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Friday 27 February 2026
Former Maui Police Officer Sentenced to 65 Months for Unjustified TasingRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Carlos Frate, 41, a former Maui Police Department officer, was sentenced today to 65 months in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for using unreasonable force against an arrestee. Frate previously pled guilty in August 2025 to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
Frate admitted that on January 6, 2024, Frate repeatedly tased an arrestee, even though the arrestee was not resisting or posing any threat. Frate admitted that he knew that his force was unjustified, but he nonetheless continued to tase the arrestee despite the arrestee’s pleas for him to stop.
“Today’s sentence should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “Our law enforcement officers play an invaluable role in our community, serving at the frontline in preventing and investigating crime, protecting our citizens, and keeping Hawaii safe. We entrust them with enormous power and expect them to wield that power responsibly and constitutionally. While the vast majority of law enforcement officers conduct their duties with honor, integrity, and restraint, we are committed to bring to justice those who on the rare occasion violate the public trust by abusing their power or using excessive force.”
“The defendant’s acts were abusive and unbecoming of the oath he swore to protect the public,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. “Law enforcement officers who abuse their positions of power will be held accountable by this Administration.”
“Trust between our citizens and the men and women of law enforcement who serve them is foundational to the safety and success of any community,” said FBI Honolulu Special Agent in Charge David Porter. “By using excessive force and abusing the power entrusted in him, the defendant didn’t just break the law—he betrayed the community’s trust and made the job more difficult for the vast majority of law enforcement putting in good work every day. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate any officers who violate the public trust and their duty to serve.”
FBI investigated the case based on a referral from the Maui Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Former Maui Police Officer Sentenced to 65 Months for Unjustified TasingRead the Press Release
Carlos Frate, 41, a former Maui Police Department officer, was sentenced today to 65 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for using unreasonable force against an arrestee. Frate previously pled guilty in August 2025 to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
Frate admitted that on Jan. 6, 2024, Frate repeatedly tased an arrestee, even though the arrestee was not resisting or posing any threat. Frate admitted that he knew that his force was unjustified, but he nonetheless continued to tase the arrestee despite the arrestee’s pleas for him to stop.
“The defendant’s acts were abusive and unbecoming of the oath he swore to protect the public,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Law enforcement officers who abuse their positions of power will be held accountable by this Administration.”
“Today’s sentence should serve as a reminder that no one is above the law,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson for the District of Hawaii. “Our law enforcement officers play an invaluable role in our community, serving at the frontline in preventing and investigating crime, protecting our citizens, and keeping Hawaii safe. We entrust them with enormous power and expect them to wield that power responsibly and constitutionally. While the vast majority of law enforcement officers conduct their duties with honor, integrity, and restraint, we are committed to bring to justice those who on the rare occasion violate the public trust by abusing their power or using excessive force.”
“Trust between our citizens and the men and women of law enforcement who serve them is foundational to the safety and success of any community,” said Special Agent in Charge David Porter of the FBI Honolulu Field Office. “By using excessive force and abusing the power entrusted in him, the defendant didn’t just break the law — he betrayed the community’s trust and made the job more difficult for the vast majority of law enforcement putting in good work every day. The FBI and our partners will continue to aggressively investigate any officers who violate the public trust and their duty to serve.”
FBI investigated the case based on a referral from the Maui Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese for the District of Hawaii and Trial Attorney Julia White of the Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Former Loan Officer Sentenced to over One Year in Prison for Million-Dollar Heloc SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former loan officer was sentenced in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for defrauding his employer, MassMutual Federal Credit Union, out of almost $1 million.
Brian Socha, 45, of Brookfield, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 18 months in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Socha was also ordered to pay $902,541.15 in restitution for bank fraud. Socha admitted to defrauding MassMutual Federal Credit Union out of almost $1 million while he worked there as a loan officer.
Socha hacked into co-workers’ computers on over 20 occasions to covertly raise the credit limit and lower the interest rate to below market levels on the home equity line of credit (HELOC) on the home he owned with his wife. Over a period of six years, Socha increased the HELOC credit limit from $135,500 to $995,000 and adjusted the HELOC interest rate from 7.25% to 1.99%. Socha spent the stolen funds on his personal enjoyment and lifestyle.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorney Caroline Merck of the Springfield Office is prosecuted the case.
Former Employee of South Lake Tahoe Construction Company Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Fraud and Identity TheftRead the Press Release
Kami Elois Power, 55, of Gardnerville, Nevada, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Dena M. Coggins to 12 years and five months in prison for fraud and identity theft in a scheme to defraud a South Lake Tahoe construction company out of more than $1.4 million, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
In November 2025, following a six-day trial, a federal jury found Power guilty of 11 counts of wire fraud, three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of aggravated identity theft. As part of her sentence, Power is required to pay restitution to the victim of more than $1.4 million and forfeit two houses and the horse that she bought with the stolen money.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between November 2019 and May 2023, Power worked as an office manager and controller at a family-owned construction company in South Lake Tahoe. During her employment, Power embezzled more than $1.4 million from the company. She disguised more than $700,000 of these fraudulent transfers as payments made to vendors that the company worked with—under fake profiles she created in the names of real companies, as well as fake companies that reflected her own initials, such as “KEP Inc. Sale” and “KPI.” She disguised additional fraudulent transfers as payments for payroll or reimbursements. Power also used the company’s credit card to make unauthorized personal purchases, paid down the balance of her own personal credit cards, and used the signature of the owner of the company to write several fraudulent checks. Power used the money she stole to purchase two houses, several new cars and ATVs, and a horse. She also spent the money on field-level seats at football games and a $29,000 Hawaii vacation.
This was Power’s fifth time embezzling from an employer; prior embezzlements resulted in two criminal convictions, a civil lawsuit, and a probation violation.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office, and the South Lake Tahoe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliot Wong and Dhruv Sharma prosecuted the case.
Former CEO of Non-Profit Nursing Home Pleads Guilty to Misapplication of PropertyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former CEO of the non-profit Edgar P. Benjamin Health Center (“EPBHC”) pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to charges arising from his improper use of EPBHC funds.
Tony Francis, 59, of Needham, pleaded guilty to two counts of intentional misapplication of money from a program receiving federal funds. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2026.
Francis was Administrator, President, and Chief Executive Officer of EPBHC, a non-profit entity that operated Benjamin Healthcare, a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility located in the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. In and around 2023 and 2024, EPBHC faced significant financial deficiencies that included a shortage of cash and inability to make payroll. In April 2024 the Massachusetts Superior Court ordered the appointment of a receiver to operate EPBHC.
According to court documents, Francis abused his position of trust with EPBHC by intentionally misapplying funds belonging to EPBHC. Specifically, in 2020, Francis used close to $160,000 in Economic Injury Disaster Loan funds, that had been provided to EPBHC by the U.S. Small Business Administration, as a deposit for a personal real estate investment. In addition, in 2023 and 2024, Francis arranged for EPBHC to make payments of principal, interest and late fees on a $100,000 personal loan without having approval of the EPBHC Board of Directors to do so. Finally, at various times between 2022 and 2024, Francis drew on an EPBHC line of credit to transfer funds to his own personal checking account so that he would have sufficient funds account to pay his mortgage and personal credit card bills. In total, Francis misappropriated more than $190,000 from EPBHC, although Francis later returned most of these funds.
The charge of intentional misapplication of money from a program receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the amount involved. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Chief of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case along with Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Kevin Lownds, who was sworn in as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
Florida Man Sentenced for Aggravated Identity Theft and Fraud Committed Against at Least 450 VictimsRead the Press Release
A Florida man was sentenced today to 55 months in prison and three years of supervised release for possessing approximately 450 fraudulent, stolen or counterfeit access devices, which included others’ credit card numbers, social security numbers, and means to gain access to bank accounts.
Mckenzie Levar Monestine, 33, of Miami, pleaded guilty in December 2025 to one count of possessing 15 or more unauthorized access devices and one count of aggravated identity theft. Monestine pleaded guilty to these charges based on conduct stemming from a 2020 FBI investigation.
According to court documents, on or about June 22, 2020, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Monestine’s home. That search uncovered a trove of fraud evidence inside Monestine’s padlocked room, including mechanisms to access the banking information of other people, such as personally identifying information (PII), social security numbers, account passwords, driver’s license numbers, phone numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, debit card numbers, and dates of birth belonging to other persons. Because much of the fraudulent activity was committed online and using social media and email, the evidence of how Monestine committed the fraud was found on numerous electronic devices, such as cellphones and a Macbook laptop. Monestine kept information consisting of the PII in various forms and locations on his devices including in a spreadsheet containing approximately 450 access devices and in notes maintained on his MacBook Pro. Monestine exchanged numerous text messages on his phone that contained PII as well, including logins for banking information, pin numbers for credit and debit cards, and data used to access other people’s bank accounts.
In addition, the search uncovered physical evidence of fraud, including over $11,000 in U.S. currency; a large number of credit, debit, and gift cards, in the names of other people; fake identification cards; Western Union money orders; a credit card re-encoder that the information encoded in a credit card’s chip or magnetic strip and mail in other people’s names.
The estimated loss to victims in this case is between $250,000 and $550,000.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; and Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Miami Field office investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Jinah Chang and Jennifer E. Burns of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Maultasch for the Southern District of Florida prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.
Fentanyl dealer going to prison for 144 monthsRead the Press Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Wayne McDaniels, 42, of Rochester, NY, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, was sentenced to serve 144 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. McGrath, who is handling the case, stated that in November 2022, investigators executed a search warrant at McDaniels’ Maria Street apartment. Law enforcement seized over 400 individually packed bags of fentanyl, significant quantities of bulk fentanyl and cocaine, drug paraphernalia, and two loaded firearms. The search warrant was part of a larger investigation into a group of drug dealers that had been selling fentanyl and crack cocaine from various drug houses for years. McDaniels was a leader in the group. One of these drug houses included a Jay Street residence, where McDaniels’ six-month-old nephew died from a fentanyl overdose on August 1, 2022.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Todd Baxter, the Rochester Police Department, under the direction of Chief David Smith, the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of David Cirencione, and the Greater Rochester Area Narcotics Enforcement Team (GRANET).
