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29 September 2026
Illegal Alien from El Salvador Sentenced to More Than 5 Years in Federal Prison for SoCal Robbery Spree He Resumed Upon Illegally Reentering the U.S.Read the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – An illegal alien from El Salvador was sentenced today to 63 months in federal prison for committing seven armed robberies of convenience stores in Southern California in 2024 – a crime spree interrupted by his deportation to El Salvador but which he resumed when he illegally reentered the United States.
Jesus Soto-Parada, 28, of South Los Angeles, was sentenced by United States District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who also ordered him to pay $17,815 in restitution.
Soto-Parada pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery (Hobbs Act) and seven counts of Hobbs Act robbery. He has been in federal custody since July 2024.
“After committing a string of armed robberies and being deported, this defendant illegally returned to our country and went right back to terrorizing our community,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “No one should have to fear for their life while earning a living. Today’s sentence holds this criminal illegal alien accountable with several years behind bars in federal prison.”
From January 2024 until his deportation in April 2024, Soto-Parada committed at least six robberies in Buena Park, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Newport Beach, and Agoura Hills. During two separate robberies on January 11, 2024, Soto-Parada’s co-conspirators pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the store clerk and asked, “Where’s the money?”
On January 18, 2024, during an armed robbery in Fullerton, one of Soto-Parada’s co-conspirators brandished what appeared to be a handgun, racked the slide, pointed the handgun at the store clerk, and demanded money.
In a robbery that occurred on February 13, 2024, in Newport Beach, one of Soto-Parada’s co-conspirators brandished what appeared to be a black pistol, racked the slide of the pistol while pointing it at the store clerk, and demanded money.
Soto-Parada returned illegally to the United States in 2024 and then robbed a 7-Eleven in Gardena with co-defendant, Daniel Pavon, 22, of Gardena, on June 13, 2024. During that robbery, Pavon pointed a replica firearm at an employee while Soto-Parada stole cash from a register. Soto-Parada and Pavon then fled with approximately $250 from the 7-Eleven. Law enforcement soon afterward arrested them.
In each of the seven robberies that Soto-Parada committed, a co-conspirator had a firearm or replica firearm that was used to threaten the employee’s life, typically by pointing the firearm at the employee while demanding money.
“[Soto-Parada] and his co-conspirators committed these robberies by threatening the lives of the various victim-employees, causing those employees to think they would be killed and their children without their parent if they did not comply with [Soto-Parada’s] and his co-conspirators’ demands for money,” prosecutors argued in a sentencing memorandum.
Pavon is serving a four-year federal prison sentence after pleading guilty on March 11 to four counts of misprision of a felony. Judge Gee ordered him to pay $250 in restitution.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Orange County Violent Crime Task Force (OCVCTF), which is comprised of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the ATF, the Brea Police Department, the Santa Ana Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Newport Beach Police Department, and the Fullerton Police Department, is investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorneys Jena MacCabe of the Major Crimes Section and Caitlin Campbell of the Orange County Office prosecuted this matter.
Illegal Alien Sentenced for Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Concepcion Soto-Rivera, a/k/a Conception Soto-Rivera, age 41, a Mexican national unlawfully present in McIntosh County, Oklahoma, was sentenced to time served for one count of Unlawful Reentry of Removed Alien.
The charge arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement Division and the Eufaula Police Department.
On May 12, 2026, Soto-Rivera pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on March 17, 2026, Soto-Rivera, an alien, was found in the United States without obtaining the express consent of the Secretary of Homeland Security to reapply for admission to the United States after having been previously removed on October 30, 2016, October 18, 2014, August 13, 2008, June 23, 2008, May 21, 2008, May 17, 2008, and May 13, 2008.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The Honorable Senior District Judge John A. Woodcock, Jr., of the United States District Court of the District of Maine, sitting by designation, presided over the hearing in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Knutson represented the United States.
Hull, Iowa, Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation CrimesRead the Press Release
A man who possessed child pornography and used Artificial Intelligence to produce other child sexual abuse materials (CSAM), pled guilty September 29, 2026, in federal court in Sioux City.
Evan Marra, 31, from Hull, Iowa, was convicted of one count of possession of child pornography and one count of producing, receiving, and distributing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children.
At the plea hearing, Marra admitted that from November 1, 2019, through May 14, 2026, he received and possessed child pornography which consisted primarily of images depicting prepubescent males ages 3-12 engaged in sex acts with adults. Law enforcement received CyberTips from Marra’s cellphone cloud-storage provider and recognized one image as AI-generated materials depicting known minors from the local area. Search warrants executed on Marra’s social media accounts revealed 50 videos of child pornography and several AI-generated videos of known local victims. During a search warrant of Marra’s electronics, law enforcement found AI-generated CSAM of local victims with their faces inserted in the images of CSAM so it appeared as if they were being abused.
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.
Sentencing before United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Marra remains in custody of the United States Marshal and will remain in custody pending sentencing. Marra faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment and a possible maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a $500,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.
The case was investigated by the Sioux County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kraig R. Hamit.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 26-4037.
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Houston tax preparer admits to multiple tax fraud schemesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 40-year-old Houston woman has pleaded guilty to tax offenses involving businesses and the preparation of false tax returns.
Levi Casildo Castro admitted to willful failure to collect and pay over tax and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns.
Castro operated LC Home Remodeling and Maid Service and A&M Home Remodeling and Cleaning. Through those businesses, she withheld federal income, Social Security, and Medicare taxes from employees’ wages but failed to pay the money to the U.S. Treasury.
Castro also worked as a paid tax preparer despite not having authorization to do so. She prepared tax returns for clients but falsely indicated the clients had prepared the returns themselves.
Those returns included false information about wages, federal tax withholdings and Social Security and Medicare taxes. Castro inflated the amounts to increase the earned income tax credits her clients could receive.
Castro admitted her actions caused approximately $400,000 in losses to the U.S. Treasury.
U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal accepted the plea and set sentencing for Dec. 16. At that time, Castro faces up to eight years in federal prison as well as a possible $110,000 maximum fine.
Previously released on bond, Castro was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.
The IRS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Laurence Goldman prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division which 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.
Houston man sent to prison for Spring medical center arsonRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 55-year-old man has been ordered to federal prison for orchestrating the burning of a three-story medical center under construction in Spring.
Truong Quoc Duong pleaded guilty March 3 to conspiring to maliciously use explosive materials resulting in personal injury.
U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal ordered Duong to serve 84 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. Duong was further ordered to pay $3,581,983.67 in restitution.
At the hearing, the court heard about injuries to a firefighter and damage to a fire truck, neighboring car wash, and the medical center. The court further considered the financial impact on the property owners and their employees, along with Duong’s prior criminal history.
In handing down the sentence, the court cited Duong’s “shocking disregard” for the danger he created by igniting a building next to other occupied structures and the firefighters who had to respond. The court also noted Duong’s education and criticized his decision to use it to plan the offense, calling it a “real waste.”
The court additionally questioned Duong’s explanation for possessing five 2-liter bottles filled with flammable liquid, five grenade hulls, 188 firearm magazines, 14 silencers, 351 rounds of ammunition, and 87 firearms—including two short-barreled rifles—at the time of his arrest, describing his explanation as “challenging.”
On Nov. 21, 2022, Duong drove Jason Rogers to the three-story medical center on Interstate 45 North in Spring and dropped him off near the building. Rogers entered carrying a full backpack and emerged several minutes later without it. The two later met at a nearby restaurant.
The fire erupted after both men left the area. Firefighters worked for several hours to extinguish the blaze, which destroyed the building and damaged the neighboring car wash. A firefighter suffered burn injuries, and damages exceeded $1 million.
Authorities later arrested Duong with several 2-liter Dr Pepper bottles filled with gasoline and fitted with an ignition system he had designed. Investigators determined the devices matched those used to set fire to the medical center.
Duong owned a pet store in a neighboring strip center and rented the space from the same landlords who owned the medical center. The investigation revealed he had stopped paying rent and abandoned the store before his lease expired. The landlords sued him, the birds inside died as a result of the eviction, and the fire occurred several days later, according to information presented in court.
Duong has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Rogers, 41, of Houston, has been sentenced for his role.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Montgomery County Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Laurence Goldman prosecuted the case.
Gulf coast physician faces False Claims Act lawsuit in alleged Medicare fraudRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A Bay City physician faces a False Claims Act lawsuit alleging he fraudulently billed Medicare nearly $500,000 for surgical neurostimulator electrode implantations.
Dr. Michael Neret owns and manages Neret MD Medical Clinic and practices in Bay City and Lake Jackson.
According to the complaint, Neret billed Medicare for surgical neurostimulator electrode implantations. These complex procedures require an operating room, and Medicare pays thousands of dollars for each procedure.
However, the complaint alleges Neret did not perform the surgeries he billed to Medicare. Instead, non-physician practitioners and non-clinical staff allegedly used inexpensive electro-acupuncture devices during brief, in-office sessions. They inserted small electrode wires into patients’ skin and secured the devices behind their ears with adhesive.
The complaint further alleges Neret encouraged staff to use the electro-acupuncture devices without explaining how the procedures would benefit patients. Neret allegedly knew the devices were non-billable and used the procedures to justify prescribing narcotics for pain management.
The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura E. Collins and Michelle Luong are handling the matter.
The claims are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
Guilty Plea by Air Force Reservist for PPP Loan Fraud is Another Win for National Fraud Enforcement DivisionRead the Press Release
Pensacola, Florida – Ray Anthony Pearson II, 32, of Navarre, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of wire fraud involving Small Business Administration (SBA) Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds. This prosecution was part of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud launched by President Donald J. Trump, a whole-of-government effort to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Fraudsters seized on the generous federal programs intended to help businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic, and tried to enrich themselves by ripping off the American taxpayer. My office is aggressively pursuing those criminals to hold them accountable, and this successful prosecution is another win in the National Fraud Enforcement Division’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse within our federal programs.”
Court documents reflect that in 2021, the defendant, while working full-time in a civilian job and part-time as an Air Force Reservist, caused to be submitted a fraudulent online application for a Paycheck Protection Program loan that falsely claimed he was self-employed with a business that lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of his fraud, the defendant received $20,142 in PPP loan funds to which he was not entitled. He submitted a second PPP loan application that was denied.
On April 7, 2026, 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.
Pearson faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment. As part of his plea agreement, Pearson has agreed to forfeit any forfeitable assets and to pay restitution.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2026, at 2 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District Judge T. Kent Wetherell, II.
The case was investigated by the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Etherton and Walter Narramore are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division's prosecution of fraud schemes that exploit the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Since the inception of the CARES Act, the Fraud Section has prosecuted over 150 defendants in more than 95 criminal cases and has seized over $75 million in cash proceeds derived from fraudulently obtained PPP funds, as well as numerous real estate properties and luxury items purchased with such proceeds. More information can be found at Justice.gov/OPA/pr/justice-department-takes-action-against-covid-19-fraud.
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.
Great Falls man sentenced to over 5 years in prison for trafficking fentanylRead the Press Release
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man who was dealing fentanyl from a motel room was sentenced Monday to five years and four months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Mark Steger Smith said.
Brayden Lucas Sangrey, 20, pleaded guilty in May 2026 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.
