Administrative Support: Andrew Hejl, Information Technology Specialist
- Excellence in Civil Support: Tina Tennant, Paralegal Specialist
- Excellence in Criminal Support: Ekaterina Marceta, Paralegal Specialist
- Excellence in Criminal Support: Kristen Eder, Legal Assistant
Excellence in Criminal Advocacy
Awarded to the Project Safe Childhood prosecution team for their work to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
- Margaret Kane, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Tracey Tangeman, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Jennifer King, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Sara Al-Sorghali, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Carol Skutnik, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Joseph Dangelo, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Frank Spryszak, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Peter Daly, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Allison Kretz, Victim Assistance Specialist
- Gail Hollis, Victim Assistance Specialist
Excellence in Civil Advocacy
Awarded to the litigation team of a medical malpractice action:
- Kimberly Lubrani, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- James Bennett, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Karen Vesely, Paralegal Specialist
- Tina Tennant, Paralegal Specialist
- Devin Zabarsky, Paralegal Specialist
Merit Award
Awarded to the prosecution team of a complex cryptocurrency/cybercrime case:
- James Morford, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Daniel Riedl, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Henry DeBaggis, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Jason Katz, Assistant U.S. Attorney
- Bridget Gedeon, Asset Forfeiture Contractor
- Kristin Thresher, Asset Forfeiture Contractor
- Carol Farago, Asset Forfeiture Contractor
For more information on career opportunities with the USAO, visit usajobs.gov to search for openings in Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown, or Akron. To learn more about the Northern District of Ohio, visit justice.gov/usao-ndoh.
U.S. Attorney's Office Reaches $300,000 False Claims Act Settlement with Clarksville Clinic over Allegations of Improperly Coded TRICARE ClaimsRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE – United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee announced today that Pitts Therapies, LLC (Pitts Therapies), doing business as Cornerstone Pediatric Therapies (Cornerstone or the Clinic), has agreed to pay $300,000 to the United States to settle allegations that Cornerstone violated the False Claims Act by excessively billing TRICARE for certain billing codes. Cornerstone operates a clinic in Clarksville, Tennessee, that provides pediatric therapy, including speech therapy, to children who are autistic, non-verbal, or speech-delayed.
The United States alleged that Cornerstone improperly caused false claims to be submitted to TRICARE in two categories. First, the United States contended that the Clinic billed TRICARE for two units of a billing code per day, per beneficiary, when only one unit of that code per day, per beneficiary, was allowed, from 2020 through October 2022. Second, the United States alleged that Cornerstone billed TRICARE for two different billing codes for certain services, when only one such code was payable, from 2020 through mid-2025. That practice is commonly referred to as “unbundling.”
“Our office will always seek to protect taxpayer dollars from false claims,” said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This resolution means that the taxpayers will get their money back and sends a message that these kinds of false claims will not be tolerated in our community.”
The Defense Health Agency (DHA) supports the delivery of TRICARE, the program that provides integrated, affordable, high-quality healthcare services to more than 9.6 million uniformed service members, retirees, and their families. TRICARE is the government health program that was allegedly defrauded in this case.
“Holding fraudulent providers accountable is essential to safeguarding TRICARE, our military’s primary health care program,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Southeast Field Office. “By aggressively combating health care fraud, we ensure critical resources remain dedicated to the care our service members, retirees, and their families have earned. This settlement reinforces a clear standard that those who seek to exploit our health systems and beneficiaries will be investigated and pursued.”
The civil claims settled by this Settlement Agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The resolution of this matter was the result of an investigation by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, assisted by the Army Criminal Investigative Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ellen Bowden McIntyre represented the United States.
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Two Marion County Men Plead Guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute a Pound of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Reshawn Graham (36, Ocala) and Tyrone Pierson (29, Ocala) have pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Graham faces a minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison. Pierson faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Graham’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 25, 2026. Pieron’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the plea documents, on October 7, 2025, an undercover law enforcement officer negotiated the purchase of a pound of methamphetamine with Graham. Later that day, Pierson met with the undercover officer and told the officer that the source of supply for the drugs had been delayed. The next day, Graham again reached out to the undercover officer and stated that Pierson now had the methamphetamine. Afterward, Graham and Pierson were arrested by law enforcement at a predetermined meeting location for the drug transaction. Pierson was wearing a bag that contained approximately 438 grams of methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
The 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.
Two Kansas men sentenced for sexual exploitation of a minor in separate criminal casesRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – Two Kansas men received prison sentences following separate Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigations into reports of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, Douglas Harpster, 53, of Salina pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child sexual abuse material.
Harpster was sentenced to 78 months in prison and a ten-year term of supervised release.
In October of 2022, the FBI received a tip that a computer IP address with a geolocation in Salina was downloading known CSAM files using an Internet files haring platform. The user was identified as Harpster. FBI agents executed a search warrant on Harpster’s home and seized multiple electronic devices and electronic storage devices. A review confirmed his files contained over 1,500 thumbnails or cached images depicting minors, including those under the age of 12, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
In a separate case, according to court documents, Eric Holloway, 53, of Clay Center pleaded guilty to one count of sexual exploitation of a minor – possession of child sexual abuse material, with statutory sentencing enhancement as the defendant has a prior conviction for a crime of sexual violence.
Holloway was sentenced to 135 months in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release.
“Child sexual abuse material is a plague on our communities. If you possess, create, and/or distribute these perverse images you should expect to be prosecuted,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the cases.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Walton prosecuted the cases.
Project Safe Childhood
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 https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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Two Individuals Plead Guilty to Prolific Counterfeit Art SchemeRead the Press Release
Earlier today, at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn, Erwin Bankowski and Karolina Bankowska pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and misrepresentation of Native American produced goods and products. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis. When sentenced, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of at least $1.9 million.
Joseph Nocella Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Doug Ault, Assistant Director, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS); and Meredith Stanton, Director, U.S. Department of Interior, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, announced the guilty pleas.
“For years, these defendants painted themselves as purveyors of fine art while selling lies on canvas to unsuspecting collectors,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Today’s convictions strip away the varnish and reveal the fraud underneath.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the, Office of Law Enforcement–Indian Arts and Crafts Investigations for their work on the case.
“These two individuals didn’t just sell counterfeit art – they undermined trust, exploited buyers, and attempted to profit from fraud. In this instance, the FBI with its partners has made it clear that those who manipulate the market for personal gain will be caught and held accountable,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
“This artwork scheme doesn't just cheat buyers. It steals from Native American artists and undermines the integrity of an entire cultural marketplace. These offenders also produced fake works attributed to well-known artists like Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Banksy, and Native American Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder,” stated USFWS Assistant Director Ault. “Selling fake native America art is a serious crime, and our Special Agents investigate these cases to hold offenders accountable and protect authentic Indian artists, their work, and their livelihoods.”
“Due to the outstanding work of the U.S. Attorney’s Office – Eastern District of New York, FBI - New York Field Office, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Indian Arts and Crafts Act Investigative Unit, the defendants are being held accountable and the message is clear. For those selling counterfeit Indian art it is important to know that wherever you are we will diligently work to find you and hold you accountable,” stated Indian Arts and Crafts Board Director Stanton.
From 2020 through 2025, the defendants, who are father and daughter, conspired to consign for auction over 200 counterfeit artworks (the “Counterfeit Works”). The Counterfeit Works were allegedly painted by famed artists, including Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Raimond Staprans, Richard Mayhew, and Native American artist Fritz Scholder. To make some of the Counterfeit Works appear to be legitimate, the defendants generated false histories of prior custody and ownership, also known as provenance. To do so, they conducted research to represent falsely that some of the Counterfeit Works had been in private collections of individuals associated with the artists, had been owned by since-closed art galleries, or had been in the private collections of corporations that were no longer in operation. The defendants chose galleries and corporations that were no longer operating to make it difficult for galleries and potential buyers to verify the purported provenance of the Counterfeit Works. In some instances, to further bolster the purported provenance of the Counterfeit Works, the defendants created and affixed forged stamps from art galleries to some of the Counterfeit Works, which they created by purchasing antique books to imprint custom-made stamps of forged certificates of authenticity onto aged paper, and then affixed to the Counterfeit Works.
The defendants consigned the Counterfeit Works to art galleries and auction houses throughout the United States, which then attempted to auction the Counterfeit Works for sale to buyers for prices of up to $160,000. Over the course of their scheme, the defendants defrauded victims at least $2 million, including through selling the following examples of Counterfeit Works:
Counterfeit Work Purportedly by Raimond Staprans Sold for $60,000 Counterfeit Work Purportedly by Banksy Sold for $2,000 Counterfeit Work Purportedly by Andy Warhol Sold for $5,500 Counterfeit Work Purportedly by Richard Mayhew Sold for $160,000The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Public Integrity and General Crimes Sections. Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Sherman is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Johnson Peow.
The Defendants:
ERWIN BANKOWSKI
Age: 50
Lawrence, New JerseyKAROLINA BANKOWSKA
Age: 26
Lawrence, New JerseyE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-90 (NGG)
Two Illegal Aliens with Prior Felony Convictions Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Two Mexican nationals were sentenced today by United States Chief District Judge Andrew Gordan to terms of imprisonment followed by terms of supervised release for illegally reentering the United States after being removed from the United States.
According to court documents and statements made during court proceedings, Hilario Villegas-Espinoza and David Carachuri-Terrazas, both from Mexico, were found in the United States after previously being deported.
