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14 April 2026
Gainesville Man Sentenced to over Twelve Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Voluminous Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Gainesville, Florida – Daniel Reginald Hanna, II, 38, of Gainesville, Florida, was sentenced to twelve and a half years in federal prison on charges related to receipt and possession of child pornography. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida announced the charges.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “The possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material are heinous crimes that have the effect of re-victimizing the innocent children who were sexually exploited every time the horrific images and videos of their abuse are shared. This sentence reflects the gravity of these crimes, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute predators like this defendant to ensure we achieve justice for the victims of child sexual abuse and, ultimately, prevent future victimization from occurring.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant maintained a significant and disturbing collection of child pornography. While executing a search warrant at the defendant’s residence in March 2025, law enforcement located numerous electronic devices that contained child sex abuse material, including 163 videos in a folder entitled “Kids,” and over 2,500 images of child pornography on two cell phones.
Following his release from prison, Hanna will be on supervised release for 12 years and is required to register as a sex offender.
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that crimes involving the exploitation of children will be met with unwavering accountability,” said Chief Moya, Gainesville Police Department. “I want to commend the investigators, prosecutors, and partnering agencies whose dedication and persistence ensured that this individual was brought to justice. Protecting children remains one of our highest priorities. We will continue to use every resource available to identify offenders, support victims, and prevent these crimes from occurring.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Gainesville Police Department’s Internet Crimes Against Children Unit and Homeland Security Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam Hapner.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Former Placerville Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing and Tampering with the Narcotic Medications of United States Military VeteransRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Carrie Wallace, 47, of Pollock Pines, pleaded guilty Monday to tampering with a consumer product and mail theft by a postal employee, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, Wallace used her position as a U.S. Postal Service employee to access and steal mail parcels containing prescription medication and vape products. She intentionally targeted packages sent by the Department of Veterans Affairs to its patients because those packages generally contained narcotic medications. Wallace cut into the packages, opened the prescription narcotics medication bottles, stole the medication and replaced it with over-the-counter medication, retaped the packages and placed them back in the mail stream to be delivered to the intended recipients. Multiple veteran victims consumed the tampered medication, putting them at risk of injury for taking incorrectly dispensed drugs. Due to Wallace’s medication theft and tampering, veteran victims experienced extreme pain, increased agitation, anger, and other mental health symptoms.
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and the VA Police Department conducted the investigation. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole Moody is prosecuting the case.
Wallace is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on Aug. 10, 2026. Wallace faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
Former Connecticut Tax Preparer Sentenced to 18 Months in PrisonRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DIANA MILLER-LLOYD, also known as “Diana Rabin” and “Diana Lloyd,” 45, of Port Orange, Florida, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment and one year of supervised release for preparing numerous false tax returns.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Miller-Lloyd formerly resided in Middlefield and operated Lloyd Forenzique & Accounting Services Corporation, a tax return preparation business in Connecticut. She established the business in 2017 in Windsor, and subsequently moved it to Branford in 2019 and to Guilford in 2021. Before 2017, Miller-Lloyd provided tax preparation services under the business name Lloyd Forensic & Accounting Services. Miller-Lloyd routinely obtained substantial federal tax refunds for her clients, many of whom had annual incomes exceeding $500,000, by disregarding information provided by the clients and their employers, and by fabricating and improperly deducting charitable contributions and business expenses, including advertising, repairs and maintenance, travel, meals, utilities, insurance, and legal services.
As a result of these fraudulent deductions, for the 2016 through 2021 tax years, Miller-Lloyd attempted to obtain for her clients at least $1,062,293 in either fraudulent refunds or fraudulent reductions on owed tax payments. The IRS detected apparent fraudulent activity on several of the filed returns before refund monies were paid, resulting in an actual loss to the government of $472,913.
In addition, Miller-Lloyd at times used the professional credentials of another person, who was a certified public accountant, to defend filed returns when audited by the IRS.
Judge Nagala ordered Miller-Lloyd to pay to the IRS restitution of $467,717.
On October 1, 2025, Miller-Lloyd pleaded guilty to two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false and fraudulent income tax returns.
In 2010, Miller-Lloyd was convicted in New York for grand larceny related to the preparation of false tax returns.
Miller-Lloyd, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 13.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Florida Nursing Assistant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.
Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.
“Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
“This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.”
“By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.”
After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
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Florida Nursing Assistant Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for $11.4M Health Care Fraud Scheme Targeting Medicare BeneficiariesRead the Press Release
A Florida nursing assistant was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison and two years of supervised release for his role in an $11.4 million health care fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in which hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries were sent thousands of orthotic braces they did not need. Cruz was also ordered to pay $3,712,345.70 in restitution and $724,871 in forfeiture.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Christian “Chris” Cruz, 45, of Pompano Beach, Florida, owned and operated a durable medical equipment (DME) supplier based in Florida through which he submitted millions of dollars in false claims to Medicare for medically unnecessary orthotic braces.
Cruz and his co-conspirator paid illegal kickbacks and bribes to obtain signed doctors’ orders. They used these orders to ship orthotic braces to Medicare beneficiaries nationwide and then claim payment from Medicare, including to beneficiaries who neither requested nor needed the braces. Cruz lied to Medicare, claiming that he was the sole owner and operator of the company, when in fact he shared ownership in the company with his co-conspirator, a convicted felon. Medicare would not have allowed the company to enroll with Medicare if it had known about Cruz’s co-conspirator. The co-conspirator has been charged but remains at large.
Cruz received several hundred thousand dollars to his personal bank account from the fraudulent scheme that he frequently withdrew in cash on consecutive days at different bank branches in South Florida, often in amounts just under the bank reporting threshold of $10,000.
“Medical professionals have a trusted role in American society, and when they betray that trust and engage in fraud, the Justice Department will hold them fully accountable,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
“This was a deliberate health care fraud scheme built on lies, bribes, and abuse of the Medicare system,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “The defendant helped obtain signed doctors’ orders through illegal kickbacks, shipped braces people did not need, and then billed the government for more than $11.4 million in fraudulent claims. He also concealed the true ownership of the company and structured cash withdrawals to hide the proceeds. Yesterday’s sentence of nine years, along with restitution and financial penalties, sends a simple message: fraud does not pay. If you steal from Medicare, you will go to prison and you will be made to pay that money back.”
“By misusing Medicare beneficiaries’ information to enrich himself, this defendant betrayed the trust placed in health care providers,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence demonstrates how the strength of HHS-OIG partnerships with fellow law enforcement agencies allows us to successfully detect and disrupt such complex health care fraud schemes and reinforces that those who attempt to exploit federal health care programs will face serious consequences.”
After a six-day trial in January 2026, a federal jury convicted Cruz of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, four counts of health care fraud, one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements relating to health care matters and three counts of structuring.
FBI and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Owen Dunn of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sterling Paulson for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
Florida Man Charged with Running Multi-State Ponzi SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man was arrested today for allegedly defrauding investors who believed they were funding short-term, high-return loans for real estate transactions or storm damage repair.
Jose Bello, 38, was charged with four counts of wire fraud. He made an initial appearance in the Southern District of Florida and will be arraigned in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging document, Bello told investors that he worked with a group that would invest its money in short-term financing that Bello variously referred to as “private lending,” “gator lending” or “hard-money lending.” It is alleged that Bello recruited investors through friends and family and over Facebook and Discord. Bello allegedly gave investors fake descriptions of the investment opportunities and claimed that the loans were for repairs caused by storm damage. It is alleged, however, that Bello did not invest any of the funds he received from victim investors. Instead, Bello allegedly used the money to pay purported returns to earlier investors and otherwise gambled with investor funds. It is further alleged that Bello made false statements and excuses to investors as to why he had not made promised interest payments and/or could not return the investors’ principal. It is alleged that Bello obtained at least $5.7 million from investors and caused them to lose at least $1.8 million in purported investments.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David M. Holcomb of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
First of two violent ATM bank robbers sentenced to ten years in prisonRead the Press Release
Seattle – A 24-year-old Texas man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to ten years in prison for a string of violent bank robberies, announced First Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Neil Floyd. Seth Coles-Body, of Houston pleaded guilty in February 2026 to four counts of bank robbery and two counts of attempted bank robbery for his role in a scheme to steal from banks by assaulting and threatening ATM technicians. At today’s sentencing hearing U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said, Coles-Body “was enjoying a criminal life… The conduct was driven by greed and an appetite for money without considering the overall community.”
“This defendant targeted ordinary, hardworking citizens who were simply doing their job, and who now have to live with the fear and trauma that comes from being ambushed and beaten in their workplace,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. “Mr. Coles-Body used increasing violence as time went on. Even after several law enforcement encounters, he never slowed down, instead he celebrated his robberies on social media. This significant sentence is warranted.”
“For months, Mr. Coles-Body and his co-defendant committed a series of increasingly brazen and violent robberies across the United States, including in multiple locations in the state of Washington,” said W. Mike Herrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle field office. “They badly injured repair technicians just trying to do their jobs and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars. I commend the hard work of the FBI Seattle, Phoenix, and Houston field offices, along with state law enforcement partners nationwide, in bringing these thieves to justice.”
Coles-Body, 24, and Ahmon Hogg, 23, of Humble, Texas, were identified as part of a robbery ring operating across the country. The men would disable ATM machines, and when the technician showed up to fix the machine, they would threaten or assault the technician to steal the cash containers, called cassettes, from the ATM.
In December 2024, the pair worked together to disable ATMs on December 23 and 24, when the machines would be loaded with cash for the Christmas holiday. The coconspirators disabled a Bank of America ATM in Renton, Washington. After the technician arrived and began repairing the machine, he was forcibly confronted by Hogg and Coles-Body who brandished a screwdriver and demanded he open the machine and provide them with the cash cassettes. The technician did not open the machine, and after a scuffle, the technician was able to escape.
The next day in Vancouver, Washington, a technician was sent to repair a Bank of America ATM on SE Mill Plain Boulevard. As the technician started repairs, Hogg and Coles-Body ran up and intimidated the victim and grabbed five cash cassettes filled with currency. The men fled in a car that matched one seen the previous day in connection with the attempted robbery in Renton.