The government alleged in court documents that Sangrey was arrested in a Great Falls motel room on two outstanding state warrants by the U.S. Marshal’s Violent Offender Task Force. During the arrest, law enforcement found $2,500 in cash, a small box with 65 grams of fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The Great Falls Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service conducted the investigation.
Gary Man Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Possessing Unregistered MachinegunRead the Press Release
HAMMOND – Cesar Aguirre, 20 years old, of Gary, Indiana, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Philip P. Simon after pleading guilty to possession of an unregistered machinegun, announced United States Attorney Adam L. Mildred.
Cesar Aguirre was sentenced to 46 months in prison followed by 1 year of supervised release.
According to documents in the case, on January 29, 2025, in Gary, Indiana, when police arrested Cesar Aguirre in a high school for commission of an armed robbery weeks earlier, Aguirre had in his possession a loaded semi-automatic pistol outfitted with a machinegun conversion device, which made the firearm a machinegun, that was not registered to him.
"Bringing a fully automatic machine gun with a loaded, extended large-capacity magazine into a high school during school hours is a serious federal crime, and today's sentence shows that this dangerous conduct will not be tolerated in Northern Indiana. Our schools must be a safe place for students to learn, educators to teach, and staff to work without the fear of gun violence. School safety remains a critical priority for this office and our law enforcement partners. We are fully committed to prosecuting anyone who compromises the security of our classrooms. We will continue to collaborate with our local, state, and federal partners to protect our children and ensure our schools remain secure learning environments," said United States Attorney Adam Mildred.
“Bringing a loaded, illegally modified firearm capable of automatic fire into a school demonstrates a reckless disregard for human life and public safety,” said HSI Chicago Special Agent in Charge Matthew Scarpino. “HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to pursue those who use illegal firearms to threaten our communities and ensure they are held accountable under federal law.”
This case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and Hobart Police Department with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael J. Toth and Dean R. Lanter.
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.
Four-Time Convicted Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Prison for Selling Methamphetamine and FirearmsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANDRE MILLS (“MILLS”), age 44, of New Orleans, was sentenced on September 24, 2026 by Chief U.S. District Judge Wendy B. Vitter to 17.5 years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, along with a $100 mandatory special assessment fee, after previously pleading guilty to distributing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, over the course of five transactions between November 2024 and January 2025, MILLS, and his co-conspirators, sold fentanyl, methamphetamine, and firearms to individuals they believed to be legitimate buyers with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). On January 7, 2025, an individual MILLS believed to be a legitimate buyer, called MILLS and placed an order for firearms and a pound of methamphetamine. One week later, MILLS, and a co-defendant, sold to an individual believed to be a legitimate buyer, over 400 grams of methamphetamine and two HS Produkt XD firearms for $2,650.
MILLS has four prior drug-trafficking convictions, in addition to convictions for resisting arrest, hit and run, aggravated assault, and flight from an officer.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
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.
Former employee sentenced and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling from federally recognized TribeRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A Dillingham man and former employee of Curyung Tribal Council, a federally recognized Tribe, was sentenced on April 17, 2026, to two years and a day in prison for stealing his co-workers’ identities and embezzling over $98,000 from the Tribe.
According to court documents, William Corbett, 37, was hired by Curyung Tribal Council in February 2023 as an accountant and IT specialist. From October 2023 through February 2024, Corbett wrote multiple unauthorized checks from the Tribe’s accounts to his accounts, falsified payroll documents of his co-workers and deposited their paychecks into his accounts, and made unauthorized personal purchases that he charged to the Tribe.
On June 10, 2025, Corbett pled guilty to one count of embezzlement and theft from an Indian tribal organization, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft. The court sentenced Corbett to a total of two years and a day in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine. On September 28, 2026, the court also ordered Corbett to pay $125,834.58 in restitution to the Tribe.
“The sentence and restitution order imposed in this case demonstrates the consequences of choosing to steal from Alaska’s Tribal organizations,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “My office is committed to prosecuting those who seek personal profit at the expense of our rural communities.”
The U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Inspector General Western Region investigated the case, with assistance from the Dillingham Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Beausang prosecuted the case.
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Fitchburg Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to using his Kik account to distribute and possess child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Sean Pettigrew, 50,pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 21, 2027. Pettigrew was arrested and charged in July 2025.
In April 2025, Pettigrew was identified as a member in a Kik Messenger group devoted to the sexual abuse of children. Pettigrew sent multiple images depicting CSAM in private messages to an undercover agent posing as a member of the chat. A subsequent search of Pettigrew’s Kik Messenger account revealed that he had sent multiple CSAM files to other users on the app.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of no less than five years up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office 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.
Felon Sentenced to Prison for Firing Three Shots at a Scooter Rider in Northeast D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Cornelius Welch, 28, a previously convicted felon residing in the District, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 33 months in prison in connection with shooting at a scooter rider in November 2025 in Northeast Washington, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“This defendant fired three shots in the direction of someone simply riding a scooter,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “By the grace of God, no one was struck. A convicted armed robber who was prohibited from possessing a firearm, he chose to open fire on a neighborhood street, showing a complete disregard for the lives of others. He now faces the consequences of that decision.”
Welch pleaded guilty on May 19, 2026, before Judge Rudolph Contreras to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and to endangerment with a firearm. In addition to the 33-month prison term, Judge Contreras ordered Welch to serve three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on Nov. 22, 2025, about 4:15 p.m. Welch was at the Benning Courts apartment complex on the 1700 block of Benning Road, NE, as an unknown person was riding a scooter on the sidewalk.
Welch drew a firearm, aimed at the scooter rider, and fired three times. The incident was captured on surveillance cameras. The scooter rider did not appear to be injured and continued to travel away from the scene of the shooting.
Metropolitan Police officers responded to the scene, canvassed the street, and recovered three .40 caliber shell casings.
On Jan. 10, 2026, investigators from the MPD and agents from the DEA executed a search warrant at an apartment in the 1700 block of Benning Road where Welch was staying with his girlfriend. Law enforcement recovered a loaded privately manufactured semiautomatic rifle, a loaded privately manufactured .40 caliber pistol, a loaded Glock 42x 9mm pistol, powder cocaine, crack cocaine and PCP. Welch and his girlfriend were arrested and charged the same day in D.C. Superior Court with possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance while armed among other charges.
Welch has a previous felony conviction for armed robbery and therefore was prohibited from possessing any gun.
On July 29, 2026, Welch was convicted in D.C. Superior Court of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance (cocaine) and unlawful possession of a firearm.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the ATF, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
The matter was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Lee.
Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful supports President Trump's Executive Order that cracks down on gun violence, prioritizes federal firearms violations, pursues tougher penalties, and seeks detention for federal firearms violators.
Welch at the Benning Courts apartment building in a surveillance photo captured the day of the shooting.
Surveillance photo shows Welch (circled in red) and the scooter rider (circled in yellow).
Welch takes aim at the scooter rider before firing three times.
The .40 caliber pistol recovered from the apartment.
The privately manufactured .22 rifle (left) and the Glock 43x 9mm pistol recovered from the apartment.
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Federal Judge Sentences Freeport, Ill. Man to More Than Fifteen Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A federal judge has sentenced a Freeport, Ill. man to more than 15 years in federal prison for illegally possessing firearms during a lengthy standoff with law enforcement.
In September 2024, GRADY CLARK unlawfully restrained an individual by the use of a firearm in Clark’s apartment, resulting in a welfare check by police. The victim was able to flee before Clark barricaded himself in the apartment, causing an eleven-hour standoff with law enforcement. During the standoff, Clark repeatedly discharged a firearm and threw Molotov cocktails out a window.
Clark eventually surrendered, after which law enforcement discovered a rifle with four 40-round capacity magazines, a 30-round capacity magazine, and a stolen and chambered semiautomatic handgun inside his apartment.
Clark, 54, pleaded guilty earlier this year to a federal charge of illegal firearm possession. As a previously convicted felon, Clark was prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Lindsay C. Jenkins sentenced Clark to 15 years and eight months in federal prison.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Christopher Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Freeport, Ill. Police Department and the Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation.
“This case is extremely serious,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodora A. Anderson argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant’s actions created a significant risk to the public.”
Dunn County Man Sentenced to over Four Years for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Andrew Johnson, 31, Knapp, Wisconsin, was sentenced on September 23, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 54 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Johnson pleaded guilty to this charge on July 14, 2026.
On October 22, 2025, police searched a vehicle Johnson was driving in Dunn County, Wisconsin, and found a loaded Ruger 9mm handgun in the center console with his initials scratched into both sides of the handgun and the serial number scratched off. Johnson admitted to police that everything in the vehicle belonged to him. Johnson is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of previous felony convictions, including robbery with the threat of force.
At sentencing, Judge Conley acknowledged Johnson’s history of ongoing, troubling criminal behavior and was concerned by Johnson’s cycle of reincarceration having been on active state supervision at the time of this offense.
The charge against Johnson was the result of an investigation conducted by the Menomonie Police Department, Dunn County Sheriff’s Office, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Remington and Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
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.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Duluth Man Sentenced to 110 Months’ Imprisonment for Violent Carjacking, Resulting in Life-Threatening Injuries to VictimRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced that Warren Holt Jr., of Duluth, Minnesota, was sentenced to 110 months in prison for one count of carjacking.
Holt was sentenced before U.S. District Judge John R. Tunheim on September 28, 2026. He previously pleaded guilty on November 7, 2025.
According to court documents, on June 16, 2021, the defendant brutally attacked a then-78-year-old victim during a carjacking in Duluth, Minnesota. On that day, Holt approached the victim’s home and told the victim that he was “looking for a truck.” When the victim told Holt that the truck was not for sale, Holt briefly left.
Later, the defendant returned and brutally attacked the victim, including hitting, strangling, and stabbing the victim, resulting in the victim becoming unconscious and bleeding profusely with broken ribs and puncture wounds to his chest. The victim was later admitted to the intensive care unit and faced life-threatening injuries.
After the violent assault, Holt stole the victim’s truck and fled the scene. He was stopped and apprehended in Carlton County, Minnesota, where officers found him with a fresh cut on his right wrist and blood on his shoes.
“This defendant committed a vicious act that left a 78-year-old victim with critical injuries. While no sentence can fully heal the harm that he caused, it does provide justice to the victim and his loved ones,” said United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen.
“The carjacking committed by this defendant was carried out with callous disregard for the life of the victim or the safety of our community,” said FBI Minneapolis Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Benni Jonsson. “Such violence inflicted upon an innocent victim is truly shocking. We hope that today’s sentence brings a sense of justice served and is a step toward healing for the victim and his family.”
“The Duluth Police Department appreciates our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the case, resulting in Holt being sentenced to 110 months in prison and holding him accountable for the actions he inflicted on the 78-year-old victim, and for the angst he caused on the victim’s family, friends, and loved ones. Violence of any kind is not tolerated in Duluth, and we will continue to hold those accountable who are victimizing members of our community,” said Chief of Police for the Duluth Police Department Mike Ceynowa.
This case was the result of an investigation by the FBI and the Duluth Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Garrett S. Fields prosecuted the case.
Dual US-Peruvian national extradited to Houston to face $40 million bank fraud and money laundering chargesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 70-year-old dual citizen of the United States and Peru made his initial appearance in Houston federal court following his extradition from Peru to face charges in an alleged multiyear bank fraud and money laundering scheme involving at least $40 million in fraudulent loan proceeds.
