Latest Records
Newest first across public DOJ and U.S. Attorney press releases.
7 April 2026
Beachwood Nanny Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing ChildrenRead the Press Release
CLEVELAND – A 26-year-old woman has pleaded guilty in federal court to sexually abusing two children in her care while she was employed as their nanny.
Molly Elisabeth Duncan, of Beachwood, Ohio, pleaded guilty to the charges in the indictment:
- Sexual Exploitation of Children (two counts)
- Distribution of Visual Depictions of Minors Engaged in Sexually Explicit Conduct
- Possession of Child Pornography, or Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM)
Federal District Court Judge Pamela A. Barker accepted Duncan’s plea April 6.
According to court documents and evidence, the defendant was working as a nanny in Northeast Ohio from about November 2023 to July 2024. Duncan sexually abused one victim in Portage County and another in Geauga County—both under the age of two—and recorded the visual depictions on her cellphone. She then distributed the files through a popular social media platform which she shared with multiple users. During a forensic analysis of Duncan’s electronic devices, investigators found several CSAM files of each victim.
Duncan is scheduled to be sentenced July 22. She faces a maximum prison sentence of 30 years per count of Sexual Exploitation of Children and a 20-year maximum for each of the distribution and possession charges.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the Cleveland Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations and the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, with assistance from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Margaret A. Kane and Michelle M. Baeppler for the Northern District of Ohio.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Armed Career Criminal Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison After Conviction for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Corbin Vincent, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 180 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence which was handed down today by United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On November 4, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted Vincent, 37, of Hot Springs, in a one-count Superseding Indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. After a two-day jury trial, Vincent was found guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Vincent to serve three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
During the jury trial, it was revealed that agents in the Intensive Supervision Program received a photograph that was a screenshot from a social media platform showing Vincent, who was on active parole, displaying a firearm. When Vincent arrived at his appointment at his parole office, agents detained him and conducted a search of his person and his vehicle. During a search of Vincent’s vehicle, agents located in the backseat a backpack containing Vincent’s identification card and a Taurus G2C .40 caliber firearm with one round in the chamber and equipped with a magazine loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition. Vincent admitted to agents that the firearm belonged to him and that he had purchased it from a friend for approximately $200 because he needed to protect himself.
Vincent has at least three prior convictions for violent felonies and is therefore classified as an armed career criminal and qualifies for an enhanced sentence. His criminal history includes state felony convictions for possession of firearms by certain persons and four robberies that occurred within a span of one week in 2007.
This case was investigated by the ATF with assistance from the North Little Rock Police Department and the Division of Community Correction. This case was prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Michael Gordon and Assistant United States Attorney Stacy Williams.
# # #
Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Another Illegal Alien from Guatemala Sentenced in Counterfeit Identity Document RingRead the Press Release
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Rigoberto Vasquez-Vasquez, 43, a citizen of Guatemala, was sentenced to 8 months in custody in prison for conspiracy to transfer false identification documents.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “Rigoberto Vasquez-Vasquez unlawfully entered the United States more than 20 years ago and has been unlawfully present ever since. He doubled down on his criminal behavior by working in a fraudulent identity document business once he got here. This kind of lawless behavior will not be tolerated.”
Mr. Vasquez-Vasquez is the third of three defendants charged with and convicted of participating in a scheme by Guatemalans illegally present in the United States to advertise, manufacture, and sell fraudulent Social Security and Permanent Resident cards, as well as other false identification documents, to other persons illegally residing in the Grand Rapids area during 2024 and 2025. The conspirators profited by receiving payments for the counterfeit documents, and the recipients benefitted by using the documents to obtain employment and access to services intended for citizens and immigrants lawfully in the United States.
At the time of his arrest on September 30, 2025, case agents executed a search warrant at Vasquez-Vasquez’s Grand Rapids residence. They located and seized multiple computers, laptops, cellular telephones, DVDs, CDs, thumb drives, micro-SD cards, fraudulent identification cards, and Guatemalan passports, as well as an iPad, an external hard drive, and a computer tower.
Upon the completion of his sentence, he will be taken into ICE custody for removal proceedings.
"This sentencing sends a clear message: Homeland Security Investigations will aggressively pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that traffic in fraudulent identification documents and exploit our immigration system," said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. "We remain steadfast in our mission to protect our communities, uphold the integrity of our nation’s laws, and ensure that those who undermine public safety face the full consequences of their actions."
The Grand Rapids office of Homeland Security Investigations investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Daniels prosecuted it.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Michigan Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal 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.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche Issues Memorandum on the Creation of the National Fraud Enforcement DivisionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON — Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche today released a Memorandum on the Creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division.
Read the full memo.
The core mission of the National Fraud Enforcement Division is to zealously investigate and prosecute those who steal or fraudulently misuse taxpayer dollars. The National Fraud Enforcement Division will fulfill that mission by coordinating with agencies responsible for administering benefit programs; partnering with federal, tribal, state, territorial, and local law enforcement on fraud-fighting efforts; developing systems and processes that ensure efficient identification of fraud against taxpayer dollars; and equipping prosecutors and law enforcement with state-of-the-art tools and resources needed to bring criminal actors to justice. The attorneys in the National Fraud Enforcement Division will work every day to protect the financial integrity of our government and the tax system that supports it.
Department of Justice efforts support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.
6 April 2026
Worcester Man Charged with Snap FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – As part of the United States Attorney’s ongoing enforcement priority to investigate and prosecute benefit fraud involving federal and state assistance programs, a Worcester man has been charged with using the identity of a deceased U.S. citizen to obtain Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
John Doe, an individual whose true identity is alleged to be that of a 57-year-old citizen of the Dominican Republic believed to be unlawfully present in the United States, was charged with unlawfully obtaining SNAP benefits and false representation of a Social Security number. The defendant was arrested on April 2, 2026 and remains detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester.
According to the charging documents, since at least 2001, John Doe has been living in Massachusetts under the identity of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico who died in 2006. It is alleged that under the deceased citizen’s identity, the defendant fraudulently obtained Massachusetts identification cards and a Social Security card.
According to court documents John Doe has criminal convictions in Massachusetts under the deceased citizen’s identity, including assault and drug convictions. Specifically, in September 2012, John Doe was convicted in Worcester Superior Court of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (gun) as well as trafficking cocaine, for which he was sentenced to state prison for 8-10 years and 11-15 years in state prison, respectively.
Upon his release from prison in January 2022, the defendant allegedly used the stolen identity to apply for SNAP benefits. It is alleged that, in connection with his SNAP application, John Doe spoke with an employee of the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) in April 2022, claiming that he was the individual listed on the application, that he was a U.S. citizen, and verified his purported Social Security number. According to the charging documents, the DTA employee noted in the file: “Death match ??? – reviewing with suoervisor [sic]” – apparently indicating that the Social Security number that John Doe allegedly provided corresponded to a deceased person. However, the application was ultimately approved by Massachusetts DTA, and John Doe allegedly proceeded to collect SNAP benefits.
In total, from April 2022 through February 2026, John Doe allegedly applied for and obtained approximately $12,623 in SNAP benefits under the stolen deceased citizen’s identity.
The charge of unlawfully obtaining SNAP benefits provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of misrepresenting a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jeff Grimming, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Charmeka Parker, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; and Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Utqiagvik man sentenced to 18 years for producing child pornographyRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – An Utqiagvik man was sentenced last Friday to 18 years in prison for sexually exploiting minor victims to produce child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
According to court documents, in August 2024, the FBI received an anonymous tip suggesting that Donovan Nungasak, 32, had CSAM on his phone. The tip prompted an investigation that revealed Nungasak was corresponding with at least one underage victim for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Nungasak sent photos of his genitalia to the minor victim and possessed multiple sexually explicit photos of her.
After Nungasak was indicted in May 2025, two additional victims came forward. One minor victim reported that Nungasak began communicating with her when she was roughly 15 years old. He sent her messages on Instagram and Snapchat and requested nude images of her. The minor victim would send nude images and Nungasak would send money via an online money transferring service.
The third minor victim began receiving messages from Nungasak on Facebook Messenger and Snapchat when she was in high school. Nungasak requested sexually explicit images of her and sent her photographs of his genitalia. The third minor victim blocked Nungasak and did not send any sexually explicit images.
Throughout the investigation, law enforcement found 41 images of CSAM on Nungasak’s phone, some depicting prepubescent females. Law enforcement also spoke to a witness that came forward after Nungasak had told the witness that he liked younger girls because he could “groom” them to his liking.
Nungasak was arrested at his residence in Utqiagvik on April 28, 2025, and a grand jury returned an indictment charging him with child exploitation offenses on May 21, 2025. Nungasak pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography on Oct. 30, 2025. In handing down the sentence, the Court ordered Nungasak to serve 20 years on supervised release upon completing his custodial sentence.
“Mr. Nungasak targeted young females because he liked to control and exploit their perceived vulnerabilities and then lied about his conduct when confronted on multiple levels” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “His sick torment is over thanks to the actions of law enforcement, our attorneys and the victims and witnesses that came forward during the investigation. He will now spend nearly two decades behind bars.”
“There is no greater priority than safeguarding our children from predators like Nungasak, whose disturbing pattern of conduct involved grooming minors for CSAM in his own local community,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “The FBI and our partners are steadfast in our commitment to identify, investigate, and hold accountable any individual that seeks to harm our most vulnerable.”
The FBI Anchorage Field Office investigated the case, with assistance from the North Slope Borough Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s 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 Justice.gov/PSC.
###
United States Attorney Announces Leadership Team for Northern District of IowaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Leif Olson announced today his appointments to the leadership team for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa.
“These men and women are dedicated to our Office’s mission of protecting the public and upholding the rule of law,” said Olson. “Like all of our attorneys and support staff, each member of our leadership team has made a career of working with our federal, state, and local law-enforcement partners to secure justice, whether that’s in civil cases or criminal prosecutions. I’m proud to have each of these public servants on our team serving the people of Northern Iowa.”
- Matthew Cole, First Assistant U.S. Attorney. Cole has been appointed to continue his service as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, the second in command of the Office. He has held this position since 2022. Cole joined the Office in 1999 and previously served as Civil Chief and Deputy Criminal Chief. Before joining the Office, Cole was a judicial law clerk and assistant county attorney. Cole has received awards and recognition for his work on behalf of the United States, including the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for outstanding work in an affirmative civil fraud prosecution; the Director’s Award for Superior Performance on a Litigation Team; the USDA Secretary Award for Excellence in Asset Recovery and Litigation; and the National Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Award for outstanding contributions to law enforcement and the OCDETF program. Cole is a graduate of Wheaton College and Drake University Law School.
- Ashley Corkery, Criminal Chief. Corkery has been appointed to serve as Criminal Chief. She joined the Department of Justice in 2014 and has served as Deputy Criminal Chief since 2019, where she oversaw prosecutions involving narcotics and violent crime. She has been recognized for outstanding service and investigations by the United States Postal Inspection Service, Midwest High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area, and Illinois Metropolitan Enforcement Group Directors and Task Force Commanders Association. Before joining DOJ, Corkery was a prosecutor for the Southeast Iowa Interagency Drug Task Force, where she focused on drug-trafficking offenses and asset forfeiture. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa and the Drake University Law School.
- Timothy Duax, Branch Chief. Duax has been appointed to continue his service as Branch Chief of the Sioux City Branch Office. He previously served as First Assistant and was the court-appointed U.S. Attorney from 2022–2025. Before joining the Office Duax served for four years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, or AUSA, in the District of Arizona and for ten years as a prosecutor in the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in Phoenix. Duax is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the Arizona State University College of Law.
