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3 April 2026
New Orleans Man Guilty of Drug-Trafficking Crimes and Machinegun PossessionRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA –BRANDON DUNN (“DUNN”), age 20, pleaded guilty on April 1, 2026 before U.S. District Judge Greg G. Guidry to conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, marijuana, in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), 841(b)(1)(D), and 846, and possession of a machinegun, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(o) and 924(a)(2).
According to court documents, since at least 2023, DUNN sold marijuana and tapentadol in the New Orleans area. On May 9, 2024, New Orleans Police Department Officers were surveilling DUNN’s residence. DUNN arrived in a stolen Infinity Q60 and exited the driver’s seat of the vehicle. When DUNN saw the officers, he fled on foot and discarded a Glock Model 19, nine-millimeter handgun equipped with a machinegun conversion device and an extended magazine loaded with 25 rounds of ammunition. DUNN was apprehended after a short chase. There was a distributable quantity of marijuana in DUNN’s stolen car and DUNN had over $1,000 cash in his pockets. Inside DUNN’s bedroom, officers recovered a money counter, over $15,000 in cash, a Romarm/Cugir Model Micro Draco, 7.62x39-millimeter semi-automatic pistol, credit cards in other people’s names, and a washed check.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, DUNN will serve 11.5 years in prison. The Court took DUNN’s guilty plea but deferred its decision on whether to accept or reject the negotiated plea until sentencing. DUNN also faces a term of supervised release of at least two years up to life. Each count also carries a maximum $250,000 fine and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney David Berman of the Violent Crime Unit is in charge of the prosecution.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Threatening a Federal Judge and a Federal Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Michael Buck, a multi-convicted felon, will spend the next 300 months in federal prison for threatening a federal judge, a federal law enforcement officer and their families. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was handed down yesterday by Chief United States District Judge Kristine G. Baker.
On February 4, 2025, Buck, 53, of Glenallen, Missouri, was indicted by a federal grand jury in a five-count Second Superseding Indictment for threatening a federal judge, threatening family of a federal judge, threatening a federal law enforcement officer, threatening family of a federal law enforcement officer, and false statements to a federal law enforcement officer. On April 29, 2025, Buck pleaded guilty to the five counts in the Second Superseding Indictment. Chief Judge Baker also sentenced Buck to three years’ supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.
In March 2025, a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated Buck, who was then an inmate in the Federal Correctional Institution in Forrest City, Arkansas, for making various threats and statements about his intent to kill numerous people upon his pending release from prison. In a surreptitious recording at the federal correctional institution, Buck can be heard making numerous violent threats against the federal judge who sentenced Buck in his 2008 commercial sex trafficking case in the Western District of Missouri. Buck also threatened to kill the former federal prosecutor who had prosecuted Buck’s case, and also family members of both the judge and the former federal prosecutor.
The recording then captures Buck admitting that he has used a contraband prison phone to locate his victims and that he has already called one of them to verify his information and that he hung up the call once he could hear their voice on the call.
Buck has a significant violent criminal history and had served nearly 17 years in prison and was due to be released soon from federal prison. As his release date neared, he continued to make threats and tell people he was going to kill the judge, the prosecutor, their families, and the victims from his previous case in 2008 in the Western District of Missouri where he was convicted of trafficking into involuntary servitude and coerced commercial sex trafficking. Buck’s criminal history includes convictions for second-degree burglary, assault, simple assault, domestic violence, resisting arrest and creating a substantial risk of injury/death to any person, and violation of an order of protection.
“Threats to kill public officials and their families for simply doing their jobs will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Ross. “Here, once law enforcement learned that in addition to the defendant’s grotesque threats to murder and torture family members of the public officials involved in his original commercial sex trafficking conviction, that the defendant had also taken steps to locate his intended victims just as he was about to be released from prison, quick action was taken to prevent his release and to notify everyone involved to take precautionary measures. We are grateful for the brave witness that came forward to notify law enforcement of Buck’s wicked plans and also the investigation by the United States Marshals Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Bureau of Prisons that resulted in stopping Buck from the evil he intended to carry out. We are thankful that the court recognized that Buck is a sadistic and dangerous individual that needs to be removed from society for an additional 25 years.”
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the United States Marshals, and the Bureau of Prisons. The case was prosecuted by United States Attorney Jonathan D. Ross and Assistant United States Attorney Bart Dickinson, along with other Assistant United States Attorneys in the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Arkansas.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Assaulting Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
TOLEDO, Ohio – A 29-year-old man pleaded guilty in federal court to assaulting a federal officer while the officer was performing his official duties.
Damarko Amir Kimble, of Detroit, Michigan, pleaded guilty April 2 to Possession with Intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance and Assaulting, Resisting, or Impeding Certain Officers or Employers.
According to court documents, on Oct. 7, 2024, federal agents encountered Kimble at a service plaza parking lot on the I-80/90 turnpike in Sandusky County. Kimble’s rental vehicle had expired registration tags. A K-9 officer working with the agents alerted to the presence of illegal substances in Kimble’s vehicle. Agents then conducted a probable cause search of his car and located a backpack on the rear floorboard. Inside, agents found a plastic bag that was suspected—and later confirmed— to contain 577.7 grams of pure methamphetamine. As agents attempted to arrest Kimble, he rushed towards one of the agents to knock him off his feet, throwing him to the ground. Kimble attempted to flee but was apprehended.
Kimble is scheduled to be sentenced July 14. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol Sandusky Bay Station.
Assistant United States Attorney Dexter L. Phillips for the Northern District of Ohio leads the prosecution.
Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Sexual Assault on Grounds of Gateway Arch National ParkRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Clark on Friday sentenced a man to 28 years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in Gateway Arch National Park in 2023.
Judge Clark ordered the sentence to run consecutive to the 84 months Monte Derrell Boatman, 37, is currently serving for violating his supervised release in a 2009 armed robbery case.
On Dec. 6, 2023, Boatman, of Fairview Heights, Ill., arrived at the Laclede’s Landing MetroLink station at about 5:15 p.m. He was captured on video passing the victim near 4th Street and Washington Avenue at about 5:19 p.m. Roughly one minute later, Boatman turned and began following the victim.
At about 5:30 p.m., Boatman grabbed the victim from behind, wrapped his arms around her and forced her into the bushes with a razor to her neck. Boatman assaulted the victim while threatening her life multiple times.
Boatman was arrested two days later by rangers with the National Park Service after a struggle that resulted in one ranger needing medical treatment.
Boatman pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May of 2025 to one felony count of aggravated sexual abuse.
In court Friday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson said Boatman’s 2023 crime followed a “largely unabated history of criminality since the age of 13.”
Included in that history is the 2009 robbery case in the Southern District of Illinois. Boatman and others robbed a drug dealer, which sparked a vehicle chase and multistate gun battle with the dealer. He was sentenced in 2010 to 171 months in prison.
The case was investigated by the National Park Service and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jillian Anderson prosecuted the case.
Long Island Investment Advisor Pleads Guilty to $160 Million Investment FraudRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Vincent Camarda, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of A.G. Morgan Financial Advisors, LLC (AGM), pleaded guilty to securities fraud and investment advisor fraud. The proceeding was held before United States District Judge Nusrat J. Choudhury. When sentenced, Camarda faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment, as well as restitution of at least $160,022,836.81 and forfeiture of $6,639,498.17.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI) announced the guilty plea.
“We will aggressively prosecute investment advisors who betray their clients’ trust and commit crimes for their own financial gain,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “This defendant used a series of lies to lure clients, including elderly and other vulnerable individuals, into investing with him, all while enriching himself. Today’s guilty plea is an important step toward holding the defendant accountable for the substantial harm he has caused.”
Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), New York Regional Office, for their work on the case.
“CEO Vincent Camarda repeatedly deceived trusting clients to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars to finance extravagant purchases. The FBI is committed to protecting investors from executives who abuse their authority to line their own pockets,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, the defendant Vincent Camarda was the Chairman and CEO of AGM. At the time of his fraud, Camarda had worked in the securities industry for approximately 30 years. He was a registered investment adviser with the SEC and also held licenses as a registered representative with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). In or about and between January 2017 and December 2024, Camarda, together with others, established several investment funds under AGM (the “Camarda Funds”). He then engaged in a scheme to defraud his victims – clients that he owed a fiduciary duty to – in several ways.
First, Camarda solicited funds from the victims by making material misrepresentations, both in private placement memorandums and orally, regarding the investment of their funds. For example, he made materially false representations regarding the risk profile of the investments. Camarda falsely represented, in sum and substance, that investments in the Camarda Funds were “safe” or “low-risk,” when, in fact, they were not. Camarda also misrepresented the diversification of the investments to induce the victims to invest. These misrepresentations were designed to mislead investors into believing that their investments were safer than they actually were. In addition, Camarda failed to disclose material conflicts of interest in connection with the investments made through the Camarda Funds. For example, although Camarda invested the victims’ funds in a single mining business, Camarda never disclosed to the victims that he received compensation from that business. Likewise, although Camarda invested the victims’ funds in a single food service business, Camarda did not disclose to the victims that he had a familial relationship with an individual involved in the business’s operation or that he served as the President of that business.
Separately, Camarda also misappropriated hundreds of thousands of dollars of the victims’ investments in the Camarda Funds and for his personal benefit. Rather than investing those funds as promised, Camarda diverted them to himself through wire transfers. Among other things, Camarda used these stolen funds to pay for personal expenses and luxury items, including plastic surgery, travel, jewelry and luxury goods. For example, one victim wired over $700,000 to Camarda, who then, after investing approximately $370,000 in the high-risk mining operation, misappropriated the other approximately $400,000 for himself, using the money to, among other things, pay off personal credit card bills.
The government’s case is being handled by the Criminal Section of the Office’s Long Island Division. Assistant United States Attorney Adam R. Toporovsky is in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Janelle Robinson.
The Defendant:
VINCENT CAMARDA
Age: 62
Amityville, NYE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 26-CR-51
2026.03.09_information-_filed.pdfKansas farmer pleads guilty to crop insurance fraudRead the Press Release
WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) by falsely claiming severe weather destroyed crops that he had actually sold instead.
According to court documents, David L. Mongeau, 54, of Holcomb pleaded guilty to one count of false statements related to crop insurance and one count of bank fraud/attempted bank fraud.
Mongeau owned Mongeau Enterprises, a farming operation in western Kansas. In 2019, he obtained a crop insurance policy through the USDA’s Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) which is subsidized by the federal government. In January 2020, Mongeau submitted a claim indicating he lost a portion of his corn crop in Rooks County, Kansas, due to hail and excess wind. He failed to disclose having sold more than 33,000 bushels of corn to agricultural commodity traders. The sales included corn that he indicated as a loss when filing a crop insurance claim. As a result, Mongeau received an overpayment, causing $241,645 in losses for the FCIP.