Hugo Villanueva, formerly of Katy, was extradited to the United States Sept. 17 and has now appeared for his arraignment. He is scheduled for a detention hearing Oct. 7 at 10 a.m.
According to the indictment, Villanueva and others conspired from at least 2016 to 2021 to obtain dozens of fraudulent bank loans totaling at least $40 million. They allegedly submitted loan applications containing false information and fraudulent supporting documents, including equipment sales invoices, income tax returns, and bank statements.
The indictment further alleges Villanueva prepared false tax returns and financial statements to support the fraudulent loan applications and obtain approval from financial institutions.
Villanueva allegedly fled the United States in 2023 to avoid arrest. Authorities arrested him in Lima, Peru, in November 2025.
Co-defendants Bun Khath, 45, Jeremiah Almaguer, 46, both of Richmond; and Jennifer Williams, 72, of Houston; previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme and received sentences of 120 months, 60 months, and 12 months, respectively.
Co-defendants William Mills, 62, Kazem Younes, 65, both of Sugar Land; and Jolson Wu, 64, of Houston, have also pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Villanueva faces up to 30 years in prison and a possible $1 million maximum fine for the conspiracy, bank fraud, and false statement to obtain credit charges. He also faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $500,000 maximum fine or twice the amount of the value involved in the transaction for the money laundering conspiracy charge.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency - Office of Inspector General, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-OIG, and FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Belinda Beek is prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department extends its gratitude to the Government of Peru for making the extradition possible. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the defendant’s arrest and extradition from Peru.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
District Man Sentenced to Prison for Kidnapping Two Girls at Gunpoint and Sexually Exploiting a ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Keishawn Johnson, 23, of the District of Columbia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 204 months in prison in connection with kidnapping two girls and the sexual exploitation of a child, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
“Keishawn Johnson terrorized two children, hunting them and holding them hostage. Now he’s headed exactly where he belongs: federal prison,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We will not tolerate this violence and disregard for human life. Anyone who preys on children will meet the same fate.”
Johnson pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2026, before Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to kidnapping while armed and sexual exploitation of a child. In addition to the 204-month prison term, Judge Kollar-Kotelly ordered Johnson to serve 10 years of supervised release.
According to court papers, in September 2024, Johnson tricked a 15-year-old girl into getting into his car in the District by falsely telling her that her 14-year-old friend was inside. Johnson then held the teenager against her will and demanded she help him locate a missing firearm. When the teenager's mother tried to remove her from the vehicle at a gas station, Johnson drove away with the teenager still inside. Johnson later used the teen's phone to lure her 14-year-old friend to a location in the District, where he and an accomplice, Antoine Jones, pointed firearms at the younger girl and forced her into a vehicle. Police arrived as the abduction was underway, and the older teenager was left behind while Johnson fled with the younger girl.
Johnson held the 14-year-old against her will overnight, driving her to multiple locations in the District and Maryland while continuing to search for the firearm, and assaulted her during that time. Police located Johnson again the following afternoon; he fled with the 14-year-old still in the car and crashed the vehicle before running from the scene on foot. Law enforcement recovered the girl at that time.
Investigators also recovered a phone containing video Johnson had recorded weeks earlier showing him sexually abusing the 14-year-old girl.
At the time of the kidnapping, Johnson was on probation in two Maryland cases involving theft, burglary and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, and faced a pending burglary and grand larceny case in Fairfax County, Virginia.
Jones, Johnson’s accomplice, also pleaded guilty on Jan. 21, 2026, before Judge Kollar-Kotelly, to kidnapping while armed. Jones was sentenced to 114 months in prison.
Joining U.S. Attorney Pirro in the announcement was FBI Assistant Director in Charge Darren B. Cox of the Washington Field Office.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Burrell.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, 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 identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Frame grab from surveillance video shows the abduction circled in yellow.
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Delaware Pastor Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Committing over $500,000 in Pandemic Relief Fraud and Tax FraudRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Brian Pittman, 47, was sentenced today to 18 months of imprisonment, three years of supervised release, a $200 special assessment, and $606,101 in restitution by United States District Judge Kelley Brisbon Hodge for defrauding a pandemic relief program and committing tax fraud.
The defendant was charged via information in February of this year and pleaded guilty in March to one count of wire fraud and one count of filing a false tax return, waiving prosecution by indictment.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud 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.
As detailed in court filings, Pittman used the names and information of friends and family to apply for, and receive, multiple pandemic relief loans backed by the United States Small Business Administration (“SBA”). Pittman used false information and fake documents to support applications for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program, resulting in payouts to friends and family of $363,600.
Pittman had his friends and family transfer him the majority of the loan money — over $250,000 — which he kept for himself. Pittman did not report this income on his tax returns, resulting in almost $90,000 of underpayment to the IRS.
Pittman obtained an additional $181,164 in pandemic relief from the SBA based on fraudulent applications filed in his own name and the names of businesses he controlled.
In total, Pittman was responsible for $544,764 of payouts based on fraud.
While submitting the false applications, and through the present, Pittman worked as a pastor at a 350-member Delaware-based church, served as a volunteer chaplain for a Delaware County police department, and ran a mentoring program.
This case was investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Rice and Ruth Mandelbaum.
Delaware Men Sentenced for Cyber Intrusion Scheme Targeting Victims in the Southern District of IowaRead the Press Release
DES MOINES, Iowa –Two Delaware men were sentenced on September 25, 2026, to a combined 189 months in federal prison for their roles in an international cyber intrusion scheme.
According to public documents and evidence presented at sentencing, for nearly two years, Chijioke Timothy Odimegwu, 25, and Harafat Mogaji, 26, both of whom were members of the United States Air Force at the time, attacked business victims across the United States with email “spamming” and phishing campaigns to steal usernames and passwords for victims’ employee email accounts. They and their co-conspirators then used these stolen credentials, along with “spoofed” email addresses mimicking emails associated with the victim or its business partners, to communicate with their victims and redirect payments to and from the victims’ trusted business partners to accounts controlled by the defendants’ co-conspirators.
Working with co-conspirators both in the United States and abroad, Odimegwu and Mogaji fraudulently diverted a more than $1.68 million wire sent by a victim in Iowa City, Iowa, to a bank account in Chicago controlled by the conspiracy. They also diverted a more than $720,000 wire sent by a victim in Ohio to a bank account controlled by the conspiracy. These are in addition to many other attempts Odimegwu and Mogaji made to divert wire transfers made by businesses in Iowa and across the country.
As part of their spamming and phishing campaigns, Odimegwu and Mogaji also harvested financial information from victims, such as financial account numbers and information, personal identification numbers, and credit and debit card numbers, including credit card information for a victim non-profit located in Pella, Iowa. They also purchased similar stolen information from their co-conspirators. They would then use the stolen information to make and attempt financial transactions without their victims’ knowledge or authorization. They exchanged this information with one another and attempted to make purchases using that information stolen from other victims across the country.
Odimegwu was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 111 months and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $366,617.59. Mogaji was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 78 months and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $995,680.45. Both were taken into custody following sentencing. After completing their prison terms, Odimegwu and Mogaji will each serve a three-year term on supervised release.
“When cyber intrusion schemes target businesses and nonprofits in our communities, we will aggressively surge resources to protect the American people and their life savings,” said Eugene Kowel, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Omaha Field Office. “Criminals from all backgrounds attack our digital systems. They strike targets from corporate networks to personal smart phones. No one and no device is immune from the threat. This case demonstrates that we will hold accountable cybercriminals who target our communities. It also serves as a reminder that every organization and every individual should take steps to protect their devices and systems and learn how to recognize and avoid scams. FBI Omaha will continue working with our local, state, and federal partners in the fight to dismantle and disrupt cyber enabled schemes.”
United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case with assistance from the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Lubben prosecuted the case.
On April 7, 2026, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement 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.
Defense contractor’s former chief executive to pay $4.9M to resolve False Claims Act allegationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Frazier Aviation, Inc., located in San Fernando, California, and its former chief executive agreed to settle False Claims Act allegations involving the sale of aircraft parts to the government. As part of the settlement, Frazier Aviation’s former chief executive will pay $4.9 million to the United States.
The settlement began with a lawsuit, United States ex rel. Heather Elliott v. Frazier Aviation, Inc. et al., filed under the whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims presented to the federal government.
The settlement resolves allegations that Frazier Aviation improperly marketed and sold aircraft parts that used Lockheed Martin’s Commercial and Government Entity code without authorization. The settlement also resolves allegations that Frazier Aviation used unauthorized subcontractors to manufacture parts that did not meet applicable quality standards. After the United States declined to intervene but still continued its investigation, the whistleblower proceeded with litigation. Frazier Aviation and its former chief executive agreed to resolve the allegations in the lawsuit, and the United States consented to the settlement. The whistleblower will receive a share of the settlement.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Kapoor with the assistance of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the Army’s Criminal Investigation Division, and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Case records may be found on PACER under case number 1:23-cv-881 (DJN/IDD) (E.D. Va.).
Defendants in conspiracy to distribute cathinone through Facebook messaging receive multi-year sentencesRead the Press Release
BRUNSWICK, Georgia: Two defendants associated with a drug distribution conspiracy have been sentenced to federal prison.
The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Lisa Godbey Wood and announced by Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
Alen Addison, 54, of Brunswick, Georgia, was sentenced to 82 months in prison and a $1,500 fine followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Substituted Cathinone.
His co-defendant, Minus Tyler, 45, of Brunswick, was previously sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by one year of supervised release after pleading guilty to Use of a Communication Facility.
There is no parole in the federal system.
As described in court documents and testimony, from April 2023 through August 2023, Addison and Tyler conspired to distribute cathinone in Glynn County. The two defendants utilized Facebook Messenger as a method to communicate the sale and distribution of cathinone.
Synthetic cathinones are derivatives of the naturally occurring compound cathinone, the main psychoactive ingredient in the khat plant Catha edulis. Like amphetamines, synthetic cathinones are psychomotor stimulants that exert their effects by impairing normal brain functions. Overall, a National Library of Medicine study of the Neuropharmacology of Synthetic Cathinones shows that certain synthetic cathinones are powerful drugs of abuse that could pose significant risk to users.
“Synthetic substances like cathinone are a real threat to communities,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “This investigation was the result of intuitive law enforcement that succeeded in identifying the pathway of these illicit drugs, tracing it to the distributor and resulted in this prosecution, and protecting our citizens from these dangerous substances.”
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and Glynn County Sheriff’s Office.
“The outcome of this case is a testament to the professionalism and perseverance of the investigators who worked together throughout this investigation,” said Michael J. Connolly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “DEA and our partner agencies combined resources, expertise, and investigative information to uncover the scope of the conspiracy and build a case for prosecution. We are grateful for the commitment of every agency and individual who contributed to this joint effort.”
This case was prosecuted for the United States by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys John P. Harper III and Jennifer J. Kirkland.
Dane County Man Sentenced to over Four Years for Illegal Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
MADISON, WIS. – Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Cordero Coker, 38, Fitchburg, Wisconsin, was sentenced on September 23, 2026, by U.S. District Judge William M. Conley to 52 months in federal prison for unlawfully possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Coker pleaded guilty to this charge on June 8, 2026.
