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Friday 20 February 2026
Bethel Park Resident Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material and Possessing Contraband While Detained for TrialRead the Press Release
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – A resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to 108 months of incarceration, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating federal laws regarding the sexual exploitation of minors and possession of contraband in prison, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.
United States District Judge William S. Stickman IV imposed the sentence on Seth Hollerich, 31, on February 19, 2026.
According to information presented to the Court, Hollerich distributed material depicting the sexual exploitation of minors—including infants and toddlers engaged in sexually explicit conduct— on two occasions, in March 2021 and September 2021. Further, in November 2024, while in pretrial detention for these crimes, Hollerich was found to be in possession of prohibited objects (homemade shanks) intended to be used as weapons.
In imposing sentence, Judge Stickman stated that it was “hard to fathom the level of depravity it takes to find pleasure in the victimization of little children” and explained to Hollerich that his crimes are not merely “virtual” crimes, but revictimized real human beings who had already endured being victims of sexual abuse.
Assistant United States Attorneys Heidi M. Grogan and Kelly M. Locher prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.
United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Department of Homeland Security, the United States Marshals Service, and Butler County Prison for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Hollerich.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Baltimore Man Indicted for Alleged Child Sex Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury indicted a Baltimore man for child sex trafficking crimes. Antoine “Tony” Miles, 57, is charged with sex trafficking of a child and coercion and enticement.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office, Scott Shellenberger, State’s Attorney for Baltimore County, and Acting Superintendent Michael A. Jackson, Maryland State Police (MSP).
According to the indictment, throughout September 2025, Miles reserved and paid for a hotel room for a minor victim to engage in a commercial sex act. He also allegedly persuaded, induced, and enticed the minor victim to engage in prostitution and commercial sex act with him.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Miles faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum sentence of life in federal prison, as well as lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI, Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office, and MSP for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen Elizabeth McGuinn who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Arsonist Who Set Fire to Two Minnesota Mosques Sentenced to Seventy Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Jackie Rahm Little, age 38, was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in federal prison for setting fire in April of 2023 to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Little had previously entered guilty pleas to one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property in September of 2025.
“In the United States, the desecration of places of worship will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “All Minnesotans should feel safe freely exercising their religion. Little attempted to burn down two mosques. He will now sit in federal prison for his heinous crime.”
According to information provided in court documents and federal court hearings, on April 23, 2023, Little started a fire in the bathroom of the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, also a public place of worship. Little lit a cardboard box on fire inside of a bathroom stall and intended to leave it there for the rest of the building to ignite. Fortunately, Little was interrupted by an employee and the defendant fled, leaving partially burned cardboard and a gas cannister behind.
The following day, Little traveled to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque (also known as the Mercy Islamic Center) in Bloomington, Minnesota, a public place of worship. Little carried with him a container of gasoline or other ignitable liquid, and after he entered the mosque, he used it to set fire to the mosque’s third floor hallway and stairwell. At the time Little set the fire, community leaders were meeting at the mosque to address the fire set the day before. The mosque had to be evacuated, including the evacuation of children who were attending daycare. The resulting damage to the mosque totaled more than $378,000.
Judge Ann Montgomery’s 70-month sentence represented an upward departure from the Sentencing Guidelines recommendation as sought by the government, which she held was justified by the serious nature of the crime, the high number of potential victims, and the multiple acts of arson involved.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
Arsonist Who Set Fire to Two Minnesota Mosques Sentenced to Seventy Months in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
MINNEAPOLIS – United States Attorney Daniel N. Rosen announced today that Jackie Rahm Little, age 38, was sentenced yesterday to 70 months in federal prison for setting fire in April of 2023 to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque in Bloomington, Minnesota, and the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Little had previously entered guilty pleas to one count of arson and one count of damage to religious property in September of 2025.
“In the United States, the desecration of places of worship will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Daniel N. Rosen. “All Minnesotans should feel safe freely exercising their religion. Little attempted to burn down two mosques. He will now sit in federal prison for his heinous crime.”
According to information provided in court documents and federal court hearings, on April 23, 2023, Little started a fire in the bathroom of the Masjid Omar Islamic Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, also a public place of worship. Little lit a cardboard box on fire inside of a bathroom stall and intended to leave it there for the rest of the building to ignite. Fortunately, Little was interrupted by an employee and the defendant fled, leaving partially burned cardboard and a gas cannister behind.
The following day, Little traveled to the Masjid Al-Rahma Mosque (also known as the Mercy Islamic Center) in Bloomington, Minnesota, a public place of worship. Little carried with him a container of gasoline or other ignitable liquid, and after he entered the mosque, he used it to set fire to the mosque’s third floor hallway and stairwell. At the time Little set the fire, community leaders were meeting at the mosque to address the fire set the day before. The mosque had to be evacuated, including the evacuation of children who were attending daycare. The resulting damage to the mosque totaled more than $378,000.
Judge Ann Montgomery’s 70-month sentence represented an upward departure from the Sentencing Guidelines recommendation as sought by the government, which she held was justified by the serious nature of the crime, the high number of potential victims, and the multiple acts of arson involved.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the FBI.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan B. Gilead prosecuted the case.
Anchorage man arrested in Juneau, charged with sex trafficking and other child exploitation offensesRead the Press Release
ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The FBI arrested an Anchorage man today in Juneau after a federal grand jury in Alaska returned an indictment charging him with sex trafficking children, sexual exploitation of children-production of child pornography, coercion and enticement of children and receipt of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney's Office, District of AlaskaAccording to public court documents, Craig Scott Valdez, 36, used the popular social media application Snapchat to identify, groom and entice juvenile females in Alaska for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The indictment charges this conduct in relation to one minor victim from an incident occurring in October 2025, but Valdez is believed to have victimized or attempted to victimize other juveniles in Anchorage and Juneau. Valdez is a current state employee working in Anchorage and Juneau.
Valdez is charged with one count of Sex Trafficking of Children in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1591; one count of Sexual Exploitation of Children (Production of Child Pornography) in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2251; one count of Coercion and Enticement of Children in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2242(b); and one count of Receipt of Child Pornography in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A. The defendant will make his initial court appearance on Feb. 23, 2026, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kyle F. Reardon of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska. If convicted, he faces between 15 years to life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Day of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Anchorage Field Office and the Anchorage Police Department are investigating this case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. If anyone has information concerning Valdez’s alleged actions or may have encountered someone using the name “Craig Scott Valdez” or usernames “NONAME20233132” or “DOCHANK” in person or online, please contact the FBI Anchorage Field Office at (907) 276-4441 or anonymously at tips.fbi.gov.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Alexander is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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A Central Point, Oregon, Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
MEDFORD, Ore.—A Central Point, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for felon in possession of a firearm after he and his co-defendants targeted an elderly victim and stole over $250,000 worth of gold, cash, and firearms.
Jonathan Anthony Kinsella, 53, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release.
According to court documents, in August 2023, Kinsella, a convicted felon, came up with a plan and solicited his wife and friend to burglarize an elderly victim. Kinsella and the two co-defendants split approximately $103,000 in cash, $180,000 in gold coins, and five firearms. Police executed a search warrant at Kinsella’s residence and found a .40 S & W caliber pistol, a .30-30 Winchester caliber rifle, a Colt .38 Special revolver, and a 12-guage weapon made from a shotgun.
On February 1, 2024, a federal grand jury in Medford returned an indictment charging Kinsella with two counts of felon in possession of a firearm.
On October 20, 2025, Kinsella pleaded guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Judith Harper prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
200 Federal Immigration Cases Filed in the Western District of Texas This WeekRead the Press Release
SAN ANTONIO – Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 200 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Feb. 13 to Feb. 19, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons. Charges were brought against human smugglers and illegal aliens with past convictions for sex crimes, violent crimes, drug trafficking, DWIs, and multiple prior removals.
Among the new cases, U.S. citizens Arturo Reyes and Anthony Joseph Scalza were arrested west of Tornillo on Tuesday. U.S. Border Patrol agents discovered three illegal aliens, identified as citizens of Guatemala and El Salvador, hiding in a pecan orchard. A criminal complaint alleges that the agents obtained consent to search the subjects’ cell phones, which led to direct communication with a driver arranging to pick up and transport the three aliens. The complaint alleges Reyes and Scalza arrived in two separate vehicles at an agreed upon location to pick up the aliens but were instead met by USBP. Reyes and Scalza are each charged with one count of alien smuggling.
Guatemalan national and felon Julio Lucas Santos-Santos was found nearly 11 miles west of the Tornillo Port of Entry on Tuesday. On Feb. 28, 2023, Santos-Santos was convicted of rape in the first degree in Queens, New York. He was removed from the U.S. to Guatemala through Louisiana in July 2025.
Guatemalan national Edgar Gutierrez-Perez, who was deported for the fourth time in August 2025, is again facing an illegal re-entry charge after being found east of the Fort Hancock Port of Entry. In 2024, Gutierrez-Perez was convicted in Georgia for one count of battery family violence and one count of aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 114 days in federal prison following his illegal re-entry conviction last year in the District of New Mexico.
Mexican national Angel Eduardo Zamora-Yanez was found and arrested approximately a quarter of a mile west of the Paso Del Norte Port of Entry, having been previously deported for the eighth time in September 2025. In 2023, Zamora-Yanez was convicted of assaulting a peace officer and was sentenced to three years in jail. He has also been convicted once for improper entry and thrice for illegal re-entry.
In Austin, Honduran national Isman Manuel Garcia-Ozorto was found to be a previously removed alien whose most recent deportation was in August 2017. Garcia-Ozorto was convicted of evading arrest in 2012, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault causing bodily injury in 2013, possession of a controlled substance in 2016, and improper entry by an alien in 2017. He is now charged with one count of illegal re-entry.
Ever Rivera-Molina, also a Honduran national, was encountered at the Bexar County Adult Detention Center in San Antonio following his arrest for a DWI on Feb. 8. He was turned over to the custody of ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations after it was found that his immigration records indicated he was previously removed from the U.S. in October 2022. In 2019, Rivera-Molina was convicted and sentenced for conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On Monday, U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Mexican national Jose Octavio Medrano-Adame near Maverick. Medrano-Adame was deported for the second time in December 2025. In 2013, he was convicted of deadly conduct discharge of a firearm and sentenced to four years confinement.
Cuban national Rolando Portales-Zambrano was arrested near Maverick for illegal re-entry after just being removed from the U.S. to Mexico through Harlingen on Jan. 28. Portales-Zambrano has multiple convictions in his criminal record, including two separate felony convictions for smuggling of persons, assault causing bodily injury to a family member, and failure to give ID or intent to give false information as a fugitive.
Mexican national Audelio Salmeron-Gomez, who has been convicted of four DWIs including one with a child under 15 years old, was arrested for illegal re-entry near Terrell. His most recent DWI conviction came in June 2024 and resulted in an eight-year prison sentence. That case also included a conviction for assault causing bodily injury to a family member. He was subsequently deported from the U.S. to Mexico approximately one year later, in August 2025.
Mexican national and convicted felon German Ceniceros-Briones was arrested near Maverick for illegal re-entry, having been previously deported for the second time in March 2017. Ceniceros-Briones was convicted in 2004 for one count of delivery of a controlled substance and one count of possession of a controlled substance. For those charges, he was sentenced to 10 years confinement. In 2015, he was convicted of illegal re-entry and served 27 months of confinement.
Isaac Sanchez-Enriquez, also a felon, was arrested for illegal re-entry near Maverick. The Mexican national was deported for the fourth time in September 2023. He has been convicted of two drug trafficking felonies, one improper entry by an alien for his first immigration conviction and was convicted on two separate occasions for illegal re-entry.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including ICE, U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas comprises 68 counties located in the central and western areas of Texas, encompasses nearly 93,000 square miles and an estimated population of 7.6 million people. The district includes three of the five largest cities in Texas—San Antonio, Austin and El Paso—and shares 660 miles of common border with the Republic of Mexico.
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.
Indictments and criminal complaints are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Thursday 19 February 2026
Zuni man sentenced for sexual abuseRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Zuni man was sentenced to ten years in prison for sexual abuse.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court records, on August 19, 2023, Stanton Hannaweeke, 63, an enrolled member of the Pueblo of Zuni, engaged in a nonconsensual sexual act with Jane Doe.
