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Friday 28 August 2026
Former police officer pleads guilty to federal charges in relation to raid that killed two and injured othersRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Former Houston Police Department officer Gerald M. Goines, 62, admitted he made materially false statements in an affidavit to obtain a search warrant that led to the botched Harding Street raid in 2019, resulting in a shootout that killed two and injured four HPD officers.
To obtain the warrant, Goines falsely claimed a confidential informant had purchased heroin from a resident at the home and provided it to him. Goines later admitted he knew the information was false.
He also made other false statements in the affidavit, including claims that others had purchased drugs from residents of the home in the approximately three weeks leading up to the warrant.
“Good policing is hard, and good cops always want to accomplish their mission to keep our communities safe and bring justice to bad guys,” said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. “But ends don't justify the means. Here, Goines broke public trust, repeatedly lied, and his deceit bore evil fruit: people got hurt and killed. I support our local, state, and federal law enforcement, but none of us get to commit crooked acts and avoid accountability.”
“Gerald Goines was a senior narcotics police officer who knowingly violated departmental policy and the law. He held a position of trust within this community, and he violated that trust by abusing his authority and lying to evade accountability for his actions. In this case, Goines’ actions cost the lives of two innocent people,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of the FBI Houston Field Office. “Color of law violations are some of the hardest to prove, but they are crucial to maintaining public trust in law enforcement. We hope today’s outcome serves as justice for his victims and a reminder that law enforcement officers are not above the law.”
U.S. District Court Judge George Hanks accepted the plea and will impose sentencing Nov. 9. At that time, Goines faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum possible fine.
Goines has been and will remain in custody pending sentencing. He was previously convicted in Harris County on first degree murder charges and is serving a 60-year prison sentence.
Former HPD officer Steven O. Bryant, 53, and Patricia Ann Garcia, 60, both of Houston, previously pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice and providing false information, respectively.
FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.
Former non profit CFO sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $2 millionRead the Press Release
DALLAS — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced that a former chief financial officer of a Dallas‑based charity has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for embezzling more than $2 million from the organization.
Jeffrey Scott Keehn, the 55-year-old former CFO of the Child and Family Guidance Center from Imperial Beach, California, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud after admitting he stole $2,109,786.56 from the non-profit over a period of approximately seven years. At Wednesday’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade sentenced Keehn to 60 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay full restitution in the amount of $2,109,786.56.
“Stealing from a charity that serves families in crisis is unconscionable,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “Mr. Keehn’s fraud didn’t just drain the charity’s finances; it forced them to divert time and resources away from their mission. This prison sentence and the restitution he now owes demonstrate that the Justice Department will pursue accountability for those who exploit nonprofits and divert funds meant to support critical community services.”
“This sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s actions, which included embezzling charitable funds meant to help those in need of mental health services,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock. “The FBI will continue to investigate those responsible for defrauding organizations that provide critical services to members of our communities.”
According to court documents, Keehn abused his position as CFO by secretly accessing the charity’s checkbook, forging signatures and depositing fraudulent checks into his personal accounts. He also falsified QuickBooks entries and misrepresented the charity’s available cash to conceal the scheme.
As part of the investigation and forfeiture proceedings, the government successfully seized approximately $800,000 in assets, including multiple bank accounts, precious metals, a vehicle and his interest in a condominium in Oceanside, California.
At sentencing, two representatives of the Child and Family Guidance Center addressed the Court, describing the organization’s mission of providing mental health services to the indigent population. They emphasized not only the financial harm caused by Keehn’s actions but also the significant operational burden the fraud imposed, including extensive forensic audits and the challenge of rebuilding after years of concealed losses.
The FBI – Dallas Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Marty Basu prosecuted the case.
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Five men indicted for laundering fraud proceeds tied to ‘tech support,’ government, and financial institution imposter scamsRead the Press Release
Seattle – Five men have been indicted in the Western District of Washington in connection with a nationwide fraud scheme taking funds from elderly victims, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Four of the five men have appeared on the indictment and three remain detained. The indictment alleges the men were part of a conspiracy to launder the fraud proceeds, whereby the defendants sent the fraudulently obtained funds to bank accounts in China and Hong Kong. Trial is scheduled for November 9, 2026.
“These scam groups operate like a business – some people convince the victims they must send money to “protect” their money or repair their computer. Other schemers willingly take that money and launder it through bank accounts to the benefit of the entire conspiracy,” said First U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “These five are the men who allegedly laundered those victim funds through some 21 different shell companies and 44 bank accounts. Charging them disrupts the network and, is the first step in uncovering the rest of the conspiracy.”
“In 2025 alone elder fraud cost more than a million older Americans about $2 billion,” said Acting HSI Seattle Special Agent in Charge April Miller. “In this case alone, we estimate about $11 million may have been lost by our vulnerable seniors, and the associated money laundering impacts our country’s financial institutions. HSI will continue to investigate cases like these and work to keep our seniors and country safe from financial predators.”
According to the indictment, between October 2024 and March 2026, the men registered 21 different shell companies in Washington State and used fake identities to open some 44 different bank accounts tied to the shell companies. They also rented mailboxes at commercial entities tied to the shell companies. Using tech support scams, or by impersonating government or bank officials, the scammers convinced victims to send cashiers’ checks, money orders, or other monetary instruments to the rented mailboxes. The five men indicted in Western Washington then deposited the funds in the 44 different bank accounts and then rapidly moved the money through wire transfers to accounts held in the names of business entities based in Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China. In all, the defendants collectively received and laundered more than $7.4 million in fraud proceeds from at least 77 victims.
The five defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, ten counts of money laundering by concealment, and ten counts of money laundering by spending.
Those indicted include:
Hung Chieh Kuo, 27, of Bellevue, WA, detained pending a hearing 8/31/26
Tung Wei Yeh, 31, of Bellevue, WA, detained pending trial
Hsin Chien, 31, of Bothell, WA, released pending trial
You Wei Liew, 26, of Seattle, being sought by law enforcement
Chengpeng Zhang, 40, of Seattle, detained pending a hearing 9/2/26
Conspiracy to commit money laundering, and money laundering concealment are punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a fine of $500,000 or twice the amount of the property involved. Money laundering by spending is punishable by up to ten years in prison and $250,000 fine or twice the value of the criminally derived property.
The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yunah Chung.
kuo_et_al_indictment.pdfFentanyl Distributor Caught with Nearly 600 Counterfeit Pills Containing Fentanyl Sentenced to 10 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Ricketta Ann Twitty, 35, of Bostic, N.C. was sentenced to 10 years in prison yesterday for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl after she was caught with nearly 600 counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Twitty was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release after completing her prison sentence.
“I have spent the last week going around the district educating people that a single counterfeit pill can contain a lethal dose of fentanyl. Such education is important, but we also are aggressively prosecuting people like Ms. Twitty who peddle such pills in the community,” said U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson. “Ms. Twitty unnecessarily put a lot of lives at risk, at times distributing 2,000 pills per day.”
According to court documents and the sentencing hearing, officers with the Forest City Police Department responded to a call for service at a Walmart involving Twitty. Officers located Twitty, near a vehicle where she was arrested. The officers then searched Twitty’s vehicle and seized $7,297 in cash and more than 590 counterfeit pills in a prescription bottle. The counterfeit pills were imprinted with “T/189,” a marker for the prescription drug Oxycodone Hydrochloride. The seized counterfeit pills were determined to contain fentanyl. During the investigation, Twitty told the investigators that she received the counterfeit pills from suppliers based in Charlotte, and that she distributed approximately 2,000 fentanyl pills a day during a two to three-week period.
Twitty is in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation to a federal facility.
In making the announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Forest City Police Department for their investigation of the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Hess of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Felons, illegal aliens, smugglers, and more charged in 245 SDTX cases as part of recent border enforcement effortsRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 248 people have been charged, including 227 illegal aliens, in 245 cases involving immigration and border security-related crimes from Aug. 21-27.
A total of 172 criminal complaints were filed for felony reentry after prior removal, while another 43 people face charges of illegal entry. Most of those illegal aliens have prior felonies such as narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses, and more. In addition, 26 people have been charged with human smuggling which includes 12 illegal aliens themselves. The remaining seven cases relate to other immigration crimes.
One of the charged illegal aliens is a Guatemalan male with a prior conviction for sexual assault of a child, according to the allegations. Law enforcement allegedly discovered Cesar Augusto Sanchez-Cristales near Roma, despite the fact he had been removed from the country in 2017. Four others, all Mexican nationals, were also allegedly found in the McAllen area. Eduardo Hernandez-Sanchez, Wilber Torres-Herrera, Agustin Yanez-Reynaga, and Francisco Giovanni Garcia-Hernandez had also been previously removed and have prior convictions for conspiracy to distribute cocaine or other controlled substances, multiple driving while intoxicated convictions, or burglary, according to the new criminal complaints against them.
If convicted of the new felony illegal reentry into the United States, each faces up to 20 years in federal prison.
In addition to the new cases, a Laredo woman was sentenced in a failed attempt to smuggler a toddler into the United States. Anahi Rosas tried to use her own child’s Texas birth certificate and falsely claimed the unknown three-year-old boy was her son. At secondary inspection, the boy told authorities Rosas was not his mother and that he did not know where his parents were. At the sentencing hearing, the court heard that Rosas planned to leave the toddler with an unknown smuggler without knowing where the child would be taken. She was ordered to serve 36 months in federal prison.
In Brownsville, a 36-year-old illegal alien from Matamoros, Mexico, received a 63-month sentence for unlawfully being in the United States after prior deportation. Omar Navarro-Hinojosa had been the passenger in a vehicle that was traveling at a high rate of speed. He attempted to flee on foot after the driver stopped the vehicle when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop. Authorities quickly took him into custody. Navarro-Hinojosa admitted he paid $3,000 to be smuggled into the United States. While awaiting sentencing, he was also involved in physical altercation with another inmate which resulted in medical treatment for both men. Because of this incident, he did not receive credit for acceptance of responsibility for the illegal reentry conviction at the time of sentencing, which resulted in the over five-year prison sentence.
The cases are referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for the Southern District. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault, and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than 10 million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen, and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state, and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Felon Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a GunRead the Press Release
A felon who was previously convicted of drug distribution charges was sentenced August 26, 2028, to 92 months in federal prison for possessing a gun.
Donta Racine Euells, age 45, from Freeport, Illinois, received the prison term after a January 12, 2026, guilty plea to possession of a firearm as a felon.
On August 9, 2025, Dubuque police responded to a 911 call. Victims reported that Euells, Davion Trawick (who has previously been sentenced), and another man forced their way into the home. At the time, Trawick possessed a large capacity firearm and Euells possessed what later was determined to be a BB-gun. However, law enforcement officers found a gun in Euell’s car that he had driven to the residence. Euells was prohibited from possessing firearms because of numerous prior felony convictions.
Euells was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Euells was sentenced to 92 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.
Euells 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 Nicole L. Nagin and investigated by the Dubuque Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
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
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 25-CR-1042-2.
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Federal Jury Finds Jefferson County Business Owner Guilty of Large-Scale Pandemic Relief Loan FraudRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. - After four hours of deliberation, on August 26, 2026, a federal jury in Pittsburgh found Jason Youngdahl guilty of two counts of wire fraud, two counts of money laundering, and one count of theft of government money, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
Youngdahl, 44, of Brockway, Pennsylvania, was tried before Senior United States District Judge Arthur J. Schwab.