The defendants also admitted they had disabled a Bank of America ATM in Battle Ground, Washington, that same day.
While the investigations were ongoing in Washington, Hogg and Coles-Body were identified in connection with ATM tampering cases on January 3, 2025, in the Phoenix, Arizona area. ATMs for Bank of America and Wells Fargo had been tampered with like the Washington ATMs. Hogg and Coles-Body were stopped by Phoenix law enforcement while attempting to rob one of the ATMs they had disabled.
On March 7, 2025, the defendants committed another robbery at Bank of America in Redmond, Washington. An ATM repair technician was working on the machine that had been disabled by Hogg and Coles-Body. Once the machine was open, two robbers ran up and stole cash canisters filled with money from the machine. Five of the canisters were later recovered, damaged, on the shoulder of highway 520. A few days later, Coles-Body was stopped by U.S. Border Patrol with approximately $209,000 in cash. The cash was seized, and Coles-Body was released.
In May 2025, Hogg and Coles-Body were back in Houston, where they reside, and committed another robbery of a Wells Fargo. A repair technician had the machine open to make repairs, and Coles-Body rushed the technician and caused injuries. The men stole about $117,000 from the machine and abandoned their car a short distance away.
In June 2025, the men traveled to Oregon and disabled ATMs in Tigard and Hillsboro. While in the area, the men robbed an ATM customer who had just used a different machine.
Hogg and Coles-Body then drove from Oregon to Maine and on June 30, 2025, they disabled a Bank of America ATM in South Portland, Maine. While the technician was making repairs the men rushed and beat the technician, stealing $47,000 from the Bank of America.
The men left Maine and drove across the country to Jackson, Mississippi where they were arrested in a traffic stop. They had stolen firearms and significant amounts of cash in the car.
Both men have agreed to pay restitution to the victims currently determined to be $768,900.
The sentencing resolves all the cases in Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, Maine, and Mississippi.
Speaking in court today and asking for the high-end ten-year sentence, Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell said, “These were hands-on robberies carried out with violence and intimidation…. No place in the country was off limits, and this was fun for him. There was no remorse – this was a source of pride and celebration.”
Coles-Body will be on three years of supervised release following his prison term.
The case was investigated by the Vancouver, Phoenix, and Houston offices of the FBI and state law enforcement, the Columbia River Organized Crime Task Force, and state law enforcement partners in Hillsboro Oregon, Battleground, Washington, and Jackson, Mississippi. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McDowell, with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Offices in Phoenix and Houston.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney, FBI SAC Warn Residents of Scam CallsRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division, Ian Kaufmann, warn residents of scam calls being made in the Western District of Virginia.
Callers have reported receiving multiple phone calls from numbers not associated with the United States Attorney’s Office, or other government agencies, but manipulated to appear legitimate. The fraudulent callers demand payment and threaten to “kick down their doors.”
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia will not contact citizens demanding money or personal information. If someone receives such a call or email, they should not provide any personal information, credit card numbers, prepaid cards or money.
Federal authorities do not call victims of crimes or suspects of crimes and ask for money or personal identifying information over the telephone. If you receive a similar call or email, please contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov immediately.
Fentanyl Traffickers Sentenced in Federal CourtRead the Press Release
MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – Two people have been sentenced for fentanyl and methamphetamine offenses in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Courtney Stewart, 30, of Piedmont, West Virginia, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison. Stewart worked with Nelson Anthony Zambito to sell methamphetamine and fentanyl in Mineral County and elsewhere. Zambito was Stewart’s drug supplier. Zambito’s home was searched, and officers seized nearly 29 grams of meth and nearly 1 gram of fentanyl. Zambito pled guilty in October 2025. He will be sentenced at a later date.
In a separate case, Crystal Lyn Lewis, 36, of Martinsburg, West Virginia, was sentenced to 40 months for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Lewis worked with Delano Butler and others to sell fentanyl and other controlled substances in the Eastern Panhandle. The drug operation investigation yielded 30,000 to 40,000 press fentanyl pills, along with 14 firearms, and other illegal drugs. Butler pled guilty on April 10, 2026. He is awaiting sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the cases on behalf of the government.
Investigative agencies include the Potomac Highlands Drug task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, including the Pittsburgh, San Francisco, San Juan, and Philadelphia Field Offices; United States Marshals Service; Homeland Security Investigations; United States Postal Service; Drug Enforcement Administration, the Louisville and Chicago Divisions; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; West Virginia State Police; Martinsburg Police Department; Ranson Police Department; Charles Town Police Department; Berkeley County Sheriff's Office; Jefferson County Sheriff's Office; West Virginia Air National Guard; Mineral County Sheriff's Office; Grant County Sheriff's Office; Hampshire County Sheriff's Department; Keyser Police Department; Northwest Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia; Pennsylvania State Police; Franklin County Sheriff's Office, Pennsylvania; Winchester Police Department, Virginia; Frederick County Sheriff's Office, Virginia; Virginia State Police; Sunnyvale Police Department, California.
Fentanyl has been designated by President Donald Trump as a weapon of mass destruction due to its extreme lethality which poses a grave threat to public safety, even in trace amounts. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
Federal Jury Convicts Porcupine Man of Assault and Witness Tampering ChargesRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced that a federal jury has convicted Jimmy Pilcher, age 49, of Porcupine, South Dakota, of Assault by Strangulation and Suffocation, three counts of Assault Resulting in Substantial Bodily Injury to a Spouse, Intimate Partner, or Dating Partner, Assault with a Dangerous Weapon, and Witness Tampering, following a three-day jury trial in federal district court in Rapid City, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on April 9, 2026.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of sentence of 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine, and a $600 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Pilcher was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2026.
During the wintertime of 2024, Pilcher began a romantic relationship with the victim. Shortly after their relationship started, Pilcher began controlling the victim by monitoring her communications with others. When Pilcher started to lose control of his victim, he began assaulting her and using other forms of mental and emotional manipulation on her. In July 2025, Pilcher saw a picture of the victim with another male and accused her of cheating on him. Pilcher became enraged and punched the victim in the face and stomach and pulled her hair. He used his knee to continuously strike the victim’s upper leg and outer thigh/hip area. Pilcher then strangled the victim over a kitchen sink. This strangulation caused the victim to see flashes of light and impeded her ability to breathe. The next day she received medical attention at Indian Health Services, and the staff observed injuries consistent with abuse, including bruising around her neck.
In October 2025, Pilcher assaulted the same victim in the head and face inside a truck in rural Pine Ridge. Witnesses intervened and were able to get the victim away from Pilcher. The Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety responded to the scene and arrested Pilcher. Following his arrest, Pilcher began contacting the victim from within the jail. Pilcher was able to convince the victim not to show up for court and was eventually released from jail. A tribal protection order was, however, still in effect.
On December 5, 2025, in violation of the protection order, Pilcher took the victim inside his truck and drove to a field away from his residence. While inside the truck, Pilcher accused her of cheating on him with another male. Pilcher dragged the victim across the seat, threw her out of the truck, and pulled her up by her hair. During this beating, Pilcher struck the victim in the face, hit her in the back of the head, punched and kicked her with shod feet, and strangled her. During the beating, Pilcher threatened to kill her and her family. The victim was able to get away from Pilcher and got a ride to her house. Pilcher was eventually arrested by law enforcement.
After his arrest, Pilcher contacted the victim from the jail in Pine Ridge. Pilcher attempted to persuade the victim into not pursuing charges and pleaded with her not to report the full extent of the abuse. Pilcher told the victim and his sister that he had spoken with law enforcement and was aware that his case was under federal investigation.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian country be prosecuted in federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Megan Poppen prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered and sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Fayette County Man Previously Convicted of Violating Clean Water Act Pleads Guilty to Filing False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Michael Graves, 70, of Charlton Heights, pleaded guilty today to filing a false tax return. Graves admitted to causing tax losses totaling $266,053.00 by underreporting his income.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on November 15, 2021, Graves filed a Form 1040, U.S. Individual Tax Return for tax year 2016 listing his income as $816.00. As part of his guilty plea, Graves admitted that he filed a false return and that his corrected tax income for 2016 was approximately $427,256.00. Graves further admitted that his false tax return resulted in a tax loss to the Internal Revenue Service of approximately $125,285.00.
Graves also admitted that he falsely listed his annual income as $816.00 on tax returns for years 2017 to 2020, underreporting his income by a total of approximately $608,163.00 and wrongfully withholding $140,768.00 from the U.S. Treasury Department.
Graves is scheduled to be sentenced on July 30, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.00. Graves also owes $266,053.00 in restitution.
During the time period, Graves owned and operated West Virginia Environmental Services, Inc. (WVES). Graves and WVES were paid over $9.8 million from 2006 to 2020 to accept industrial waste at a Fayette County landfill and treat the resulting contaminated liquid or leachate. On February 22, 2023, Graves pleaded guilty as an individual and on behalf of WVES to violating the Clean Water Act, admitting they failed to maintain the landfill’s leachate collection for several years beginning in at least 2016. This failure by Graves and WVES caused the discharge of toxic pollutants including arsenic, hexavalent chromium, and selenium into Jarrett Branch, a tributary that flows into the Kanawha River near Alloy. On December 21, 2023, Graves was sentenced to one year of incarceration, to be served on home confinement as part of a five-year term of federal probation, and fined $10,000.00 WVES was fined $500,000.00 and placed on corporate probation for three years.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI). The Criminal Investigative Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection investigated the Clean Water Act violations, which brought the false tax returns to light.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
United States District Judge Thomas E. Johnston presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-31.
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Fayette County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Braden Robertson, 30, of Oak Hill, pleaded guilty today to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 6, 2024, Robertson possessed a Ruger model Wrangler .22-caliber revolver, a Colt model Buntline Scout .22-caliber revolver, a Ruger model Blackhawk .45-caliber revolver, a Sar Arms model SARB6P Hawk 9mm pistol, and an Excam model GT27 .25-caliber pistol.
Federal law prohibits a person with a prior felony conviction from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Robertson knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm because of his prior felony convictions for conspiracy to commit a felony and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance on July 30, 2018, in Fayette County Circuit Court.