Villegas-Espinoza was sentenced to 20 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Villegas-Espinoza was previously deported and removed to Mexico on or about November 4, 2009, and again on February 11, 2011. Villegas-Espinoza has prior felony convictions for Illegal Reentry After Deportation out of Texas, and Attempt Lewdness with a Child Under the Age of 14 out of Nevada where he served 45 to 113 months in Nevada State prison.
Carachuri-Terrazas was sentenced to 13 months in prison and one day followed by three years of supervised release. Carachuri-Terrazas was previously deported to Mexico on or about August 28, 2018. Carachuri-Terrazas served 48 to 120 months in Nevada State prison for felony Coercion, and Violation of Extended Protective Order.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to one count of Deported Alien Found in the United States. After serving their prison sentences they will again be deported from the United States.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Ruben Levya made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the case; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada prosecuted the cases.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Two Houston-area men get life for roles in murder-for-hire plot against wrong manRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Two men have been sentenced to life for their roles related to a conspiracy that resulted in the shooting of a Katy man on his way to work, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The federal jury deliberated for approximately two days before convicting Michael Seery, 43, Katy, and Ricardo Obando Jr., 52, Houston, following an eight-day trial Feb. 5.
U.S. District Judge David Hittner has now imposed life sentences for both men.
At trial, the jury heard the men plotted the murder over the course of months and executed their plan in the early morning of Feb. 4, 2025. Obando shot the victim several times as the man was traveling on his way to work. The victim sustained gunshots wounds to his neck, torso and hand, but ultimately survived.
Seery hired Obando to kill a man he believed had an affair with Seery’s wife while Seery was in prison. Cell phone evidence demonstrated how Obando conducted extensive surveillance and a failed attempt on the victim before finally executing the plot.
Obando shot the victim using a firearm equipped with a silencer while the man was driving to work on Highway 99. Jurors heard testimony from the victim and watched the actual footage of the shooting captured on his in-car camera system, which showed the moment of the shooting and the subsequent 911 call.
In reality, Seery targeted the wrong person. The actual intended target had moved out of the residence where Seery believed he lived.
The intended target testified as did Seery’s wife. The jury heard about the affair that had occurred 12 years prior and that Seery could not get over it. Testimony revealed that even in January 2025, a few weeks before the murder attempt, Seery was angry about the affair.
Evidence included multiple photos of various firearms and firearm parts found at Seery’s home and storage unit. The jury also saw the 3D printer Seery used to manufacture the weapon and silencer that Obando is believed to have used.
Seery had paid Obando through his business to carry out the crime.
The defense attempted to convince the jury there was no evidence about the real intended target or that there was any relationship between the two men and the actual victim, or the intended target. Obando’s defense disputed cellular phone evidence, while Seery claimed he was not involved at in the conspiracy. The jury did not believe any of those claims and found the two men guilty as charged.
Both have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The FBI and Harris County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation along with Texas Department of Public Safety and Katy Police Department with assistance of Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hunter Brown and Jill Stotts prosecuted the case.
Twice Deported Guatemalan National Living in Hartford Charged with Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut announced that JONY GALEANO LOPEZ-GARCIA, also known as Yoni Lopez Garcia, 27, a citizen of Guatemala residing in Hartford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in November 2017, Lopez-Garcia was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona. He was deported to Guatemala in December 2017 and warned that he could not return to the U.S. for a period of five years. Lopez-Garcia subsequently reentered the U.S. in January 2018. He was convicted in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas of illegally entering the U.S. In February 2018, he was deported to Guatemala and warned that he could not return to the U.S. for a period of 20 years. Lopez-Garcia subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S.
It is further alleged that on November 27, 2025, Hartford Police arrested Lopez-Garcia under the name Yoni Lopez Garcia and charged him with assault first degree, conspiracy to commit assault first degree, assault third degree, carrying a dangerous weapon, threatening second degree by physical threat, and other offenses.
Lopez-Garcia, who was released on bond in his state case, was arrested today. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and was ordered detained.
If convicted of the charge of unlawful reentry, Lopez-Garcia faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
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.
Three-Time Convicted Drug Dealer, 70, Sentenced in Major Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Ronnie Rogers, 70, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 236 months in prison for his role as a key figure in a large-scale conspiracy that imported and distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and other controlled substances in the Washington, D.C., area, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Rogers pleaded guilty on April 2, 2025, before Judge Trevor N. McFadden to a three-count superseding indictment charging him with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue, and 100 grams or more of heroin; conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine; and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking offense.
In addition to the 236-month prison term, Judge McFadden ordered Rogers to serve five years of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had requested a sentence of 248 months in prison.
According to court papers, the Drug Enforcement Administration opened an investigation into a drug trafficking organization that was importing and distributing fentanyl, fentanyl analogue, heroin, cocaine, cocaine base, and other controlled substances into the District and elsewhere. The investigation identified Rogers, Wayne Glymph, 49, of Port Tobacco, Maryland, and Samuel Braxton, 57, aka “Fats,” of Temple Hills, Maryland, as key leaders of the organization.
Braxton orchestrated the conspiracy from inside FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey, where he was serving a federal sentence, using a contraband cell phone to connect Glymph and Rogers with foreign nationals who supplied kilogram quantities of fentanyl and other drugs. Rogers and Glymph received shipments of drugs, then cut, packaged, and redistributed them throughout the D.C. area. Rogers also had redistributors stationed near drug treatment facilities to exploit people struggling with opioid addiction.
From at least July 2021 through November 2023, when Rogers was arrested, the conspiracy trafficked more than 12 kilograms of fentanyl, nearly 2 kilograms of fentanyl analogue, more than 236 grams of heroin, more than 500 grams of cocaine, and large quantities of cocaine base. Law enforcement intercepted communications and seized multiple parcels of fentanyl destined for Rogers’s residences, including shipments in August, October, and November 2022, and additional seizures in 2023.
On Nov. 29, 2023, law enforcement executed search warrants at two residences used by Rogers in Washington, D.C., and District Heights, Maryland, and at a third location used by Rogers and Glymph in Waldorf, Maryland. Officers recovered kilogram quantities of fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin, and cocaine base, along with five firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, drug packaging materials, cutting agents, scales, and about $24,500 in cash.
Glymph was sentenced to 162 months in prison on Jan. 14, 2026. Braxton, who led the organization while incarcerated at FCI Fort Dix, was sentenced to 162 months on March 24, 2026.
Rogers has prior federal drug trafficking convictions from the District of Columbia, the Eastern District of Virginia, and the District of Maryland, and served three prior prison terms of more than 10 years each for drug trafficking. He was on supervised release at the time of this offense.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement were DEA Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis of the Drug Enforcement Administration Washington Division, Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office, Chief Tarrick McGuire of the Alexandria Police Department, and Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the FBI Washington Field Office, the Alexandria Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
This operation was supported in part by the Maryland Criminal Intelligence Network (MCIN). The Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy (GOCPP) supplies grant funding and strategic assistance to MCIN member sites. These resources enable the identification, disruption, and dismantling of criminal organizations through enhanced interagency collaboration and data sharing.
Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Washington Field Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Montgomery County Police Department, Prince George's County Police Interdiction Unit, Charles County Sheriff's Office, Arlington County Police, Virginia State Police, Loudoun County Sheriff's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland (Greenbelt), the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Texas, and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee.
The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys George Eliopoulos and Matthew Kinskey.
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Tallahassee Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Multiple Threats to Kill the President, Member of Congress, and Federal Reserve ChairmanRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Diego M. Villavicencio, 36, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty to two counts of sending interstate threats, one count of impeding or retaliating against a federal official, and one count of threats against the President. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “As the terrifying events at the White House Correspondents Dinner this past weekend showed, threats of violence can quickly escalate to acts of violence by deranged individuals. My office is committed to aggressively prosecuting criminal threats of violence against public officials to stop dangerous individuals, like this defendant, before they become would-be assassins. Criminal threats directed at public officials are becoming alarmingly more common, and this must stop now. We have zero-tolerance for such criminality in the Northern District of Florida and will seek maximum punishments to keep our public officials safe.”
Court documents show that the Defendant made multiple online threats of violence directed at President Donald J. Trump, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, and U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell over the course of several months. On September 15, 2025, the Defendant posted on his X account threats directed at Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, with one post depicting an image of a red sight and crosshairs pointed at Powell’s head and the text “Jerome. Powell will be shot and killed September 23” (sic), and a second post depicting the same image and the text “Jerome is next.”
On September 16, 2025, the Defendant again sent threats via his X account, this time directed toward a Member of Congress. Responding to a post by the Member, the Defendant wrote “I’ll kill you and your family and you won’t do anything about it. Corruption listens to bullets.” The Defendant then sent a direct message to the Member, stating “You are going to be shot and killed on September 24.”
On January 25, 2026, the Defendant responded to a post on the online platform 4chan, stating that he would be driving to Mar-a-Lago “to take a couple of shots at trump and some of the other corrupt plutocrats[.]”
Villavicencio faces up to 25 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Capitol Police, the Federal Reserve Board Protective Service, and the United States Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch.
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.
Shiprock Man Pleads Guilty to Assault and KidnappingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to carrying out a series of violent assaults and a kidnapping that resulted in serious injuries to the victim.
According to court documents, on or about June 30, 2025, Darrin Begay, 34, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, assaulted the victim by punching, kicking, and strangling them, causing visible injuries to the victim’s face, neck, and arms.