Hannaweeke pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse. Upon his release from prison, Hannaweeke will be subject to ten years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Gallup Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Zuni Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Burkhead is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
Winnebago Man Sentenced to 30 months in Prison for Assault with a Dangerous WeaponRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Anthony Masquat, 20, of Winnebago, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for assault with a dangerous weapon with the intent to do bodily harm. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Masquat to 30 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. After Masquat’s release from prison, he will begin a three-year term of supervised release.
In the early morning hours of April 5, 2025, within the exterior boundaries of the Winnebago Indian Reservation, Masquat approached a victim seated in a vehicle at an apartment complex parking lot listening to music. Masquat pointed a knife at the victim and told him to get out. The victim got out with his hands up and then tried to disarm Masquat by pushing him against the vehicle. As victim pushed Masquat, Masquat began repeatedly stabbing the victim.
The victim ultimately disarmed Masquat and restrained him until police arrived, but the victim suffered multiple stab wounds which required medical attention, including stitches.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Winnebago Police Department.
Ukrainian National Sentenced in ‘Laptop Farm’ Scheme That Generated Income for North Korean IT WorkersRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Oleksandr Didenko, 29, of Kyiv, Ukraine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 60 months in prison in connection with a years-long scheme that stole the identities of U.S. citizens and sold them to North Korean workers so they could fraudulently gain employment at 40 U.S. companies, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Didenko, aka “Alexander Didenko,” pleaded guilty Nov. 10, 2025, before Judge Randolph D. Moss to wire fraud conspiracy and aggravated identity theft. Didenko agreed to forfeit more than $1.4 million, which includes approximately $181,438 in USD and cryptocurrency seized from Didenko and his co-conspirators. Judge Moss also ordered Didenko to serve 12 months of supervised release and to pay $46,547.28 in restitution.
“Defendant Didenko’s scheme funneled money from Americans and U.S. businesses, into the coffers of North Korea, a hostile regime. Today, North Korea is not only a threat to the homeland from afar, it is an enemy within. By using stolen and fraudulent identities, North Korean actors are infiltrating American companies, stealing information, licensing, and data that is harmful to any business. But more than that, money paid to these so-called employees goes directly to munitions programs in North Korea,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “We should be holding accountable to the fullest extent of the law the individuals, like Didenko, who are knowingly assisting North Koreans so that they can amass more weapons to harm the United States and peace in our world. This is not just a financial crime; it is a crime against national security.”
“Oleksandr Didenko’s fraudulent activity inflicted systemic and deliberate financial harm on U.S. companies and American citizens to benefit not only himself, but a hostile nation state,” said Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division. “The FBI will not tolerate North Korea’s sustained campaign to victimize American citizens, businesses, and financial institutions to fund its authoritarian regime. Today’s sentencing demonstrates that the FBI will pursue full accountability for anyone found complicit in our adversary’s efforts to defraud and undermine American economic security, and we ask all U.S. companies that employ remote workers to remain vigilant to this new and sophisticated threat.”
According to court documents, Didenko ran a website using a U.S.-based domain, "Upworksell.com," designed to help overseas IT workers buy or rent stolen identities. Beginning in 2021, the IT workers used the identities to get hired on online freelance work platforms based in California and Pennsylvania. The work platforms allowed users to advertise themselves as contract gig workers, create free accounts, advertise their skills and bid on IT work contracts.
Didenko paid individuals in the United States to receive and host computers at residences in Virginia, Tennessee and California.
Through his company, Didenko managed as many as 871 proxy identities and facilitated the operation of at least three U.S.-based “laptop farms.” He enabled his overseas clients to access the U.S. financial system through Money Service Transmitters rather than having to physically open an account at a bank within the United States, which was then used to facilitate the transfer of employment income to foreign bank accounts.
The IT worker clients were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work, much of which was falsely reported to the Department of Homeland Security, the IRS and Social Security Administration in the names of actual U.S. persons whose identities had been stolen.
On May 16, 2024, the Justice Department seized the online domain, Upworksell.com, and diverted all traffic to the FBI. Polish authorities arrested Didenko and on Dec. 31, 2024, extradited him to the United States.
“Oleksandr Didenko participated in a scheme that stole the identities of hundreds of people, to include United States citizens, which were used by North Korea to fraudulently secure lucrative IT jobs,” said Assistant Director in Charges James Barnacle of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “This massive operation not only created an unauthorized backdoor into our country’s job market, but helped fund the regime of an adversary. This case is an example of how the FBI continues to safeguard our critical infrastructure from foreign threat actors seeking to exploit our nation’s sensitive information.”
This case was investigated by the FBI New York Field Office, with assistance from the FBI Norfolk, San Diego and Knoxville Field Offices.
The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Karen P. Seifert and Steven Wasserman for the District of Columbia. The U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of California, Eastern District of Tennessee, and Eastern District of Virginia, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Trial Attorney Jacques-Singer Emory of the National Security Division’s National Security Cyber Section provided valuable assistance.
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U.S. Attorney Gerace announces Operation Take Back America enforcement actionsRead the Press Release
COLUMBUS, Ohio – U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II announced today results of targeted enforcement actions in the Southern District of Ohio in support of Operation Take Back America. These results involve new charges, convictions and prison sentences for illegal aliens with prior criminal histories including violent crime, drug trafficking and sex offenses.
“As our results over the last month have shown, my Office is laser-focused on prosecuting illegal aliens who illegally enter our country and commit crimes that threaten the safety of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II. “Our ability to hold these offenders accountable is the direct result of the painstaking efforts of our prosecutors and law enforcement partners.”
Today, Cenuhe Zepeda-Vibanco, 37, a convicted felon who is an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced in federal district court in Columbus to 170 months in prison for his role in a drug trafficking organization that distributed fentanyl, carfentanil and heroin to multiple counties in the Southern District of Ohio.
Zepeda-Vibanco possessed more than 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl and carfentanil, an animal tranquilizer that is 100 times more lethal than fentanyl. At the time that he committed this offense, Zepeda-Vibanco was on federal supervised release for illegal reentry.
Zepeda-Vibanco is the sixth illegal alien with a criminal history to be sentenced, convicted or charged in the Southern District of Ohio in the last month:
- Also in federal district court in Columbus today, Jaime Fernandez-Alacron, an illegal alien from Colombia, was sentenced to 37 months in prison for illegally reentering the United States after sustaining an aggravated felony conviction. Fernandez-Alacron has prior federal convictions for conspiracy to commit kidnapping in aid of racketeering, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and illegal reentry.
- On Feb. 3, in Columbus, Abel Velasquez-Avecedo, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced to 27 months in prison for illegally possessing a firearm and possessing cocaine and methamphetamine with intent to distribute. Velasquez-Avecedo fired multiple shots from a vehicle after an argument with another individual and was found to be in possession of a pistol and several baggies of cocaine and methamphetamine. He previously had been convicted of assault and operating a vehicle while intoxicated and had absconded from probation supervision prior to committing these offenses.
- On Jan. 27, a federal grand jury in Columbus indicted Luis Cabrales-Guerra, an illegal alien from Mexico, for allegedly conspiring to distribute fentanyl and for illegally reentering the United States following his previous federal conviction for an aggravated drug felony. Cabrales-Guerra was previously removed from the United States to Mexico multiple times in 2010 and 2011. In 2016, Cabrales-Guerra was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison for conspiring to distribute heroin in the District of Minnesota. He was again removed from the United States to Mexico in 2019 after serving his sentence in that case.
- On Jan. 22, in Cincinnati, William Noe Cuellar Montufa, an illegal alien from Guatemala, pleaded guilty to illegally reentering the United States. He was convicted in Warren County in January 2006 for attempted unlawful sexual conduct with a minor and in September 2007 for unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. Cuellar Montufa was deported in 2008 following his terms of incarceration and is the subject of a warrant for homicide in Guatemala.
- On Jan. 15, in Columbus, Daniel H. Rodriguez-Andrade, an illegal alien from Mexico, was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment for possessing with intent to distribute more than two kilograms of heroin and illegally reentering the United States. He had been deported from the United States on four previous occasions and, at the time of the offense, was on supervised release for a previous federal illegal reentry conviction in Arizona.
“We will continue to hold criminal illegal aliens accountable for their actions under Operation Take Back America. And we will do everything in our power to ensure that their unwelcome stay in the United States includes a trip to the Bureau of Prisons,” said U.S. Attorney Gerace.
Deputy Criminal Chief Brian J. Martinez and Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Pakiz, Elizabeth Geraghty, Sheila G. Lafferty and Danielle E. Margeaux prosecuted the cases as 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.
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Two Tren de Aragua Members Sentenced in Connection with Armed Robbery of Denver Jewelry StoreRead the Press Release
DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announces that Jean Torres-Roman, 22, of Venezuela, and Newman Castillo Delgado, 23, of Venezuela were each sentenced after pleading guilty to charges related to the armed robbery of the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store in Denver in June 2024. Torres-Roman was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison. Castillo Delgado was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison. The court also ordered each defendant to pay restitution of $3,939,076.26.
Torres-Roman, who pleaded guilty without an agreement, pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Castillo Delgado pleaded guilty, pursuant to a plea agreement, to one count Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.
Facts established in the plea agreement and at sentencing show that, on the afternoon of June 24, 2024, Torres-Roman, Castillo Delgado, and other suspects entered the Joyeria El Ruby Jewelry Store on West 38th Avenue in Denver. During the armed robbery, suspects pointed weapons at employees, brutally beat several employees with their weapons, and took nearly $4 million in gold and jewelry. Multiple victims were injured in the attack. The suspects were later located in the El Paso, Texas area.
At sentencing, the court found that Torres-Roman and Castillo Delgado are members of Tren de Aragua (TdA). A separate indictment in United States District Court for the District of Colorado alleges that this robbery was approved and authorized by senior leaders of TdA, and that those leaders approved and directed that proceeds from the robbery be transported, laundered, and transmitted to enrich the leadership of TdA located outside the United States (United States v. Brawins Dominique Suarez Villegas and Giovanni Vicente Mosquera Serrano, 25-cr-331-PAB).
“Tren de Aragua members brutally robbed a Denver business and left multiple people with significant injuries,” said United States Attorney for the District of Colorado Peter McNeilly. “I am thankful to our team of federal prosecutors, special agents, and task force officers who are making real progress toward eliminating Tren de Aragua in Colorado, and I am grateful that these serious crimes were met with appropriately severe sentences.”
“FBI Denver is focused on protecting our neighborhoods and communities from violent crime and the fear it creates," said Amanda Koldjeski, Acting Special Agent In Charge, FBI Denver. "Our Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force will continue to work with local, state and federal partners to pursue the most violent and persistent offenders and hold them accountable.”
United States District Judge Nina Y. Wang presided over the sentencings.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations Denver, the Denver Police Department, the FBI Denver Field Division, FBI El Paso Field Division, Homeland Security Investigations El Paso, U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector, Texas Department of Public Safety, El Paso Police Department, and West Texas Anti-Gang Center. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Leah Perczack.
Case Numbers: 24-CR-00247-NYW and 25-CR-00331-PAB
Two Houston Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Indianapolis Area ATM RobberiesRead the Press Release
INDIANAPOLIS- R’Vonte Berryman, 28, and Cregarius Jackson, 37, both of Houston, Texas, have been sentenced to seven and five and a half years in federal prison, respectively, for their roles in two violent ATM robberies in Indianapolis. Both men pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Interference with Commerce by Robbery; Bank Robbery; and Aiding and Abetting. Additionally, both men were ordered to pay $407,339 in restitution.
According to court documents, Berryman and Jackson traveled from Houston to Indianapolis in 2022 to participate in a series of ATM robberies. In the early morning hours of June 9, 2022, at approximately 3:41 a.m., Jackson jammed a freestanding ATM at the PNC Bank located at 21 West 38th Street, causing it to malfunction and prompting a technician to respond. When the technician arrived, Berryman and another accomplice forced him to open the machine and hand over $107,339 in cash.
Two months later, on August 9, 2022, the pair used the same method to target a Bank of America ATM at 8551 River Road in Indianapolis. After disabling the machine and waiting for a technician to arrive, they again conspired to force the employee to surrender $300,000 in cash.