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Federal Jury finds Convicted Felon Guilty of Firearm PossessionRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – After a swift federal trial, a jury found Eric Robinson, 38, of Memphis, guilty of possession of a firearm as a convicted felon and made a special finding that Robinson’s extensive criminal history qualified him as an Armed Career Criminal (ACC). United States Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, announced the verdict today.
According to information presented in court, on May 5, 2024, officers with the Memphis Police Department located Robinson at the bus station located on North Main Street. Upon his arrest, officers recovered a loaded .380 caliber Lorcin firearm from his person.
During the trial, the jury heard evidence of Robinson's lengthy criminal history in Shelby County, which includes prior convictions for Aggravated Rape, Especially Aggravated Kidnapping, and multiple counts of Aggravated Robbery and Aggravated Burglary. The jury found Robinson guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and made a finding that he had committed at least three violent felonies on different occasions, triggering the enhanced sentencing penalties under the Armed Career Criminal Act.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 4, 2026 before United States District Court Judge Thomas L. Parker. As a result of the verdict, Robinson faces a mandatory statutory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, "Convicted felons who possess firearms are an inherent and imminent danger to the community. This defendant’s extensive history of violence ranged from aggravated burglary to aggravated rape, and justice demands aggressive prosecution for the worst of the worst offenders. This verdict ensures that a career criminal is incapacitated and removed from our neighborhoods for a long time."
The case was investigated by the Memphis Police Department as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative.
Assistant United States Attorney Lauren Delery and Special Assistant United States Attorney Yosef Hochheiser prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Federal Inmate Charged with Possessing A WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Dorian Myles, age 37, a federal inmate incarcerated at FCI Schuylkill, Minersville, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of possession of a weapon.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on or about January 30, 2026, Myles possessed an inmate manufactured weapon, specifically a sharpened four-inch piece of plexiglass, commonly referred to as a “shank.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Federal Inmate Charged with Possessing WeaponsRead the Press Release
SCRANTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Lesundre Zacharie, age 25, a federal inmate incarcerated at FCI Schuylkill, Minersville, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of possession of weapons.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that on or about January 30, 2026, Zacharie possessed two inmate manufactured weapons, specifically a six-inch piece of plexiglass sharpened to a point with a cloth handle, and a four-inch razor blade attached to a plastic pen, commonly referred to as “shanks.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Federal Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Service. Assistant United States Attorney Tatum R. Wilson is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is five years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Federal Charges Filed in a 30-Year-Old Cold Case Involving the Kidnapping and Murder of 7-Year-Old Morgan VioliRead the Press Release
BOWLING GREEN, KY – A federal criminal complaint and arrest warrant were filed in U.S. District Court on February 26, 2026, charging Robert Scott Froberg, 61, with the 1996 abduction and death of 7-year-old Morgan Violi.
U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky, FBI Special Supervisory Agent William Kurtz, Chief Michael Delaney of the Bowling Green Police Department and Commonwealth’s Attorney for the 8th Judicial Circuit Kori Beck Bumgarner made the announcement at a press conference held on February 27, 2026, at the Bowling Green Police Department.
According to the complaint, Morgan Violi was abducted July 24, 1996, while playing with her sisters and friends at the Colony Apartments in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Witnesses saw a white man grab Morgan, put her in a maroon Chevrolet van and drive away. Two days later, the van suspected to be involved in the abduction was found south of Nashville, Tennessee, and searched for evidence. Morgan’s body was found on October 20, 1996 — three months after her abduction — in the woods in White House, Tennessee. For years, Morgan’s kidnapping and murder went unsolved.
The complaint alleges that with recent advancements in forensic testing of DNA evidence, a hair found in the abandoned van was tested by the FBI laboratory and returned an association with Robert Scott Froberg, who was then serving a lengthy sentence in the Alabama Department of Corrections. With that lead, investigators determined that Froberg had escaped from jail in April 1996, traveled to Pennsylvania where he was arrested, and then escaped again. Froberg then traveled to Dayton, Ohio, and stole a maroon Chevrolet van approximately a half a mile from his parent’s house. Froberg traveled south, exiting I-65 in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he spotted Morgan playing in her apartment complex, snatched her and drove south.
According to the complaint, Froberg was recently interviewed by law enforcement and confessed to driving Morgan into Tennessee and strangling her, causing her death.
U.S. Attorney Bumgarner stated, “Morgan Violi’s family never gave up on her, and neither did the Bowling Green community or its law enforcement community. For years, this community has feared that Morgan’s abductor lived silently among us and that one of our kids could be next. Investigators in the FBI and the Bowling Green Police Department have worked tirelessly to bring justice for Morgan. They applied new technology, reexamined old evidence, and never stopped searching for the truth. Yesterday, we filed a criminal complaint charging Robert Scott Froberg with her kidnapping, resulting in her death.”
If convicted, the defendant faces only two potential sentences: life in prison or the death penalty. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is being investigated by the FBI and Bowling Green Police Department.
United States Attorney Kyle Bumgarner and First Assistant United States Attorney Brian Butler are prosecuting the case.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Criminal Complaint
Former New York City Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty to Defrauding InvestorsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that JOSHUA SCHUSTER pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni to securities fraud for his role in a scheme to defraud investors in large real estate development projects located in New York City. SCHUSTER is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9, 2026.
“Joshua Schuster promised to use investor funds to develop real estate projects throughout our City,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Schuster instead constructed a fraud, stealing more than $13 million from his investors in order to fund his lifestyle and pay off earlier investors in a Ponzi-like fashion. Fraud in the Real Estate market costs all New Yorkers, including through higher rents and home prices. This Office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to protect investors in this market—and all markets—from fraudsters who line their own pockets at the expense of New Yorkers.”
According to the Indictment, plea agreement, and statements made in Court:
Over a five year period, JOSHUA SCHUSTER engaged in a scheme to defraud investors who had entrusted him with millions of dollars to finance real estate development projects in New York City. SCHUSTER induced investors to contribute capital to his projects by promising them equity in high-end real estate developments, and by representing that investor funds would be used exclusively for the acquisition and development of specific New York-based projects. Instead, SCHUSTER misappropriated in excess of $13 million dollars in investor money to fund his lifestyle, including over $1 million in personal credit card payments and hundreds of thousands of dollars in gambling losses; to repay earlier investors in a Ponzi-like fashion; and to cover unrelated business obligations and payroll.
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SCHUSTER, 42, of Boca Raton, Florida, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a separate civil action against SCHUSTER, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.
This prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Nessim is in charge of the prosecution.
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FCI Schuylkill Inmate Indicted for Possession of A WeaponRead the Press Release
SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Damonta King, age 19, a federal inmate incarcerated at FCI Schuylkill, Minersville, Pennsylvania, was indicted on February 24, 2026, by a federal grand jury on the charge of possession of a weapon.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, the indictment alleges that in January of 2026, a corrections officer conducting an inmate pat down discovered inmate King to be in possession of a prison-made weapon on his person, commonly referred to as a “shank.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigations and the Special Investigative Services of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luisa Honora Berti is prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is up to 5 years’ imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments and Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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District of Arizona Charges 156 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from Feb. 21 through Feb. 27, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 156 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 106 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 40 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed nine cases against 10 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE- Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Jose Leonel Medina-Angulo. Medina-Angulo was charged by complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens, Feb. 23, 2026. A Border Patrol agent observed four individuals walking in remote terrain and dense brush approximately 14 miles south of Exit 87 on I-8. As the Border Patrol agent approached the group, which included Medina-Angulo, they fled and attempted to conceal themselves in bushes but were ultimately apprehended. The agent noticed the individuals were wearing camouflage clothing and carpet booties over their shoes and carrying camouflage backpacks. Later that day, Border Patrol received a report of two additional individuals believed to be a part of the same group apprehended earlier walking northbound through the desert. A Border Patrol agent located the individuals and apprehended them. Some of the individuals in the group positively identified Medina-Angulo as the foot guide. Immigration checks confirmed that all six of the individuals, including Medina-Angulo, are not U.S. citizens and are all unlawfully present in the United States. 26-01142MJ, Phoenix.
United States v. Jario Isaias Ventura-Jocol. Ventura-Jocol was charged by complaint with Transportation of Illegal Aliens for Profit, Feb. 25, 2026. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agents were identifying vehicles involved in human smuggling when they were notified that a vehicle registered from Phoenix was traveling westbound from the checkpoint without a valid driver's license associated with the vehicle's registration. HSI notified the Tohono O'odham Police Department (TOPD). TOPD observed the vehicle as it was traveling toward an area that is common for drivers to pick up illegal aliens. It then traveled back several minutes later. TOPD then observed the vehicle fail to stop at two stop signs. TOPD attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but the driver, later identified as Jario Isaias Ventura-Jocol, failed to yield. The vehicle began traveling more than 100 mph. HSI joined in the pursuit. At one point, Ventura-Jocol lost control of the vehicle and spun around in the road but was able to regain control and continued fleeing. Ventura-Jocol eventually pulled off to the side of the road, and two subjects fled from the vehicle into the desert. Agents apprehended Ventura-Jocol, the two subjects, and an additional subject hiding in the backseat. The subjects were determined to be citizens of Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, illegally present in the United States. 26-02936MJ, Tucson.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-039_February 27 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Dayton man faces federal child pornography crimes involving victim under 5 years oldRead the Press Release
DAYTON, Ohio – United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II and Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jr. announced today that Christopher Houck, 20, of Dayton, has been charged federally with child pornography crimes involving a child under the age of 5.
Allegations in the charging documents state that Houck created sexually explicit videos involving the victim.
Initial forensic review of Houck’s cell phones revealed that Houck also allegedly traded child pornography with other individuals online on platforms like Snapchat. He possessed numerous images and videos of child pornography of other victims.
Earlier this month, Houck allegedly messaged online with another adult male, discussing their sexual fantasies involving children and the possibility of meeting up to find children with whom to engage in sexually explicit conduct together.