Robertson is scheduled to be sentenced on July 28, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Four of the firearms possessed by Robertson were stolen from a Fayette County pawn shop. On July 4, 2024, Jawuan Akil Watts and other individuals broke into the pawn shop on three occasions while the business was closed and stole 33 firearms, ammunition, coins, and a gaming console. Watts traded, sold, or gave many of the firearms to others in the Oak Hill community including individuals with felony convictions. On July 6, 2024, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence of Lesley Scott Watkins and found three firearms during the search, including two that were stolen from the pawn shop. Sixteen of the stolen firearms have not been recovered.
On December 4, 2025, Watts, 32, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to eight years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and Watkins, 50, of Oak Hill, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, each for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Oak Hill Police Department.
Senior United States District Judge David A. Faber presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney D. Keith Randolph is prosecuting the case.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-23.
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FBI Arrests Two Men on Child Exploitation ChargesRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Today, FBI special agents arrested two men on criminal charges related to child exploitation conduct.
A federal grand jury indicted Elid Jesuel Pizarro-Morales on April 9, 2026, with six counts of sexual exploitation of children, receipt of child exploitation material, and possession of child exploitation material. According to court documents, Pizarro-Morales, 22, from Carolina, created and used an internet based social application account to communicate with male minors and solicited the male minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct to obtain sexually explicit images and videos.
In November 2025, the defendant induced, enticed and coerced four male minors, two 14 year old minors, a 12 year old minor, and a 13 year old minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce child pornography. From August 2023 through February 2026, Pizarro-Morales knowingly possessed, and accessed with intent to view material containing images of child pornography, including child pornography of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age, using an Apple iPad.
If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
In a separate case, Miguel Ángel Marquez-Rosario, a 43 year old man from San Juan, was arrested today by FBI agents for child exploitation. On April 9, 2026, a federal grand jury indicted Marquez-Rosario with two counts of transportation of child exploitation material and possession of child exploitation material.
According to the indictment, from February 2026 through March 2026, the defendant knowingly used electronic devices for possession and access with intent to view images of child exploitation material, including of a prepubescent minor or a minor who had not attained 12 years of age.
If convicted, Marquez-Rosario faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
“There’s no greater priority than safeguarding our children from those who seek to exploit or harm them,” said W. Stephen Muldrow, United States Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to continuing our joint efforts with our state, local, and federal partners to locate these offenders and ensure that they are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Crimes against children are among the most serious violations we investigate,” said Carlos R. Goris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s San Juan Field Office. “The consumption of child sexual abuse material feeds a despicable industry that exploits innocent children. Every child deserves safety, and we won’t rest until every offender faces the full weight of federal law.”
The FBI is investigating the cases.
AUSA Emelina M. Agrait-Barreto of the Child Exploitation and Immigration Unit is prosecuting both cases.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Drug dealer known as ‘Panda’ sentenced to more than 11 years in prisonRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Patricia Flesch, 36, of Columbus, was sentenced in U.S. District Court today to 135 months in prison for conspiring to traffic bulk amounts of narcotics.
According to court documents, Flesch, who is also known as “Panda,” was a well-known mid-level drug dealer in central Ohio. Between September 2020 and June 2023, she distributed fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine to local users and other dealers in the Columbus area.
As part of her narcotics conspiracy, Flesch used houses and motels throughout the region to store drugs and facilitate drug transactions. She ran several drug premises and, at one time, was coordinating the delivery of 10 to 15 pounds of methamphetamine weekly from a source in Texas, according to her Facebook account.
Some of the drug premises included Flesch’s apartment on Hilton Avenue and other residences on Franshire Drive, East 14th Avenue and Helen Street. Law enforcement observed Flesch travel to different motels in Columbus and back to Helen Street nearly 440 times between March 16 and April 6, 2023.
Flesch was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2024 and pleaded guilty in October 2025 to conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine.
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 sentence imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Watson. Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, and the Columbus and Pickerington police departments also coordinated throughout the investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz and Jennifer M. Rausch are representing the United States in this case.
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Drug Dealer Sentenced in Two Separate Federal CasesRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A Tulsa drug dealer was sentenced in two separate federal cases for distributing drugs throughout the Northern District of Oklahoma, announced U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.
U.S. District Judge Sara E. Hill sentenced Tony Eugene Bahe, 38, for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, and Possession of a Firearm while Drug Trafficking. He was ordered to 180 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. In the second case, Bahe was sentenced for Drug Conspiracy. He was ordered to concurrently serve 120 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in November 2024, Tulsa Police officers executed two search warrants on homes they believed Bahe was using for drug distribution. During the execution of his home in south Tulsa, officers found Bahe with a loaded firearm in his pocket. During a search of the residence, officers recovered 8 grams of fentanyl, more than 50 grams of methamphetamine broken down for distribution, drug scales, and additional drug distribution paraphernalia.
While searching the second home located in north Tulsa, officers recovered more than 15 kilograms of methamphetamine, ballistic body armor, digital scales, and additional items used for drug distribution. A K-9 conducted an open-air sniff on Bahe’s truck and alerted its handler that drugs were present. Officers searched the vehicle and found an additional 24 kilograms of methamphetamine in the truck.
While searching both homes, officers seized more than 22 guns from the properties. Court records show that Bahe has been convicted of several felonies that make it unlawful for him to possess a firearm and ammunition.
In Bahe’s second indictment, he admitted to conspiring with several others to distribute bulk quantities of methamphetamine throughout the Tulsa community. Once Bahe obtained a large quantity, he would break it down for individual sale.
Bahe is a member of the Cherokee Nation and will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The Tulsa Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration Tulsa Resident Office, Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Marshal Service, and the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics investigated the cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tyson McCoy prosecuted the case.
Dallas mechanic sentenced to lengthy prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Dallas auto mechanic has been sentenced to a lengthy federal prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Jose Cruz Badillo-Rivera, 50, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III on April 14, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in January of 2020, an on-going drug trafficking investigation in the Eastern District of Texas identified Badillo-Rivera as a multi-kilogram methamphetamine distributor who was negotiating drug transactions at his Dallas automotive mechanic shop.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Collin County man sentenced to 15 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking meth and cocaine in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A McKinney man has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Eraldo Orozco-Fernandez, 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant III on April 14, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on March 31, 2023, Orozco-Fernandez was stopped for a traffic violation in McKinney. A search of the vehicle during the stop revealed approximately 3.76 kilograms of cocaine, a firearm, and over $2,800 in cash. A search of Orozco-Fernandez’s McKinney residence yielded another eight kilograms of methamphetamine, approximately one kilogram of cocaine and $6,000 in U.S. currency. Orozco-Fernandez admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing methamphetamine and cocaine in the Eastern District of Texas.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Collin County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Cleveland Income Tax Preparer Charged with Filing False ReturnsRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 46-year-old woman has been arrested for her role in preparing and filing false federal income tax returns on behalf of her clients.
Sherita Booker, of Cleveland, was charged by criminal complaint on April 9 for Aiding or Assisting in the Preparation of False and Fraudulent Federal Income Tax Returns.
According to court documents, she learned to prepare returns while working at a national tax return preparation company from about June 2016 to April 2017. Thereafter, she started her own tax return preparation business under different entity names, as well as her own name.
During the investigation, agents discovered that when Booker prepared tax returns for clients, she allegedly attached fraudulent Schedule C documents (used to indicate business profit and losses) to clients’ Form 1040—even though the clients did not own businesses. Booker also employed other schemes to avoid tax due and owing to the IRS by her clients.
If convicted, Booker faces up to three years in prison per count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Services-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Brenna L. Fasko and Elliot Morrison for the Northern District of Ohio are leading the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
About IRS-CI
IRS Criminal Investigation is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 19 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad.
Chinese National Servicemember Indicted for Conspiring and Attempting to Obstruct an InvestigationRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — A federal grand jury in Charleston returned a two-count indictment, presented by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, charging Yuan Li, 35, a Chinese national residing in the United States, for conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The indictment alleges that Li joined the United States Navy in January 2022 after previously being discharged from the Army. During his time in the Navy, Li completed an Application for Naturalization to apply for U.S. citizenship. Li did not answer whether he had been discharged other than honorable from the military and listed a fraudulent address in San Fransico as his current residence.
During an investigation into housing allowance fraud and assault, investigators discovered Li communicated with a foreign national on the Chinese social media app Red Note. The foreign national sought to purchase information from Li in his capacity as a service member. When Li learned he was under investigation, he instructed an accomplice to delete various messaging apps from his phone and restore his electronic devices to their factory settings, which would have resulted in the destruction of all records and content of Li’s contact with the foreign national.
Li faces a maximum penalty of five years for the conspiracy charge and 20 years for the obstruction charge. He is currently detained pending trial. He was arrested in Florida on March 6 and appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Mary Gordon Baker for arraignment on the indictment on April 13.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Kittrell is prosecuting the case.
All charges in the indictment are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.###
Charlottesville Man Sentenced for Promoting Commercial Sex RingRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A Charlottesville, Virginia man, who posted hundreds of online advertisements for commercial sex, booked hotel rooms and transported women for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, was sentenced yesterday to 8 years in federal prison.
Brian Lamont Turner, 45, pled guilty in November 2025 to one count of promoting, managing, establishing and facilitating prostitution and one count of transporting for purpose of prostitution.
According to court documents, on multiple occasions throughout 2023 and 2024, Turner caused multiple adult victims to travel from the Commonwealth of Virginia to the States of North Carolina and South Carolina for the purpose of engaging in prostitution and other sexual activity.
To facilitate these activities, Turner posted commercial sex advertisements online, booked hotel rooms where the women stayed and engaged in commercial sex, and communicated with customers to set-up commercial sex “dates.” Turner received some, if not all, of the commercial sex proceeds.
In addition, Turned posted hundreds of commercial sex advertisements for the eight identified adult victims in this case between October 2018 and January 2024, for which he financially profited.
Additionally, all the identified victims in this case suffered from some form of drug addiction, an addiction that was fueled by drugs supplied by Turner.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean Welsh and Keith Parrella prosecuted the case for the United States.
