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3 April 2026
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.
Pulaski County Woman Sentenced for Armed Methamphetamine TraffickingRead the Press Release
LONDON, Ky. – A Science Hill, Ky., woman, Vicki Allred, 41, was sentenced on Thursday to 60 months by U.S. District Judge Robert Wier for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
According to her plea agreement, on April 23, 2024, Allred possessed more than 50 grams of methamphetamine with the intention of distributing it. Specifically, during the execution of a search warrant at Allred’s residence and her box trailer in the driveway, law enforcement recovered more than 280 grams of methamphetamine packaged in distribution quantities, additional plastic bags, and digital scales. Additionally, from a lockbox containing two bags of methamphetamine, law enforcement found a pistol, a loaded magazine, and four sets of digital scales. From Allred’s trailer, law enforcement also recovered a rifle, four loaded AR magazines, and a shotgun with ammunition. Allred admitted that she possessed the firearms to protect herself from the dangers associated with drug trafficking.
Under federal law, Allred must serve 85 percent of her prison sentence. Upon her release from prison, she will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for four years.
Jason Parman, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Olivia Olson, Special Agent in Charge, FBI, Louisville Field Office, jointly announced the sentence.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Pearce Nesbitt is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
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Puerto Rican Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Role in a Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Jefte Monell Diaz, 28, of Caguas, Puerto Rico, was sentenced on Tuesday by Chief U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 60 months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release. Diaz previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.
On July 1, 2024, Diaz and his co-conspirators traveled from Tucson to Phoenix with approximately 100 pounds of methamphetamine, which they intended to deliver to another individual that evening. Diaz was indicted for his role in the conspiracy on Aug. 21, 2024.
This investigation is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States.
This HSTF Tucson led investigation comprises agents and officers from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Arizona Department of Public Safety (AZDPS). Assistant U.S. Attorney David Petermann, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
CASE NUMBER: 24-CR-5415
RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-056_Auz-Vasquez, et al.
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.
Prior felon arrested, charged following incident involving shooting of police officer and standoffRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Christopher Marcinkowski, 39, of Dunkirk, NY, was arrested and charged by criminal complaint with maintaining a drug involved premises and being a felon in possession of a firearm, which carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy C. Lynch and Garrett Fitzsimmons, who are handling the case, stated that according to the complaint, in February 2026, the DEA began assisting the Chautauqua County Narcotics Unit with an investigation of Marcinkowski’s drug trafficking activities. In February and March 2026, investigators conducted two separate garbage pulls at a residence on Franklin Avenue in Dunkirk associated with Marcinowski. Numerous plastic baggies were located with residue that tested positive for the presence of cocaine. On March 24, 2026, investigators executed a search warrant at the Franklin Avenue residence. As the execution of the warrant began, an individual, later identified as Marcinowski, fired two rounds from a firearm, one of which struck an officer. A standoff then took place for several hours, during which Marcinowski told the police negotiator that he shot the officer. After several hours, he surrendered without further incident. After the residence was cleared, officers seized approximately 197 grams of suspected psychedelic mushrooms, approximately 11 pounds of suspected marijuana, three firearms, approximately $30,000 in cash, and drug paraphernalia.
Marcinowski has three prior federal convictions. In October 2013, he was convicted of possessing with intent to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. In November 2021, Marcinowski was convicted of distributing cocaine.
Marcinowski will make an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeremiah J. McCarthy on April 8, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.
The complaint is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James Quattrone, the Jamestown Police Department, under the direction of Acting Chief Scott Forster, and the Dunkirk Police Department, under the direction of Chief Christopher Witkowski.
The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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Previously Removed Illegal Alien from Mexico Sentenced to 60 Months’ Imprisonment for Drug and Immigration Crimes in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A previously removed illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced today to five years’ imprisonment after he possessed and intended to distribute approximately 17 pounds of methamphetamine and illegally reentered the United States after being removed in 2020.
In addition to his term of imprisonment, Juan Alexis Castanon-Chavez, 28, residing illegally in Bountiful, Utah, was sentenced to one year of supervised release. Upon his release from imprisonment, Castanon-Chavez will be remanded to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.