Mongeau obtained farm loans from the First National Bank of Syracuse (now doing business as Dream First Bank of Garden City). He pledged numerous pieces of farm equipment along with crops as collateral to secure the loans. Mongeau either traded in or sold collateral and failed to notify the bank about the dispositions. As a result, the bank did not know the collateral was no longer available, and the bank suffered more than $300,000 in losses.
“Kansas is part of the ‘Breadbasket of America’ because of the important role our farmers play in feeding the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser. “We all know that farming is a challenging profession with a litany of potential obstacles, so the Federal Crop Insurance Program serves as a safety net through difficult times. Mr. Mongeau took what was supposed to be a helping hand and exploited that generosity for his own personal gain.”
“Fraud against federal crop insurance programs is a direct abuse of taxpayer-funded support intended to help farmers recover from legitimate losses,” said Inspector General John Walk for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Inspector General. “As alleged, the defendant sought to profit by falsely claiming losses while selling the same crops, undermining the integrity of a program that producers depend on. USDA OIG will continue to pursue those who attempt to exploit these programs and work with our law enforcement partners to ensure they are held accountable. We thank the United States Attorney’s Office and HSI for their continued collaboration in this case.”
Mongeau is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1, 2026.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture – Office of Inspector General is investigating the case.
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Kansas City Man Sentenced for Fraudulent U.S. Treasury Check SchemeRead the Press Release
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court yesterday for his role in a scheme to alter and forge stolen United States Treasury checks.
Jevon P. Crudup, Jr., 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Grey Kays to 57 months in prison without parole. The court also ordered Crudup to pay $88,020.33 to the victims of the scheme.
On May 20, 2025, Crudup pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents, Crudup schemed to defraud financial institutions by passing stolen United States Treasury checks that had been altered and forged. The defendant deposited the altered and forged Treasury checks at ATMs using the bank accounts of other persons he met online. These persons provided the defendant with their account information including debit cards and PIN numbers because they believed Crudup would help them make money.
Crudup would then use these individuals’ debit cards to withdraw funds from the account, or the defendant would require these individuals to make cash withdrawals and electronic funds transfers to him using various online payment systems.
In this manner, Crudup passed at least fifteen stolen and forged United States Treasury checks resulting in an intended loss of approximately $160,000.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Venneman. It was investigated by Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA).
Jury Finds Apollo Beach Man Guilty of Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – A federal jury has found Ludwin Borgen (49, Apollo Beach) guilty of distribution of fentanyl resulting in death. Borgen faces a minimum penalty of 20 years, up to life, in federal prison. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 16, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to evidence presented at trial, Borgen was a drug dealer in the Tampa Bay area who had supplied the victim with fentanyl on multiple instances in the past. In the late evening of March 28, 2022, the victim began reaching out to Borgen to arrange a purchase the next day. On March 29, 2022, the victim met Borgen at a pharmacy, where she purchased fentanyl from him. The victim returned to a residence where she had been staying with a friend. That evening, the victim injected herself with the fentanyl while soaking in the bathtub. Intoxicated by the fentanyl, she slid under the water and drowned. After noticing that the victim had been in the bathroom for a long time, her friend checked on her and found her body in the bathtub with her head submerged under the water and a syringe floating next to her.
Toxicology revealed that the victim had approximately ten times the therapeutic concentration of fentanyl in her system—a concentration consistent with overdose deaths. Detectives from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office who specialize in overdose deaths investigated and identified Borgen as the person who had sold the fentanyl to the victim. A detective used the victim’s phone to arrange another meeting with Borgen, who arrived intending to sell more fentanyl to the victim. After the investigation team arrested Borgen, they searched his vehicle and found fentanyl, baggies, syringes, and a scale.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Muriel Moore and Michael Sinacore.
Jamaican National Pleads Guilty to Illegally Voting in Presidential Primary ElectionRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Jacqueline Wallace, 53, a Jamaican national, pleaded guilty in federal court to voting by an alien. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Protecting the integrity of our elections not negotiable. Registering to vote and casting a ballot in our elections are actions that we must ensure are taken only by eligible U.S. citizens. My office will aggressively prosecute cases like this to preserve the security of our elections.”
Court documents reflect that the defendant – a Jamaican national who had not been naturalized as a United States citizen – requested a mail-in ballot in July 2024, which was mailed to her address. The defendant then completed her ballot and submitted it by U.S. mail. Wallace’s handwritten name and address appeared on the front of her ballot envelope, and her signature, personal information, and date appeared on the back. The defendant’s ballot was received on August 12, 2024, and her vote in the Presidential Primary election was registered and cast on August 20, 2024. At the time she submitted her ballot, the defendant knew she was not a United States citizen.
The case was investigated by U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Eric W. Welch is prosecuting the case.
Wallace’s sentencing is scheduled for June 11, 2026, at 11:00 am at the United States District Courthouse in Tallahassee before United States District Judge Mark Walker.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Jacksonville Woman Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
LITTLE ROCK—Jena Marie Osborn, a multi-convicted felon, who is currently serving a state prison sentence for possession of drug paraphernalia, will spend 240 months in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine after completion of the state sentence. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence, which was recently handed down on April 1, 2026, by United States District Judge James M. Moody, Jr.
On November 4, 2025, a one-count Information was filed charging Osborn, 46, of Jacksonville, with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Osborn pleaded guilty on November 4, 2025, to the count in the Information. Judge Moody also sentenced Osborn to five years’ supervised release. On July 14, 2025, Osborn was sentenced to 60 months in state prison and will begin her federal sentence at the completion of the state sentence. There is no parole in the federal system.
In May 2025, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) utilized a confidential source (CS) to infiltrate a large-scale methamphetamine distributor. An investigation revealed that an unknown female, later identified as Osborn, agreed to sell large quantities of methamphetamine to the CS. The DEA conducted controlled buys from Osborn on two separate occasions with Osborn selling the CS over a pound of methamphetamine each time.
On June 5, 2025, DEA planned another controlled buy of over a pound of methamphetamine from Osborn. Through ariel surveillance, agents observed Osborn leave the suspected stash house carrying a large bag of suspected narcotics and get into a vehicle she had previously been seen in during the investigation. A short time later, deputies from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Osborn’s vehicle. During the stop, a K9 was deployed who conducted a free air sniff on the vehicle. After the K9 alerted to the vehicle, deputies searched the vehicle and located several bags of suspected methamphetamine. The DEA lab confirmed the bags contained a total of 568.8 grams of methamphetamine.
Osborn has at least two prior convictions for serious drug offenses and is classified as a career offender and is therefore subject to an enhanced sentence. In addition to Osborn’s previous state conviction for possession of drug paraphernalia, Osborn has felony convictions for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture, possession of firearm by certain persons, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver, maintaining a drug premises, exposing a child to methamphetamine, exposing a child to a chemical substance, criminal attempt to manufacture methamphetamine, and fleeing.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA with assistance from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Reese Lancaster.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Illegal Alien from China Sentenced After Attempting to Check an Undeclared Firearm and Ammunition at Provo Airport in UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Xuemei Zhao, 54, of the People’s Republic of China, who was residing in the United States illegally, was sentenced today to time served (imprisonment approximately one year) after she tried to check a suitcase with an undeclared .357 Magnum revolver and ammunition, at the Provo Airport.
The sentence, imposed by U.S. District Court Judge Howard C. Nielson Jr., comes after Zhao pleaded guilty on April 29, 2025, to possession of a firearm by a restricted person (alien). Zhao will now be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and admissions made at Zhao’s change of plea and sentencing hearings, on March 20, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) discovered a black Rossi Braztech Int’l .357 Magnum revolver pistol in Zhao’s checked luggage. Prior to delivering the suitcase to American Airlines, Zhao did not disclose the presence of the firearm to TSA or American Airlines. In addition to the firearm, Zhao had 9 rounds of .357 ammunition in her carry-on luggage. Zhao was taken into custody and $10,900 in cash was found hidden in her luggage. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was contacted and confirmed that Zhao arrived on a tourist visa, had a pending asylum application, and was not a lawful permanent resident of the United States. Zhao’s sentence was enhanced under the United States Sentencing Guidelines because the Court found that Zhao possessed the firearm in connection with other illegal conduct, commercial sex work.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Provo Resident Agency. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Assistant United States Attorney Michael Kennedy of the District of Utah prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
Illegal Alien and Houston Area Co-defendant Sentenced in Del Rio for Deadly Alien Smuggling OperationRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – Jerry Lee Anderson, 29, of Spring, and Orlin Wilfredo Padilla-Murillo, 25, an illegal alien from Honduras, were sentenced to a total of over 29 years in federal prison this week for their roles in a smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of two illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, in October 2022, a multi-agency law enforcement investigation began following a failed smuggling event that resulted in a single vehicle crash and the deaths of a load driver and two illegal aliens, along with the serious injury of two additional illegal aliens. The four illegal aliens were confirmed to be from Mexico. Alien smuggling organization (ASO) member Michael Demond Kennedy was the front-seat passenger in the vehicle during the crash.
U.S. v Michael Desmond Kennedey et, al Case #2:22cr2324ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents out of Del Rio led the investigation and identified Padilla-Murillo and Anderson as co-conspirators. Phone numbers belonging to Padilla-Murillo and Anderson were found on the phones of several co-conspirators who participated in failed smuggling events. In one event, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and U.S. Border Patrol stopped a pickup truck pulling a trailer that concealed 11 illegal aliens on Aug. 20, 2022. On Aug. 25, 2022, USBP stopped and conducted an immigration inspection on a vehicle driven by Dewayne Ellis and Keandrea Dontazia Richards, discovering 10 illegal aliens inside a recreational vehicle near Brackettville. On Nov. 10, 2022, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper attempted to perform a traffic stop on a pickup truck pulling a horse trailer. The pickup nearly drove head-on into an 18-wheeler and led the DPS trooper on a two-minute pursuit on Texas Highway 277. Troopers observed eight illegal aliens in the horse trailer and identified the driver as Kenisha Keshell Washington.
Padilla-Murillo’s and Anderson’s phone numbers were used in numerous WhatsApp messages and CashApp transactions relating to these and other illegal alien smuggling events that occurred between April 1, 2022, and Jan. 30, 2023.
Padilla-Murillo and Anderson were arrested on Nov. 1, 2023. Padilla-Murrillo stated his sole job was to recruit load drivers to pick up illegal aliens at the border and that he was paid $3,500 per illegal alien transported from Eagle Pass to Houston, splitting the money with Anderson and the load driver. Over the course of the conspiracy, the ASO transported at least 100 illegal aliens, collected an average of $10,000 from each illegal alien to be smuggled, and realized a total net income of more than $1 million.