On or about July 2, 2025, Begay went to the victim’s home, threatened to harm the victim’s family members, and forced the victim into a vehicle. Begay then drove the victim away from their residence. He reportedly assaulted the victim again before pushing them out of the vehicle and leaving them on the roadside.
Begay pleaded guilty to assault by strangulation and kidnapping. At sentencing, he faces up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meg Tomlinson is prosecuting the case.
Second violent ATM robber sentenced to nine years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 23-year-old Humble, Texas man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to nine years in prison for a string of violent bank robberies, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Ahmon Hogg pleaded guilty in February 2026 to four counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted bank robbery for his role in a scheme to steal from banks by assaulting and threatening ATM technicians. Hogg’s partner in crime, Seth Daquan Coles-Body, 24, of Houston was sentenced earlier this month to ten years in prison. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, “The offenses in this case showed sophistication, planning, and a modicum of violence. He needs to be held responsible for what he did.”
“These two young men will spend their 20’s in prison for their violent attacks driven by greed,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Each was involved in brutal beatings of ATM technicians, and neither slowed down when confronted by police. Their online celebrations of their cash hauls were premature -- now they are paying for their crimes with years of their lives.”
“Across just eight months, Mr. Hogg and his co-defendant targeted banks in five different states, badly injuring repair technicians and stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “From our earliest days, the FBI has investigated bank robberies and interstate crimes. While the schemes may change, our commitment to relentlessly pursuing violent crime never will.”
Hogg, and Coles-Body were identified as part of a robbery ring operating across the country. The men would disable ATM machines, and when the technician showed up to fix the machine, they would threaten or assault the technician to steal the cash containers, called cassettes, from the ATM.
In December 2024, the pair worked together to disable ATMs on December 23 and 24, when the machines would be loaded with cash for the Christmas holiday. The coconspirators disabled a Bank of America ATM in Renton, Washington. After the technician arrived and began repairing the machine, he was forcibly confronted by Hogg and Coles-Body who brandished a screwdriver and demanded he open the machine and provide them with the cash cassettes. The technician did not open the machine, and after a scuffle, the technician was able to escape.
The next day in Vancouver, Washington, a technician was sent to repair a Bank of America ATM on SE Mill Plain Boulevard. As the technician started repairs, Hogg and Coles-Body ran up and intimidated the victim and grabbed five cash cassettes filled with currency. The men fled in a car that matched one seen the previous day in connection with the attempted robbery in Renton.
The defendants also admitted they had disabled a Bank of America ATM in Battle Ground, Washington, that same day.
While the investigations were ongoing in Washington, Hogg and Coles-Body were identified in connection with ATM tampering cases on January 3, 2025, in the Phoenix, Arizona area. ATMs for Bank of America and Wells Fargo had been tampered with like the Washington ATMs. Hogg and Coles-Body were stopped by Phoenix law enforcement before they could attempt to rob one of the ATMs they had disabled.
On March 7, 2025, the defendants committed another robbery at Bank of America in Redmond, Washington. An ATM repair technician was working on the machine that had been disabled by Hogg and Coles-Body. Once the machine was open, two robbers ran up and stole cash canisters filled with money from the machine. Five of the canisters were later recovered, damaged, on the shoulder of highway 520. A few days later, Coles-Body was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol with approximately $209,000 in cash. The cash was seized, and Coles-Body was released.
In May 2025, Hogg and Coles-Body were back in Houston, where they reside, and committed another robbery of a Wells Fargo. A repair technician had the machine open to make repairs, and Coles-Body rushed the technician and caused injuries. The men stole about $117,000 from the machine and abandoned their car a short distance away.
In June 2025, the men traveled to Oregon and disabled ATMs in Tigard and Hillsboro. While in the area, the men robbed an ATM customer who had just used a different machine.
Hogg and Coles-Body then drove from Oregon to Maine and on June 30, 2025, they disabled a Bank of America ATM in South Portland, Maine. While the technician was making repairs the men rushed him and Hogg beat the technician, stealing $47,000 from the Bank of America.
The men left Maine and drove across the country to Jackson, Mississippi where they were arrested in a traffic stop. They had stolen firearms and significant amounts of cash in the car.
Speaking at sentencing, Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell noted that in Maine Hogg “beat the technician so badly he almost lost consciousness. These were hands-on robberies.”
Both men agreed to pay restitution to the victims of $768,900.
The sentencing resolves all the cases in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Maine, and Mississippi.
Hogg will be on three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Vancouver, Phoenix, and Houston offices of the FBI and state law enforcement, the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force, and state law enforcement partners in Hillsboro Oregon, Battleground, Washington, and Jackson, Mississippi. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell, with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Offices in Phoenix and Houston.
Sacramento County Woman Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO Calif. — Monique Marie Gonzales Grado, 32, of Sacramento, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez to four years in prison for bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
As a part of her sentence, Gonzales Grado was also ordered to pay $82,142 in restitution to her victims. Gonzales Grado pleaded guilty to these charges on Sept. 9, 2025.
According to court documents, between Aug. 7, 2022, and Oct. 3, 2022, Gonzales Grado executed a scheme to defraud credit unions. She unlawfully used the identity of a victim to obtain a car loan to buy a Mercedes-Benz, a second car loan to buy a Jaguar, and a personal loan for purported “medical expenses.” In a credit union account associated with these loans, Gonzales Grado also deposited two checks that had been stolen and altered to reflect the name of the victim as payee, thus allowing Gonzales Grado access to the funds. She also used the victim’s identity to open an account with a mobile phone provider and to lease an apartment. And she provided law enforcement authorities with the victim’s driver’s license in order to avoid a traffic citation. Gonzales Grado was caught when she drove to a meeting with law enforcement regarding probation terms and drove the fraudulently obtained Jaguar to the meeting. On searching the Jaguar, law enforcement found a driver’s license, Social Security card, and several other debit and credit cards in the victim’s name, among other items.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation with assistance from the California Highway Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma prosecuted the case.
Peruvian National Unlawfully in U.S. Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Distraction Theft and Identity Theft SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANGEL GIANCARLO BELLIDO COSIO, also known as “Jesus Requejo,” 36, a citizen of Peru unlawfully residing in the U.S., was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment for his participation in a distraction theft and identity theft scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation into a series of distraction thefts of wallets from victims, typically elderly women, at Trader Joe’s grocery stores, TJ Maxx stores, and other retail stores in Connecticut and elsewhere. The investigation revealed that Bellido Cosio and at least two other Peruvian nationals rented vehicles to travel throughout the U.S. in order to steal wallets from unwary victims and then use the victims’ credit and debit cards to purchase electronic devices and other items at other stores. Bellido Cosio and his co-conspirators stopped at shipping providers along their route to ship the goods they purchased to a co-conspirator’s address in New Jersey. Bellido Cosio was living in Paterson, New Jersey, at the time of the offense.
Court documents detail Bellido Cosio’s role in the theft from at least 10 victims in Connecticut, Rhode Island, North Carolina, and Tennessee, and the purchase of more than $53,000 in goods using the victims’ credit or debit cards.
Rental records reveal that Bellido Cosio and his co-conspirators rented vehicles 14 times for a total of 144 days and drove the vehicles more than 65,000 miles around the U.S. during the scheme.
Bellido Cosio and a co-conspirator, Angel Eugenio Bances Chaponan, were arrested on March 13, 2024, shortly after they stole a wallet from a victim at store in Orange, Connecticut, and used the victim’s credit card to purchase a MacBook for approximately $2,850 and an iPad Pro for approximately $1,050.
On January 30, 2026, Bellido Cosio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit access device fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He has been detained since his arrest and faces immigration proceedings when he completes his prison term.
Bances Chaponan and a third co-conspirator, Erick Christian Luna de la Cruz, pleaded guilty to related charges. On September 17, 2024, Bances Chaponan was sentenced to 24 months of imprisonment. Luna de la Cruz awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Manchester (Conn.) Police Department, with the assistance of the Orange (Conn.) Police Department, the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department, the Spartanburg County (S.C.) Sheriff’s Office, the Spartanburg Police Department, the Warwick (R.I.) Police Department, the Cary (N.C.) Police Department, and the Metropolitan Nashville (Tenn.) Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and Michael S. McGarry.
Pensacola Mail Handler Federally Indicted for Drug and Postal CrimesRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Divincent M. Madison, Jr., 25, of Pensacola, Florida, has been indicted in federal court for one count of delay or destruction of U.S. Mail, one count of theft of U.S. Mail by U.S. Postal employee, and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
Madison, Jr. appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Hope T. Cannon in Pensacola, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for May 18, 2026, at 8:30 am before District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
If convicted, Madison, Jr. faces up to 5 years imprisonment on each count.
The case was investigated by the United States Postal Service – Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher C. Patterson.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access 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.
Pearl River Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of a Firearm by Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A tribal member pleaded guilty on April 28, 2026, to the charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm on the Choctaw Indian Reservation, announced U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Robert Eikhoff, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Jackson Office.
According to court documents, Jehovah Horace Dixon, 25, of the Pearl River Community of the Choctaw Indian Reservation, was found in possession of a firearm on June 4, 2025. Dixon had previously been convicted of felony fleeing in the Circuit Court of Neshoba County in October of 2023. Dixon’s arrest was a result of the collaborative work of the FBI’s Safe Trails Task Force.