The evidence presented during the two-day trial established that Youngdahl fraudulently obtained more than $540,000 from the United States Small Business Administration in Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL), which were funds intended to provide small businesses with relief from the COVID-19 pandemic. Youngdahl fraudulently obtained loan funds on five different occasions, each time representing that he would use the money for the small business he operated when, in fact, he planned to and did use the funds for personal purchases, including a personal vehicle and residence.
“Jason Youngdahl’s conduct demonstrates a complete disregard for the law and is exactly the type of fraud that the Department of Justice is committed to combating through its national efforts,” said United States Attorney Rivetti. “This verdict recognizes and holds Youngdahl accountable for his greed and egregious criminal activity. Our office will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute opportunistic fraudsters who seek to enrich themselves through taxpayer-funded programs.”
Judge Schwab scheduled sentencing for January 26, 2027. The law provides for a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain from the offense, or both for each of the wire fraud counts, and up to 10 years in prison and a fine on each of the money laundering and theft of government money counts. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based on the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jennifer L. Peresie and Morgan A. Camerlo prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and United States Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Youngdahl.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports 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.
Federal Jury Finds Convicted Felon with Two Firearms Guilty of Illegal Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – A federal jury in Charlotte returned a guilty verdict yesterday against Marcus Jamal Shankle, 36, of Charlotte, for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Matthew E. Orso presided over the two-day trial.
According to trial evidence, in October 2024, officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) were investigating Shankle for illegal firearm possession. Shankle had prior federal convictions for distribution of cocaine base and for violating the terms of his supervised release. As a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing firearms. On October 3, 2024, CMPD officers approached Shankle as he was exiting a restaurant in Charlotte. Shankle was walking to his vehicle when he saw the officers approaching. He walked toward his front passenger side door, then attempted to draw a handgun from his waistband. The officers were able to disarm Shankle, but then Shankle grabbed a second firearm hidden in his waistband. The officers attempted to remove this second firearm from Shankle’s grip. Shankle was shot in the course of Shankle’s armed struggle with the officers. Shankle had been in possession of a Ruger, Model P94, 40 caliber semiautomatic pistol and a stolen Keltec, Model P3AT, .380 caliber semiautomatic pistol.
The jury found Shankle guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He faces a statutory sentence of up to 15 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte 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.
Federal Jury Convicts Panama City Man in Meth BustRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Calvin Leon Jackson, 40, was convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. John Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the verdict today.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to the excellent investigative work of our state and federal law enforcement partners, and this successful prosecution by my office, this criminal will be held accountable for peddling poisonous drugs in our community. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and with more aggressive prosecutions of criminals like this defendant that is exactly what my office will deliver.”
Trial testimony and court records revealed that, on June 28, 2026, law enforcement stopped a vehicle in which Jackson and his co-conspirator were passengers. During the stop, a drug canine alerted to the vehicle. During a subsequent search, officers discovered a large vacuum sealed package containing a white crystalline substance under the front seat where Jackson’s co-conspirator had been sitting. Subsequent forensic testing confirmed the white crystalline substance was 448 grams of methamphetamine with an approximate purity of 97%, amounting to 434.5 grams of pure meth.
Jackson faces a minimum mandatory sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of life imprisonment. He also faces a minimum of five years of supervised release up to a maximum of life on supervised release.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Panama City Beach Police Department, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting the case.
Sentencing is scheduled for November 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
F.A. United States Attorney Ryan Ellison Encourages Schools, Youth Organizations to Partner with DOJ on Online Child Exploitation PreventionRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE - First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison is encouraging New Mexico schools, youth-serving organizations, athletic programs and other community groups to take advantage of free training and prevention resources available through the Department of Justice to help protect children from online sexual exploitation and abuse.
The call comes as the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) launches an expanded effort to engage schools and other organizations in preventing online exploitation of children. In an open letter issued this week, Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva encouraged organizations that work with children to partner with the Department on prevention and education efforts and highlighted resources available to help communities address emerging threats, including online grooming, sextortion, sadistic online exploitation and the misuse of artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit deepfake images of children.
The initiative builds on prevention efforts already underway in New Mexico. In June, the New Mexico Collaborative Human Trafficking Task Force hosted a free virtual Online Grooming & Child Sex Trafficking Awareness Training for parents and caregivers. The two-hour training featured federal prosecutors, law enforcement agents and community experts who discussed online grooming and exploitation, practical prevention strategies, and how adults can recognize and respond to the victimization of children.
“We cannot expect children to navigate these threats on their own,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison. “The adults who teach, coach, mentor and care for them need to understand how online exploitation happens, what warning signs to look for and what to do when a child is at risk. We want to put the experience of our prosecutors and investigators to work for New Mexico communities before a child becomes a victim.”
Training can be arranged virtually or in person, depending on the needs of the organization. The Department of Justice’s CEOS provides free prevention programming to schools and other organizations through in-person presentations and webinars and can help connect organizations with prevention experts. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico can also help connect New Mexico organizations with Assistant U.S. Attorneys and federal agents with experience investigating and prosecuting online child exploitation and related offenses who can provide education and outreach in their areas of expertise.
Organizations interested in arranging prevention programming or learning more about available resources can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico at [email protected] or CEOS at [email protected]. CEOS's prevention resources are available through the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Prevention webpage.
Dominican Man Admits to Fraudulently Obtaining United States CitizenshipRead the Press Release
CAMDEN, N.J. – A native of the Dominican Republic admitted, on August 25, 2026, to fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Carlos Gonzalez-Rodriguez, a/k/a/ Braulio Cepeda-Rodriguez, 41, a native of the Dominican Republic, pled guilty today to fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship in a hearing in Camden federal court before District Court Judge Karen M. Williams. According to statements made in court and documents filed in the case, Gonzalez-Rodriguez is a native of the Dominican Republic who was previously deported from the United States after being convicted of attempted armed robbery. Gonzalez-Rodriguez re-entered the United States using another person’s identity. Gonzalez-Rodriguez subsequently applied for and obtained U.S. citizenship using the other person’s identity. In his application for citizenship, Gonzalez-Rodriguez lied about his name, date of birth, criminal history, and history of deportation.
The count of fraudulent obtaining U.S. citizenship has a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and a term of three years of supervised release. In addition, the sentencing court will revoke Gonzalez-Rodriguez’s citizenship at the time of sentencing. Sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2027.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael McCarthy, with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane in Camden.
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Defense counsel: Jenny Hurwitz, Areeb Salim, Assistant Federal Public Defenders
District of Arizona Charges 293 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Aug. 22 through Aug. 28, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 293 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 149 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 132 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 11 cases against 12 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
U.S. v. Jesus Antonio Madrigal. Jesus Antonio Madrigal was charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 24, 2026, with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien. On Aug. 21, 2026, Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) observed a Honda Accord traveling south on Federal Route (FR) 19, a route that runs from Sells, AZ to the United States border with Mexico. A short time later, BPAs observed the same vehicle traveling north on FR19. BPAs initiated a stop to conduct an immigration inspection, but the driver failed to yield. BPAs pursued the vehicle as it traveled at speeds over 100 mph. BPAs at the immigration checkpoint on State Route 86 deployed spike strips and successfully immobilized the vehicle. The driver was identified as Jesus Antonio Madrigal. The rear seat passenger was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05507]
U.S. v. Jabari Kaleem Mims. Jabari Kaleem Mims was charged by criminal complaint on Aug. 24, 2026, with one count of Transportation of an Illegal Alien for Profit. On Aug. 22, 2026, BPA camera operators observed a BMW pulled over at Border Road and saw one person get into the vehicle. BPAs who were parked further north attempted to follow the vehicle as it passed. The driver, later identified as Mims, ran a stop sign and began accelerating. BPAs attempted to stop the vehicle, but Mims failed to yield. Camera operators maintained a visual of the vehicle and saw Mims pull over. One subject got out of the BMW and ran into the brush on the side of the road. BPAs eventually found the subject, who was determined to be a citizen of Mexico, illegally present in the United States. BPAs continued to pursue Mims, who eventually yielded and was taken into custody. [Case Number: 26-MJ-05508]
U.S. v. Jose Manuel Arenas-Pinzon. On Aug. 23, 2026, Jose Manuel Arenas-Pinzon was charged by criminal complaint with Reentry of a Removed Alien. Arenas-Pinzon was previously removed from the United States on June 2, 2021, after being convicted of Transportation of Dangerous Drugs for Sale in the Superior Court of Arizona. Arenas-Pinzon was sentenced to ten years in prison in that case. [Case Number: 26-MJ-3275]
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-149_August 28, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Dallastown Man Sentenced to 21 Months’ Imprisonment for Defrauding a Financial InstitutionRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on August 27, 2026, United States District Judge Karoline Mehalchick sentenced Jason Motter, age 42, of Dallastown, Pennsylvania, to 21 months’ imprisonment for executing a scheme to defraud a financial institution in connection with a $773,409 residential loan application.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, on or about April 13, 2023, Motter applied for a residential loan. In support of the loan application, Motter provided bank statements he had fraudulently altered to increase the account balances by approximately $400,000. Later, on or about June 8, 2023, knowing he had provided fraudulently altered bank statements, Motter provided the bank with a written representation in which he affirmed that the information he provided on the application was “true, accurate, and complete.”
The bank relied on the fraudulent loan application and disbursed $773,409 to Motter. Subsequently, during an internal audit, the bank learned of Motter’s fraud and demanded that he immediately repay the loan balance. In response to the bank’s demand, Motter refinanced the loan and repaid the balance of the loan in its entirety.
The FBI Philadelphia’s Capital Area Resident Agency investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph J. Terz prosecuted the case.
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D.C. Man Gets Five Years in Prison for Planned Attack in August 2024Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gregory Grooms, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 60 months in prison in D.C. Superior Court for charges related to an assault on a 31-year-old District resident on August 7, 2024, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“After this defendant and his accomplice spent hours lying in wait for their victim, they ambushed him at gunpoint, repeatedly pistol-whipped him, forced him to strip, and paraded him naked through his apartment building,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “For this calculated and brutal attack, the Government asked for the top of the sentencing guidelines—13 years in prison. The court imposed five. While we respect the court’s decision, five years does not reflect the full severity of what this defendant did to his victim.”
Grooms was found guilty by a Superior Court jury on March 30, 2026, of one count each of conspiracy, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, unlawful possession of a firearm, and carrying a pistol without a license. Superior Court Judge Deborah Israel ordered Grooms to serve the prison term to be followed by three years of supervised release. The Government recommended a sentence at the top of the sentencing guidelines for a total of 13 years of imprisonment.