This case originated with reports to the Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center. Houck was originally arrested on local charges of gross sexual imposition, voyeurism, pandering obscenity and child endangering, and he has been incarcerated in the Montgomery County Jail since Feb. 15.
Houck is now charged federally with producing child pornography (punishable by 15 to 30 years in prison), distributing child pornography (five to 20 years in prison) and possessing child pornography depicting a prepubescent minor (up to 20 years).
“We will work together across all levels of government to hold accountable offenders who perpetrate crimes against children,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “My office is grateful for the collaboration between the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI that led to these charges.”
“The allegations in this case are deeply troubling and involve the exploitation of a vulnerable child,” said Sheriff Rob Streck. “Protecting children is our top priority, and we will continue to work closely with federal and local partners to investigate these crimes, hold offenders accountable, and ensure victims receive the support they need.”
This case is being prosecuted in collaboration with the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and FBI are investigating. Assistant United States Attorney Christina Mahy is representing the United States in this case.
This case is being brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A criminal complaint merely contains allegations, and defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Convicted Sexual Predator Charged with Illegal Reentry into the United States After Prior DeportationRead the Press Release
Jacksonville, Florida – Miguel Solis-Morales (42, Mexico) has been charged by indictment with illegal reentry into the United States by a previously deported alien. If convicted, Solis-Morales faces up to 20 years in federal prison and subsequent deportation and removal from the United States. Solis-Morales made his initial appearance in federal court in Jacksonville on February 26, 2026, and ordered detained pending a detention hearing on March 4 ,2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Solis-Morales was convicted of sexual battery on September 10, 2009, in Jacksonville. He was then ordered to be designated as a sexual predator under Florida law. On May 21, 2025, he was removed from the United States by immigration authorities. On February 16, 2026, Solis-Morales was found to be voluntarily back in the United States and was arrested. Records checks confirmed that he had not applied to U.S. immigration authorities for permission to lawfully reenter the United States after his removal.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Florida Highway Patrol. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the United States Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime and human trafficking.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 10 Years for the Interstate Transportation of Stolen Avionics EquipmentRead the Press Release
Tampa. Florida – Mario Mercier Hernandez (61, New Port Richey) has been sentenced by United States District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle to the statutory maximum of 10 years in federal prison for the interstate transportation of stolen property. Mercier pleaded guilty on July 25, 2025. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, beginning around 2019, Mercier embarked on a string of thefts of avionics equipment from more than forty airports across the United States, including airports in Florida, Tennessee, New Jersey, Maryland, and South Carolina. Mercier, using his knowledge and skill as an FAA-certified pilot, entered each airport, broke into airplanes, and stole valuable electronics equipment from the planes. In total, Mercier stole more than $1.1 million worth of avionics electronics from his victims. Mercier’s thefts continued until May 23, 2024, when he was arrested while stealing equipment from aircraft at the Caldwell Executive Airport in Caldwell, Idaho.
Mercier owned and operated JWG International and JWG Aviation in the Middle District of Florida. These companies purported to provide aid to impoverished children in Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Ukraine. Mercier used these companies to sell the stolen avionics equipment on various websites to unsuspecting purchasers around the United States.
Previously, in 1993, Mercier was convicted in the Eastern District of Texas for a series of avionics burglaries across Texas, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Vermont. In 2007, Mercier was also convicted of transportation of stolen property in the Middle District of Florida, relating to a similar scheme to steal and resell avionics equipment.
“This investigation spanned multiple states and involved numerous agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “Clearly, it demonstrates the ability and resolve of our law enforcement partners to extend their reach and bring criminals to justice.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear and unequivocal message that those who engage in extensive, far-reaching schemes to steal, transport, and resell avionics equipment will face serious consequences,” said Greg Thompson, Special Agent-in-Charge, Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Mid-Atlantic Region. “Together with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we will relentlessly pursue those who seek to exploit our transportation systems and ensure they are brought to justice.”
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, with valuable assistance from the U.S. Department of Transportation - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry & Security (BIS), St. Mary's Sheriff's Office (Lexington Park, Maryland), Canyon County Sheriff's Office and Caldwell Police Department (Caldwell, Idaho), Wilkes County Sheriff's Office (Wilkesboro, North Carolina), McClain County Sheriff's Office (Purcell, Oklahoma), Concord Police Department (Concord, North Carolina), Baxter County Sheriff’s Office (Mountain Home, Arkansas), Moore County Sheriff's Office (Carthage, North Carolina), Hillsborough Township Police Department (Hillsborough, New Jersey), Charleston County Aviation Authority Police Department (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina), Statesville Police Department (Statesville, North Carolina), Dorchester County Sheriff's Office (Summerville, South Carolina), Asheboro Police Department (Asheboro, North Carolina), Oconee County Sheriff's Office (Walhalla, South Carolina), Nashau Police Department (Nashau, New Hampshire), Citrus County Sherriff's Office (Inverness, Florida), Greenwood County Sheriff's Office (Greenwood, South Carolina), Lane County Sheriff's Office (Eugene, Oregon), Ontario County Sheriff's Office (Canandaigua, New York), Stow Police Department (Stow, Massachusetts), Burke County Sheriff's Office (Morganton, North Carolina), Iredell County Sheriff's Office (Mooresville, North Carolina), Charles County Sheriff's Office (Waldorf, Maryland), Thomasville Police Department (Thomasville, Georgia), Clarksville Police Department (Clarksville, Tennessee), Macon County Sheriff's Office (Franklin, North Carolina), Lincoln County Sheriff's Office (Lincolnton, North Carolina), McMinn County Sheriff's Office (Athens, Tennessee), Robertson County Sheriff's Office (Springfield, Tennessee), Lumberton Police Department (Lumberton, New Jersey), Bedminster Police Department (Bedminster, New Jersey), Spanish Fork Police Department (Spanish Fork, Utah), and Vancouver Police Department (Vancouver, Washington). It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.
Connecticut Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Threatening to Torture and Kill FBI Agent and FamilyRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Scott Robert Tardy, 32, of Seymour, Connecticut, has been sentenced to 80 months in federal prison for cyberstalking, providing false statements to the FBI, and obstruction of justice in a scheme that targeted a South Carolina FBI agent and his family.
“The work of a law enforcement agent is difficult enough without the undue burden of threats against their safety and the safety of their family,” said U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina. “We’ll continue to support our law enforcement partners who protect South Carolina every day.”
“Cyberstalking has serious consequences, as this defendant has now learned,” said Kevin Moore, special agent in charge of the FBI Columbia Field Office. “His deliberate actions were intended to instill fear and resulted in lasting trauma for the victims. The FBI will always investigate, pursue, and bring to justice, individuals who exploit digital platforms to engage in criminal conduct.”
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Tardy operated an account with the username “connecticut12345” on the Kik social media platform in which he joined an anti-law enforcement chat group.
In those messages, Tardy repeatedly identified the victims’ association with the FBI as a reason to target them. He also shared photographs of the agent’s spouse and the city and state where they live. Tardy discussed violence against the agent and the agent’s family, including throwing a Molotov cocktail in their bedroom while they were sleeping. He asked for the conversation to be moved to the Telegram platform, where he operated the username “slimybanana,” because he believed that application was more secure.On the second platform, Tardy discussed what a cartel would do to the victims, he discussed having one of the victims “ruined,” “destroyed,” and “tortured for days.” He discussed having the violence recorded on video. He said burning the house was “good enough” if the victim was inside. Tardy then shared the location of the victims’ home by sharing a map with a pin drop on the victims’ street and asked another user how long it would take them to get there.
When the FBI executed a federal search warrant at Tardy’s apartment on Feb. 16, he falsely denied ever using Kik or Telegram, and he denied responsibility for the solicitations and messages. He gave further false statements in an interview with investigators, and he caused the phone that he used to be reset, clearing its content, and exchanging it for a new phone.
Despite his efforts to evade detection, data related to the Kik and Telegram accounts showed that Tardy controlled the accounts. Investigators were also able to recover the map of the victims’ home with the pin drop on it from an account associated with Tardy. During the scheme, Tardy worked as a corrections officer at a detention facility in Connecticut.
Further evidence revealed that Tardy had engaged in other predatory online activity, to include messages discussing his desires to drug and rape women in his community and sharing images of friends’ children while discussing child sexual abuse.
United States District Judge Joseph F. Anderson, Jr. sentenced Tardy to 80 months imprisonment, representing a variance above the advisory sentencing range provided by the U.S. Sentencing Commission Guidelines. The Court imposed the higher sentence because of the severity of the impact on the victims. Tardy’s prison term will be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. The Court also ordered Tardy to pay more than $5,000 in restitution for financial costs to the victims associated with his criminal conduct.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elle E. Klein and Elliott B. Daniels prosecuted the case.
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Chicago man sentenced to 20 years in prison for drug crimes in Guernsey CountyRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Chicago man was sentenced in federal court here today to 240 months in prison for having bulk amounts of narcotics at a Guernsey County hotel.
A federal jury convicted Kenneth D. Triplett, 38, of three narcotics offenses following a trial in May 2025. The crimes include possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl and heroin, cocaine, and cocaine base.
According to court documents and trial testimony, in April 2024, the Guernsey County Sheriff’s Office received a tip that Triplett was in the county to distribute drugs. Triplett had traveled to Guernsey County with distributable amounts of drugs after being in the Columbus area.
Within 12 hours of receiving the tip, law enforcement observed Triplett’s vehicle at a Quality Inn in Cambridge, Ohio, and arrested the defendant nearby. Triplett had an active full extradition warrant for his arrest from Minnesota.
After arresting Triplett, officers searched his hotel room and discovered hidden throughout the room: cocaine and more than 230 grams cocaine base, an open vacuum sealed bag of fentanyl mixed with heroin, and a digital scale.
Triplett’s criminal history includes multiple drug convictions in multiple jurisdictions, often rural communities. Sentencing documents also note that Triplett’s drug trafficking is tied to at least one nonlethal drug overdose.