- Brandon Gray, Civil Chief. Gray has been appointed to continue his service as the Civil Chief, a role he has held since 2023. Gray joined the Office in 2022 as a civil AUSA, investigating and litigating cases related to fraud on the government; defending federal agencies and officials in court; and collecting debts owed to the United States. Before joining the Office, Gray worked in private practice in Cedar Falls and was an Assistant Attorney General in the Revenue Division of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. He is a graduate of Iowa State University and the University of Iowa College of Law.
- Mark Tremmel, Appellate Chief. Tremmel has been appointed to continue his service as the Appellate Chief. In that role he supervises post-trial proceedings and matters pending before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. Tremmel joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 2007 after serving as an Assistant Wapello County Attorney and the Wapello County Attorney. He also served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2001 to 2003. Tremmel is a graduate of Georgetown University and the University of Chicago Law School.
- Jack Lammers and Shawn Wehde, Senior Litigation Counsel. Lammers and Wehde have been appointed to serve as Senior Litigation Counsel. In that role, they are responsible for handling the most complex of the Office’s cases and for training and mentoring AUSAs.
Lammers joined the Office in 2001 as a Special Assistant United States Attorney prosecuting narcotics cases and became an AUSA in 2004. He served as Deputy Branch Chief from 2017–2022 and as Chief of the Criminal Division from 2022 until being appointed SLC. From 2015 to 2016, Lammers served as a legal advisor at the American Embassy in Bangladesh helping improve prosecution of transnational crime. Before joining the Office, Lammers was a state court prosecutor in Black Hawk County and in private practice in Bremerton, Washington. Lammers is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and Drake University Law School.
Wehde joined the Office in November 1999 after serving as an Assistant Black Hawk County Attorney from 1989 to 1999, the last three years as the First Assistant. Wehde served as a judicial law clerk for two years before becoming a prosecutor. Wehde is a litigation and trial specialist, primarily prosecuting various types of drug trafficking and firearms offenses, as well as white collar and immigration cases. He has served as a training lecturer and panel facilitator at DOJ’s National Advocacy Center on numerous occasions. Wehde is a graduate of The University of Iowa’s College of Business and College of Law.
- Daniel Chatham, Deputy Criminal Chief. Dan Chatham has been appointed to continue his service as Deputy Criminal Chief, a role he has held since 2022. He joined the Office in 2008 after completing a clerkship with the Iowa Supreme Court and primarily prosecuted drug and firearms crimes. In 2020, he received a Director’s Award for Superior Performance as a Criminal AUSA based on his work in prosecuting drug overdose cases. Chatham is a graduate of the University of South Dakota and the University of Iowa College of Law.
- Timothy Vavricek, Deputy Criminal Chief. Vavricek has been appointed as Deputy Criminal Chief. Vavricek has served as an AUSA in his native Cedar Rapids since 2014 and has primarily focused on complex fraud and money-laundering cases, including crimes involving the theft of taxpayer money and financial scams perpetrated against the elderly. Before joining the Office, Vavricek served as an Iowa Assistant Attorney General and clerked for several federal and state judges. He is a member of the Eighth Circuit Subcommittee on Model Criminal Jury Instructions. Vavricek earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Iowa and a graduate degree from the University of North Carolina.
- Todd Voter, Law Enforcement Coordinator. Voter has been appointed to continue as Law Enforcement Coordinator, a position he has held since 2016. Voter joined the Office in 2003 after retiring from the U.S. Army as a Master Sergeant, with a final assignment at the Defense Intelligence Agency. He holds a Master of Science of Strategic Intelligence from the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, D.C. Voter has been involved in numerous federal prosecutions focused on national-security issues and has been integral in public outreach efforts, as well as training local, state, and federal law enforcement agents on DOJ priorities.
- Carmen McElwee, Administrative Officer. McElwee has been appointed to continue as Administrative Officer, supervising the office’s budget, contracting, financial, human-resources, IT, and other administrative staff and functions. She joined the Office in 2007 and served in a variety of administrative roles before her initial appointment as Administrative Officer in 2020.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa prosecutes federal criminal offenses and defends the federal government’s interests in civil cases in 52 of the state’s 99 counties. The headquarters office is in Cedar Rapids with a branch office in Sioux City. It routinely ranks among the busiest of the 25 U.S. Attorney’s Offices of comparable size.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
- Matthew Cole, First Assistant U.S. Attorney. Cole has been appointed to continue his service as First Assistant U.S. Attorney, the second in command of the Office. He has held this position since 2022. Cole joined the Office in 1999 and previously served as Civil Chief and Deputy Criminal Chief. Before joining the Office, Cole was a judicial law clerk and assistant county attorney. Cole has received awards and recognition for his work on behalf of the United States, including the Assistant Attorney General’s Award for outstanding work in an affirmative civil fraud prosecution; the Director’s Award for Superior Performance on a Litigation Team; the USDA Secretary Award for Excellence in Asset Recovery and Litigation; and the National Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Award for outstanding contributions to law enforcement and the OCDETF program. Cole is a graduate of Wheaton College and Drake University Law School.
U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella, Jr., Announces New Leadership for the Office’s Long Island Division and Criminal SectionRead the Press Release
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced today the appointment of Catherine Mirabile as Chief of the Long Island Division and Chief of the Criminal Section of the Long Island Division. Additionally, Megan Farrell has been appointed as a Deputy Chief of the Long Island Criminal Section, joining current Deputy Chiefs Justina Geraci and Michael Maffei.
Catherine Mirabile
Ms. Mirabile joined the Office in 2002 and originally served in the Civil Division, including as Chief of the Employment Practice and as an Acting Deputy Chief of the Civil Division. Since 2012, she has served in the Criminal Division’s General Crimes (GC), Public Integrity, and Long Island Criminal Sections (LI). Among other supervisory roles, she was Deputy Chief of LI and Senior Litigation Counsel in the Criminal Division. Ms. Mirabile is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School and received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. After law school, she served as an Assistant Corporation Counsel in the New York City Law Department.
During her time in the Office, Ms. Mirabile has led the investigation and prosecution of several significant public corruption cases, including: a Nassau County Executive; a leader of the Suffolk County Conservative Party who was also a Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office Correction Officer; a former New York City Police Department officer charged with plotting the murder for hire of her estranged husband and her boyfriend’s daughter; and a criminal defense attorney who defrauded a minor estate beneficiary of an inheritance.
Ms. Mirabile has also prosecuted several significant fraud cases, including: a case involving a defendant who was convicted at trial of healthcare fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in a scheme that defrauded insurance companies of more than $700 million and resulted in one of the largest restitution and forfeiture orders in a healthcare fraud case nationwide; and a prosecution in which the defendants engaged in a scheme to induce victims to invest in a series of web-based companies that purportedly traded in Bitcoin.
Ms. Mirabile is also a member of the team that has prosecuted several other significant cases on Long Island, including: a case involving violent sex trafficking out of the Sayville Motor Lodge; and a case against a drug dealer who distributed heroin laced with fentanyl that caused the death of a young Long Island man.Megan Farrell
Ms. Farrell joined the Office in February 2018 and has served in GC, LI, and the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights (HTCR) Section. Ms. Farrell most recently served as Deputy Chief of HTCR and previously served as an Acting Deputy Chief in GC and the Organized Crimes and Gangs Section. From 2021 to 2025, she was a Project Safe Child Coordinator and developed outreach programs for middle-school students, speaking to thousands of children and parents about internet safety. Ms. Farrell graduated from Boston College and received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Following law school, Ms. Farrell was a Public Fellow, serving as a misdemeanor Assistant District Attorney at the King’s County District Attorney’s Office for one year. From 2010 until 2018, Ms. Farrell was an associate at Clifford Chance US LLP.
During her time in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Ms. Farrell has prosecuted significant organized crime, gang, sex trafficking, and child exploitation cases. Ms. Farrell was part of a team that secured the convictions of two MS-13 defendants to racketeering and other charges in connection with eight murders. Ms. Farrell was also a member of the team that secured the convictions of three high-ranking MS-13 gang members on racketeering charges in connection with nine murders. In another case, Ms. Farrell was part of the team that secured a sentence of 50 years after the defendant, an MS-13 gang associate, was convicted in April 2022, following a four-week trial, of racketeering, including predicate acts of murder, conspiracy to murder rival gang members, and obstruction of justice and murder in aid-of racketeering, in connection with luring four young men to their violent deaths by more than a dozen gang members and associates in a park in 2017. Additionally, Ms. Farrell is leading the team currently prosecuting seven MS-13 members, including two national leaders, charged with two murders committed on Long Island. Ms. Farrell secured the conviction of a Bloods gang member who was sentenced to 23 years in prison for sex trafficking of minors, and she led the trial team that secured a defendant’s conviction for sex trafficking of two victims. Ms. Farrell is a member of the team currently prosecuting the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch and two other individuals charged with sex trafficking and interstate prostitution.
Two Defendants Charged with Distributing Fentanyl that Resulted in Overdose Death of San Diego ResidentRead the Press Release
SAN DIEGO – A federal grand jury indictment was unsealed in San Diego Monday charging Maegan Hobbs and David Michael Richards Hansen-Taylor with distributing the fentanyl that resulted in the death of a 33-year-old San Diego resident.
According to court records, the pair sold the fatal dose of fentanyl in September 2024. On September 14, 2024, Hobbs allegedly warned the victim about the dangerous nature of the drugs she was selling, messaging him “to be careful with the next stuff.” On September 15, 2024, the day the victim was found deceased, Hobbs allegedly messaged the victim, “Did you feel the Fetty [fentanyl] at least?” The following day, she agreed to sell additional fentanyl to an undercover law enforcement officer.
Hansen, who allegedly conspired with Hobbs to sell fentanyl, is also charged with counterfeiting United States currency.
Special Agents and Task Force Officers with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Overdose Response Team led the investigation. This case is the result of ongoing efforts by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, the San Diego Police Department, the La Mesa Police Department, National Guard Counterdrug Task Force and the California Department of Health Care Services to investigate and prosecute the distribution of dangerous illegal drugs—fentanyl in particular—that result in overdose deaths. The Drug Enforcement Administration created the Overdose Response Team as a response to the increase in overdose deaths in San Diego County.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith D. Ellison.
DEFENDANTS Case Number 25CR2955-JO
Maegan Hobbs Age: 31 San Diego, CA
David Michael Richards Hansen-Taylor Age: 35 Chula Vista, CA
SUMMARY OF CHARGES
Count 1 – Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl Resulting in Death – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Count 2 –Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Death – Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(C)
Maximum penalty: Life in prison and $10 million fine
Mandatory minimum: Twenty years in prison
Count 3 (Hansen-Taylor) – Counterfeiting United States Currency – Title 18, United States Code, Section 471
Maximum penalty: Twenty years in prison and $250,000 fine
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES
Drug Enforcement Administration
San Diego Police Department
Homeland Security Investigations
California National Guard Counterdrug Task Force
California Department of Health Care Services
La Mesa Police Department
San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
Naval Criminal Investigative Service
*The charges and allegations contained in an indictment or complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Tallahassee Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution & Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Ramon Velazquez Rodas, 46, of Tallahassee, Florida, has been sentenced to 13 years in federal prison for charges relating to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of a stolen firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This successful prosecution and substantial prison sentence is yet another win for the citizens of the Northern District of Florida, as my office continues to aggressively prosecute these cases to deliver the safe, drug-free streets they deserve. We have more work to do, and thanks to the support of President Donald J. Trump through Operation Take Back America, we will continue to deploy the full power of the Department of Justice to dismantle the drug trafficking rings that have funneled deadly drugs into our communities for far too long.”
Court documents reflect that on August 11, 2022, as part of an ongoing drug investigation targeting multiple individuals, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a suspected drug house where the defendant was found in Tallahassee, Florida. Pursuant to the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine and fentanyl, a stolen handgun, $2,900 in currency, and other items indicative of drug distribution. The defendant is legally barred from possessing firearms as a multi-time convicted felon, including prior convictions for burglary of a dwelling, burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, possession of burglary tools, dealing in stolen property, and possession of controlled substances.