On November 13, 2025, law enforcement arrested Coker in Madison, Wisconsin, for driving a stolen vehicle. Law enforcement searched the vehicle and found various controlled substances in tied-off bags, and a loaded 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun inside Coker’s coat pocket. Two minor children were also present in the vehicle. In an interview with police, Coker admitted the gun belonged to him. Coker is prohibited from legally possessing firearms or ammunition because of previous felony convictions, including armed robbery.
At sentencing, Judge Conley found Coker posed a danger to the community given his firearm possession, polysubstance abuse, poor decision making, and failure to embrace treatment.
The charge against Coker was the result of an investigation conducted by the Monona Police Department, Dane County Sheriff’s Office, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which is comprised of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.
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.
Federal prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice involving drugs and guns are part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
DOJ’s Fraud Division Uncovers $1.34M in Stolen Social Security Benefits in One-Month Takedown, Including Illinois Fraudster Who Allegedly Hid Deceased Mother in Garage FreezerRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Today, the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the results of a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s benefits programs, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Between Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, the Fraud Division and U.S. Attorneys in 11 districts, along with the assistance of the SSA Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), brought charges against 17 defendants who are allegedly responsible for more than $1.3 million in intended loss to the United States.
“The Social Security Administration’s benefits programs are meant to safeguard America’s elderly and most vulnerable — not to bankroll fraudsters,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Every dollar stolen is a dollar taken from a retiree’s medicine, meals, or housing. These cases represent just a fraction of the fraud we are aggressively pursuing every day. The egregious facts uncovered in these cases underscore why our mission to combat fraud — large or small — is vital to protecting public trust and ensuring justice.”
“President Trump and Vice President Vance have given the federal government an unprecedented mandate — and the tools and resources to back it up — to find fraud wherever it exists and root it out,” said Commissioner Frank Bisignano of the Social Security Administration. “At Social Security, we are putting that mandate into action. Working hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice, we are aggressively pursuing fraud, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and protecting Social Security.”
“Fraud involving Social Security’s retirement and disability programs will not be tolerated. Thanks to OIG’s partnership with the Department of Justice, those targeting taxpayer dollars and jeopardizing our most vulnerable populations will be held accountable,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant at SSA OIG. “These cases demonstrate the value of focusing resources to identify and prosecuting fraud schemes to ensure taxpayers dollars are paid only to those who are rightfully entitled.”
Notable Cases (Intended Loss Figures):
U.S. v. Eva Bratcher (Indictment) – $21,402 – Northern District of Illinois
Bratcher allegedly concealed her mother’s body in a deep freezer in her garage for two years. During those two years, Bratcher assumed her mother’s identity, collected her mother’s SSA benefits, and used her mother’s SNAP benefits. The defendant also allegedly used an alternative Social Security Number to steal additional SNAP benefits to which she was not entitled.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S. Code § 408 (Fraud, Misrepresentation, or misuse of Social Security Benefits)
Maximum Penalties: 10 years; 5 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Gardner-Erickson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani for the Northern District of Illinois. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Tomlinson for Northern District of Illinois.
U.S. v. David Darling (Indictment) – $ 109,746 – Northern District of New York
Darling had control of his deceased brother’s ATM card and began withdrawing money the day after death. SSA was unaware of the death and continued to pay into the account. Darling continued his scheme for a total of $109,746 in stolen social security benefits.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 1029 (Access Device Fraud); 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 18 U.S. Code § 1028A (Aggravated Identify Theft)
Maximum Penalties: 15 years; 10 years; 2-year mandatory minimum in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arne Soldwedel for the Northern District of New York. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Clark for the Northern District of New York.
U.S. v. Debra Reed (Indictment) – $ 59,070 – Western District of Pennsylvania
On Nov. 23, 2020, Debra Reed’s father died. Between Nov. 24, 2020, and Oct. 26, 2023, the Social Security Administration continued to pay social security retirement payments to the father’s account, and Reed either personally stole the money or caused her daughter to take the money and transfer it to her directly.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property)
Maximum Penalties: 10 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna for the Western District of Pennsylvania. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
U.S. v. Laura Whisenant – $ 121, 980 – Eastern District of Michigan (Complaint)
Laura Whisenant served as a representative payee for her elderly, mentally disabled uncle. For seven years, she stole and misused nearly $121 K of her uncle’s SSA benefits — all while he lived in squalor, in a house without running water, electricity, or heat.
Charges: 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(5)
Maximum Penalties: 5 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.
U.S. v. Keshaune Pace also known as Keshaune Jenkins – Southeast Michigan (Complaint)
Keshaune Pace served as representative payee for her minor son, who was a recipient of SSI benefits due to disability. In order to maintain the receipt of her son’s benefits after he left her custody, she lied to the SSA about her son’s living arrangements, going so far as to have another person impersonate her son during an SSA-initiated review. Pace stole and misused $30,000 of the benefits paid on behalf of her son; $6,000 of those benefits should have been used for her son’s needs and were not, $24,000 should have been paid to no one at all.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S.C. § 1383a(a)(4) (Social Security Representative Payee Fraud)
Maximum Penalties: 10 years; 5 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Additional Charges During SSA Surge:
- United States v. Tammy Phillips - $65,000 – Western District of Pennsylvania
- United States v. Israel Gonzalez - $139,952 – Western District of North Carolina
- United States vs. John Zaccaria - $143,685 – District of Rhode Island
- United States v. Sherry Freude - $100,845 – Southern District of Texas
- United States v. Lisa Martinez - $50,501 – Western District of Texas
- United States v. Stacey L. Stoudermire - $31,237 – Northern District of Ohio
- United States vs. Ruthie M. Lewis - $33,131 – Northern District of Ohio
- United States vs. Lizbeth A. Reinhard - $170,166 – Northern District of Ohio
- United States vs. Carrie Miller - $50,658 – District of Idaho
- United States vs. Calandra Davis - $53,234 – Northern District of Indiana
- United States v. Tammy Hopkins - $98,879 – Eastern District of Michigan
- United States v. Darlette Williams - $46,844 – Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Attorney Partners: District of Idaho, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of New York, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, Western District of North Carolina, Western District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Texas.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud 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.
DOJ’s Fraud Division Uncovers $1.34M in Stolen Social Security Benefits in One Month Takedown, Including Fraudster Who Allegedly Hid Deceased Mother in Garage FreezerRead the Press Release
Today, the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division announced the results of a surge of criminal enforcement actions targeting fraud in the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s benefits programs, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Between Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, the Fraud Division and U.S. Attorneys in 11 districts, along with the assistance of the SSA Office of Inspector General (SSA OIG), brought charges against 17 defendants who are allegedly responsible for more than $1.3 million in intended loss to the United States.
“The Social Security Administration’s benefits programs are meant to safeguard America’s elderly and most vulnerable — not to bankroll fraudsters,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “Every dollar stolen is a dollar taken from a retiree’s medicine, meals, or housing. These cases represent just a fraction of the fraud we are aggressively pursuing every day. The egregious facts uncovered in these cases underscore why our mission to combat fraud — large or small — is vital to protecting public trust and ensuring justice.”
“President Trump and Vice President Vance have given the federal government an unprecedented mandate — and the tools and resources to back it up — to find fraud wherever it exists and root it out,” said Commissioner Frank Bisignano of the Social Security Administration. “At Social Security, we are putting that mandate into action. Working hand-in-hand with the Department of Justice, we are aggressively pursuing fraud, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and protecting Social Security.”
“Fraud involving Social Security’s retirement and disability programs will not be tolerated. Thanks to OIG’s partnership with the Department of Justice, those targeting taxpayer dollars and jeopardizing our most vulnerable populations will be held accountable,” said Michelle L. Anderson, Assistant Inspector General for Audit as First Assistant at SSA OIG. “These cases demonstrate the value of focusing resources to identify and prosecuting fraud schemes to ensure taxpayers dollars are paid only to those who are rightfully entitled.”
Notable Cases (Intended Loss Figures):
S. v. Eva Bratcher (Indictment) – $21,402 – Northern District of Illinois
Bratcher allegedly concealed her mother’s body in a deep freezer in her garage for two years. During those two years, Bratcher assumed her mother’s identity, collected her mother’s SSA benefits, and used her mother’s SNAP benefits. The defendant also allegedly used an alternative Social Security Number to steal additional SNAP benefits to which she was not entitled.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S. Code § 408 (Fraud, Misrepresentation, or misuse of Social Security Benefits)
Maximum Penalties: 10 years; 5 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Parker Gardner-Erickson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Niranjan Emani for the Northern District of Illinois. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Tomlinson for Northern District of Illinois.
S. v. David Darling (Indictment) – $ 109,746 – Northern District of New York
Darling had control of his deceased brother’s ATM card and began withdrawing money the day after death. SSA was unaware of the death and continued to pay into the account. Darling continued his scheme for a total of $109,746 in stolen social security benefits.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 1029 (Access Device Fraud); 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 18 U.S. Code § 1028A (Aggravated Identify Theft)
Maximum Penalties: 15 years; 10 years; 2-year mandatory minimum in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Arne Soldwedel for the Northern District of New York. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Clark for the Northern District of New York.
S. v. Debra Reed (Indictment) – $ 59,070 – Western District of Pennsylvania
On Nov. 23, 2020, Debra Reed’s father died. Between Nov. 24, 2020, and Oct. 26, 2023, the Social Security Administration continued to pay social security retirement payments to the father’s account, and Reed either personally stole the money or caused her daughter to take the money and transfer it to her directly.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property)
Maximum Penalties: 10 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan J. McKenna for the Western District of Pennsylvania. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Stockey for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
United States v. Laura Whisenant – $ 121, 980 – Eastern District of Michigan (Complaint)
Laura Whisenant served as a representative payee for her elderly, mentally disabled uncle. For seven years, she stole and misused nearly $121 K of her uncle’s SSA benefits — all while he lived in squalor, in a house without running water, electricity, or heat.
Charges: 42 U.S.C. § 408(a)(5)
Maximum Penalties: 5 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.
United States v. Keshaune Pace also known as Keshaune Jenkins – Southeast Michigan (Complaint)
Keshaune Pace served as representative payee for her minor son, who was a recipient of SSI benefits due to disability. In order to maintain the receipt of her son’s benefits after he left her custody, she lied to the SSA about her son’s living arrangements, going so far as to have another person impersonate her son during an SSA-initiated review. Pace stole and misused $30,000 of the benefits paid on behalf of her son; $6,000 of those benefits should have been used for her son’s needs and were not, $24,000 should have been paid to no one at all.