U.S. v Michael Desmond Kennedey et, al Case #2:22cr2324On Wednesday, Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses sentenced Anderson to 168 months in federal prison. Judge Moses sentenced Padilla-Murillo to 188 months in federal prison on Thursday. On Feb. 13, she sentenced Kennedy to 87 months in federal prison with credit for time served since March 28, 2023. Another co-defendant, Rashad Jermaine Joshua, is scheduled to be sentenced on April 7.
ICE HSI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Illegal Alien Sentenced to over 21 Years in Federal Prison for Narcotics TraffickingRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 262 months in prison for conspiracy to import methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, Pedro Alvarado-Montiel aka “Pelon,” 42, was investigated after he was identified as being a drug trafficking facilitator. Alvarado-Montiel, a confirmed member of the Mexican Mafia-affiliated Sureños gang, was stopped for a traffic violation by a Bastrop County Sheriff’s deputy on Sept. 20, 2023. Following a series of questions, the deputy searched the vehicle and discovered two clear, gallon-sized bags and one sandwich bag containing a black, sticky, tar-like substance. The substance was sent to a Drug Enforcement Administration lab, where it was determined to be approximately two kilograms of heroin.
U.S. v Alvarado-Montiel Case #2:23cr3121Later that day, DEA agents executed a search warrant on Alvarado-Montiel’s residence in Dale, where they discovered a large amount of black tar-like substance spread out across the center island in the kitchen and stuck to the countertop along with plastic wrappings. Agents also found two 9mm handguns, multiple magazines, ammunition and wire transfer receipts. In another DEA lab test, the substance found in the home was determined to be approximately 2.1 kgs of heroin.
Alvarado-Montiel was charged in a five-count indictment on Dec. 6, 2023. He was charged with conspiracy to import methamphetamine, importation of methamphetamine, conspiracy to import heroin, importation of heroin and possession of heroin with intent to distribute. On May 20, 2024, Alvarado-Montiel pleaded to one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine.
Co-defendant Horlando Depaz-Cruz, Jr. who was arrested on May 16, 2021, after being caught driving through the Del Rio Port of Entry with packages of methamphetamine and heroin inside a car battery, pleaded guilty to the same charge on July 31, 2023. He was sentenced on Feb. 5, 2025, to 120 months in federal prison and a $2,000 fine.
U.S. v Alvarado-Montiel Case #2:23cr3121The DEA and ICE Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Val Verde County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Hawaii Woman Sentenced to Federal Prison for Stealing Disaster Relief Funds Intended for Lahaina and Pacific Palisades Fire VictimsRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Chelsea Johnson, 32, of Honolulu, Hawaii, was sentenced yesterday to four months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release (the first four months to be served as home confinement), along with $60,458 in restitution to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), following her guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Her co-defendant, Daylyn Harris, who also pled guilty, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 4, 2026.
According to court records, Harris and Johnson conspired to defraud FEMA by submitting false disaster relief claims tied to the Lahaina and Pacific Palisades wildfires. They claimed lost income, housing, and property even though they did not live in the disaster area or suffer those losses.
Harris falsely claimed that he resided in Lahaina during the Lahaina wildfires and that he lost housing, income, suffered medical bills, and lost property as a result. Johnson assisted that fraud by posing as Harris’s Maui landlord. Johnson then falsely claimed to live in Pacific Palisades, California during the Pacific Palisades wildfires and falsely claimed she lost housing and incurred other expenses as a result. Together, Harris and Johnson received over $60,000 in disaster relief from FEMA intended for victims of the wildfires.
The Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael F. Albanese prosecuted the case.
Goose Creek Man Sentenced in N. Charleston Public Corruption SchemeRead the Press Release
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Hason Tatorian “Tory” Fields, 52, of Goose Creek, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds and honest services wire fraud, bribery with respect to programs receiving federal funds, and honest services wire fraud.
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that Fields conspired with others to pay bribes to Sandino Moses. At the time, Moses was serving as a member of the City of North Charleston’s City Council representing District 7. Fields paid Moses two bribes as part of an effort to secure his support for the rezoning of the Baker Hospital site. The application for rezoning was pending before City Council when Fields first approached Moses.
United States District Judge Richard M. Gergel sentenced Fields to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system.
Fields is the first defendant to be sentenced of the eight charged in a North Charleston public corruption scheme. Six others are awaiting sentencing. Rose Lorenzo is scheduled for jury selection in July.
This case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whit Sowards and Emily Limehouse prosecuted the case.###
Georgia Man Sentenced to Prison for Interstate Threats to Kill a Law Enforcement OfficerRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Stephane Brice (23, Georgia) has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Thomas P. Barber to 27 months in federal prison for interstate transmission of threats to assault and kill a federal law enforcement officer. Brice pleaded guilty on January 6, 2026. United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to court documents, on March 18, 2025, Brice called the IRS to complain about a tax refund issue. During the call, Brice grew frustrated and threatened to go to the IRS office and kill and behead IRS employees. The following day, a federal law enforcement officer called Brice as part of an investigation into his threats. During this call, Brice began shouting profanity-laced threats to behead the federal law enforcement officer and to burn down his house with his children inside.
This case was investigated by Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) and the Internal Revenue Service. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Joseph Wheeler III and Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Milliron.
Fort Wainwright Soldier sentenced to 32 years in sadistic child pornography caseRead the Press Release
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – A Fort Wainwright soldier was sentenced today to 32 years in prison for possessing thousands of images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and for producing CSAM.
According to court documents, on Sept. 11, 2024, the Fort Eustis Resident Unit of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division (Army CID) received a National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) cybertip reporting that five images of alleged CSAM were uploaded to the online platform, Discord. Fort Eustis Army CID reviewed the images and determined they depicted CSAM of prepubescent female children.
A subsequent investigation resulted in law enforcement executing search warrants in October 2024 for the residence of David Andres Mayoral, 21, his electronic devices and his Discord account.
A review and forensic examination of Mayoral’s account and electronic devices revealed over 2,500 images and over 680 videos of CSAM, and an additional 1,000 computer generated/artificial intelligence images depicting CSAM. Some images depicted the violent rape of children.
Court documents detail conversations Mayoral had with numerous adults and minors across several social media platforms where he discussed distribution and receipt of CSAM, rape, descriptions of sexual acts, violence and other sadistic behavior, including encouraging self-mutilation and attempting to obtain location information for victims so he could “kidnap” them. Mayoral also admitted to sexually abusing a nine-year-old victim.
Mayoral was arrested on Fort Wainwright on March 13, 2025, and a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography on March 20, 2025. Mayoral pleaded guilty to all four charges on Aug. 15, 2025.
Mayoral is required to spend the rest of his life on supervised release following completion of his custodial sentence. In handing down the sentence, the Court emphasized the need to protect children from the defendant’s unrelenting abuse.
“Mr. Mayoral hid behind the perceived anonymity of the internet and exploited children for his own sick desires,” said U.S. Attorney Michael J. Heyman for the District of Alaska. “He was unable to hide from the dedicated law enforcement that ultimately uncovered his perversions. He will now spend over three decades behind bars.”
“Mayoral’s predatory crimes against children, both online and offline, were depraved and an affront to our society,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Brandon Waddle of the FBI Anchorage Field Office. “Protecting our children is one of the highest callings in law enforcement. I commend the outstanding work by members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force in their commitment to holding child predators accountable and seeking justice for victims.”
“Mayoral betrayed the Army’s core values by preying upon and exploiting our most precious and vulnerable,” said Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Western Field Office. “This sentencing is a result of Army CID’s relentless commitment to protecting our communities from child predators.”
FBI Anchorage Field Office and Army CID investigated the case as part of the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Carly Vosacek prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit Justice.gov/PSC.
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Former USDA Official Pleads Guilty to Receiving an Illegal GratuityRead the Press Release
HONOLULU – United States Attorney Ken Sorenson announced that Jason Shitanishi, 60, of Honolulu, Hawaii pled guilty in federal court today to receiving an illegal gratuity as a public official. Sentencing is set for July 17, 2026, before Senior U.S. District Judge Helen Gillmor.
According to information presented to the court, on or about April 17, 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiated the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) to provide direct payments to farmers, ranchers, and consumers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was administered by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) and provided payments to producers of certain commodities that experienced COVID-19 related losses. The FSA required an applicant for CFAP assistance to complete and submit an application form. The public official responsible for reviewing and approving a CFAP application for each county was the FSA County Executive Director.
In 2020 and 2021, Shitanishi was employed by the FSA as a County Executive Director for the City and County of Honolulu. On or about April 12, 2021, a woman submitted a CFAP application to Shitanishi that falsely claimed she operated a farm with $685,500 in commodity sales in 2019. The woman also claimed the farm was in the County of Maui, which was the responsibility of another County Executive Director, who was located on Maui and familiar with the farms there. The woman asked Shitanishi if he would accept her application, rather than require her to submit her application to the Maui County Executive Director. Shitanishi obtained the necessary approvals from the FSA to consider the woman’s CFAP application and then approved it. As a result of the false representation on the woman’s CFAP application, the FSA issued the woman a payment of $65,745, to which she was not entitled.
On or about April 18, 2021, the woman then gave Shitanishi a check for $5,000, which Shitanishi understood was for accepting responsibility for the woman’s CFAP application for her Maui farm. Shitanishi later deposited the check into his own personal bank account.
“Our public officials are entrusted to execute their duties honestly and with integrity. In breaching that trust, Shitanishi not only violated the law, but he betrayed the community he was charged with serving,” said U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson. “We will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who breach the public trust.”
If convicted, Shitanishi faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not more than one year.
The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregg Paris Yates is prosecuting the case.
Former Texas High School Coach to Spend 30 Years in Federal Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
DEL RIO, Texas – Kenneth Wayne Mulkey, a former high school teacher and coach in Sabinal, was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 30 years in prison for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.
According to court documents, on Oct. 11, 2024, Mulkey, 44, used the social media application Snapchat to ask another user for their age, sex and location. After the user identified themselves as a 14-year-old boy living in Orlando, Florida, Mulkey stated that he was a 40-year-old football and track coach. Mulkey then requested a sexually explicit photo of the minor. According to the geolocation information contained within Mulkey’s cell phone, Mulkey was within 40 meters of Sabinal High School at the time he sent these initial messages. The following day, Mulkey sent a sexually graphic photo of himself to the user. Mulkey asked questions and volunteered information to the minor that was sexually explicit in nature.
Mulkey was arrested Jan. 31, 2025, and indicted Feb. 19, 2025. He pleaded guilty on Aug. 11, 2025, to one of the two counts.
“As parents and community members, we place an incredible amount of trust in the educators, administrators and coaches that our children interact with on a regular, sometimes daily, basis,” said U.S. Attorney Simmons. “I applaud our law enforcement partners who investigated this matter and ensured a child predator who had infiltrated our education system remains in federal prison for the next three decades.”
ICE Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case with assistance from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in Orlando and the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Office.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nallely Duarte 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.