Dominick S. Gerace II, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Jared Murphey, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Detroit; and Guernsey County Sheriff Jeffrey D. Paden announced the sentence imposed today by U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley. Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler J. Aagard and Kevin W. Kelley are representing the United States in this case.
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Cedar County Attorney Pleads Guilty to Defrauding ClientsRead the Press Release
Springfield, Mo. – A Cedar County, Mo., attorney pleaded guilty to wire fraud yesterday for defrauding his vulnerable clients and using funds meant for their well-being for his own personal benefit.
Peter A. Lee, 50, of Stockton, Mo., devised a scheme to defraud his clients of funds for his own personal gain and then concealed his scheme by making false representations to his clients and financial institutions. Lee also used his clients’ funds to repay victims of his prior thefts. The clients he defrauded included decedent estates and a special needs trust. From January 2019 through February 2025, Lee obtained $296,140 in client funds through his fraud scheme.
As a part of Lee’s plea agreement, he agreed to voluntarily surrender his license to practice law.
Under federal statutes, Lee is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Missouri State Highway Patrol.
Cazenovia Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
SYRACUSE, NEW YORK – Dean Dellas, age 41, of Cazenovia, New York, pled guilty on February 26, 2026, to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III and Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), made the announcement.
As part of his guilty plea, Dellas admitted that beginning no later than June 2021 through November 2023, he acted as a financial advisor for the investment accounts of clients in the Syracuse area. Dellas fraudulently induced those clients to sign paperwork that authorized Dellas to take advisor fees from their accounts well in excess of what they actually agreed to. For other accounts, Dellas fraudulently induced the clients to sign paperwork granting him trading and withdrawal authority over their accounts. This account-opening paperwork misrepresented Dellas’s relationship to the clients and falsely stated that Dellas received no compensation for providing investment advice. The account-opening documents that Dellas induced the clients to sign also falsely stated that the client wanted to engage in high-risk forms of investment, according to the indictment. Dellas further admitted that to conceal the fraud, he took steps to conceal account statements from his clients and at times impersonated clients in communicating with brokerage firms. Dellas admitted that he stole approximately $686,000 from his victims through unauthorized withdrawals and advisor fees.
First Assistant United States Attorney John A. Sarcone III stated, “Dean Dellas’s greed knew no bounds. He abused the trust of his clients and used their hard-earned retirement dollars as his own personal piggy bank. Thanks to our dedicated law enforcement partners, he is being held accountable so we may get justice for the victims of his crimes.”
Craig L. Tremaroli, Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Field Office stated, “Mr. Dellas abused his position as a financial advisor to callously steal from clients who trusted him with their investments. The FBI takes our responsibility to investigate those who commit fraud for personal gain very seriously, which is why Mr. Dellas is now heading to federal prison. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who use illegal means and criminal behavior to take advantage of others.”
Sentencing is scheduled for June 22, 2026, before United States Chief District Judge Brenda K. Sannes. Dellas faces at least two years and up to 22 years in federal prison, and a maximum fine of $250,000. The charges also carry a term of supervised release of up to 3 years. As part of his plea, Dellas agreed to pay restitution to the victims of his crimes. A defendant’s sentence is imposed by a judge based on the particular statutes the defendant is charged with violating, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
FBI is investigating the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew J. McCrobie and Michael F. Perry are prosecuting the case.
Canton Man Convicted by Jury for PerjuryRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A federal jury convicted a Canton man for false statements before a court.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, William “Bill” Byrd McHenry, Jr., provided false statements on November 18, 2021, during a judgment debtor examination. The examination, which was taken by the Receiver for Arthur Lamar Adams and Madison Timber Properties, LLC, was to determine the assets he had available to satisfy at least part of a $3,473,320 judgment that had been entered against him. The judgment was to be used to satisfy, at least partially, investors who had lost money in the Madison Timber Properties multi-state Ponzi scheme involving more than one hundred million dollars and hundreds of victims spanning a number of years. During a judgment debtor examination, McHenry was asked directly about certain assets and whether he had sold them during the pendency of his own personal bankruptcy, which he filed after the $3,473,320 judgment. He falsely denied selling any such assets.
McHenry is scheduled to be sentenced on May 28, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine his sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel Goff and Matt Allen are prosecuting the case.
California Woman Sentenced to over 8 Years for Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
POCATELLO - U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today that Marissa Nicole Delagarza, 38, of Visalia, California, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine. Her co-defendant, Maryjane Maria Gomez, 24, of Tulare, California, was sentenced to 8 months in prison.
According to court records, on July 2, 2024, an Idaho State Police trooper stopped a car driven by Gomez in Chubbuck, Idaho. Delagarza was a passenger in the car. The Trooper eventually searched the car and found almost 18 pounds of methamphetamine in a backpack that was stored in the trunk. Investigators also obtained evidence from one of the cellphones that had been located in the vehicle, which showed that the two women were transporting the methamphetamine from California to South Dakota for the purpose of distribution and that Delagarza paid Gomez to drive her and the methamphetamine to South Dakota.
Both Delagarza and Gomez pleaded guilty to the charge of Possession with the Intent to Distribute on December 11, 2025.
Senior U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill sentenced both women. He sentenced Delagarza to 100 months in prison, a $500 fine, and five years of supervised release following her prison sentence. Judge Winmill sentenced Gomez to 8 months in prison for her role as the driver. He ordered Gomez to pay a $500 fine and to serve three years of supervised release following her prison sentence.
U.S. Attorney Davis made the announcement and commended the work of the Idaho State Police, which led to the charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blythe McLane prosecuted the case.
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California Man Sentenced to over 24 Years for Transporting 132 Pounds of Methamphetamine to Tampa International AirportRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Jacob Paul Arjona (32, Bakersfield, CA) has been sentenced to 24 years and 6 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. This sentence is to be served concurrently with Arjona’s sentence in a separate federal methamphetamine trafficking and kidnapping case, in which he was sentenced in August 2025 to 17 years and 7 months’ imprisonment. Arjona has been in custody since February 25, 2025, he pleaded guilty on November 19, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, Arjona recruited Hernan Cruz-Moreno and Agustin Ortiz-Sanchez to transport more than 120 pounds of methamphetamine to Tampa in their luggage on a flight from Los Angeles, California to Tampa International Airport (TIA) on May 3, 2023, while Arjona traveled to Florida separately to oversee the distribution of the methamphetamine.
After Cruz-Moreno and Ortiz-Sanchez were stopped and arrested at TIA and their luggage was seized, special agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) had packaging from the seized methamphetamine tested and received a positive match on fingerprint testing for Arjona. Airline records showed that Arjona had traveled to Tampa later and flew out of Orlando on May 3, 2023.
Cruz-Moreno previously pleaded guilty to trafficking charges and was sentenced in April 2024 to 7 years and 3 months’ imprisonment. Ortiz-Sanchez fled after he was released on bond and remains a fugitive from justice.
Airline records also connected Arjona to similar ventures in other jurisdictions involving marijuana and methamphetamine. In addition, airline and baggage records the HSI agents had gathered while investigating this case helped the Drug Enforcement Administration connect Arjona to an unrelated October 2023 drug and kidnapping case in Holiday, Florida. Arjona pleaded guilty in that case in December 2024.
“The coordination and cooperation by our law enforcement partners were effective in disrupting the trafficking of methamphetamine from coast to coast,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe. “We will continue to work together to prevent the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities across the Middle District of Florida.”
“Illicit narcotics like methamphetamine pose a grave threat that destroys lives, tears apart families, and undermines the safety and well-being of neighborhoods across the country,” said Homeland Security Investigations Tampa acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Calvo. HSI, alongside our partners at Tampa International Airport Police Department, are dedicated to stopping these criminals from importing the devastating effects of illegal drugs into our communities.”
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Tampa International Airport Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs, Jr.
Business Owner Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Multimillion-Dollar Ponzi Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas business owner was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for fraudulently obtaining nearly $4 million dollars from a food brokerage company.
According to court documents, Richard Vairo owned Richard’s Brazilian Sausage LLC, a Florida company that purportedly sold sausage to grocery stores in Florida. From September 2021 to about October 2022, he carried out a scheme to solicit money from a Las Vegas food brokerage company to increase the sales of sausage to a supermarket chain. As part of the scheme, he falsely stated that he would repay the food brokerage company a percentage of the gross profits received from the sausage sales. He sent false weekly statements to the food brokerage company; and repeatedly misrepresented that a bank had placed a hold on the funds in the bank account. He never sold sausages to the supermarket.
Throughout the scheme, Vairo used a social media messaging application and emails to misrepresent that he was selling to the supermarket. The food brokerage company loaned Vairo nearly $11 million, and Vairo repaid the food brokerage company about $7 million, using the victims’ own money as if the repayment came from sales to the supermarket. In total, the food brokerage company had a net loss of about $3,887,620. Vairo used the money he fraudulently obtained from the food brokerage company to support his lifestyle, to pay his bills and debts, and to conduct his business activities.
“Richard Vairo betrayed the trust of a local food brokerage company, stealing nearly $4 million through a calculated fraud scheme,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher S. Delzotto for the FBI Las Vegas Division. “Thanks to a thorough FBI investigation, Vairo is being held accountable, sending a clear message that we will not tolerate financial crimes that harm victims. The FBI remains steadfast in protecting businesses and pursuing justice. If you suspect financial fraud, help us keep our community safe by reporting tips at tips.fbi.gov.”
Vairo pleaded guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud. In addition to imprisonment, Chief United States District Judge Andrew P. Gordon sentenced Vairo to three years of supervised release.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and FBI Special Agent in Charge Delzotto made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Daniel R. Schiess prosecuted the case.
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Brazilian National Sentenced for Selling Firearms Without a License and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national unlawfully living in Framingham was sentenced for conspiracy and engaging in the business of selling firearms without a license.
Victor Santos DeSouza, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns to 14 months in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In November 2025, Santos DeSouza pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in the business of dealing firearms without a license and one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license.