“These defendants traveled hundreds of miles across the country to prey on financial services that everyday Hoosiers rely on,” said Tom Wheeler, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana. “These violent schemes drive up costs, disrupt access to financial services, and put innocent people in danger. This sentence makes clear that exploiting our banking system and endangering the people who keep it running will carry serious consequences.”
“These men chose to use fear and force to steal. By coercing employees to open ATMs, they put innocent workers in fear for their safety and traumatized them,” said FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Timothy J. O’ Malley. “The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who threaten public safety.”
The FBI investigated this case. The sentences were imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Evans Barker.
U.S. Attorney Wheeler thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath, who prosecuted this case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
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Tucson Airman and his Spouse Indicted for Defrauding the Department of War of MillionsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. –A federal grand jury has returned an indictment, charging a Tucson couple with a years long scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of War of millions of dollars, while using the illicit proceeds to curate and maintain a luxurious lifestyle, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine.
On Feb. 11, 2026, a federal grand jury in Tucson returned a 12-count indictment against U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Stefon Ramroop, 35, and his spouse, Manuel George Madrid, 32, both of Tucson, for Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud, and Money Laundering.
“The defendants allegedly stole millions in taxpayer dollars from the U.S. Department of War to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, diverting critical resources away from their intended purpose,” said U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. “Every dollar taken through fraud is a dollar denied to the mission it was meant to support. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our federal and local law enforcement partners will hold accountable any individual who profits illegally at the expense of the American people.”
“Military servicemembers hold a unique position in our society, where they are entrusted with large amounts of taxpayer dollars to ensure the defense of our nation,” said IRS-CI Phoenix Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Jarom Gregory. “When a servicemember abuses their position for personal gain, it erodes trust in the tax system and harms the very citizens they have sworn an oath to protect. IRS Criminal Investigation will continue to investigate allegations of theft of taxpayer funds and government property, ensuring the integrity of our nation’s tax system.”
“This indictment reflects the outcome of a coordinated effort between AFOSI and our federal counterparts,” said Special Agent Richard Kautz, AFOSI Detachment 217 Commander. “Fraud of this level is not just a financial crime, it undermines public trust, diverts resources, and threatens the integrity of our force. Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar taken away from the security of our nation.”
The indictment alleges that from January 2022 through on or about December 2025, Staff Sgt. Ramroop utilized his position in the pharmacy at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to defraud the U.S. government by purchasing thousands of medical devices using taxpayer funds, and thereafter, stealing and reselling those devices with Madrid for their own personal gain.
According to court records from 2022 through 2025, bank accounts controlled by Ramroop and Madrid received over $11 million in fraud proceeds through wire transfers, Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposits, and other credits from companies engaged in the resale of medical test strips and devices. Meanwhile, the orders of these diverted medical devices cost the U.S. Department of War over $3 million.
The indictment also alleges that Ramroop and Madrid used the fraud proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles and real estate. Further, these purchases were allegedly made directly from the personal bank accounts of Ramroop and Madrid, the same bank accounts that had received fraud proceeds from the medical device sales.
For example, the proceeds were allegedly used to purchase, among other items, a million-dollar home in Tucson in February 2024, a new 2024 Porsche Cayenne Sport Utility Vehicle for $141,443.34 and a new BMW i7 Sport Utility Vehicle for $195,397.59.
According to the indictment, the vehicles, and others, were seized by law enforcement during the execution of a search warrant on Jan. 15, 2026.
A conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property carries a maximum penalty of up to 5 years imprisonment. Each conviction for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. Each conviction for Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of up to 10 years imprisonment.
U.S. Attorney Courchaine commended the investigatory efforts of IRS–Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI), the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) and members of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) to include Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), the Counter Narcotics Alliance (CAN), and the Marana, Mesa, and Tucson Police Departments.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
(Photo Credit: Internal Revenue Service Office of Criminal Investigation)
(Photo Credit: Internal Revenue Service Office of Criminal Investigation)CASE NUMBER: 4:26-cr-00601-AMM-JEM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-032_Ramroop et al.
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Tonawanda man pleads guilty to his role in narcotics conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Edward Wilkie, 31, of Tonawanda, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael J. Roemer to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, which carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum penalty of 40 years, and a $5,000,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna Duncan, who is handling the case, stated that in January 2025, law enforcement received information that Wilkie and co-conspirator Daniel Eberle were storing and selling large quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine at Wilkie’s Shelly Court residence and at a stash house on Sheridan Parkside Drive. Wilkie used both residences to store the drugs, which he would then distribute in Salamanca, NY, and Pennsylvania.
On March 25, 2025, investigators executed search warrants on Wilkie’s vehicle, his Shelly Court residence and the Sheridan Parkside Drive stash house. They recovered $42,330 in cash and approximately 384 grams of heroin from Wilkie’s vehicle and $4,000 in cash from his residence. As investigators entered the Sheridan Parkside Drive stash house, they encountered Daniel Eberle attempting to destroy narcotics evidence by flushing it down the toilet. Law enforcement ultimately recovered approximately 66 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded shotgun.
Charges remain pending against Daniel Eberle.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan, and the Erie County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff John Garcia.
Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
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Silicon Valley Engineers Charged with Stealing Trade Secrets from Leading Tech Companies and Transferring Confidential Data to Unauthorized Locations, Including IranRead the Press Release
SAN JOSE – A federal grand jury has indicted three Silicon Valley engineers on charges of conspiring to commit trade secret theft from Google and other leading technology companies, theft and attempted theft of trade secrets, and obstruction of justice. Samaneh Ghandali, 41, Mohammadjavad Khosravi aka Mohammad Khosravi, 40, and Soroor Ghandali, 32, all of San Jose, were arrested today and made their initial appearances in federal district court in San Jose this afternoon.
According to the indictment filed yesterday and unsealed today, the defendants gained employment at leading technology companies in the area of mobile computer processors. Samaneh Ghandali and Soroor Ghandali, who are sisters, worked at Google before going on to work for another technology company identified as Company 3, and Khosravi, who is married to Samaneh Ghandali, worked at a technology company identified as Company 2.
As part of the alleged scheme to commit trade secret theft, the defendants used their employment to obtain access to confidential and sensitive information. The defendants then exfiltrated confidential and sensitive documents, including trade secrets related to processor security and cryptography and other technologies, from Google and other technology companies to unauthorized third-party and personal locations, including to work devices associated with each other’s employers, and to Iran.
“As alleged, the defendants exploited their positions to steal confidential trade secrets from their employers. Our office will continue to lead the way in protecting American innovation and we will vigorously prosecute individuals who steal sensitive advanced technologies for improper gain or to benefit countries that wish us ill,” said United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian.
“The alleged actions outlined in this indictment reflect a calculated betrayal of trust by individuals accused of stealing trade secrets from the very tech companies that employed them. According to the allegations, the method in which confidential data was transferred by the defendants involved deliberate steps to evade detection and conceal their identities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani. “Protecting Silicon Valley innovation and defending the groundbreaking technologies that drive our economy and national security is a top priority for the FBI. We will continue to work with our private sector partners to hold accountable anyone who seeks to unlawfully exploit American ingenuity,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani.
The indictment describes that while employed at Google, Samaneh Ghandali transferred hundreds of files, including Google trade secrets, to a third-party communications platform, specifically to channels bearing each of the defendants’ first names. Soroor Ghandali likewise is alleged to have transferred numerous Google files, including trade secrets, to these channels while employed by Google. These Google trade secrets were later copied to various personal devices and Khosravi’s Company 2 work device, as well as Soroor Ghandali’s Company 3 work device.
According to the indictment, the defendants hid their actions by submitting false, signed affidavits to victim technology companies about the conduct and the stolen trade secrets; destroying exfiltrated files and other records from electronic devices; and concealing the methods of exfiltration to avoid detection by the victim technology companies (for example, manually photographing screens containing the documents’ contents instead of exfiltrating complete documents using a third-party communications platform).
After Google’s internal security systems detected Samaneh Ghandali’s activity and Google revoked her access to company resources in August 2023, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly executed a signed affidavit claiming she had not shared Google’s confidential information with anyone outside the company. She and Khosravi then began conducting searches and visiting websites about deleting communications and other data, including how long a cell phone provider kept “messages to print out for court.” The couple continued accessing Google trade secrets that were stored on their personal devices and began manually photographing hundreds of computer screens of Google’s and Company 2’s confidential information over the course of months.
On the night before Samaneh Ghandali and Khosravi traveled to Iran in December 2023, Samaneh Ghandali allegedly manually captured with her mobile phone approximately 24 photographs of Khosravi’s work computer screen containing Company 2 trade secret information. While in Iran, a personal device associated with Samaneh Ghandali accessed these photographs, and Khosravi accessed other Company 2 trade secret information.
The defendants are next scheduled to appear in district court on Feb. 20, 2026, for identification of counsel before U.S. Magistrate Judge Susan van Keulen.
An indictment merely alleges that crimes have been committed, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conspiracy to commit trade secret theft in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832(a)(5) and theft and attempted theft of trade secrets in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1832(a)(1), (2), (3), and (4), and a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the count of obstruction of official proceedings in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1512(c)(1). Any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.
The National Security and Special Prosecutions Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California is prosecuting the case. The prosecution is the result of an investigation by the FBI.
Shiprock man sentenced to prison for assaulting two men with a knifeRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for stabbing two victims after a day of heavy drinking.
There is no parole in the federal system.
According to court documents, on Sunday, October 9, 2022, Harley Etcitty, now 21, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, stabbed two men after a day of heavy drinking. He stabbed one man in the back and chest and the other man, who was sleeping on a couch, in the head.
Etcitty pleaded guilty to two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Upon his release from prison, Etcitty will be subject to two years of supervised release. While in prison, Etcitty will have the opportunity to undergo the Bureau of Prisons’ Residential Drug Abuse Treatment Program, an intensive cognitive-behavioral therapy program specifically designed to combat substance abuse.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from the Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary C. Jones is prosecuting the case.
Shiprock man pleads guilty to second-degree murderRead the Press Release
ALBUQUERQUE – A Shiprock man pleaded guilty to second-degree murder for fatally stabbing a man during an assault on the Navajo Nation.
According to court documents, on July 25, 2024, officers with the Navajo Nation Police Department responded to a fight in progress near a defunct business in Shiprock, New Mexico. Upon arrival, they found John Doe lying on the ground with wounds to his face and chest. Witnesses reported that Edison Brady, 56, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, punched and kicked Doe before walking away to retrieve a knife from his nearby bag. Brady then returned to the scene and stabbed Doe multiple times. Despite life-saving measures, Doe was pronounced dead at Northern Navajo Medical Center. Officers found a knife with apparent blood stains in Brady’s possession.
Brady pleaded guilty to second-degree murder without a plea agreement. At sentencing, Brady faces up to life in prison.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.
The Farmington Resident Agency of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office investigated this case with assistance from Navajo Police Department and Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations. Assistant United States Attorneys Jena Ritchey and Zachary C. Jones are prosecuting this case.
Sex Offender Living in Bartlesville Sentenced for Failing to RegisterRead the Press Release
TULSA, Okla. – A sex offender living in Bartlesville was sentenced today for Failing to Register as a Sex Offender, announced
U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson.U.S. District Judge John F. Heil, III, sentenced Wendell Ray Short, Jr., 36, to eight months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Upon his release, Short will also be required to register as a sex offender.
In May 2016, Short pleaded guilty to indecency with a child by contact in Texas. He was sentenced to six years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and ordered to register as a sex offender once released. Court documents show that Short registered in Texas in 2021; however, failed to report in 2023. Sometime in 2024, Short moved in with his girlfriend and
her minor child in Bartlesville and failed to register in Oklahoma.Short will remain in custody pending transfer to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The U.S. Marshal Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Augustus Forster 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 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.