“It’s been a busy few weeks as DEA and its law enforcement partners have brought numerous North Florida drug traffickers to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Drug Enforcement Administration Tampa Field Division. “DEA will pursue, investigate, and arrest all who poison its communities.”
The case involved a joint investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K. Mountin.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The 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.
St. Louis County Man Admits $637,000 in Pandemic, Disability FraudRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from St. Louis County on Monday admitted committing disability fraud and pandemic loan fraud totaling $637,000.
Preston Randall, 62, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to five counts of wire fraud, two counts of theft of government property and one count of concealment from the U.S. Social Security Administration.
Randall admitted applying to the U.S. Small Business Administration for a series of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) for various businesses using various names. The EIDL program was intended to support small businesses that had been negatively affected by the pandemic. On the applications, Randall falsely inflated revenue and workforce figures to get more money. Randall sought a total of $8,506,000 in loans and received $620,000.
Randall also fraudulently obtained $17,906 in Social Security disability benefits. On his application for benefits, Randall hid the fraudulent EIDL income, his ownership of five vehicles and the ownership of a $500,000 home near Florissant. Randall quitclaimed the home to a shell company to hide the home’s ownership.
Randall was indicted in May of 2024 and jailed later that year after he was accused of threatening a potential witness and placing utility bills in that man’s name without his consent.
The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jolene Taaffe is prosecuting the case.
South Carolina Man Faces up to 20 Years in Prison for Setting Fire to Central Georgia ChurchRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A South Carolina Man who admitted in federal court today that he maliciously set fire to the Byron United Methodist Church in 2024 is facing up to 20 years in prison for his crime.
Luke Andrew Westefeld, 34, of North Augusta, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to one count of malicious use of fire before U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on April 6. Westefeld faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a minimum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date will be determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
“Intentionally setting fire to a house of worship is a malicious act that devastates not only a sacred space, but also reverberates throughout the entire community,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies worked together to ensure the defendant is brought to justice for his actions.”
“The act of arson against a place of worship is not just an attack on a building, it’s an assault on the community's spirit,” said ATF Atlanta’s Acting Special Agent in Charge Robert W. Davis. “We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure justice is served.”
“This case was solved thanks to the crucial assistance provided to us by our law enforcement partners at ATF, GBI, the State Fire Marshals and the Centerville Police Department,” said Byron Police Chief Wesley Cannon. “We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia for their diligence in securing the guilty plea. This case is another great example of law enforcement working together for a successful outcome, and we know the citizens of Byron appreciate everyone's efforts.”
According to court documents and statements in court, Westefeld approached a few Byron United Methodist Church members who were standing in the church’s parking lot on West Heritage Boulevard in Byron, Georgia, after their choir practice on Aug. 20, 2024. Westefeld asked for water, which the women declined, telling officers they were concerned about their safety.
Later that night, Westefeld broke into the church and became upset when he saw unlit candlesticks on the altar. Westefeld believed the candlesticks should remain lit through the night. He said he noticed that the Bible on the pulpit was opened to Ezekiel 24:21, which spoke of the desecration of the sanctuary due to sin. Westefeld took it as a sign for him to burn the Church. Westefeld lit the candlesticks and burned the American and Methodist flags in the sanctuary.
Westefeld then went to the Church office next to the sanctuary and found cash and checks. Westefeld said his “anger level reached a 10” because he believed the money should be deposited in a bank. Westefeld took the cash for himself. He then saw food in the office pantry and became even more enraged, believing it should be given to the poor. For these reasons, Westefeld set the Church’s office on fire.
Westefeld then stole a plastic gas can from a nearby home, planning to siphon gasoline out of the Church’s van to use as an accelerant. The van was parked and locked behind the Church. Westefeld was unable to retrieve the gasoline, so he stuffed his white shirt in the gas cap of the van and set it on fire.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Georgia Fire Marshals and the Byron Police Department investigated the case, along with assistance from the Centerville Police Department and the GBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Hannah Couch is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Scarborough Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Maine: A Scarborough man pleaded guilty on March 31, 2026, in U.S. District Court in Portland to possessing child sexual abuse material.
According to court records, Robert E. Milholland, Jr., 49, became the target of a law enforcement investigation after being linked to child sexual abuse material over the BitTorrent peer-to-peer file-sharing network. In July 2025, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at his residence, resulting in the seizure of multiple digital media devices that contained child sexual abuse material.
Milholland faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a maximum fine of $250,000, and a maximum supervised release term of life. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI and the Lewiston Police Department investigated the case.
To report an incident involving the possession, distribution, receipt or production of child sexual abuse material: Child sexual abuse material – referred to in legal terms as "child pornography" – captures the sexual abuse and exploitation of children. These images document victims’ exploitation and abuse, and they suffer revictimization every time the images are viewed. In 2023, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children received 36 million reports of the possession, manufacture, or distribution of child sexual abuse materials. To file a report with NCMEC, go to https://report.cybertip.org or call 1-800-843-5678. If you are in Maine and you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted or abused, you can get help by calling the free, private 24-hour statewide sexual assault helpline at 1-800-871-7741.
Project Safe Childhood: This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-me/psc.
###
Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to Six Years for Abusive Sexual Contact on an AircraftRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – John Daniel Fowler (65, Indianapolis, IN) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Byron to 6 years in federal prison for abusive sexual contact on an aircraft. Fowler was also ordered to serve 15 years of supervised release following his release from prison. A federal jury convicted Fowler on January 13, 2026. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to testimony presented at trial, Fowler was seated next to a minor on an aircraft flying from Indianapolis to Orlando. During the flight, Fowler observed the minor taking a cellphone photo through the window of the plane and asked the minor to send him the photo and provided his cellphone number. Several times during the flight, Fowler encroached on the minor’s space by placing his hand over the armrest and touching the minor, who pushed Fowler’s hand away each time. After the minor fell asleep, Fowler placed his hand under the minor’s blanket and touched her genitalia. The minor woke up as the plane was landing in Orlando, while Fowler was still groping her. The minor immediately reported the conduct to the flight crew, who separated the child victim from Fowler and notified law enforcement.
Fowler, a registered sex offender, was previously convicted in Indiana for sexual battery and criminal confinement. That victim, who was an adult at the time of the offense in 2017, testified at this trial to establish a pattern of similar conduct by Fowler. The victim’s testimony for that previous conviction established that the victim fell asleep and awoke to Fowler licking her genitalia without her consent.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Federal Air Marshal Service, and the Orlando Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Cruz and Kaley Austin-Aronson.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Raleigh Professor Agrees to Pay $152,500 to Resolve Allegedly False National Science Grant ClaimsRead the Press Release
RALEIGH, N.C. – Dr. Michael Harrington and his company Genoverde Bioscience, Inc., have agreed to pay $152,500 to the United States to resolve claims of allegedly false payments under National Science Foundation grants and Payment Protection Program (“PPP”) loans.
“This civil fraud settlement demonstrates our commitment to protect taxpayer money and guard the integrity of our grant programs,” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle. “Our office will zealously pursue damages and civil penalties against grant recipients whether the amounts taken are large or small.”
This settlement arose from allegations that Dr. Harrington’s company, Genoverde, made false and duplicative expense claims under government grants, and also improperly sought PPP loans and PPP loan forgiveness. The Genoverde grants included expenses for research on harvesting industrial hemp and trees.
“Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards are highly competitive grants intended to fund American-owned small businesses to conduct research that will lead to the commercialization of innovative new products and services,” said Megan E. Wallace, NSF’s Acting Inspector General. “The NSF Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring the integrity of NSF’s SBIR grant program by holding accountable those who choose to engage in false claims and misrepresentation schemes. We appreciate the efforts of the Department of Justice in pursuing this matter and will continue to vigorously pursue oversight of taxpayer funds devoted to scientific research.”
The False Claims Act mandates that the Government recover three times the amount of money falsely obtained, plus substantial penalties for each false claim submitted. The civil claims here were resolved by settlement and are allegations only. No judicial determination or admission of liability occurred.
The United States Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of North Carolina partnered with the NSF Office of Inspector General; and Assistant United States Attorney Neal Fowler represented the United States.
Putnam County Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Gun CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Steven Mark Hosey, 59, of Poca, pleaded guilty today to unlawfully engaging in the business of dealing in firearms.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from at least April 2024 through April 10, 2025, Hosey sold firearms without a Federal Firearms License (FFL) in Huntington. As part of his guilty plea, Hosey admitted that he knew he needed an FFL based on the quantity and regularity with which he was buying and selling firearms. Hosey further admitted that he purchased firearms from FFL licensees with the intent to sell the firearms to other individuals, received requests from individuals for specific firearms that he would purchase to sell to those individuals, purchased firearms without a specific buyer in mind, and advertised the sale of firearms on various social media platforms.
Hosey also admitted that he sold between 40 and 50 firearms for profit during the time period. These firearms included a Glock model 43X 9mm pistol and a Shadow Systems model MR920 9mm pistol on January 25, 2025, a Glock model 40 10mm pistol and a Colt model Anaconda .44 Magnum revolver on February 6, 2025, a Sig Sauer model P320 9mm pistol and a Smith & Wesson model 629 .44 Magnum revolver on February 28, 2025, a Glock model 45 9mm pistol and a FN model FNX-45 Tactical .45-caliber pistol on March 17, 2025, and a Kimber model Tactical Pro II 9mm pistol and a Springfield Armory model Hellcat 9mm pistol on April 8, 2025. Hosey admitted that he conducted the five transactions in the parking lot of an FFL business and sold the firearms to a confidential informant.
On April 10, 2025, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at Hosey’s residence and seized 34 firearms. Hosey admitted that he intended to sell some of the seized firearms for profit.
Hosey is scheduled to be sentenced on July 20, 2026, and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, up to one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers presided over the hearing. Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Taylor is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:26-cr-36.
###
Printing Manufacturer Agrees to Pay $900,000 in Settlement over Misrepresentations in PPP ApplicationsRead the Press Release
mutoh_america_inc._settlement_agreement.pdfPHOENIX, Ariz. – Mutoh America, Inc. (Mutoh), a manufacturer in the large format printing industry and a technology distributor of drafting machines operating in Arizona, has admitted to making material misrepresentations in its applications to receive and have forgiven a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan. Mutoh also agreed to pay $900,000 to settle allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by making those material misrepresentations.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act was enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief under the CARES Act was the authorization of hundreds of billions of dollars in forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the PPP. The PPP was expanded and modified by the Economic Aid Act (EAA) in December 2020 and the American Recovery Plan Act (ARPA) in March 2021.
ARPA provided new restrictions on PPP loans, including limiting loans to applicants who, together with their domestic and foreign affiliates, collectively employed 300 or fewer persons. ARPA clarified that second draw PPP loans required applicants to include employees working overseas at foreign affiliates in calculating the total number of employees.
Mutoh is a wholly owned subsidiary of Mutoh Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded company in Japan. In the settlement agreement, Mutoh admitted the following facts:
- Together with its foreign affiliates, Mutoh had more than 300 employees at the time of its second PPP loan.
- Mutoh Holdings, Inc., collectively had approximately 684 employees in March 2019, approximately 693 employees in March 2020, and approximately 674 employees in March 2021.
- Mutoh applied for a second draw PPP loan, which Mutoh received on or about March 18, 2021.
- Mutoh did not disclose its affiliated entities’ employees in its computation of the total number of employees on the application as otherwise required.
- Before Mutoh’s application was submitted, a high-ranking Mutoh official seriously doubted Mutoh’s eligibility for the loan but decided to proceed with the application anyway and run the risk of a repayment obligation.