Between May 2023 and August 2023, De Aguiar Ferreira sold two pistols, one with a large capacity magazine, to a cooperating witness without the required license in exchange for cash.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Patricia H. Hyde, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Framingham and Revere Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael J. Crowley and John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Brazilian National Sentenced for Involvement in Large-Scale Human Smuggling RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national illegally residing in Worcester, Mass., has been sentenced for his involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle aliens into the United States, money laundering conspiracy and illegal reentry. Case is part of significant international law enforcement operation targeting alien smugglers in United States and Brazil.
Flavio Alexandre Alves, a/k/a “Ronaldo,” 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Margaret R. Guzman to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In October 2025, Alves pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to bring aliens to and transport aliens within the United States, one count of conspiracy to launder money and one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. The defendant was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint with human smuggling in March 2025 and remains in federal custody.
According to the charging documents, Alves was previously convicted of human smuggling offenses in the Central District of California in 2004 and subsequently deported to Brazil in February 2005. Sometime after his removal, Alves illegally re-entered the United States and has been residing in the United States without immigration status.
In April 2022, an investigation began into a human smuggling organization (HSO) operating in the United States, Brazil and Mexico, that smuggles Brazilian nationals through Mexico, across the U.S.-Mexico border and into the United States for financial gain and laundering the proceeds. The investigation identified Alves as domestic-based smuggler for the HSO who joined the organization in 2021. Alves coordinated with co-conspirators in Brazil and Mexico to facilitate the transportation of aliens from Brazil into the United States, launder funds to Mexico to support the HSO and collect smuggling fees paid by or on behalf of the Brazilian nationals being smuggled.
Specifically, Alves was responsible for purchasing airline tickets for aliens – including families and groups – to various places within the United States. This included purchasing airline tickets for Brazilian nationals to travel from border cities to other locations across the United States shortly after the aliens were encountered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and released from detention. Between May 2021 and August 2022, Alves purchased more than 100 individual airline tickets from Tucson or Phoenix shortly after CBP encounters, to destination cities throughout the United States.
Alves sent money to aliens and smugglers located in Mexico to pay for expenses associated with transit into the United States. Bank and financial records obtained during the investigation revealed that Alves sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in money transfers to facilitate the travel of aliens who were later encountered by immigration authorities illegally crossing into the United States, and paid smugglers in Mexico for their role in the HSO. Additionally, Alves utilized different methods to conceal the nature and frequency of the transfers, including using in-person money transfer services at various locations throughout Massachusetts; providing different variations of his name and home address; and having other close associates conduct the transactions on his behalf.
Alves also collected payments from aliens as the fee for being smuggled into the United States – taking a percentage of the fee as his “cut” and transferring the remainder of the money to other members of the HSO based in Mexico.
The investigation and arrest of Alves was coordinated under Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) and the Extraterritorial Criminal Travel Strike Force (ECT) Program. JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA is comprised of detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, Office of Enforcement Operations and the Office of International Affairs, among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, DEA and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 355 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 315 U.S. convictions; more than 260 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.
The ECT program is a partnership between the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and HSI and focuses on human smuggling networks that may present particular national security or public safety risks, or present grave humanitarian concerns. ECT has dedicated investigative, intelligence and prosecutorial resources. ECT also coordinates and receives assistance from other U.S. government agencies and foreign law enforcement authorities.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brasília, Brazil Attaché Troy Clausen for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations made the announcement today. Substantial assistance was provided by HSI Offices in Brasilia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Philadelphia; HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C; U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force; and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of the Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Clayton O’Connor, Alexandra Skinnion and Acting Deputy Chief Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights & Special Prosecutions Section.
Bradford County Man Sentenced to One Year of Probation for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
WILLIAMSPORT - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Richard Burke, age 76, of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, was sentenced yesterday by Chief United States District Judge Matthew W. Brann to one year of probation and ordered to pay $350,634.23 in restitution on a charge of wire fraud.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, from April 2005 until
March 7, 2022, Burke withdrew $350,634.23 of his deceased mother’s Social Security Retirement, Survivors and Disability (RSDI) benefits and Veterans Affairs death pension benefit payments from her bank account. Burke’s mother died in 2005, and no other individual was entitled to the benefits designated to her. Burke used his deceased mother’s bank card to make regular cash withdrawals over the years following her benefits deposits, never notifying the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) nor the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that she had died.
The Social Security Administration and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Zenzinger prosecuted the case.
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Armed Felon and Methamphetamine Trafficker from Oahu Sentenced to over 14 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Douglas Neddles Keikilani Junior Manago, 46, of Ewa Beach, was sentenced on February 24, 2026, in federal court by Senior United States District Judge Helen Gillmor to 178 months in prison followed by 5 years of supervised release for possessing methamphetamine and a firearm after having been previously convicted of a felony. Manago pled guilty pursuant to a plea agreement in November 2025. He was remanded into custody following his sentencing.
According to court records, Manago was distributing methamphetamine on Oahu. The charges to which he pled guilty stem from two separate traffic stops and subsequent search warrants executed on vehicles Manago was driving. Manago admitted that he possessed methamphetamine intending to distribute it to others, as well as a firearm that he was prohibited from possessing due to a prior felony conviction. In total, Manago was held responsible for over three pounds of methamphetamine.
The FBI and Honolulu Police Department investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Margaret C. Nammar prosecuted the case.
This prosecution was part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Hawaii comprises agents and officers from ICE-HSI, FBI, ATF, CBP, CGIS, DCIS, DEA, DSS, IRS-CI, NCIS, USMS, USPIS and HHIDTA with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii.
Anson, Texas Man Federally Charged with Attempted Enticement of a Minor After Arranging to Meet Purported 15-Year-Old GirlRead the Press Release
An Anson man was charged with attempted enticement of a minor after arranging to meet a purported 15-year-old girl, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Ervin Joe Campbell, 63, was charged by a federal criminal complaint and arrested on February 26, 2026, for the federal offense of attempted enticement of a minor. He made his initial appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John R. Parker.
“The collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners took another alleged would-be predator from our streets,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “This case highlights the importance of devoting resources to unearth sex trafficking in the Northern District of Texas. We will continue to vigorously investigate and prosecute these cases.”
According to the complaint, Ervin Joe Campbell allegedly attempted to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce an individual he believed to be fifteen years old to engage in prostitution and sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense. As alleged, on February 25, 2026, the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division, Homeland Security Investigations, the Abilene Police Department, and the Texas Attorney General’s Office conducted an undercover chat operation in Abilene, Texas, targeting the solicitation of prostitution and child predators. During the operation, AG Investigators posed as minors, aged fifteen and sixteen, via an undercover account. The account posted on Facebook Marketplace as “Massage and Fun.” Campbell allegedly contacted the account and agreed to pay $200 for sex with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl.
The complaint alleges that Campbell sent a picture of himself and stated he was 60 years old. After being told that the person he was communicating with was fifteen, Campbell replied, “I could get in trouble,” followed later by “I’m not a cop, are you?” The undercover investigator informed Campbell that her sixteen-year-old friend was available as well and provided the price of $500.00 for sexual intercourse with both girls. The messages exchanged between the undercover investigator and Campbell included:
According to the complaint, Campbell arrived at a prearranged meeting place with two condoms and $652.00 cash. Officers also found a cellphone on which Campbell had saved the undercover investigator’s number as “15.”
If convicted, Campbell faces a sentence of at least 10 years in federal prison up to life imprisonment. He remains in federal custody pending detention and preliminary hearings on March 3, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Parker in Abilene, Texas.
Homeland Security Investigations Abilene Division, Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division in Abilene, the Abilene Police Department, and the Texas Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Whitney James is prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Campbell is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Thursday 26 February 2026
Zuni man pleads guilty to triple homicideRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man has pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with the deaths of three individuals on July 4, 2025.
According to court documents, on July 4, 2025, Willis Kylestewa, 42, an enrolled member of the Zuni Pueblo, drove while intoxicated with four passengers in a vehicle without working headlights. When law enforcement attempted a traffic stop, Kylestewa fled, speeding and swerving through traffic before losing control of the vehicle, which flipped and crashed. Kylestewa and three passengers were ejected from the vehicle and two died at the scene. A third passenger died inside the vehicle. At the hospital, Kylestewa’s blood alcohol level was .317, and THC was also detected in his system.
Kylestewa pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder. At sentencing, Kylestewa faces any number of years up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Zuni Police Department and Zuni Open Space. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas J. Marshall and Amy Mondragon are prosecuting the case.
Zachary Man Sentenced to 180 Months in Federal Prison for Convictions of Multiple Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Jeremy Dewayne Hawkins, age 45, of Zachary, Louisiana, to 180 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and heroin and possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. The Court further sentenced Hawkins to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, DEA agents intercepted communications over four of Hawkins’ telephones between June and August 2017 and learned that Hawkins conspired with others to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine and heroin from Houston, Texas and elsewhere and redistribute those narcotics within the Middle District of Louisiana. Evidence brought to light at trial by federal and state law enforcement officials described a search warrant on Hawkins’ property in Ethel, Louisiana, where agents located more than four kilograms of cocaine, over 100 grams of heroin, six firearms, and over 800 rounds of ammunition.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Baton Rouge comprises agents and officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), the United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the U.S. Coast Guard, Investigative Service (CGIS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations (CBP OFO), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol (CBP BP), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Louisiana.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Internal Revenue Service, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as a Deputy Chief in the Criminal Division.
West Columbia Felon Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Gun, DrugsRead the Press Release
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Cedrick Exzavius Reese, 45, of West Columbia, has been sentenced to three years in federal prison for possession of crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that a Richland County deputy observed a car speeding and running a stop sign. The deputy initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle, driven by Reese. After failing to provide a driver’s license, Reese gave consent to the deputy to search him. The deputy located suspected methamphetamine in a clear plastic bag in his waistband. He stated the narcotics were for “personal use.” When the deputy searched the vehicle, he found a gun and ammunition in the car, along with crack cocaine and fentanyl.
Reese had prior convictions for multiple drug offenses which prohibit him from possessing a firearm.