According to court documents and statements made at Castanon-Chavez’s sentencing and change of plea hearings, on March 2, 2025, agents arranged a controlled purchase of narcotics from Castanon-Chavez. On that day, Castanon-Chavez brought approximately eight kilograms of methamphetamine to sell to an undercover agent posing as a drug purchaser. Agents seized approximately 7,930 grams of field-tested positive methamphetamine from Castanon-Chavez’s vehicle. Castanon-Chavez admitted he intended to sell the methamphetamine had it not been seized by law enforcement. He further admitted that he unlawfully reentered the United States after he was removed on March 3, 2020. See prior press release: Mexican National Facing Drug and Immigration Charges.
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case was investigated jointly by the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office and the Davis County Drug Task Force.
Assistant United States Attorney Vernon G. Stejskal of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 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.
Previously Removed Illegal Alien from Honduras Indicted for Allegedly Attempting to Distribute Fentanyl in the District of UtahRead the Press Release
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City returned an indictment against a previously removed Honduran national for alleged drug trafficking after agents seized approximately 2,500 individual fentanyl pills from the defendant, his vehicle, and residence.
Lester Levi Carias Zuniga, 29, residing unlawfully in West Jordan, Utah, was initially charged by complaint on March 24, 2026.
According to the allegations in court documents, during the month of March 2026, detectives with the Utah Couty Major Crimes Task Force received information that a man, later identified as Carias Zuniga, was distributing fentanyl throughout the Salt Lake area. A controlled purchase of fentanyl was conducted, and Carias Zuniga arrived in a Toyota Camry. Through surveillance, detectives learned that Carias Zuniga lived at a residence in West Jordan. A search warrant was obtained for Carias Zuniga’s residence and the Toyota Camry. On March 18, 2026, pursuant to the search warrant, detectives stopped Carias Zuniga in the Toyota Camry after leaving his residence. Carias Zuniga was the driver and sole occupant of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle revealed approximately 40 grams of fentanyl pills packaged in multiple baggies. Detectives also located and seized 4.7 grams of fentanyl powder on Carias Zuniga. Both substances field-tested positive for fentanyl. During a search of Carias Zuniga’s residence, detectives located and seized approximately 206 grams of fentanyl pills and an additional 16 grams of fentanyl powder. In total, agents seized approximately 266 grams of fentanyl pills (approximately 2,500 individual pills).
Carias Zuniga was previously removed from the United States in 2018. Despite his removal, he was found in the United States during this incident and there is no evidence that he obtained permission to be in the United States.
Carias Zuniga is charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and reentry of a previously removed alien. A two-day jury trial is scheduled for June 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in courtroom 7.3 before a U.S. District Court Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City.
First Assistant United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah made the announcement.
The case is being investigated by the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force (UCMC). Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Special United States Attorney Pete Reichman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Previously Deported Alien Residing in Sacramento Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Firearms and to Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Luis Eduardo Torres-Hernandez, 40, a Mexican national residing in Sacramento, pleaded guilty today to one count of being an unlawful alien in possession of firearms and one count of illegally re-entering the United States after being previously removed, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced.
According to court documents, in September 2024, undercover law enforcement agents found Torres-Hernandez in the Sacramento area when he sold them multiple sets of false identification documents, including Permanent Resident green cards and Social Security cards. On a subsequent date, agents recovered several firearms from his possession, including a Windham Weaponry 5.56 caliber rifle, a Ruger 9 mm caliber pistol and a Sig Sauer 9 mm caliber pistol. Torres-Hernandez is in the United States illegally and has been removed from the United States on multiple occasions and is accordingly prohibited from possessing firearms.
According to the indictment, on Aug. 29, 2014, Torres-Hernandez was deported from the United States after a conviction for selling false documents in the Eastern District of California.
Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dhruv M. Sharma is prosecuting the case.
Torres-Hernandez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Daniel J. Calabretta on July 9, 2026. Torres-Hernandez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the firearms count, and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the illegal reentry count. 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 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.
Previously Convicted Felon Sentenced in Firearm Case After Flight from PoliceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rarkease Charles Bishop, 23, a previously convicted felon residing in the District of Columbia, was sentenced today to 28 months in prison in connection with his unlawful possession of a Glock pistol while on supervised release for another gun offense, announced U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro.