In June of 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Dixon on the firearms charge. Dixon is scheduled to be sentenced on July 29, 2026, and he faces a maximum penalty of 15 years of incarceration. A federal district judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Safe Trails Task Force (STTF) is a collaborative effort between the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in Indian Country and surrounding communities. The STTF works with a variety of partners, including tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The STTF has been a key part of the FBI’s partnerships in Indian Country for almost 30 years and has been a presence on the Choctaw Indian Reservation since 2022.
U.S. Attorney Baxter Kruger commended the work of the Safe Trails Task Force, which included the FBI, the Choctaw Police Department, and the Neshoba County Sheriff’s Department, who all investigated the case. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin J. Payne, Brian K. Burns, and Special Assistant United States Attorney Kalleigh McCoy.
Opioid Manufacturer Purdue Pharma Sentenced for Fraud and Kickback ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
NEWARK, NJ — Opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma LP (Purdue) was sentenced today in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, and ordered to pay criminal penalties of over $5 billion for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic.
“Purdue made billions by unlawfully marketing dangerous opioid products, and deceiving the DEA and the American people. Purdue profited by paying illegal kickbacks to induce providers, including those who diverted opioids to drug abusers, to prescribe even more opioids. Today’s multi-billion-dollar sentence holds Purdue accountable for its criminal conduct.”
- U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer
“Purdue Pharma put profits over patient health and safety,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The company willfully rejected the law and ignored the diversion of their highly addictive prescription drugs. Their actions contributed to the opioid crisis that claimed countless lives and destroyed entire families and communities. Today's sentence is a prime example of the Department’s effort to redress past wrongs by rooting out and punishing unlawful conduct by companies that have contributed to the national crisis.”
“The opioid epidemic in the United States is a plague that has ruined lives and destroyed families,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Purdue Pharma complicitly contributed to this national epidemic in the name of their own greed by blatantly ignoring the health and safety of patients putting countless lives at risk. The FBI and our DOJ partners will always work tirelessly to ensure that companies, like Pharma, pay for the harm they have inflicted and warn others that they will not get away with violating the law for personal gain.”
“Purdue Pharma undermined the government’s efforts to ensure compliance and prevent prescription drug diversion,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Their actions fueled a surge in addiction and cost many Americans lives. The prescription opioid epidemic directly paved the way for today’s fentanyl crisis. DEA remains committed to working with registrants, communities, faith-based organizations, and schools to address the damage and end the opioid epidemic that has gripped our nation for far too long.”
“Purdue Pharma put profit ahead of American lives and, in doing so, helped engineer a public health catastrophe that has left a trail of suffering for families and communities across this nation,” said Inspector General T. March Bell of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “No penalty can undo the widespread devastation Purdue has inflicted, but today’s sentence serves long‑overdue accountability for its reckless and unlawful conduct. HHS‑OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate large corporations and conglomerates when they violate the Anti‑Kickback Statute and other federal laws designed to protect patients and the integrity of federally funded health care programs.”
“This generational case against Purdue Pharmaceuticals is one of the most important corporate enforcement cases ever brought by the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The opioid epidemic was and continues to be a national tragedy that has destroyed far too many lives, families, and communities. Purdue callously focused on profits when it knew that providers were prescribing these addictive opioids to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. While good progress has been made in combating the national opioid crisis, today’s sentencing is a reminder that there is much additional work to be done. Companies like Purdue that place illicit profits over the obligation to be a good and honest corporate citizen will be investigated and prosecuted. Today’s sentencing reflects Purdue’s role in fueling the opioid crisis and concludes the Department’s efforts to hold Purdue accountable for diversion of its products. The Criminal Division remains steadfast in our mission to seek justice on behalf of the American people.”
According to court documents, from 2007 and 2017, Purdue illegally marketed its opioid products to hundreds of prescribers the company had good reason to believe were prescribing these addictive drugs without a legitimate medical purpose. Purdue defrauded the DEA by misrepresenting the effectiveness of its programs designed to prevent illegal diversion, and used prescriptions written by problematic prescribers to justify its fraudulent requests to the DEA to increase the amount of its products it was permitted to manufacture. In order to induce doctors to prescribe more of its addictive opioid products, Purdue also paid kickbacks to prescribers through its doctor speaker program and to an electronic health record platform.
The court ordered Purdue to pay a criminal fine of $3.544 billion, which will be assessed in connection with the bankruptcy proceedings, and an additional $2 billion in criminal forfeiture. The Department will credit up to $1.775 billion against the $2 billion forfeiture amount based on the value conferred to state, local, and tribal governments through Purdue’s bankruptcy if Purdue ceases to operate in its current form and emerges from bankruptcy as a public benefit company (PBC) or entity with a similar mission designed for the benefit of the American public. The proceeds of the PBC will be directed toward state and local opioid abatement programs. In addition, Purdue is required to host a public document repository containing documents relating to the criminal charges.
On Nov. 24, 2020, Purdue pleaded guilty to a three-count felony information charging it with one count of a dual-object conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and two counts of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
The FBI’s Washington, D.C. and Newark field offices investigated the case, with assistance from investigators from HHS-OIG and the DEA.
The government is represented in the District of New Jersey by Deputy U.S. Attorney R. David Walk, Jr. and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan M. Anger and Robert Toll. Trial Attorney Maryann McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles for the District of Vermont also prosecuted the case.
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Opioid Manufacturer Purdue Pharma Sentenced for Fraud and Kickback ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
Opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma LP (Purdue) was sentenced today in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, and ordered to pay criminal penalties of over $5 billion for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic.
“Purdue Pharma put profits over patient health and safety,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The company willfully rejected the law and ignored the diversion of their highly addictive prescription drugs. Their actions contributed to the opioid crisis that claimed countless lives and destroyed entire families and communities. Today's sentence is a prime example of the Department’s effort to redress past wrongs by rooting out and punishing unlawful conduct by companies that have contributed to the national crisis.”
“The opioid epidemic in the United States is a plague that has ruined lives and destroyed families,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Purdue Pharma complicitly contributed to this national epidemic in the name of their own greed by blatantly ignoring the health and safety of patients putting countless lives at risk. The FBI and our DOJ partners will always work tirelessly to ensure that companies, like Pharma, pay for the harm they have inflicted and warn others that they will not get away with violating the law for personal gain.”
“This generational case against Purdue Pharmaceuticals is one of the most important corporate enforcement cases ever brought by the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The opioid epidemic was and continues to be a national tragedy that has destroyed far too many lives, families, and communities. Purdue callously focused on profits when it knew that providers were prescribing these addictive opioids to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. While good progress has been made in combating the national opioid crisis, today’s sentencing is a reminder that there is much additional work to be done. Companies like Purdue that place illicit profits over the obligation to be a good and honest corporate citizen will be investigated and prosecuted. Today’s sentencing reflects Purdue’s role in fueling the opioid crisis and concludes the Department’s efforts to hold Purdue accountable for diversion of its products. The Criminal Division remains steadfast in our mission to seek justice on behalf of the American people.”
“Purdue Pharma undermined the government’s efforts to ensure compliance and prevent prescription drug diversion,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Their actions fueled a surge in addiction and cost many Americans lives. The prescription opioid epidemic directly paved the way for today’s fentanyl crisis. DEA remains committed to working with registrants, communities, faith-based organizations, and schools to address the damage and end the opioid epidemic that has gripped our nation for far too long.”
“Purdue Pharma put profit ahead of American lives and, in doing so, helped engineer a public health catastrophe that has left a trail of suffering for families and communities across this nation,” said Inspector General T. March Bell of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “No penalty can undo the widespread devastation Purdue has inflicted, but today’s sentence serves long‑overdue accountability for its reckless and unlawful conduct. HHS‑OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate large corporations and conglomerates when they violate the Anti‑Kickback Statute and other federal laws designed to protect patients and the integrity of federally funded health care programs.”
“Purdue made billions by unlawfully marketing dangerous opioid products, and deceiving the DEA and the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Purdue profited by paying illegal kickbacks to induce providers, including those who diverted opioids to drug abusers, to prescribe even more opioids. Today’s multi-billion-dollar sentence holds Purdue accountable for its criminal conduct.”
“By prioritizing profits over people, Purdue prolonged the suffering of patients, leaving them trapped in opioid addiction long after their initial pain subsided,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt for the District of Vermont. “While no resolution adequately could reflect the struggles of people across New England who lost their lives and their loved ones to addiction, today’s sentence takes a substantial step toward recognizing and redressing the harm Purdue caused.”
According to court documents, from 2007 and 2017, Purdue illegally marketed its opioid products to hundreds of prescribers the company had good reason to believe were prescribing these addictive drugs without a legitimate medical purpose. Purdue defrauded the DEA by misrepresenting the effectiveness of its programs designed to prevent illegal diversion, and used prescriptions written by problematic prescribers to justify its fraudulent requests to the DEA to increase the amount of its products it was permitted to manufacture. In order to induce doctors to prescribe more of its addictive opioid products, Purdue also paid kickbacks to prescribers through its doctor speaker program and to an electronic health record platform.