Seven Gang Members and Associates Charged with Federal Drug Trafficking and Firearm CrimesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Federal complaints were unsealed yesterday against seven members and associates of the Brockton-based Harvard Street Gang and their Randolph-based affiliates for drug and firearm charges:
- Lue Andrade, a/k/a “Poncho,” 31, of West Bridgewater, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;
- London Cohen, 36, of Randolph, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;
- Kelby Correia, 34, of Brockton, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Giovany Fouyolle, 31, of Randolph, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Adonis Graham, 34, of Boston, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances;
- Felipe Jonet-Branco, 31, of Brockton, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime;
- Jose Mendes, 35, of Randolph, is charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of one or more firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime; and
- Keanu Fernandes, a/k/a “Keys,” 29, of Brockton, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, in connection with this investigation.
All eight defendants are currently in federal or state custody.
According to court documents, the Harvard Street Gang (HSG) has been investigated since 2019. During this time, more than 20 leaders, members and associates of HSG have been charged with state and federal drug trafficking and firearm crimes. Over 100 kilograms of drugs, including cocaine and fentanyl, and over 45 firearms, including machine guns, have been seized. According to court documents, HSG has been involved in gang violence, including shootings, murders and witness intimidation. Numerous HSG leaders, members, and associates have been convicted of drug trafficking and firearm crimes in federal court because of this investigation. At least six defendants have been sentenced to 10 years or more in federal prison, and one member who was convicted after trial was sentenced to 32 years in prison.
In 2025, the investigation expanded to include HSG’s Randolph-based affiliates. According to court documents, the investigation showed that HSG and their Randolph affiliates worked cooperatively to distribute drugs, such as cocaine and fentanyl, throughout the Brockton and Randolph areas.
During the investigation, numerous residences and stash houses in Boston, Randolph, Taunton, West Bridgewater and Brockton associated with HSG and their Randolph affiliates were searched. According to court records, the searches resulted in the seizure of 15 firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, over 50 pounds of marijuana, approximately three kilograms of cocaine, fentanyl and other drugs as well as approximately $38,000 in cash.
A search warrant was also executed at the store “Banks & Brancos” on Crescent Street in Brockton, which was owned and operated by HSG associate Jonet-Branco. Ten firearms, over 35 pounds of marijuana (with packaging), over 200 grams of apparent psilocybin mushrooms and over $40,000 in cash were allegedly seized. Eight firearms, along with large-capacity magazines and several empty bottles of promethazine with codeine, were allegedly found inside a hidden drawer underneath the store’s front counter. The guns included a large-caliber rifle and a Glock handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device. An additional gun was hidden inside the store’s vending machine, and another was in plain view in a storage room.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to life in prison, consecutive to the term of imprisonment for the drug trafficking crime, supervised release of up to life 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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Abington, Acushnet, Ashland, Boston, Braintree, Bridgewater, Brockton, Chelsea, East Bridgewater, Medford, Quincy, Randolph, Raynham, Stoughton, Taunton and West Bridgewater Police Departments; Plymouth and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments; Massachusetts Department of Correction; Plymouth, Norfolk and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices; and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Cutshall and Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Francisco Tow Company Operator Sentenced to Five Years for Arson Conspiracy and More Than Two Years for Mail and Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SAN FRANCISCO – Jose Vicente Badillo, the owner and operator of two towing companies, was sentenced last week to 60 months in federal prison for his involvement in a scheme to burn tow trucks throughout the Bay Area in 2023. U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin handed down the sentence on Feb. 12, 2026.
Badillo, 29, of San Francisco, was also sentenced on Feb. 13, 2026, in an unrelated case to 27 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to submit fraudulent auto insurance claims from at least 2017 until at least 2021. U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson handed down the sentence, which will run concurrently with the 60-month sentence imposed by Judge Lin.
Badillo was indicted by a federal grand jury in March 2025 for his involvement in the arson conspiracy. In October 2025, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit arson. According to the plea agreement, Badillo admitted to devising, orchestrating, and overseeing a scheme to set fire to tow trucks in the San Francisco Bay Area. The principal goals of Badillo’s scheme were to drive more business to his own towing companies, Auto Towing and Specialty Towing, by impeding competitor towing companies’ business prospects and to exact revenge against competitor towing companies and their owners for perceived wrongs. To accomplish those goals, Badillo recruited, agreed with, and directed others to execute the scheme by torching six tow trucks belonging to four competitor companies in April, July, and October of 2023.
Separately, Badillo was twice indicted by a federal grand jury in 2024 for his involvement in the automobile insurance fraud schemes. In October 2025, Badillo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud in the second-charged insurance fraud case. According to the plea agreement, Badillo conspired with others to defraud automobile insurance companies by submitting fraudulent insurance claims. In furtherance of the scheme to defraud, Badillo staged an accident on Guadalupe Canyon Parkway in San Mateo County involving a Sterling tow truck and a vehicle carrier carrying four vehicles. Badillo also generated fake tow records concerning at least 18 vehicles involved in iterations of the scheme to defraud and orchestrated at least another nine iterations of the scheme to defraud, causing victim insurance companies hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses.
United States Attorney Craig H. Missakian, FBI Special Agent in Charge Sanjay Virmani, and IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Special Agent in Charge Linda Nguyen made the announcement.
In addition to the custodial sentence, Judge Lin and Judge Thompson each imposed a three-year term of supervised release, to run concurrently, and ordered Badillo to pay restitution in an amount to be determined at a later proceeding. The defendant will begin serving the custodial sentence on May 21, 2026.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF San Francisco comprises agents and officers from FBI and IRS, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas M. Parker and Galen A. Phillips are prosecuting the cases with the assistance of Andy Ding, Laurie Worthen, and Tina Rosenbaum. The prosecutions are the result of an investigation by the FBI and IRS-CI. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI thank the San Francisco Police Department for its assistance with the investigation.
Russian National Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements to the FBI Regarding Her Relationship to Russian Intelligence Service and Naturalization FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced today that NOMMA ZARUBINA, a Russian citizen, pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI relating to her relationship with the Federal Security Service of the Russian Federation (“FSB”), and to naturalization fraud for lying about her involvement in prostitution-related offenses. ZARUBINA pled guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 11, 2026.
“While Nomma Zarubina was trying to cultivate relationships with American law enforcement, civil society organizations, and others, she was lying to the FBI about her ties to the Russian Federation,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Today’s plea demonstrates our commitment to protecting the integrity of the naturalization process and reinforces that those who lie to federal authorities will incur serious consequences.”
“After years of lies, Nomma Zarubina finally confessed to her repeated denial to FBI special agents of her contacts and relationship with Russian intelligence services, as well as to her failure to disclose her involvement in an interstate prostitution network in an effort to secure U.S. citizenship,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “Zarubina’s intentional concealment of her misconduct and her lies about her affiliation with Russian intelligence were an affront to law enforcement’s national security efforts. The FBI continues to defend our homeland from those who seek to impede federal investigations and deceive U.S. authorities.”
As alleged in public court filings, statements at public court proceedings, and the charging documents in the case:
The FSB is Russia’s principal security agency and is the successor agency to the Soviet Union’s Committee for State Security, otherwise known as the KGB. The FSB is believed to engage in, among other things, intelligence gathering and other covert operations abroad, including in the United States. The FSB and particular FSB officers have been sanctioned in the United States by both the U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Department of State.
ZARUBINA began meeting with the FBI in or around October 2020 in connection with the FBI’s ongoing investigation into Elena Branson, a Russian national who had a close relationship with ZARUBINA and who was later charged in March 2022 for acting as an unregistered foreign agent. During an April 2021 meeting with the FBI, ZARUBINA told interviewing agents, in substance and in part, that she had recently traveled to Russia but did not have any contact with Russian intelligence services. Then, in September 2023, ZARUBINA told the FBI, in substance and in part, that she had been interviewed once by the FSB on her way back to Russia from the United States, but that she had not been interviewed by the FSB or Russian intelligence services on any other occasions.
ZARUBINA’s statements to the FBI in 2021 and 2023 about her contacts with Russian intelligence services, specifically the FSB, were false. Indeed, in June and July 2024, ZARUBINA admitted to the FBI that she had previously lied to federal law enforcement officers about her relationship with the FSB, stating, in substance and in part, that: in or around December 2020, while in Russia, ZARUBINA met with an officer whom she understood was from the FSB, agreed to help the FSB with “network marketing,” and was given the FSB code name “Alyssa”; between in or about December 2020 and in or about June 2022, ZARUBINA met with the FSB officer several times and communicated with the FSB officer on numerous occasions using encrypted messaging applications; and the FSB officer instructed ZARUBINA to share contact information of journalists in the United States, to attend the 2021 St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, and to look into a particular individual in the United States, which ZARUBINA agreed to do.
In addition, between at least 2018 and 2024, while residing in the United States, ZARUBINA participated in a scheme to transport women between New York and New Jersey to engage in prostitution at a massage parlor business in East Brunswick, New Jersey. Notwithstanding her involvement in that conduct, in July 2022, ZARUBINA falsely stated in response to a question in her application for naturalization in the United States that she had never “procured anyone for prostitution.”
Finally, after being indicted and while on bail in the instant case, ZARUBINA sought to unlawfully influence a witness by sending numerous unsolicited and harassing messages to one of the FBI agents involved in her case. ZARUBINA’s obstructive conduct continued for several months, including after being admonished by the Court to stop contacting the agent, and resulted in the revocation of her bail.
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ZARUBINA, 35, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of making false statements to the FBI, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of naturalization fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and the Counterintelligence Division of its New York Field Office, and also thanked the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, for its assistance.
This case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah L. Kushner, David J. Robles, and Henry L. Ross are in charge of the prosecution.
Ring of Thieves Plead Guilty to Drug Trafficking, Bank Fraud and Mail Theft Conspiracy in Miami for $1.7M in Stolen Checks and Mail SchemeRead the Press Release
MIAMI – Five defendants pleaded guilty in federal court for their roles in a sophisticated scheme involving stolen U.S. Postal Service mail keys, which are pass keys for locked mailboxes, and counterfeit checks. These defendants were part of a ring of thieves who stole checks and other mail and then used counterfeit identification to cash the stolen checks that they had altered to higher amounts than originally intended.
According to court documents, from September 2021 through May 2023, the five defendants, all of Miami Gardens ─ Angel Joe Gonzalez, 28; Evens Necler Monestime, 27; David Gonzalez, 23; Cristina Azahares, 27; and Adriana Ginel, 56 ─ conspired to defraud federally insured financial institutions — banks. The scheme involved unlawfully getting and using U.S. Postal Service arrow keys to steal mail; opening stolen mail to acquire checks without authorization; producing counterfeit and forged checks using information from stolen checks; obtaining and using personal identifying information including names, addresses, bank account numbers, and signatures; depositing fraudulently altered checks into bank accounts they controlled; and using the illicit proceeds for personal gain and to advance the conspiracy. Some of the defendants were also involved in trafficking drugs.
“These defendants targeted hardworking members of our community — stealing their mail, altering their checks, and exploiting their personal information for profit,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “At the same time, they trafficked dangerous drugs and armed themselves, bringing violence and fentanyl into our neighborhoods. That combination of fraud and drug dealing puts real people at risk. The Southern District of Florida will continue to dismantle these networks and protect the financial security and safety of our community.”
Police learned of defendants’ crimes when, on May 3, 2023, Miami Gardens Police Department officers responded to reports of shots fired at a Miami Gardens residence shared by Angel Joe Gonzalez, Azahares, and Monestime. Officers found approximately $1.7 million in stolen checks and stolen mail, along with personal identifying information of individuals who did not live at the residence. Officers also seized six U.S. Postal Service mail keys; 40 debit and credit cards embossed with names of unknown individuals; additional checks addressed to and by different persons and companies; and numerous electronic devices including 27 cell phones, six laptops, a digital video recorder, and two Apple iPads.
The search also uncovered multiple firearms and ammunition, various narcotics packaged for sale, including heroin, cocaine, MDMA pills, and other controlled substances. Inside a Lexus registered to Gonzalez, officers found fentanyl and more cocaine, scales and baggies used for narcotics packaging, and additional debit and credit cards in other people’s names.
Angel Joe Gonzalez pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail keys, conspiracy to commit money laundering, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Monestime pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, possession of stolen mail keys, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. David Gonzalez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession of stolen mail keys. Azahares and Ginel each pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft for their role in cashing the altered and stolen checks.