Carver Man Arrested on Federal Dogfighting ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Carver, Mass., man has been arrested and charged in connection with his alleged participation in a multi-year dogfighting conspiracy involving the breeding, training and fighting of dogs, as well as related animal cruelty and illegal gambling activities.
Corey Elliott, 49, has been charged with conspiring to participate in an animal fighting venture in violation of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Elliott was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, Elliott allegedly participated in a long-running dogfighting conspiracy spanning several years and involving the breeding, training and fighting of dogs, as well as related gambling and animal cruelty offenses.
Specifically, it is alleged that Elliott and a co-conspirator operated a dogfighting venture, at times using the kennel name “The No Name Gang,” through which they possessed, bred, trained and fought dogs for sport and profit. The defendant and his co-conspirator allegedly maintained a close partnership over a period of years, during which they communicated extensively about dogfighting activities, including arranging fights, discussing outcomes, placing wagers and coordinating the acquisition, sale and conditioning of dogs for fighting purposes.
Charging documents further allege that Elliott was directly involved in organizing and hosting dogfighting events, including at his residence in Carver, Mass., and assisted in constructing dogfighting pits and kennel structures designed to house and condition dogs for fighting. Elliott and his co-conspirator allegedly discussed plans for specific fights, including the dogs to be used, the location and timing of the events and preparations necessary to conduct the fights.
It is further alleged that Elliott engaged in acts of animal cruelty in furtherance of the conspiracy, including training dogs to fight, subjecting dogs to violent encounters and culling dogs that did not meet desired performance standards. Elliott also allegedly discussed disposing of deceased animals and, at times, taking steps to conceal evidence of dogfighting activity.
According to the charging documents, Elliott and his co-conspirator also took steps to avoid law enforcement detection. These efforts allegedly included the use of coded language when discussing dogfighting activities, concealing dogs from public view, advising one another on how to avoid scrutiny from law enforcement and animal control authorities and relocating dogs to avoid potential seizure.
Searches of the co-conspirator’s residence in June 2023 resulted in the seizure of multiple pit bull-type dogs and evidence consistent with dogfighting activity, including veterinary supplies, training equipment and implements associated with dogfighting. Analysis of electronic devices seized revealed numerous videos and communications related to dogfighting, allegedly including messages between Elliott and his co-conspirator spanning several years.
In June 2025, during a search of Elliott’s residence in Carver, Mass., multiple pit bull-type dogs were seized from an outdoor kennel area. According to the charging documents, several of the dogs exhibited scarring consistent with dogfighting. It is further alleged that multiple items consistent with dogfighting activity were also recovered, including dog pedigrees, harnesses, leashes, syringes and veterinary medications, as well as equipment used to train and condition dogs.
To report animal fighting crimes, please contact your local law enforcement or the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Office of Inspector General complaint hotline at: https://usdaoig.oversight.gov/hotline or 1-800-424-9121.
The charge of conspiring to participate in an animal fighting venture provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; Geoffrey D. Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Joseph F. King, Director of the Animal Rescue League of Boston – Law Enforcement Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Massachusetts State Police; Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Law Enforcement Division; Homeland Security Investigations; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; United States Marshals Service; Maine State Police; New Hampshire State Police; Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor; Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and the Acton, Boston, Carver and Hanson Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Burleson man sentenced to lengthy federal prison sentence as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of TexasRead the Press Release
SHERMAN, Texas –A Burleson man has been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison as part of the Homeland Security Task Force for trafficking fentanyl in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Zachary Don Mathis, 32, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant, III on April 14, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in March of 2022, Mathis was identified during a drug trafficking investigation involving the distribution of fentanyl-laced pills in the Eastern District of Texas. Mathis admitted to being involved in a conspiracy responsible for distributing at least 4 kilograms of a mixture containing fentanyl which he would provide to others for further distribution in the Eastern District of Texas.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
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Buffalo man pleads guilty to his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Steven Hoskins, 44, of Buffalo, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr. to conspiracy to distribute cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life, and a fine of $10,000,000.
According to the plea agreement, between December 2022 and November 2024, Hoskins conspired with others to coordinate the shipment of cocaine from California to Buffalo through the mail and through the use of secret compartments in vehicles that were transported across the country. Hoskins would obtain anywhere between five and 50 kilograms of cocaine a month, which he would sell and distribute in the Western District of New York. On three separate occasions in July, August and September 2023, Hoskins delivered drug proceeds totaling $439,840.00 to an individual he believed was a member of the drug trafficking organization but was in fact an individual working with law enforcement. Hoskins distributed over 450 kilograms of cocaine throughout this conspiracy.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Buffalo/Rochester comprises agents and officers from HSI, the FBI, DEA, ATF, and IRS-CI, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Garrett Fitzsimmons, Meghan E. Leydecker, and Elizabeth M. Palma. The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, New York Field Division, and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Harry Chavis.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 21, 2026, before Judge Sinatra.
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Bosque Farms Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm Offense for Unlawfully Possessing a ShotgunRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Bosque Farms man pleaded guilty in federal court to illegally possessing a firearm after multiple prior convictions for felonies and misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence.
According to court documents, on July 15, 2024, Warren Chewiwi, 52, possessed a 12-gauge shotgun and shotgun shells. As a person previously convicted of both a felony and a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, Chewiwi was and is prohibited by law from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Chewiwi pleaded guilty to being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm. He faces up to 15 years in prison at sentencing and up to three years of supervised release after his prison sentence. He must also forfeit the shotgun and ammunition to the United States government.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison made the announcement today.
The Isleta Pueblo Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
View the Plea Agreement (Chewiwi).pdfBoat Captains Plead Guilty in Deadly Maritime Smuggling EventsRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – Two boat captains whose ill-fated maritime smuggling attempt resulted in the deaths of four migrants, including two children, pleaded guilty in federal court today.
Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leyva and Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna admitted to their participation in a wide-ranging conspiracy that involved coordinating with individuals in Mexico to smuggle aliens into the United States using maritime vessels.
According to admissions in their plea agreements, the pair was working with a Mexico-based smuggling organization that provided the defendants with a 20-foot panga with a single motor. On the evening of May 4, 2025, the defendants piloted the vessel from Popotla, Mexico, with 19 aliens aboard, overloaded and ill-equipped for any emergencies that lay ahead.
The captains expected that upon arrival into the United States, other individuals would meet them at shore, conceal the aliens in vehicles, and then further transport them to their intended destinations within the United States. But things went very wrong.
As the vessel approached the United States shoreline near Del Mar, California, on May 5, 2025, the motor failed, causing the vessel to rotate and capsize approximately 200 yards from the coast and throwing all the migrants – many unable to swim - into the water. Many survivors said the captains told them to remove their life jackets as they approached shore so they could quickly transition to vehicles.
Four migrants on the vessel died. Gorgonio Placido-Diaz, Marcos Lozada-Juarez, and 14-year-old minor P.B.P. drowned while attempting to reach shore safely. All three were found unresponsive near the shore and pronounced deceased. On or about May 21, 2025, a human foot was found on the shoreline near Torrey Pines State Beach. Based on a subsequent DNA analysis, the foot was found to belong to a 10-year-old minor, whose parents were also on board.
Each of the aliens was paying about $13,500 for transportation into the U.S.
Three other defendants were charged separately with Conspiring to Transport Aliens within the United States, in connection with the same May 5 fatalities. They have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced (25-cr-2056-BJC).
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jill S. Streja, Edward Chang, and Sean Van Demark and Senior Trial Attorney Danielle Hickman from the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25cr2057-BJC
Julio Cesar Zuniga Luna Age: 31 Mexico
Jesus Ivan Rodriguez Leyva Age: 37 Mexico
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Attempted Bringing in Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death and Aiding and Abetting – Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(i), (v)(II), and (a)(1)(B)(iv)
Maximum penalty: Death or life in prison and a $250,000 fine
Bringing in Illegal Aliens for Financial Gain – Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii), and Aiding and Abetting, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2. Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison with a three-year mandatory minimum and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Homeland Security Investigations – Marine Task Force
U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations
U.S. Border Patrol
United States Coast Guard
San Diego Lifeguard Service
San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Diego comprises agents and officers from FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals, Department of Defense, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Naval Criminal Investigative Service, IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Interpol, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California.
This case is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA is the Justice Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean, and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorney-detailees from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/HSI and CBP/BP and OFO, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies.
To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 450 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 395 U.S. convictions; more than 345 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
Behavioral therapist pleads guilty to health care fraud for submitting inflated insurance reimbursement claimsRead the Press Release
AUGUSTA, Georgia: The owner of a McDuffie County behavioral therapy service faces up to 10 years in federal prison and substantial financial penalties after pleading guilty to submitting fraudulent insurance reimbursement claims.
Mira Stallings, 41, of Thomson, Georgia, pled guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of Health Care Fraud, said Margaret E. “Meg” Heap, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. The plea subjects Stallings to a statutory sentence of up to 10 years in prison, payment of restitution and fines, and up to three years of supervised release upon completion of any prison term.
There is no parole in the federal system.
“Our health insurance programs, particularly those that provide benefits to our military servicemembers and their dependents, are vital to those who need assistance for medical treatment,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “With our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively pursue those who fraudulently access those funds for their own personal gain.”
As described in court documents and testimony, Stallings is a licensed behavioral therapist and owner of ABAscape LLC, a Thomson, Georgia, agency that provided behavioral therapy services to individuals with developmental disabilities. A parent of patients who received services from ABscape reported concerns about billing discrepancies to TRICARE, the health care and insurance program serving active duty servicemembers and their families.
The resulting investigation determined that from June 2020 through May 2023, Stallings submitted false and fraudulent billing claims to TRICARE for individual and group therapy services that were not provided, or were not provided as presented. The investigation determined that the fraudulent billing for more than $652,000 resulted in TRICARE payments of more than $572,000.
In addition, Stallings, through ABAscape, applied for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, under the guise of seeking funding for working capital to alleviate economic injury from the COVID-19 pandemic. She received nearly $1 million, and while certifying in her application that the funds would not be used for personal or household purposes, Stallings instead spent tens of thousands of dollars on personal credit card debts and to a debt collector, salary payments to a family member for fraudulent services, personal purchases from online vendors and retail stores, and nearly $50,000 for the construction of a dog-breeding compound.