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Florida Man Pleads Guilty in Health Care Fraud and Kickback Scheme Involving “Foot Baths”Read the Press Release
HARRISBURG - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Frank Suess (a.k.a., Franz P. Suess), age 79, of Wellington, Florida, pleaded guilty before Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to violate the anti-kickback statute. Suess also agreed to forfeit a commercial property in Wellington, Florida that he used to carry out his offenses.
Four individuals who were charged along with Suess are still pending trial: Luis Salgado, age 51, of Naperville, Illinois and Davenport, Florida; Melissa Driscoll, age 44, of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania; Victor Velazco, age 36, of Loxahatchee, Florida; Dave Singh, age 38, of Pembroke Pines, Florida. Two defendants who were also charged along with Suess previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing: Warren Pizik, age 69, of Davie, Florida and Diana Castro, age 54, of Brooklyn, New York.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, Suess admitted that between 2019 and 2020, he and his codefendants conspired to commit health care fraud through an arrangement designed to bill individuals’ health insurances for medically unnecessary prescription drug combinations known as “foot baths.” Foot baths were purported to be an antibiotic and antifungal “foot soak” treatment that patients were supposed to mix together and dissolve in a warm water solution, using a plastic foot tub. The combinations of prescription drugs contained in foot baths varied over time, but they generally included high-cost drugs that were not intended for or approved for use in a foot bath, including vancomycin capsules, tobramycin vials, calcipotriene cream, moxifloxacin eye drops, clindamycin phosphate solution, and ketoconazole cream.
Suess also admitted that he and certain codefendants acquired control of pharmacies in a way that allowed Suess to conceal his involvement in their business affairs. One such pharmacy was Sterling Pharmacy, which was located in Jermyn, Pennsylvania. Suess, using a company that he controlled called Medivalue Florida LLC, financed the purchase and initial operating expenses for Sterling Pharmacy through a loan to Melissa Driscoll around March 2018. In a similar manner, Suess financed the purchase of DCE Pharmacy, located in Texas, and Motto Pharmacy, located in Florida.
Once they got control of pharmacies, Suess and other defendants used those pharmacies to generate profits by steering high-cost prescription drug mail orders, including foot baths, to those pharmacies. Pharmacies were selected to fulfill prescription drug orders based on which insurance plans they could bill through and for the amounts they could bill for such drugs. When the pharmacies were investigated for those dispensing practices, Suess and his codefendants used various tactics to continue concealing Suess’s involvement. In addition, Suess and others acquired control of various pharmacies so that they could continue generating profit from prescription drug mail orders even if one pharmacy was suspended or terminated by a pharmacy benefit manager because of its business practices.
Suess admitted that the scheme to bill for fraudulent foot bath orders involved getting prechecked, templated order forms through “health fairs” in the New York area organized by certain codefendants and their associates. Each of these forms was for large quantities of certain expensive prescription drugs. The forms were prechecked to permit multiple refills without any further patient evaluation or involvement of a medical provider. Suess admitted that he and his codefendants made no effort prior to fulfilling these orders to confirm that any individual recipient wanted or agreed to receive such foot bath drugs.
Suess also admitted that he and his codefendants knowingly ignored complaints from individuals who received foot baths. These complaints included not wanting foot baths, not having ever seen a foot doctor, having their insurance “charged a lot of money,” being “freaked out” because there were no instructions regarding what to do with the medications, and being “scared of the box” of foot baths because it contained “such a huge amount of meds.” Suess admitted that he and his codefendants stopped billing for foot baths through Sterling Pharmacy only because insurance companies stopped processing the pharmacy’s orders. In addition, Suess admitted that he and other defendants continued to attempt to bill for similar prescription drug orders in 2021 even though insurance companies repeatedly communicated to them that such orders were being rejected.
Suess also admitted that he conspired with certain codefendants to violate the federal Anti-Kickback Statute by agreeing to pay, and actually paying, kickbacks to certain defendants for providing completed orders for foot baths using the templated order forms described above. Suess admitted that he and others caused these payments to be made knowing that the prescription drug orders that formed the basis for these kickback payments were not legitimate. Suess further admitted that he and other defendants made additional payments to third-party marketers to generate pharmacy orders for prescription drug products and medical equipment, including pain creams, skin products, and diabetic support products.
Finally, Suess admitted that he and other codefendants obstructed the government’s investigation into Sterling Pharmacy by coming up with a document that misrepresented Sterling Pharmacy’s compliance with the Anti-Kickback Statute and contained other false information. Suess admitted that this effort was purposefully calculated to thwart an investigation into the health care fraud and kickback scheme. The document, which was called a “marketing services agreement,” made it appear falsely that Sterling Pharmacy was paying MedX Marketing Solutions—a company belonging to Suess’s codefendant, Luis Salgado—on an hourly basis for legitimate marketing services, when in reality Sterling Pharmacy paid MedX illegal kickbacks for the referral of signed foot-bath order forms for individual beneficiaries.
Suess admitted that the health care fraud conspiracy generated over $700 thousand in profits through fraudulent foot bath orders from a private health insurance fund. Additional payments for foot baths were also generated from Medicare and prescription drug plans sponsored by Medicare. Suess agreed to pay restitution for fraudulent foot bath orders generated by the pharmacies named in the charges against him, including Sterling Pharmacy, DCE Pharmacy, and Motto Pharmacy.
Suess also admitted that he used a commercial property located in Wellington, Florida to facilitate his offenses and agreed, as part of his plea agreement, to forfeit that property to the United States. The property is currently estimated to be worth approximately $4 million.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ravi Romel Sharma and Sarah Lloyd are prosecuting the case.
The maximum penalty under federal law for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine, for each offense. A sentence following the finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
Indictments are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
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Final week of March sees record number of cases with 511 charged in one week for immigration and related crimesRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – Another 508 cases have been filed as a result of efforts along the South Texas border in support of Operation Take Back America from March 27-April 2, the most in Southern District since initiative’s implementation, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
A total of 31 people are charged with human smuggling crimes. Another 200 criminal complaints were filed for illegal entry, while 274 people face charges of felony reentry after prior removal. Most of those individuals have prior felony convictions, including narcotics, violent crime, immigration offenses and more. The remaining cases involve firearms charges and other immigration crimes.
Among those charged with felony reentry include two men with prior convictions to include possession of cocaine, discharging a firearm, assault causing bodily injury, unlawful carrying of a weapon or driving while intoxicated, according to the allegations. Roberto Efrain Portillo-Funes and Jani Manuel Pereda-Figueredo had been removed Nov. 7 and Nov. 28, 2025, according to their respective charges. However, authorities allegedly discovered them in the McAllen area without authorization to be in the United States.
Another illegal alien facing charges this week is Mexican national Jose Garza Lopez, whom law enforcement allegedly discovered unlawfully in the country near Bonito. According to court documents, he was previously removed June 15, 2023. The complaint alleges he has prior convictions for transportation or harboring of aliens, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two convictions for possession with intent to distribute.
Additional charges allege two previous felons had also illegally reentered the country. Mexican nationals Fernando Perales-Hernandez and Luis Miguel Zagaon-Melchor had both been previously removed Jan. 23, 2015, and April 14, 2017, according to their respective complaints. Perales-Hernandez allegedly has a previous conviction for manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, while Zagaon-Melchor has a previous conviction for transporting or harboring aliens, according to his complaint.
If convicted, all five men face up to 20 years in federal prison.
In addition to the new cases, a San Juan resident received a 33-month term in federal prison for transporting illegal aliens. Mario Trevino drove a tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita and claimed it was empty, but authorities discovered six illegal aliens concealed in the sleeper area. Some were hidden underneath a blanket, while others hid in a cabinet. They reported illegally entering the United States and being transported through multiple locations in the Rio Grande Valley before being directed to enter the tractor-trailer. They further stated Trevino instructed them to remain hidden and not move.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, ICE - Enforcement and Removal Operations, Border Patrol, Drug Enforcement Administration, FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with additional assistance from state and local law enforcement partners.
The 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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Under current leadership, public safety and a secure border are the top priorities for this district. Enhanced enforcement both at the border and in the interior of the district have yielded aliens engaged in unlawful activity or with serious criminal histories, including convictions for human trafficking, sexual assault and violence against children.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas remains one of the busiest in the nation. It represents 43 counties and more than nine million people covering 44,000 square miles. Assistant U.S. Attorneys from all seven divisions including Houston, Galveston, Victoria, Corpus Christi, Brownsville, McAllen and Laredo work directly with our law enforcement partners on the federal, state and local levels to prosecute the suspected offenders of these and other federal crimes.
An indictment or criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.
Federal forfeiture action recovers more than $800,000 from banking scammersRead the Press Release
civil_complaint.pdf default_judgment.pdfSAVANNAH, GA: Federal investigators and attorneys halted a fraud scheme targeting individuals’ bank accounts and recovered more than $800,000 on behalf of victims in the case.
Southern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney Margaret E. “Meg” Heap announced the forfeiture on behalf of the United States $834,592 from facilitators of a wide-ranging bank fraud scheme involving more than 1,100 financial institutions.
“The Asset Forfeiture Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, in coordination with the FBI, worked diligently to locate and forfeit these funds,” said U.S. Attorney Heap. “Our office remains committed to recovering fraud proceeds and mitigating the damage these criminal organizations inflict on Georgia communities.”
As described in the civil complaint and court order, in late 2023, scammers sought out individual bank account owners across the country to launder the proceeds of illicit activity. The FBI was able to track more than $3 million in fraud proceeds laundered through the fraud scheme, much of which has already been returned to the victims through the efforts of several banks.
As an example, fraudsters informed an unwitting person in south Georgia that they sold insurance policies identified as theft protection plans provided via Lifelock, a nationally branded identity theft and recovery service. Fraudsters used the person’s bank account to receive payments, falsely stating the money was legally earned when, in fact, the fraudsters were drawing remotely created checks (RCCs) from victims’ bank accounts.
The FBI was able to quickly investigate the case and seize the money before the fraud ring could collect on their criminal efforts.
“Fraudsters rely on speed, deception, and the misuse of legitimate financial systems to steal from innocent people,” said Matthew J. Ploskunak, Senior Supervisory Special Agent of FBI Georgia’s Augusta Office. “In this case, the FBI moved faster. By identifying the scheme and seizing the funds before they could be dispersed, we were able to significantly disrupt this criminal operation and protect victims. Anyone considering participating in these schemes should know the FBI will find you and work to recover every possible dollar.”
This case was investigated by the FBI. The United States was represented by Southern District of Georgia Senior Litigation Counsel J. Bishop Ravenel.
The proceeds of forfeited assets are deposited in the Justice Department’s Assets Forfeiture Fund (AFF) and used to restore funds to crime victims and for a variety of other law enforcement purposes. To learn more about the AFF, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/afp/assets-forfeiture-fund-aff.