According to the government’s evidence, on the night of August 6–7, 2024, Grooms and an accomplice drove to the parking lot of the victim’s apartment building and waited in Grooms’ car for more than three hours. At 1:12 a.m., just minutes after the victim came outside to have drinks with a woman in front of the building, Grooms and his accomplice got out of Grooms’ car and walked toward the victim. Grooms and his accomplice pointed handguns at the victim and then repeatedly pistol-whipped the victim in the head and face, leaving the victim injured and bloodied. The assault continued for several minutes as the victim, Grooms, and Grooms’ accomplice made their way inside the apartment building lobby and into an elevator. Once in the elevator, Grooms and his accomplice forced the victim to remove his clothes at gunpoint. Grooms and his accomplice then paraded the victim out of the building, naked from the waist down. On August 14, 2024, Grooms was stopped by police while driving his vehicle; during a subsequent search of the vehicle, a handgun was located under the driver’s seat.
Grooms was arrested on August 14, 2024, and has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Pirro and Interim Chief Carroll commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the work of Assistant United States Attorney Michael Roberts, who prosecuted the case.
2024 CF3 008149
Colombian drug trafficker convicted as part of the Homeland Security Task Force in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas – A Colombian man has been found guilty of federal drug trafficking violations as part of the Homeland Security Task Force in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Nelson Javier Christancho Parada, 45, was found guilty by a jury of two counts of federal drug trafficking violations related to a cocaine distribution conspiracy. The verdict was reached on August 27, 2026, following a two-day trial before U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan.
According to information presented in court, Cristancho Parada used his skills as a machinist to manufacture water bag rolls with a false compartment in them. He and others filled the false void with kilograms of cocaine that were intended to be sent to the United States. The Colombia National Police, Homeland Security Investigations, and DEA were able to seize 1,207 kilograms of cocaine on November 22, 2019, on the island of San Andres, Colombia, that were sent in a cargo shipment. The cocaine was found in hidden voids in the containers that Cristancho Parada manufactured.
“Today’s verdict marks another significant step in our ongoing efforts to dismantle the transnational criminal networks that threaten the safety and security of our communities," said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. "This defendant exploited his technical skills to hide more than a metric ton of cocaine destined for the United States, but through the dedication of our Colombian partners and the unwavering commitment of Homeland Security Task Force agencies, his scheme was uncovered and justice has been served. The Homeland Security Task Force represents a historic level of coordination among federal law enforcement, and this case demonstrates exactly why that partnership matters. We will continue to use every lawful tool at our disposal to identify, investigate, and prosecute those who traffic drugs, exploit vulnerable people, and endanger Americans. I am grateful for the outstanding work of our agents, officers, and prosecutors whose efforts made today’s outcome possible.”
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Dallas comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Dallas Field Office; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations - Dallas (ICE-HSI); Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Dallas Field Division; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division; Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations (IRS-CD; United States Postal Service, United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS); Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS); United States Secret Service (USSS); Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DSS); TEXOMA HIDTA; and U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Eastern District of Texas with the prosecution being led by Eastern District of Texas Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Rapp and David Rehfuss.
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Burlington Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Dealing in Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
GREENSBORO, N.C. – On August 28, 2026, Akeem Alphonso Maynard was sentenced to 30 months in prison for dealing in firearms without a license, in violation of Title 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(1)(A), 923(a) and 924(a)(1)(D). Maynard, age 33, of Burlington, North Carolina, appeared before Judge William L. Osteen, Jr., and was also sentenced to 3 years of supervised release following his prison term. Maynard was charged by federal indictment in February 2026 and pled guilty in June 2026.
Dan Bishop, United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, made the announcement and thanked the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE), and Alamance County Sheriff’s Office for their work investigating the case. “Today we shut down one conduit of illegal firearms sales in this District, thanks to our law enforcement partners’ investigation,” said Bishop. “This should serve as a message to anyone who seeks to put guns in the wrong hands.”
On March 11, 2025, the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office found a handgun during the search of a fentanyl dealer’s Burlington apartment, and the BATFE then found that Maynard was the original purchaser of that firearm. Further investigation showed that Maynard had purchased 16 firearms between June 16, 2023, and February 26, 2026. Seven of those firearms were later recovered by law enforcement, including the one on March 11, 2025. The other firearms recovered were:
- A Glock 27 pistol seized on May 4, 2025, by the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office from a juvenile who used it to threaten another juvenile.
- A Glock 27 pistol seized by Burlington, N.C., police on March 15, 2025, from a person who was arrested while intoxicated at a Burlington restaurant.
- A Glock pistol seized by the Burlington Police Department on January 25, 2025, in the possession of a convicted felon during a DWI stop.
- A Glock 22 pistol seized by Gaston County law enforcement on December 12, 2024.
- A Glock 20 pistol, seized by the Burlington Police Department from a convicted felon during a traffic stop.
- A Taurus pistol seized on May 3, 2023, by the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office from a convicted felon.
The standard ATF Form 4473 Maynard completed during the purchase of each firearm states that the buyer understands, “that the repetitive purchase of firearms for the purpose of resale to predominantly earn a profit without a Federal firearms license is a violation of Federal law.” Recovered text messages showed Maynard offered to purchase firearms for others for a $120 to $150 fee. Maynard also failed to state his correct address on those forms.
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Brooklyn Return Preparer Pleads Guilty to Preparing False Tax Returns for ClientsRead the Press Release
A Brooklyn, New York, woman pleaded guilty today to preparing false tax returns for clients.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Edris Cust operated a tax preparation business called Cust Tax Service. From approximately 2019 through 2023, Cust prepared false and fraudulent individual tax returns for multiple clients of Cust Tax Service. These returns included, among other false items, false elections for head-of-household filing status, sales of capital assets resulting in losses and rental receipts, as well as inflated rental expenses. These false items resulted in Cust’s clients reporting to the IRS income tax returns that sought refunds they were not entitled to receive or lower taxes than they should have paid. Cust caused a total loss to the IRS of more than $1.4 million.
Cust pleaded guilty to one count of willfully aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of a false tax return. She will be sentenced at a later date and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division and Special Agent in Charge Henry Chavis of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) New York made the announcement.
IRS-CI is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Richard J. Kelley and Joseph D.G. Castro of the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s Tax Section are prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud supports 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.
Aspiring Rapper Among 3 Defendants Charged with Scheming to Cash More Than $8.1 Million in Stolen ChecksRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An aspiring rapper is among two defendants arrested – and a total of three defendants charged – in a 25-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they illegally possessed more than 50 stolen United States Treasury checks and hundreds of other checks belonging to individuals and businesses, totaling more than $8.1 million, then cashed and attempted to cash stolen checks at lenders throughout Southern California, the Justice Department announced today.
Ada William Obayuwana, 31, a.k.a. “ColdheartedAC” and “AC,” of Quartz Hill, is charged alongside Albert Tai Vu, 28, of Westminster, and Cassandra Marie Murrillo, 31, of San Diego, with nine counts of bank fraud.
Obayuwana is also charged with three counts of delivering stolen Treasury checks and one count of aggravated identity theft. Vu is charged with five counts of delivering stolen Treasury checks, four counts of money laundering, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Murillo is charged with an additional count of delivering stolen Treasury checks.
Obayuwana was arrested and made his initial appearance in Los Angeles federal court on Wednesday. His detention hearing is scheduled for today. He remains in federal custody.
Vu was arrested Thursday and is expected to make his initial appearance this afternoon in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Murrillo is expected to surrender to federal authorities on Monday in Los Angeles.
According to the indictment, from at least April 2022 to December 2023, the defendants illegally obtained and possessed stolen checks totaling more than $8.1 million, including more than 50 stolen U.S. Treasury checks. The stolen U.S. Treasury checks contained tax refunds, veterans’ benefits, and Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits. The defendants then forged endorsements on the Treasury checks or altered names and addresses on the checks for the purpose of stealing them.
The defendants opened bank accounts for the purpose of receiving the fraudulently transferred funds. Sometimes, they used business documents mimicking the names and other identifiers of the victims to cash stolen checks. The defendants then deposited stolen funds into accounts at bank and credit union branches in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties.
From April 2022 to December 2023, Obayuwana attempted to cash at least three Treasury tax refund checks with a total value of approximately $382,109. He ultimately successfully cashed one of those checks, withdrawing a total of approximately $229,109 in funds that were in the possession, control, and custody of the banks.
In December 2023, Obayuwana possessed in his car in Oceanside more than 100 stolen or fraudulent checks, cumulatively worth more than $6.1 million. Among those checks were 48 stolen U.S. Treasury checks worth approximately $2,555,417 in tax refunds, veterans’ benefits, and SSA benefits. Of the checks he illegally possessed, eight were successfully cashed for a total value of approximately $1,701,507.
From April 2022 to December 2023, Vu attempted to cash at least six Treasury checks with a total value of $2,151,391 and successfully cashed two tax refund checks worth $772,159.
During that period, Murillo attempted to cash at least two checks worth $60,193 and successfully cashed one of them worth $31,405.
In April 2023, Vu executed two cashier’s checks – each in the amount of $250,000 – at a bank in Anaheim. He used funds from a None to Lose LLC account that were derived from unlawful activity. The first check was paid out to a co-schemer’s LLC, and the funds were used to purchase a Range Rover vehicle, while the second check was paid to Murillo.
Obayuwana and Vu also used stolen identities in furtherance of their bank fraud activities.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each bank fraud count, a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison for each counterfeit Treasury check- and money laundering-related count, and a mandatory consecutive two-year federal prison sentence for each count of aggravated identity theft.
The United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Diane Roldán of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
Albuquerque Woman Pleads Guilty to Arson of Hotel Storage WarehouseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – An Albuquerque woman pleaded guilty to maliciously setting multiple fires that damaged and nearly destroyed a storage warehouse used by two Albuquerque hotels.
According to court documents, on October 14, 2024, Samantha Lee, 41, maliciously started several fires inside a storage warehouse on Menaul Boulevard NE in Albuquerque, New Mexico, that was used by the Crowne Plaza Hotel and The Querque Hotel to store furniture, carpeting, kitchen appliances, air conditioning units, linens, and other materials. The fires spread throughout the warehouse, causing significant structural damage and nearly destroying everything inside.
Image shows AFR's response Image showing damage to structureFire investigators identified five areas where fires originated and, after reviewing surveillance footage from nearby businesses, traced a woman seen approaching and placing items near the areas where the fires started to Lee.
Circle K surveillance footage of LeeLee pleaded guilty to arson. At sentencing, she faces five years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge A.J. Gibes of the Phoenix Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement today.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated this case with assistance from the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria Elena Stiteler is prosecuting the case.
Alaska Judge Dismisses Challenge to President Trump’s Rescission of Withdrawals Areas of the Outer Continental Shelf from Oil and Gas LeasingRead the Press Release
The U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska earlier this week dismissed the complaint in a case challenging President Trump’s rescission of Biden-era withdrawals of areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from oil and gas leasing. The court dismissed the case for lack of standing.
During his final days in office, President Biden withdrew over 600 million acres of the OCS from offshore oil and gas leasing. On his first day in office, President Trump rescinded the withdrawals, allowing those acres of the OCS to be considered in a future offshore oil and gas leasing program. A coalition of environmental groups challenged President Trump’s action, claiming that the rescission of the withdrawals was unlawful and would result in potential imminent harm to the environment from exploration activities. The court rejected the groups’ arguments, finding that there were “no pending applications for [geological and geophysical] exploration activities in any waters outside of the Western and Central [Gulf of America].” The court concluded that the plaintiffs had failed to demonstrate a substantial risk of imminent harm and therefore dismissed the case without prejudice for lack of standing.