Bishop pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2025, in U.S. District Court to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a felon. In addition to the 28-month prison sentence, Judge Amy Berman Jackson ordered Bishop to serve three years of supervised release. Prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s Office had requested a sentence of 37 months.
“Rarkease Bishop had multiple opportunities to turn his life around and instead chose, repeatedly and deliberately, to arm himself in defiance of the law and the courts,” said U.S. Attorney Pirro. “He fled from officers, fought his arrest, and tried to hide the loaded gun he was carrying even after he was in handcuffs. That is not the behavior of someone who poses a manageable risk. It is the behavior of someone the community needs to be protected from."
According to court papers, on July 16, 2025, members of the Metropolitan Police Department's Sixth District Crime Suppression Team were on patrol in a marked police cruiser on the 100 block of 42nd Street NE. One of the officers recognized Bishop driving a white Nissan Maxima.
Officers attempted to stop the Nissan, a vehicle that had been reported stolen out of Laurel, Maryland. Bishop fled. With the car’s trunk open, Bishop drove the car over a curb and accelerated away at high speed.
Officers located the Maxima abandoned in the 200 block of 51st Street SE. After spotting Bishop, police pursued him on foot. Officers observed Bishop clutching the right side of his waistband. After a brief chase, police took Bishop into custody and handcuffed him near the 5000 block of C Street SE. Bishop resisted arrest. He crossed his legs in an attempt to conceal a firearm in his pant leg and made an additional attempt to break free from custody.
Officers subdued Bishop and recovered a loaded Glock Model 23, .40 caliber pistol from Bishop's right pant leg. The pistol was loaded with one round in the chamber and 13 rounds in a 17-round capacity magazine. Bishop committed this offense while on supervised release for a prior gun conviction, namely, carrying a pistol without a license.
This case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Washington Field Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Satter.
This case was prosecuted under the Make D.C. Safe and Beautiful initiative. Make D.C. Safe Again is a law enforcement initiative in support of President Trump's Executive Order to crack down on gun violence, prioritize federal firearms violations, pursue tougher penalties for offenses, and seek detention for federal firearms violators.
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After he was placed in handcuffs by police, Bishop tried to hide the pistol he was carrying.
Officers discovered the pistol in Bishop’s pant leg.
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Or at https://www.justice.gov/usao-dcPortland Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
PORTLAND, Ore.—A Portland, Oregon, man was sentenced to federal prison today for his role in an interstate drug trafficking organization.
Luis Garcia Zurita, 38, was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release.
According to court documents, Garcia Zurita was both an interstate drug transporter and local distributor for a Mexico-based drug trafficking organization operating in Portland. In August 2024, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) determined that Garcia Zurita was traveling from Los Angeles, California, to Oregon. Investigators conducted a stop of Garcia Zurita and subsequently applied for and were granted a search warrant for his vehicle. Agents seized from the vehicle approximately 4 kilograms of fentanyl pills and 2 kilograms of cocaine.
On March 5, 2025, a federal grand jury in Portland returned a two-count indictment charging Garcia Zurita with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine.
On December 1, 2025, Garcia Zurita pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
This case was investigated by the DEA, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force (CCITF). It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul T. Maloney.
CCITF, led by the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, works to disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations operating in and around Clackamas County, and reduce illegal drugs and related crimes throughout the community. The task force is comprised of members from the Canby Police Department, Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, the FBI, and the Oregon National Guard Counterdrug Task Force. CCITF is supported by our community with the passage of the Public Safety Levy and grant funding from the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program.
The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates with and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement initiatives.
Panama City Felon Sentenced for Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
Tallahassee, Florida – Orinthian Frazier, 46, of Panama City, Florida, was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment for unlawfully possessing firearms as a convicted felon. The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.
U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “Operation Take Back America continues to secure victories for the safety of our communities by targeting and aggressively prosecuting dangerous criminals, like this defendant. The safety of our citizens is non-negotiable, and my office will continue to back up the hard work of our state and federal law enforcement partners with successful prosecutions and federal prison sentences.”