Charges: 18 U.S. Code § 641 (Theft of Government Property); 42 U.S.C. § 1383a(a)(4) (Social Security Representative Payee Fraud)
Maximum Penalties: 10 years; 5 years in prison
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corinne M. Lambert for the Eastern District of Michigan. District Fraud Counsel AOR: Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Norwood for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Additional Charges During SSA Surge:
- United States v. Tammy Phillips - $65,000 – Western District of Pennsylvania
- United States v. Israel Gonzalez - $139,952 – Western District of North Carolina
- United States vs. John Zaccaria - $143,685 – District of Rhode Island
- United States v. Sherry Freude - $100,845 – Southern District of Texas
- United States v. Lisa Martinez - $50,501 – Western District of Texas
- United States v. Stacey L. Stoudermire - $31,237 – Northern District of Ohio
- United States vs. Ruthie M. Lewis - $33,131 – Northern District of Ohio
- United States vs. Lizbeth A. Reinhard - $170,166 – Northern District of Ohio
- United States vs. Carrie Miller - $50,658 – District of Idaho
- United States vs. Calandra Davis - $53,234 – Northern District of Indiana
- United States v. Tammy Hopkins - $98,879 – Eastern District of Michigan
- United States v. Darlette Williams - $46,844 – Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Attorney Partners: District of Idaho, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Michigan, Northern District of Illinois, Northern District of New York, Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of California, Southern District of Texas, Western District of North Carolina, Western District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Texas.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud 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.
Department of Justice Awards $1 Million Grant to the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office to Serve Victims of Technology-Facilitated AbuseRead the Press Release
The United States Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime has awarded $1,000,000 to Louisiana Department of Justice Office of the Attorney General.
United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, Kurt Wall, stated, “Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Office has been a leader in investigating and prosecuting cybercrimes in our state. We are pleased to see that this award will be used to assist the victims of those heinous criminal acts.”
These funds will assist in the implementation of a statewide effort to identify, serve, and empower victims of technology-facilitated abuse, including image-based sexual abuse, non-consensual dissemination of intimate images, and sextortion. The initiative will establish Louisiana’s first statewide multidisciplinary response protocol and create standardized victim-rights and resource materials for distribution by law enforcement agencies statewide. Additionally, the monies will expand access to services, with the goal of improving outcomes for victims of technology-facilitated abuse.
“I want to thank the Department of Justice for this important initiative. These funds will help establish Louisiana’s very first statewide multidisciplinary protocol to serve victims of technology-facilitated abuse (TFA). The protocol will directly address rapidly evolving digital crimes, including - sextortion, cyberstalking, and AI-generated intimate images. Initiatives like these strengthen real-time collaboration among prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim services,” stated Attorney General Liz Murrill.
For more information about this award, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected].
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Firearm Used in Tallahassee ShootingRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – David Benjamina Davis, 43, of Tallahassee, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case required exceptional investigative work by the Tallahassee Police Department, with support from our federal law enforcement partners, to identify, locate, and arrest this violent criminal. My office stands shoulder to shoulder with our law enforcement partners in the fight against violent crime, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute these cases to ensure dangerous thugs, like this defendant, are kept out of our communities and locked away behind bars.”
Court documents reflect that on February 7, 2026, the defendant was the driver of a car at the intersection of Ocala Road and Pensacola Street in Tallahassee. The defendant rolled down his window and fired a handgun several times into the air. After discharging his firearm, the defendant ran a red light and fled the area. The Tallahassee Police Department (TPD) investigated the shooting and located traffic camera footage that captured the shots. A detective responded to the scene and recovered twelve .40-caliber shell casings.
On February 10, 2026, TPD executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, and located the firearm used in the shooting hidden in a wall-mounted “concealment shelf.”
A loaded, extended Glock magazine was found next to the firearm, and a separate drum-style magazine was found in a dresser drawer. Laboratory analysis confirmed the defendant’s firearm had fired the shell casings recovered from the scene of the shooting. Historical location information for the defendant’s cellphone also put him at the scene of the shooting at the time of the shooting on February 7, 2026.
The defendant was prohibited from possessing firearms because he had previously spent 10 years in prison for two counts of robbery with a firearm, two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of a controlled substance.
The case involved an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain.
The defendant faces up to 15 years in federal prison.
Sentencing is scheduled for December 3, 2026, at 10:00 am, in the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
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.
Convicted Felon & Drug Dealer Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison After Supplying Fentanyl that Resulted in Death of a Utah ResidentRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A Utah man and convicted felon with a criminal history of possessing, using, and distributing drugs was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment today for possessing fentanyl that ultimately resulted in the death of another person.
The sentence, imposed by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Clark Waddoups, comes after Spencer Massengale, 34, of Ogden, Utah, pleaded guilty on July 23, 2026 to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl resulting in death. In addition to his term of imprisonment, Massengale was sentenced to five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $4,025 in restitution.
According to court documents and statements made at Massengale’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on February 22, 2023, a victim was found dead on the couch of Massengale’s residence. During the investigation police recovered 330 fentanyl pills in the home, which Massengale admitted he intended to distribute to others. Massengale further admitted that when his roommate called on the telephone to notify him that the victim was unresponsive, Massengale asked his roommate to delay calling 911 and to hide Massengale’s fentanyl pills from police. Massengale did not call 911 until he returned home and found the victim dead. Massengale then reported the victim “overdosed.”
The Utah State Assistant Medical Examiner and toxicologists determined that the victim died of drug intoxication from the effects of the use of fentanyl.
Massengale has an extensive criminal history, including a state of Utah criminal conviction in December 2022 for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance and was sentenced to 0-15 years in the Utah State Prison, suspended upon completion of 36 months’ probation.
“Mr. Massengale’s long history of recidivism and the devastating consequences of his fentanyl distribution resulted in the worst possible outcome — the loss of another life,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah. “No prison sentence can ever erase the pain and suffering endured by the victim’s loved ones. However, by removing Mr. Massengale from our community, we hope they can begin the difficult process of healing.”
The case was investigated by the Weber Morgan Narcotics Strike Force and prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah.
Columbus man pleads guilty to conspiring to launder $1M in business email scam proceedsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Columbus man pleaded guilty in federal court here today, admitting he received and laundered more than $1 million in proceeds of a business email compromise scam.
Benjamin O. Alexander, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit money laundering.
According to court documents, from June until October 2020, Alexander conspired to launder proceeds from a scheme related to a contract for personal protective equipment (PPE) for a health-care provider in response to COVID-19. In June 2020, workers at the New Jersey health-care provider received email messages purporting to be from the contracted safety-equipment supplier and requesting payments be sent to a new bank account.
The new bank account where the health-care provider was directed to send payments was one controlled by Alexander in the name of a business he established in April 2019 called BOA Building Maintenance and Cleaning Services LLC.
As a result of the business email fraud scheme, four ACH transfers were sent to Alexander’s bank account totaling approximately $1.1 million. Alexander then quickly withdrew the money via official checks, cash withdrawals, ACH payments and other transactions, in order to launder the funds.
Alexander was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025.
Conspiring to commit money laundering is a federal crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Todd Strom, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Peter K. Glenn-Applegate is representing the United States in this case.
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.
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Camp County man sentenced to 29 years in federal prison for the online sexual exploitation of childrenRead the Press Release
MARSHALL, Texas - A Leesburg man has been sentenced to 29 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Wesley Jacob Hearon, 36, pleaded guilty to production of child pornography and was sentenced to 348 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap on September 28, 2026.
According to information presented in court, Hearon used various online personas on social media chat platforms to coerce minor victims to engage in sexually explicit conduct, produce visual depictions of such conduct, and transmit them over the internet.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by 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.
This case was investigated by the FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division, and Palo Alto (California) Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Austin Wells and Lucas Machicek.
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California man pleads guilty to supplying bulk amounts of meth to Dayton-area drug dealersRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – Michael Chang, 55, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court today to his role as a source of supply in a narcotics conspiracy punishable by at least 10 years and up to life in prison.
Chang admitted to conspiring with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The defendant was found responsible for the distribution of more than 4.5 kilograms of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, in late 2024 and early 2025, Chang orchestrated the delivery of bulk quantities of methamphetamine from California to customers, including in the greater Dayton area. While in Los Angeles, Chang obtained and distributed narcotics to other members of the drug trafficking organization, who then trafficked the drugs in southwest Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
Chang is the lead defendant in this case, and three other defendants have been charged and pleaded guilty as part of the drug conspiracy. The following defendants are awaiting sentencing:
- Erika Garcia, 45, of Trotwood;
- Dennis Campbell, 41, of Hamilton; and
- Kathryn Tucker, 47, of Bourbon County, Kentucky.
As part of this case, law enforcement officials seized two firearms and seven pieces of jewelry including diamond and gold tennis bracelets and necklaces.
Sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the Court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors at a future hearing.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; and Joseph O. Dixon, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Detroit; announced the guilty plea offered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter B. Silvain, Jr. Assistant United States Attorney Ryan A. Saunders and Assistant Deputy Criminal Chief Amy M. Smith are representing the United States in this case.
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CPA Pleads Guilty to Committing $2.3 Million COVID-era Loan FraudRead the Press Release
DETROIT – Jawan Simpson, 37, a tax preparer and Certified Public Accountant (CPA), pleaded guilty today to orchestrating a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), announced United States Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government established the PPP to help small businesses keep their workers employed and cover essential operating costs. Simpson pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
Gorgon was joined in the announcement by Special Agent in Charge Jennifer Runyan, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Detroit Field Office and Basil Demczak, Special Agent in Charge of Amtrak Office of Inspector General’s Central and Western Field Offices.
“Jawan Simpson abused the trust placed in him as a tax preparer to defraud the American people of more than $2 million,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr.
“Exploiting a federal relief program during a national crisis for personal financial gain is a serious betrayal of the public trust. Today’s guilty plea represents an important step toward accountability,” said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office. “I am grateful for the outstanding work of our FBI Oakland County Resident Agency and the Amtrak Office of Inspector General’s Central and Western Field Offices. Their diligence and collaboration helped uncover this scheme and protect the integrity of programs funded by American taxpayers.”
“We hope this guilty plea sends a clear message that those who exploit emergency relief programs for personal gain will be held accountable,” said Basil Demczak, Special Agent in Charge of Amtrak Office of Inspector General’s Central and Western Field Offices. “We appreciate the strong partnership among the investigative agencies and prosecutors involved and remain committed to pursuing those who defraud taxpayer-funded relief programs.”
According to the plea agreement, Simpson promised family members, friends, and tax preparation clients (including Amtrak employees) that, in exchange for a fee of $2,000-$3,000, he could help them qualify for pandemic relief loans that would be forgiven by the federal government. Simpson ultimately filed 111 PPP loan applications that contained materially false information. In support of those fraudulent applications, Simpson created bogus documents, including fake tax returns. The government asserts in the plea agreement that Simpson’s fraud resulted in the loss of $2.3 million in government funds.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Davin M. Reust. The case is being investigated by the Amtrak Office of Inspector General and FBI.
Blacksburg Man Sentenced to 9 Years for Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A convicted felon, who fled from police during a traffic stop because he was illegally in possession multiple firearms, was sentenced yesterday to 9 years in federal prison.
Damonte Marquise Forbes, 33, previously pled guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, at approximately 9 p.m. on July 14, 2025, officers with the Town of Pulaski Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Forbes. During the traffic stop, officers learned that Forbes did not have a valid license and asked him to exit the vehicle. Additionally, a K9 unit from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office was requested and responded to the scene.
After the K9 alerted to the scent of narcotics in the vehicle, officers found it locked. When questioned about this, Forbes attempted to flee the scene on foot. However, he was apprehended almost immediately and searched.