“The court properly dismissed plaintiffs’ case, because they failed to show an imminent injury from President Trump’s reopening of the OCS,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Justice Department’s Energy and Natural Resources Division (ENRD). “Where and when energy development will occur depends on a regulatory process that’s still underway and must be allowed to continue. Neither the President’s policy priorities nor industry’s expressions of interest could convert a speculative injury into a concrete one.”
Attorneys with ENRD’s Natural Resources Section handled this matter.
Thursday 27 August 2026
Zuni Man Charged with Involuntary Manslaughter in Fatal CrashRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol in a crash that killed a passenger and injured two children.
According to court documents, on June 7, 2026, Caine Aric Chimoni, 28, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, was allegedly driving a pickup truck when the vehicle rolled onto its side. A woman who was a passenger in the vehicle was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene. Two children also were in the vehicle and sustained injuries.
Chimoni was transported to a local hospital, where he allegedly admitted to officers that he had been driving and may have been under the influence of alcohol. Blood testing showed a blood alcohol concentration of 162 mg/dL, indicating that Chimoni was intoxicated above New Mexico’s legal limit. One of the injured children was transported to a regional hospital for treatment.
Chimoni is charged with involuntary manslaughter and will be released under the supervision of Federal Pretrial Services. If convicted of the current charge, Chimoni faces up to eight years in prison. Defendant will remain in custody pending trial.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woodbridge man pleads guilty to secretly filming children in his bathroomRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A former employee of the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, beginning at least in March 2008, Jackson Quentin Crocker, 54, of Woodbridge, used hidden cameras to secretly record minors in the bathroom of his residence. Between 2008 and 2025, Crocker created thousands of these videos, many of which show minors removing their clothing, using the toilet, and showering. Crocker also created multiple videos of himself engaged in sexually explicit conduct next to sleeping children at his house. In addition to the hidden camera videos he created, Crocker also used the Internet to collect thousands of images and videos depicting minors, some of whom are prepubescent, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Crocker is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 2. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 50 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Theophani K. Stamos, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Jeffrey L. Tyler, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal Division, made the announcement after Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony J. Trenga accepted the plea. The Prince William County Police Department assisted in the investigation of this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Jacob Mercer are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:26-cr-148.
Weaponization Working Group Releases Report on 2023 FBI Richmond Field Office Memo That Targeted Non-Mainstream CatholicsRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s Weaponization Working Group issued a report detailing how, under the previous Administration, the FBI’s Richmond Field Office associated beliefs held by many Catholics with domestic extremism and investigated two priests as a result. The report focuses on the production and circulation of an internal assessment known as the “Richmond Domain Perspective.” This assessment documented the purported rise of domestic extremism among those who hold conservative beliefs associated with a wide variety of Catholics. It also documented the investigation into two priests and the FBI’s surveillance of one of them.
On January 20, 2025, President Trump signed Executive Order 14147 to eliminate the political weaponization of federal agencies. To many Americans, the Richmond Domain Perspective came to embody the misuse and weaponization of government power.
After reviewing a substantial volume of internal emails, assessments, and investigative records, the Working Group concludes that the Biden FBI engaged in improper and unjustified law enforcement and intelligence activity, including:
- Agents made extensive inquiries into two priests and monitored their travel and communications. The FBI ultimately found no link to criminal activity or violent extremism.
- The FBI relied on biased and unverified materials, including Southern Poverty Law Center publications and foreign intelligence materials, without assessing their credibility. Internal reviews later concluded that the product improperly conflated religious doctrine with violent extremism and ignored First Amendment concerns.
- The FBI’s leadership took minimal corrective action after the Richmond Domain Perspective. Despite headquarters acknowledging the Perspective’s flaws, employees involved received positive performance reviews, and Richmond leadership openly defended their work. Staff continued refining the Perspective even after it was removed from FBI systems.
The FBI’s actions in 2023 were wrong. The Trump Administration, Attorney General Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel are committed to addressing these abuses and preventing their recurrence.
- Executive Order 14147 directed the department to identify and remedy prior weaponization within the federal government. Pursuant to that authority, DOJ has removed key FBI personnel responsible for the Richmond Domain Perspective.
- To prepare this report, the Department reviewed over 1,800 pages of internal records. Attorney General Blanche has granted a limited waiver of privileged materials to allow the public to review the underlying documents.
“This Department of Justice will not tolerate a weaponized bureaucracy that chills First Amendment activity,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The individuals who developed the Richmond Domain Perspective are no longer with the Department, and our Working Group’s efforts to investigate weaponization under the previous Administration will continue.”
“Weaponization will never be tolerated at this FBI,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Even while those who developed the unacceptable Richmond Catholic memo under the previous administration have been held accountable, releasing information to the public about what occurred under the prior regime is an important part of the process. I want to thank the Weaponization Working Group for their partnership as well as Attorney General Todd Blanche for his leadership addressing these abuses and making sure they never happen again.”
“The weaponization of our Government undermines our Democracy and reduces the People’s trust in our Nation’s institutions that are designed to serve and protect them,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “The Richmond Memo was a clear abuse of power, targeting conservative and religious beliefs disfavored by agents of Government who lacked necessary oversight. No more. Under Attorney General Blanche’s leadership this Department will have zero tolerance for weaponization.”
The Justice Department remains committed to enforcing federal law in a manner consistent with the Constitution and its duty to protect the civil rights of all Americans. Individuals with additional concerns about similar conduct are encouraged to come forward; the Department will evaluate such matters without fear or favor.
Read the report here.
Washington D.C. Man Charged with Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A repeat fraud offender faces indictment in connection with access-device-fraud and identity theft charges, stemming from an 11-month credit card scam.
Curtis Larnell Russell, 73, of Washington D.C., is charged with one count of unauthorized use of access devices and three counts of aggravated identity theft.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Chief Scott Brecht of the United States Park Police (USPP).
According to the indictment, beginning in April 2025, and continuing into March 2026, Russell used one or more access devices, such as credit cards, issued to other people. He engaged in this crime to receive things of value exceeding $1,000. As alleged in the affidavit in support of a criminal complaint, Russell used credit cards stolen from vehicles parked at recreational areas and other locations. Soon after the thefts, Russell used the stolen credit cards fraudulently to purchase gift cards, merchandise, and other items.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Russell faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for access-device fraud and a mandatory minimum of two years for aggravated identity theft to run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the USPP for its work in the investigation, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maryland-National Capital Park Police, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and other local police departments for their valuable assistance. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elizabeth Wright and Andrea Duvall who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Two Mexican Nationals Plead Guilty to Alien Smuggling and Providing Material Support to a Designated Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
Two Mexican nationals pleaded guilty today to multiple charges including alien smuggling and providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically, Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).
“The defendants smuggled methamphetamine and aliens into the United States for financial gain, then doubled down to make more money by conspiring to export AK-47 style weapons and .50 caliber rifles to Mexico for CJNG, a terrorist organization that has destroyed lives and caused death in our great country,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendant’s conduct directly threatened the national security of the United States and the well-being of American citizens.”
“The Trump Administration’s designation of CJNG as foreign terrorist organization, along with 19 other cartels and transnational criminal organizations, gives us another powerful tool in our fight against those who place their profits over the lives and wellbeing of others,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “The conviction of Navarro Sanchez for providing support to a foreign terrorist organization is one of many to come as we continue to hit these FTOs where they are most vulnerable — their pocketbooks. I am very proud of our Assistant U.S. Attorneys and our law enforcement partners with the Homeland Security Task Force for their work in making this conviction possible.”
“This is but two more guilty pleas added in DEA’s long and sustained efforts against CJNG and its supporters,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert “Eric” Castañeda of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) El Paso Division. “Charges now carry more weight under CJNG’s designation as a foreign terrorist organization. Anyone seeking to profit from the deaths of Americans, no matter their level of involvement, will be brought to justice.”
According to court documents, Maria Del Rosario Navarro-Sanchez, 40, of Mexico, conspired with others to provide material support to CJNG by trafficking firearms from the United States to Mexico, for the express purpose of delivering those firearms to members of the CJNG. Navarro Sanchez knew CJNG engaged in terrorist activities, including hostage taking, committing assassinations, and using explosives, firearms, and weapons in support of these activities. Navarro Sanchez also admitted that she contracted with alien smugglers to illegally bring individuals from Mexico into the United States. At least one of these individuals managed some of Navarro Sanchez’s stash houses in El Paso, Texas where Navarro Sanchez would warehouse firearms and narcotics.
In early August 2023, Navarro Sanchez negotiated a deal to purchase twenty AK-47 style weapons and two .50 caliber rifles from undercover agents. The firearms were intended to be placed in the possession of individuals who would unlawfully smuggle those firearms to Mexico where those firearms would then be used in furtherance of trafficking methamphetamine and other narcotics from Mexico into the United States. Coconspirator Gustavo Castro-Medina, 29, of Mexico, also acknowledged that these firearms were intended to be unlawfully exported from the United States into Mexico in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes.
Castro-Medina served as an intermediary to facilitate the interstate and foreign transfer of $3,000 in U.S. currency via wire to an undercover agent to purchase these firearms for subsequent unlawful transport. The $3,000 was a downpayment on the purchase price of $66,000 in U.S. currency. On Aug. 21, 2023, two co-conspirators of Navarro Sanchez and Castro-Medina arrived at a designated meeting point in El Paso to tender the remaining payment of $63,000 in cash and take possession of the firearms. Once the cash was exchanged, the undercover agents turned over possession of the firearms to the co-conspirators. These co-conspirators were then arrested by waiting agents.
In addition, Castro-Medina also admitted that he was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol in November 2020 driving a Nissan Sentra in Sierra Blanca, Texas. During a secondary inspection of the vehicle, Border Patrol Agents found several tape-wrapped bundles covered in transmission fluid located beneath a non-factory trap door. The bundle tested positive for the properties of crystal methamphetamine. The total weight of the methamphetamine was 36.36 kilograms.
Navarro Sanchez, Castro-Medina, and their co-conspirators were indicted in April 2025. The Government of Mexico, pursuant to its National Security Law, subsequently transferred Navarro Sanchez and Castro-Medina to the United States.
Navarro Sanchez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking, one count of conspiracy to bring aliens, and one count of conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Navarro Sanchez faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Castro-Medina pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to engage in firearms trafficking. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Castro-Medina faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, DEA, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in El Paso, assisted by the U.S. Border Patrol, investigated the case. ATF Legal Attachés in Mexico City and Mexico’s Fiscalía General de la República Organized Crime Unit (FGR-FEMDO) provided substantial assistance. HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force also provided assistance with the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance.
Trial Attorney Marie Zisa of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian Hanna and Gregory McDonald for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and superseding indictment were supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and Customs and Border Protection U.S. Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 482 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 433 U.S. convictions; and more than 369 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. 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.
Two Anchorage men sentenced to decades in prison for roles in Homeland Security Task Force drug trafficking conspiracy caseRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Two Anchorage men were sentenced over the past two months to decades in prison for their roles in a local drug trafficking conspiracy.
According to court documents, from March 2024 to March 2025, Aaron Washington, 60, led a drug trafficking organization involving James Barber, 44, and multiple other people who conspired to import drugs, mainly fentanyl, from the Lower 48 and distribute the drugs in Alaska.