Court documents reflect that in March 2025, Bay County Sheriff’s Office investigators received information that the defendant – a prior felon with convictions for sale of cocaine, sale of heroin, grand theft, and burglary – was selling illegal firearms. In an undercover capacity, investigators negotiated and then conducted the purchase of three handguns from the defendant. The defendant was arrested immediately after the undercover firearm sale and was found in possession of marked currency used for the purchase.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bay County Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Eric K Mountin.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida is one of 94 offices that serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. To access public court documents online, please visit the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida website. For more information about the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Florida, visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndfl.
Olean man pleads guilty to drug chargeRead the Press Release
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Isaiah Josiah Dre Riley, 23, of Olean, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to possession with intent to distribute five grams or more of methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in prison, a maximum of 40 years, and a fine of $5,000,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt I. Kass, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2024, law enforcement observed Riley make sales of crack cocaine utilizing a 3rd Avenue residence in Olean as his base of operation. On January 14, 2025, investigators executed search warrants at the residence, seizing quantities of suspected cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, drug paraphernalia, and $2,579.00 in cash. Riley was taken into custody at the scene.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Farhana Islam, the Southern Tier Regional Drug Task Force, under the direction of Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone, and the Olean Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ron Richardson.
Sentencing is scheduled for September 28, 2026, before Judge Vilardo.
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Okfuskee County Resident Sentenced to Life in Prison for 2024 Okemah MurderRead the Press Release
MUSKOGEE, OKLAHOMA – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Oklahoma announced that Michael Wayne Lambert, age 56, of Weleetka, Oklahoma, was sentenced to Life in prison for one count of Murder in Indian Country, and ten years in prison for one count of Use, Carry, Brandish and Discharge of a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. The Court ordered the terms to be served consecutively.
The charges arose from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Okemah Police Department, and the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
On September 11, 2025, Lambert was found guilty by a federal jury at trial. According to investigators, in the early morning hours of June 30, 2024, Lambert shot the victim multiple times on the stairs of an Okemah apartment complex, fled, then discarded the murder weapon off the side of the Bearden River Bridge into the North Canadian River. There, investigators recovered a Ruger 9mm from the riverbank that matched the shell casings recovered from the crime scene.
The crimes occurred in Okfuskee County, within the boundaries of the Muscogee (Creek) 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. Lambert will be held in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending transportation to a designated United States Bureau of Prisons facility to serve non-paroleable sentences of incarceration.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lewis M. Reagan and Ryan Conway represented the United States.
Ohio Man Admits Sex Acts with Missouri TeenRead the Press Release
ST. LOUIS – A man from Toledo, Ohio on Thursday admitted engaging in sex acts with a Missouri minor.
Andrew Raymond Crum, 33, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of coercion or enticement of a minor. Crum admitted meeting the girl via social media in 2021, when she was 14. Crum began driving to Missouri to have sex with the girl in February of 2024, when she was 16. He also exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with the victim via Snapchat, where he used the name “Sassy Man.”
The FBI was alerted in October of 2024 about Crum’s plans to return to Missouri and then located and contacted the victim and her mother.
Crum is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29. The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards 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 Department of Justice Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who 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.
Oasis Acupuncture LLC and Its Owner Agree to Pay $100,000 to Settle False Claims Act LiabilityRead the Press Release
Orlando, FL – United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe announces that Oasis Acupuncture LLC and its owner, Dr. Hui-Li Yuan, have agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by submitting inflated claims for acupuncture services to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Veterans Health Administration.
According to the settlement agreement, Oasis Acupuncture and Dr. Yuan billed the VA for acupuncture needle reinsertion services that were inflated and did not meet the minimum time requirements of 15 minutes per needle reinsertion. This resulted in the VA overpaying for Oasis Acupuncture’s claims.
“Protecting our veterans and their care is paramount,” U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe for the Middle District of Florida. “This civil settlement demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensure compliance and proper billing by all providers.”
“This settlement demonstrates the VA OIG’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the integrity of claims submitted to VA healthcare programs,” said Special Agent in Charge David Spilker with the VA Office of Inspector General’s Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG commends the US Attorney’s Office for their efforts in this investigation.”