Investigation also revealed that Angel Joe Gonzalez and David Gonzalez moderated a Telegram group of approximately 2,000 individuals where they sold stolen checks.
Angel Joe Gonzalez and Monestime each face a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. David Gonzalez, Azahares, and Ginel each face a mandatory minimum penalty of two years in prison and a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida; Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles of FBI Miami Field Office; Inspector in Charge Bladismir Rojo of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Miami Division; Special Agent in Charge Rafael Barros of the U.S. Secret Service (USSS), Miami Field Office; and City of Miami Gardens Police Department Chief Delma Noel-Pratt, announced the guilty pleas.
The FBI Miami Field Office, USPIS Miami, USSS Miami, and the City of Miami Gardens Police Department investigated the case.
Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Hayden P. O’Byrne, Assistant U.S. Attorney Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida, and Trial Attorneys Jennifer Burns and Alieu Kargbo of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime Initiative to prosecute violent crimes in Miami. The Criminal Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida have partnered, along with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, to confront violent crimes committed by gang members and associates through the enforcement of federal laws and use of federal resources to prosecute offenders and prevent violence.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Miami comprises of agents and officers from FBI Miami Field Office, USPIS Miami, USSS Miami, and the City of Miami Gardens Police Department with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.
Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20353.
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Richmond recidivist sentenced to 10 years in prison for illegally possessing a firearmRead the Press Release
RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, on Feb. 23, 2025, Henrico County Police observed Tajon Rasheed Baskerville, 35, rummaging through a purse, which had been taken from a nearby vehicle earlier. As an officer performed a pat-down of Baskerville, the officer felt a firearm in a holster on Baskerville’s hip. Baskerville pulled away from and struck the officer. The officer fell, at which time Baskerville drew his firearm and, in response, the officer drew his service weapon. Baskerville tossed his firearm and attempted to flee on foot. The officer recovered the firearm and Baskerville was apprehended.
Investigators found items that had been taken from the purse in Baskerville’s pockets. They also found a wallet, which had been in the purse, in Baskerville’s shirt.
At the time of the offense, Baskerville had previously been convicted for possession of a controlled substance (2010 and 2012), felony probation violation (2012, 2014, and twice in 2017), grand larceny (2015 and 2018), and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2022). As a previously convicted felon, Baskerville cannot legally possess firearms or ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Washington Field Division and the Henrico County Police Division investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick J. McGorman and Stephen E. Anthony 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 protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
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-79.
Registered Sex Offender Indicted for New Child Sex CrimesRead the Press Release
TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA – William Jared Breski, 37, of Eastpoint, Florida, was indicted by a federal grand jury charging him with one count of attempted enticement of a minor, one count of attempted transmission of obscene material to minors, and one count of penalties for registered sex offenders. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges today.
Breski appeared for his arraignment in federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Martin A. Fitzpatrick in Tallahassee, Florida. Jury trial is scheduled for April 20, 2026, before District Court Judge Robert L. Hinkle.
If convicted, Breski faces a mandatory 10 years’ imprisonment up to life imprisonment on the attempted enticement count, up to 10 years’ imprisonment on the attempted transmission of obscene material count, and 10 years’ imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence imposed on the penalties for registered sex offender count.
The case was investigated by the Leon County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Justin M. Keen is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice and led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), it marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access available public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Provincetown Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing and Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Provincetown man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to child pornography offenses. The defendant possessed several thousand image and video files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Laurence Pagnoni, 65, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for May 12, 2026. Pagnoni was arrested and charged in April 2024.
An individual arrested in a child exploitation sting reported to law enforcement that, in March of 2023, Pagnoni distributed CSAM to him via the online cloud storage platform Mega. It was determined that Pagnoni had sent thousands of CSAM files to this individual. During a search of Pagnoni’s home in Provincetown in May of 2023 a number of items, including Pagnoni’s cellphone, were seized. During a subsequent search of Pagnoni’s cellphone, several thousand image files and video files containing CSAM, including at least 51 known series of CSAM as identified by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, were discovered.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a of up to 20 years in prison, at least 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; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
Polacca Woman Sentenced for Killing her Son While Driving DrunkRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – A Polacca woman convicted of drunk driving and killing her 14-year-old son was sentenced on Feb.17, 2026, in federal court, announced U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine.
Marian Marsha Josytewa, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 51 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release. In August 2025, following a six-day trial, a federal jury found Josytewa guilty of one count of Involuntary Manslaughter, one count of Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, two counts of Child Abuse, and one count of Driving Under the Influence.
On Dec. 10, 2021, Josytewa consumed several beers before picking her two teenage sons up from school in Flagstaff, Arizona, and attempting to drive them back to the Hopi Indian Reservation. While traveling on a highway on the Navajo Nation Reservation, Josytewa rolled her car. Her unbuckled 14-year-old son was ejected and crushed to death as the car rolled. Josytewa’s blood was drawn and tested at a crime lab, which showed a BAC level of approximately .113.
FBI Phoenix, Flagstaff office, and the Navajo Nation Police Department jointly conducted the investigation with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, and the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-08083-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-033_Josytewa
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Plainview Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Sexual Exploitation of 10-Year-Old ChildRead the Press Release
A man who sexually abused a 10-year-old child in the presence of the child’s younger sister was sentenced to 50 years in federal prison, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Leandro Rodriquez, Jr., 44, of Plainview, Texas, was indicted in May 2025. He pled guilty in October 2025 to enticement of a minor and was sentenced today by United States District Judge James Wesley Hendrix.
According to court documents, in March 2025, the legal guardian of the victim, “Jane Doe,” made a report of suspected sexual abuse involving Rodriquez, the boyfriend of Doe’s biological mother. Doe and her younger sister had recently been allowed to stay overnight with their mother and Rodriquez at a residence in Plainview.
Doe’s guardian discovered messages on Doe’s phone instructing her where to meet once Doe’s guardian left for work. Doe’s guardian questioned Doe about the messages, and Doe told her guardian that the messages were from Rodriquez. Doe was later interviewed by law enforcement and disclosed that Rodriquez had sex with her when Doe and her sister had stayed with their mother. Doe stated that her little sister was present during the abuse. Doe also disclosed that, following the abuse, Rodriquez asked Doe to send him a video of Doe engaging in a sexual act, “‘cause he taught me how.”
Doe’s younger sister was also interviewed by law enforcement. Doe’s sister confirmed that she witnessed Rodriquez having sex with Doe while their mother was away from the residence.
Law enforcement seized Rodriquez’s cell phone and obtained a search warrant. A search of the phone revealed several sexually explicit images of Doe along with messages from Rodriquez instructing Doe to leave her residence and meet up with him. Law enforcement also found a video of Rodriquez and Doe cuddling while Doe told the camera that they are “happily married.”
The Plainview Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office – Lubbock Resident Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Rancourt prosecuted the case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative, which was launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
Philadelphia Man Who Committed Three Armed Carjackings in Less Than an Hour Sentenced to over 21 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Symair Carson-Williams, aka “Lil Meer,” 20, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced today to 253 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and over $10,000 in restitution by United States District Judge Gerald A. McHugh for taking part in a carjacking spree in the city in early 2024.
Carson-Williams was charged by indictment in May 2024 with conspiracy to commit carjacking, three counts of carjacking, and three counts of using a firearm in relation to a crime of violence. In March of last year, he was convicted on all charges at trial.
As proven at trial, the defendant was part of a group that conspired to commit three armed carjackings in Philadelphia in less than one hour. Video surveillance footage, cell phone data, forensic evidence, items recovered from one of the stolen vehicles, and victim testimony linked Carson-Williams to the carjackings.
Carson-Williams and his co-conspirators first stole a blue 2019 Honda CR-V from the 1800 block of Lansing Street in Philadelphia during the overnight hours of January 27, 2024.
Approximately 90 minutes later, just before 5 a.m., they drove the stolen CR-V to the Sunoco gas station located on the 5300 block of North 5th Street and pulled up next to a 67-year-old man putting air in his car’s tires. Two of the offenders jumped out of the CR-V, both armed with handguns, wearing black clothing and black balaclava masks, and demanded that the victim give up the keys to his 2011 BMW 328i. One of the offenders put a gun to the back of the man’s head and forced him to the ground. When the victim told the males that the key was in the car, one of the carjackers entered the BMW and the other male returned to the Honda CR-V. Both vehicles fled the scene.
At approximately 5:15 a.m., a 34-year-old man parked his gray 2013 Chevrolet Equinox on Shelmire Avenue in the northeast section of the city. Two of the carjackers suddenly ran up to the driver’s side of his car and pointed guns at him. As they held the victim at gunpoint, the stolen Honda CR-V drove up. The gunmen ordered the victim to lay on the ground with his face down and threatened to shoot him if he got up. The offenders then stole the victim’s vehicle and personal possessions, including his wallet, money, watch, and power tools.
Finally, at approximately 5:45 a.m., the stolen blue CR-V pulled up next to a 54-year-old man pumping gas at the Conoco station on the 5700 block of Rising Sun Avenue. Two of the offenders, both armed with handguns, approached the victim and pointed the guns at his face. After forcing the victim to the ground at gunpoint, one of the carjackers got behind the wheel of the victim’s Honda Accord, and the other male reentered the CR-V. Both vehicles fled in the same direction.
“The victims of these carjackings were on their morning routines, when Symair Carson-Williams and his co-conspirators put a gun to their heads and made them fear for their lives,” said U.S. Attorney Metcalf. “Today’s sentence demonstrates that if you terrorize the people of Philadelphia, you can expect life-changing consequences. This defendant, now 20, will be spending more than 21 years behind bars.”
“Federal carjacking penalties are severe, and Carson-Williams will spend many years in prison for this triple-carjacking spree,” said Eric DeGree, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF’s Philadelphia Field Division. “Together with our Carjacking Task Force partners and using ATF’s unique forensic and investigative tools, we are making Philadelphia’s streets safer by bringing criminals like this to justice.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Branwen McNabb O’Donnell and Brian Doherty.
Pembroke Man Sentenced for Misusing CARES Act Funds to Purchase the Angus Lea Golf CourseRead the Press Release
Pembroke Man Sentenced for Misusing CARES Act Funds to Purchase the Angus Lea Golf Course
CONCORD – A Pembroke man was sentenced today in federal court for fraudulently obtaining over $1 million of CARES Act funds and misusing funds to purchase a golf course, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.
Michael Kirouac, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Joseph Laplante to 15 months in prison and one year of supervised release. On October 3, 2025, Kirouac pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
“The defendant stole over a million dollars from taxpayers amidst one of the worst health and economic crises in a century,” said U.S. Attorney Creegan. “This office will continue to vigilantly investigate and prosecute those who defraud pandemic relief programs.”
“The defendant misappropriated critical funds intended for legitimate businesses harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher F. Algieri with the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “This sentencing underscores the VA OIG’s commitment to safeguarding taxpayer funds and protecting the integrity of government assistance programs.”
“Today’s sentencing of Michael Kirouac demonstrates IRS-CI’s continued commitment to prosecuting all those who took advantage of the CARES Act for their own undue self-enrichment,” said Thomas Demeo, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office. “Kirouac defrauded a federal program designed to help those most in need at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with the intent of misappropriating these funds to purchase a golf course, while others, who were truly in need, struggled.”
During the early part of the coronavirus pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The CARES Act included multiple relief provisions to help the millions of Americans and many small businesses adversely affected by the pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). Private lenders could participate in the PPP. The loans, which were supposed to be used for payroll, were fully guaranteed by the government. If borrowers used the PPP loans for payroll and other approved expenses as intended, they could apply for loan forgiveness. The CARES Act also opened up the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. As with PPP loans, EIDL loans were supposed to be used for payroll and other business expenses such as rent and mortgage.
Kirouac owned or controlled four companies: HK Manchester, HK Loudon, HK Hudson, and HK Pelham. He applied for and obtained over $1 million worth of Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) for the companies. Kirouac certified that he would use the loan proceeds solely as working capital and would not use the funds for personal expenses or to relocate the businesses from one location to another.