Officers found a 9 mm pistol with an extended magazine in his pant leg, as well as suspected MDMA in his shirt pocket. Additionally, officers searched the vehicle and found a .223 caliber assault pistol in the backseat, with a suppressor and a small quantity of cocaine.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Anthony Spotswood, Special Agent in Charge ATF Washington Division made the announcement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosives, the Town of Pulaski Police Department and the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case
Assistant United States Attorneys Talk Integrity and Civility in the West Virginia Lawyer MagazineRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — United States Attorney Matthew L. Harvey is proud to announce two Assistant U.S. Attorneys are featured as guest writers in The West Virginia Lawyer, a statewide publication of the West Virginia State Bar.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberley Crockett and Eleanor Hurney authored “The Rule of Law Begins with Layers – Why Civility and Integrity Still Matter.” The article, featured in the Autumn 2026 edition, focuses on the ethical responsibilities that all lawyers carry and the promise to uphold the law while treating colleagues with civility.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Crockett and Hurney write, “The rule of law is the promise that disputes will be decided according to the law rather than emotion or influence, that every person who enters a courtroom be treated fairly, and that no one is above the law. By practicing with honesty, integrity, and respect for others, attorneys help ensure that justice is administered fairly and that the public continues to have confidence in the legal system.”
Kimberley Crockett joined the United States Attorney’s Office in 2018 as a violent crimes prosecutor. She joined the office after running a private law practice, Crockett Law, and after having served more than 12 years as a state prosecutor. She has had an extraordinary 24-year legal career and distinguished herself as a state and federal prosecutor because of her ability to work with victims of violent crime, including children. Kim is a 2024 WV Bar Foundation Fellow and is currently president-elect of the West Virginia State Bar.
Eleanor Hurney joined the United States Attorney’s Office in 2020 after having served as a law clerk for United States District Judge John Preston Bailey in the Northern District of West Virginia, Judge Stephanie D. Thacker on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and United States District Judge Frank W. Volk in the Southern District of West Virginia. After a detail to the Northern District of Oklahoma, Eleanor returned to the Northern District of West Virginia where she developed a practice focused on white collar, fraud, and tax-related offenses. Eleanor also serves as the Appellate Chief for the office.
Read the article here.
Arizona CEO Pleads Guilty to Embezzling over $8.8M from Employee Benefit PlansRead the Press Release
James Vincent Campbell, 49, of Scottsdale, Arizona, pleaded guilty today in the District of Maryland to embezzling more than $8.8 million from an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) benefit plan.
“Workers have a right to trust that when they contribute portions of their hard-earned wages into their health insurance and retirement accounts, those contributions will go to where they were intended – their health plans and 401(k) accounts,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division. “Instead, James Vincent stole directly from these accounts by embezzling funds and putting more than $8 million into his own pocket. The Criminal Division is proud to partner with the Department of Labor to uncover and prosecute this fraud.”
“Private pensions make up a large portion of Americans’ wealth,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security Daniel Aronowitz. “The U.S. Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) will continue to pursue those who try to steal pension assets as part of its efforts to prevent and fight fraud committed on both pension and healthcare plans. EBSA is grateful for the continued relationship with the DOJ in prosecuting pension fraud.”According to court documents, Campbell is the CEO and founder of Axim Fringe Solutions Group LLC (Axim), a company that processes employee benefits for employees of federal contractors. At the time the theft began, the company was headquartered in Maryland. In January 2022, Campbell moved Axim to Scottsdale, Arizona, where he continued his fraud.
According to the court documents, Axim’s clients sent funds to the company to pay for health insurance premiums and 401(k) retirement contributions. Axim was responsible for forwarding those funds to insurance carriers and retirement accounts. Before forwarding the funds, Campbell allegedly pooled them in a master trust account. Between 2015 and 2024, he made 135 unauthorized withdrawals — totaling $2,486,905 — beyond the legitimate fees owed to Axim. Campbell used a significant portion of the stolen funds for personal expenses including big game hunting trips in Alaska, Africa, and other locations; taxidermy fees; jewelry; casino gambling; and direct payments to his girlfriend. Once Campbell relocated Axim to Arizona, he continued the thefts by secretly charging clients up to five times the amount of fees they owed to Axim. In sum, Campbell unlawfully converted more than $8.8 million from Axim’s clients using both withdrawals from the master account and repetitively charging client fees.
The information to which Campbell pleaded guilty charges him with a single count of theft from an ERISA plan. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Federal District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
EBSA investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Vincent Falvo of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section is prosecuting the case.
28 September 2026
Wyoming Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 135 Months for Dealing Fentanyl & CarfentanilRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Ramico Jovon Earvin, a/k/a “Pooh,” 44, of Wyoming, Michigan was sentenced to 135 months in prison for trafficking in fentanyl and carfentanil. Earvin’s sentence was enhanced in part because, in addition to dealing drugs, he also illegally possessed firearms.
Earvin’s drug trafficking came to light as police investigated a shooting. On March 4, 2025, a neighbor reported that, after an argument, Earvin shot him in the leg outside their apartment building.
During a subsequent search of the apartment where Earvin stayed, investigators found evidence of drug trafficking. On the bed in a bedroom where Earvin’s children sometimes slept, officers located a loaded .45 caliber revolver inside a soft-sided cooler. In shoeboxes kept under the bed, Earvin had stored more than a kilogram of fentanyl, nearly a kilogram of carfentanil, and Earvin’s credit card. In the same room, Earvin had a safe, baggies commonly used for drug packaging, digital scales and scale attachments, and a box of .45 caliber ammunition. The following photographs depict some of the illegal items Earvin had hidden in the room:
Carfentanil is an analogue of fentanyl. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, carfentanil is approximately 10,000 times more potent than morphine and 100 times more potent than fentanyl alone. It can be used legally to tranquilize large mammals, including elephants.
“Earvin was a menace to his neighbors and needed to be removed from the community. First, he was a large-scale drug trafficker who sold drugs capable of killing thousands of people,” said United States Attorney Timothy VerHey, “even worse, like most drug dealers he had guns, and he used one to shoot someone who disagreed with him. No one should have to endure behavior like this. Thanks to the fine work of the Wyoming Police Department and the DEA, we were able to charge Earvin and today he got the punishment he deserved. Others like Earvin will get the same treatment.”
“This violent offender made the conscious decision to use violence and distribute fentanyl along with carfentanil in our communities, recklessly endangering the lives of Michiganders.” said Special Agent in Charge Joseph O. Dixon. “Today’s sentence holds him accountable for those actions. DEA will not rest. We will deploy every available resource to hunt down those who traffic these deadly drugs, dismantle the networks behind them, and protect American lives.”
“Wyoming Police are committed to keeping our community safe. An investigation into a shooting led to the seizure of a substantial quantity of dangerous narcotics; drugs that could have harmed thousands of people in Wyoming and surrounding communities.” said Lieutenant Andrew Koeller. “This seizure reflects the dedication of our investigators and the strength of our local, state, and federal law enforcement partnerships. We are grateful for the collaborative effort that helped bring Ramico Earvin to justice.”
The Wyoming Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Carowan prosecuted it on behalf of the United States.
West Haven Man Who Attempted to Travel to the Middle East to Join and Fight for ISIS Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
AHMAD KHALIL ELSHAZLY, 29, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 92 months of imprisonment and a lifetime of supervised release for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham(ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in approximately September 2018, Elshazly, a U.S. citizen, expressed a desire to travel to Syria to fight on behalf of ISIS. In numerous conversations online and in person, he swore (“bay’at”) allegiance to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. In October 2019, just after al-Baghdadi’s death, Elshazly sent a message pledging allegiance to the new leader of ISIS, saying “I pledge my allegiance...to the Khilafah (the successor of the leadership) of the Muslims Abu Ibrahim Al Husseini Al Hashami Al Qurashi…” Elshazly also created and administered a pro-ISIS Discord server that he used to post hundreds of ISIS and other extremist propaganda memes and videos.
On December 14, 2019, Elshazly paid $500 to a person he believed was an ISIS facilitator who would be able to smuggle him out of the U.S. to Turkey. He believed this would enable him to connect with an ISIS member who, in turn, would assist him with traveling to ISIS within Syria. The next day, Elshazly was arrested after he arrived in Stonington, Connecticut, where he expected to board a boat to begin his trip.
“There is no higher priority than the security of our nation and its citizens,” said David X. Sullivan, U.S. Attorney of the District of Connecticut. “My office and our law enforcement partners will continue to tenaciously work to investigate, apprehend, and bring to justice anyone who threatens us. I greatly appreciate the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and all the participating agencies for their tireless dedication to protect public safety and to bring this case to a successful conclusion. We can accomplish great things when we work together.”
“Twenty-five years after the attacks of 9-11, the FBI New Haven Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) remains steadfast in its resolve to prevent, detect, and deter acts of terrorism as one of our highest priorities,” said FBI New Haven Division Special Agent in Charge P.J. O’Brien. “The JTTF is committed to rigorously investigating all those who pledge allegiance to foreign terrorist organizations and threaten our national security both in the homeland and around the world. The JTTF is the gold standard of law enforcement partnership, and we are grateful for the support of all our partners who enabled this highly successful outcome and are embedded with us every day to ensure the safety of our communities and the nation.”
Elshazly has been detained since his arrest. On November 30, 2022, he pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. While detained, Elshazly has had numerous disciplinary infractions. In August 2025, officers searched his cell and found a handwritten plan for a coordinated uprising at the detention facility, complete with diagrams of the housing unit, instructions for breaching secured areas, and tactics for confronting the Correctional Emergency Response Team.
This matter was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) with the assistance of the Stonington Police Department, the New Haven Police Department, and the Connecticut State Police. The FBI’s JTTF includes participants from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), IRS Criminal Investigation, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department, Norwich Police Department, Hartford Police Department, Stamford Police Department, Norwalk Police Department, Town of Groton Police Department, UConn Police Department, Yale Police Department, Stonington Police Department, New Haven Police Department, and New York Police Department.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel and Trial Attorney John Cella from the Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Warren Man Sentenced to More Than 17 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
EL DORADO – A Warren, Arkansas man was sentenced on September 24, 2026, to 210 months in federal prison to be followed by 20 years of supervised release for administering two online groups for receipt and distribution of child pornography. The Honorable John Thomas Shepherd presided over the sentencing hearing, which was held in the U.S. District Court in El Dorado.
According to court documents, Jerry Lee McGhan, age 31, uploaded images and videos depicting child pornography to an internet-based storage platform through two separate chatrooms, which sparked CyberTipline Reports by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that were later transferred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. During the same period, an online covert operation captured child pornography being traded within one of the chatrooms. The resulting investigation revealed McGhan to be one of the administrators for both groups. McGhan was indicted by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Arkansas in July of 2025 and entered a plea of guilty in March of 2026.
United States Attorney Kevin R. Holmes of the Western District of Arkansas made the announcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, El Dorado Police Department, and Arkansas State Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Devon Still prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.
This case was prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
United States Obtains $4 Million Penalty in Settlement with the Estate of Harry D. Silverstein for Violations of Lead Paint Safety LawsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, XX of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), Drew McCall, Chief of Staff of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”), and Acting Inspector General Brian D. Harrison of the HUD Office of the Inspector General (“HUD OIG”), announced today that the district court has approved a settlement of a civil lawsuit filed by the United States against the ESTATE OF HARRY D. SILVERSTEIN (the “ESTATE” or the “Defendant”). The lawsuit alleges that Harry D. Silverstein (“SILVERSTEIN”) and the ESTATE routinely violated federal laws relating to lead paint safety. The Stipulation and Order of Settlement (“Settlement”), requires, among other things, that the Defendant pay a $4 million penalty.