This settlement resulted from a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Florida, the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy R. Bloor led the investigation.
The government’s action in this matter illustrates the emphasis on combating health care fraud, and one of the most powerful tools in this effort is the False Claims Act. Tips from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement can be reported to the Department of Veterans Affairs OIG Hotline, at 1-800-488-8244.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination or admission of liability.
North Haven Man Charged with Robbing Berlin Bank While on Supervised ReleaseRead the Press Release
David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, P.J. O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the FBI, and Berlin Police Chief Matthew J. McNally today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment yesterday charging THOMAS MARRA, 55, of North Haven, with bank robbery.
The indictment alleges that, on December 31, 2025, Marra robbed the Webster Bank on Webster Square Road in Berlin.
If convicted of the offense, Marra faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Marra has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on January 7, 2026.
In May 2023, Marra was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 60 months of imprisonment for a narcotics trafficking offense. He was released from prison in June 2025 and was on federal supervised release at the time of the alleged bank robbery. Marra faces additional penalties if he is found to have violated the conditions of his supervised release.
U.S. Attorney Sullivan stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Berlin Police Department, and the North Haven Police Department. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nathan J. Guevremont and Brendan J. Keefe.
North Carolina Man Sentenced to 180 Months’ Imprisonment for Production of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
HARRISBURG – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Brayan Garcia-Vazquez, age 25, of Haverlock, North Carolina, was sentenced on April 1, 2026, to 180 months of imprisonment by Senior United States District Judge Malachy E. Mannion for production of child pornography.
According to United States Attorney Brian D. Miller, a minor victim disclosed during a forensic interview that there was a video of her having sex with Garcia-Vazquez, and that he knew she was 12 years old at the time they had sexual intercourse. The minor victim explained that she had met Garcia-Vazquez on Instagram about a year beforehand.
Garcia-Vazquez came to the minor victim’s home on two separate days to have sexual intercourse. The second day he brought the minor victim a gold bracelet and they had intercourse again. Garcia-Vazquez recorded the sex act that day and shared the video with the minor victim, whose mother eventually found it and contacted law enforcement. Garcia-Vazquez was identified as the perpetrator through forensic analysis of the minor victim’s phone and matching Garcia-Vazquez with the male in the video.
Garcia-Vazquez faces deportation following the completion of this sentence.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Michael Scalera prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.
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Norfolk man sentenced to over three years in prison for laundering funds fraudulently obtained from a pandemic relief programRead the Press Release
NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison for money laundering and unlawful monetary transactions relating to the fraudulent receipt of funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
According to court records and evidence presented at trial, in May 2020, Brian Renard Manley Jr., 39, sent an email containing information about his businesses to an individual in Georgia who created fake tax returns for the business and submitted a fraudulent PPP application. PPP was administered by the Small Business Administration to provide low-interest financing to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs for eligible small businesses experiencing substantial financial disruption due to the pandemic.
As a result of the fraudulent PPP application, Brian Manley received $350,000, which he immediately transferred into a newly opened bank account for a different company. The next day, he forwarded an email to the same individual in Georgia from his co-defendant spouse, Lacole Manley, which contained information and data about her business. Lacole Manley later received an additional $350,000 PPP loan after a fraudulent application was submitted in her name by the same individual in Georgia. The Manleys used the PPP funds to pay for various personal expenses, including travel to Orlando and Las Vegas as well as the purchase of a luxury vehicle.
Lacole Manley is expected to be sentenced on May 19.
The IRS Criminal Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office and the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony C. Mozzi and Clayton D. LaForge are prosecuting the case.
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. 2:24-cr-56.
Nine Men, including Well Known Musical Artists, Federally Charged for Kidnapping at Music Studio in DallasRead the Press Release
Memphis, TN – This week, nine individuals – including well known musical artists—were federally charged for kidnapping and robbing at gunpoint numerous victims at a music studio in Dallas, Texas, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
Eight of the nine were arrested yesterday in Dallas, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. The charged defendants include:
Lontrell Williams. Jr., aka “Pooh Shiesty”
Lontrell Williams, Sr.