- On or about September 29, 2021, Mutoh applied for forgiveness of the loan, which the SBA later approved.
- The United States was unaware of the misrepresentations regarding the number of employees in Mutoh’s applications to receive the loan and have it forgiven, and these misrepresentations were material to the United States’ decision to pay and forgive Mutoh’s PPP loan in the amount of $584,012.
“The overarching purpose of the PPP was to help people keep their jobs, but some people abused the program and misused taxpayer money,” said Timothy Courchaine, United States Attorney for the District of Arizona. “This settlement underscores my office’s continued efforts to pursue recoveries from individuals and businesses that unlawfully took advantage of the federal government’s COVID-19 assistance at the expense of other Americans’ welfare.”
“The favorable settlement in this case is the product of enhanced efforts by federal agencies such as the Small Business Administration working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, other federal law enforcement agencies, as well as financial institutions or private individuals who uncover misconduct to recover the lending program’s damages,” said SBA’s General Counsel Wendell Davis.
The civil settlement includes the resolution of claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under those provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The qui tam case is captioned United States ex rel. Verity Investigations, LLC v. Mutoh America, Inc., CV-25-01647-PHX-SPL (D. Ariz.). Verity Investigations, LLC will receive $90,000 as its share of the settlement.
Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs or any other potential fraud against the federal government can be reported here. Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can also report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form, which can be found here.
CASE NUMBER: CV-25-01647-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-058_Mutoh America, Inc.
# # #
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.
Previously convicted felon returning to prison for drug and firearm crimesRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Prince George man was sentenced to five years and 11 months in prison for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
According to court documents, on March 15, 2024, responding to a report of a man looking into vehicles with a flashlight, Colonial Heights police officers located and spoke with Earnest Thomas, 34. As officers attempted to gather Thomas’ identifying information, Thomas fled. The officers apprehended Thomas after a brief pursuit, confirmed his identity, and determined that he had outstanding arrest warrants from Chesterfield, Petersburg, and Hopewell.
From Thomas’ vehicle, investigators recovered 28.62 grams of 93.7% pure methamphetamine, two digital scales, two ski masks, a handgun, a folded $5 bill containing 1.0685 grams of fentanyl, and a vile containing an additional 0.3957 grams of methamphetamine.
Thomas previously was convicted of, among other crimes, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a concealed weapon, and domestic assault and battery. As a convicted felon, Thomas cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division investigated this case.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Gilliland 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, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the 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. 3:25-cr-63.
Previously Convicted Child Rapist Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Child Sexual Abuse Materials ChargesRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A Lucas County man, who was previously convicted of raping children, has been sentenced to federal prison after hundreds of Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) were discovered on his computer.
Paul A. Speer, 56, of Toledo, Ohio, has been sentenced to 240 months (20 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick, after pleading guilty in November 2025, to Receipt of Child Pornography. He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release after imprisonment, pay $3,000 in restitution to victims, and pay $2,000 toward the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Assistance Act, which was established in 2018 to provide monetary assistance for victims of child sexual abuse.
According to court documents, in December 2024, staff members of a Best Buy in Toledo called the Toledo Police Department to report that a desktop computer dropped off for repair by Speer was suspected of containing CSAM. Pursuant to a search warrant execution, a forensic analysis of his electronic devices was conducted and agents found more than 570 images and videos of CSAM. The files included depictions of toddlers being raped and molested. Several files also included molestation of prepubescent children and bestiality. During the investigation, agents conducted a criminal history search of Speer and learned that in November 2000 he was convicted of three counts of rape of a child under age 13.
The investigation leading to the indictment was led by the FBI Toledo Resident Agency and the Toledo Police Department.
Assistant United States Attorney Tracey Ballard Tangeman for the Northern District Ohio led the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The initiative is led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and 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, visit justice.gov/PSC.
To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
###
Pontotoc Man Sentenced on Federal Kidnapping ChargesRead the Press Release
Aberdeen, MS – A Pontotoc man was sentenced today to over 14 years in prison on federal kidnapping charges when he forcibly took his victim from Alabama to Mississippi and then to Tennessee where she escaped.
According to court documents, Luis Carlos Noyola, 50, previously pled guilty to the charges in the indictment which show on or about April 19, 2025, Noyola did unlawfully “seize, confine, abduct, carry away and hold” a female victim. After kidnapping the victim in Cherokee, Alabama, he forced her to travel against her will to Corinth, Mississippi, located in the Northern District of Mississippi. Additionally, Noyola forced her to travel from North Mississippi into McNairy County, Tennessee. After the victim escaped in Tennessee, Noyola fled back to Corinth, where he was arrested.
During the course of the kidnapping, Noyola struck the victim multiple times, causing her bodily injury. Senior U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson sentenced Noyola today to 175 months imprisonment. Upon release from prison, Noyola will be placed on supervision for a period of five years. Noyola was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals following sentencing.
“We live in a wonderful place but understand, it is still a dangerous world,” expressed U.S. Attorney Scott Leary. “In this case, a man kidnapped an older lady and took her across state lines. State and local law enforcement responded immediately, and the subject was ultimately arrested in Corinth, Mississippi. In such situations an aggressive response by law enforcement is not only required, it is laudable. Excellent work by the Corinth Police Department; the Cherokee, Alabama, Police Department; the Colbert County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office; and the McNairy County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office; and the FBI. Stay safe!”
Landon Tucker, Chief of Police for the Corinth Police Department stated, “The Corinth Police Department would like to thank the FBI, the Cherokee (Alabama) Police Department, the Colbert County (Alabama) Sheriff’s Office, and the McNairy County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office. This successful outcome was made possible by the coordinated efforts of all involved agencies.”
“Noyola’s victim endured profound trauma that will have lasting effects for the remainder of her life,” said Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Jackson Field Office Robert Eikhoff. "Kidnapping reflects a blatant disregard for human life, personal safety and the rule of law. The FBI, in coordination with its law enforcement partners, remains steadfast in its commitment to aggressively pursuing violent offenders and upholding justice within our communities.”
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Corinth Police Department, Cherokee, Alabama, Police Department, Colbert County, Alabama, Sheriff’s Office, and McNairy County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims.
Plant City Man Arrested for Threatening to Kill the President of the United StatesRead the Press Release
Tampa, FL – Nick Guadalupe Cruz-Lopez (20, Plant City, FL) has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making a threat to kill the President of the United States. If convicted, Cruz-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the complaint, on April 2, 2026, Cruz-Lopez posted the following photo on his Instagram account, which stated, “MAGA Otw to kill trump” and showed Cruz-Lopez in a vehicle holding an AR-15 style rifle:
Federal agents located Cruz-Lopez that day and arrested him.
A criminal complaint is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ross Roberts.
Operation Mobile Order Defendant Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MACON, Ga. – A key member of an armed drug trafficking organization responsible for distributing kilograms of cocaine in the Macon community was sentenced to serve more than 20 years in prison resulting from Operation Mobile Order, a collaborative multi-agency investigation led by FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office.
Antonyo Daniels, aka “Tony,” 31, of Warner Robins, Georgia, was sentenced to serve 250 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Marc Treadwell on April 2, after he previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8.
“Operation Mobile Order sends a clear message that law enforcement at every level is focused on shutting down armed criminal groups threatening the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney William R. “Will” Keyes. “Thanks to the coordinated efforts of our law enforcement partners, armed drug traffickers are being held accountable for their crimes with lengthy prison sentences.”
“Operation Mobile Order dismantled a violent drug trafficking organization that treated a Macon neighborhood like a retail storefront for cocaine, backed by an arsenal of firearms,” said Robert Gibbs, Supervisory Senior Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta’s Macon office. “This investigation shows the FBI’s commitment to targeting criminal networks that fuel addiction, violence and fear in our communities. We will continue to work should-to-shoulder with our partners to make Central Georgia a safer place to live.”
“Operation Mobile Order represents the best in local and federal law enforcement partnerships,” said Bibb County Sheriff David Davis. “Together, FBI agents and Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigators worked tirelessly to bring this cadre of criminals to justice. Our community is much better off with these peddlers of poison off our streets.”
The following defendants were sentenced to prison on March 2:
Devonta Jackson, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 155 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025;
Laderion Jacobs, aka “Johnny,” aka “Johnny Cain,” 30, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 100 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025; and
Ladarrious King, 31, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Dec. 2, 2025.
The following defendant was sentenced to prison on Feb. 5:
Leroy Mintz, aka “Booman,” 29, of Macon, was sentenced to serve 132 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release after he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Nov. 20, 2025.
The following defendants pleaded guilty and will be sentenced later:
Eddie Reese, 53, of Atlanta, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on June 18, 2025, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine; Roddreckious Williams, 33, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of cocaine base and one count of distribution of cocaine on Jan. 21, and faces a maximum of 20 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a maximum $1 million fine per count;
Alton Oliver, aka “Alo,” aka “Lo,” 43, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of life in prison;
Trayvon Simmons, aka “Abo,” 28, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine;
Marvin Huff, aka “Black,” 50, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 8, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine; and
Roosevelt Cole, aka “Froball,” 52, of Macon, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances on Jan. 6, and faces a maximum of 40 years in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release and a maximum $5 million fine.
Sentencing dates are determined by the Court. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents and statements in court, in 2022 and 2023, the FBI conducted Operation Mobile Order, a Macon-centered investigation targeting an armed drug trafficking organization led by Reese, and in which Daniels was a key member. During the investigation, the FBI ran nine controlled purchases of cocaine and crack cocaine, and intercepted phone calls and text messages, detailing transactions involving kilograms of cocaine from an Atlanta supplier.
The main drug distribution site, also known as a trap house, was located on Richard Street in Macon. This busy location functioned similarly to a restaurant, with members of Reese’s organization assigned shifts to distribute drugs. Daniels assisted Reese in distributing controlled substances and acted as a key point of contact for other members. Recorded calls captured Reese discussing drug overdoses in the community, claiming that if the drugs causing those overdoses had come from his Richard Street operation, “everyone in Macon would be dead.”
The FBI executed 11 federal search warrants in Macon, Warner Robins and Atlanta on Nov. 20, 2023, including at the Richards Street trap house, seizing cocaine, 26 firearms and $93,247. The machinegun was seized at co-conspirator Oliver’s home on Williamson Road in Macon.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The FBI and the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.
U.S. Attorney Will Keyes is prosecuting the case for the Government.
Omaha Man Sentenced to 5 Years’ Probation for Making a False Statement to the Small Business AdministrationRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that M.A. Yah, 64, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on March 25, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for making a false statement to the Small Business Administration. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Yah to 5 years’ probation. As a condition of his probation, Yah was ordered to pay $111,723.07 in restitution.
Starting in 2020, the Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans made by participating lenders to small businesses. To obtain a loan, the representative of the applicant business had to certify that the business was in operation as of February 15, 2020, that it had a certain number of employees as of the date of the application, that it had a specified average monthly payroll, and that it would use the funds for payroll and other specified business purposes. The amount of the PPP loan depended on the business’s average monthly payroll. A business was eligible for a loan equal to 2 ½ times its monthly payroll. The greater the business’s average monthly payroll, therefore, the larger the loan the business could obtain, subject to a cap. Financial institutions and other private lenders received and processed applications, forwarded information to the SBA so the funds could be earmarked, and funded the PPP loans with their own money.
M.A. Yah is the director of The Heartland News. The Heartland News is a non-profit domestic corporation that was incorporated in the State of Nebraska in 2010. The Heartland News is a non-profit newspaper that is focused on doing work with and for the homeless.
On May 1, 2020, Yah applied for a PPP loan in the amount of $100,800 through Financial Institution 1. As part of his loan application, Yah certified that The Heartland News had paid the applicable payroll taxes for its purported employees, when Yah knew that The Heartland News had not paid payroll taxes.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
North Carolina Man Pleads Guilty to Murder-for-Hire PlotRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Xin Guang Guo, 48, of Plymouth, North Carolina, entered a plea of guilty today before United States District Judge Harvey Bartle III on two counts of using interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire.