United States District Judge Mary Geiger Lewis sentenced Reese to 36 months imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision on each count, to run concurrently. Reese must also pay a $5,000 fine. There is no parole in the federal system.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William K. Witherspoon is prosecuting the case.
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Washington State Man Found Guilty After Escape from Federal CustodyRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A federal jury in Portland, Oregon, found Brandon Charles Nelson, 40, guilty yesterday of escape after failing to report to the Northwest Regional Re-entry Center (NWRRC) in Portland.
According to court documents, Nelson was convicted of felon in possession of a firearm and sentenced to 36 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release. On Feb. 25, 2025, after violating his release conditions for a third time, Nelson’s supervision was revoked, and he was sentenced to 12 months in prison and 18 months of supervised release. While in custody at Victorville Federal Corrections Institute (FCI), Nelson met criteria for placement in a residential re-entry center and was referred to the NWRRC. He was approved to travel unescorted and required to report no later than Nov. 20, 2025. Nelson absconded and failed to report as directed and required. Victorville FCI reported Nelson as an escapee to the United States Marshals Service (USMS) on Nov. 21, 2025, and the USMS arrested him on Dec. 5, 2025, without incident.
On Dec. 16, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Nelson with escape from custody.
Nelson faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. He will be sentenced on June 8, 2026, before a U.S. District Court judge.
The USMS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Arin Heinz prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Found Guilty of Pointing Firearm at Woman Who Got into A Fight with His Romantic Partner in October 2023Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gerald Day, 34, of Woodbridge, Virginia, was found guilty on all counts yesterday, by a Superior Court jury for charges stemming from an altercation that occurred in October 2023, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Day was found guilty of one count of assault with a dangerous weapon, one count of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, one count of carrying a pistol without a license, and one count of felony threats on February 25, 2026. Sentencing is scheduled for May 1, 2026, before Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt. Possession of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum of five years of incarceration.
According to the government’s evidence, shortly after midnight on October 29, 2023, at the intersection of O Street and Carrollsburg Place, SW, the victim arrived at the location of a party when she saw a romantic partner with another woman with a larger group of people. Unbeknownst to the victim, there was another woman in the group—the defendant’s girlfriend—with whom she had prior hostility. The victim and the defendant’s girlfriend began to fight, during which other members of the larger group joined in. Shortly after the exchange, the victim deployed mace at a woman in the group. After doing so, the victim took several steps away from the group when Day produced a black handgun with a tactical flashlight attachment and pointed the firearm at the victim, stating words to the effect of, “I’ll blow you’re a** up.” The victim and the group continued to exchange words, during which the victim attempted to deploy mace again. The victim eventually got into her vehicle just seconds before Day ran up to her car, kicked her car door shut, and slammed the firearm against the window.
The victim drove past the group when she heard three gunshots, fired by co-defendant Paul Poston, another member of the group who pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon on April 23, 2024. The victim’s vehicle sustained gunshots to the driver’s side rear door, the driver’s side rear window, and trunk. The victim was not injured and drove away before pulling over and calling 911. Prior to the incident, the victim had never met Day or Poston.
Joining the announcement was Interim Chief Jeffery Carroll of the Metropolitan Police Department.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
The case was tried by Assistant United States Attorneys William Gandy and Samuel Ison. The case was investigated, indicted, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Sara Hanson, Michael Lee, Hannah Skopicki, and Katerina Qesari.
Vienna man sentenced to over 18 years in prison for travelling to Colombia for commercial sex with a minorRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Vienna man was sentenced today to 18 years and four months in prison following his conviction for sex trafficking a child and engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign place.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Nov. 1, 2024, Michael Jamie Inofuentes, 45, a U.S. citizen with residences in Virginia and Colombia, flew into Miami International Airport on a return flight from Colombia, where he was flagged for secondary inspection based on suspicious payments he made to an individual suspected of involvement in child sex trafficking in Colombia. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted a border search of Inofuentes and his belongings. During an inspection of his cellphones, agents identified messages between Inofuentes and a 15-year-old Colombian girl showing he had solicited the victim for commercial sex. Inofuentes, who knew the victim was a minor and was frequently hungry and at risk of homelessness, solicited and paid the victim for sex on at least three occasions in 2024.
When interviewed by law enforcement, Inofuentes initially denied having sex with the victim but later admitted to having a sexual relationship with her. Inofuentes also admitted that he has children in Colombia and the mother was a minor when he impregnated her. Inofuentes was allowed to return home after the interview. On Nov. 4, 2024, while attempting to board a flight at Dulles International Airport bound for Colombia, Inofuentes was stopped on the jet bridge and taken to secondary inspection. He admitted that he offered the victim money for sex at a hotel.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C., investigated this case with valuable assistance from the HSI Miami Field Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lauren Halper and Laura D. Withers prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-5.
Victoria man sentenced for laundering nearly $600,000 in drug proceedsRead the Press Release
VICTORIA, Texas – A 48-year-old local business owner has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to commit money laundering, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jason Ashley Brannan pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2025.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Brannan to serve 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by one year of supervised release. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $25,000, and Brannan agreed to a forfeiture of $590,290.44.
Brannan owned and operated J & B Cleaning Inc. and Hills Lawn & Tree Service in Victoria.
From September 2023 to May 2024 Brannan laundered approximately $590,000 and recruited two others to assist him in the scheme. He believed he was acting on behalf of a cartel involved in heroin trafficking.
Brannan issues business checks with false memo lines such as “Poker Cash Game,” “Mexico Deer Lease” and “Carbonia Duck Lodge Mexico.” He planned to claim the deposited cash came from gambling winnings if audited and also tried to obtain kilogram quantities of cocaine.
IRS Criminal Investigation and Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patti Booth and Tyler Foster prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Moore Capito to Announce Sentence of Ex-Law Firm Office Manager for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – United States Attorney Moore Capito will address the media this afternoon at the Sidney L. Christie U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building in Huntington following the sentencing of Todd M. Chapman.
Chapman, 58, of Huntington, pleaded guilty earlier to bank fraud, admitting that he embezzled at least $602,000 from a now-defunct Huntington law firm while its office manager.
WHO: United States Attorney Moore Capito
WHAT: Media Availability
WHEN: Thursday, February 26, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Sidney L. Christie U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building
845 Fifth Avenue, Huntington*** NOTE: the media availability is contingent upon the completion of the sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. ***
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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U.S. Attorney Dunavant adds Additional Attorneys and Support Staff to U.S. Attorney's OfficeRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant, of the Western District of Tennessee, is pleased to announce the recent hiring and assignment of five (5) new Assistant U.S. Attorneys, one (1) new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (JAG SAUSA), and two (2) new support staff positions in the U.S. Attorney’s Office. “With the dramatic increase in our case filings since October, these new positions are much needed, and a welcome addition to our outstanding staff who effectively represents the United States, enforces the rule of law, and protects public safety in West Tennessee every day,” said U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant.
Jennifer Collins, Assistant U.S. Attorney, is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Mississippi School of Law and is licensed to practice in Mississippi and Tennessee. She previously worked at Webb, Sanders & Williams, PLLC in Tupelo, Mississippi and for the Memphis City Schools district as Associate General Counsel. Prior to becoming an AUSA, she worked at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee as a Paralegal Specialist for the Appellate Division and Homeland Security Task Force. She will be assigned to the Civil Division of the Memphis office.
Meghan Fowler, Assistant U.S. Attorney, obtained her bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida and her law degree from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She has been a prosecutor for over 16 years in Tennessee and Mississippi, handling all levels of State criminal prosecutions. She served as an Assistant District Attorney in Shelby County, Tennessee and worked as a Senior Trial Assistant in the Special Prosecution Unit as well as the Domestic Violence Unit. She also served as an Assistant District Attorney in North Mississippi before serving as an Assistant District Attorney General Pro Tem for the Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference. She will be assigned to the Organized Crimes & HSTF Unit in the Criminal Division of the Memphis office.
Brooke Greer, Legal Assistant, is a graduate of Union University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Prior to this position, she worked as a civil paralegal for a private law firm in Jackson, Tennessee. She is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina and is excited to begin working in the Criminal Division of the U.S. Attorney's Office in Jackson, Tennessee.
Raven Icaza, Assistant U.S. Attorney, obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Loyola University Chicago and her Juris Doctorate from University of Memphis. She began her career in the 25th Judicial District of Tennessee as an Assistant District Attorney. and litigated a variety of cases throughout the district, primarily Fayette County. She was a member of the Child Protective Investigative Team and the Vulnerable Adult Protective Investigative Team. She currently serves as Secretary on the board of Fayette Cares, a local non-profit dedicated to helping those affected by homelessness, domestic violence, or otherwise in crisis. She will be assigned to the Organized Crimes & HSTF Unit in the Criminal Division of the Memphis office.
Darrius Samples, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, earned his Juris Doctor from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University. He is admitted to practice law in Maryland where he gained foundational experience in criminal procedure and courtroom litigation. He joined the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps and served as a Military Justice Advisor, Chief of Client Services, and Defense Counsel, which included an overseas assignment in South Korea. He advised commanders on complex military justice matters, oversaw legal services operations, and represented service members in serious criminal cases. He will be assigned to prosecute criminal cases arising from the Memphis Safe Task Force Operation.
Gavin Smith, Assistant U.S. Attorney, attended the University of Tennessee in Knoxville where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and his Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. He served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office in Memphis, where he prosecuted violent crimes and homicides. He was a member of the D.A.’s Special Victims Unit (SVU) and also served as the Chief Prosecutor over a vertical team of prosecutors in both general sessions and criminal courts. He will be assigned to the Firearms & Violent Crimes Unit in the Criminal Division of the Memphis office.
Berina Suljic, Paralegal Specialist, earned her Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Law, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. After relocating to the United States, she earned an Associate of Applied Science degree in Paralegal Studies from Southwest Tennessee Community College in Memphis, Tennessee. Following graduation, she worked at an immigration law firm as a paralegal and applied her international legal background and technical expertise to support case strategy and client advocacy. She joins the U.S. Attorney's Office with extensive experience handling complex legal matters and a wealth of knowledge in immigration law. She will be assigned to the Firearms & Violent Crimes Unit in the Criminal Division of the Memphis office.