“The reach of this investigation extends beyond healthcare into the deliberate manipulation of federal programs designed to support honest small businesses,” said Special Agent-in-Charge, Jason J. Sargenski, Defense Criminal Investigative Service Southeast Field Office. “By allegedly utilizing wire fraud to siphon resources from the Small Business Administration while simultaneously defrauding TRICARE, the defendant demonstrated a pattern of deceit that harms both the taxpayer and the integrity of our nation's essential support systems. We remain dedicated to following the trail of fraud wherever it leads to ensure those who prioritize personal greed over public service are held fully accountable.”
U.S. District Court Judge J. Randall Hall will schedule sentencing for Stallings after U.S. Probation Services submits a presentencing investigation report.
The case was investigated by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, and prosecuted for the United States of America by Southern District of Georgia Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia G. Rhodes and Jennifer S. Thompson.
Baltimore Felon Sentenced for Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A Baltimore man received a federal-prison sentence for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon.
U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin sentenced Reginald Dargan, 34, to three years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a loaded firearm after a prior felony conviction and for violating the terms of his federal supervised release.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the sentence with Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
According to court documents, on November 8, 2024, BPD responded to a call for an aggravated assault at an East Baltimore residence. Upon arrival, BPD officers met with the victim who indicated that Dargan assaulted her. She also stated that he possessed a handgun.
While speaking with officers, the victim received a text message from Dargan asking her to let him in the back door. The officers then went to the back of the house and arrested Dargan. Then law enforcement recovered a Polymer 80, aka a “ghost gun,” .40 caliber pistol bearing no serial number, and one high-capacity magazine loaded with 13 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition from Dargan’s waistband.
Dargan was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition because he was previously convicted of a conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; conspiracy to brandish, use and carry a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and interference with commerce by robbery. Dargan was on federal supervised release as a result of this offense when he unlawfully possessed the firearm and ammunition, in violation of his release conditions.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) and Project Safe Home. These programs bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. Project Safe Home is an initiative under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to reduce domestic violence and prevent escalation to lethal violence by targeting offenders who use or possess handguns with a history of Domestic Violence.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the ATF and BPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Godwin who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit justice.gov/usao-md.
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Attempted Carjacking at Suburban Chicago Gas Station Leads to Nearly Six-Year Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to nearly six years in federal prison for attempting to carjack a vehicle at gunpoint while the driver’s wife and children were inside.
The attempted carjacking occurred on the afternoon of Feb. 19, 2023, at a gas station in Dolton, Ill. An off-duty Cook County Sheriff’s Deputy was standing next to his Dodge Challenger when JAVON STINGLEY and two other men—JOSEPH SMITH and MICHAEL BANKS—approached with loaded handguns and demanded the vehicle. One of the carjackers said words to the effect of, “I’ll shoot you, don’t move,” and removed the Deputy’s service weapon from his waistband. The Deputy’s wife and children were able to flee the Challenger before the men started to get inside. The men decided not to take the Challenger and drove off in their own vehicle.
Stingley, 28, of Midlothian, Ill., was arrested in October 2024 and has remained in law enforcement custody since then. He pleaded guilty in federal court last year to an attempted carjacking charge. On April 9, 2026, U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis sentenced Stingley to five years and ten months in federal prison.
Banks, 23, of Chicago, admitted his role in the attempted carjacking as part of a plea agreement that included other carjackings and firearm offenses that he committed. Banks is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ellis on June 24, 2026, at 10:15 a.m.
Smith, 34, of Hammond, Ind., has pleaded not guilty to the attempted carjacking as well as to other carjackings and firearm offenses for which he is charged. Smith is awaiting trial.
Stingley’s sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elie Zenner.
Atoka Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Evert Linnel Eoff, age 63, of Atoka, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count Felon in Possession of a Firearm, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Eoff with knowingly possessing one bolt action rifle and one semi-automatic rifle on January 10, 2026, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Atoka Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Eoff will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edith A. Singer and Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
ADT to Pay $1.3M to Servicemembers for Illegal ChargesRead the Press Release
Note: Read the full settlement here.
The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders.
“Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.”
“Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.”
The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period.
Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
ADT to Pay $1.3 Million to Servicemembers for Illegal ChargesRead the Press Release
Note: Read the full settlement here.
MIAMI – The Justice Department today announced that ADT LLC doing business as ADT Security Services, the nation’s largest home security services company, will pay over $1.3 million to resolve allegations that it violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) by imposing unlawful charges on at least 3,400 servicemembers who terminated their home security services contracts after receiving military relocation orders.
“Members of our Armed Forces dutifully respond to the defense needs of our Nation, sometimes with very little notice,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We are committed to ensuring that our servicemembers’ rights are protected so that they can focus on their military mission.”
“Servicemembers should not have to fight companies at home while they are serving our country abroad,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “As a career military officer with over 23 years of service, I know firsthand that orders can come with little notice and require immediate action. The law is clear — when servicemembers receive relocation orders, they have the right to terminate contracts without penalty beyond the current billing period. This settlement returns over $1.3 million to affected servicemembers and ensures that companies understand those protections are not optional. We will continue to enforce the law and protect those who protect us.”
The Department alleges that ADT illegally imposed a 30-day notice requirement on servicemembers who terminated their home security contracts. The Department maintains that ADT’s 30-day notice policy violated the SCRA, which allows servicemembers to terminate certain consumer contracts any time after receiving military orders to relocate to a location that does not support the contract. When a servicemember terminates a contract under the SCRA, companies cannot charge any fees beyond the current billing period.
Under the settlement, ADT will pay up to $1,260,000 in compensation to the affected servicemembers. ADT will also be required to pay a $79,380 civil penalty, which is the maximum penalty for a first violation of the SCRA, and make policy and training changes to avoid committing future violations.
The Department’s enforcement of the SCRA is conducted by the Civil Rights Division’s Housing and Civil Enforcement Section in partnership with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. Since 2011, the Department has obtained over $488 million in monetary relief for 152,000 servicemembers through its enforcement of the SCRA. For more information about the Department’s SCRA enforcement efforts, please visit www.servicemembers.gov.
Servicemembers and their dependents who believe that their rights under the SCRA may have been violated should contact the nearest Armed Forces Legal Assistance Program Office. Office locations can be found at legalassistance.law.af.mil.
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4 Sinaloa Cartel-Linked Defendants Arrested on Federal Indictment Alleging They Operated Family-Run Drug and Gun Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
LOS ANGELES – Law enforcement today arrested four Sinaloa Cartel-linked defendants – all members of the same family, three of them illegal aliens from Mexico – who are charged in a 29-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they trafficked fentanyl, pound quantities of methamphetamine, and firearms, including so-called “ghost guns” lacking serial numbers.
The following defendants were arrested today and are expected to make their initial appearances and be arraigned this afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles:
- José Luis Salazar-Cruz, 44, a.k.a. “Oso,” of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico;
- Alfonso Salazar, 46, a.k.a. “Pirate,” of Lancaster, an illegal alien from Mexico;
- José Manuel Salazar, 22, a.k.a. “Lil Oso,” of Lancaster; and
- Jorge Humberto Salazar, 43, a.k.a. “Sharky,” of Hesperia; an illegal alien from Mexico.
José Luis Salazar-Cruz, Alfonso Salazar, and Jorge Humberto Salazar are brothers. José Manuel Salazar is José Luis Salazar-Cruz’s son.
Law enforcement continues to search for co-defendant José Ángel López Paniagua, 23, of Littlerock.
All five defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing in firearms without a license, and one count of engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license.
Salazar-Cruz is charged with seven counts of being an alien in possession of firearms, seven counts of distribution of methamphetamine, four counts of distribution of fentanyl, one count of trafficking in firearms, one count of possession of a destructive device, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
The other defendants are charged with various felonies – with Paniagua charged with two counts of possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, two counts of distribution of fentanyl, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle. Among the charges Alfonso Salazar faces is distribution of methamphetamine and being an alien in possession of a firearm.
According to the indictment, from February 2024 to December 2025, Salazar-Cruz used text messaging applications, encrypted messaging applications, telephone calls, and in-person meetings to coordinate the sale of narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, as well as firearms. The other defendants charged then brokered sales of the drugs and firearms between suppliers and customers and met with customers to sell the drugs.
Multiple drug sales were made – often of approximately one pound of methamphetamine. For example, on January 21, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer nearly one pound of methamphetamine and approximately 324 grams (11.4 ounces) of fentanyl.
On July 30, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold a buyer approximately 1.2 kilograms (2.5 pounds) of methamphetamine. On December 19, 2025, Salazar-Cruz sold the same buyer approximately 2.3 kilograms (5 pounds) of methamphetamine.
From December 2024 to July 2025, Salazar-Cruz and the other defendants also illegally sold buyers multiple firearms, including a Glock .45-caliber pistol, a street-sweeper destructive device, and a privately manufactured AR-style rifle with no serial number, commonly referred to as a “ghost gun.”
In May 2025, Salazar-Cruz and three other defendants told a buyer that their supply of drugs came from Tijuana and Mexicali, Mexico by traveling across the border via trailer; Paniagua obtained the drugs from members of the Sinaloa cartel; and he provided the drugs to Salazar-Cruz in exchange for money.
An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.
If convicted of all charges, the defendants would face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the United States Postal Inspection Service; the Drug Enforcement Administration; Homeland Security Investigations; the San Bernardino Police Department; the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the California Highway Patrol; and the Los Angeles Police Department are investigating this matter.
Assistant United States Attorney Clifford D. Mpare of the Major Crimes Section is prosecuting this case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. The HSTF utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
13 April 2026
Veterinarian Arrested for Sending Threatening Text Message and Transporting Minors in Interstate Commerce with the Intent to Engage in Sexual ActsRead the Press Release
Ocala, Florida – Gregory Ford (53, of Morriston) has been arrested on an indictment charging him with three counts of transportation of a minor with the intent to engage in sexual activity and one count of sending threatening communications. Each transportation count carries a minimum prison term of 10 years, up to life, in federal prison. The threatening communication count carries a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Ford that the United States intends to forfeit his home in Morriston, which is alleged to have been used in the commission of these crimes. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the indictment and facts presented in court, between October 16, 2024, and May 16, 2025, Ford transported two minor victims with the intent to engage in sexual activity. On September 23, 2025, Ford sent a text message containing a true threat to injure a third victim.