The defendant was arrested on a criminal complaint and warrant in October of last year and charged by indictment the same month, arising from his effort to pay another individual $30,000 to kill two people residing in the Philadelphia area.
As detailed in court filings, on September 30, 2025, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”) received information that the defendant wanted to contract a hitman to murder his former business partner and business partner’s paramour (“Person-1” and “Person-2”).
Investigators received copies of text messages written by the defendant, whom they were able to identify as Xin Guang Guo, detailing his plan and providing identifying information about Person-1 and Person-2.
In subsequent phone calls monitored by the ATF, Guo discussed the terms of the contract, in which he would pay $15,000 for each murder. Guo also arranged to meet an individual he thought was the hitman in Philadelphia on October 6, so Guo could give him $2,500 to buy a gun.
At the October 6 meeting, the defendant gave the $2,500 to an ATF undercover officer and requested photographic proof that Person-1 and Person-2 had been murdered before he would pay the remaining balance. The agreement was made, Guo departed in his vehicle, and shortly thereafter was arrested by the ATF without incident.
The defendant is scheduled to be sentenced on July 15 and faces a maximum possible term of 20 years in prison.
This case was investigated by the ATF and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda McCool.
New Orleans Man Guilty of Conspiracy and Distribution of Heroin, Fentanyl and Felon in Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – ANDRE BELL (“BELL”), age 38, a resident of New Orleans, pled guilty on April 1, 2026, before United States District Judge Greg G. Guidry to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and possess with intent to distribute, heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(C), and 846, two counts of distribution of heroin and fentanyl, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(C), and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(8), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle.
According to court documents, Special Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms identified a co-conspirator as a trafficker of narcotics and firearms and made three controlled purchases from him. On each occasion, BELL supplied the narcotics and firearms that the co-conspirator sold to the people believed to be legitimate buyers.
On August 3, 2023, the co-conspirator arranged a sale of heroin to the person believed to be a legitimate buyer and indicated BELL would deliver the substance. A meeting place was set, and the co-conspirator met with the people believed to be legitimate buyers in their vehicle. Shortly thereafter, BELL arrived and provided 14.07 grams of heroin and fentanyl to the co-conspirator who distributed the persons believed to be legitimate buyers.
On August 8, 2023, a controlled purchase of a half-ounce of cocaine and one ounce of fentanyl from the co-conspirator was negotiated. At the meeting place, the co-conspirator provided the person believed to be legitimate buyer 12.95 grams of cocaine and informed them that BELL was delivering the fentanyl. BELL then arrived and provided a half-ounce of fentanyl to the co-conspirator who then distributed the fentanyl to the person believed to be legitimate buyer.
On August 11, 2023, the co-conspirator arranged a sale of a firearm to a person believed to be legitimate buyer. At the meeting place, the co-conspirator delivered a “ghost gun, a firearm that is not serialized making it difficult to trace. The ghost gun was provided to the co-conspirator by BELL.
For the conspiracy and distribution counts, BELL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of twenty (20) years, a fine of up to $1,000,000.00, at least three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00. For the felon in possession count, BELL faces a maximum term of imprisonment of fifteen (15) years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release following any term of imprisonment and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney André Jones of the Narcotics Unit.
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 (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
New Britain Couple Who Imported and Sold Counterfeit Goods are SentencedRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MELISSA CRUZ, 37, and JOSE RAMIREZ, 41, both of New Britain, were sentenced today in Hartford federal court for offenses stemming from their participation in a conspiracy to import and sell counterfeit goods. U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver sentenced Cruz to one year of probation and a $20,000 fine, and Ramirez to one year of probation and a $10,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2021 and 2024, Cruz and Ramirez conspired with others to sell counterfeit clothing, luxury and designer handbags and purses, and jewelry bearing counterfeit trademarks to customers across the U.S., some of which they imported from outside the U.S. Cruz and Ramirez used Facebook to conduct live shows during which Cruz showcased, advertised, and sold the counterfeit goods. In total, Cruz and Ramirez made more than $4 million in gross sales for the counterfeit merchandise through various electronic peer-to-peer payment services including CashApp, Paypal, and Venmo.
Between March 2022 and March 2023, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized multiple international parcels containing dozens of counterfeit handbags from Thailand, China, and Hong Kong that were addressed to Cruz and Ramirez’s residence in New Britain. On December 19, 2024, law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of the residence and seized nearly 2,000 units of counterfeit goods.
Judge Oliver ordered Cruz and Ramirez to pay restitution in the total amount of $10,711.25.
Cruz and Ramirez each previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to willfully infringe a copyright.
This matter was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The case prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Gordon.
Montgomery Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Conspiracy Involving Stolen Mail and Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced today that a Montgomery woman has been sentenced to federal prison for her role in a mail theft and bank fraud scheme that resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent deposits.
On April 1, 2026, a federal judge sentenced Rhashema Shackleford, 37, of Montgomery, Alabama, to 120 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. In addition to her term of imprisonment, the court entered a money judgment against Shackleford in the amount of $376,679.95.
According to her plea agreement and other court records, from August 2022 through June 2023, Shackleford participated in a scheme with multiple co-conspirators to steal mail and use stolen checks to commit bank fraud in Montgomery, Alabama. Shackleford worked with others, including 32-year-old Laportia Webster and 48-year-old Otis Daniels, to obtain checks from the mail, alter them, or use them to create counterfeit checks for deposit into various bank accounts.
As part of the scheme, between August 26, 2022, and January 20, 2023, Shackleford conspired with Webster to use Webster’s bank accounts to conduct approximately $114,311.50 in fraudulent deposits. Additionally, between December 29, 2022, and February 7, 2023, Shackleford worked with Daniels to use his accounts for approximately $264,368.16 in fraudulent deposits and withdrawals. As a result of these transactions, Shackleford obtained and cashed three cashier’s checks totaling $64,000.
The investigation further revealed that on March 31, 2023, Shackleford fraudulently deposited a check in the amount of $12,480.29 drawn on the account of a business victim. On June 16, 2023, agents executed a search at Shackleford’s residence in Montgomery, where they discovered stolen checks, identification documents, and other materials used to facilitate fraud.
Shackleford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud on September 18, 2025. Daniels was previously sentenced to 27 months in prison for his role in the scheme. A sentencing hearing for Webster is scheduled on April 15, 2026.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, and the Montgomery Police Department investigated this case, which Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb prosecuted.
Michigan Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Drug CrimeRead the Press Release
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Demonte Jovon Walker, also known as “DJ,” 26, of Pontiac, Michigan, was sentenced today to one year and three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The first year of supervised release is to be served on home detention.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on October 24, 2024, Walker sold approximately 83 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $450. As part of his guilty plea, Walker admitted that he arranged the transaction beforehand and conducted it in the confidential informant’s vehicle in Huntington.
Walker also admitted to additional criminal conduct. Walker sold approximately 56 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $300 on October 2, 2024, and approximately 55 grams of methamphetamine in exchange for $300 on October 17, 2024. Walker admitted that he conducted both transactions, each time to a confidential informant in Huntington, and arranged for another individual to sell approximately 50 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant in exchange for $300 in Huntington on October 9, 2024.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and commended the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cabell County Sheriff’s Office.
United States District Judge Robert C. Chambers imposed the sentence. Assistant United States Attorneys Stephanie Taylor and Courtney L. Finney prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:25-cr-100.
###
Mexican Illegal Alien Guilty of Illegal Reentry of a Removed AlienRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –CANDIO TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA (“TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA”), age 39, a native of Mexico, pleaded guilty on April 2, 2026, to illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1326(a), announced U.S. Attorney David I. Courcelle. His sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon on July 9, 2026.
According to court documents, TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA was found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 29, 2025, having reentered the United States without authorization from the U.S. Attorney General after being previously removed on October 28, 2012.
TIERRA BLANCA-QUESADA faces up to two years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, up to one year of supervised release, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
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).
U.S. Attorney Courcelle praised the work of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection in investigating this case. Assistant United States Attorney Shannon Kippers of the General Crimes Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
McNairy County Man Sentenced to over Eight Years in Prison for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jackson, TN – Clint Allen Wolf, 34, of Selmer, Tennessee, has been sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for possession of child pornography. D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, announced the sentence today.
The investigation in this case began in August 2024 when a cyber tip was sent to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding the transmission of 22 files containing child sexual abuse material on a social media application. The report was assigned to the Knoxville, Tennessee Police Department, who then transferred it to the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Jackson for further investigation. That investigation resulted in the execution of a search warrant at Wolf’s residence in Selmer in December 2024 and the seizure of multiple cell phones and other electronic devices.
A search of Wolf’s cell phone revealed more than 600 images of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct, including prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12 engaging in such conduct.
In January 2025, a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against Wolf charging him with possession of child pornography. Following his guilty plea to the indictment, Senior United States District Judge J. Daniel Breen sentenced Wolf to 100 months in prison and five years of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
U.S. Attorney D. Michael Dunavant said, “Possession of child pornography is a despicable crime that endangers and harms real child victims forever. And we know that demand drives supply. By seeking out and possessing hundreds of images of young children being sexually abused, Wolf contributed to their past victimization, and he will now spend over 8 years in prison where he cannot contribute to the future harm to children in the name of profit.”
This case was investigated by members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), Knoxville Police Department, Selmer Police Department, and the McNairy County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant United States Attorney Josh Morrow prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
###
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.
McMinnville Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A McMinnville, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison last Tuesday after possessing methamphetamine with the attempt to distribute in Yamhill County, Oregon.
John Billy Donnahoo, 52, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, on May 25, 2024, police officers executed a search warrant on Donnahoo’s residence and seized over one pound of methamphetamine, multiple firearms, ammunition, digital scales, and over $16,000 in cash.
On July 16, 2024, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a multi-count indictment. On November 19, 2025, Donnahoo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
This case was investigated by the McMinnville Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott M. Kerin.
Maryland Country Club Agrees to Pay over $1 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations of Improper Receipt of Paycheck Protection Program LoanRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that it has reached a civil settlement agreement with Woodholme Country Club Inc. (“Woodholme”), whereby the club will pay $1,042,500 to resolve allegations that the club violated the False Claims Act when it applied for and received a loan under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) for which it was not eligible.
When Congress enacted the Coronavirus, Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act, it authorized forgivable PPP loans to eligible small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses. The PPP loan program was administered by the Small Business Administration (“SBA”). At the time of the loan covered by this settlement, certain entities organized under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code were not eligible for PPP loans, including section 501(c)(7) organizations.
In early 2020, Woodholme, a Maryland country club, applied for a PPP loan in the amount of $695,000 and certified that it was eligible to receive the loan even though it was ineligible as a section 501(c)(7) nonprofit organization. After receiving the PPP loan, Woodholme sought and received forgiveness of the entire loan amount. The United States contended that Woodholme knowingly falsely represented its eligibility to receive the PPP loan, and that it caused the SBA to pay lender fees to the bank that processed the loan. Woodholme will pay $1,042,500 to the United States to resolve these allegations.
“Today’s settlement represents another victory in the Trump Administration’s effort to claw back stolen pandemic-era funds on behalf of U.S. taxpayers," said U.S. Small Business Administration General Counsel Wendell Davis. "The agency is grateful to our federal law enforcement partners for their strong support in this case, and we look forward to continued cooperation as we work to hold criminal fraudsters accountable.”
The settlement resolves claims brought under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act. Under these provisions, a private party can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The qui tam complaint was filed by Relator Aidan Forsyth and is captioned United States ex rel. Aidan Forsyth v. Woodholme Country Club Inc., et al., Civ. A. No. 24-1175 (D.D.C.). Mr. Forsyth will receive a total share of approximately $104,250 in connection with the settlement.