Executive of Indian Chemical Company Pleads Guilty to Distributing and Smuggling Fentanyl Precursor ChemicalsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Bhavesh Lathiya pleaded guilty today to distributing and smuggling fentanyl precursor chemicals to the United States. Lathiya was the leader and founder of Raxuter Chemicals, a company based in Surat, India, that illegally sold and smuggled more than 50 pounds of chemicals commonly used to manufacture fentanyl. This guilty plea marks the first felony conviction of an India-based supplier of fentanyl precursor chemicals. Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen. When sentenced, Lathiya faces up to 40 years’ imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York), announced the guilty plea.
“The defendant admitted supplying the essential ingredients to make fentanyl, knowing just what they would be used for,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office is committed to targeting every link in the fentanyl supply chain. We will continue to vigorously prosecute these purveyors of poison, both here and abroad, who are responsible for fueling our nation’s opioid epidemic without any regard for the extreme harm they are causing. The Administration, mindful that fentanyl is the leading cause of death for American ages 18 to 45, has prioritized protecting our communities from this lethal scourge.”
Mr. Nocella thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs for its assistance.
“Fentanyl has devastated countless families and communities across our country. Homeland Security Investigations is using every available resource to dismantle the drug trafficking networks that smuggle this poison into our country. Today’s landmark plea demonstrates HSI’s unwavering commitment to identifying, disrupting, and dismantling the fentanyl supply chain at every level, both at home and abroad. HSI and its partners will continue to pursue those responsible and will hold the individuals and organizations driving this crisis accountable,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.
Fentanyl is the deadliest drug threat currently facing the United States. It is a highly addictive synthetic opioid that is approximately 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. Fentanyl is designated as a Schedule II controlled substance and various precursor chemicals that are used to produce fentanyl are included on the schedule’s List I and List II.
As set forth in court filings, Lathiya supplied precursor chemicals to the United States and Mexico, among other places, despite knowing they would be used to manufacture fentanyl. Lathiya and his company also sent their chemical products to the United States and Mexico using international mail and package carriers. The chemicals distributed by the defendant included all the materials necessary to manufacture fentanyl via the most common pathways. To prevent detection and interception of chemical products at the borders, the defendant employed deceptive and fraudulent practices, such as mislabeling packages and falsifying customs forms.
For example, on or about June 29, 2024, a package shipped by Raxuter Chemicals was delivered to an address in the Eastern District of New York. The package had a false manifest that listed its contents as Vitamin C. In truth, the contents were a List I chemical, 1-boc-4-piperidone, an unlawfully imported fentanyl precursor.
On October 2, 2024 and October 15, 2024, Lathiya appeared on a video call to discuss sale of fentanyl precursor chemicals with an HSI undercover officer. After being told by the undercover officer that his “clients in Mexico were very happy with the quality of what you sent me” and with “the yield they got of the final product,” Lathiya agreed to sell 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone, which is a List I chemical used in fentanyl synthesis. Lathiya also proposed mislabeling the chemical as an antacid. The undercover officer replied and asked if it would be easier to ship the product to Mexico, stating “This is a very controversial product … Because like you said it’s banned and in Mexico I think it could be easier but there’s so much pressure on them because of fentanyl.” On or about November 23, 2024, Raxuter Chemicals and Lathiya shipped approximately 20 kilograms of 1-boc-4-piperidone to the Eastern District of New York. The package was mislabeled as an antacid.
Mexican drug trafficking organizations, including but not limited to the Sinaloa Cartel, have increasingly availed themselves of the fentanyl precursors developed and distributed by companies like the one owned by the defendant, including in India and China. This guilty plea follows the Office’s pathbreaking indictments of three Chinese chemical companies and three employees in United States v. Anhui Rencheng Technology Co. (Rencheng) Ltd et al and United States v. Hefei GSK Trade Co. Ltd, et al, charging them with similar offenses, including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, conspiracy to distribute a List I chemical, distribution of a List I chemical, and customs fraud conspiracy.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF New York comprises agents and officers from HSI; the FBI; DEA; the New York City Police Department; IRS Criminal Investigation; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Secret Service; with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York leading this prosecution.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s International Narcotics and Money Laundering Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Adam Amir, William P. Campos, Chand Edwards-Balfour, and Katherine P. Onyshko are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Cleon Thomas and Zoubida Bicane.
The Defendant:
BHAVESH ranCHHODBHAI LATHIYA (also known as “Bhavesh Patel,” “Bhavesh Bhai” and “Bhavesh Lathia”)
Age: 37
Surat, Gujarat, IndiaE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-525 (S-2) (PKC)
Durant Resident Sentenced for Felony AssaultRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Derek Michael James, age 41, of Durant, Oklahoma, was sentenced to 46 months in prison for one count of Assault with a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to do Bodily Harm in Indian Country.
The charge arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Choctaw Nation Lighthorse Police Department.
On July 9, 2025, James pleaded guilty to the charge. According to investigators, on January 27, 2025, James assaulted the victim with a dangerous weapon, intending to do bodily harm.
The crime occurred in Bryan County, within the boundaries of the Choctaw Nation Reservation, in the Eastern District of Oklahoma.
The Honorable Ronald A. White, Senior Judge in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma, presided over the hearing. James will remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve a non-paroleable sentence of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan E. Soverly represented the United States.
Drug trafficking leader gets 20 years in Homeland Security Task Force effortRead the Press Release
HOUSTON – A 33-year-old Houston man has been sentenced for his role in the distribution of multiple narcotics, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Cyrus Boujabadi pleaded guilty June 6, 2025, to possessing MDMA with the intent to distribute it and for engaging in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property.
U.S. District Ewing Werlein Jr. has now ordered Boujabadi to serve a total of 240 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also imposed a $5,000 fine. In handing down the sentence, the court heard additional evidence detailing Boujabadi’s leadership role in the scheme. The court found he acted as an organizer and took steps to insulate himself from law enforcement by using couriers. He had also used his residence to distribute drugs, engaged in drug trafficking as a pattern of criminal livelihood and possessed a firearm in connection with his drug trafficking enterprise.
From January 2019 to approximately July 2023, Boujabadi conspired with others to distribute MDMA, meth, cocaine, marijuana, psilocybin and DMT. As part of the conspiracy, he coordinated drug transactions using a messaging application, directed others to deliver controlled substances and accepted payment in cash and electronic transfers.
Law enforcement executed a search warrant at Boujabadi’s residence and seized meth, MDMA tablets, Xanax, marijuana, DMT, THC oils and edibles and psilocybin mushrooms. They also found drug trafficking equipment, cash and cryptocurrency. Further investigation revealed the funds and digital assets were proceeds of drug trafficking.
Boujabadi deposited the drug proceeds into accounts he controlled to enrich himself, including purchasing multiple properties in Tennessee, which have now been forfeited.
To date, five others have been convicted and sentenced in connection with the conspiracy.
Boujabadi will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
This operation is now part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of U.S. law enforcement towards identifying, investigating and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes these organizations commit, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Houston comprises agents and officers from Drug Enforcement Administration; Texas Department of Public Safety; Houston Police Department; Harris County Sherriff's Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation/IRS and Katy Police Department with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas leading the prosecution.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Anibal J. Alaniz prosecuted the case. AUSAs Tyler Foster and Elizabeth Wyman handled the forfeiture matters.
District of Arizona Charges 226 Individuals for Immigration-Related Criminal Conduct this WeekRead the Press Release
PHOENIX, Ariz. – During the week of enforcement operations from March 28 through April 3, 2026, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona brought immigration-related criminal charges against 226 individuals. Specifically, the United States filed 117 cases in which aliens illegally re-entered the United States, and the United States also charged 95 aliens for illegally entering the United States. In its ongoing effort to deter unlawful immigration, the United States filed 14 cases against 14 individuals responsible for smuggling illegal aliens into and within the District of Arizona.
These cases were referred or supported by federal law enforcement partners, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE-ERO), ICE Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI), U.S. Border Patrol, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS), and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Recent matters of interest include:
United States v. Porfirio Astorga-Rivera. Astorga-Rivera was charged by criminal complaint on April 1, 2026, with Bringing an Alien to the United States Unlawfully for Profit. On March 31, Border Patrol agents were alerted to the presence of a potential group of illegal aliens near Tule Road in Wellton, Arizona. The agents apprehended three individuals, including Astorga- Rivera, attempting to conceal themselves and wearing camouflage clothing and carpet shoes. Agents learned that Astorga-Rivera led the group through an opening in the border wall and that he would receive $1,000 per illegal alien he led into the country. Astorga-Rivera and the two other individuals are citizens of Mexico, unlawfully present in the United States. [Case Number: 26-MJ-1255]
United States v. Idefonso Beltran-Aispuro. Beltran-Aispuro was charged by criminal complaint on April 1, 2026, with Bringing an Alien to the United States Unlawfully for Profit. On March 30, a Border Patrol agent discovered a group of five individuals wearing camouflage clothing and carrying camouflage backpacks between the Cabeza Prieta Mountains and Copper Mountains in Wellton, Arizona. Border Patrol agents apprehended four of the individuals in brush and later located Beltran-Aispuro hiding in a tree. Agents learned that Beltran-Aispuro guided the group of four into the United States and that he was promised $1,000 per individual he led into the country. [Case Number 26-MJ-1248]
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).
A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-057_April 3, 2026 Immigration Enforcement
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Defendant Who Conspired to Traffick Methamphetamine in Northeast Arkansas Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
JONESBORO—Amie Dawn Eggers of Jonesboro will spend the next 132 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jonathan D. Ross, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced the sentence which was handed today by United States District Court Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.
On April 4, 2024, a federal grand jury indicted Eggers, 41, along with eight others. On September 29, 2025, Eggers pleaded guilty to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine actual and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began an investigation to combat a significant drug distribution organization operating in the Northeast Arkansas area. As a result of the investigation, agents seized 45 pounds of methamphetamine, 10 pounds of marijuana, one pound of cocaine, six firearms, various ammunition, and $125,000 in drug proceeds. During arrest operations on April 16, 2024, agents recovered additional methamphetamine, three firearms (one of which was defaced), ammunition, and approximately an additional $28,000 in suspected drug proceeds
During the investigation, agents learned that Eggers was a member of a criminal organization that was distributing methamphetamine throughout the Northeast Arkansas area. Through the investigation, agents learned that Eggers travelled to Houston, Texas, in December 2022, to purchase large quantities of methamphetamine from the organization’s leader, Cesar Cortez-Rocha. Agents conducted surveillance on Eggers and observed her traveling back to Arkansas on December 29, 2022. Agents conducted a traffic stop in Malvern, Arkansas, and after waiving her Miranda rights, Eggers admitted to possessing methamphetamine and marijuana in the vehicle. The DEA Southeast Laboratory confirmed it was methamphetamine, and the total weight was 921.5 grams.