The court ordered Purdue to pay a criminal fine of $3.544 billion, which will be assessed in connection with the bankruptcy proceedings, and an additional $2 billion in criminal forfeiture. The Department will credit up to $1.775 billion against the $2 billion forfeiture amount based on the value conferred to state, local, and tribal governments through Purdue’s bankruptcy if Purdue ceases to operate in its current form and emerges from bankruptcy as a public benefit company (PBC) or entity with a similar mission designed for the benefit of the American public. The proceeds of the PBC will be directed toward state and local opioid abatement programs. In addition, Purdue is required to host a public document repository containing documents relating to the criminal charges.
On Nov. 24, 2020, Purdue pleaded guilty to a three-count felony information charging it with one count of a dual-object conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and two counts of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
The FBI Washington D.C. Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from investigators from HHS-OIG and the DEA.
Trial Attorney Maryann McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Walk, Jordan Anger, and Robert Toll for the District of New Jersey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles for the District of Vermont prosecuted the case.
Opioid Manufacturer Purdue Pharma Sentenced for Fraud and Kickback ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Opioid manufacturer Purdue Pharma LP (Purdue) was sentenced today in federal court in Newark, New Jersey, and ordered to pay criminal penalties of over $5 billion for its role in fueling the opioid epidemic.
“Purdue Pharma put profits over patient health and safety,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The company willfully rejected the law and ignored the diversion of their highly addictive prescription drugs. Their actions contributed to the opioid crisis that claimed countless lives and destroyed entire families and communities. Today's sentence is a prime example of the Department’s effort to redress past wrongs by rooting out and punishing unlawful conduct by companies that have contributed to the national crisis.”
“The opioid epidemic in the United States is a plague that has ruined lives and destroyed families,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Purdue Pharma complicitly contributed to this national epidemic in the name of their own greed by blatantly ignoring the health and safety of patients putting countless lives at risk. The FBI and our DOJ partners will always work tirelessly to ensure that companies, like Pharma, pay for the harm they have inflicted and warn others that they will not get away with violating the law for personal gain.”
“This generational case against Purdue Pharmaceuticals is one of the most important corporate enforcement cases ever brought by the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The opioid epidemic was and continues to be a national tragedy that has destroyed far too many lives, families, and communities. Purdue callously focused on profits when it knew that providers were prescribing these addictive opioids to patients without a legitimate medical purpose. While good progress has been made in combating the national opioid crisis, today’s sentencing is a reminder that there is much additional work to be done. Companies like Purdue that place illicit profits over the obligation to be a good and honest corporate citizen will be investigated and prosecuted. Today’s sentencing reflects Purdue’s role in fueling the opioid crisis and concludes the Department’s efforts to hold Purdue accountable for diversion of its products. The Criminal Division remains steadfast in our mission to seek justice on behalf of the American people.”
“Purdue Pharma undermined the government’s efforts to ensure compliance and prevent prescription drug diversion,” said Administrator Terrance Cole of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). “Their actions fueled a surge in addiction and cost many Americans lives. The prescription opioid epidemic directly paved the way for today’s fentanyl crisis. DEA remains committed to working with registrants, communities, faith-based organizations, and schools to address the damage and end the opioid epidemic that has gripped our nation for far too long.”
“Purdue Pharma put profit ahead of American lives and, in doing so, helped engineer a public health catastrophe that has left a trail of suffering for families and communities across this nation,” said Inspector General T. March Bell of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS OIG). “No penalty can undo the widespread devastation Purdue has inflicted, but today’s sentence serves long overdue accountability for its reckless and unlawful conduct. HHS OIG and our law enforcement partners will continue to investigate large corporations and conglomerates when they violate the Anti Kickback Statute and other federal laws designed to protect patients and the integrity of federally funded health care programs.”
“Purdue made billions by unlawfully marketing dangerous opioid products, and deceiving the DEA and the American people,” said U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey. “Purdue profited by paying illegal kickbacks to induce providers, including those who diverted opioids to drug abusers, to prescribe even more opioids. Today’s multi-billion-dollar sentence holds Purdue accountable for its criminal conduct.”
“By prioritizing profits over people, Purdue prolonged the suffering of patients, leaving them trapped in opioid addiction long after their initial pain subsided,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt for the District of Vermont. “While no resolution adequately could reflect the struggles of people across New England who lost their lives and their loved ones to addiction, today’s sentence takes a substantial step toward recognizing and redressing the harm Purdue caused.”
According to court documents, from 2007 and 2017, Purdue illegally marketed its opioid products to hundreds of prescribers the company had good reason to believe were prescribing these addictive drugs without a legitimate medical purpose. Purdue defrauded the DEA by misrepresenting the effectiveness of its programs designed to prevent illegal diversion, and used prescriptions written by problematic prescribers to justify its fraudulent requests to the DEA to increase the amount of its products it was permitted to manufacture. In order to induce doctors to prescribe more of its addictive opioid products, Purdue also paid kickbacks to prescribers through its doctor speaker program and to an electronic health record platform.
The court ordered Purdue to pay a criminal fine of $3.544 billion, which will be assessed in connection with the bankruptcy proceedings, and an additional $2 billion in criminal forfeiture. The Department will credit up to $1.775 billion against the $2 billion forfeiture amount based on the value conferred to state, local, and tribal governments through Purdue’s bankruptcy if Purdue ceases to operate in its current form and emerges from bankruptcy as a public benefit company (PBC) or entity with a similar mission designed for the benefit of the American public. The proceeds of the PBC will be directed toward state and local opioid abatement programs. In addition, Purdue is required to host a public document repository containing documents relating to the criminal charges.
On Nov. 24, 2020, Purdue pleaded guilty to a three-count felony information charging it with one count of a dual-object conspiracy to defraud the United States and to violate the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and two counts of conspiracy to violate the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute.
The FBI Washington D.C. Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from investigators from HHS-OIG and the DEA.
Trial Attorney Maryann McGuire of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Walk, Jordan Anger, and Robert Toll for the District of New Jersey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Cowles for the District of Vermont prosecuted the case.
New charges added against Dayton man who allegedly had multiple kilograms of narcotics in safeRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Three new charges have been added via a superseding indictment against a Dayton man who had multiple kilograms of suspected fentanyl in a safe.
Ke-Shawn Rivers, 46, now faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison.
According to the charging documents, between September 2025 and January 2026, Rivers, who also goes by “JayZ,” distributed fentanyl on multiple occasions.
On March 11, law enforcement executed a search warrant and seized narcotics, a firearm and a safe. The safe contained multiple kilograms of fentanyl, cocaine, and cutting agent, bulk amounts of cash, and an additional firearm.
Rivers’s original indictment in March charged him with 13 counts of distributing fentanyl, a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Those 13 counts remain in addition to the new charges of possessing with the intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck and members of the Regional Area Narcotics and Gun Enforcement Task Force (RANGE) announced the charges. Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Amy M. Smith is representing the United States in this case.
An indictment merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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New Jersey Company Sentenced for Failing to Report Dangerously Defective Air Conditioners to the Consumer Product Safety CommissionRead the Press Release
Royal Sovereign International Inc., a New Jersey corporation that sold office and home appliances, was sentenced today to pay $395,786 in restitution to victims and a criminal fine of $8 million for failing to report to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) dangerously defective air conditioners allegedly linked to more than 40 fires and one death.
According to court documents, Royal Sovereign, which also did business as Royal Centurian Inc., imported and sold more than 33,000 defective air conditioners manufactured in China between 2008 and 2014. The air conditioners used a faulty drain motor that could short circuit, causing them to catch fire and burn uncontrollably. Royal Sovereign recalled the defective air conditioner models in 2021.
Royal Sovereign pleaded guilty in August 2025 to a criminal information charging the company under the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA). In pleading guilty, the company admitted that it willfully failed to report information about the air conditioners immediately to the CPSC. According to the information, the company misled the CPSC in November 2010 by telling the agency that it was aware of only two fire incidents related to the air conditioners, and that it was no longer selling them. In reality, as alleged, the company knew of at least 16 fires and continued to sell the air conditioners. According to the CPSC recall notice, a woman died in August 2016 from smoke inhalation and her two children were injured after their Royal Sovereign air conditioner caught fire.
In addition to pleading guilty in the criminal case, Royal Sovereign previously agreed to a civil settlement with the United States that included a $16,025,000 civil penalty, the maximum authorized by the CPSA. The company has permanently ceased all operations involving the marketing, sale or distribution of consumer products.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department's Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter Robert Frazer for the District of New Jersey, and Acting Chairman Peter A. Feldman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission made the announcement.
Trial Attorney Ethan Carroll of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Renee McCune of CPSC’s Office of the General Counsel and Assistant U.S. Attorney Fatime Meka Cano for the District of New Jersey provided valuable assistance.
Actions involving violative products imported into the United States are coordinated through the Department of Justice Trade Fraud Task Force, a cross-agency law enforcement effort involving the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, the Civil Division, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Attorney’s Offices nationwide. The Task Force is designed to pursue enforcement actions against parties who seek to evade tariffs and other duties, as well as smugglers who seek to import prohibited goods into the American economy. The Criminal Division, in coordination with the Task Force, leverages all the department’s tools and authorities to fight fraud on the federal government and recover funds for the public fisc.
New Albany man pleads guilty to threatening more than 30 public officialsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A New Albany man who sent 92 threatening communications targeting more than 30 public officials pleaded guilty in federal court here today.
Ronald Lidderdale, 40, admitted guilt to 31 counts of federal crimes including mailing threatening communications, transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, false information and hoaxes and cyberstalking. As part of his conviction, law enforcement seized two 9mm pistols, ammunition, a lock-picking kit and tactical gear from Lidderdale’s residence.