The civil settlement resulted from an investigation by Assistant United States Attorney Sean M. Tepe and Auditor Timothy C. Hurley with the support of attorney Caitlin J. Kelly of SBA’s Office of the General Counsel.
Tips and complaint regarding potential fraud affecting COVID-19 government relief programs can be reported by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at (866) 720-5721 or by submitting a NCDF Web Complaint form at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
The claims resolved by the civil settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
woodhome_country_club_executed_settlement.pdfMan sentenced for involuntary manslaughter in a DUI crash that killed a mother and her unborn childRead the Press Release
A Pocatello, Idaho man was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment with three years of supervised release for involuntary manslaughter. The court ordered the defendant to pay $48,765.76 in restitution for funeral costs and medical bills.
According to court documents, on November 8, 2024, a head-on collision occurred near Ethete, Wyoming, on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Damion Loneman Jr., 21, was driving southbound on the Blue-Sky Highway and attempting to pass another vehicle when he entered the northbound lane and collided with a vehicle driven by a man who was traveling with his pregnant fiancée, and their young child.
The crash, caused by the defendant’s unsafe passing and speeding, resulted in severe injuries. The woman was critically injured and later died along with her unborn child. The young child suffered a serious head injury, and the father sustained a fractured ankle.
Witnesses confirmed the dangerous passing maneuver. Investigators found no vehicle defects and attributed the crash to human error. The defendant admitted to drinking before driving, and blood tests indicated his BAC at the time of the crash was likely between 0.085 and 0.15.
“This was a senseless crime resulting in the loss of life of a beloved fiancée and mother and her unborn child. Let this be a reminder that drinking and driving impairs safe operation of a vehicle, reducing reaction time and coordination, leading to a much higher risk of fatal accidents, said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “The physical and emotional pain the victims endured is unimaginable.”
Loneman was indicted on Nov. 19, 2025, and pleaded guilty on Jan. 6, 2026. The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Elmore prosecuted the crime. U.S. District Court Judge Scott W. Skavdahl imposed the sentence on April 2 in Casper. Case No. 25-CR-00107
Lowndes County Man Sentenced in Homeland Security Task Force Investigation for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
OXFORD, MS – A Lowndes County man was sentenced to thirteen years for trafficking in excess of fifty grams of methamphetamine.
According to court documents, Calvin Baskin, 55, of Columbus, Mississippi previously pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District to Mississippi to the charge stemming from his arrest on August 8, 2024. Baskin was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson to 157 months in prison for the charge. He was further sentenced to five years supervised release following his release from prison.
U.S. Attorney Scott F. Leary, who made this announcement, said, “Mississippians are historically hard workers, not perfect by any means, but dedicated hard workers. Together we have progressed, creating a State that is a wonderful place to live and raise a family. However, some communities here face daily violence driven by the illegal drug trade. To help these communities requires hard work, dangerous work, tirelessly pursued by our state and federal officers. On one level this case may seem mundane, but it is not. This investigation and prosecution reflect the daily vigilance exhibited by state and federal law enforcement. Working together, day by day, we can help our communities be places of safety where hard work and devotion pay off. A special thanks to Sheriff Eddie Hawkins and his Lowndes County office and the DEA for making this a reality.”
“Methamphetamine trafficking brings nothing but misery and crime to our doorsteps,” said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Assistant Special Agent in Charge Anessa Daniels-McCaw. “This sentence reflects the gravity of the threat posed by illegal drugs and the power of interagency cooperation. The DEA and our partners will never waver in our efforts to identify, investigate, and prosecute the individuals who prioritize profit over the safety and well-being of our community."
Sheriff Eddie Hawkins, stated, “We are grateful for the strong partnership between the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics in bringing this case to a successful conclusion. We also appreciate the diligent prosecution by the United States Attorney's Office, whose work ensured that justice was served. This sentencing sends a clear message that those who traffic illegal drugs and endanger our communities will be held accountable. Through continued cooperation, intelligence sharing, and coordinated enforcement efforts, we remain committed to protecting the citizens of Lowndes County and keeping our communities safe.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department, Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, and U.S. Marshal’s Service investigated and assisted with the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Clyde McGee prosecuted the case.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This case is also a 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.
###
Kenyan National Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing a FirearmRead the Press Release
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – An illegal alien has been sentenced for illegally possessing a firearm, announced Acting United States Attorney Catherine L. Crosby.
Stanley Amalemba Ambeyi, 39, a citizen of Kenya, pleaded guilty in November 2025 to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge Madeline H. Haikala has sentenced Ambeyi to 18 months in prison for that crime.
According to the record at Ambeyi’s change-of-plea hearing, on April 11, 2025, an officer with the Birmingham Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Ambeyi. The officer observed a box of ammunition in the vehicle. This observation prompted the officer to ask Ambeyi if he had a firearm in the vehicle. Ambeyi stated that he did not have any firearms in the vehicle. The officer then informed Ambeyi that it was illegal to have an open alcoholic beverage in the vehicle and asked him to exit the vehicle. The officer recovered a Amadeo Rossi S. A. 22LR revolver from the vehicle and arrested Ambeyi.
At sentencing the government also presented evidence that, in November 2024, Ambeyi enticed a person he thought to be a fifteen-year-old girl to have sex with him for money. Charges for that conduct are pending against Ambeyi in Blount County Circuit Court.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The case was investigated by the ATF along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys John B. Ward and Ryan S. Rummage prosecuted the case.
Kansas woman caught with 115,000 fentanyl pills sentenced to prisonRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas woman was sentenced to 240 months in prison after being caught with a massive quantity of fentanyl pills that she admitted she intended to sell.
According to court documents, Mana Elena Reyes, 51, of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Between April 2023 and May 2023, Reyes had multiple discussions about purchasing and selling methamphetamine and fentanyl with an individual she was unaware was an undercover officer with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SGSO). Deputies then followed her as she drove from Kansas to Oklahoma and back. The Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) conducted a traffic stop and a search of Reyes’ vehicle yielded approximately 115,000 fentanyl pills and more than 4,000 grams of methamphetamine along with heroin, fentanyl powder, and cocaine.
“The United States Sentencing Commission reports that arrests for fentanyl trafficking have steadily increased over the past few years. Upon conviction, the average prison sentence handed down is 74 months, so this defendant will serve more than three times that average,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “Our office is extremely pleased with the outcome in this case and will continue to seek stiff penalties for drug trafficking. Illegal drugs, particularly fentanyl and methamphetamine, are a scourge and will not be tolerated in our communities.”
The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office (SGSO) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) investigated the case with assistance from the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP).
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katie Andrusak prosecuted the case.
###
Jury Convicts Omaha Man of Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that on April 1, 2026, a federal jury found Fernando Hernandez, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, guilty of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and distribution of methamphetamine. The verdict followed a three-day trial in front of Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. Hernandez was part of a 12-person indictment filed in April 2024. All other defendants pleaded guilty and have been sentenced or are pending sentencing.
The evidence at trial established that Hernandez was involved with a Mexican source of methamphetamine supplying the Omaha and Council Bluffs, Iowa, areas. In late 2023, Hernandez served as a courier distributing the source’s methamphetamine. On October 2, 2023, law enforcement utilized a cooperating witness who ordered one pound of methamphetamine from the Mexican source. The Mexican source sent the cooperator to an Omaha location where Hernandez delivered one pound of methamphetamine to the cooperator. After the delivery, officers surveilled Hernandez and saw him meet with two codefendants who were later stopped and found in possession of one pound of methamphetamine and $4,000. The money was forfeited as part of the investigation.
Sentencing is scheduled for July 10, 2026. Hernandez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum of life imprisonment. He was previously convicted federally of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was released from prison in 2017 after serving nearly nine years for the previous conviction.
Thisinvestigation and prosecution are 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 Omaha comprises agents and officers from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local and state law enforcement agencies with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska. Agents and officers with the FBI, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Nebraska State Patrol, the Bellevue Police Department, and Lincoln Police Department testified at trial. More local and state agencies were involved in the investigation.
Illegal Alien Sentenced to Six Months in Federal Prison for Unlawfully Reentering U.S.A.Read the Press Release
An illegal alien and Mexican citizen who unlawfully reentered the U.S.A. after being previously removed was sentenced today to six months in federal prison.
Christian Vega-Camacho, age 29, from Guadalupe, Mexico, received the prison term after a January 16, 2026, guilty plea to one count of illegal reentry.
At the guilty plea, Vega-Camacho admitted he had previously been removed from the U.S.A. in 2018. Sometime later, he reentered the country without permission. In April 2021, law enforcement officers arrested Vega-Camacho in Decorah, Iowa. He was using fraudulent documents to work in the country. Vega-Camacho was released from custody pending trial. Vega-Camacho fled from release in June 2021. His whereabouts were unknown until he was arrested in Postville, Iowa, in November 2025.
Vega-Camacho was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge C.J. Williams. Vega-Camacho was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.
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.
Vega-Camacho is being held in the United States Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and investigated by Immigrations and Custom Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Court file information at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
The case file number is 21-CR-2027.
Follow us on X @USAO_NDIA.
Hillsville Man to Serve 156 Months for Sexually Exploiting Children OnlineRead the Press Release
ROANOKE, Va. – A Hillsville, Virginia man was sentenced recently to 156 months in federal prison.
Michael Tibbs, 25, of Carroll County, Virginia, previously pled guilty to one count of coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity.
According to court documents, in April 2023, a then-15-year-old minor victim submitted a tip to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center, reporting that a man had been grooming her for approximately one year and continually requesting nude images.
FBI agents identified Tibbs as the victim’s groomer and obtained records of his Discord messages. The Discord records revealed that beginning as early as November 2022, Tibbs engaged in sexual chats with several minor girls and paid them to record and send him sexually explicit images and videos. Agents were able to identify and interview some of the minor victims, who confirmed that Tibbs paid them to record sexually explicit content for him.
On July 18, 2024, agents executed a search warrant at Tibbs’ home and seized his phone, which contained many sexually explicit images and videos of women with indeterminate ages. Agents were able to identify one of the minor victims, 13 years old, depicted in two of those videos. Tibbs’ phone also held hundreds of computer-generated and animated images of children, including toddlers, being graphically, sexually abused.
Agents interviewed Tibbs, who admitted to using Discord to purchase sexual content from minors. He estimated that he purchased from 10 to 15 underage girls. Tibbs explained that he developed an interest in purchasing sexual content from minors after viewing child pornography on TikTok.
First Assistant United States Attorney Robert N. Tracci, and Ian Kaufmann, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Division made the announcement.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Drew Inman is prosecuting the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identity and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
Hastings Woman Sentenced to More Than 26 Years for Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances and Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Sonia Martinez, 41, of Hastings, Nebraska, was sentenced on April 2, 2026, in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and one count of using, carrying, or possessing a firearm during and in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis sentenced Martinez to a total of 322 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Martinez’s release from prison, she will begin a 10-year term of supervised release.
Between January 24, 2024, and March 23, 2024, CODE and TRIDENT task forces coordinated eight controlled buys of methamphetamine from Martinez and Andrew Juarez. Four of the controlled buys also involved purchasing 6 firearms. The controlled buys were coordinated by a third party and an undercover officer. The State Patrol Crime Lab confirmed at least 470 grams of methamphetamine actual and at least 450 grams of methamphetamine mixture from the eight controlled buys in total.
Co-defendant Jaurez was sentenced to a total of 230 months’ imprisonment and a 5-year term of supervised release on January 8, 2026, by United States District Judge Susan M. Bazis.