Beginning in 2021, Kirouac was looking to purchase a golf course. He was unable to obtain financing from banks and private lenders and instead obtained EIDLs on behalf of HK Manchester and HK Loudon. Kirouac used approximately $600,000 of EIDL funds intended for HK Manchester and HK Loudon to help purchase the Angus Lea Golf Course in Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Kirouac also misused EIDL funds he obtained for HK Pelham.
Separately, Kirouac obtained a $260,500 EIDL for HK Hudson. However, Kirouac had already agreed to sell HK Hudson to a third party when he signed for the loan. Kirouac did not disclose that fact to the SBA.
The Department of Veterans Affairs’ Office of the Inspector General, IRS Criminal Investigations, and SBA’s Office of the Inspector General led the investigation. The Department of Justice’s Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can 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 at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
PG County Schools Employee Indicted on Alleged Child Sex Abuse CrimesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A Prince George’s County Public Schools employee made his initial appearance in federal court in connection with alleged child sexual abuse crimes.
Xaviour Smith, 28, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, is charged with five counts of producing child sexual abuse material. Smith is also the founder of 1101 Dance Academy, Inc., in Temple Hills, which serves youths aged 8-18.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the indictment with Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office, and Chief George Nader, Prince George’s County Police Department (PGPD).
According to the indictment, between March and August 2025, Smith persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced three minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Smith exploited the minors for the purpose of producing visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. Individuals charged by indictment are presumed innocent until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.
If convicted, Smith faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the five counts of sexual exploitation of a minor.
Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge determines sentencing after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and PGPD for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Oki who is prosecuting the federal case.
The Department urges the public to remain vigilant and report suspected exploitation of a child through the FBI's tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), tips.fbi.gov, or by calling your local FBI field office.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Pensacola Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Possession of Firearm by a Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Jerney Jabara Purifoy, 33, of Pensacola, Florida, was sentenced to two and a half years in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This serial felon has spent years terrorizing our communities with his criminal conduct, but President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launched Operation Take Back America to deploy the full might of the Department of Justice to protect our citizens from violent criminals like him. This defendant will spend years in federal prison, and my office will continue to aggressively prosecute others like him until our streets are safe.”
Court documents reflect that law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s Pensacola residence due to animal cruelty allegations. Law enforcement located a loaded handgun in the defendant’s bedroom, as well as a loaded .22-caliber AR15-style rifle in the residence. The defendant is a multi-time convicted felon. The animal cruelty case is pending in state court.
Upon his release from prison, the defendant will be supervised release for three years.
The case involved a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
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, human and drug trafficking.
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.
Pensacola Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Illegal Weapons ChargesRead the Press Release
PENSACOLA, FLORIDA – Damian Elliott Pressley, 38, of Pensacola, Florida, pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of distribution or more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine and marijuana, and possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “For too long, dangerous criminals like this defendant have flooded our streets with deadly drugs and violence. Thanks to President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi launching Operation Take Back America, we are deploying the full might of the Department of Justice to identify, target, and eliminate the criminal threats plaguing our communities. We will continue to deliver successful prosecutions like this one until our streets are safe and drug-free.”
Court documents reflect that Pressley distributed 67 grams of methamphetamine on one occasion in October 2024, and 109 grams of methamphetamine and 124 grams of methamphetamine on two separate occasions in November 2024. Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Pressley’s residence on Bobe Street in Pensacola in December 2024. Agents located a loaded firearm, over 200 grams of marijuana, over 90 grams of cocaine, and $17,580 in United States currency. Pressley is a multi-time convicted felon
Based on prior convictions, Pressley faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and a maximum of life imprisonment.
The case involved an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica S. Etherton.
Sentencing for Pressley is scheduled for May 7, 2026, at 1:00pm, at the United States Courthouse in Pensacola, Florida before United States District T. Kent Wetherell, II.
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, human and drug trafficking.
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.
Oregon man sentenced for his role in cross country marijuana conspiracyRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Robert Fiels, 38, City Falls, Oregon, who was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and distributing, 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua A. Violanti, who handled the case, stated that Fiels served as the source of supply for individuals that trafficked marijuana and marijuana-based products across the country. Fiels utilized individuals, including co-defendant Syed Ahmad and others, to deliver the marijuana and marijuana-based products. Others, including co-defendant Frank Vacanti, then distributed the marijuana to individuals such as co-defendant Vincent Lopresti, who then sold the marijuana and marijuana products across Western New York. Between late 2016, and June 2019, Fiels trafficked approximately 1,800lbs of marijuana to one individual.
In January 2017, Fiels was stopped by DEA-Chicago and Amtrak Police while traveling from Buffalo, NY to Chicago, Illinois. After questioning and providing consent, DEA-Chicago seized $222,965.00 in drug proceeds located in Fiel’s suitcases. On December 31, 2017, in Morgan County, Illinois, local law enforcement and the DEA, recovered approximately 1,000 lbs. of marijuana from an RV driven by co-defendant Syed Ahmad and another individual. The marijuana belonged to Fiels and was destined for locations around the United States. On January 18, 2018, Fiels was stopped in a vehicle for traveling too fast for conditions in Hobart, Indiana by local law enforcement. During a search his vehicle, law enforcement seized $48,000 in drug proceeds. On February 10, 2020, law enforcement in Springfield, Oregon seized approximately $15,000 in drug proceeds sent to the defendant via USPS.
On June 29, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at three locations in the State of Oregon associated with Fiels, including his residence, work apartment, and the residence of his former girlfriend. Law enforcement recovered marijuana, marijuana-based products, USPS parcels, drug paraphernalia, packing materials, scales, psychedelic mushrooms, two firearms, and liquid steroids.
Syed Ahmad, Frank Vacanti, and Vincent Lopresti were previously convicted and sentenced.
The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations Buffalo, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Erin Keegan; HSI Portland, Oregon; HSI Springfield, Illinois; the Illinois State Police, under the direction of Director Brendan F. Kelly; the Oregon State Police, under the direction of Superintendent Casey Codding; the Morgan County, Illinois Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff’s Office Director Mike Carmody; the Hobart, Indiana Police Department, under the direction of Chief Garrett Ciszewski; and the Springfield, Oregon Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jami Resch.
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Omaha Man Sentenced to a Total of 262 Months for Production and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Steven Jones, 46, of Omaha, Nebraska, was sentenced on February 18, 2026, in federal court in Omaha for production of child pornography and distribution of child pornography. United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Jones to 262 months’ imprisonment on the production count and 240 months’ imprisonment on the distribution count. The sentences will run concurrent to each other. There is no parole in the federal system. After Jones’s release from prison, he will begin a seven-year term of supervised release.
On October 31, 2024, the FBI executed a search warrant at an Omaha residence and seized electronic devices for forensic examination. Investigators located numerous images and/or videos depicting child pornography and identified several individuals in the Omaha area who discussed and exchanged child pornography. Jones was one of the individuals the FBI identified. In September 2022, Jones sent another individual multiple voyeuristic photos of a female child between six to nine years old. The photos were sent in a text message string discussing the sexual abuse of children. Jones took additional voyeuristic photos depicting Minor Victim 1, who was seven years old at the time, unclothed and sent those photos to another individual in the context of a text message string discussing the sexual abuse of children.
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 United States Attorney’s 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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Norman Liquor Store Owner Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
OKLAHOMA CITY – KAYVAN KARYA RASOLKHANI, 46, of Norman, has pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
According to public records, before October 2025, Rasolkhani contacted an undercover FBI agent through an online messaging website, expressing an interest in meeting with the agent to sexually assault the agent’s two fictitious children. On October 15, 2025, the FBI then executed search warrants on Rasolkhani’s person, vehicle, residence, and his workplace, University Liquor, and seized a cell phone that contained videos and images of child pornography. On January 22, 2026, Rasolkhani was charged by Information with possession of child pornography.
Today, Rasolkhani pleaded guilty and admitted he knowingly possessed images containing child pornography, including images of prepubescent minors. At sentencing, Rasolkhani faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
This case is the result of an investigation by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordan Ganz is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the DOJ Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC 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 PSC, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Reference is made to public filings for additional information.
New York Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Check Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Lesley A. Woods announced that Brian S. Castillo, 25, of Bronx, New York, was sentenced on February 13, 2026, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud based on his role in a check fraud scheme affecting thousands of victims and causing more $1.8 million in losses. Chief United States District Judge Robert F. Rossiter, Jr. sentenced Castillo to 10 years’ imprisonment for each count to be served concurrently. Chief Judge Rossiter ordered Castillo to pay restitution in the amount of $1,852,532.98. After Castillo is released from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.
Between on or about January 3, 2023, and July 30, 2024, Castillo executed a scheme in which co-conspirators obtained legitimate checks—often by theft and unlawful means—and provided them to Castillo, who “cooked” the checks to create counterfeit and fraudulent checks payable to co-conspirators. By altering information on the checks, including the payee and check amount, individuals were able to cash the fake checks. Castillo mailed the cooked checks to co-conspirators using the United States Postal Service or he sent them as PDFs. To perpetrate the scheme, Castillo communicated via Telegram—an end-to-end encrypted messaging platform—with co-conspirators, including one in Nebraska. Castillo received more than $800,000 in Bitcoin for his role in the scheme.
The sentencing hearing highlighted the significant scope of the conspiracy. As part of an August 2024 search warrant for Castillo’s New York residence, law enforcement obtained Castillo’s cell phone. Forensics revealed approximately 30,000 PDFs of checks on Castillo’s cell phone that had been altered and/or counterfeited. The total amount of the checks was approximately $496 million. Law enforcement located at least 5,000 individuals and businesses who were potentially victims of the scheme. In imposing the sentence, Chief Judge Rossiter. recognized that Castillo “played a big role” in the scheme and that he had seen “nothing to this level” before.
“The United States Postal Inspection Service is to be commended for the exceptional investigative effort that led to this just result. The sentence fairly and justly adjudged in this case is an accurate reflection of the financial harm that resulted from this deliberate and insidious scheme that harmed thousands of innocent victims,” said U.S. Attorney Woods.
“One of the missions of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is to safeguard the U.S. Mail from criminals. Mr. Castillo executed a sophisticated check fraud scheme that resulted in almost two million dollars in losses from victims across the country. Last week’s sentencing shows the commitment of postal inspectors to aggressively investigate and pursue individuals who exploit the nation’s mail system for their criminal activities and to safeguard the U.S. Mail,” said Bryan Musgrove, Inspector in Charge of the Denver Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
Nashville Man on State Parole for First Degree Murder Charged with Possessing a Firearm as a Felon During Violent ShootingRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –James Lafayette Moore, age 51, of Nashville, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(1), announced United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek for the Middle District of Tennessee.
“Our top priority is protecting our community from violent offenders who, despite records of serious violence, are back on the street committing more violence,” said U.S. Attorney Braden Boucek. “If you have a prior conviction for a violent felony and you use a gun to commit another violent crime then we will bring the full might of federal law enforcement to bear in holding you accountable.”
According to court documents, on August 24, 2025, Moore shot an unarmed man four times in the face, neck, and upper body at point blank range on the balcony of My Town Extended Stay on Antioch Pike in Nashville. The shooting was captured on video surveillance cameras. Following the shooting, innocent bystanders assisted law enforcement by pointing out Moore’s direction of flight. He was found and apprehended nearby at a Twice Daily gas station on Harding Place. A K9 unit assisted officers in locating the pistol Moore had used in the shooting nearby in a shrub adjacent to the Twice Daily.
On June 2, 1993, Moore was convicted of first-degree murder in the Circuit Court of Rutherford County, Tennessee, and was sentenced to life in prison. On March 14, 2024, he was granted parole and released.
If convicted, Moore faces a maximum of 15 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
This case is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Carlin C. Hess is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Morgantown Man Sentenced for Firearms ViolationRead the Press Release
CLARKSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Monongalia County, West Virginia man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew L. Harvey.
Jamie Russell Jones, 47, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison. Law enforcement officers responded to a report of a suspicious vehicle and observed Jones exit from the car. Officers smelled marijuana and proceeded to lawfully search the vehicle. A backpack with three handguns, some methamphetamine and marijuana, and an empty firearm magazine were seized from the vehicle. All three firearms had been reported stolen from a home in Gassaway, West Virginia, in 2024. Jones is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior firearms and theft convictions.
Jones will serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Will Rhee prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the West Virginia State Police, and the Gassaway Police Department investigated.