“Threatening political violence against public officeholders is antithetical to our system of government and will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Public officials must be permitted to carry out their duties free from threats that cause concern for their personal safety and the safety of their loved ones. Perpetrators like Lidderdale, who use mail or the internet to engage in such conduct, will be taken at their word and prosecuted accordingly.”
“Ronald Lidderdale violently threatened public officials because he didn’t agree with their views,” stated FBI Cincinnati Special Agent in Charge Jason Cromartie. “Threats of political violence have no place in our society and Lidderdale will be held accountable for his criminal actions.”
According to court documents, Lidderdale sent the communications threatening to kill and injure public officials in Ohio and elsewhere between July 2024 and May 2025. At the state level, the victims included the governor, attorney general, secretary of state, members of the supreme court, state senators and representatives, and a gubernatorial candidate. Federally, Lidderdale threatened several members of the United States Congress.
Lidderdale often mailed letters to the victims’ offices and homes. Several letters were addressed to public officials and their spouses. Return addresses were for staffers, law firms and other individuals in the community. Many of the letters contained a white powder purported to be poison.
One letter included a single round of 9mm ammunition with the Ohio Attorney General’s name etched on it.
In January 2025, Lidderdale mailed letters containing white powder to seven different locations threatening to kill the Ohio Governor. In total, Lidderdale sent nearly 50 letters containing a white powder that he sometimes referred to as ricin, a deadly toxin.
Lidderdale used an email service based in Switzerland to create encrypted emails to anonymously send threatening electronic communications.
Throughout his messages, Lidderdale threatened to kill the officials by shooting them in the head and/or by poisoning them with a type of chemical agent. He repeatedly referred to his victims as “fascists” and “pedophiles.”
The defendant anonymously submitted an online tip to the FBI stating, in part: “My urge to act has hit a boiling point. I believe that by removing those parasites will bring a renewed peace to all of Ohio…This is a fair warning that my urge to kill will break my patience…”
A forensic review of Lidderdale’s devices revealed that he used the AI-powered chat bot to discuss his criminal conduct and its legal implications. Lidderdale stated he had mailed threatening letters to politicians and described sending a bullet with the victim’s name etched on it. He asked ChatGPT about the charges he could face, the sentence that could be imposed and what to expect while in federal prison.
Lidderdale was arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint in May 2025.
Mailing threatening communications carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison per count. Making interstate communications with a threat to kidnap or injure, conveying false information and hoaxes, and cyberstalking are all federal crimes punishable by up to five years in prison per count.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jason Cromartie, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division; and David Cunningham, Acting Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); as well as the U.S. Capitol Police, Ohio State Highway Patrol and several Ohio police departments; announced the plea entered into today before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah D. Morrison. Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorney Damoun Delaviz are representing the United States in this case.
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Michigan Man Sentenced to 60 Months for Possessing with Intent to Distribute Cocaine Base in Burlington, VermontRead the Press Release
Burlington, Vermont – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that on April 28, 2026, Deandre Watson, 35, of Sterling Heights, Michigan, was sentenced by Chief United States District Court Judge Christina Reiss to a term of 60 months’ imprisonment to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. Watson previously pleaded guilty to possessing with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.
According to court records, on October 9, 2025, the Burlington Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at a residence on Sherman Street in Burlington, Vermont. During the execution of the warrant, officers located Watson standing alone in the bathtub, behind the shower curtain, fully clothed and holding multiple large chunks of cocaine base (also known as crack) in his hands. Additional chunks of cocaine base were found in the bottom of the bathtub, along with a red dinner plate and razor blade. In the dining room of the Sherman Street residence, law enforcement located an additional 38 grams of cocaine base, a quantity of which was individually packaged for sale. In close proximity to this cocaine base were a digital scale, plastic baggies, scissors, and a cellular phone, the contents of which revealed the phone belonged to Watson. In total, approximately 138 grams of cocaine base were found in the residence. A cellphone found on Watson’s person revealed evidence of drug sales dating back to September 1, 2025. Watson’s criminal history in Michigan includes multiple prior felony drug trafficking convictions and a felony firearm conviction.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the collaborative efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Burlington Police Department. “For-profit drug trafficking brings people from great distances to Vermont, with the sole purpose of distributing poison in our communities. Drug trafficking causes substantial harm to our communities, destroying families by feeding addiction and causing collateral crime that impacts their neighbors, friends, and families. Those willing to engage in serious crime for quick profits should face stiff, incarcerative sentences. I am extremely grateful for the excellent investigation done by our law enforcement partners.”
The case was prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Arra. Watson was represented by Assistant Federal Public Defender Charles N. Curlett, Jr.
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.
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Northampton CompanyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Michigan man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield, Mass. to a scheme to defraud a Northampton construction company.
Jonathan McCormack, 41, of Lapeer, Mich., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and five counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Aug. 17, 2026. In May 2024, McCormack was indicted by a federal grand jury.
McCormack was employed as a project supervisor for BluRoc, LLC., a construction company based in Northampton, Mass. McCormack also owned and operated JDM Site Services, LLC (JDM), a Michigan-based company that rented heavy equipment to BluRoc. McCormack used his positions at BluRoc and JDM to conduct a scheme to divert labor, equipment and material to conduct work and renovate a hunting lodge in Lake City, Mich.
Between April 2020 and August 2020, McCormack directed four of his BluRoc crew members, including his brother, to work at the hunting lodge while approving their time (as well as his own) into BluRoc’s computer tracking system as work on BluRoc projects, thereby ensuring that they were paid by BluRoc. This work included laying approximately 300 timber mats, hay and seed that McCormack took from a BluRoc worksite without payment. Specifically, on April 4, 2020, McCormack falsely approved the time for himself, his brother and three crew members for BluRoc projects in Indiana when they were actually working for McCormack at the hunting lodge.
McCormack agreed to forfeit six snowmobiles and repay BluRoc $98,087.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Neil Desroches and Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
Metairie Pastor Indicted for Access Device Fraud and Obstruction of a Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced today that DALE SANDERS (“SANDERS”), 56, from Kenner, Louisiana, was charged in an eleven-count indictment for access device fraud, and obstruction of a federal investigation, in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1029(a)(2), 1029(c)(1)(A)(i), and 1519.
According to the indictment, from approximately April 2020 through April 2024, SANDERS used an unauthorized access device, specifically the debit card for Company A’s bank account and obtained U.S. currency of approximately $343,293.00. SANDERS faces up to twenty years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to three years of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kathryn McHugh of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Federal Prison for Multiple Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Maryland man is headed to federal prison for 13 years for his role in an armed robbery spree.
U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Derek Lynn Davis, 36, of Greenbelt, Maryland, to 13 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for interfering with interstate commerce by robbery and using, carrying, brandishing, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Davis and his co-conspirators stole more than $3,000, from multiple businesses they robbed, and terrorized nine victims.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to court documents, beginning in July 2023, and continuing through August 2023, Davis, with the assistance of different co-conspirators, robbed six businesses at gunpoint. Sometimes the co-conspirators robbed multiple businesses within one day.
Davis and his co-conspirators typically entered these establishments, armed with firearms, and then demanded victims to open the cash register. In fear of their lives, victims complied with Davis’s demands, giving him access to the cash registers. Additionally, during one robbery, Individual-1 discharged his firearm as a victim opened the cash register. The round struck the ground near where two victims were standing.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Dawn Williams who prosecuted this 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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Marion County Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Attempting to Meet A Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Shawn Adampeter Grunther (42, Marion County) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 10 years in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Grunther pleaded guilty on November 17, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, in July 2025, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent posed online as a 14-year-old girl (UC). Grunther messaged the UC account and, after learning the minor’s age, engaged in a sexually explicit conversation. On July 24, 2025, Grunther was arrested after he traveled to a location in Marion County to meet the UC to engage in sexual activity.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Marion County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Who Escaped from Residential Reentry Center Sent Back to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
A man who escaped from the Gerald R. Hinzman Center was sentenced today to serve two months in federal prison.
Robert Fleming, age 61, from Chicago, Illinois, received the prison term after a guilty plea to escape from custody.
At the guilty plea, Fleming admitted that in July 2025, while confined to the Gerald R. Hinzman center, he escaped from custody. At the time, Fleming was serving a federal prison sentence after being convicted of possession and aid abet the possession with intent to distribute cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a protected location after a prior felony drug conviction.
Fleming was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Fleming was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
Fleming 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 Lisa C. Williams and investigated by the United States Marshals Service.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-00065.
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Madison Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Donald Smith, 31, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced on April 24, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to one year and one day in federal prison for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Smith pleaded guilty to this charge on February 13, 2026.
On July 2, 2025, law enforcement searched Smith’s residence and found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun. Officers also saw what appeared to be a bullet hole in a cell phone and a spent projectile under the counter. The Wisconsin State Crime lab determined that Smith’s DNA was present on the firearm. Smith is prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of a prior felony conviction for first degree reckless use of a dangerous weapon.
At sentencing, Judge Conley remarked on the serious nature of Smith’s prior felony conviction, and the potentially devastating consequences of him possessing firearms. Judge Conley noted that Smith has overcome a lot in his life and encouraged him to pursue counseling to deal with unresolved issues.