This case was investigated by the TRIDENT and CODE Task Forces which is made up of law enforcement agencies throughout a 22-county area in west-central/southwest Nebraska and includes the North Platte Police Department, Lexington Police Department, Dawson County Sheriff’s Office, Ogallala Police Department, Nebraska State Patrol, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Halifax County Felon Sentenced for Possessing and Selling FentanylRead the Press Release
New Bern, N.C. – A federal judge sentenced Lorenizo Reshaud Simmons, 33, to over 6 years in federal prison for possession with intent to sell over 40 grams of fentanyl.
“Fentanyl kills kids. This repeat offender should have learned his lesson before, but he returned to this shameful exploitation of his own community. We should all join together in our close-knit Eastern North Carolina communities to reject this evil and keep our families together. Simple lesson: drugs kill, prison awaits: Do right.” said U.S. Attorney Ellis Boyle.
Inmate Simmons sold fentanyl in Halifax County from a residence he used to store and package his drugs. In August 2022, Halifax County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) launched an investigation into Inmate Simmons’ conduct after receiving complaints of drug activity in Garysburg, North Carolina. HCSO, with the assistance of the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), conducted three controlled buys of fentanyl from Inmate Simmons. On May 4, 2023, HCSO and Northampton County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) executed a search warrant at Inmate Simmons’ house finding over 300 grams of a fentanyl analogue, 90 milligrams of morphine, a digital scale, extended gun magazines, hundreds of bullets, and other drug paraphernalia to include needles and syringes.
Inmate Simmons is a convicted felon, most recently for selling opiates and possession of oxycodone in 2018.
Ellis Boyle, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan announced the sentence. The HCSO, SBI, and the Northampton County Sheriff’s Office investigated this case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Dixon prosecuted the case.
A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 4:25-CR-9-FL.
Honduran National Pleads Guilty to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Kurt L. Wall announced that William Alexander Ruiz-Ponce, age 28, a Honduran national who is present in the United States without authorization, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Brian A. Jackson to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, in February 2025, Ruiz-Ponce used social media applications and text messages to convince someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl in Denham Springs, Louisiana, to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. Ruiz-Ponce traveled to Denham Springs to meet the supposed 14-year-old girl to engage in sexual acts. An undercover law enforcement officer posed as the 14-year-old girl and officers arrested Ruiz-Ponce when he arrived at the agreed-upon location. During their conversation, Ruiz-Ponce sent the undercover officer sexually explicit images of himself, including photos of his genitals. Ruiz-Ponce also asked for the undercover officer’s location and expressed his desire to engage in illegal sex acts in person.
Ruiz-Ponce’s conviction is punishable by a minimum of ten years and a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine, up to a lifetime period of supervised release, and includes sex offender registration requirements. He is also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing his sentence.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen Vick and Special Assistant United States Attorney Allen Ross.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
This case is also 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 Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Guilty Verdicts for Woman Who Killed Three People in 2023 Rock Creek Parkway CrashRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nakita Walker, 45, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a Superior Court jury today for the March 15, 2023, vehicular deaths of Mohamed Kamara, Jonathan Alberto Cabrera Mendez and Olvin Josue Torres Velasquez, on Rock Creek Parkway, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Walker was found guilty of three counts of involuntary manslaughter for the occupants of the car she struck, one count of fleeing a law enforcement officer, and one count of assault with a dangerous weapon of her passenger. According to the expected sentencing guidelines range, Walker faces a maximum sentence of twenty-nine and a half years in prison for these crimes.
“We continue to rid this city of those who commit homicide," said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “Their place is behind bars. Three lives were lost—a hardworking Lyft driver and two passengers who trusted they would arrive safely. Their families have endured unimaginable loss, and while nothing can undo that pain, this outcome affirms that reckless and violent actions have consequences. Justice has been served, and our thoughts remain with the victims and their loved ones.”
Superior Court Judge Rainey Brandt scheduled sentencing for June 5, 2026.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, on the evening of March 14, 2023, Walker went to a movie and hung out with friends. As she was driving home in the early hours of March 15, 2023, she was pulled over by a Park Police officer for speeding and running a red light in front of him. She initially complied with the stop, then midway through she took off, reaching speeds of 100 mph on Rock Creek Parkway. While fleeing, she crossed the double-yellow lane line and crashed into another vehicle, killing all three of its occupants.
Walker was arrested on May 22, 2023, where she has been in custody since.
Joining the announcement was Chief Scott Brecht of the United States Park Police.
This case was investigated by the United States Park Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
This case was prosecuted and tried by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Carter.
2023 CF1 003258
Four gang members sentenced to prison after “Operation Sob Story” investigates an illegal drugs/firearms networkRead the Press Release
TOPEKA, KAN. – A partnership of federal and local law enforcement taking part in “Operation Sob Story”, an investigation by the Homeland Security Task Force, resulted in prison sentences for four Topeka area gang members for offenses such as drug trafficking and illegal firearms trafficking.
According to court documents, in 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) launched a joint investigation into several known members of the Crips.
The individuals include:
• Marcos Esteban Arredondo, 25, • Pedro Galicia-Hernandez Jr, 35, • Daequan Rayton, 28, and
• Elijah Eugene Wilson, 23.Marcos Arredondo pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Arredondo sold cocaine, fentanyl, and a firearm to a confidential source acting on behalf of law enforcement. He was sentenced to 123 months in prison.
Pedro Galicia-Hernandez Jr. pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. He was sentenced to 151 months in prison. A confidential source made multiple controlled buys of fentanyl from Galicia-Hernandez in amounts of between 500 and 1,500 pills. Law enforcement received a tip that Galicia-Hernandez was returning to Kansas after a trip out of state and informed the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP). During a traffic stop, a state trooper found a bag in the vehicle Galicia-Hernadez was in with what was later determined be 16,246 fentanyl pills.
Daequan Rayton pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of a machine gun and two counts of illegal possession and transfer of machine guns. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison.
Elijah Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession and transfer of machine guns, two counts of failure to register as a dealer and manufacturer of machine guns, and one count of unlawful trafficking in firearms. He was sentenced to 45 months in prison.
A confidential informant bought machine guns from Rayton on two occasions. Subsequent evidence collected by investigators showed a connection between Rayton and Wilson. While executing a search warrant on Wilson’s home, agents found a 3D printer capable of producing firearms and silencers, machine conversion devices, hand tools for making firearms and silencers, a machine gun, and a silencer.
In February 2024, the SCSO responded to a call involving “shots fired” at a park in Topeka. Witness information led authorities to Rayton. In his vehicle, law enforcement found a privately manufactured pistol that had an extended magazine loaded with “full metal jacket” rounds. The firearm had no serial number, and deputies took Rayton into custody.
Forensic lab tests later showed Wilson’s DNA inside the weapons Rayton sold to the confidential informant and analysis showed the weapon in Rayton’s possession when he was arrested was made using Wilson’s equipment.
“During my tenure as U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas, I have been focused on enhancing state and federal collaboration.” Said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “This operation serves as an example of the great achievements that are possible with seamless law enforcement collaboration through the Homeland Security Task Force. We will continue to work tirelessly to dismantle criminal networks to make our communities safer.”
“The sentences send a clear message that those who traffic drugs and machine guns will face serious federal consequences,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge, Bernard “Butch” Hansen, of the Kansas City Field Division. “This HSTF-led, multi-agency effort reflects the strength of intelligence-driven coordination between ATF, our law enforcement partners, and the United States Attorney’s Office. I commend the outstanding work of our agents and task force officers whose efforts helped dismantle a dangerous criminal operation and deliver a strong deterrent to others.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Hough prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Kansas City comprises agents and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security investigations; FBI; Drug Enforcement Administration; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division, with the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Kansas leading the prosecution.
###Four Illegal Aliens with Prior Felony Convictions and Multiple Deportations Charged for Illegally Reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAS VEGAS – Four Mexican nationals unlawfully residing in Las Vegas made their initial court appearances today to face charges of illegally reentering the United States after previously being removed from the country.
Laurentino Salvador Juarez-Martinez; Serguio Raudel Contreras-Torres; Brandon Castanon-Bautista; and Pablo Covarrubias-Islas are all charged with one count of deported alien found in the United States. Preliminary hearings for all defendants are scheduled for April 20, 2026, before United States Magistrate Judge Brenda N. Weksler.
According to allegations contained in the criminal complaints and statements made during court proceedings, all four defendants are citizens and nationals of Mexico who were previously deported and removed from the United States and reentered the United States illegally.
On March 27, 2024, Juarez-Martinez was arrested for two counts of Possess Controlled Substance; four counts of Possess for Sale Controlled Substance; two counts of Trafficking Controlled Substance; and Operate Place for Sale/Use/Gift of Controlled Substances. On April 1, 2026, after serving a 24-to-60-month sentence for drug trafficking, the Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Juarez-Martinez to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Las Vegas, Nevada. Juarez-Martinez was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on seven prior occasions: on or about July 6, 2010; October 14, 2010; May 14, 2012; October 9, 2012; April 13, 2015; December 13, 2016; and September 18, 2019. Juarez-Martinez has two prior felony convictions for Deported Alien Found Unlawfully in the United States, the same offense he is currently charged with.
On April 2, 2026, Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Contreras-Torres to ICE custody in Las Vegas, Nevada, after Contreras-Torres served a 14-to-48-month sentence for the felony offense of Possession of Controlled Substance with Intent to Sell. On September 21, 2021, officers with the North Las Vegas Police Department arrested Contreras-Torres for Trafficking a Controlled Substance. Contreras-Torres failed to show for his court appearance and a warrant was issued. On September 9, 2025, ICE Fugitive Operations Team arrested Contreras-Torres in Las Vegas, Nevada, and turned him over to face his state drug charges. Contreras-Torres was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions: December 22, 2018, and December 27, 2018. Contreras-Torres also has two prior misdemeanor drug convictions.
On November 23, 2025, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Castanon-Bautista for two counts of Robbery with a Deadly Weapon; Burglary while in Possession of Firearm; and Carry Concealed Weapon Without a Permit. On March 28, 2026, the Clark County Detention Center remanded Castanon-Bautista to ICE Las Vegas, Nevada, custody based on an immigration detainer. Castanon-Bautista was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on two prior occasions: October 3, 2023, and July 1, 2024. Castanon-Bautista has a felony conviction for Larceny from Person. Castanon-Bautista’s other convictions include attempted Grand Larceny, Assault, and two separate drug related offenses.
On March 22, 2025, officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department arrested Covarrubias-Islas for Conspiracy to Violate Uniform Controlled Substances Act, and two counts of Possess to Sell Controlled Substance. On March 27, 2026, Nevada Department of Corrections remanded Covarrubias-Islas to ICE custody at Las Vegas, Nevada, based on an immigration detainer. Covarrubias-Islas was previously removed and deported from the United States to Mexico on three prior occasions: July 19, 2015, November 12, 2015, and September 4, 2018.
If convicted, Juarez-Martinez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison, a three-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
If convicted, Contreras-Torres, Castanon-Bautista, and Covarrubias-Islas all face a maximum statutory penalty of 2 years in prison, a one-year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment.
First Assistant United States Attorney Sigal Chattah for the District of Nevada and Salt Lake City Acting Field Office Director Ruben Levya made the announcement.
The ICE Salt Lake City, Las Vegas Sub-Office investigated the cases; and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada is prosecuting the cases.
Members of the public can report crimes and suspicious activity by dialing 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) or completing the online tip form.
These cases are part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
A complaint is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
###
Former New York City Public School Teacher Sentenced to 150 Months in Prison for Receipt and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that ANTHONY MICHAEL SOUZA was sentenced to 150 months in prison for receipt and distribution of child pornography. SOUZA’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who also presided over the guilty plea.