Eggers’s criminal history includes a federal conviction in the Western District of Arkansas on August 6, 2024, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and received a 156-month sentence of imprisonment and three years’ supervised release. Eggers also has state felony convictions for possession of drug paraphernalia, breaking or entering, possession of methamphetamine, possession of Xanax with purpose to deliver, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and misdemeanor convictions for possession of clonazepam without a prescription, driving while intoxicated, third-degree assault, theft of property, and fraudulent use of a credit or debit card.
On October 6, 2025, Cortez-Rocha was sentenced to a total of 405 months’ imprisonment in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Judge Rudofsky also sentenced Cortez-Rocha to a total of five year’s supervised release.
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 Little Rock Field Office comprises agents and officers from Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force, Jonesboro Police Department, Craighead County Sheriff’s Office, Crittenden County Sheriff’s Office, Arkansas State Police, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, Poinsett County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.
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Additional information about the office of the
United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at
https://www.justice.gov/edar
X (formerly known as Twitter):
@USAO_EDAR
Crips Gang Member Pleads Guilty to March 2021 Bronx MurderRead the Press Release
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that ALIEU JARJOU, a/k/a “Scally,” a/k/a “Lu Scally,” pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Edgardo Ramos to his criminal activities as a member of the “Rollin 20s” set of the Crips, including the March 2021 murder of Jadon Robinson.
“On March 9, 2021, Alieu Jarjou shot and killed 30-year-old Jadon Robinson on a busy Bronx street in the middle of the day,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “Jarjou committed this brutal murder to enhance his status within the Rollin 20s Crips, a violent street gang that has terrorized our communities through senseless violence and drug trafficking. There is stark reality that we need to face: for gangs like the Crips, murder is a part of business, and for gang members, murder is a status symbol. Those who tolerate, or worse, celebrate gang culture could not be more out of touch. New York families want gangs dismantled and their murderous members off the streets. The women and men of our Office are committed to relentlessly pursuing all gangs that threaten the safety of New Yorkers.”
As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and public court proceedings:
From at least January 2021 through at least January 2022, JARJOU was a member of the Rollin 20s Crips, which is based in the Bronx, New York. In order to fund the gang, protect its territory, and promote its standing, members of the Rollin 20s Crips engaged in, among other things, murders, assaults, threats of violence, and narcotics trafficking. In connection with his membership in the Rollin 20s Crips, JARJOU, together with other members of the gang, sold drugs, including oxycodone and marijuana.
On March 9, 2021, JARJOU shot and killed Jadon Robinson in the vicinity of 1268 Morrison Avenue in the Bronx. After learning that Robinson was suspected of assaulting a member of the Rollin 20s Crips, JARJOU murdered Robinson to retaliate for the suspected assault. Robinson was 30 years old.
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JARJOU, 31, of the Bronx, New York, pled guilty to one count of racketeering conspiracy, during which he committed murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; and one count of using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of, a crime of violence, which firearm was brandished and discharged, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. JARJOU is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Ramos on August 18, 2026.
The minimum and maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the NYPD.
The case is being handled by the Office’s Violent Organizations and Crime Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christy Slavik and Jim Ligtenberg are in charge of the prosecution.
Clarkston Woman Sentenced to 5 Years in Prison for Role in Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
Spokane, Washington – First Assistant United States Attorney Pete Serrano announced on March 31, 2026, that Shannon Louise Grove, age 53, was sentenced on fentanyl distribution charges which resulted in an overdose death. United States District Judge Rebecca L. Pennell sentenced Grove to 5 years in federal prison, to be followed by 6 years of supervised release.
Based on court documents and arguments presented through the pendency of the case, Grove was a longtime drug distributor in the Lewiston, Idaho and Clarkston, Washington area. She had previously been convicted in 2015 in Asotin County, Washington of Possession of Methamphetamine with the Intent to Deliver, as well as a conviction in Nez Perce County, Idaho of Possession of Methamphetamine. In October 2024, Grove distributed fentanyl to a Lewiston man, which ultimately resulted in his death. Phone records and other data confirmed Grove’s involvement in the distribution. Based on that conduct, Grove was indicted by a Grand Jury on June 4, 2025. She pled guilty on December 30, 2025.
“Fighting the scourge of fentanyl is a priority for the Department of Justice and for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington,” stated Serrano. “This case embodies the devastating impact illicit fentanyl has on individuals, families, and communities. Our deepest sympathies are with the victim and his family, as well as with all others who have lost loved ones due to fentanyl or other controlled substances. We commend the work of our law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to prevent the introduction of these substances into this district.”
“For years, the defendant helped fuel the addiction crisis, and sadly, that cycle ended in tragedy,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the Salt Lake City FBI. “The FBI and our partners will hold accountable those who profit from addictions and cause harm in our communities.”
This case was investigated by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office, Lewiston Resident Agency; Lewiston Police Department; and the Quad Cities Drug Task Force. The Quad Cities Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdiction task force involving numerous law enforcement agencies including the Lewiston Idaho Police Department, Clarkston Washington Police Department, and the Whitman County Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca R. Perez.
Chicago Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Producing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison for sexually abusing two children and recording it.
DENIKOS HAWKINS induced two children to engage in sexual acts with him in 2023. Hawkins recorded the acts and sent the sexually explicit videos to other minors, offering to pay them if they created the same type of videos. When one of the victims stopped responding to Hawkins on Instagram, he threatened to send the videos of her to her school and to “everyone” she knew.
Hawkins, 36, of Chicago, pleaded guilty last year to federal charges of production of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang imposed the 24-year prison sentence during a hearing in federal court in Chicago on March 19, 2026.
The sentence was announced by Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Carlos Manuel Cotto-Cruz sentenced to fifteen years in prison for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana and heroinRead the Press Release
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – On March 26, 2026, U.S. District Court Judge Aida Delgado-Colón sentenced Carlos Manuel Cotto-Cruz to 188 months (fifteen years and eight months) in prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute cocaine, crack cocaine, fentanyl, marijuana, and heroin in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Following a five-day jury trial that concluded on March 14, 2025, the defendant was found guilty. At trial, the United States presented numerous witnesses to establish the defendant’s participation in the charged drug trafficking activities.
After a 6-month manhunt, on May 7th, 2021, the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPB) apprehended Carlos M. Cotto-Cruz in el Gato Ward in Orocovis, PR. He had been hiding there since February 2021. During the execution of the arrest, agents found distribution amounts of narcotics, including heroin, cocaine, crack, fentanyl, prescription pills, and marihuana. Along with those drugs, officers also found tools of the drug trade, including 2 vacuum sealing machines, a cash counting machine, baggies of different sizes, thousands of vials and caps, and wrapping foil.
The sentence imposed by Judge Delgado-Colon is to run consecutively to any sentence imposed at the local level, as the defendant currently has pending murder charges in local court.
The Court also imposed a consecutive term of 24 months of imprisonment in connection with a revocation from a prior federal drug and firearms case from 2015, as defendant committed the new offense while on federal supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Assistant United States Attorneys Corinne Cordero, Joseph Russell, and Jeanette Collazo, Chief of the Violent Crime Division, prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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Candler Man Sentenced to 10+ Years in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse Material Using Peer-To-Peer NetworkRead the Press Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – A Candler, N.C., man was sentenced to prison yesterday for distributing thousands of files containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) via a peer-to-peer network, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Jake Ben Paul Lohr, 48, was sentenced to 126 months in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Upon release from custody, Lohr will be required to register with the Sex Offender Registry Board in any state or jurisdiction where he works or resides.
“Each time an image depicting the sexual abuse of a child is shared, that child is revictimized all over again,” said U.S. Attorney Ferguson. “For those who continue to distribute thousands of files like Lohr, we have no choice but to remove them from the community to stop them from causing further harm to victims who have already suffered too much.”
According to filed court documents and court proceedings, detectives were conducting an online investigation on the BitTorrent peer-to-peer network for offenders sharing CSAM. Peer-to-peer, or P2P, is a type of decentralized network where computers can connect directly and share files. Between December 2023 and January 2024, law enforcement successfully completed three downloads of files containing thousands of images and videos containing CSAM, that Lohr was making available for others to download.
On February 28, 2024, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence. Multiple electronic devices were seized and forensically analyzed. The forensic analysis revealed that Lohr possessed the equivalent of 571,950 images depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as infants. Some of the CSAM material maintained and distributed also portrayed sadistic or masochistic conduct or other depictions of violence.
Lohr remains in federal custody and will be 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 thanked HSI, the Waynesville Police Department, and the Boone Police Department for their investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexis Benjamin of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Asheville 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 Justice Department. 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, visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Brazilian National Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Selling FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for selling 11 firearms, including one equipped with a large capacity magazine and another with an obliterated serial number.
Guilherme Fernandes-Tavares, 32, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to four years in prison. The defendant is subject to deportation upon completion of the imposed sentence. In November 2025, Fernandes-Tavares pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license. Fernandes-Tavares was arrested in May 2024 in an unrelated state case. Fernandes-Tavares was charged in federal court by criminal complaint in March 2025 and subsequently indicted in July 2025.
Between January and May 2024, Fernandes-Tavares sold firearms in Eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, on March 27, 2024, Fernandes-Tavares sold a pistol with a high-capacity magazine capable of holding 29 rounds. On May 7, 2024, Fernandes-Tavares sold a pistol with an obliterated serial number. When asked about the serial number, Fernandes-Tavares told a cooperating witness that Fernandes-Tavares’ source of the firearm required him to obliterate the serial number. In addition, Fernandes-Tavares sold nine other firearms to the cooperating witness during this time period.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Thomas Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and David T. Wesling, Acting Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Reynolds of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Asian Boyz Gang Associate from Lowell Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Asian Boyz gang was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a distribution network that produced homemade methamphetamine pills, branded as “Adderall.”
Richard Nguyen, a/k/a “Cheese,” a/k/a “Cheeseburger,” 30, of Lowell, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy to 128 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In November 2025, Nguyen was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine and one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. Nguyen was arrested and charged in January 2025.
In 2021, an investigation began into the Asian Boyz gang to disrupt the manufacturing and distribution of substantial quantities of methamphetamine pills impacting the City of Lowell. Nguyen was part of the large drug distribution network that profited from the sale of thousands of these counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine. Between March 2022 and January 2025, Nguyen and other defendants sold counterfeit Adderall pills to undercover officers and cooperating witnesses on 47 different occasions.
Nguyen sold counterfeit Adderall pills to a cooperating witness at least three times between January 2024 and April 2024. Each time, Nguyen directed the cooperating witness to meet him at his home to conduct the deal, on a back porch covered with a tarp and accessible only from a narrow alleyway. Nguyen negotiated the deals with the cooperating witness using an Instagram account, “Cheese.” He gave the cooperating witness a price of $0.80 per pill, explaining that he could only get the pills for $0.70 per pill, and that he had to “make [his] dollar.” During the first deal on his back porch, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness approximately 1,000 pills. During the next two deals, Nguyen sold the cooperating witness twice as much – approximately 2,000 pills each time.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Superintendent Greg C. Hudon of the Lowell Police Department made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Billerica, Haverhill, Methuen, North Andover and Salem Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Fred M. Wyshak, III and Brendan D. O’Shea of the Criminal Division 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 https://www.justice.gov/PSN.