Rodney Wright, Jr., aka “Big30”
Kedarius Waters
Terrance Rodgers
Damarian Gipson
Demarcus Glover
Kordae Johnson
Darrion McDaniel“As alleged, nine defendants travelled to Dallas, Texas, to kidnap and rob victims who thought they were coming into town for a business meeting. Instead of discussing business in a civil matter, the defendants resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives,” said Ryan Raybould, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “For anyone contemplating using violence and intimidation as a business practice, I’m here to tell you that it will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in the Northern District of Texas. This case also highlights the outstanding contributions of my colleagues across the United States, including in the Western District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, and the Eastern District of Texas, as well as the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and our state and local partners.”
“The Western District of Tennessee employs a whole team concept with federal, state, and local partners to aggressively pursue all violent criminals who dare to commit crime or seek safe haven within our jurisdiction. Here, agents from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, strongly supported by Task Force Officers from the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Desoto County Sheriff’s Office, and aviation assets from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, brought these violent criminals to justice and put them behind bars. These defendants will be transported to the Northern District of Texas to face their crimes,” said D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
“Strong partnerships with local law enforcement are key to reducing violent crime. The collaboration of multiple agencies ensured the successful arrest of several individuals in both Texas and Tennessee. The FBI remains dedicated to investigating violent offenders and holding them accountable,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
The complaint alleges that on January 10 of this year, three music industry professionals traveled to Dallas for a scheduled business meeting. Lontrell Williams, Jr. arranged this meeting, purportedly to discuss the terms of his recording contract with one of the victims.
As alleged, once these three men were inside the studio, Williams Jr. and eight co-conspirators, several of whom traveled from Memphis, executed a coordinated armed takeover.
The complaint alleges that Williams Jr. produced an AK-style pistol and forced one of the victims to sign a release from the recording contract at gunpoint. The remaining conspirators displayed firearms and robbed the other victims of Rolex watches, jewelry, cash, and other high-value items.
One victim was choked to the point of near unconsciousness. Photos of some of his injuries were included in the complaint:
Photos of injuries sustained to the wrist and neck of one victim
Defendant Wright barricaded the studio door with his body to prevent the victims from escaping.
Court records reflect that Lontrell Williams, Jr., or Pooh Shiesty, was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of the Southern District of Florida. Part of the terms of his home detention were that he could not commit other criminal offenses or possess firearms. His father, Lontrell Williams Sr., is alleged to have helped plan and execute the federal kidnapping.
As described in the complaint, within hours of leaving the Dallas studio, the defendants added posts on social media, displaying what appeared to be some of the stolen jewelry, depicted in the photographs from the complaint:
Screenshot of video posted from Rodgers’ social media account depicted a Rolex believed to be stolen in the robbery
Screenshots from Glover’s social media account depicting him wearing purportedly stolen jewelry
As outlined in the complaint, some of the evidence establishing the defendants’ roles in the federal offense includes:
- Electronic monitoring data placing Williams Jr. at the offense location in violation of his home detention conditions;
- Cell phone records and license plate reader data corroborating the coordinated travel of multiple defendants from Memphis to Dallas;
- Rental car records confirming Williams Sr. rented a vehicle used by the group;
- Surveillance footage from the offense location, a nearby office supply store, and a hotel where several defendants stayed following the offense;
- Latent fingerprints recovered from the crime scene matching two defendants;
- Social media posts by defendants displaying what appears to be stolen property in the days following the offense; and
- Greyhound Bus records confirming the travel of multiple defendants from Dallas to Memphis the day after the offense.
If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to life imprisonment.
The FBI Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI’s Memphis Resident Agency and Nashville Field Office, the Memphis Safe Task Force, the Dallas Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Claire Demers and Robert Withers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
A complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
###For more information, please contact [email protected].
Nine Men - Including Well Known Musical Artists - Federally Charged for Kidnapping at Music Studio in DallasRead the Press Release
This week, nine individuals – including well known musical artists—were federally charged for kidnapping and robbing at gunpoint numerous victims at a music studio in Dallas, Texas, announced United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould.
8 of the 9 were arrested yesterday in Dallas, Texas and Memphis, Tennessee. The charged defendants include:
Lontrell Williams. Jr. a/k/a “Pooh Shiesty”
Lontrell Williams, Sr.