Irris Williams, Assistant U.S. Attorney, is a lifelong Memphian and graduated from Memphis Harding Academy. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Spelman College and received her Juris Doctor degree from the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. She began her career as an Associate Attorney at Becker Law Firm practicing family law. She served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Shelby County District Attorney General’s Office prior to joining the Firearms and Violent Crimes Unit at the U.S. Attorney's Office. She will be assigned to the Firearms & Violent Crimes Unit in the Criminal Division of the Memphis office.
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For more information, please contact the Media Relations Team at [email protected]. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office on Facebook or on X at @WDTNNews for office news and updates.
Two Members of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples Indicted for Murders in Brooklyn in 2012 and 2015Read the Press Release
Earlier today, a five-count superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn that includes new racketeering charges relating to defendants Kwyme Waddell and Paolo Alfarobarber, who, along with co-defendant Joel Myrie, are alleged to be members of the Folk Nation Gangster Disciples (GD). The superseding indictment charges both Waddell and Alfarobarber with racketeering conspiracy including predicate acts of murder, robbery, fraud, and narcotics trafficking. Waddell is charged with the murder of Franklin McPherson in September 2012 and Alfarobarber is charged with the murder of Armani Thomas in November 2015.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica Tisch, Commissioner, New York Police Department (NYPD) announced the charges and arrests.
“Today’s superseding indictment charging two murderers demonstrates our Office’s commitment to seek justices for all victims, regardless of how long it takes,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “We intend to eradicate street gangs and hold their members accountable for senseless acts of gun violence that endanger our communities.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to FBI/NYPD Metro Safe Streets Task Force for their outstanding work and assistance in this investigation and prosecution.
As alleged in the superseding indictment and in court filings, GD is a violent gang that engages in murder, robbery, narcotics trafficking, fraud, and counterfeiting. GD members elevate their statuses in the gang by engaging in these types of criminal activities. Specifically, GD members are known to engage in violent acts against rival gang members to enhance their reputation in the gang. Waddell and Alfarobarber were previously charged with their alleged participation in a drive-by shooting on Father’s Day in 2022 in a rival gang neighborhood during which a victim was shot and injured.
The superseding indictment charges Kwyme Waddell for the murder of Franklin McPherson on September 25, 2012, Waddell’s birthday. Waddell shot and killed McPherson while McPherson was sitting on his front porch outside of his home in East Flatbush, New York. The superseding indictment also charges Paolo Alfarobarber with the murder of Armani Thomas on November 10, 2015, while Thomas was hanging out in the stairwell of his apartment building located in Brooklyn, New York.
The charges in the superseding indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Dana Rehnquist, Sophia Suarez, Daniel Marcus, and Rebecca Urquiola are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Elizabeth Reed.
The Defendants:
KWYME WADDELL
Age: 34
Brooklyn, New YorkPAOLO ALFAROBARBER
Age: 34
Bridgeport, ConnecticutJOEL MYRIE
Age: 28
Brooklyn, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-351
Two Individuals Convicted of Operating Illegal Multimillion-Dollar Pyramid SchemesRead the Press Release
A federal jury in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, convicted an Illinois woman and man for running illegal multimillion-dollar pyramid schemes in at least four different states.
“Today’s verdict holds Candice Cunningham and Joseph Johnson Jr. accountable for their lies to steal from victims through their pyramid schemes,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The defendants stole millions of dollars from victims across America with false guarantees of earnings and refunds. This trial conviction reflects the dedicated work of the prosecutors and agents who brought this case to vindicate the victims. The Criminal Division will continue to investigate and prosecute those who prey on, trick, and defraud people.”
“The defendants ran illegal pyramid schemes in multiple states over several years that caused millions of dollars in losses to victims,” said Special Agent in Charge Alan Karr of the FBI Milwaukee Field Office. “The losses sustained by the victims resulted in financial and emotional devastation that will bring lasting harm. The FBI remains steadfast in our commitment to working with our partners to combat financial fraud schemes."
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Candice V. Cunningham, 38, and Joseph E. Johnson Jr., 53, both of Chicago, operated a series of pyramid schemes that were advertised to victims under various names including Wealth Partners Publishing, Wealth Wise, Zero to Profit, 30 Day Success Formula, Lav Label, Beckett Group, and Dreams To Reality Group. Marketing materials for the pyramid schemes misrepresented that if a victim-participant invested money in one of the schemes, that victims would receive payments from other participants he or she recruited.
The materials also falsely promised that if a victim did not receive payments from other participants, the victim was guaranteed that his or her initial investment would be fully refunded. Most victims did not receive any payments from other participants and were denied the return of their initial investment. Cunningham, Johnson, and others generated $5 million in proceeds as a result of these schemes.
Cunningham and Johnson were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and six counts of mail fraud. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each count. They are scheduled to be sentenced on June 23. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI investigated the case with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Berridge and Kashan Pathan of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Two Defendants Charged Following Shootout with DEA Agents and Seizure of Approximately 50,000 Suspected Fentanyl PillsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Eduardo Valenzuela Lopez, 33, of Cajeme, Sonora, Mexico, and Jael Gonzalez Banuelos, 22, of Phoenix, Arizona, were arrested on the morning of Feb. 24, 2026, by members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for conspiring to distribute fentanyl. Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos had their respective initial appearances on Feb. 25, 2026.
From early February 2026 through February 24, 2026, Valenzuela Lopez allegedly negotiated and coordinated the sale and delivery of approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills. Law enforcement officers became aware of the deal and tried to arrest Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos as they delivered the pills. When agents approached their vehicle, Valenzuela Lopez, who is illegally present in the United States, allegedly opened fire on law enforcement officers. In response, law enforcement officers returned fire. No injuries or fatalities resulted, and law enforcement officers subsequently arrested Valenzuela Lopez and Gonzalez Banuelos. Investigators discovered a firearm on the ground by the driver’s side of the fentanyl pill transport vehicle, as well as approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills in the passenger compartment.
A conviction for possessing 400 grams or more of fentanyl for distribution carries a 10-year minimum-mandatory sentence, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, and a term of supervised release of at least five (5) years, up to life.
The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution.
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
CASE NUMBER: 2:26-mj-5079-DMF
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-038_Valenzuela Lopez, Gonzalez Banuelos
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Tommy Schaefer Is Returned to Chicago to Face Federal Charges for the 2014 Murder of U.S. Citizen in Bali, IndonesiaRead the Press Release
Tommy Schaefer, 32, of Chicago, was arrested in international air space on a flight back to the United States yesterday to face a three-count indictment in the Northern District of Illinois charging him with one count of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, one count of conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national, and one count of obstruction.
Schaefer is alleged to have conspired with his girlfriend, Heather Mack, to kill Mack’s mother, Sheila Von Weise, while Mack and Von Weise were on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, in 2014. Court documents allege that Mack arranged for Schaefer to travel to Bali for the purposes of killing Von Weise. The indictment alleges that before the murder, Schaefer exchanged messages with his cousin, Ryan Bibbs, regarding different ways to kill Von Wiese.
In December 2016, Bibbs pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Foreign Murder of a U.S. National for providing advice to Schaefer for how to kill Von Weise. Court documents in that case reveal that Mack had also asked Bibbs if he knew anyone who would kill her mother in exchange for money. The indictment alleges that Schaefer and Mack discussed how and when to kill Ms. Von Weise and eventually followed through with the plan on Aug. 12, 2014, in her hotel room. It is alleged that immediately following the murder, Schaefer and Mack placed Von Weise’s body inside a suitcase that they loaded into the trunk of a taxi.
In 2015, Schaefer and Mack were convicted in Indonesia of criminal charges related to Ms. Von Weise’s murder. Mack was sentenced to 10 years in prison. After Mack was released from the Indonesian prison and returned to the United States, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to kill a U.S. national and was sentenced to 26 years in prison in June 2023. Schaefer was sentenced in Indonesia to 18 years in prison. Schaefer was returned to the United States yesterday after completing his sentence, which was reduced by the Indonesian authorities due to remissions and general good behavior.
If convicted, Schaefer faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for counts one and two, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for count three, and a maximum fine of $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros for the Northern District of Illinois, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Frank Rangoussis of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Ursini of the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Tommy Schaefer Is Returned to Chicago to Face Federal Charges for the 2014 Murder of U.S. Citizen in Bali, IndonesiaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Tommy Schaefer, 32, of Chicago, was arrested in international air space on a flight back to the United States, to face a three-count indictment in the Northern District of Illinois charging him with one count of conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, one count of conspiracy to commit foreign murder of a U.S. national, and one count of obstruction.
Schaefer is alleged to have conspired with his girlfriend, Heather Mack, to kill Mack’s mother, Sheila Von Weise, while Mack and Von Weise were on vacation in Bali, Indonesia, in 2014. Court documents allege that Mack arranged for Schaefer to travel to Bali for the purposes of killing Von Weise. The indictment alleges that before the murder, Schaefer exchanged messages with his cousin, Ryan Bibbs, regarding different ways to kill Von Wiese. In December 2016, Bibbs pled guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Foreign Murder of a U.S. National for providing advice to Schaefer for how to kill Von Weise. Court documents in that case reveal that Mack had also asked Bibbs if he knew anyone who would kill her mother in exchange for money. The indictment alleges that Schaefer and Mack discussed how and when to kill Ms. Von Weise and eventually followed through with the plan on Aug. 12, 2014, in her hotel room. It is alleged that immediately following the murder, Schaefer and Mack placed Von Weise’s body inside a suitcase that they loaded into the trunk of a taxi.
In 2015, Schaefer and Mack were convicted in Indonesia of criminal charges related to Ms. Von Weise’s murder. Mack was sentenced to a term of 10-years in prison. After Mack was released from the Indonesian prison and returned to the United States, she pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to kill a U.S. national and was sentenced to 26 years in prison in June 2023. Schaefer was sentenced in Indonesia to a term of 18 years in prison. Schaefer was returned to the United States yesterday after completing his sentence, which was reduced by the Indonesian authorities due to remissions and general good behavior.