The case was investigated under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. For more information about Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces, please visit Justice.gov/OCDETF.
Akron Meth Dealer Sentenced to 27 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
AKRON, Ohio – A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for his role in a large-scale conspiracy to sell illegal narcotics throughout Summit County and the surrounding areas.
Antonio Guice, of Akron, Ohio, was sentenced to 327 months (27.25 years) in prison by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after pleading guilty in November 2025 to the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine
- Distribution of Methamphetamine
He was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release after imprisonment.
Guice was one of more than 30 people arrested last September as part of an ATF-led law enforcement initiative that was conducted over a 60-day period and focused on Akron’s most violent neighborhoods.
According to court documents, in August 2025 investigators suspected that Guice was the source of large quantities of methamphetamine being trafficked throughout the Akron metropolitan area. During the investigation into the conspiracy, federal agents linked the sale of approximately 470 grams (more than one pound) of methamphetamine directly to Guice.
Co-defendant Troy Miller, 54, of Akron, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence. A second co-defendant, Wathen Milliner, 40, also of Akron, pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.
The investigations leading to the indictments in this law enforcement initiative were conducted by the ATF Columbus Division’s Cleveland Field Office, Akron Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Barberton Police Department, University of Akron Police Department, and the Ohio Adult Parole Authority.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Toni Beth Schnellinger Feisthamel for the Northern District of Ohio.
Air Force Officer Indicted for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
TRENTON, N.J. – A Burlington County, New Jersey, man was indicted yesterday for various child exploitation offenses, U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer announced.
Gabriel Perez, 31, of Eastampton, New Jersey, was charged in a two-count Superseding Indictment with attempted enticement and coercion of a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b) (Count One), and attempted transfer of obscene materials to a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1470 (Count Two).
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Beginning in mid-August 2024, Perez, who was then 29 years old and an officer in the United States Air Force, communicated over Reddit with an undercover law enforcement officer who purported to be a 14-year-old girl. Over the course of two weeks, Perez expressed his interest in meeting with the purported minor for sex. On August 28, 2024, Perez sent an obscene photograph of himself to the purported minor and arranged to meet her the next day to engage in unlawful sexual activity. On August 29, 2024, Perez drove to the pre‑arranged meeting location and was arrested by law enforcement with condoms in his pocket.
If convicted, Perez faces a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years’ imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment on Count One of the Superseding Indictment and a maximum prison sentence of ten years’ imprisonment on Count Two of the Superseding Indictment. Each of the offenses carry a maximum fine of $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Robert Frazer credited law enforcement members with the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Bates, with the investigation leading to the charges. He also thanked the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office and the Eastampton Police Department for their assistance with the investigation.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matt Belgiovine and Richard Shephard of the Criminal Division in Trenton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The charges and allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
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Defense counsel: Ray Mateo, Esq. and Emily Arezzi, Esq.
perez.indictment.pdf
2 April 2026
Woodbridge man pleads guilty to sexually exploiting more than 40 minor girls on SnapchatRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, Va. – A Woodbridge man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce approximately 41 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls.
Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care.
On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account. Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him three days while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident.
On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-327.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 28 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
MARQUETTE, MICHIGAN – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Erich Zeeb, 51, of Roanoke, Virginia, was sentenced to 28 years in prison for sexual exploitation of a child.
U.S. Attorney VerHey said, “What Zeeb did was depraved and disgusting and he richly deserved the long sentence he received from Judge Beckering. This case should remind all parents of the long reach that sex predators have because of the internet. Please do what you can to warn your children about this risk and help them avoid it. My message to others who sexually exploit our children is this—there is a prison cell waiting for you too.”
Zeeb met the victim, who was then 15 years old, online in 2012. He presented himself to the victim and her parents as an Olympian-in-training and someone who could help the victim with her own Olympic aspirations. As U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering stated at sentencing, Zeeb groomed the victim, gained her parents’ trust, and then used that access to sexually exploit the victim on multiple occasions. During the investigation, law enforcement received credible accounts of similar exploitation and abuse by Zeeb involving additional girls and young women.
“This sentencing reflects HSI’s unwavering resolve to protect our communities and hold those who prey on children fully accountable” said HSI Detroit Special Agent in Charge Jared Murphey. “We will continue to pursue justice and safeguard the most vulnerable among us.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Michigan State Police, and the Houston, Texas Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hanna Rutkowski.
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.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting more than 40 Minor Girls on SnapchatRead the Press Release
A Virginia man pled guilty today to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child sexual abuse material.
According to court documents, between at least March 1, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, Malachi Morgan Thomas, 24, used a Snapchat account, which he had previously hacked and stolen from a minor, to coerce at least 40 minor girls between the ages of 12 and 17 to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Thomas directed the victims to create and send him child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and ordered the girls to engage in sexually explicit conduct during live video calls.
Thomas told victims he led a criminal organization and that as long as the victims did what he told them they would be safe. To coerce compliance, Thomas made such threats as hacking the victims’ accounts or harming them and their family members. Thomas was aware that several of his victims suffered from anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues and that many had previously been victims of sexual abuse. In at least one instance, Thomas knew that the victim was in foster care.
On June 6, 2020, Thomas flew to another state and travelled to a victim’s home where he engaged in sex with the victim, which he recorded and saved in his Snapchat account. Police discovered the abuse of this victim after searching one of Thomas’ cell phones, which they seized from him while investigating an altercation. On July 9, 2020, Thomas traveled to Potomac Mills Mall in Woodbridge to meet a victim he exploited on Snapchat. The victim’s father had learned of Thomas’ actions and appeared at the mall instead of the victim. Thomas’ phone was seized when police responded to the incident.
“Thomas preyed on vulnerable victims across several states using social media Apps to expand his sprawling reach to abuse young girls and threaten harm to them and their families in order to obtain his disturbing goal — child sexual exploitation,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice will investigate, prosecute, and seek justice for victims of child sexual abuse. Harm to America’s children has no place in our communities.”
On Oct. 1, 2020, Fairfax County Police arrested Thomas on charges of rape and sodomy of two minors in Fairfax County. With support from Prince William County Police, Fairfax County Police searched Thomas’ residence in Woodbridge where investigators located a second phone containing dozens of images and videos of child sexual abuse, including recordings of his sexual assaults of his two victims in Fairfax County.
Thomas is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 24 and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 40 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Halper for the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Alicia A. Bove of the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Commemorates Sexual Assault Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
This April, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin joins the U.S. Department of Justice, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW), communities nationwide, and Tribal nations in observing Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud to stand with survivors and support efforts to prevent sexual violence. In Fiscal Year 2025, the OVW awarded more than $5.6 million to Wisconsin grantees through various OVW grant programs.
These programs include the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program, the Legal Assistance for Victims Program, and the Transitional Housing Assistance Grants for Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program.
“Survivors of sexual assault deserve safety, dignity, and justice,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Schimel. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to supporting and seeking justice for survivors. We will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to ensure survivors find a justice system that is compassionate and ready to help provide for their safety and healing.”
We encourage everyone in our district to learn more about sexual assault and take steps to support friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors who have suffered these crimes. By understanding the signs of abuse and connecting victims to available resources, we can all play a role in creating safer, supportive communities.
The Department of Justice funds essential victim services through its grants. Grantees of OVW and the Department’s Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) run programs that support victims of sexual assault. There are many services available to help victims, including the Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), and the StrongHearts Native Helpline, 1-844-7NATIVE (762-8483). In addition, OVW’s website has a “Resources for Survivors” page, which lists state sexual assault coalitions that can direct victims to local resources and services, as well as opportunities to get involved.# # #
For further information contact: Public Affairs Officer Steve Caballero
(414) 297-1700
Follow us on XU.S. Attorney’s Office Concludes Investigation into Suicide During Police PursuitRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against police officers in connection with the suicide of S.J., a 36-year-old District resident, that occurred during a February pursuit.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department's Internal Affairs Division conducted a comprehensive review of the incident, which included a review of law enforcement accounts, body-worn camera footage, physical evidence, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, and MPD reports.
According to the evidence, on Feb. 11, 2026, officers with the Prince George's County Police Department and the MPD attempted to apprehend S.J. in connection with a homicide that occurred earlier in the day. S.J. led law enforcement on a long vehicular pursuit. The chase ended in the 1500 block of 30th Street, SE, where S.J. died of suicide, despite lifesaving efforts by law enforcement and an emergency medical team. An autopsy determined SJ. died from a gunshot wound to the head.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers willfully violated the civilian’s rights.
Investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
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Trinity Hospital Agrees to Pay $1.7M to Resolve Alleged Stark Law ViolationsRead the Press Release
Trinity Hospital Holding Company (Trinity) has agreed to pay the United States $1.7 million to resolve allegations relating to improper financial relationships between Trinity and two referring physicians. Trinity operates a hospital located in Steubenville, Ohio. Trinity disclosed the arrangements at issue to the government following an independent investigation.
The Physician Self-Referral Law, commonly known as the Stark Law, prohibits hospitals from billing for certain services referred by physicians with whom the hospital has a financial relationship, unless that relationship satisfies one of the law’s statutory or regulatory exceptions. The settlement resolves allegations that from 2014 through 2020 Trinity made improper financial contributions to two referring physicians in the form of rental arrangements for office space. The United States alleged that these arrangements violated the Stark Law because the rental arrangements exceeded fair market value.
“The Stark Law is designed to ensure that decisions about patient care are not influenced by physicians’ personal financial interest,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “As this settlement reflects, we will hold accountable those who violate these important safeguards, but we will also give credit when resolving such misconduct to those who fully disclose their mistakes, take appropriate remedial actions, and meaningfully cooperate with the government’s investigation.”
In connection with the settlement, the United States acknowledged that Trinity took significant steps entitling it to credit for cooperating with the government. Following an internal compliance review and independent investigation, Trinity promptly took remedial action, disclosed the relevant arrangements to the government, and cooperated with the government’s investigation.
The resolution obtained in this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
The investigation and resolution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Health and Human Services at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).
The matter was handled by Fraud Section Senior Trial Counsel David Finkelstein.
The claims resolved by the United States in the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
Trinitarios Gang Members Plead Guilty to Murder and Violent CarjackingsRead the Press Release
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Amaury Guzmán, a member of the Trinitarios street gang, pleaded guilty to multiple carjacking and firearm offenses, including the murder of the victim of an attempted carjacking committed in Queens, New York. The proceeding was held before United States Chief District Judge Margo K. Brodie. Trinitarios gang member and co-defendant Jonathan Guzman previously pleaded guilty to some of the charges, including the murder, in July 2025. When sentenced, Guzmán faces a sentencing range of 35 to 40 years’ imprisonment. Rodríguez faces a sentencing range of 32 to 40 years’ imprisonment.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty pleas.