The charge against Smith was the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Madison Man Sentenced for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, Food Stamp Fraud, and Use of a Counterfeit PassportRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Mark F. Brummitt, 69, Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 6 years in federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender, illegally obtaining food stamps, and using a false passport. Brummitt pleaded guilty to these charges on February 4, 2026.
“Such systemic deceit will not be tolerated with regard to individuals seeking to steal benefits meant for low-income families that help them afford nutritious essentials for their health and well-being,” said Inspector General John Walk for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. “USDA OIG is proud to support Project Safe Childhood. I thank and commend the work of this office, our law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the efforts to ensure that this dangerous individual is held accountable and will go to prison for his crimes.”
Between 1989 and 2005, Brummitt was convicted of various sex offenses against children. He is required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. In late 2022, after having his supervised release revoked four times, Brummitt was released from federal prison. He spent time in Mexico and Mozambique. In February 2025, he returned to Wisconsin. He did not tell the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry about his change in residence and instead submitted paperwork stating he still lived in Africa.
While living in Wisconsin, Brummitt applied for and received $1,512 in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. He misrepresented his identity and his income when applying for those benefits. In August 2025, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services told Brummitt he needed to come to the local agency and present photo identification to continue receiving benefits. Brummitt presented a counterfeit passport.
Judge Peterson said that Brummitt stood apart from other offenders because of his “systematic deceit” and his resolute resistance to any form of supervision. The judge found Brummitt represented a threat to public safety because of his sexual interest in children.
The charges against Brummitt were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General, the Social Security Administration – Office of Inspector General, Homeland Security Investigations, and the U.S. State Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Stelljes prosecuted this case.
This investigation was a part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.
Madison Felon Sentenced to 9 ½ Years for Armed Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Gairitt Schad, 28, Madison, Wisconsin was sentenced last week by Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson to 9 ½ years in federal prison for possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine intended for distribution and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Schad pleaded guilty to these charges on January 15, 2026.
On April 17, 2025, a law enforcement agent arranged to purchase crack cocaine from Schad at a local restaurant. When officers approached, Schad attempted to flee. Officers ultimately arrested Schad and in his vehicle, found approximately 114 grams of methamphetamine, 12 grams of crack cocaine, 55 grams of cocaine, 24 grams of heroin, counterfeit M30 fentanyl pills, and 24 Xanax pills. In the vehicle’s center console was a a loaded .40 caliber handgun. Schad’s DNA was recovered on the slide of the handgun.
Schad was prohibited from legally possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions for first degree recklessly endangering safety, robbery, and eluding. He was on state probation at the time of his federal offenses.
At sentencing, Judge Peterson said that Schad was aware that his conduct could result in federal charges but committed the offenses anyway. Judge Peterson expressed concern that Schad would return to crime when released.
The charges against Schad were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF as well as state and local agents throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Stephan prosecuted this case.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Lynn Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Drug Conspiracy and Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for a years-long drug conspiracy and a January 2023 armed robbery of a drug distributor, during which the defendant and another individual stole approximately $24,000 in drug trafficking proceeds intended for the purchase of cocaine.
Harvey Rodriguez, a/k/a “Big Opp,” 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In January 2026, Rodriguez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of conspiracy interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act Robbery). In August 2025, Rodriguez was arrested and charged.
Rodriguez was a participant in a multi-year drug conspiracy that took place in the Lynn area and on the North Shore of Massachusetts. As described in the court papers, Rodriguez conspired with numerous other distributors including those he supplied, and others who have been previously charged with federal drug offenses, including Vincent Caruso, a/k/a “Fatz”, Lawrence Michael Nagle, Jr. and Schuyler Oppenheimer, a/k/a “SK”. The drug conspiracy involved the manufacturing of counterfeit prescription pills and the sale of kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl in Lynn and throughout Massachusetts. Over the course of the investigation, Rodriguez distributed cocaine and methamphetamine to a cooperating witness and confidential informant on four occasions.
Rodriguez also participated in an armed robbery of a drug customer. On Jan. 30, 2023, a drug transaction was scheduled to take place at an apartment in Woburn, during which an associate of Rodriguez was to deliver a kilogram of cocaine in exchange for approximately $24,000. During the transaction, Rodriguez and Claudio Melo entered the apartment and pointed semiautomatic pistols at the drug customer before taking the $24,000 in cash, which was proceeds of drug trafficking activities the drug customer was engaged in. Rodriguez and Melo then forced the drug customer to open a safe in his bedroom, which was empty. Shortly thereafter, both robbers departed with the $24,000 cash.United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Massachusetts State Police; and the Lynn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Little Water Man Pleads Guilty to Assault for 2024 ShootingRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Little Water man pleaded guilty to shooting another man during a drunken altercation.
According to court documents, on July 29, 2024, Anthony Sandoval, 41, an enrolled member of the Navajo nation, and John Doe were intoxicated when they got into disagreement. During the altercation, Sandoval shot John Doe. After shooting him, Sandoval called for assistance and admitted to shooting him before fleeing the scene and hiding the firearm.
Sandoval was apprehended that night and the firearm was recovered. John Doe was hospitalized and underwent surgery to repair injuries sustained during the shooting.
Sandoval pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and faces up to 10 years in prison at sentencing.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Marshall is prosecuting the case.
Jury Finds Man Guilty of Threatening a Federal JudgeRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida - Christopher Summers, 58, an inmate at the Florida Department of Corrections, was found guilty in federal court of mailing threatening communications to a federal judge. The conviction was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “When threatening statements exceed the legal bounds of constitutional Free Speech, my office will not hesitate to aggressively prosecute those criminal threats to ensure they do not have the opportunity to ripen into acts of violence. Criminal threats directed at public officials are becoming alarmingly more common, and this must stop now. We have zero-tolerance for such criminality in the Northern District of Florida and will seek maximum punishments to keep our public officials safe.”
Court documents and evidence presented at trial revealed that in October 2024, Summers sent a handwritten letter addressed to a Federal District Judge at the Federal Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida. In the letter, Summers wrote in relevant part:
“I am writing this letter to you in hopes that you will know what it feels like to be helpless when you know for fact that you’re going to either be beaten so badly you’ll never function like a normal person again, or be killed. I’m very driven to have you killed, even if I’ve got to do it myself when I get out and back to Pensacola. I thought I’d have to wait until I got out, but now that I’ve thought about it I realize that I can have it done now. As soon as I leave this prison and get back to my perminet [sic] camp I’ll get on one of the many cell-phones there and green light a hit on you … Hell if I have to I’d shoot your head off as you pull in to that gate at the Court house, I can do it from that park next door. I don’t care if I get more time or even killed. As long as I get you first. So how dose [sic] it feel to know who is going to be responsible [sic] for your life, yet not be able to stop it or do anything about it?”
At trial, counsel for Summers claimed that Summers wrote the letter as part of his mental health therapy, and that Summers never intended to mail the letter. However, the Government’s case revealed that mental health therapy did not include threatening letters; that the prison takes steps to ensure that inmates do not inadvertently send letters to the courts; and that Summers told another inmate his desire to have the Judge killed. The jury swiftly returned a guilty verdict.
The defendant faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for August 6, 2026, before United States District Court Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II, in Pensacola, Florida.
This conviction was the result of a joint investigation by the United States Marshals Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Florida Department of Corrections Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph A. Ravelo is prosecuting the case.
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 for the Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Jefferson County woman charged in federal tax return fraud schemeRead the Press Release
BEAUMONT, Texas – A Beaumont woman has been charged in connection with federal tax return fraud in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Chrysantha Wilson was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with 40 counts of assisting in the preparation of fraudulent federal tax returns. Wilson appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christine L. Stetson on April 28, 2026, for an Initial Appearance and Arraignment.
Wilson faces up to three years in federal prison for each count if convicted.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Raynaldo P. Morin.
A federal indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Incarcerated Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison in Separate Fentanyl Trafficking SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that KEROME LENDON PAISLEY was sentenced to 10 years in prison for conspiring, while already imprisoned, to traffic more than a kilogram of fentanyl. PAISLEY’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel, who also presided over his guilty plea.
“After serving nearly 22 years in federal prison for a prior narcotics conspiracy, Kerome Paisley was given a chance to reenter society,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Instead, he brazenly chose to traffic more than 10,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills from behind bars, potentially endangering countless New Yorkers. Those who are committed to dealing deadly drugs as a way of life—even from prison—will earn themselves substantial federal prison time.”
According to the Complaint, the Indictment, and other documents in the public record:
During February 2025, as part of a narcotics trafficking conspiracy, PAISLEY used a contraband cellphone to organize the sale of over 10,000 counterfeit fentanyl pills that resembled legitimate 30 mg oxycodone pills. After a co-conspirator of PAISLEY’s brought the pills to Peekskill, New York, to sell them, law enforcement officers found and seized them. At the time, PAISLEY was approaching the end of a nearly 22-year federal prison sentence due to his role in a prior narcotics trafficking conspiracy. After determining PAISLEY’s identity, law enforcement officers arrested PAISLEY on the day he was due to be released from his prior sentence.
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In addition to the prison term, PAISLEY, 49, of Jamaica, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case is being handled by the Office’s White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carmi Schickler is in charge of the prosecution.
Illegal Alien Who Fired Shots Near Border Agents During Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An illegal alien has pleaded guilty to a federal firearm charge after he fired shots near U.S. Border Patrol agents during Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago last fall.