If convicted, Schaefer faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for counts one and two, a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for count three, and a maximum fine of not more than $250,000. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Andrew S. Boutros of the Northern District of Illinois, and Special Agent in Charge Douglas S. DePodesta of the FBI Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case.
Acting Deputy Chief Frank Rangoussis of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann Marie Ursini of the Northern District of Illinois are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Toledo Man Indicted for Pointing a Laser at a Flying AircraftRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio - A 41-year-old Lucas County man was indicted in federal court for flashing a laser pointer at an aircraft while in flight.
In January, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Branden Jay Lounsbury, of Toledo, with one count of Aiming a Laser Pointer at an Aircraft or its Flight Path. Lounsbury was arrested in Michigan on Feb. 10. According to a recently unsealed indictment, he allegedly aimed a laser pointer at an Ohio State Highway Patrol helicopter while on its flight path on June 2, 2025. Because the helicopter was flying in United States’ airspace, this alleged action is a violation of Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 39A(a). Pointing a laser at an aircraft while in flight can create a risk of permanent injury to the pilot’s eyesight and can cause the aircraft to crash.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Tangeman, following an investigation by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Toledo Police Department.
If convicted, Lounsbury faces up to five years in federal prison. The sentence will be determined by the court after a review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violations.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Telemedicine Company Owner Sentenced to 7 Years in Prison for $56M Medicare Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
The owner of two telemedicine companies was sentenced today to 7 years in prison and ordered to pay $27.9 million in restitution for his role in a scheme to fraudulently bill Medicare for unnecessary durable medical equipment.
“Instead of connecting patients with legitimate care, Reinaldo Wilson used his telemedicine companies to exploit Medicare and line his own pockets,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “He stole over $27.9 million by submitting false and fraudulent claims, robbing a program designed to provide medical care to America’s seniors. The Criminal Division will aggressively prosecute those who defraud Medicare and exploit taxpayer-funded programs meant to serve the people who have paid into the system.”
“Over the span of only two years, Wilson amassed over $56 million in fraudulent Medicare claims, through a cadre of crooked medical providers and co-conspirators, leveraging durable medical equipment for personal financial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy of the FBI’s Newark Field Office. “When criminals defraud Medicare, they undermine the U.S government. The FBI will always work to apprehend theses fraudsters and put an end to their schemes.”
“Today's sentence underscores the serious consequences for those who exploit Medicare for personal gain,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “This sentence reflects our commitment to holding individuals accountable when they manipulate providers, target vulnerable patients, and attempt to conceal fraud behind complex schemes. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to ensure anyone who abuses federal health care programs is exposed and brought to justice.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, Reinaldo Wilson, 57, formerly of Richmond Hill, Georgia, owned and operated two telemedicine companies located in Bayonne, New Jersey between 2017 and 2019. Through these companies, Wilson and others paid illegal kickbacks to medical providers to sign orders for orthotic braces for Medicare beneficiaries, even though the beneficiaries did not need the braces. Wilson and others illegally sold the signed orders to purported marketing companies that often re-sold the orders to brace companies, which in turn submitted claims for the unnecessary braces to Medicare. Wilson and his co-conspirators at marketing companies cajoled beneficiaries into accepting as many braces as possible. Providers working for Wilson’s telemedicine companies signed orders for four or more orthotics a piece for over 3,000 beneficiaries, and more than 40 beneficiaries received orders for 10 or more orthotics. Wilson also attempted to conceal his crimes by creating a new telemedicine company and convincing a member of his church that it was an investment opportunity. He took $20k from this member and had her open the company and bank accounts in her name, which he then took control of.
During the conspiracy, Wilson and others submitted over $56 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, of which Medicare paid over $27.9 million.
In March 2021, Wilson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and health care fraud.
The FBI, IRS Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), and HHS-OIG investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Nicholas K. Peone of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Federal Gun Charges Stemming from Shootings in QuincyRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – Sincere M. Perkins, 25, of Tallahassee, Florida, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison after having previously been convicted at jury trial of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a machine gun. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office continues to produce successful prosecutions under Operation Take Back America, which was launched by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi to devote the full might of the Department of Justice toward removing violent felons like this defendant from our communities. Our residents deserve to feel safe on our streets, and that is exactly what we will accomplish by aggressively prosecuting violent thugs who threaten our communities and sending them to federal prison.”
Evidence at trial demonstrated that members of the United States Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force located the defendant at an apartment in Tallahassee because of an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Officers attempted to call out the defendant, who eventually emerged from the apartment and was taken into custody. During a subsequent search of the apartment, officers found multiple firearms, including a pistol that had been modified to fire as a machinegun.
Ballistics from two of the recovered firearms matched shell casings from a shooting that had occurred a month and a half earlier in Quincy, Florida, in which two teenagers were shot. The defendant’s DNA was found on both firearms that had been used in the shooting, and a recorded jail call indicated that the defendant was knowingly in possession of the firearms. At sentencing, the judge found that the defendant had been one of the shooters.
Acting U.S. Marshal Greg Leljedal remarked, “The U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force goes after the worst of the worst. Working with law enforcement partners at the local, state, and federal level, our mission is to quickly locate and apprehend dangerous felons like Sincere Perkins before they can victimize anyone else. The evidence in this case clearly demonstrates that the community is safer with Perkins behind bars.”
This sentence was the result of a joint investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the United States Marshal Service, the Quincy Police Department, the State Attorney’s Office for the Second Judicial Circuit, and the Tallahassee Police Department, with assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Assistant United States Attorney James A. McCain prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
As part of its PSN strategy, the United States Attorney’s Office is encouraging everyone to lock their car doors, particularly at night. Burglaries from unlocked automobiles are a significant source of guns for criminals in the Northern District of Florida. Please do your part and protect yourself by locking your car doors.
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.
Sturgis Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
RAPID CITY - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Court Judge Camela C. Theeler has sentenced a Sturgis, South Dakota, man convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person. The sentencing took place on February 23, 2026.
Kaine Sander, 22, was sentenced to one year and 10 months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Sander was indicted for Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person by a federal grand jury in September 2025. He pleaded guilty on October 31, 2025.
In June of 2025, in Meade County, Sander was the passenger in a car stopped by a police officer for having a cracked windshield. Sander possessed a revolver along with ammunition and THC. Sander had previously been convicted of a felony and as a result, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. To do so constitutes a federal felony crime.
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 the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Meade County Sheriff’s Office, and the Sturgis Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Schroeder prosecuted the case.
Sander was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
St. Louis Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for $300,000 Kohl’s Cash ScamRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Henry E. Autrey on Thursday sentenced a man who stole nearly $300,000 worth of online merchandise from Kohl’s to 87 months in prison.
Judge Autrey also ordered Marshall Lampkin, 36, to pay the retailer $301,713 and forfeit the stolen items that have been recovered.
According to evidence and testimony at Lampkin’s trial in August, Lampkin carried out his scheme by first using Kohl’s Cash to purchase merchandise in a Kohl’s store, generally for more than $1,000. He would then immediately use the same Kohl’s Cash to order merchandise online, knowing that the in-person transaction had not yet registered. Lampkin returned the items he bought in the store for Kohl’s Cash so he could repeat his scam. Lampkin used the scheme hundreds of times at dozens of stores in more than a dozen states, evidence and testimony showed. Kohl’s asked Lampkin to stop, deactivated his online account and alerted stores, but Lampkin continued by recruiting multiple accomplices, Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Ladendorf said during Thursday’s hearing.Lampkin had $293,000 in online purchases, which included flooring, furniture, small appliances and other items, shipped to storage units in St. Louis and a relative’s house in Illinois. He then sold or tried to sell those items by advertising them on Facebook.
The Kohl’s Cash scam was part of a series of escalating scams lasting nearly 20 years, Ladendorf said. Lampkin began by illegally selling MetroLink tickets in 2007. He shoplifted from big box stores from 2010-2011 and then targeted a national pharmacy chain’s rewards program beginning in 2013 and continuing through 2023, Ladendorf said. When confronted by store staff, Lampkin would become violent, he said.
The U.S. Secret Service and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Ladendorf and Derek Wiseman prosecuted the case.
St. John the Baptist Parish Men Guilty of Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANDRES CRUZ GARCIA (“CRUZ GARCIA”), age 33, DARIEL HERNANDEZ GARCIA (“HERNANDEZ GARCIA”), age 33, and RICARDO JIMENEZ RAMOS (“JIMENEZ RAMOS’), age 58, residents of Laplace, Louisiana, plead guilty before United States District Judge Darrel James Papillion to conspiracy to possess, and possession with intent to distribute, 5 kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(A) and 846, and possession with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(A), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
For each count, the three men face a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, up to life imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000,000, at least five years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 mandatory special assessment fee.
According to court documents, on September 10, 2023, St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Office deputies seized 69 kilograms of cocaine from the Laplace residence of co-conspirator, EDEL FREYRE-SOTO. Continued investigation by agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the deputies revealed that CRUZ GARCIA, HERNANDEZ GARCIA, JIMENEZ RAMOS, and others, conspired to conduct large-scale cocaine transactions utilizing a vessel off the coast of the Gulf of America (Gulf of Mexico). On March 19, 2024, DEA agents seized 85 kilograms of cocaine from a residence in Laplace where HERNANDEZ GARCIA, JIMENEZ RAMOS, and MARCOS QUINTERO OTERO, another co-conspirator, were living. This cocaine was smuggled in through a marina at Grand Isle, and this organization intended to distribute it throughout the United States.
HERNANDEZ GARCIA and JIMENEZ RAMOS will be sentenced on June 2, 2026. CRUZ GARCIA will be sentenced on June 9, 2026.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New Orleans comprises agents and officers from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the DEA and St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office in investigating this matter. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Sarver, now serving with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn Schiffman, of the Narcotics Unit for the Eastern District of Louisiana.