Chief U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Kleeh presided.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime, and repel the invasion of illegal immigration.
Montgomery Man Sentenced for Role in Mail and Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Today, Acting United States Attorney Kevin Davidson announced the first sentencing in a mail theft conspiracy involving four defendants.
On February 18, 2026, 28-year-old Kahneil Jahe Oliver, of Montgomery, Alabama, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud and theft of a postal key. There is no parole in the federal system.
According to Oliver’s plea agreement and other court records, from May 2020 through February 2025, Oliver and his co-conspirators executed a scheme to steal checks from the mail, alter them, and deposit the fraudulently altered checks into numerous bank accounts under their control.
The investigation determined that Oliver coordinated the conspiracy and personally facilitated criminal acts in furtherance of the scheme. His sentence was enhanced based on his possession of a firearm in furtherance of the offense, the number of victims involved, and the sophisticated nature of the scheme. Oliver also admitted to using a stolen postal key to access postal receptacles and retrieve checks from the mail.
In total, investigators determined that Oliver and his co-conspirators possessed both physical checks and digital images of checks reflecting an intended loss exceeding $9.5 million.
“This defendant helped orchestrate a large-scale scheme that targeted numerous individuals and businesses by exploiting the U.S. mail system,” said Acting United States Attorney Davidson. “Mail theft and financial fraud cause significant economic harm to victims. This sentence reflects the seriousness of these crimes and our commitment to holding organizers of fraud schemes fully accountable.”
“An important part of the U. S. Postal Inspection Service mission is to ensure public trust in the mail and to defend the nation’s mail system from illicit financial gain,” said Shameka Jackson, Inspector in Charge of the Houston Division. “As a result of coordinated investigative efforts, the sentence handed down to Kahneil Jahe Oliver sends a clear message to mail thieves that you will be vigorously pursued and brought to justice. We thank the USPS Office of Inspector General, ALEA, Montgomery Police Department, Prattville Police Department and Fulton County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office for partnering with us in this investigation.”
“Yesterday’s sentencing sends a clear message that stealing Postal arrow keys and U.S. Mail to commit financial fraud will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Ulrich of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “These federal crimes undermine public trust and disrupt the lives of hardworking citizens. Our special agents and law enforcement partners remain committed to finding these fraudsters and holding them accountable to protect the sanctity of the U.S. Mail.”
Oliver’s co-conspirators, Cedric Lanoid Hunter, Jr., 24, of Montgomery, Alabama; Joseph Deshun Sheppard, Jr., 27, of Montgomery; and Tra’von Charles Rogers, 24, of Prattville, Alabama, have each pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud. Their sentencings are scheduled for early March 2026.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency State Bureau of Investigation, and the Montgomery Police Department, with assistance from the Prattville Police Department and Fulton County, Georgia Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney J. Patrick Lamb is prosecuting the case.
Mexican National Sentenced to over Seven Years in Prison for His Role in a Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jesus Guillermo Valenzuela-Ramirez, 30, of Imuris, Sonora, Mexico, was sentenced on Feb. 17, 2026, by Chief U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 90 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Valenzuela-Ramirez was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
As part of this conspiracy, on July 1, 2024, in Phoenix, Arizona, Valenzuela-Ramirez and his co-conspirators possessed approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine, which they intended to deliver to another individual that evening.
This investigation 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. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This HSTF Tucson led investigation is comprised of agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS) with the prosecution being led by Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-24-5415-JGZ-2
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-035_Valenzuela-Ramirez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Mexican National Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison on Immigration and Sex Offender Registration ChargesRead the Press Release
NASHVILLE –Teodoso Gonzalez-Guzman, 40, an illegal alien and a citizen of Mexico, was sentenced earlier today to 18 months in federal prison after having pled guilty to one count of illegal re-entry of an illegal alien and one count of failure to register as a sex offender, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee Braden H. Boucek.
“This criminal alien who had been deported multiple times and failed to comply with sex offender registration requirements has now been held accountable, said United States Attorney Braden H. Boucek. “This significant sentence demonstrates the commitment of the Department of Justice to protecting our community by prosecuting those who disregard court orders and return to our communities even after being deported repeatedly.”
According to court records, before the events charged in the Indictment, the defendant had been convicted of unlawful possession of a weapon in domestic violence situations and of a penetrative sexual offense against a six-year-old girl. He received a 746-day sentence for his sexual crime, after which he was removed from the United States for the fourth time by immigration officials. In March 2025, law enforcement officers went to that family’s home in Lindenwood, New Jersey, and confirmed that the defendant had been living there for about a year in violation of a court order. The defendant then fled New Jersey and, on or about May 1, 2025, the Middle Tennessee Joint Fugitive Task Force (MTTF) arrested the defendant on the outstanding warrant from New Jersey in Antioch, Tennessee. After the arrest, the defendant agreed to an interview and signed a waiver of rights form in Spanish. During the interview, the defendant admitted to residing in the Antioch, Tennessee area for about a month before his arrest, and that he never registered as a sex offender in any jurisdiction. The law in Tennessee requires that a sex offender must register with the Tennessee Sex Offender Registry within 48 hours of residing, working, or attending school in Tennessee.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Gonzalez-Guzman was ordered to serve five years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Herbert L. Bunton III prosecuted the case.
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Mexican Citizen Sentenced to Seven Years for Participation in Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jonathan Mora-Leon, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced on Feb. 6, 2026, by U.S. District Judge Scott H. Rash to 84 months of imprisonment. Mora-Leon previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Methamphetamine.
Between February and November 2023, Mora-Leon organized three drug deals involving methamphetamine and fentanyl with an undercover agent. Each time, Mora-Leon arranged for coconspirators to deliver the drugs on his behalf. During the fourth and final transaction on Jan. 18, 2024, Mora-Leon met with the undercover agent to distribute more than 100 pounds of methamphetamine. Agents intercepted the drugs and arrested Mora-Leon and two coconspirators.
This investigation 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 toward identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.
This HSTF Tucson led investigation comprises agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration with the prosecution being led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR24-00681-TUC-SHR (LCK)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-034_Mora-Leon
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
McAllen man convicted of illegally purchasing .50 caliber weapon for Mexican drug trafficking organizationRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 24-year-old legal permanent resident has pleaded guilty to conspiring to straw purchase a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Javier Sebastian Vazquez-Ponce admitted he recruited another individual to purchase a .50-caliber semi-automatic rifle on his behalf, knowing the firearm was intended for trafficking and use by a drug trafficking organization in Mexico.
On Dec. 2, 2025, authorities identified a suspicious attempt to purchase a .50-caliber rifle using approximately $10,000 in cash.
They determined Vasquez-Ponce and others crossed into Mexico shortly after placing the order and returned approximately two days later to retrieve the firearm. Law enforcement immediately took them into custody at that time.
The investigation also recovered text messages detailing the scheme and referencing additional firearm trafficking activity.
As part of his plea, Vasquez-Ponce admitted the money for the purchase originated from the Gulf Cartel in Mexico.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzalez Ramos will impose sentencing May 13. At that time, Ramos faces up to 25 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
Vazquez-Ponce remains in custody pending his sentencing hearing.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bird and Izaak Bruce are prosecuting the case.
Maryland U.S. Attorney Announces Hundreds of Arrests Connected to Joint Federal-State Targeted Baltimore Criminal Enforcement OperationRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced federal charges today, in connection with a large-scale, targeted law-enforcement operation, resulting in hundreds of federal and state arrests.
From January 20, through January 31, federal, state, and local law enforcement partners brought dozens of federal and state charges against numerous defendants. Through this operation, law enforcement also arrested more than 200 violent fugitives and individuals affiliated with organized criminal activity throughout the Baltimore area. Throughout the operation, authorities carried out various law enforcement actions, including the execution of search-and-seizure warrants, in connection with efforts to fight violent crime and drug-trafficking in Baltimore City.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the prosecutions with Ivan J. Bates, State’s Attorney for Baltimore City; Clinton J. Fuchs, U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, FBI – Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Christopher C. Goumenis, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) – Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Charles Doerrer, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Special Agent in Charge Christopher R. Heck, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) – Maryland; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood, U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) – Washington Division; Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III, Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor (OSP); and Commissioner Richard Worley, Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
This multi-jurisdictional law-enforcement effort resulted in several federal indictments in connection with drug trafficking and firearm offenses, including:
- Zachary Lewis, 36, Dwayne Hamilton, 45, and Elton Jonray Cruickshank, 37, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine between June and October 2025. Lewis is also charged with firearms-related charges. The FBI and BPD are investigating this case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which seeks to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a collaborative and comprehensive response to the growing threat to public safety and national security. The HSTF integrates personnel, including law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, from federal agencies to combat crime in our communities.
- Donte Sands, 51, and Walter Gardner III, 56, are under indictment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine base. These charges stem from drug activity from April through August 2025. Additionally, Sands is charged with possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, including a .40 caliber handgun, a 7.62 caliber semi-automatic rifle, and a revolver. The DEA and Baltimore County Police Department are investigating this case.
- Three members of a Baltimore drug trafficking organization are under indictment for drug trafficking crimes from November 2025 through January 2026. Terrel Tomlin, 36, Michael “M&M” McKay, 55, and Keenan Jackson, 39, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. The DEA, Carroll County Sherriff’s Office, and Maryland State Police are investigating this case.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also sought charges against more than a dozen others for unrelated drug and firearm offenses, along with a Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act Conspiracy in connection with MS-13 affiliated crimes.
This law-enforcement operation also involved Operation Baltimore Safeguard, an effort by the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force, in partnership with FBI Baltimore, HSI Maryland, and BPD, to arrest fugitives based on outstanding Maryland state arrest warrants. Operation Baltimore Safeguard resulted in a total of 239 fugitive arrests, including eight individuals wanted for homicide, 12 for attempted homicide, 18 for robbery, 108 for assault, 13 for weapons-related offenses, 10 for sexual assault, and 26 for drug-related charges. Among those apprehended six were identified as gang associates. Law enforcement personnel also seized four firearms, along with 869 grams of narcotics, and cleared 264 outstanding warrants during the operation. The Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force is a Congressionally funded multi-agency task force whose mission is to focus resources and efforts on the reduction of violence within the National Capital Region.
Prosecutions from this operation also include charges brought against at least 10 additional defendants for various offenses in Maryland state court.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office; USMS; FBI; ATF; DEA; HSI; USPIS; OSP; BPD; BCPD; Annapolis Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Department; Carroll County Sheriff’s Office; Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; Frederick Police Department; Hagerstown Police Department; Harford County Sheriff’s Department; Howard County Police Department; Howard County Sheriff’s Office; Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services; Maryland State Police; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and Washington County Sheriff’s Office for their investigative efforts.
Ms. Hayes also thanked the Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys who are prosecuting the federal cases.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Agency Quotes
Kelly O. Hayes – U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland
“This operation makes clear that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will continue to join forces with our law-enforcement partners to execute the united goal of dismantling organizations associated with driving violence and other criminal activity, and prosecuting those involved to the fullest extent of the law,” Hayes said. “This successful operation shows how collaboration and teamwork help combat crime, thereby making our neighborhoods safer.”
Ivan J. Bates – State’s Attorney for Baltimore City
“This operation exemplifies the effectiveness of collaboration among various levels of law enforcement, all working towards the shared mission to disrupt violent crime, dismantle organized criminal networks, and enhance public safety,” Bates said. “By combining the unique resources and expertise of each agency at the federal, state, and local levels, we are successfully removing violent offenders from our streets and holding drug traffickers accountable. Achieving impactful public safety requires partnerships, and this operation showcases our coordinated effort to make Baltimore safer for residents and visitors alike.”
Jimmy Paul, Special Agent in Charge – FBI Baltimore
“The FBI was proud to be part of this effort, combining agents, intelligence analysts, specialized teams and professional staff, with our dedicated law enforcement partners,” Paul said. “Results from this recent operation build on the progress we’ve made over the last few years to drive down crime and we will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our partners to make Baltimore safer for everyone.”