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 is being investigated by the FBI Birmingham Division, Florence RA, with the assistance of the FBI Jacksonville Division, Ocala RA. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk Watson. The forfeiture is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Nicole M. Andrejko.
It is another case brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify, rescue, and seek justice for child victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $9.5 Million in Fiscal Year 2025Read the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that the District of South Dakota collected $9,516,233.90 through criminal fines, restitution, loan defaults, bankruptcy, forfeiture, and affirmative civil enforcement efforts in FY2025. Moreover, the District of South Dakota worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $16,747,398.58. Of the total collections, $8.9 million was derived from criminal cases. A significant portion of this amount—$8,801,058.91—was returned to victims of crime, underscoring the Office’s commitment to ensuring justice and support for those adversely affected by criminal acts. The remainder was deposited into the Crime Victims Fund, a crucial resource that provides financial assistance to victims across the United States for costs arising from violent crime such as medical expenses, lost wages, mental health counseling, funeral expenses, and more.
Additionally, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota, working with partner agencies and divisions, collected $65,292,431 in asset forfeiture actions in FY 2025. Forfeited assets deposited into the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund are used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of law enforcement purposes.
“Thanks to the diligence and hard work of our U.S. Attorneys and the highly skilled staff in our Financial Litigation and Asset Recovery Units on behalf of South Dakota victims and taxpayers, we have held criminals accountable and done everything we can to make victims whole,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons. “We will continue to prioritize collection of restitution and debts to the federal government together with our law enforcement partners, as a critical part of our mission.”
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.U.S. Attorney Moore Capito and U.S. Marshals Service to Announce Results of Operation Spring SweepRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito and the United States Marshals Service will join with law enforcement partners tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, 2026, for a press conference to announce the results of Operation Spring Sweep.
The U.S. Marshals Southern District of West Virginia CUFFED Task Force conducted Operation Spring Sweep in partnership with the West Virginia State Police. The nearly month-long operation recently concluded and targeted noncompliant sex offenders, individuals wanted for sex crimes, and violent fugitives.
WHO: United States Attorney Moore Capito, U.S. Marshal Service, West Virginia State Police, additional law enforcement partners
WHAT: Press Conference to announce results of Operation Spring Sweep
WHEN: Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: Front Plaza, Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse, Charleston
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
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Two Wilmington Men Indicted on Federal Methamphetamine and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
WILMINGTON, Del. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment last week charging two Wilmington men with conspiracy to distribute over 500 grams of methamphetamine pills and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.
According to court records, Marcus Warren and Donavan McGriff, both 35, were the subjects of a drug investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the New Castle County Police Department (NCCPD).
Following that months-long investigation, on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, members of the DEA, NCCPD, and the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team executed search warrants for Warren and McGriff, their residences in Wilmington, and McGriff’s car. Both Warren and McGriff were occupants of the car at the time of the search. The car search revealed over 500 grams of pills which were subsequently identified as methamphetamine.
The search of Warren’s residence resulted in the recovery of nearly one kilogram of additional methamphetamine pills and three guns, including a privately made firearm or “ghost gun” with no serial number. The search of McGriff’s residence resulted in the recovery of an additional gun.
Warren and McGriff are charged with conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and one count each of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. If convicted, Warren faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. McGriff faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Benjamin L. Wallace and DEA Philadelphia Field Division, Wilmington Resident Office, Special Agent in Charge Thomas Hodnett made the announcement.
The DEA and NCCPD investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin B. Smith is prosecuting the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Delaware. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the District of Delaware or on PACER by searching for Case Nos. 1:26-cr-61-UNA
The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Two Asheville Methamphetamine Traffickers Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Two Asheville methamphetamine traffickers were sentenced to prison today, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. Jennifer Fox, 45, of Asheville, was ordered to serve 139 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Michael Isaac Robinson, 47, also of Asheville, was sentenced to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
According to court documents and evidence presented at Fox’s trial, beginning in July 2022, law enforcement began investigating Fox and Robinson’s drug trafficking activities in and around Asheville. Investigators learned that the defendants supplied methamphetamine to a network of local distributors. The investigation revealed that Fox and Robinson were selling methamphetamine out of Fox’s Asheville residence and elsewhere. According to trial evidence and witness testimony, the defendants trafficked kilogram quantities of methamphetamine, selling at least one pound of methamphetamine every couple of weeks, and maintained a premise for the purpose of trafficking and storing controlled substances.
Evidence further established that Fox and Robinson possessed 412 grams of actual methamphetamine and approximately 180 grams of marijuana stored in a hidden compartment in Fox’s house. During the investigation, law enforcement also found $26,211 in U.S. currency inside a safe in Fox’s residence.
On April 9, 2025, Robinson pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. On August 5, 2025, a federal jury found Fox guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Both defendants are in federal custody and will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
U.S. Attorney Ferguson thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their investigation of the case, and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Annabelle Chambers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville prosecuted the case. Ms. Chambers is a state prosecutor with the 43rd Prosecutorial District and was assigned by District Attorney Ashley Welch to serve as a SAUSA with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville. Ms. Chambers is sworn in to practice in both state and federal courts. The SAUSA position reflects the partnership between the 43rd Prosecutorial District and the United States Attorney’s Office. The SAUSA position helps ensure the effective and vigorous prosecution of federal court cases that impact the counties within the 43rd Prosecutorial District.
Tobyhanna Man Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for His Misappropriation of Covid Relief Funds and with Making A False Tax Return in Support of Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that William Freeman, IV, age 46, of Tobyhanna, PA, was sentenced to 30 months in prison by United States District Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr., on April 8, 2026, for one count of wire fraud and one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. Judge Saporito also ordered Freeman to pay restitution in the amount of $352,155.00 dollars.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, over a multi-year period between 2020 and 2021, Freeman submitted at least 10 applications seeking pandemic stimulus funds through both the Economic Injury and Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, as well as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) on behalf of several entities under his control, including, Second Haven Services for Youth, Inc., Phoenix Behavioral Health Network, LLC, Pocono Wing Hut, LLC, and Legacy Group Real Estate Company. The applications submitted by Freeman were filed on behalf of corporate entities that did not, in fact, have actual business operations, and that bore false employee headcount information, fabricated gross revenues, and costs of goods sold. Freeman additionally made material misrepresentations on these applications about his criminal history, representing that he had none when, in fact, he did. Freeman obtained over $300,000 dollars in stimulus funds through filing the fraudulent applications, which he spent on unapproved personal expenses and was never repaid.
Additionally, and in support of that fraud, Freeman filed a falsified Form 1040 and a falsified W-3 in 2020 for the 2019 tax year claiming thousands of dollars in taxes that were withheld and paid over to the IRS which had never happened. In addition to his failure to pay over those taxes, he also attempted to obtain thousands of dollars of tax refund money. Freeman did this for the purpose of creating a filed tax return in an attempt to obtain additional stimulus funds.
The Department of Justice has created the National Fraud Enforcement Division. The core mission of the Fraud Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. Department of Justice efforts to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
In sentencing Freeman, the Court articulated its concerns with potential recidivism, noting Freeman’s evasive claims about past and present employment and fraudulent representations about his educational background.
“Today’s sentencing unequivocally affirms the gravity with which federal courts regard violations of the tax laws,” said Yury Kruty, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Philadelphia Field Office. “IRS-Criminal Investigation is committed to uncovering the financial lies behind these schemes and holding accountable those who profit at the expense of the American taxpayers.”
The Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Luisa Honora Berti prosecuted the case.
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Titusville Teen Charged as Adult in Killing of Stepsister on Cruise ShipRead the Press Release
MIAMI – A 16-year-old has been indicted as an adult by a federal grand jury on charges of murder and aggravated sexual abuse in the killing of his stepsister.
According to court records, T.H., 16, of Titusville, was traveling aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Horizon with Anna Kepner and other family members on or about Nov. 6-7, 2025. During that time, while the ship was in international waters en route to Miami, T.H. allegedly sexually assaulted and intentionally killed Kepner. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the cause of death to be mechanical asphyxiation.
“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family during this unimaginable loss,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging serious offenses that allegedly occurred aboard a vessel in international waters. We will present the evidence in court and pursue this case with professionalism and care. As in every case, the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
T.H. was initially charged as a juvenile by information on Feb. 2. The case remained sealed until U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom ordered it transferred for adult prosecution.
T.H. is charged with murder in the first degree and aggravated sexual abuse. If convicted, Defendant faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of the FBI, Miami Field Office, made the announcement.
FBI Miami is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alejandra L. López is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov, under case number 26-cr-20031.
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Texas Man Indicted for Production of Child Pornography Involving Three Children in the Eastern District of WisconsinRead the Press Release
Brad D. Schimel, First Assistant United States Attorney of the Eastern District of Wisconsin, announced that on April 7, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Axis C. Williams. (age: 21) of Aransas Pass, Texas, with production of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2251(a).
According to court records, Williams is charged with meeting a juvenile online and causing her and two other juveniles to engage in sexually explicit conduct, record it, and send him the recordings.
If convicted of either count in the indictment, Williams faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment. He also faces a $250,000 fine and five years to life terms of supervised release on each count.
This case was investigated by the St. Francis Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations – Corpus Christi. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Abbey M. Marzick.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
# # #For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
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Texas Man Faces Multiple Federal Charges Related to Attack on AI Company and its CEORead the Press Release
A Texas man was charged federally today with attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm after he threw a Molotov cocktail at a San Francisco residence and attempted to set a related business on fire on April 10, 2026.
According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, of Spring, Texas, is alleged to have traveled to San Francisco from Texas in order to kill the CEO of a major Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) company. Moreno-Gama allegedly approached the residences of the CEO, threw a Molotov cocktail, and then fled the premises.
“Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These alleged actions – which damaged property and could well have taken lives – will be aggressively prosecuted.”
After throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residences, Moreno-Gama allegedly went to the headquarters of the CEO’s AI company. Moreno-Gama attempted to break the glass doors of the building with a chair and stated that he had come to burn down the location and kill anyone inside.
The complaint describes that when San Francisco Police Department (“SFPD”) officers arrived on scene, they found Moreno-Gama in possession of incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a blue lighter, and a document. The first part of the document, entitled “Your Last Warning” by Daniel Moreno-Gama, advocated against AI and for the killing and commission of other crimes against CEOs of AI companies and their investors, listing names and addresses that purported to belong to multiple CEOs and investors. In the document, Moreno-Gama admitted to attempting to kill the victim CEO and requested others to join his movement.
Moreno-Gama ended the document with a letter addressed to the victim CEO, writing “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself…”
Law enforcement later learned that on the same day he committed these attacks, Moreno-Gama also emailed a version of the document to representatives at his former college back in Texas.
“We will not tolerate any attempt to change the way Americans live and work through fear or violence,” said United States Attorney Craig Missakian. “We are only at the beginning of this investigation, but if the evidence shows that Mr. Moreno-Gama executed these attacks to change public policy or to coerce government and other officials, we will treat this as an act of domestic terrorism and together with our law enforcement partners prosecute him to the fullest extent allowed by law.”
“The charges announced today reflect a deeply concerning escalation from intent to action targeting a private residence and a technology company with violence. The FBI will not tolerate threats against our nation’s innovation leaders or the companies that drive our economy forward. Acts of destruction aimed at the tech sector will be met with the full force of law enforcement. This case underscores the strength of our partnership with the San Francisco Police Department. Together, we remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and holding accountable anyone who seeks to bring violence to our communities.” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo.
A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Moreno-Gama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, and a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of an unregistered firearm. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI and SFPD.
To view the complaint, click here.
Texas Man Faces Multiple Federal Charges Related to Attack on AI Company and Its CEORead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – A Texas man was charged federally today with attempted damage and destruction of property by means of explosives and possession of an unregistered firearm after he threw a Molotov cocktail at a San Francisco residence and attempted to set a related business on fire on April 10, 2026.
According to the federal criminal complaint filed today, Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, of Spring, Texas, is alleged to have traveled to San Francisco from Texas in order to kill the CEO of a major Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) company. Moreno-Gama allegedly approached the residences of the CEO, threw a Molotov cocktail, and then fled the premises.
“Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These alleged actions – which damaged property and could well have taken lives – will be aggressively prosecuted.”
“We will not tolerate any attempt to change the way Americans live and work through fear or violence,” said United States Attorney Craig Missakian. “We are only at the beginning of this investigation, but if the evidence shows that Mr. Moreno-Gama executed these attacks to change public policy or to coerce government and other officials, we will treat this as an act of domestic terrorism and together with our law enforcement partners prosecute him to the fullest extent allowed by law.”
“The charges announced today reflect a deeply concerning escalation from intent to action targeting a private residence and a technology company with violence. The FBI will not tolerate threats against our nation’s innovation leaders or the companies that drive our economy forward. Acts of destruction aimed at the tech sector will be met with the full force of law enforcement. This case underscores the strength of our partnership with the San Francisco Police Department. Together, we remain committed to identifying, disrupting, and holding accountable anyone who seeks to bring violence to our communities.” said Federal Bureau of Investigation Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo.
After throwing a Molotov cocktail at the CEO’s residences, Moreno-Gama allegedly went to the headquarters of the CEO’s AI company. Moreno-Gama attempted to break the glass doors of the building with a chair and stated that he had come to burn down the location and kill anyone inside.
Moreno-Gama striking the glass doors with a chair (above).
Moreno-Gama being approached by security while holding kerosene (above).
The complaint describes that when San Francisco Police Department (“SFPD”) officers arrived on scene, they found Moreno-Gama in possession of incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a blue lighter, and a document. The first part of the document, entitled “Your Last Warning” by Daniel Moreno-Gama, advocated against AI and for the killing and commission of other crimes against CEOs of AI companies and their investors, listing names and addresses that purported to belong to multiple CEOs and investors. In the document, Moreno-Gama admitted to attempting to kill the victim CEO and requested others to join his movement.
Moreno-Gama ended the document with a letter addressed to the victim CEO, writing “If by some miracle you live, then I would take this as a sign from the divine to redeem yourself…”
Law enforcement later learned that on the same day he committed these attacks, Moreno-Gama also emailed a version of the document to representatives at his former college back in Texas.
A criminal complaint merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, Moreno-Gama faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment for damage and destruction of property by means of explosives, and a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment for possession of an unregistered firearm. Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis James is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI and SFPD.
Moreno-Gama Complaint
Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Arson and Attempting to Provide Material Support to a Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
Today, Regan Darby Prater, 28, currently of Tullahoma, Tennessee, entered a guilty plea to one count of arson and one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prater pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sentencing has been set before U.S. District Judge Thomas A. Varlan for Sept. 9, in Knoxville.
Prater faces up to 20 years in federal prison, along with related fines, restitution, and a term of supervised release to be served after he is released from custody. As part of his agreement, Prater waived indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges.
Court documents establish that Prater used a so-called “sparkler bomb,” i.e., a napalm-based incendiary device ignited by a common sparkler, to destroy facilities maintained by the Highlander Center, a school for grassroots leaders and social movements in New Market, Tennessee. As part of his guilty plea, Prater admitted that he drove from his home in Tullahoma to the Highlander Center, ignited the sparkler bomb, and destroyed a building, ultimately causing over $1.2 million in damage.
Before he detonated the bomb, Prater spray-painted the symbol of the Iron Guard, a 1930s-era paramilitary arm of the Romanian Nazi Party, in the Highlander Center parking lot. This same symbol was engraved on the rifle used in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, just two weeks prior to the arson. Prater acknowledged that he committed the arson at the Highland Center due to his white-supremacist ideology and as a response to the Highlander Center’s faith-based educational priorities and its association with the Civil Rights Movement.
Separately, Prater also admitted that, in 2019, he attempted to provide material support to Hizballah, also known as “Hezbollah,” which the United States has recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. Specifically, Prater obtained a document purporting to contain personally identifiable information of over 35,000 individuals purportedly affiliated with the government of Israel. He then provided that document to an individual he believed to be associated with Hizballah, stating, among other things: “Start the hunt.”
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; Assistant Attorney General John Eisenberg of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III for the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson for the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Katherine McCallister of the Civil Rights Division and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division.
Tennessee Man Pleads Guilty to Arson and Attempting to Provide Material Support to A Foreign Terrorist OrganizationRead the Press Release
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – On April 13, 2026, Regan Darby Prater, 28, currently of Tullahoma, TN, entered a guilty plea to one count of arson and one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Prater pleaded guilty in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville. Sentencing has been set before United States District Judge Thomas A. Varlan for September 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., in Knoxville.
Prater faces up to 20 years in federal prison, along with related fines, restitution, and a term of supervised release to be served after he is released from custody. As part of his agreement, Prater waived indictment by a Federal Grand Jury and agreed to plead guilty to the aforementioned charges.
Court documents establish that Prater used a so-called “sparkler bomb,” i.e., a napalm-based incendiary device ignited by a common sparkler, to destroy facilities maintained by the Highlander Center, a school for grassroots leaders and social movements in New Market, Tennessee. As part of his guilty plea, Prater admitted that he drove from his home in Tullahoma to the Highlander Center, ignited the sparkler bomb, and destroyed a building, ultimately causing over $1.2 million in damage.
Before he detonated the bomb, Prater spray-painted the symbol of the Iron Guard, a 1930s-era paramilitary arm of the Romanian Nazi Party, in the Highlander Center parking lot. This same symbol was engraved on the rifle used in the terrorist attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand, just two weeks prior to the arson. Prater acknowledged that he committed the arson at the Highland Center due to his white-supremacist ideology and as a response to the Highlander Center’s faith-based educational priorities and its association with the Civil Rights Movement.
Separately, Prater also admitted that, in 2019, he attempted to provide material support to Hizballah, also known as “Hezbollah,” which the United States has recognized as a Foreign Terrorist Organization since 1997. Specifically, Prater obtained a document purporting to contain personally identifiable information of over 35,000 individuals purportedly affiliated with the government of Israel. He then provided that document to an individual he believed to be associated with Hizballah, stating, among other things: “Start the hunt.”
Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; John Eisenberg, Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; U.S. Attorney Francis M. Hamilton III of the Eastern District of Tennessee; and Special Agent in Charge Terence G. Reilly of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Nashville Field Office made the announcement.
This prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI, with assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
Assistant United States Attorneys Casey T. Arrowood and Kyle J. Wilson of the Eastern District of Tennessee are prosecuting the case with assistance from Trial Attorney Katherine McCallister of the Civil Rights Division and Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division.
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Sioux Falls Man Sentenced to over 2 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SIOUX FALLS - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that Chief Judge Roberto A. Lange, U.S. District Court, has sentenced a Sioux Falls, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on April 6, 2026.
Dallas Joseph Bluebird, III, 21, was sentenced to two years and nine months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Bluebird was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in November 2024. He pleaded guilty on January 12, 2026.
On June 30, 2024, Bluebird and another male subject exchanged gunfire with each other outside a Sioux Falls convenience store. Despite numerous shots being fired, no one was hit by the gunfire. Both subjects fled from the scene prior to police arrival, but investigators were able to identify Bluebird as one of the shooters based on DNA recovered from the firearm, which was left at the scene. Bluebird is prohibited from possessing firearms due to a 2023 conviction for Second Degree Escape.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). Through PSN, the District of South Dakota seeks to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Sioux Falls Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Joyce prosecuted the case.
Bluebird was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Seminole Resident Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Tommy Joe Logan, age 52, of Seminole, Oklahoma, entered a guilty plea to one count of Felon in Possession of Firearm and Ammunition, punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The Indictment charged Logan with knowingly possessing a rifle and nine rounds of assorted ammunition on June 2, 2023, after having been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year imprisonment.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Seminole Police Department.
The Honorable Gerald L. Jackson, Magistrate Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, accepted the plea and ordered the completion of a presentence investigation report.