“Guzmán and Rodríguez caused fear and chaos through armed carjackings, robberies, and ruthless shootings. Today’s outcome is the result of relentless work by our Office and law enforcement partners and further demonstrates the goals of the Administration’s Operation Take Back America to protect our communities from violent criminals,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.
Mr. Nocella also expressed his appreciation to the Queens County District Attorney’s Office for their work on the case.
“Over the span of four months, these two gang members subjected our community to a series of carjackings, senseless shootings, and cold-blooded murder. Alongside our law enforcement partners, the FBI’s Metro Safe Streets Task Force has prioritized crushing violent crime by targeting gangs and their violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
According to court filings and the guilty plea proceeding, between November 2022 and February 2023, Guzmán and Rodríguez variously participated in a string of violent crimes.
November 2022 Attempted Robbery and Shooting
On November 19, 2022, Guzmán and others conspired to rob a marijuana dealer in Queens. Guzmán set up a fake marijuana deal and approached the dealer’s car after he arrived at an agreed-upon location. Guzmán approached the dealer’s car and as the dealer and his passenger tried to flee, Guzmán fired into the car, shooting the passenger in the shoulder. The passenger survived but underwent extensive surgery to remove a bullet from his neck.
November 2022 Attempted Carjacking and Murder
The next day, on November 20, 2022, Guzmán, Rodríguez, and a co-conspirator used a stolen Mercedes Benz to approach an individual’s BMW sports coupe parked on a sidewalk in Queens. Rodríguez approached the victim at gunpoint and fired in his direction as he attempted to flee. The victim was shot once in the back, quickly lost control of his car, which then flipped over onto a sidewalk. He died from the gunshot wound shortly thereafter.
November 2022 Armed Carjacking
Two days later, on November 22, 2022, Guzmán, Rodríguez, and others once again used the stolen Mercedes Benz to approach a victim who had recently parked his BMW X5 on a residential block in Queens. The crew attacked the victim at gunpoint and stole the keys to his BMW X5. They then fled in the stolen Mercedes Benz and in the victim’s BMW X5, only to crash into each other minutes later after speeding away from the carjacking. A ghost gun was recovered from the wrecked Mercedes Benz, which ballistically matched the earlier two shootings.
December 2022 Attempted Carjacking and Shooting
Several weeks later, on December 12, 2022, Guzmán and others approached the driver of a Range Rover who was parked on a residential block in Queens, intending to carjack him. As the victim attempted to flee the carjacking, a member of Guzmán’s crew fired a shot into the Range Rover, which lodged in the center console after narrowly missing the victim.
February 2023 Armed Carjacking
Less than two months later, on February 1, 2023, Guzmán and others used a stolen Dodge Charger to carjack the owner of a Ford Mustang who was parked on a residential block in Queens. Guzmán and a co-conspirator tackled the victim to the ground as he tried to run from them, stole his keys, and bashed the victim in the head with their guns. Lacerations to the victim’s head required hospitalization.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Organized Crime and Gangs Section. Assistant United States Attorney Andy Palacio is in charge of the prosecution.
The Defendants:
AMAURY GUZMÁN
Age: 26
Brooklyn, New YorkJONATHAN RODRIGUEZ
Age: 24
Queens, New YorkE.D.N.Y. Docket No. 23-CR-107 (S-3) (MKB)
Todd County Man Sentenced to 2 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PIERRE - United States Attorney Ron Parsons announced today that U.S. District Judge Eric C. Schulte has sentenced a man from Todd County, South Dakota, convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The sentencing took place on March 30, 2026.
Treon Eastman, age 25, was sentenced to two years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.
Eastman was indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2025. He pleaded guilty on January 8, 2026.
The conviction stems from an incident that occurred within the Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservation. Between April 2023 and July 2023, Eastman engaged in a sexual act with a female victim who was between 12-16 years old.
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’ Office 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.
This matter was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office because the Major Crimes Act, a federal statute, mandates that certain violent crimes alleged to have occurred in Indian Country be prosecuted in Federal court as opposed to State court.
This case was investigated by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe Law Enforcement Services and the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Troy R. Morley prosecuted the case.
Eastman was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Three Philadelphia Men Charged by Superseding Indictment with Conspiring to Distribute Large Amounts of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHILADELPHIA – United States Attorney David Metcalf announced that Jimmy King, 50, Jermaine King, 51, and Mahmud Sheppard, 28, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged by superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, distribution of methamphetamine, and firearms offenses.
The superseding indictment alleges that, between January 2024 and July 2025, the three men operated a drug trafficking organization (“DTO”) responsible for distributing over 500 pounds of methamphetamine throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding region.
As further alleged, Jimmy King routinely traveled to California where he sourced bulk quantities of methamphetamine, which he shipped back to Philadelphia using fake names and addresses. With the assistance of Jermaine King and Sheppard, Jimmy King diverted these packages and then distributed the methamphetamine to customers.
FBI agents surveilled the trio for months as they obtained and distributed methamphetamine. On July 23, 2025, agents served a search warrant on Jimmy King’s residence, where they located approximately 30 pounds of methamphetamine and two firearms.
If convicted, each of the defendants faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison.
The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Stram and Christopher E. Parisi.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (“HSTF”) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF Philadelphia comprises agents and officers from, among others, FBI, HSI, DEA, and ATF, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
The charges and allegations contained in the indictment are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Texas Doctor Charged with Illegally Distributing Millions of Opioid PillsRead the Press Release
An indictment was unsealed today in the Southern District of Texas charging James Robles, 70, of Weslaco, Texas, with operating a cash-only clinic in Houston that he used to sell prescriptions for controlled substances.
According to court documents, Robles, a medical doctor licensed to practice in Texas, conspired with others to illegally prescribe oxycodone, hydrocodone and carisoprodol – all controlled substances with substantial street value that were in high demand on Houston’s black market. Operating from his cash-only Houston clinic, Robles allegedly sold prescriptions to “crew leaders” who recruited others to pose as patients, filled Robles’ prescriptions at complicit pharmacies and resold the drugs on the black market. As alleged, Robles often did not see or examine his purported patients before prescribing them opioids and other controlled substances. In just over four years, Robles allegedly prescribed approximately 2.9 million pills of hydrocodone, 1.3 million pills of oxycodone and 1.1 million pills of carisoprodol. In less than three years of the conspiracy, more than $2 million in cash was deposited into bank accounts controlled by Robles.
Robles is charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense controlled substances, one count of distributing and dispensing controlled substances and one count of maintaining a drug involved premises. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and Special Agent in Charge Brian C. Leardo of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) made the announcement.
DEA is investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Angela Benoit and Andrew Pennebaker of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of eight strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
St. Petersburg Man Charged in Child’s Fentanyl Overdose and Multiple Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Tampa, Florida – Rayshawn Smith (31, St. Petersburg) has been charged by criminal complaint with distribution of a controlled substance resulting in great bodily injury, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, drug distribution, and possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. If convicted on all counts, Smith faces a maximum penalty of life in federal prison. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.
According to the complaint, between May 13, 2025, and January 14, 2026, Smith sold various kinds of drugs – including methamphetamine and fentanyl – to a confidential informant. On November 13, 2025, while in the sole care and custody of Smith, a one-year-old child ingested and overdosed on fentanyl, resulting in the need for life-saving measures at the hospital.
On January 14, 2026, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence where they recovered drugs, guns, and drug paraphernalia. Smith was arrested at a different location in his vehicle. When law enforcement searched Smith’s car, they found additional drugs and drug packaging materials.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the St. Petersburg Police Department. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Yara Dodin.
Southington Man Sentenced to Prison for Gun and Drug Offenses Stemming from 2020 Shooting in HartfordRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ERIC D. COX, 43, of Southington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven to 29 months of imprisonment and two years of supervised release for firearm and narcotics offenses stemming from a shooting in Hartford in 2020.
According to the evidence presented during his trial, on September 4, 2020, Cox engaged in a violent altercation near Hartford Hospital in Hartford. During the altercation, in which Cox was slashed with a knife, Cox pulled out a gun and fired multiple shots at the individual who slashed him and others in the vicinity, which resulted in a bystander being shot multiple times. Hartford Police responded to the incident and found several cartridge casings on Jefferson Street where the stabbing and shooting occurred, and a hospital employee found a discarded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol outside the entrance of the hospital’s emergency department and notified law enforcement. Police searched Cox’s car after the incident and found a bag containing approximately 28 grams of cocaine. Subsequent analysis of the firearm revealed the presence of Cox’s DNA.
Cox’s criminal history includes a federal conviction in 2008 for a crack cocaine distribution offense.
On November 21, 2025, a jury found Cox guilty of one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of possession of cocaine.
Cox, who is released on $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 6.
The Hartford State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted the other individual involved in the altercation.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Hartford Police Department, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert S. Dearington and Mary G. Vitale.
Sacramento Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Exploitation of a MinorRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Roland Edward Bain, 40, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to sexual exploitation of a minor, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, between March 6, 2024, and May 5, 2024, Bain engaged in a pattern of activity which included persuading a minor victim to create and send him sexually explicit photos and videos. Bain and the victim communicated via their smartphones, and the victim used her phone to create sexually explicit material at Bain’s request. As part of this conduct, Bain engaged in sex acts with the victim. Throughout the course of conduct, Bain was aware the victim was under the age of 18. Bain also engaged in a pattern of activity involving prohibited sexual conduct with other minors.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento Sheriff Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Harman is prosecuting the case.
Bain is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley on June 18, 2026. Bain faces a mandatory minimum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison, and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
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 those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about internet-safety education.
Repeat smuggler sent to federal prison after illegal aliens found concealed inside tractorRead the Press Release
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 53-year-old San Juan resident has been sentenced for transporting six illegal aliens, announced Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
Mario Trevino pleaded guilty Dec. 29, 2025.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Trevino to serve 33 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence detailing how the illegal aliens were transported in a confined space and that at least one expressed concern for their safety. The court also heard about Trevino’s prior attempts to evade law enforcement. In handing down the sentence, the court noted his criminal history, which included possession with intent to distribute meth, evading arrest and a prior conviction for smuggling illegal aliens.
On Oct. 28, 2025, Trevino drove a tractor trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. He claimed the trailer was empty, and he was heading to pick up a load.
Law enforcement conducted a search of the vehicle where they observed six illegal aliens concealed in the sleeper area. Some were hidden underneath a blanket, while others hid in a cabinet.
The illegal aliens reported they had illegally entered the United States and were transported through multiple locations in the Rio Grande Valley before being directed to enter the tractor-trailer. They further stated Trevino instructed them to remain hidden and not move.
Trevino has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.