Washington used co-conspirator drug suppliers located in Arizona and Washington state. Washington arranged for the drugs to be transported back to Alaska either in his checked baggage, in his co-defendants' checked baggage or via mail shipment. Phone data revealed that Washington communicated with co-conspirators at length to arrange for the pick-up, purchase, shipment and distribution of drugs. Barber, who worked as a paralegal, used his professional skills to provide legal advice to Washington on facilitating the drug trafficking organization.
Evidence presented during Barber’s trial showed that between November 2024 and March 2025, Barber regularly went to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport to pick up luggage containing one to two kilograms of fentanyl on behalf of the drug trafficking conspiracy.
On one occasion, Washington flew from Anchorage to Phoenix on Nov. 14, 2024, to purchase fentanyl from a codefendant. Washington flew back to Anchorage on Nov. 18. Surveillance video showed Washington bypassing the luggage carousel and heading for the taxi line, while Barber picked up a checked suitcase and left separately.
On another occasion later that month, Washington again flew to Phoenix and returned with two kilograms of fentanyl purchased from a co-conspirator. Law enforcement seized the fentanyl pursuant to a search warrant at the airport. Texts between Washington and Barber indicated that Barber was planning to pick up the luggage at the airport but failed to do so. Washington took the empty bag and took a taxi home.
Law enforcement recorded at least seven other trips with similar circumstances to both November incidents and connected roughly 20 kilograms of fentanyl, 70 grams of heroin, 165 grams of methamphetamine and 10 grams of cocaine to the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Barber was convicted by a federal jury in April 2026 and sentenced today to 27 years in prison and will spend 20 years on supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence. Washington pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances in February 2026 and was sentenced on July 15, 2026, to 25 years in prison and will serve 10 years on supervised release upon the completion of his prison sentence.
“Mr. Washington and Mr. Barber acted with arrogance, gambling with Alaskans’ lives—and in Barber’s case, using his paralegal experience to circumvent the law and expand a drug trafficking network in our state,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “It is this kind of disregard for the law and for human life that fuels substance abuse nationwide. My office is committed to disrupting that pipeline here in Alaska. This isn’t just a warning; it is a promise that we will work relentlessly to find anyone pumping poison into our communities and hold them accountable.”
“These sentences follow a thorough investigation that led to multiple arrests, significant drug seizures, and the complete dismantlement of a multi-state drug trafficking organization operated and advanced by Mr. Washington and Mr. Barber,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Schlegel of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively target violent offenders and dismantle drug trafficking organizations that fuel violence and addiction in our communities, while holding drug traffickers accountable for their crimes.”
All other co-defendants in this case have pleaded guilty and have either received their sentence or are awaiting sentencing.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated this case, with assistance from the Alaska State Troopers and Anchorage Police Department as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, and from the Mat-Su High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) team. Additional assistance was provided by the Airport HIDTA team and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tom Bradley, Mac Caille Petursson and Alana Weber prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Region One comprises agents and officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations – Seattle; the United States Attorney’s Office(s) for the Districts of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Eastern Washington, and Western Washington; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation Division; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); CBP – Office of Field Operations; CBP – Air & Marine Operations; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Coast Guard, Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, Law Enforcement/Federal Air Marshal Service, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Alaska.
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Transnational Criminal Enterprise Investigated and Indicted for Fraud-Related OffensesRead the Press Release
LEXINGTON, KY- The Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) Louisville brings together federal, state, and local law enforcement and prosecutors to identify, investigate, and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. By working as one team and combining the strengths and resources of multiple agencies, HSTF Louisville can more effectively combat complex crimes including drug and weapons trafficking, fraud and money laundering, and human trafficking and smuggling.
As part of an ongoing investigation into a transnational criminal enterprise, FBI Louisville Special Agents obtained a federal indictment charging multiple individuals located throughout the United States with fraud-related offenses. Today, HSTF Louisville, in coordination with FBI New York, Newark and Baltimore, and HSI Newark alongside New York Police Department, New York State Police, Port Authority of New York, New Jersey Police Department, New Jersey State Police, and Elizabeth (New Jersey) Police Department, carried out a coordinated enforcement operation resulting in the arrests of multiple individuals charged in the investigation. Due to the sensitive nature of the ongoing investigation, the identity of the indicted defendants is temporarily being withheld.
“This coordinated operation reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared commitment to protecting communities across the United States. By bringing together federal, state, and local agencies, the Homeland Security Task Force Louisville is able to more effectively identify and disrupt the transnational criminal networks that jeopardize public safety,” said Jason Parman, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. “We are grateful for the dedication and cooperation of all our partners as we work together to advance this investigation and uphold the rule of law.”
“HSTF Louisville’s investigation illustrates the importance of federal, state, and local agencies partnering together to tackle and crush criminal activity with global implications. The HSTF leverages multiple law enforcement agencies and their resources,” said Oliva Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Louisville Field Office. “In matters crossing international borders and impacting multiple states, our partnerships are critical and show the significant impact our law enforcement actions have for the American people.”
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Three Defendants in Feeding Our Future Fraud Scheme Sentenced to Total of 155 Months’ ImprisonmentRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that three defendants in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme have been sentenced to a total of 155 months in prison for their role in the $250 million fraud scheme that exploited the Federal Child Nutrition Program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Abdihakim Ali Ahmed, 40, of Apple Valley, Minnesota, was sentenced to 54 months in prison for one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Ahmed was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on August 26, 2026. He pleaded guilty on March 24, 2025.
Ahmed Abdullahi Ghedi, 35, of Minneapolis, was sentenced to 65 months in prison for one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. Ghedi was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on August 26, 2026. He pleaded guilty on June 26, 2025.
Ahmed Sharif Omar-Hashim, aka “Salah Donyale,” 43, of Minneapolis, was sentenced to 36 months in prison for one count of wire fraud. Omar-Hashim was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Nancy E. Brasel on August 27, 2026. He pleaded guilty on December 13, 2023.
Ahmed, Ghedi, and Omar-Hashim are the 24th, 25th, and 26th defendants, respectively, to be sentenced in the Feeding Our Future fraud scheme.
“These sentences represent my office’s commitment to restoring the integrity of publicly funded programs. The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable those who steal funds meant for vulnerable children and seek accountability for American taxpayers,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“These defendants helped generate outlandish and impossible meal counts at Safari Restaurant and associated sites. The numbers defied reality and exposed a scheme built on wanton greed,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “They stole millions from programs meant to feed children in need, and now they are being held to answer for it. The FBI will continue to follow the evidence, build solid cases with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and work closely with our federal counterparts to ensure every fraudster who exploits American taxpayer funded programs is identified, investigated, and brought to justice.”
“These defendants saw a program meant to help Americans through one of the hardest times in recent memory and saw an opportunity to line their own pockets,” said Adam Jobes, Special Agent in Charge, IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office. “They hid their greed behind a web of fraud, bribery and money laundering, but money leaves a trail. Working shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners, IRS Criminal Investigation special agents unraveled that web, dollar by dollar, and made sure deceit and grift came with a price.”
“The Feeding Our Future investigation reflects the United States Postal Inspection Service’s commitment to holding accountable anyone who abuses the U.S. mail to defraud government programs” said Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division, Bryan Musgrove. “We commend the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota and our other federal partners for the success of this investigation. These sentences should serve as a deterrent to any would be criminals: if you defraud the U.S. Government, you will face serious consequences.”
The case is the result of an investigation by the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Assistant United States Attorneys Rebecca E. Kline, Matthew C. Murphy, and Austin L. Bowyer prosecuted these cases. Assistant United States Attorney Craig Baune is handling the seizure and forfeiture of assets.
Note: Previous press release on the three defendants’ indictments (September 20, 2022) linked here.
The Villages Health System LLC Agrees to $541.5M Settlement to Resolve False Claims Act AllegationsRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL — The Villages Health System LLC (TVH), a healthcare provider group headquartered in The Villages, Florida, has agreed to a $541.5 million settlement to resolve self-disclosed allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false diagnosis codes in order to increase payments that they received from the Medicare Advantage program.
“The Villages Health System LLC knowingly submitted false diagnosis codes to increase their payments from the Medicare Advantage program and increase their profits,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “Our Office will continue protecting the integrity of the Medicare program and hold those who seek to defraud federal health care programs accountable.”
“The Medicare Advantage program relies on accurate diagnoses to protect the federal fisc,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement reflects that we will hold accountable entities that inflate payments through invalid diagnoses; at the same time, we will continue to credit organizations that disclose wrongdoing, take appropriate remedial actions, and fully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
“The accuracy of diagnosis information submitted to Medicare Advantage is vital to protecting taxpayer dollars,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “This case underscores that entities will be held accountable when they submit unsupported information that inflates payments. The provider’s use of the OIG Self Disclosure Protocol and its cooperation were important factors in resolving this matter, and the protocol remains available for managed care entities and other providers that bill managed care entities that seek to disclose potential liability.”
Under the Medicare Advantage (MA) Program, also known as Medicare Part C, Medicare beneficiaries may opt out of traditional Medicare and enroll in private health plans offered by insurance companies known as Medicare Advantage Organizations, or MAOs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) pays the MAOs a fixed monthly amount for each Medicare beneficiary enrolled in their plans. CMS adjusts these monthly payments to account for various “risk” factors that affect expected health expenditures for the beneficiary. In general, CMS pays MAOs more for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs. To make these “risk adjustments,” CMS collects medical diagnosis codes from the MAOs. The diagnoses must be supported by the medical record from a face-to-face visit between a patient and a provider, and for outpatient visits, must have required or affected patient care, treatment, or management at the visit. Providers generally submit diagnosis codes to MAOs that are, in turn, submitted to CMS to increase payments. At times, MAOs agree to pay provider groups like TVH a set percentage of what the MAO receives from CMS. Under such agreements, the provider groups receive more reimbursement for sicker beneficiaries expected to incur higher healthcare costs and less reimbursement for healthier beneficiaries expected to incur lower costs.
On Dec. 27, 2024, TVH made a submission pursuant to the HHS-OIG’s Health Care Fraud Self-Disclosure Protocol disclosing that it had submitted invalid diagnosis codes to multiple MAOs for certain beneficiaries enrolled in their plans and that these diagnosis codes increased the capitated payments made by CMS to the MAOs under the MA program.
The settlement announced today resolves allegations that, from 2020 through 2024, TVH violated the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 2729-3733, by knowingly submitting false diagnosis codes to MAOs and causing MAOs to submit false diagnosis codes to the MA program resulting in inflated payments from CMS to MAOs. The diagnosis codes were invalid because they did not have adequate support in the patient’s medical record or were based on amendments to the medical record that were not initiated by the rendering provider and were not timely or were not approved by the rendering provider. TVH’s knowing submission of the unsupported and/or undocumented codes identified above caused CMS to make inflated payments to the MAOs, which inflated the MAOs’ payments to TVH.
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that TVH took a number of significant steps entitling them to credit for cooperating with the government. TVH promptly took remedial actions and self-disclosed the invalid diagnoses to HHS-OIG. TVH also provided the government with a detailed and thorough written disclosure and cooperated with the government throughout its investigation.