“This Office is committed to protecting the health and safety of New Yorkers,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald. “When landlords and renovators violate laws designed to protect children from lead poisoning, we will take action. Today’s $4 million penalty should put landlords and renovators on notice that violations of important federal safety laws will not be tolerated.”
EPA QUOTE
“Landlords of homes built before 1978 must warn tenants about known lead," said HUD Chief of Staff Drew McCall. “The defendant ignored this requirement, risking exposure of children to lead toxins and lead poisoning.”
“HUD OIG has zero tolerance for landlords who place families at risk by failing to provide safe and healthy housing,” said HUD Acting Inspector General Brian D. Harrison. “There is no excuse for violating laws that protect children from preventable exposures to lead hazards. This settlement holds the Silverstein Estate accountable for its serious failures. HUD OIG will continue working alongside the U.S Department of Justice, HUD, and EPA to aggressively pursue those who violate the law and to ensure our nation’s most vulnerable residents are protected.”
Lead is toxic. Lead poisoning can affect children’s brains and developing nervous systems, causing reduced IQ, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. The most common source of lead poisoning in children is ingesting deteriorated lead paint or lead dust from renovations. To protect children from this grave threat, the federal Lead Disclosure Rule requires landlords and their agents to inform tenants about the risks of lead exposure in their apartments before entering lease agreements and to disclose known facts and available records about lead paint and lead paint hazards to them so those tenants can take action to protect their children. A second key regulation, EPA’s Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule (“RRP Rule”), sets mandatory certification, training, and work-practice requirements to minimize the risk of lead exposure during renovation projects.
As alleged in the United States’ Complaint filed in the district court, SILVERSTEIN and the ESTATE routinely violated both regulations. SILVERSTEIN owned, managed, and controlled more than 1,000 apartments in fourteen New York City buildings constructed before 1978 until his death in 2016. After his death, the ESTATE owned, managed, and controlled those apartments until it sold them, which in some cases was not until 2020. For years, SILVERSTEIN and the ESTATE systematically failed to provide their tenants with disclosures about lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in their apartments, as required by the Lead Disclosure Rule. They also failed to protect tenants from toxic lead dust during renovation work. At least 11 children residing in these buildings suffered lead poisoning during SILVERSTEIN’s ownership of the buildings.
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In the Settlement, the ESTATE admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following:
- SILVERSTEIN and the ESTATE had an ownership interest in entities that owned and controlled 14 buildings, which contained approximately 1,000 units in New York City, all of which were built prior to 1978.
- During the period SILVERSTEIN had an ownership interest in entities that owned and controlled these buildings, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development issued certain lead-based paint violations in the buildings.
- When SILVERSTEIN had an ownership interest in entities that owned and controlled these buildings, on one or more occasions, the ESTATE could not locate evidence that SILVERSTEIN provided a Lead Warning Statement or EPA-approved lead hazard information pamphlet to tenants entering into a new lease.
October 25 to 31, 2026, is National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week. The United States Attorney’s Office, EPA, HUD, and HUD OIG all encourage parents to learn what they can do to help keep kids safe from lead poisoning. Useful resources are available at https://www.epa.gov/lead/national-lead-poisoning-prevention-week.
Mr. McDonald thanked the EPA and HUD attorneys and staff, and agents at HUD OIG, for their critical partnership on this and other lead paint enforcement matters.
This case is being handled by the Environmental Protection Unit of the Office’s Civil Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob Lillywhite and Jessica F. Rosenbaum are in charge of the case.
United States Attorney's Office Files Civil Forfeiture Action to Recover Cryptocurrency Involved in an Account Takeover Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office filed a civil forfeiture action to recover 110,270 USDT (Tether), alleged to be proceeds of a fraud scheme in which a Massachusetts victim was deceived into providing account login information to scammers, who then removed funds from the victim’s account. The cryptocurrency currently has an estimated value of approximately $47,000.
As alleged in the complaint, while corresponding via email with Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange, the victim received fraudulent text messages purporting to be from “Coinbase” that induced the victim to share login, password, and other information that allowed access to the victim’s Coinbase account. Thereafter, funds from the account were removed without the consent of the victim. Some of the funds were traced to a cryptocurrency account at Biance, another cryptocurrency exchange, and seized in August 2026.
In an account takeover fraud scheme, cyber criminals deliberately gain unauthorized access to a victim's online bank, payroll, health savings or social media account, with the goal of stealing money or information for personal gain.
It is a violation of federal law to use wire communications as part of a scheme to defraud or to obtain money or property by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, and property so obtained is subject to forfeiture. A civil forfeiture action allows third parties to assert claims to property, which must be resolved before the property can be forfeited to the United States and returned to victims.
This is one of several civil forfeiture actions the U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed seeking to forfeit cryptocurrency traced to fraud schemes targeting Massachusetts victims.
Members of the public who believe they are victims of a cybercrime – including cryptocurrency scams, tech support scams, investment scams and business email compromise fraud scams – should contact [email protected].
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carole E. Head, Chief of the Asset Recovery Unit is prosecuting the civil forfeiture action.
The details contained in the civil forfeiture complaint are allegations.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces Two New Assistant U.S. Attorneys to the Criminal DivisionRead the Press Release
PROVIDENCE – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island announced today the appointment of two new Assistant U.S. Attorneys to the Criminal Division.
Alison Bittl, of Rhode Island, joins the office after serving as an Assistant Attorney General with the Rhode Island Department of the Attorney General since 2017. In that role, she managed a significant felony caseload in Providence County Superior Court, handling cases from charging through disposition. She presented matters to the grand jury and conducted bail, violation and suppression hearings, and trials. Bittl also responded to major crime scenes, including shooting and homicides, and provided guidance to local police departments on charging decisions, search and arrest warrants, and capital offense bail matters.
Bittl has served as an instructor at the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy since 2023 and the Rhode Island State Police Academy, where she designs and teaches criminal procedure and law curriculum. She previously worked as an Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Providence. Bittl holds a Juris Doctor degree from Roger Williams University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Boston University. She is admitted to practice law in Rhode Island.
Arthur T. DeFelice, of Rhode Island, joins the office after serving as a Special Assistant Attorney General, where he prosecuted criminal matters through all phases of prosecution, from investigation and grand jury proceedings through trial and post-trial litigation. He has extensive experience managing complex investigations, preparing witnesses, leading multidisciplinary teams, and litigating pretrial motions.
DeFelice serves as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy Reserve Judge Advocate Corps, providing legal guidance on investigations, risk mitigation, ethics compliance, and operational matters. His prior military assignments include senior intelligence roles and service as Aide‑de‑Camp to the Commanding General of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, where he coordinated engagements with domestic and international partners.
DeFelice previously worked in civil litigation and served as a law clerk with the Rhode Island Superior Court. DeFelice holds a Juris Doctor degree from Roger Williams University School of Law, a Master of Arts in Defense and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Criminal Justice from the George Washington University. He is admitted to practice law in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and the District Court for the District of Rhode Island.
“These are two prosecutors who have already distinguished themselves through demanding public service,” said the First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles C. Calenda. “Alison brings deep experience in violent crime and frontline prosecutorial work in our state’s busiest courts, and Arthur adds extensive courtroom, investigative, and military leadership experience. Their skill sets are different but complementary, and together they will strengthen the work of our Criminal Division.”
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller Joins FBI and Federal, State, and Local Leaders to Announce Formation of GATOR Task Force to Fight Violent Crime and Drug Trafficking in Northwest LouisianaRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT — On September 28, 2026, in Shreveport, United States Attorney Zachary A. Keller and the FBI New Orleans Field Office hosted a press conference to announce the formation of the GATOR Task Force, a major new initiative to combat violent crime and drug trafficking in Northwest Louisiana.
Governor Jeff Landry and Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux were also in attendance.
U.S. Attorney Keller began the press conference by explaining that the newly launched GATOR Task Force—the Gun Crime Abatement and Targeted Offender Response Team—was initiated on July 9th, 2026, to confront violent crime through a unified, multi agency strategy. He emphasized that the Task Force is built around a core group of FBI Special Agents and FBI Task Force Officers from the Louisiana State Police, now working in coordination with every law enforcement agency in the region, including the Shreveport Police Department’s Violent Crimes Abatement Team, the Bossier, Caddo, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Offices, the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections, the Caddo Parish Juvenile Services, the Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office, and others.
Mr. Keller said the Task Force enhances already existing partnerships and provides a centralized, rapid response capability focused on the offenders that drive violence. He detailed significant early results since the inception of the Task Force that include approximately 65 arrests and eight federal indictments along with multiple ongoing federal investigations, with seizures of over 400 pounds of marijuana and THC products, more than 20 pounds of methamphetamine, 25 firearms, and four stolen vehicles, demonstrating the Task Force’s immediate impact on violent crime and drug trafficking networks. Mr. Keller also highlighted the GATOR Task Force’s work in recent months, including its involvement in investigating and federally prosecuting Tre’veon Jackson.
Following Mr. Keller’s remarks, several law enforcement leaders, including the Governor, provided brief comments underscoring their support for the Task Force and its mission. Speakers included:
o Governor Landry o Jonathan Tapp, Special Agent in Charge, FBI New Orleans Division o Joshua Jackson, Special Agent in Charge, ATF New Orleans Field Division o Frank Besson, Superintendent, Louisiana State Police o Wayne Smith, Chief, Shreveport Police Department o Henry Whitehorn, Sr., Caddo Parish Sheriff o James E. Stewart, Sr., Caddo Parish District Attorney
Each expressed appreciation and dedication to the unified approach. It was noted that the GATOR Task Force represents one of the strongest collaborative efforts to combat violent crime in the region.
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(337) 262-6704U.S. Assistant Special Agent in Charge Accused of Stealing Thousands in Fraudulent Disability PaymentsRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City, Utah, returned a four-count indictment charging an Assistant Special Agent in Charge for the United States Department of Agriculture Office of the Inspector General (USDA-OIG), with defrauding the United States out of more than $50,000 in disability pay.
USDA-OIGAccording to court documents, Michelle L. Bouziden, 44, of Ogden, Utah, suffered a concussion on the job in March 2026 but then, beginning around May 14, 2026, she falsely reported that ongoing symptoms left her totally disabled and unable to work. In filings with the Department of Labor Office of Workers’ Compensation Program, Bouziden sought disability pay claiming she was completely unable to engage in “arduous physical activity” and cognitive reasoning,” and could not perform any required work tasks such as: sitting, walking, standing, twisting, bending, squatting, kneeling, climbing, and operating a motor vehicle. Yet, Bouziden received disability payments as she simultaneously traveled internationally and actively pursued a high-endurance, athletic lifestyle.
Court filings allege Bouziden submitted documents to the Department of Labor indicating she was totally disabled and too symptomatic to return to work on the same day she flew to Italy to hike the Dolomites. Bouziden allegedly remained in Italy for two weeks, hiking over 50 miles and documenting her experience on social media. Prior to leaving, Bouziden allegedly canceled a Department of Labor appointment for a mandatory, independent second opinion medical evaluation claiming it conflicted with a “wellness retreat.”