HECTOR GOMEZ admitted in a plea agreement that he was driving a Jeep Wrangler in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago on Nov. 8, 2025, when he discharged at least two rounds from a handgun. Gomez fired the shots in proximity of Border Patrol agents who were engaged in the performance of their official duties, the plea agreement states. Gomez had previously been convicted of a felony firearm offense in the Circuit Court of Cook County and was prohibited under federal law from possessing a gun.
Gomez admitted that later the same day, he brandished the handgun at an individual in a parking lot a few blocks from where he fired the shots.
Gomez pleaded guilty on Monday to one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon. The conviction is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly set sentencing for July 20, 2026, at 1:15 p.m.
Gomez, 46, is a citizen of Mexico who had been residing in Chicago. He has no claim to United States citizenship or lawful permanent residence and is now subject to removal.
The guilty plea was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Christopher Amon, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill J. Bhalakia.
gomez_plea_agreement.pdfIllegal Alien Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Possessing, Distributing Fentanyl in AllentownRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Wilson Rosario, aka “Joshua,” 36, a Dominican national who had been illegally residing in Allentown, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 15 years in prison, 10 years’ supervised release, a $3,000 fine, and a $300 special assessment by United States District Judge John M. Gallagher for possessing and distributing significant quantities of fentanyl.
The defendant was charged by indictment in May 2025 and pleaded guilty in January of this year to drug distribution conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a protected location — specifically, an Allentown elementary school and playground.
“After entering the United States illegally, the defendant wasted no time in acquiring bulk quantities of fentanyl,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “He stored tens of thousands of doses of this deadly drug steps from an elementary school — and peddled that fentanyl to as many people as he could, profiting off the misery of addiction. Wilson Rosario has endangered countless Pennsylvanians and repeatedly insulted the rule of law. Today’s sentence will keep him behind bars for over a decade, right where he belongs.”
“This investigation and prosecution stopped an upper-level drug trafficker who was storing his poisonous products within walking distance of an elementary school and public park,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said. “I commend our partners for collaboration that removes another predatory trafficker from the community.”
As detailed in court filings and statements, from April 2023 to August 2023, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (“BNI”) worked with a confidential source to arrange multiple controlled purchases of fentanyl from the defendant.
On August 26, 2023, BNI agents executed a state search warrant at a residence on the 800 block of West Chew Street in Allentown, which Rosario used to store and package fentanyl. During their search of this location, which is approximately 100 feet from a city elementary school and playground, agents seized nearly 300 grams of suspected fentanyl, a hydraulic press, respirator, digital scales, and other paraphernalia consistent with preparing fentanyl for distribution.
The same day, agents secured a search warrant for another location used by Rosario on the 1300 block of West Chew Street, approximately 300 feet from Allentown’s Franklin Park. In that apartment, investigators recovered more than four kilograms of suspected fentanyl, Narcan, a respirator, and empty vacuum seal bags.
Subsequent testing of the suspected fentanyl recovered at the search warrant locations was performed by the Pennsylvania State Police Forensic Laboratory. Testing concluded that approximately 4,272.76 grams contained fentanyl or a mixture containing xylazine and fentanyl. Combined with the 62.17 grams of fentanyl recovered from the four controlled purchases conducted by law enforcement in this case, the total amount of fentanyl that the defendant is responsible for in this case is 4,334.93 grams.
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 case was investigated by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Bureau of Narcotics Investigation, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert Schopf.
Houston business owner sent to prison for failing to pay over $1.6 million in taxesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON - A former certified public accountant has been ordered to prison for failing to pay taxes withheld from employee wages, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Harry Lamar Curtis III pleaded guilty Nov. 6, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake has now ordered Curtis to serve 18 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release.
Curtis was the owner of Information Advisory Group LLC, a cybersecurity and IT company based in Houston. As such, he was required to withhold and pay over all employment taxes withheld from employee paychecks. These included federal income taxes, FICA taxes and employer matching amounts.
As part of his plea, Curtis admitted that despite being trained as a CPA, he failed to file any business tax returns for IAG since 2016. He improperly withheld $1,647,142 over this time period that was due to the IRS.
Curtis also admitted he had not filed any individual tax returns for himself since 2008.
He was permitted to remain on bond and voluntarily surrender to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
IRS Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Gray prosecuted the case.
The Department of Justice has created 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.
Homeland Security Task Force Investigation leads to seven defendants sentenced to prison in methamphetamine trafficking ring tied to MexicoRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation into a drug trafficking ring connected to a Mexican drug cartel resulted in convictions and prison sentences for defendants in the Kansas City metro area.
In January 2020, federal agents opened an investigation into a methamphetamine trafficking operation headed by Jose Santos Macias-Roman, 46, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States after overstaying his visa. Investigators learned that Macias Roman arranged the transportation of liquid methamphetamine from Sinaloa, Mexico to the Kansas City, Kansas area. Between February 2020 and July 2023, law enforcement conducted multiple controlled methamphetamine purchases from Macias Roman and members of his drug trafficking organization. Investigators learned the traffickers converted the methamphetamine from liquid into crystal form before distributing the finished product to customers.
Over time, law enforcement identified several members of the drug trafficking network and their stash houses, two of which contained active methamphetamine conversion labs. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement seized over 70 kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately $35,000 in cash, and three firearms.
“The Homeland Security Task Force model is directly focused on targeting transnational criminal organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “This case is a perfect example of coordinated law enforcement resources to achieve justice. We will continue to build collaborative relationships with state, local, and federal partners to eliminate transnational and other threats to our communities here in Kansas and elsewhere.”
Macias Roman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 300 months in prison.
Juan Ramirez-Gonzalez, 37, an illegal alien from Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 300 months in prison.
Ezequil Castro-Aviles, 40, a Mexican national residing illegally in the United States after overstaying his visa, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 172 months in prison.
Manuel Alexis Soltero-Alvarez, 31, an illegal alien from Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 168 months in prison.
Manuel Arturo Faudoa, 26, of Dodge City, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 144 months in prison.
Gerardo Sierra-Martinez, 21, an illegal alien from Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of money laundering. He was sentenced to 97 months in prison.
Marcos Antonio Valencia, Jr., 35, of Kansas City, Kansas, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 72 months in prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Jackson County, Missouri Drug Task Force, Kansas City, Missouri Police Department, Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Nebraska Highway Patrol, and the Midwest High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Trent Krug prosecuted the case.This operation 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 FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. 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 District of Kansas.
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Harvey Man and New Orleans Woman Indicted for Obtaining Fraudulent Loans by Impersonating Professional Athletes and Threatening VictimsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ALBERT PAUL WEBER (“WEBER”), age 42, of Harvey, Louisiana, and CYNTRELLE LASH (“LASH”), age 39, of New Orleans, were indicted on April 24, 2026, for their roles in a scheme to impersonate professional athletes and take out loans in their names, announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
As alleged in court documents, WEBER, LASH, and their coconspirators impersonated athletes who were on the cusp of being drafted by NBA and NFL teams and paid multimillion dollar contracts. At least as early as 2016, WEBER and LASH stole the identities of the athletes, their family members, and others to defraud businesspeople and lenders who believed they were dealing with the athletes themselves. In total, over the course of several years, WEBER and LASH defrauded these victims into transferring over $3.5 million to WEBER, LASH, and their coconspirators, which they then laundered through multiple bank accounts. In May of 2025, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested WEBER and LASH for one instance of this scheme in which WEBER and LASH were caught using fake identification to sign notarized documents for loans for an athlete. After they were released on bond, WEBER began a new part of the scheme to defraud athletes involving trips overseas for basketball players. When WEBER’s victims confronted him about defrauding them by keeping money he took for trips that never happened, WEBER threatened the victims, demanded more money, and warned them against talking to others about his scheme.
WEBER and LASH were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. WEBER is charged with six counts of aggravated identity theft, and LASH is charged with WEBER in one of those counts. WEBER was also charged with interstate transmission of a threat.
For both the conspiracy to commit wire fraud and the conspiracy to commit money laundering, WEBER and LASH face up to 20 years of imprisonment. Each aggravated identity theft is punishable by two years in prison, consecutive to any sentence for other charges, followed by up to one year of supervised release. For the interstate transmission of a threat, WEBER faces up to five years in prison per count, followed by up to three years of supervised release. For each charge, WEBER and LASH also face a fine of up to $250,000, or $500,000 in the case of the money laundering charge, or twice the gross gain to the defendants or loss to any party, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee per count.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle reiterated that an indictment is merely an allegation and that the defendant’s guilt must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. U.S. Attorney Courcelle thanked the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for its assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Moses of the Public Integrity Unit and Christine Calogero of the General Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
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Guatemalan National Sentenced to over Eight Years for Possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material and Illegal Reentry into the United StatesRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Marlon Jefferson Fajardo-Paiz (22, Guatemala) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to eight years and one month in federal prison for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and illegal reentry by a previously deported alien. Fajardo-Paiz pleaded guilty pleas on November 13, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Fajardo-Paiz is a citizen and national of Guatemala. He was previously removed from the United States on July 20, 2018, and has never received permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of Homeland Security to apply for readmission to the United States. On April 24, 2025, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Fajardo-Paiz during an investigation of a Cybertip relating to an upload of CSAM to the internet. Fajardo-Paiz told investigators that he had participated in viewing, downloading, and transmitting CSAM. A subsequent search of Fajardo-Paiz’s cellphone revealed at least 20 items of CSAM in his possession.
This case was investigated by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
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 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 locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.