A U.S. District Court Judge will determine the sentence to be imposed after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Logan will remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Cameron McEwen represented the United States.
San Ramon Man Indicted on Charge of Using Online Platforms to Coerce and Entice Nine Minor Victims to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
OAKLAND – A federal grand jury indicted a San Ramon man, Ishaq Ikharo, on charges of coercion and enticement of nine minor victims to engage in sexual activity.
According to the indictment filed on February 11, 2026, and court documents from April 2022 to September 2024, Ikharo, 28, used several online chat and gaming platforms to communicate with minor victims to persuade, entice, and coerce nine different minor victims who were under 18 years of age to engage in sexual activity. At the time of the alleged offenses, Ikharo was on federal supervised release for a 2023 conviction in the Western District of New York for possession of child pornography.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo made the announcement.
Ikharo has been in custody since June 30, 2025. He is next scheduled to appear in district court on July 30, 2026, for a status conference before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers.
Anyone who has information relevant to this case can report it by contacting the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5323) or tips.fbi.gov, or visit the following, dedicated website:
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-ishaq-ikharo-investigation-aka-shaq-investigation
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine for each violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary M. Glimcher and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Volkar are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Amala James and Jessie Chelsea. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by FBI Special Agent Adelaida Hernandez.
Rowan County Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine and Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Morehead, Ky., man, Corey Skiles, 34, was sentenced on Monday to 160 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams of methamphetamine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
According to his plea agreement, on September 28, 2024, law enforcement received information that Skiles planned to transport a large quantity of controlled substances to Perry County. Law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Skiles and found 776 grams of methamphetamine, 57.34 grams of fentanyl, digital scales, and $1,483 in cash.
Under federal law, Skiles must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence. Upon his release from prison, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for five years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Blankenship is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Repeat Drug Offender Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
A man who possessed cocaine that he intended to distribute was sentenced today to more than 15 years in federal prison.
Leondraie Antwarn Johnson, age 36, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, received the prison term after a December 29, 2025, guilty plea to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance after a conviction for a felony drug offense.
On September 13, 2024, Cedar Rapids Police Department officers stopped Johnson’s car for a traffic violation. Johnson sped off in his car. While driving through a residential area, he reached speeds of more than 70 miles per hour. Johnson eventually stopped, left his car, and tried to elude officers on foot. Before officers were able to catch Johnson, he placed a bag containing cocaine and marijuana in a yard waste receptacle. Officers, using a police dog, found the bag that Johnson hid. At the guilty plea, Johnson admitted he intended to distribute the cocaine. Johnson was previously convicted of two different felony controlled substance offenses.
Johnson was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Johnson was sentenced to 188 months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a six-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system. Johnson is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Adam J. Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Religious Liberty Commission Holds Final Hearing on the Past, Present, and Future of Religious Liberty in AmericaRead the Press Release
Today, the Religious Liberty Commission (RLC) held its final hearing to discuss the past, present, and future of religious liberty in America.
“Today’s capstone hearing of President Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission contained more powerful testimony and discussion about how people of religion are under assault by the secular left," said Chairman Dan Patrick. "It is time to set the record straight: there is no such thing as ‘separation of church and state’ in the Constitution. For too long, the anti-God left has used this phrase to suppress people of religion in our country. During all 7 Commission hearings, witness after witness testified that the so-called ‘separation of church and state’ was used to take their God-given religious liberty rights away."
The witnesses included:
- Clarence Henderson – Clarence Henderson is a community activist with deep roots in the nation’s civil rights affairs. He was a participant in the 1960 Woolworth Lunch Counter Sit-in Movement and now is an outspoken advocate for Pro-Life and Pro-family causes in the black community. A former chairmen of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission of North Carolina; a former fundraising chairman of the Gate City Alumni Chapter for North Carolina A&T State University and former secretary of Dudley High School Hall of Fame, Hall of Distinction for historic James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, NC, Henderson is a passionate bridge builder who has a history of bringing people together across cultural and political divides. His energetic involvement in his church as Head Elder, New Members Coordinator, Sunday school teacher, and Finance committee member; and his life’s journey as a teacher, college administrator, entrepreneur and motivational speaker has given him a unique perspective on what confronts society today.
- Paul Brintley - Dr. Brintley is the Senior Pastor and founder of Fellowship Church in Dallas, North Carolina. He is the son of the late Bishop L.C. Brintley. He was ordained into the ministry in September 1994 by his father in the Lord, Reverend William N. Podaras. During his mentorship with William Podaras, he attended Duke University School of Divinity where he furthered his studies in the gospel. He also has a Paralegal Degree from Kings College. And a Bachelors of Theology from Agape College. His travels have included South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Canada, Haiti, Israel, Germany, India, London, Zimbabwe, and 30 states in the USA. Through his travels and work in the mission field, He has established a number of churches in India and Africa and provides 100’s of DVD’s and printed materials to strengthen and support those churches. Dr. Brintley has authored a book entitled “Loyalty to the Man of God”. He is married to Celeste Crocker and they have one son, Paul Brintley II.
- Helen Aguirre Ferré - Helen Aguirre Ferré is the Administrator for Government and Public Policy at the Adam Smith Center for Economic Freedom. She is a bilingual government affairs and communications executive with extensive experience in public policy, institutional leadership, and strategic engagement at the state and national levels.She served as Assistant to the President and Director of Media Affairs in the White House during the first Trump administration, where she was also the Spanish-language spokesperson. She later served as Director of Communications for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Helen also served as Executive Director of the Republican Party of Florida. A former journalist, she has experience across print, radio, and television in both English and Spanish. In her current role, she advances research, dialogue, and policy initiatives that promote economic freedom and informed public discourse.
- Erika Bachiochi - Erika Bachiochi is a legal scholar who works at the intersection of constitutional law, political theory, women’s history, and Catholic social teaching. She is a Professor of Practice at the School for Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, where she teaches courses in the history of political thought, directs the Mercy Otis Warren Initiative for Women in Civic Life and Thought, and serves as editor-in-chief of its online journal, Fairer Disputations.
- Akshar Patel - Dr. Akshar Patel is an active volunteer with BAPS, a Hindu organization, where he dedicates his time to community service, spiritual development, and humanitarian initiatives. Through his involvement, he practices the values of selfless service, compassion, and integrity, contributing to programs that support individuals and strengthen communities. Furthermore, he helps to ensure that the voices of Hindu Americans are heard and recognized by our civic leaders. Professionally, Dr. Patel is an oncologist devoted to providing thoughtful, patient-centered cancer care based in Maryland. He specializes in delivering advanced, precise treatments while guiding patients and their families during one of the most challenging periods in their lives. By combining clinical expertise with a compassionate approach, he strives to improve outcomes and support patients through every step of their journey.
- Heather Rice-Minus – Heather Rice-Minus first joined Prison Fellowship in 2013. In her role, she leads teams that build partnerships with churches, help strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their children, foster partnerships with donors at every level, and advocate for restorative criminal justice reform. Previously, as the head of Prison Fellowship’s advocacy team, she was a leading voice behind the passage of the FIRST STEP Act. A sought-after public speaker on the intersection of faith, justice, and incarceration, Rice-Minus has addressed audiences at national conferences and events including Wilberforce Weekend, Q Ideas Conference, and more. She has also contributed to Christianity Today, Slate, CBN News, The Marshall Project, PBS’ Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly, and many other media outlets. Previously, Rice-Minus managed prison reform advocacy efforts at the National Religious Campaign Against Torture and taught English in East Africa. She graduated cum laude from Colorado State University with a degree in liberal arts and social work. After earning her J.D. from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, she became a member of the Virginia State Bar, a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network and Faith & Public Life Ideas Council, and a Colson Fellow.
- Sister Mary Elizabeth, S.V. - Sr. Mary Elizabeth joined the Sisters of Life in 1993 after graduating from the Franciscan University of Steubenville, having heard the cardinal talk on campus during her junior year.
- Rabbi Aaron Lipskar - Rabbi Aaron Lipskar serves as Aleph’s Chief Executive Officer, operating out of the organization's headquarters in South Florida. He oversees key aspects of the Aleph Institute, including board and program development, finance and administration, fundraising, communications, and government relations with the Pentagon, the Department of Justice, the Bureau of Prisons, and the Department of Corrections nationwide. In 1995, Rabbi Lipskar began serving as an Aleph volunteer, conducting national prison visits, and in 2000, he joined the organization as a full-time employee. A highlight of his Aleph experience was leading High Holiday services at GITMO for Jewish military personnel. After concluding formal Talmudic and rabbinic studies in the Central Lubavitch Yeshiva, Rabbi Lipskar studied in Israel and received rabbinical ordination from the Chief Rabbinate of Israel. He has taught in the United States, Israel, Canada, and South Africa.
- Helen Alvare - Helen Alvaré is a Professor of Law at Antonin Scalia Law School, George Mason University, where she teaches Family Law, Law and Religion, and Property Law. She publishes on matters concerning marriage, parenting, non-marital households, and the First Amendment religion clauses. She is faculty advisor to the law school’s Civil Rights Law Journal, and the Latino/a Law Student Association, a Member of the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (Vatican City), a board member of Catholic Relief Services, a member of the Executive Committee of the AALS’ Section on Law and Religion, and an ABC news consultant. She cooperates with the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations as a speaker and a delegate to various United Nations conferences concerning women and the family. In addition to her books, and her publications in law reviews and other academic journals, Professor Alvaré publishes regularly in news outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, and CNN.com. She also speaks at academic and professional conferences in the United States, Europe, Latin America and Australia. Prior to joining the faculty of Scalia Law, Professor Alvaré taught at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America; represented the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops before legislative bodies, academic audiences and the media; and was a litigation attorney for the Philadelphia law firm of Stradley, Ronon, Stevens & Young.
- Ms. Oriel Ekşi - Oriel Ekşi is a managing partner with The Woolf Group, specializing in legislative strategy, coalition building, and non-profit development. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Justice Administration from the University of Louisville and brings extensive experience in operations management, grant development, and public speaking. Oriel works with organizations across the country to advance policy initiatives, strengthen programs, and drive sustainable growth.