On July 3, 2025, TVH filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida. In re Villages Health System, LLC, Case No. 6:25-bk-04156-LVV (Bankr. M.D. Fla.). The bankruptcy court approved the settlement announced today on Aug. 25.
TVH submitted the invalid diagnosis codes covered by the settlement announced today to three MAOs: Humana Inc., UnitedHealthcare (UnitedHealthcare Insurance Company, United Healthcare of Florida Inc., Preferred Care Partners Inc., and Care Improvement Plus South Central Insurance Company, Inc.), and GuideWell Mutual Holding Corporation (Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Inc. and Florida Blue Medicare Inc.). Pursuant to their contracts with CMS, the MAOs are returning overpayments they received as a result of TVH’s conduct by deleting invalid codes and/or by entering into agreements with the Department of Justice and CMS to return the funds.
This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, with assistance from HHS-OIG.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrate the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse and mismanagement, can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/report-fraud/ or 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Edward Crooke and Martha Glover and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Emden for the Middle District of Florida.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Note: Read the agreements with United here and Florida Blue here.
The Department of Justice Files Complaints Against Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington Challenging State Laws that Provide In-State Tuition to Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
Today, the Department of Justice filed lawsuits against four states that seek to undermine federal law by placing aliens over citizens in clear defiance of Congress’s commands. The Department filed complaints against Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington, challenging state laws that provide in-state tuition and financial assistance for illegal aliens. These laws unconstitutionally discriminate against U.S. citizens who are not afforded the same reduced tuition rates or scholarships, create incentives for illegal immigration, and reward illegal aliens with benefits that U.S. citizens are not eligible for, all in direct conflict with federal law.
“Over 30 years ago, Congress made clear that States cannot put illegal aliens before our Nation’s own citizens,” said Associate Attorney General Stanley E. Woodward, Jr. “By granting illegal aliens in-state tuition, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico, and Arizona are pushing citizens to the side and ignoring federal law. No more. As of today, we have now sued 21 states who we allege were thwarting Congress’s clear prohibition on placing aliens over citizens. Our efforts will not cease until President Trump’s promise is fulfilled: illegal aliens will not receive benefits denied to American citizens.”
“This is a simple matter of federal law: colleges cannot provide benefits to illegal aliens that they do not provide to U.S. citizens,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This Department of Justice will not tolerate American students being treated like second-class citizens in their own country.”
In the complaints, the United States seeks to enjoin enforcement of Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington laws and regulations that require colleges and universities to provide in-state tuition rates for all aliens who maintain in-state residency, regardless of whether those aliens are lawfully present in the United States. Additionally, the complaint seeks to enjoin Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington from enforcing their state laws and regulations that afford financial assistance and scholarships to illegal aliens.
The Arizona complaint, in particular, cites a report from Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, which estimated that more than 3,600 illegal aliens per year could qualify for in-state tuition under Arizona’s law in the years to come. The same report includes data from Arizona public universities and colleges showing that in the Fall 2025 semester, at least 720 illegal aliens had received in-state tuition, including 432 at Arizona State University. Given the roughly $24,000 difference in resident versus out of state tuition rates at Arizona State, our complaint alleges that just last year, illegal aliens received roughly $10.5 million in reduced tuition at ASU alone.
Today’s four lawsuits bring the Department’s total to 21 lawsuits that challenge in-state tuition for illegal aliens. Under the leadership of Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Department’s efforts have already delivered wins for the American people, as five similar lawsuits in Texas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, and Illinois have resulted favorable orders permanently enjoining and declaring unconstitutional analogous laws that gave reduced tuition to illegal aliens, including an order from the Fifth Circuit. Lawsuits against other states that similarly put illegal aliens ahead of U.S. citizens are pending across the across the country in Minnesota, Virginia, California, New Jersey, Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maryland, Colorado, New York, Connecticut, and Vermont.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Juan Jose Castillo, 28, of Lubbock, Texas, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of Coercion and Enticement. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 6, 2026, before Chief United States District Court Judge Jennifer G. Zipps.
According to the plea agreement, Castillo admitted that between Feb. 2024 and Oct. 2024, he communicated with a minor victim in Arizona and enticed the victim to engage in sexual activity with him. Castillo further admitted that between Oct. 18–21, 2024, he traveled to Arizona with the intent to engage in that conduct. During the trip, Castillo engaged in sexual activity with the victim.
A conviction for Coercion and Enticement carries maximum penalties of life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and lifetime supervised release.
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. Attorney’s Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Homeland Security Investigations – Tucson conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Alessandra C. Bermudez, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-25-01804-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-147_J. Castillo# # #
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.Tallahassee Armed Drug Trafficker & Serial Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Christopher Adams Jr., 34, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker to seven years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute synthetic cathinone, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Thanks to this successful prosecution by my office, this serial felon will be kept off our streets for several years. Anyone who thinks they can peddle poisonous drugs in the Northern District of Florida should be on notice that our state and federal law enforcement partners are coming for them, and my office will send them to federal prison.”
Court documents reflect that the Tallahassee Police Department encountered the defendant as the driver of a vehicle with a stolen tag and illegal window tint. The officer could smell the odor of synthetic cathinone (“molly”) coming from inside the vehicle and conducted a search. The officer found a pistol in the driver’s side door pocket. Directly next to the handgun was a zippered pouch approximately the size of a make-up bag, which was found to contain an ounce and a half of synthetic cathinone split up into one large bag and multiple smaller baggies, along with small unused baggies typically used by street-level drug dealers. The defendant acknowledged ownership of the “molly” in the car and knowing the firearm was present.
The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because of multiple prior felony convictions for armed burglary, drug trafficking, and firearm offenses. He has been to prison on four separate occasions, with his longest prior sentence being 5 years.
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
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.
Swanzey Man Pleads Guilty to Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
CONCORD – Swanzey man David MacLean, 78, pleaded guilty today in federal court to one count of failing to register as a sex offender as required by the federal law, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces. U.S. District Court Judge Joseph N. Laplante scheduled MacLean’s sentencing for December 3, 2026.
According to the court documents and statements made in court, the Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”) requires individuals convicted of certain sex offenses to register as a sex offender in the state in which they reside or work. Among other things, SORNA requires sex offenders to register their online identifiers such as email addresses and online accounts and usernames. MacLean is required to register as a sex offender under SORNA due to his 2018 conviction for possessing child sex abuse material (“CSAM”).
The defendant was released from prison in January 2021 and registered as a sex offender in November 2021, listing only one online identifier, a Yahoo email address. While under court supervision, MacLean admitted to his probation officer that he used an AI (or “Artificial Intelligence”) image generator to create an AI CSAM image, which he later deleted. A subsequent criminal investigation revealed that the defendant in fact subscribed to an AI generator website and that he had multiple unregistered online identifiers, including for Facebook, X, and Reddit. For example, investigators searched MacLean’s iPad, where they found evidence of MacLean’s use of these online identifiers, including a CSAM video in the “cache” data for MacLean’s Reddit Application. This data indicates that MacLean accessed this video through the Reddit Application and his unregistered Reddit account. MacLean knew he was required to register his online identifiers, including those he used for illicit conduct, yet he never reported these online identifiers in his sex offender registration paperwork.
The charge of failure to register carries a sentence of up to 10 years incarceration, at least 5 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
The United States Marshals Service investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Hunter is prosecuting the case. This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Sussex County Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison for Transporting a 12-Year-Old for Criminal Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – Miles Clark, 23, of Sussex County, was sentenced on August 27, 2026, to 12 years in prison for transporting a minor across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika imposed the sentence.
According to court documents, Clark, then 21, met the 12-year-old victim on Snapchat, exchanged sexually explicit messages describing sexual acts he intended to commit with the victim, and sent her sexually explicit videos of himself. About a week later, Clark drove nearly 200 miles to Pennsylvania, picked up the victim from a church near her home, and transported her across state lines to his residence in Delaware, where he sexually abused her. Clark knew the victim was a minor.
“This defendant deliberately took a child across state lines to abuse her,” said U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace. “The sexual exploitation of children causes unthinkable harm, and I am grateful for our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners’ tireless work to keep our community safe from people who prey on children.”
“Miles Clark is a dangerous and depraved predator who used a popular app to target, groom, and abuse an innocent child. Assuredly, our community is safer today with him behind bars where he can no longer harm our children,” said FBI Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul. “I commend the FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force and Delaware State Police for their commitment to protecting children and relentlessly pursuing those who exploit them.”
Upon his release from prison, Clark will serve eight years of supervised release and be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI’s Delaware Violent Crime and Safe Streets Task Force investigated the case with assistance from the Delaware State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Claudia L. Pare and Kevin B. Smith prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case No. 25-cr-3-MN.
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Summer Camp Settles Claim That it Violated the Americans with Disabilities ActRead the Press Release
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today a Settlement Agreement with Point O’ Pines Corporation to resolve allegations that its residential summer camp, Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls, located in Brant Lake, New York, violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) by failing to offer a reasonable accommodation to a minor with a disability. The settlement will ensure equal access for campers with disabilities at Point O’Pines Camp for Girls under Title III of the ADA.
“Today’s settlement ensures that campers with disabilities will be reasonably accommodated so that they have the same opportunity to enjoy and participate in Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls as other campers. Our Office will continue to enforce the ADA and its protections against discrimination for people with disabilities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.
The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by the parents of a camper, a minor with Type 1 diabetes, to whom Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls failed to provide a reasonable accommodation for the summers of 2023 and 2024. The camper complained that Point O’Pines discharged her before the end of camp season because she has a disability. Under the terms of the settlement, Point O’ Pines Corporation has agreed to take appropriate steps to ensure evaluation of campers with disabilities on a case-by-case basis and make reasonable accommodations for them. Additionally, Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls will provide all of its employees and staff training regarding ADA compliance, and will identify and train relevant employees and staff on the specific disabilities of incoming campers.
Title III of the ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in the “services, programs, or activities of a public entity.” Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls is a place of public accommodation. To comply with Title III, public entities such as Point O’ Pines must ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, and accommodations of Point O’ Pines Camp for Girls. This includes making “reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination on the basis of disability, unless the public entity can demonstrate that making the modifications would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.”
The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Point O’Pines.
This matter has been handled by Chief of Civil Rights Megan Freismuth, Assistant United States Attorney Anjna Kapoor, former Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Silverman, and Senior Auditor/Investigator Tisha Waite.
camp_settlement_press_release.pdfStanislaus County Man Defrauds Victims out of at Least $2.7 Million in Forex Market Investment SchemeRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment against Eshaq M. Nawabi, 27, of Salida, charging him with wire fraud for a scheme to defraud investors, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between October 2019 and February 2022, Nawabi convinced victims that he was a successful trader in the foreign currency exchange or “forex” market. These victims gave Nawabi thousands of dollars to invest in forex, and their monthly statements showed that they were making a large profit every month. However, Nawabi lied to the victims and fabricated the monthly statements. Instead of investing the money, Nawabi spent it on himself and to keep his fraud scheme going. He leased luxury vehicles including multiple Lamborghinis, a Ferrari, a McLaren, and others.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Veronica M.A. Alegría is prosecuting the case.
The FBI is seeking additional victims in this case. If you believe you may be a victim of Nawabi or his scheme under companies “Nawabi Enterprises” or “Hyperion Consulting Inc.,” please visit: fbi.gov/NawabiVictims.