Clinton J. Fuchs – U.S. Marshal for the District of Maryland
“The U.S. Marshals Service would like to thank all the law enforcement officers involved in this operation for their professionalism, skill, and dedication. Successful operations like this one are a reminder of the value of effective federal, state, and local partnerships in protecting public safety and upholding the rule of law,” Fuchs said. “It should also serve as a reminder that the U.S. Marshals Service and all our law enforcement partners will pursue violent offenders wherever they attempt to hide.”
Christopher Goumenis, Special Agent in Charge – DEA
“Violent crime and drugs are undoubtedly connected. Our job is to safeguard the safety and well-being of American communities by actively fighting against all criminal drug networks that inflict harm, violence, and contribute to overdoses and poisonings,” Goumenis said. “Through strategic partnerships with local, state, and international law enforcement agencies, the DEA works tirelessly to dismantle these illicit organizations and, one by one, return the neighbors to the good people of Maryland. We are working for a violence and fentanyl free America.”
Charles Doerrer, Special Agent in Charge – ATF Baltimore
“ATF remains relentless in working alongside our local, state, and federal partners to identify, investigate and prosecute those who threaten public safety,” Doerrer said. “Our agents will continue to work every day to keep Baltimore safe and hold those who perpetuate violence accountable.”
Christopher R. Heck, Special Agent in Charge – Homeland Security Investigations Maryland
"Homeland Security Investigations Maryland, in close collaboration with federal partners, supported a surge operation focused on public safety and criminal activity in the Baltimore area. Special agents assisted in the execution of numerous arrest warrants and search warrants for serious offenses as part of ongoing investigations targeting transnational organized crime and illicit narcotics activity. These efforts reflect HSI’s commitment to combating violent crime, dismantling criminal organizations, and protecting the community we serve," Heck said.
Richard Worley, Commissioner – BPD
“Through continued collaboration with our local, state, and federal partners, efforts such as these are delivering meaningful results,” Worley said. “These operations are essential to our crime-reduction strategy and have a significant impact on removing individuals who threaten public safety and our communities. The outcomes reflect the level of safety and security the people of Baltimore deserve.”
- Zachary Lewis, 36, Dwayne Hamilton, 45, and Elton Jonray Cruickshank, 37, are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine between June and October 2025. Lewis is also charged with firearms-related charges. The FBI and BPD are investigating this case. This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative, which seeks to end the presence of criminal cartels, foreign gangs, and transnational criminal organizations through a collaborative and comprehensive response to the growing threat to public safety and national security. The HSTF integrates personnel, including law enforcement agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff, from federal agencies to combat crime in our communities.
Maryland Man Pleads Guilty for Making Online ThreatsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A 46-year-old man pled guilty in federal court to making threats online. Raymond Pumphrey, of Aberdeen, Maryland, is charged with making threats transmitted by interstate communication.
Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced the guilty plea with Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division; Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Paul, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brian McDonough, U.S. Secret Service (USSS) – Baltimore Field Office.
According to the guilty plea, Pumphrey made a series of threatening posts on the social media platform YouTube and other social media sites to spread hateful rhetoric, particularly toward Black and Muslim communities. Commenting primarily on news stories, he advocated for and threatened to participate in the killing of black people in multiple large cities throughout the country. He further threatened to kill multiple politicians and members of their families.
Pumphrey faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday, June 29, at 10 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Hayes commended the FBI and USSS for their work in the investigation. Ms. Hayes also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Aubin who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information about the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, visit justice.gov/usao-md and justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Coordinating Hundreds of Meth Shipments from California to ChicagoRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for coordinating more than 200 shipments of methamphetamine from California to Chicago.
In 2022 and 2023, KEITH R. MCCORMICK mailed more than 200 parcels—each containing a pound of 90-100% pure methamphetamine—from his residence in Sacramento, Calif., to individuals in Chicago. Many of the parcels were addressed to co-conspirators who arranged for the sale of the drugs on the streets. The illicit proceeds were then shipped back to McCormick in California.
McCormick, 54, was arrested in March 2023. He pleaded guilty last year to a drug conspiracy charge. On Feb. 10, 2026, U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the 14-year prison sentence and fined McCormick $25,000.
McCormick was one of six defendants charged with drug conspiracy as part of this investigation. Four co-conspirators, all of whom resided in Chicago, pleaded guilty and were previously sentenced as follows:
STEPHEN R. JENKINS, 46: 14 years in prison.
DANIEL HEISE, 43: 12 years in prison.
DONALD W. GRENIER, JR., 64: four years in prison.
JOSE HERNANDEZ, 48: four years in prison.
The fifth alleged co-conspirator—WILLIAM F. KOCH, 38, of Chicago—died in 2024, prompting the government to dismiss the charges against him.
McCormick’s sentence and the results of the investigation were announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Mary T. Johnson, Acting Inspector-in-Charge of the Chicago Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS), Todd C. Smith, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the DEA, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Larry Snelling, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California; Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTF) in Chicago and Sacramento; the USPIS High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force —Parcel Interdiction Regional Enforcement Team in Chicago; USPIS and Homeland Security Investigations Field Offices in Sacramento; and the North Riverside, Ill. Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Moheb.
Magee Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Jackson, MS – A Magee man pleaded guilty on Wednesday, February 18th in federal court to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, joint operations between the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics and Federal Bureau of Investigation revealed that Santos Vidal Estrada, 34, was distributing dangerous narcotics from his rural residence in Simpson County. Following multiple operations, a federal search warrant at Estrada’s home on October 23, 2025, found large quantities of methamphetamine with purity rates of 100%. A criminal complaint was filed on October 24, 2025 and Estrada was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 5, 2025.
Santos Estrada is scheduled to be sentenced on May 21, 2026, and faces a mandatory minimum of not less than ten years and not more than life in prison, not more than a $10,000,000 fine, and at least five years of supervised release following any period of incarceration. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Agent in Charge Robert A. Eikhoff made the announcement.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
Assistant U.S. Attorney C. Brett Grantham is prosecuting the case.
This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Mississippi Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America (https://www.justice.gov/dag/media/1393746/dl?inline). 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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
Longview tax preparer guilty in tax fraud schemeRead the Press Release
TYLER, Texas – A Longview tax preparer has pleaded guilty to a federal violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Marneitha Reese Scott, 57, of Gilmer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid, assist, counsel, or advise in tax fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell on February 18, 2026.
According to information presented in court, Scott owned a tax return preparer business operated under the name of F.A.S.T. Financial Firm (“FAST”), with two locations in Longview. Scott and others recruited tax preparers to work at the businesses to prepare and file income tax returns for clients. With others, Scott created a scheme to defraud the United States by instructing the tax preparers to create fraudulent entries on client tax returns, including, for example, claims for business losses when the client had no business. The tax returns were filed by Scott or employees working at her instruction. The tax preparation business was paid a fee by the clients for preparing and filing the returns. Scott's conduct resulted in a known tax loss for tax years 2019 – 2022 of $243,899.00.
Scott faces up to five years in federal prison, a potential fine, and restitution at sentencing. The maximum statutory sentence is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing hearings will be scheduled after the completion of presentence investigations by the U.S. Probation Office.
This case is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson.
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Leaders of MS-13 Clique Sentenced to Prison as Part of the Homeland Security Task Force for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Two leaders of the La Mara Salvatrucha gang (known as MS-13) were sentenced in federal court today as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) for engaging in violent criminal conduct in support of the criminal organization, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Kyle Burns, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in North Carolina and South Carolina, Reid Davis, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Charlotte Division, and Chief Estella D. Patterson of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department join U.S. Attorney Ferguson in making today’s announcement.
Fredy Mauricio Buruca, a/k/a “Piranha,” “Machete,” and “Insoportable,” 27, of El Salvador, was sentenced to 30 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender. Buruca pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy and kidnapping a minor. Santos Guillermo Ramirez Mancia, a/k/a “Azazel,” “Timido,” and “Johnny,” 34, also of El Salvador, was sentenced to 20 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Mancia pleaded guilty to RICO conspiracy.
“MS-13 is one of the most dangerous and ruthless gangs in the country,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “We are working to eliminate this gang from existence, and I am proud to say this prosecution has completely dismantled an entire MS-13 clique known as the Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha Clique that operated up and down the eastern seaboard.”
“MS-13 gang members feed on brutality, violence, and intimidation. No matter how committed they are to creating chaos in our communities, the FBI and our law enforcement partners remain laser focused to stop the threat. Today's sentences demonstrate our dedication to eradicate MS-13 from the top down,” said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Davis.
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, Buruca and Mancia were leaders and members of the MS-13 sub-unit, or clique, known as the Hollywood Locos Salvatrucha Clique (the HLS clique), which operated in and around the Western District of North Carolina and other areas in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere. From at least December 2018 and continuing through November 2022, as leaders and members of the HLS clique, the defendants engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise.
The investigation into the gang’s criminal activity revealed that these criminal acts were committed to promote a climate of fear and intimidation within the gang; to maintain the gang’s control and to expand its territory; to enforce discipline within the gang and punish any acts of disrespect; to intimidate witnesses and discourage cooperation with law enforcement; and to retaliate against rivals.
According to court documents, Buruca was “First Word,” or the leader of the HLS clique in Charlotte. As First Word, Buruca participated in and sanctioned a pattern of racketeering activity in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise, that consisted of multiple violent acts including extortion, robbery, and kidnapping. For example, on or about December 12, 2021, Buruca, in the presence of Mancia and other MS-13 members, threatened and demanded money from an individual identified as D.G.L. at a nightclub in Woodbridge, Virginia, in exchange for MS-13’s protection. When D.G.L. refused to pay the “protection money” and attempted to leave the nightclub, Buruca fired several shots at D.G.L., hitting bystanders. Then on February 19, 2022, Buruca, along with other MS-13 members, used firearms to rob A.Z.C. of his vehicle and other belongings in Monroe, N.C. On the same day, Buruca and other MS-13 members used firearms to rob three other victims in Charlotte. Buruca also kidnapped one of those victims, who was a minor, by forcing her into a vehicle at gunpoint. Buruca then made ransom demands for the kidnapped minor victim and instructed another individual on how to deliver the payment.
According to court documents, Mancia also engaged in criminal activity in furtherance of the MS-13 enterprise, including committing acts of violence against rival gang members. Court records show that, on December 2, 2018, Mancia shot and seriously injured an individual identified as J.G.J. because he was a rival, or “chavala,” with “Mara 18,” one of MS-13’s rival gangs. In late 2021, Mancia was promoted to “Frist Word” of the HLS clique, following Buruca’s arrest for the nightclub shooting incident in Woodbridge.
According to court records, on November 6, 2022, Mancia along with two co-defendants, Christian Alejandro Garcia Santa Cruz, a/k/a “Crimen,” and Aderly Jose Veliz-Ronquillo, a/k/a “Chanchin,” were at a nightclub in Charlotte. Over the course of the evening, Mancia, Santa Cruz, and Veliz-Ronquillo got into an argument with several men, including W.G.M., at the parking lot of the nightclub. During the argument, Mancia identified himself as MS-13 to the other men. At some point, W.G.M. and Mancia shoved each other. Ronquillo then shot W.G.M. once and Santa-Cruz shot the victim three times, causing the victim to sustain fatal gunshot wounds. Mancia was later arrested in Annapolis, Maryland, for his involvement in the shooting incident.
On April 16, 2025, Santa-Cruz and Veliz-Ronquillo were each sentenced to 35 years in prison for using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in W.G.M.’s death.
A fifth co-defendant and MS-13 member, Luis Fernando Guardardo Moreno, a/k/a “Fantasma” and “Scrappy,” was previously sentenced to 20 years in prison followe =d by three years of supervised release for RICO conspiracy. A sixth MS-13 member charged in this case, Juan Francisco Sanchez Estrada, a/k/a “Nene” and “Turbo,” was sentenced to 14 years in prison in the Middle District of North Carolina, after pleading guilty to RICO conspiracy, following a consolidation of federal cases against him in each district.
The defendants will remain in federal custody until they are transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.
In making today’s announcement U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI, HSI, and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department for their investigation of the case, and thanked the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Kannapolis Police Department, the Monroe Police Department, the Prince William County (Virginia) Sheriff’s Office, and the Annapolis (Maryland) Police Department for their invaluable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erik Lindahl and David Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Charlotte are prosecuting 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.