Rodney Wright, Jr. a/k/a “Big30”
Kedarius Waters
Terrance Rodgers
Damarian Gipson
Demarcus Glover
Kordae Johnson
Darrion McDaniel“As alleged, nine defendants travelled to Dallas, Texas, to kidnap and rob victims who thought they were coming into town for a business meeting. Instead of discussing business in a civil matter, the defendants resorted to violence and intimidation to achieve their purported business objectives,” said Ryan Raybould, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. “For anyone contemplating using violence and intimidation as a business practice, I’m here to tell you that it will be vigorously investigated and prosecuted in the Northern District of Texas. This case also highlights the outstanding contributions of my colleagues across the United States, including in the Western District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, and the Eastern District of Texas, as well as the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and our state and local partners.”
“The Western District of Tennessee employs a whole team concept with federal, state, and local partners to aggressively pursue all violent criminals who dare to commit crime or seek safe haven within our jurisdiction. Here, agents from the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, strongly supported by Task Force Officers from the Memphis Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Desoto County Sheriff’s Office, and aviation assets from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, brought these violent criminals to justice and put them behind bars. These defendants will be transported to the Northern District of Texas to face their crimes,” said D. Michael Dunavant, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.
“Strong partnerships with local law enforcement are key to reducing violent crime. The collaboration of multiple agencies ensured the successful arrest of several individuals in both Texas and Tennessee. The FBI remains dedicated to investigating violent offenders and holding them accountable,” said FBI Dallas Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock.
The complaint alleges that on January 10 of this year, three music industry professionals traveled to Dallas for a scheduled business meeting. Lontrell Williams, Jr. arranged this meeting, purportedly to discuss the terms of his recording contract with one of the victims.
As alleged, once these three men were inside the studio, Williams Jr. and eight co-conspirators, several of whom traveled from Memphis, executed a coordinated armed takeover.
The complaint alleges that Williams Jr. produced an AK-style pistol and forced one of the victims to sign a release from the recording contract at gunpoint. The remaining conspirators displayed firearms and robbed the other victims of Rolex watches, jewelry, cash, and other high-value items.
One victim was choked to the point of near unconsciousness. Photos of some of his injuries were included in the complaint:
Photos of injuries sustained to the wrist and neck of one victim
Defendant Wright barricaded the studio door with his body to prevent the victims from escaping.
Court records reflect that Lontrell Williams, Jr., or Pooh Shiesty, was on home confinement for a prior firearms conspiracy conviction out of the Southern District of Florida. Part of the terms of his home detention were that he could not commit other criminal offenses or possess firearms. His father, Lontrell Williams Sr., is alleged to have helped plan and execute the federal kidnapping.As described in the complaint, within hours of leaving the Dallas studio, the defendants added posts on social media, displaying what appeared to be some of the stolen jewelry, depicted in the photographs from the complaint:
Screenshot of video posted from Rodgers’ social media account depicted a Rolex believed to be stolen in the robbery
Screenshots from Glover’s social media account depicting him wearing purportedly stolen jewelry
As outlined in the complaint, some of the evidence establishing the defendants’ roles in the federal offense includes: • Electronic monitoring data placing Williams Jr. at the offense location in violation of his home detention conditions; • Cell phone records and license plate reader data corroborating the coordinated travel of multiple defendants from Memphis to Dallas; • Rental car records confirming Williams Sr. rented a vehicle used by the group; • Surveillance footage from the offense location, a nearby office supply store, and a hotel where several defendants stayed following the offense; • Latent fingerprints recovered from the crime scene matching two defendants; • Social media posts by defendants displaying what appears to be stolen property in the days following the offense; and
• Greyhound Bus records confirming the travel of multiple defendants from Dallas to Memphis the day after the offense.If convicted, each defendant faces a sentence of up to life imprisonment.
The FBI Dallas Violent Crimes Task Force investigated the case, with the assistance of the FBI’s Memphis Resident Agency and Nashville Field Office, the Memphis Safe Task Force, the Dallas Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Claire Demers and Robert Withers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
complaint_filed.pdfA complaint is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.