If convicted, Nawabi faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 24 Months for Threatening to Blow up Schools and Kill California District Attorney’s Office EmployeeRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A Springfield, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for threatening to kill a prominent member of the California District Attorney’s office and bomb area schools.
David William Platek, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Megan Blair Benton, to two years in federal prison, followed by three years supervised release. Platek previously pleaded guilty to threatening interstate communication.
In 2019, the San Luis Obispo (SLO) County, Calif. District Attorney’s Office charged Platek with identity theft. Eventually, those charges were dismissed. After the dismissal, Platek moved to Springfield, Mo., and blamed a member of the SLO District Attorney’s Office for his prosecution, his “self-exile” to Missouri, and his inability to find employment.
Platek sent his friend, who was living in another state, in excess of 125 pages of text messages. In the text messages, Platek threatened to blow up schools in SLO County, as well as threatened to kill a prominent member of the SLO District Attorney’s Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Randall D. Eggert. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Operation Take Back America
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Six Texas Men Indicted for Robbing a Broken Arrow Man and Stealing 70 Pounds of Illegal MarijuanaRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – Six Texas men have been indicted and detained for trial for their involvement in an interstate robbery conspiracy. The scheme, part of which was captured on a home video security system, allegedly involved kicking in a door at a residence in Broken Arrow, wearing masks, carrying a firearm, striking an occupant of the home, and stealing approximately 70 pounds of illegal marijuana.
According to court documents, Jabriel Williams, 33, Darius Devvoin Hinton, 28, Blake Alexander Calvillo, 25, Nathan Haywood Strong, 36, Remond Reeshon Williams, 39, all of Dallas, Texas, and Jeremy Romel Conner, 44, of Athens, Texas, are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery after allegedly conspiring among themselves and others to commit robbery within the Northern District of Oklahoma.
During detention hearings, prosecutors detailed the robbery in Broken Arrow, which occurred shortly after 4:00 a.m., in July 2025. Some of the defendants wore masks, brandished a firearm, and pistol-whipped a victim after announcing themselves as “Police!” and kicking in the front door of the home in Broken Arrow. When the defendants left, they stole approximately 70 pounds of illegal marijuana and were driven from the scene by co-conspirators.
In the unsealed indictment, Hinton, Calvillo, Conner, and Strong are further charged with Hobbs Act Robbery, which affected interstate commerce. Additionally, Hinton, Conner, and Strong are charged with Carrying, Using, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. Lastly, Conner is charged with being a Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition, knowing he was previously convicted of a felony.
The FBI and the Broken Arrow Police Department are the investigative agencies, with the assistance of the Dallas Police Department and the Oklahoma City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Dowdell and John Brasher are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty
beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. It emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
Shiprock Woman Charged with Assaulting Federal Officer, Endangering Three ChildrenRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock woman has been charged with assaulting a federal officer after allegedly running over a Navajo Police Department officer with a vehicle and fleeing the scene with three young children inside.
According to court documents, on August 21, 2026, Alondria Hope Benally, 24, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, allegedly assaulted a Navajo Police Department officer at a shopping center parking lot in Shiprock, New Mexico. The officer initially responded to reports of a drunk driver in a white SUV with three young children inside. When the officer arrived and attempted to question Benally, she smelled alcohol on her. The officer observed three minor children, two of whom were unrestrained inside the running vehicle.
When the officer attempted to detain Benally to prevent her from fleeing, Benally put the vehicle in gear, crashing into the police unit. As the officer attempted to pull her from the vehicle, Benally stepped on the gas and turned the vehicle’s wheel causing the officer to fall under the vehicle. The officer’s right leg was run over by the vehicle before Benally drove away down Highway 491.
The officer suffered injuries, including a chipped bone in her right leg, extreme pain, and widespread abrasions. Responding officers located Benally and attempted a traffic stop. Benally led police on a high-speed pursuit exceeding 80 mph through the Navajo Nation with the three young minors in her vehicle. Officers ultimately detained Benally, and they observed damage to her vehicle's front passenger fender consistent with the assault.
Benally is charged with assaulting a federal officer and three counts of child abuse. She will remain in third party custody pending trial, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, Benally faces up to 20 years in prison on the assault and up to three years imprisonment on the counts of child abuse.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Special Agent in Charge Justin A. Garris 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 Nation Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allysa B. Gambarella is prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Serial Child Predator Sentenced to 204 Months’ Imprisonment for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Christopher Robert Nelson, 45, of Eagan, Minnesota, was sentenced to 204 months in prison with five years of supervised release for the production of child pornography.
According to court documents, on or about January 13, 2023, Nelson knowingly enticed and coerced a then-11-year-old girl to engage in sexually explicit conduct. The defendant communicated with the girl through a messaging application and directed her to send sexually explicit content to him, and he would send money through a peer-to-peer money transfer application.
On September 9, 2023, Nelson returned to the United States from the Philippines and a Customs and Border Patrol agent conducted a border search of the defendant’s phone as his passport was flagged for possible involvement in child sex trafficking. Agents found several videos that appeared to be child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Following a forensic extraction of Nelson’s phone, agents found approximately 400 images and videos of CSAM. The images and videos found on the defendant’s phone were sent to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) for victim identification. The NCMEC report revealed 25 known victims across 46 different CSAM series. Law enforcement also found videos on Nelson’s phone depicting children, with ages ranging from eight to twelve years old, from Thailand engaging in sexual acts.
Additionally, law enforcement found messages between Nelson and an individual who claimed to be a mother in the Philippines and on his plans to travel to the country to have sex with children.
Nelson was sentenced before U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz on August 27, 2026. Nelson previously pleaded guilty on November 12, 2025.
“The defendant is a serial child predator whose heinous actions have created irreparable harm to vulnerable children in the United States and other countries. My office has an unwavering commitment to protect children and bring justice to the victims and their families,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“Today, alongside our partners, we stopped a serial sexual abuser from harming children for the next 204 months,” said HSI St. Paul Special Agent in Charge Travis Pickard. “Christopher Nelson’s crimes were monstrous, and they underscore why our work with the Angel Watch Center and our law enforcement partners is so critical. We will keep fighting to bring predators to justice and protect children in our communities and around the world.”
This case was the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations and other law enforcement partners.
Assistant United States Attorney Raphael B. Coburn prosecuted this case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
San Diego Man Sentenced to Eleven Months for Mailing a Threatening LetterRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – George Russell Isbell, Jr. (70, San Diego) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Badalamenti to eleven months in federal prison for mailing a threatening communication. He pleaded guilty on June 24, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on or about September 18, 2025, Isbell mailed an angry, offensive, and threatening letter from San Diego, California to his victim, a media personality located in Tampa. In the letter, Isbell referenced one of the victim’s friends, Mr. Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist who had recently been murdered during a public engagement on a college campus. The letter went on to state:
“Maybe someone will blow your head off!!! We can hope! Planning any public engagements? Love to see your head explode and your blood stain the concrete red. What a sight!”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Tampa Field Office, the Tampa Police Department, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Additional
support was provided by the FBI San Diego Field Office, the San Diego Police Department, and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler, III.
San Antonio Felon Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for ATM BombingsRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio felon was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 140 months in prison for two charges related to ATM explosions in September 2025 and his illegal possession of multiple firearms, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Dustin Jay Ammons, 44, attempted to destroy ATMs at two San Antonio banks on Sept. 12 and Sept. 26, 2025. Surveillance video showed Ammons arriving at the banks in a black Ram 3500 pickup truck, wearing black gloves with a skeleton hand design, a black hooded jacket or sweatshirt, dark blue pants, and black and white training shoes, and placing pipe bombs at the ATMs. The footage from both videos also showed explosions that resulted in unsuccessful breaches of the machines.
On Dec. 12, 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives executed a federal search warrant at Ammons’s residence. Inside the garage, agents discovered a homemade explosives lab containing Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate (PETN). Agents also located firearms (including a 9mm short-barreled rifle), magazines, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition throughout the house, as well as a pipe bomb in Ammons’s vehicle.
ATF queried the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) for Ammons and his address, and found no firearms, short-barreled rifles or destructive devices registered to him. Additionally, Ammons does not possess a license or permit allowing him to possess, manufacture, transfer, or ship explosive materials such as PETN.
Ammons has multiple prior felony convictions, including assault/family violence, possession of a stolen firearm, possession of burglary tools, and multiple counts of theft and burglary of a building. On April 30, he pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm and one count of transporting explosives. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced Ammons to 120 months in federal prison for the explosives charge and 140 months for the felon in possession charge, both penalties to be served concurrently.
The ATF, FBI, and San Antonio Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the San Antonio Arson and Bomb Squad and Bexar County Fire Marshal.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Wannarka prosecuted the case.
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Red Lodge man sentenced to six years in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
BILLINGS – A Red Lodge man who had Child Sex Abuse Material (CSAM) on his phone was sentenced Wednesday to six years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Jeremy Dean Ruby, 50, pleaded guilty in April 2026 to possessing child pornography.
U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters presided. A hearing was scheduled for Nov. 5, 2026, to determine how much Ruby should be required to pay his victims in restitution.
The government alleged in court documents that Ruby kept videos on his phone that contained Child Sex Abuse Material. From July 2024 to March 2025 law enforcement suspected Ruby of trafficking illegal drugs and obtained a warrant to search his home where they collected his cell phone. On the phone, investigators found hundreds of videos of CSAM involving children between the ages of 2 and 12.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zeno Baucus prosecuted the case. The FBI and the Red Lodge Police Department conducted the investigation.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Rapid City Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm and Ammunition as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Rapid City, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Tanner Standing Bear, 21, was sentenced to two years and six months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Forfeiture was also ordered.
Standing Bear was indicted for two counts of Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in March 2026. He pleaded guilty on May 28, 2026.
On March 3, 2026, Standing Bear was released from the Pennington County Jail. Within a few hours, Standing Bear was in possession of a .22 caliber pistol and fired several rounds near Knollwood Elementary school, causing teachers to quickly gather children that were outside for recess back into the school. Standing Bear had fled by the time law enforcement arrived. Law enforcement located Standing Bear the following day in possession of a second firearm and ammunition. Standing Bear is prohibited from possession firearms and ammunition based on multiple prior felony convictions.
“This was a terrifying situation for all involved,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “I want to commend the staff of Knollwood Elementary for acting so quickly to keep everyone safe.”
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the Department of Justice’s nationwide initiative that brings federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement, prosecutors, and other public safety partners together to coordinate efforts to combat violent crime and make communities safe. Coordinated by U.S. Attorneys’ offices in each of the 94 federal districts, PSN is tailored to particular communities to strategically address specific violent crime and public safety challenges. As a key component of Operation Take Back America, PSN serves a central role in the Department’s commitment to make our country safe. PSN emphasizes three core principles: rapid federal response to violent crime and criminal offenders; strong, strategic partnerships among law enforcement at all levels; and accountability and deterrence through the prosecution of the most serious, readily provable offenses and other strategies. These efforts complement and strengthen President Trump’s Homeland Security Task Forces, ensuring a comprehensive federal response to the most pressing public safety issues facing communities.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Rapid City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Standing Bear was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Porcupine Man Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Federal Prison for Wire Fraud and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Porcupine, South Dakota, man convicted of one count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, three counts of Wire Fraud, and three counts of Money Laundering. The sentencing took place on August 24, 2026.