“New York City parents trusted Anthony Michael Souza to keep their children safe,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Souza betrayed that trust by sharing ghastly child pornography and preying on minors, including his own students. Today’s sentence affirms yet again this Office’s unwavering commitment to protect our children and to find and prosecute individuals who traffic in child pornography.”
According to the Information, public filings, the plea agreement, and statements made in court proceedings:
For three years leading up to his 2024 arrest, SOUZA served as an arts and theater teacher in multiple New York City public schools. His students included children between kindergarten and high school. During this time, SOUZA sent and received approximately 250 videos and approximately 1,050 images containing child pornography. Some of those videos and images showed abuse and rape of children, infants, and toddlers. SOUZA also took sexualized photographs and videos of young (clothed) children inside his classrooms and sent them to individuals with whom SOUZA shared child pornography.
In addition to the child-pornography conduct, SOUZA maintained a sexual relationship with a minor (“Minor-1”) for more than a year. SOUZA and Minor-1 had sex on multiple occasions, and SOUZA filmed himself having sex with Minor-1. SOUZA also invited other men who joined SOUZA for group sex with Minor-1. Additionally, SOUZA and another individual discussed SOUZA’s unsuccessful attempt to “groom” one of SOUZA’s fifth-grade students (“Minor-2”). The attempt was foiled when Minor-2 hung up the phone and blocked SOUZA.
If you believe you have information concerning exploitation of children, please contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov/.
* * *
In addition to the prison term, SOUZA, 38, of Manhattan, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney Getzel Berger is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Guam Customs Officer Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Hagåtña, Guam – SHAWN N. ANDERSON, United States Attorney for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, announced that defendant Jesus K. Paulino, Jr. (“Paulino”), age 36, from Dededo, Guam was sentenced, to serve 235 months in federal prison. On December 10, 2025, Paulino was convicted by a jury in the District Court of Guam for Attempted Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fifty or More Grams of Methamphetamine, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 846 and 841(a)(1). The Court also ordered five years of supervised release and a mandatory $100 special assessment fee. In addition, defendants convicted of a federal drug offense may no longer qualify for certain federal benefits.
On February 19, 2025, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) obtained a search warrant and discovered approximately 14,533 net grams—roughly 32 pounds—of methamphetamine concealed inside a U.S. priority mail package addressed to another person at Mailhub, Oka, Tamuning. The drugs were removed from the package, replaced with sham material, and fitted with a court authorized tracking device as part of an ongoing investigation.
On February 26, 2025, law enforcement observed Paulino carrying the package at Mailhub and placing it in a Toyota 4‑Runner. Paulino dropped off a female passenger and drove around Tamuning and Tumon before arriving at his residence in Tamuning.
On the afternoon of February 27, 2025, law enforcement was alerted that the package had been opened. Officers knocked on the door of the residence, secured the location, and obtained a warrant to search the residence. Authorities seized the package, its contents, the tracking device, two electronic scales, a cellular phone, an Apple iPad, and a SIM card. A search of Paulino’s vehicle revealed trace residue that tested positive for MDMA. Paulino was found with visible amounts of clue spray on his clothing, arms, and hands.
Paulino, was previously employed as a Guam Customs and Quarantine Officer. During that time, he was convicted of Conspiracy to Defraud and Deprive Honest Services, in violation of federal law, in connection with the smuggling of untaxed cigarette shipments from the Philippines.
“Our aggressive mail-stream interdiction efforts removed this drug dealer from Guam for decades,” stated United States Attorney Anderson. “The lengthy sentence was warranted by the weight of drugs shipped and Paulino’s troubling history. This case is another example of the many successes of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative that keeps our communities safe.”
“Postal inspectors will not relent when drug traffickers attempt to mail controlled substances that harm our communities and endanger postal workers,” said Stephen Sherwood, Postal Inspector in Charge of the San Francisco Division. “I extend my sincere appreciation to the members of the Guam Interdictions Anti-Narcotics Trafficking Task Force (GIANT TF)—including the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, the Guam Police Department, and the Guam Army National Guard Counterdrug Program—for their dedication and collaboration. I also thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Guam and our federal law enforcement partners for their invaluable teamwork in bringing this offender to justice.”
“This case highlights how HSI works every day to keep our community safe from criminal organizations. By teaming up with other agencies through the Homeland Security Task Force, we’re able to tackle these threats together. HSI is committed to finding and stopping criminal networks that put Guam and the United States at risk,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas.
“The defendant attempted to exploit the U.S. mail system, making a calculated effort to expand distribution, which endangered countless lives,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Blais. “ATF will hold these traffickers accountable, and we remain committed to disrupting drug distribution at every level.”
“Through coordinated efforts and strong partnerships, this individual has been brought to justice for trafficking destructive narcotics that endanger the health and wellbeing of our island community. Drug peddlers, regardless of occupation or status, will be pursued and held accountable for the devastation they cause,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration Los Angeles Field Division, which oversees Guam. “DEA is in lockstep with our HSTF partners, remaining ever committed to disrupting global drug networks and halting the flow of methamphetamine and other dangerous drugs.”
This investigation was led by United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) with key participation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), Guam Police Department Special Investigations Section, and the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency.
Assistant United States Attorney Rosetta L. San Nicolas prosecuted the case in the District of Guam.
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. HSTF Guam comprises agents and officers Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), United States Marshals Service (USMS), the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the United States Secret Service (USSS), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS), with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Districts of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Federal Correctional Officer Convicted of Bribery, Smuggling, and Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ATLANTA – Following a six-day trial, a federal jury convicted Patrick Shackelford, a former federal correctional officer, for accepting bribes and conspiring with inmates to smuggle narcotics and other contraband into the U.S. Penitentiary Atlanta (“USP-Atlanta”) using an elaborate scheme through which visitors introduced contraband into the prison through a secret hole in the visitation area. Shackelford was immediately taken into federal custody upon entry of the jury’s verdict on April 2.
“Instead of fulfilling his duty to safeguard a federal prison, Shackelford took bribes from inmates to facilitate their smuggling of large quantities of methamphetamine and other contraband for distribution to other inmates,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Shackelford betrayed his oath, chose to be a corrupt tool of the inmates in his charge, and potentially endangered the safety and security of his fellow officers and prisoners through his brazen conduct.”
“Correctional facilities depend on the integrity of those entrusted to safeguard them,” said Peter Ellis, Acting Special Agent in Charge of FBI Georgia. “By abusing his position to smuggle drugs and other contraband into USP-Atlanta, Shackelford undermined the safety and security of the institution, his fellow officers, and the inmates in their custody. The FBI remains committed to rooting out corruption at every level and holding accountable those who violate the public’s trust.”
“The Correctional Officer’s acts compromised the safety and security of the federal prison. The Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General is committed to rooting out corruption and bringing perpetrators to justice,” stated Eric Fehlman, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Southeast Region.
According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: From approximately June 2018 through February 2019, Shackelford conspired with federal inmates Patrick Kirkman, Mitchell Arms, James Hughes, and others to smuggle prohibited items and narcotics, including methamphetamine and marijuana, into USP-Atlanta, a then medium-security federal prison.
Shackelford was a federal correctional officer and plumbing supervisor at USP-Atlanta who managed a crew of inmate plumbers, including Hughes. As part of the scheme, Shackelford informed Hughes about a hidden room and “voided area” that adjoined the prison visitation area. With Shackelford’s assistance, Hughes and another inmate, under the guise of making plumbing repairs, used a sledgehammer and power drill to create large passageways into the hidden room and voided area. From that space, they created a small hole under a sink in the restroom of the visitation area. They then concealed the passageway with a metal plate. During weekend visitation, some of the inmates’ associates brought tightly wrapped packages containing contraband to the prison and pushed them through the hole under the restroom sink into the “voided area.” On a nearly weekly basis between June 2018 and February 2019, Hughes and another inmate retrieved the contraband from the voided area, using their plumbing cart and tools as cover to move the contraband across USP-Atlanta.
Shackelford further helped the inmates by allowing them to hide the contraband in the “plumbing shop,” including in the ceiling of an empty staff office that was next to Shackelford’s. For safety and security reasons, inmates were not supposed to have access to such offices. However, Shackelford unlocked the adjacent office for Hughes so often that it came to be known as “Jamie’s office.” Shackelford also helped escort his inmate co-conspirators through checkpoints to deliver contraband packages to the cellblocks.
In exchange for permitting inmates to smuggle and distribute contraband, Shackelford received $5,000 and pain pills from Hughes, and Hughes and the inmate plumbing crew completed Shackelford’s plumbing assignments for him.
Kirkman and Arms, both of whom were serving sentences for federal drug trafficking crimes, were among the inmates at USP-Atlanta who received the contraband, including narcotics, through the scheme. While the operation was ongoing, Kirkman paid Hughes nearly $20,000 via Cash App to smuggle in the contraband and provided the cash for Shackelford’s $5,000 bribe. Hughes learned from Kirkman, Arms, and others when the packages had been smuggled through the visitor’s bathroom.
In February 2019, prison officials discovered a batch of contraband hidden in the ceiling of the plumbing office. Specifically, officials found roughly two dozen packages containing over a pound of 100% pure methamphetamine, over a kilogram of marijuana, synthetic marijuana or “spice,” tobacco, and several cell phones. This was one of the largest contraband recoveries in the history of USP-Atlanta.
Shackelford’s inmate co-conspirators pleaded guilty in connection with this prison bribery and contraband smuggling scheme:
- Patrick Kirkman, 39, of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, pled guilty to federal bribery on February 11, 2026.
- Mitchell Arms, 45, of Columbia, Tennessee, pled guilty to possessing, obtaining, or attempting to obtain a prohibited object in federal prison, namely, methamphetamine, on June 18, 2024.
- James Hughes, 48, of Etowah, Tennessee, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery and conspiracy to provide and possess prohibited objects in a federal prison, including methamphetamine, marijuana, and cellular phones, on October 7, 2023.
Sentencing for Patrick Shackelford, 51, of Senoia, Georgia, is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. before U.S. District Judge William M. Ray, II. Shackelford faces a mandatory minimum of ten years of imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alex R. Sistla and Garrett L. Bradford are prosecuting the case.
For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney’s Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.
Federal Charges Filed Against Naples Man in $3.7 Million Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Fort Myers, Florida – Leonard W. Krane (75, Naples) has been charged by indictment with four counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, Krane faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of over $3.7 million and other assets traceable to the proceeds of the offenses. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court records, between at least August 2017 and February 2025, Krane engaged in a long-running scheme where he allegedly made false representations that he possessed substantial funds overseas and required upfront payments from victims to access those funds. He promised that, in exchange for wiring him money, often tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, victims would receive significant returns once the overseas funds were recovered.
Instead, as alleged in the indictment, Krane did not invest the funds and the promised returns never materialized. Rather, the funds were used to support his personal lifestyle or were transferred overseas. The total loss attributable to the scheme exceeds $3.7 million.
The indictment further alleges that victim funds were rapidly withdrawn or laundered through international wire transfers to individuals located in the United Kingdom.
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.
If you believe you may be a victim of the alleged crimes, you can contact the FBI at 800-CALL FBI (225-5324).
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Patrick L. Darcey.
Ecuadorian National Deported after Child Sex Assault Conviction Admits Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CARLOS CABRERA-ZARUMA, 45, a citizen of Ecuador, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to unlawful reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cabrera-Zaruma illegally entered the U.S. from Mexico in 2000. In 2008, he was convicted and sentenced in Connecticut Superior Court of sexual assault in the second degree against a victim under the age of 16, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He was deported to Ecuador in September 2010. Cabrera-Zaruma subsequently unlawfully reentered the U.S. and returned to Connecticut. On September 6, 2025, he was arrested in Danbury and charged with motor vehicle violations.
Cabrera-Zaruma has been detained since his federal arrest on October 7, 2025. He is scheduled to be sentenced in Hartford on June 29. The offense carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This matter is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.