The indictment alleges Bouziden received $51,571.73 in disability compensation.
USDA-OIGUnited States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah thanked federal law enforcement partners for their work on the case and emphasized her Office’s commitment to prosecuting fraud in federal benefits programs.
“Our federal law enforcement is filled with hardworking, dedicated employees who sacrifice to keep the people of Utah and this country safe,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Bouziden’s alleged fraud not only cheats taxpayers but is an affront to those hardworking federal employees who show up every day to fight fraud. My Office remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stamp out corruption and waste.”
Bouziden is charged with wire fraud, false reports for federal workers’ compensation benefits, obstruction of federal department and agency proceedings, and theft of government property. A four-day jury trial is scheduled for November 30, 2026, at the Orrin G. Hatch United States Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
The case is being investigated jointly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General (USDA-OIG), and U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG).
Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Gough of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud 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.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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bouziden.detentionmemo.pdf bouziden.indictment.pdfTwo New Haven Men Charged with Offenses Stemming from Armed Robbery of Convenience Stores in Hamden and East HavenRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging SHEROD MANICK, 25, and NYGERE EVANS, 21, both of New Haven, with offenses related to armed robberies in Hamden and East Haven earlier this year.
The indictment was returned on September 1, 2026. Evans, who was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on August 21, 2026, appeared today in New Haven federal court and pleaded not guilty to the charges. He has been detained since his arrest. Manick was arrested and arraigned on September 4, 2026, and is also detained.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in the early morning hours of March 16, 2026, Manick and Evans, brandishing and threatening to use firearms, robbed Dix Convenience located at 1586 Dixwell Avenue in Hamden. Manick and Evans stole approximately $600 in cash, approximately $500 in vape smoking devices, and cannabis products during the robbery. They then took a store employee’s car keys and fled the scene in his car. The vehicle was later located and recovered in New Haven.
It is further alleged that on April 3, 2026, Manick and Evans, brandishing and threatening to use firearms, robbed ZaZa City, a convenience store located at 855 Foxon Road in East Haven. Manick and Evans stole approximately $4,150 in cash and several cannabis products from the store and then fled on foot.
The indictment charges Manick and Evans with one count of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; two counts of interference with interstate commerce by robbery, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count; and two counts of carrying, using, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violent, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of at least seven years.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI New Haven Violent Crime Gang Task Force, the Hamden Police Department, the East Haven Police Department, and the New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Lembo and Rahul Kale.
Two Marion County Residents Charged with Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Ashley Dillard (22, Dunnellon) and Jahlique Debanairr Lawson (28, Ocala), a/k/a “Gang Gang,” have been charged by federal indictment with obstruction of the due administration of justice. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Dillard and Lawson are both currently detained pending the resolution of the case. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment, between August 11 and August 22, 2026, Dillard and Lawson, aiding and abetting each other, endeavored by threats and threatening communications to impede the due administration of justice in a pending federal criminal case in the Middle District of Florida. The indictment alleges that Dillard and Lawson committed the offense by intimidating, pressuring, and threatening an individual they perceived to be a witness in an attempt to influence and prevent the testimony of the perceived witness.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Three Ocala Men Charged with Distribution of Controlled Substances, Including Pounds of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – A federal grand jury has returned an 11-count superseding indictment charging Kelvin Leon McChriston (56, Ocala), a/k/a “Big Pole,” Jahlique Debanairr Lawson (28, Ocala), a/k/a “Gang Gang,” and Corey Jarrell Tavares Rocker (27, Ocala), a/k/a “Spin,” with distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
McChriston is charged in seven counts with distribution and possession with intent to distribute, or aiding and abetting the distribution and possession with intent to distribute, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine. If convicted on all counts, he faces a minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. Lawson is charged in four counts with distribution and possession with intent to distribute, or aiding and abetting the distribution and possession with intent to distribute, methamphetamine and fentanyl. If convicted on all counts, he faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 15 years, up to life, in federal prison due to having a qualifying prior conviction for a serious violent felony offense. Rocker is charged in one count with aiding and abetting the distribution and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. If convicted, he faces an enhanced minimum penalty of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison for having a prior conviction for a serious violent felony offense.
According to court records, between December 11, 2025, and July 27, 2026, 10 controlled purchases were made involving either methamphetamine, fentanyl, or cocaine, from McChriston, Lawson, or Rocker.
On December 11, 2025, Lawson and Rocker, aiding and abetting each other, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine. On December 18, 2025, Lawson distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 30 grams of methamphetamine. Lawson and McChriston, aiding and abetting each other, distributed and possessed with intent to distribute approximately 450 grams of methamphetamine, on December 23, 2025, and approximately 14 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl, on January 14, 2026.
McChriston then distributed and possessed with intent to distribute the following controlled substances: approximately 57 grams of methamphetamine and 16 grams of a mixture and substance containing cocaine on February 12, 2026; approximately 354 grams of methamphetamine on April 2, 2026; approximately 29 grams of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl on both May 12, 2026, and July 6, 2026; and approximately 434 grams of methamphetamine on July 27, 2026. McChriston is further charged with possessing with the intent to distribute a mixture and substance containing cocaine on August 11, 2026.
In 2016, Lawson was convicted of robbery with a firearm. He was released from the Florida Department of Corrections for that conviction in October 2025.
In 2022, Rocker was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was released from the Florida Department of Corrections for that conviction in November 2025.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Marion County Unified Drug Enforcement Strike Team. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Sarah Janette Swartzberg.
Three Men Federally Charged in Brutal Assault That Left Victim with Life-Threatening InjuriesRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – Three men are facing federal charges for allegedly beating a man with a sledgehammer and dumbbells, leaving him with life-threatening injuries.
According to court documents, on September 23, 2026, Craig Yazzie, 35, Angel Smith, 22, and Manualito Begay, 18, all enrolled members of the Navajo Nation, allegedly entered a residence in Nageezi, New Mexico, and assaulted a man with a sledgehammer and dumbbells, leaving him with life-threatening injuries.
Afterward, Yazzie and Smith encountered a family member nearby, and Yazzie allegedly told him they had beaten the victim and left him outside. The family member found the victim beneath a wooden structure near the residence, bleeding from his face and struggling to breathe.
The victim was airlifted to a local hospital, where medical personnel determined that he had suffered a collapsed lung, a head laceration, and multiple contusions.
Yazzie, Smith, and Begay were located at a residence in Bloomfield, New Mexico the following day and arrested.
Yazzie, Smith, and Begay are charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and assault resulting in serious bodily injury. They will remain in custody pending a detention hearing, which has not been scheduled. If convicted of the current charge, the defendants face up to 10 years in prison.
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 Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Nation Police Department and Navajo Nation Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eliot Neal 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.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced to Decade in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation Crimes & Firearm Possession by FelonRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Amontea Allen John Mitchell, 28, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to attempted enticement of a minor, attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor, 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: “Our state and federal law enforcement partners remain ever-vigilant to stay one step ahead of the sexual predators, like this defendant, who seek to sexually exploit and victimize kids online. Aggressively prosecuting these sick individuals and ensuring they remain locked away in prison is the best way we can ensure our kids stay safe, and that is exactly what I will ensure my office does in cases like this.”
Court documents reflect that in April 2026, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Tallahassee Police Department conducted an undercover operation to identify individuals using the internet to sexually exploit children. During the operation, the defendant responded to an online advertisement for a female escort and began communicating through text message with an undercover officer who was posing as a 15-year-old child. After the undercover officer told the defendant he was speaking to a 15-year-old female, the defendant proceeded to send an obscene photograph and asked the child to produce child pornography to send to him. The defendant ultimately expressed an interest in engaging in sex with the child. Law enforcement arrested the defendant near an arranged meeting location. Inside the defendant’s backpack, agents found three condoms and a firearm. The defendant is a felon with multiple prior felony convictions and is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm.
“Protecting children from those who seek to exploit them requires vigilance and collaboration,” said Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence Revell. “This investigation is an example of what can be accomplished when local and federal law enforcement agencies combine their resources and expertise. We will continue working alongside our partners to identify those who prey on children and protect the most vulnerable members of our community.”
Upon his release from federal prison, Mitchell will be required to serve five years of supervised release and register as a sex offender.
The conviction and sentence were the result of a joint investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, the Tallahassee Police Department, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Emma Schwan prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood and Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Childhood is 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.
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 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.
Two Michigan Men Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Wire FraudRead the Press Release
Malik Strodder, age 25, of Flint, Michigan, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison, and Dondrell Smith, age 25, of Mount Morris, Michigan, was sentenced to 35 months in federal prison for their roles in a scheme to defraud Walmart using fraudulent cash cards to obtain merchandise which they then subsequently returned for cash. U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson further sentenced both to serve three years of supervised release following their terms of imprisonment. Strodder was ordered to pay $180,676.53, and Smith was ordered to pay $167,802.52 in restitution.
According to court records, Strodder and Smith executed a nationwide scheme targeting Walmart stores. Using fraudulent “cash cards,” they attempted to purchase high-value items knowing the cards would decline. They then falsely claimed to be former Walmart employees and instructed cashiers to enter manual codes to process the transactions as cash payments - allowing them to get the items for free. They then used the resulting receipts to return the stolen merchandise for cash refunds at other Walmart locations. The scheme spanned more than 101 Walmart locations in more than 15 states, with an intended loss of over $340,000.
The scheme included fraudulent activity in which Strodder and Smith conducted seven fraudulent transactions at Walmart in Gonzales, Louisiana, stealing more than $6,500 in merchandise and returning the items for cash the next day at Walmart stores in and around Broussard, Louisiana.
At sentencing, Strodder admitted that he spent the proceeds on luxury clothing and vehicles, which he later wrecked and totaled.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the Department of Homeland Security Investigations and the Gonzales Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mallory Richard and Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as a Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division.
Stamford Man Charged in Stolen U.S. Treasury Check SchemeRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that BRADLEIGH RIVAL, 23, of Stamford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with offenses stemming from his alleged role in a conspiracy involving the theft, altering, and negotiating of U.S. Treasury checks stolen from the U.S. Mail.
As alleged in court documents, in 2024, the Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force began an investigation after learning that several social security checks issued to individuals in Connecticut and New York had been stolen from the mail. The investigation revealed that more than 100 stolen U.S. Treasury checks with a total value of several hundred thousand dollars had been deposited into the bank account of one individual. Rival had exchanged Apple Cash payments with the bank account holder, and was identified as a participant in a conspiracy to acquire checks stolen from the mail, “wash” or alter the named payee on the checks, deposit them into bank accounts of individuals they recruited, and withdraw the stolen funds at ATMs, through mobile apps, by making purchases at stores with cash back capabilities, or by using debit cards to purchase U.S. Postal Service money orders. Analysis of Rival’s social media accounts has revealed included numerous photos of Rival in possession of large amounts of cash stolen during the scheme.
On September 16, 2026, Rival was arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging him with bank fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years, theft or possession of stolen mail, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and aggravated identity theft, an offense that carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years. He is currently released on a $200,000 bond.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Connecticut Organized Financial Fraud Task Force (CUTOFF), the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs Office of the Inspector General, and the Stamford Police Department. The CUTOFF Task Force includes personnel from the Stamford, Westport, West Haven, and Bridgeport Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel E. Cummings.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (“Fraud 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.