Patrick Ross, age 56, was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,744,415.36 in restitution.
From May 2006 to November 2024, Ross’s co-defendant worked for the Oglala Sioux Tribe’s (OST) Tribal Employment Rights Office (TERO), which enforces the tribal requirement that all employers engaged in business on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation give preference to qualified Native Americans in employment, contracting, and other business or economic development activities. One of the co-defendant’s duties was to collect TERO fee checks from contractors and transfer them to OST’s revenue department for deposit into the tribe’s general fund. OST’s general fund is used for emergency management services, solid waste disposal, water and sewer services, burial assistance, medical assistance, utility assistance, education assistance, and emergency assistance for tribal members in need of food and shelter due to emergencies. Between November 2017 and May 2024, Ross, a former employee of TERO, and his co-defendant, working together, developed a scheme to defraud OST by diverting TERO fee checks totaling more than $4.7 million belonging to the tribe and depositing the checks into Ross’ bank account, which Ross had opened for the purpose of carrying out the scheme to defraud the Oglala Sioux Tribe. The two then split the embezzled funds between themselves and used the funds for their own personal benefit, including purchasing homes and vehicles. Ross is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Ross’ co-defendant, Buffy Redfish, was previously sentenced to 78 months custody.
“As Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald has assured, there is no fraud too big, and no fraud too small, for the Department of Justice to prosecute,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “But this case is one of the big ones. Almost five million dollars, stolen from the Oglala Sioux Tribe and its members by Patrick Ross and Buffy Redfish. Be assured: if you steal from the government, including tribal governments, we have the tools to find you and you will find yourself, in short order, sitting in a federal prison cell.”
“Patrick Ross’s sentencing brings accountability for his role, together with co-defendant Buffy Redfish, in a years‑long scheme that diverted more than $4.7 million from an Oglala Sioux Tribe program. Ross violated the trust placed in him and harmed the community these funds were meant to serve,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Special Agent in Charge Christopher D. Dotson. “The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting tribal resources, uncovering complex financial fraud, and ensuring that individuals entrusted with public funds meet the highest standards of integrity.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Patterson prosecuted the case.
Ross was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Northampton County Man Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Wei Fu, age 40, of Easton, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a 5-year term of supervised release, for possessing child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, following the execution of a search warrant at Fu’s Easton residence in March 2024, investigators found over 10,000 videos and pictures of child pornography on Fu’s electronic devices. The images and videos included those showing the sexual assault of infants and toddlers.
Homeland Security Investigations, the Bethlehem Township Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Norman Man Sentenced to Serve 20 Years in Federal Prison for Arson of Deputy's Home and Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – AUSTIN GARRETT REEVES, 29, of Norman, Oklahoma, has been sentenced to serve 240 months in federal prison for arson in Indian Country and possession of firearms after a previous felony conviction, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
“Reeves deliberately and repeatedly targeted law enforcement that escalated to the point of intentionally setting fire to a deputy’s vehicles and home while the deputy and his family were inside, putting innocent lives in grave danger,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “Although the significant trauma and harm caused by Reeves’ criminal acts cannot be erased, today’s sentence ensures that he is unable to cause further harm in our community and reflects our commitment to hold accountable anyone who targets law enforcement. I applaud the cohesive and exhaustive law enforcement efforts that brought about this just result.”
“Reeves’ actions demonstrate a disturbing disregard for the safety of others and for the law. After setting fire to an occupied home and a law enforcement vehicle, he was found in possession of firearms that he was prohibited from having. His decisions put innocent residents and law enforcement officers in harm’s way and could have resulted in tragic consequences,” said ATF Dallas Field Division Special Agent in Charge Brian W. Garner. “This case is a clear example of the importance of ATF working alongside our state, tribal, and local law enforcement partners to identify dangerous individuals and ensure they are held accountable.”
“The OSBI appreciates our local, state, tribal, and federal partners who worked alongside us during this investigation,” said Greg Mashburn, Director of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI). “All agencies involved worked swiftly and efficiently to apprehend the suspect shortly after the incident occurred that morning. Everyone’s dedication and commitment to this case, specifically following leads and gathering evidence, provided justice for the deputy and his family.”
According to public records, on August 22, 2025, the McClain County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and the Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department responded to a reported burglary at the Washington, Oklahoma, home of an MCSO deputy. A handgun was stolen from a family vehicle, and Reeves was located nearby and arrested in connection with the burglary. He was released from the Grady County jail later that day.
Hours after his release, during the early morning of August 23, Reeves returned to the deputy’s residence with a large gas can. Surveillance video captured Reeves pouring gasoline on the deputy’s personal vehicles and an MCSO patrol vehicle before setting the patrol vehicle on fire. The flames spread to the other vehicles and eventually to the residence. Although the deputy and his family members were inside the residence when it caught fire, they were all able to escape without injury. Reeves, however, was burned by the fire before fleeing the scene.
Later that day, law enforcement located Reeves at his home in Norman, where he was taken into custody following a standoff. Officers observed a significant burn on Reeves’ abdomen consistent with his involvement in the arson. Law enforcement also recovered two firearms from his bedroom.
Public records reflect that Reeves has previous felony convictions in Cleveland County District Court that include actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence in case number CF-20-937 and driving while under the influence of alcohol in case numbers CF-20-752 and CF-21-1175.
On February 3, 2026, Reeves was charged by Superseding Information with arson in Indian Country and being a felon in possession of firearms. On February 24, 2026, he pleaded guilty to the Superseding Information. As part of his plea, Reeves admitted that he willfully and maliciously set fire to the vehicles and residence, placing the lives of those inside the home at risk. He also admitted that he knowingly possessed firearms despite his previous felony convictions.
The arson charge is in federal court because Reeves is a member of the Cherokee Nation and the crime occurred within the boundaries of the Chickasaw Nation.
At a sentencing hearing on August 27, 2026, U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Reeves to serve 240 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In announcing the sentence, Judge Wyrick described Reeves’s actions as deeply troubling and expressed the need to protect the public from future crimes by Reeves. Judge Wyrick further noted that Reeves demonstrated a profound lack of respect for the law and law enforcement, and that his actions could have killed innocent victims in our community.
This case is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation, McClain County Sheriff’s Office, Chickasaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department, Newcastle Police Department, and the Washington Police Department, with assistance from the District Attorney’s Office for Oklahoma’s 21st Judicial District. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Edgmon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Angela Ganote prosecuted the case.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
Newark, New Jersey Man Charged with Human SmugglingRead the Press Release
BURLINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont stated that Edwin Enrique Menjivar, 54, of Newark, New Jersey, has been charged by criminal complaint with human smuggling, specifically the transportation of aliens within the United States in furtherance of their unlawful entry.
On August 25, 2026, Menjivar appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle, who ordered that Menjivar be released on conditions pending trial.
According to court records, U.S. Border Patrol Agents were patrolling the international border near Holland, Vermont during the morning hours of August 24, 2026. Agents observed an SUV with a New Jersey license plate driving on a small rural dirt road that has previously been the site of cross-border smuggling activity. Agents conducted surveillance which provided indicators the SUV was likely engaged in smuggling. Further, a vehicle bearing the same New Jersey license plate had previously been encountered near the border during a suspected smuggling event. During a traffic stop of the SUV, agents discovered a person crouched down in the floor area of the front passenger seat of the SUV, attempting to conceal herself. Three people were found in the second row of the SUV, attempting to conceal themselves under blankets. Two additional people were found fully concealed under a blanket in the third row of the SUV. The occupants were determined to be aliens from Mexico, Ecuador, and China.
The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that the complaint contains allegations only and that Menjivar is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Menjivar faces up to 5 years of imprisonment if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.
First Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan A. Ophardt commended the investigatory efforts of the United States Border Patrol.
The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney David Golubock. Menjivar is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
New York Woman Convicted of Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
NEWARK, N.J. – A New York woman was convicted by a federal jury yesterday for offenses related to her trafficking of 400 grams or more of fentanyl in April and May 2020, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Naomi Hernandez, 34, of New York, New York, was convicted for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl on May 13, 2020, and for conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, fentanyl between April 2020 and May 13, 2020, before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court yesterday, August 26, 2026 following a one week jury trial. Sentencing is set for January 12, 2027, at 10:00 a.m.
According to documents in this case and the evidence at trial:
In April 2020, Hernandez began communicating with two confidential sources working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on an online messaging platform, seeking to sell a large quantity of fentanyl. Hernandez, a New York City resident, met with one of the confidential sources in Paterson, New Jersey, twice in April 2020 to hand over samples of the fentanyl she was offering for sale. She then met with the confidential source again in Paterson on May 11, 2020, and sold 98.6 grams of fentanyl for $5,500. She was arrested two days later, on May 13, 2020, riding in a van from her residence in upper Manhattan to Paterson on her way to meet with the confidential source again to sell a larger quantity of fentanyl for $45,000. When law enforcement stopped the van and arrested Hernandez, they also found and seized the 499.6 grams of fentanyl that Hernandez planned to sell to the confidential source.
Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, and a maximum sentence of life, imprisonment, on each count of conviction. She also faces a maximum fine of $10 million.
U.S. Attorney Frazer credited special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Towanda R. Thorne-James, with the investigation. U.S. Attorney Frazer also thanked the members of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew M. Trombly, Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division, and Brian N. Sinclair of the Narcotics and International Trafficking Unit in Newark.
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Defense counsel: Lorraine Gauli-Rufo, Esq.
hernandez.indictment.pdfNew Orleans Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle announced that TANZANIKA RUFFIN, age 48, of New Orleans, pled guilty to the indictment pending against her for wire fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1343.
According to court documents, RUFFIN was an attorney with a law office in New Orleans. RUFFIN was retained to represent Client 1 in a criminal case in Orleans Parish in August 2025. RUFFIN falsely informed Client 1 and Client 1’s parents that a police officer had suffered various harms as a result of Client 1’s actions. RUFFIN told Client 1’s family that the District Attorney’s Office required Client 1 to pay $250,000 in restitution. As a result, Client 1’s parents sent RUFFIN $250,000 towards a “settlement” with the police officer. RUFFIN then spent all of the money on personal and unauthorized expenses. In truth and in fact, neither the District Attorney’s Office nor the police officer had requested any funds from Client 1.
“Today, Tanzanika Ruffin admitted her criminal conduct and pled guilty to wire fraud, admitting that she breached her legal and ethical obligations as an attorney by defrauding her client of $250k,” said U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. “As a licensed attorney, the defendant had a duty to protect her clients and uphold the law. Instead, she chose to exploit that position of trust for her own financial gain. This guilty plea is the proper result for the victims who were harmed by the defendant’s scheme. This outcome sends an unmistakable message to the community-the rules apply to everyone. We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute fraud, regardless of the defendant’s title, stature in the community, or professional standing.”
RUFFIN faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years of imprisonment, up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. A mandatory $100 special assessment fee is also applicable.
United States District Judge Anna St. John set sentencing for December 3, 2026.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. United States Attorney David I. Courcelle, Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni of the Public Integrity Unit, and Assistant United States Attorney Tiwana L. Wright of the Financial Crimes Unit are in charge of the prosecution.
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